JPH1170917A - Filling mechanism for article filled into cardboard box by robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To install compactly a filling mechanism even in a small place and also reduce cost by using a robot. SOLUTION: The main body of a cardboard box 2 in a folded condition is held by the hand 9 of a robot 1, and the main body is folded up in a cylindrical shape from a predetermined folding part. Furthermore, the bottom flap of the cardboard box 2 is folded inward to make a box shape and is placed on a filling table 27. An article to be filled aligned neatly on an alignment table by align and supply equipment is raised by filling equipment 17 into the cardboard box 2 on the filling table 27.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a robot for continuously developing and supplying a cardboard box using a robot, filling the cardboard box with an object to be filled, and carrying the material after the filling. The present invention relates to a filling mechanism for filling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a factory, after a container is filled with a liquid detergent or cosmetics, the container is conveyed by a belt conveyor, filled in a cardboard box, further conveyed to a pallet and stacked. When filling a container into a cardboard box, first expand the folded cardboard box into a cylindrical shape, then fold the bottom flap and assemble it into a box shape, or a mechanism to transport the cardboard box to a predetermined position, In addition to a mechanism for filling a container in a cardboard box at a predetermined position, a mechanism for attaching an adhesive tape to the cardboard box after filling, a mechanism for transporting the completed cardboard box to a pallet for stacking, and the like, are required.

In order for these mechanisms to be performed automatically, there are many cases in which a device provided with each of the above-described mechanisms is separately developed by a specialized maker, and the devices are connected to each other in a convenient manner. By doing so, I had to assemble an automatic machine.

[0004]

However, in such a jumble system, it is difficult to operate organically, and a structure for connecting individual components tends to be wasteful.
After all, there is a problem that the size is large and the cost is high. In a factory where the size is small and the space for the apparatus is not sufficient, the only option is to manually fill the cardboard boxes with the material to be filled.

The present invention solves the above problems, and provides a mechanism for filling a cardboard box with a robot, which can be compactly installed even in a small space by using a robot and can reduce the cost. That is the subject.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a mechanism for filling a cardboard box with an object to be filled by a robot according to the present invention is to hold a folded cardboard box body with a robot hand. At the same time, the main body was bent up from a predetermined bent portion into a cylindrical shape, and furthermore, the bottom flap of the cardboard box was bent inward and placed on a filling table in a box shape, and aligned on an alignment table by an alignment supply device. The object to be filled is lifted by a filling device and supplied and filled into a cardboard box on the filling table.

The alignment table is provided with a sensor for detecting whether there is an error in the supply of the filling material to the cardboard box gripped by the robot. When an error is detected, the robot grips the cardboard box. It is preferable that the cardboard box be paid out of a predetermined system.

Further, in the above-mentioned arrangement and supply device, the arrangement table is arranged beside an end of a supply line through which the objects to be filled are conveyed in a tandem state, and a holding plate is provided between the end of the supply line and the arrangement table. The supply line is provided with an extruding plate for extruding the material to be filled on the supply line toward the alignment table, and the alignment table is provided with an extruding plate which is extruded from the end of the supply line by the extruding plate. It is preferable to provide a rollover prevention plate that moves in the extrusion direction by a servo motor while supporting the opposite side of the packing material, and a guide that guides both ends of the packing material on the alignment table in the extrusion direction.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is an overall view of a mechanism for filling a cardboard box with an object to be filled by a robot. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a robot, and such a robot 1 may be a six-axis robot manufactured by a robot maker such as FANUC Corporation. The loading section 3 of the folded corrugated cardboard box 2, the filling section 5 of the container (filled material), and the adhesive tape sticking section to the cardboard box are provided within the working range (circumference) around the robot 1. 6 and a loading pallet 7 (loading unit) for filled cardboard boxes. Reference numeral 8 denotes a cardboard box payout conveyor 8 when an error occurs.

The arm 1a of the robot 1 is shown in FIGS.
Is attached. The hand 9 includes a main hand 9a on the side attached to the arm 1a, and a rotating hand 9b attached to an end of the main hand 9a so as to be rotatable at right angles to an axis. , An air cylinder 10 is fixed, and an operating plate 11 is connected to a tip of the operating rod and an end of the rotating hand 9b. Vacuum pads 12 are arranged in upper and lower two rows on the hand 9, and each vacuum pad 12 is connected to a vacuum device (not shown).

The hand 9 is configured to be attracted to the main body 2a of the cardboard box 2 in a folded state by the lower vacuum pad 12b and to be attracted to the upper flap 13 by the upper vacuum pad 12a. Then, the folded cardboard box 2 is placed on the vacuum pad 12.
Then, when the rotating hand 9b is rotated at right angles by the air cylinder 10 as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 3, the one folded in the parallelogram shape becomes a predetermined bent portion (thin wall). Formed) into a cylindrical shape.
After assembling into a cylindrical shape in this manner, the robot 1 is rotated to transport the cardboard box 2 to a container filling table 27 described later.

The folding cardboard boxes 2 supplied to the stacking section 3 are stacked in a state where they are arranged side by side.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the filling section 5 of the container 4 is provided with a container 4 supplied from the step of filling the empty container with the liquid detergent or cosmetics by the infeed conveyor 14 of the supply line. At the time of filling in 2, a predetermined number of containers are moved by moving an alignment table 15 arranged beside the end of the infeed conveyor 14 following the above process and a group of containers on the infeed conveyor 14 in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. And a filling device 17 for picking up a group of containers arranged on the alignment table 15 to supply and fill the cardboard box 2 gripped by the robot 1 (see FIG. 1). 10, see FIG. 11).

At the end of the infeed conveyor 14, FIG.
As shown in (1), the containers 4 transported from the previous process are supplied in a vertical (single or multi-row) state. Slightly upstream, two partition plates 18 are respectively held by air cylinders 19 so as to be separated by a predetermined number (in this example, eight in two rows), and protrude and retract from the infeed conveyor 14. It is arranged to be. At the end of the infeed conveyor 14, one side wall of the passage of the container 4 is constituted by an extruded plate 20. This extruded plate 2
Numeral 0 is arranged so as to be supported by the air cylinder 21 and move at right angles to the flow of the container 4, that is, toward the alignment table 15. Thus, the extruding plate 20 can guide the flow of the transported containers 4 and push the containers 4 on the container 4 supply unit toward the alignment table 15.

When the extruding plate 20 moves at right angles to the flow of the container and pushes out the container 4 and then returns to the initial position, the container 4 disappears on the infeed conveyor 14, so that the partition plate 18 retreats and the container 4 is supplied to the infeed conveyor 14 again.

The alignment table 15 is arranged beside the infeed conveyor 14 and at the same height as the infeed conveyor 14. A press plate 22 is arranged between the infeed conveyor 14 and the alignment table 15 as shown in FIG. The holding plate 22 constitutes the other side wall of the passage of the container 4 and guides the flow. The pressing plate 22 is supported by an air cylinder 23 and is provided so as to be able to protrude and retract on the table 15. When the pushing plate 20 pushes and moves the container 4, the holding plate 22 sinks from the table surface and the pushing plate 20 is moved to the initial position. Is controlled to protrude above the table surface.

The alignment table 15 has a fall prevention plate 2.
4 is provided so as to be movable along the table surface. The tipping prevention plate 24 can be moved by a servo motor 25 between an initial position close to the holding plate 20 and a position far from the initial position along the pushing direction, and the moving speed is the same as that of the pushing plate 20. Is controlled as follows.
Further, the alignment table 15 is further provided with a support guide 26 for guiding both ends of the container on the in-feed conveyor 14 in the moving direction.

As described above, the infeed conveyor 14
On the alignment table 15, the pushing plate 20, the holding plate 22 and the fall prevention plate 24 are arranged in parallel, and after the holding plate 22 is lowered and immersed, the pushing plate 20 and the fall prevention plate 24 have the same amount in the direction perpendicular to the plate surface. Just move. This moving amount moves by the width of the flow of the container 4, that is, the width of two containers here. Until a predetermined number of containers 4 are aligned on the alignment table 15,
The pushing plate 20 repeats pushing of the container 4 on the in-feed conveyor 14, and each time the pushing is performed, the overturn prevention plate 24 moves backward by the same distance. The amount of movement is adjusted by the servomotor 25 according to the size and the number of containers to be filled. The moving speed is also adjusted to be the same as that of the fall prevention plate 24.
When the container 4 on the alignment table 15 is no longer moved, the fall prevention plate 24 returns to the position near the holding plate 22 again.

Thus, the extruding plate 20 and the holding plate 22
And the fall prevention plate 24 constitute an alignment supply device 16 for aligning and supplying the containers 4 from the infeed conveyor 14 to the alignment table 15. When the pushing plate 20 pushes out the container 4 on the infeed conveyor 14 after the holding plate 22 is lowered as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the overturn prevention plate 24 is also placed on the opposite side of the plurality of containers 4. While moving backward by the width of two containers on the infeed conveyor 14 (see FIG. 3B). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the presser plate 22 rises, and the pusher plate 20 returns to the original position. The fall prevention plate 24 is stopped. Then, after the container 4 of the next stage is supplied to the in-feed conveyor 14, the holding plate 22 descends again, and the pushing plate 20 and the overturn prevention plate 24
Is moved by the same distance as the previous time, and the next-stage container group is arranged and supplied on the alignment table 15 beside the preceding-stage container group. Until a predetermined number of containers 4 are aligned and supplied to the alignment table 15, the extrusion plate 20 repeatedly pushes the containers 4 on the in-feed conveyor 14.
Moves backward by the same distance. When the container 4 moves, both ends of the container group are guided in a pushing direction by a support guide 26 provided on the alignment table 15.

The pushing plate 20 moves onto the holding plate 22 during the pushing movement. However, if the holding plate 22 is not raised when returning, the container 4 may fall down. However, the pressing plate 22 cannot be lifted because the pushing plate 20 is in the way. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the extruding plate 20 and the holding plate 22 are formed in a comb shape and arranged in a staggered shape so that the pressing plate 22 does not interfere with the movement of the pushing plate 20, and the holding plate 22 is It is designed to operate quickly.

According to the container aligning and feeding device 16 described above,
The container 4 always moves with the four sides of the entire container 4 group sandwiched between the pushing plate 20, the overturn prevention plate 24, and the support guide 26, so that the container 4 does not fall during the movement. Sorting table 1
Even when the container 4 stops, the container 4 is sandwiched between the holding plate 22 and the fall prevention plate 24, so that the posture of the container 4 is stably maintained.

Also, immediately after the container 4 is extruded onto the alignment table 15, the holding plate 22 rises at the same time as or sooner when the extruding plate 20 returns and supports the container 4 instead of the extruding plate 20. The fallen container 4 does not fall. Therefore, the extruding plate 20 can be moved at a high speed, and the amount of movement of the container 4 per unit time can be greatly increased.

On the other hand, the conventional alignment supply device 16 is
After the container 4 was extruded by the extruding plate 20, the extruding plate 20 had to be stopped until the posture of the container 4 was stabilized, and the moving process could not be performed at a high speed.

Further, when the pushing plate 20 is pushed out, the tipping prevention plate 24 also moves at a constant speed, so that the container 4 between the two plates is not crushed by being pressed.

Next, a container filling table 27 is arranged next to the alignment table 15 as shown in FIGS. This means that the bottom flap 28 of the cylindrical cardboard box 2 gripped by the arm 1a of the robot 1 is folded and placed,
A table for filling the containers 4 on the alignment table 15. As shown in FIG. 8, two top plates 29 are arranged opposite to the container filling table 27, and one end of each top plate 29 is rotatably supported by an edge of the container filling table 27. The lower part of each top plate 29 is a link mechanism 3
0 and is operatively connected to the air cylinder 31. For this reason, the top plate 29 is formed so as to simultaneously rotate downward or upward from the butting portion by the operation of the air cylinder 31. A patch plate 32 is arranged between the two top plates 29.

When the cardboard box 2 gripped by the hand 9 of the robot 1 moves onto the container filling table 27, the top plate 29 is rotating downward. Then, the cardboard box 2 is swung by the hand 9 as shown in FIG. 9, whereby the bottom flap 28 a facing in the swinging direction is bent inward against the abutment plate 32 between the top plates 29. Next, the cardboard box 2 is set in the center of the container filling table 27, and the air cylinder 31 is operated to rotate the left and right top plates 29 so as to be horizontal. Are folded inward by the top plate 29. In this manner, the four bottom flaps 28 of the cardboard box 2 are folded inward, and the cardboard box 2 is assembled from a tubular shape to a box shape. The above-described assembling operation of the cardboard box 2 is automatically performed by the robot 1, and the cardboard box 2 is placed on the container filling table 27 with the upper part of the cardboard box 2 opened.

In this case, the upper flap 13 of the cardboard box 2 is slightly opened from the vertical. This is, as shown in FIG.
This is realized by providing the upper vacuum pad 12a for sucking the main body 2a at a position slightly retracted from the lower vacuum pad 12b for sucking the main body 2a.

Next, above the alignment table 15 and the container filling table 27, the container group 4A aligned on the alignment table 15 is lifted and the cardboard box 2 on the container filling table 27 held by the robot 1 is lifted. There is provided a filling device 17 for supplying and filling the water. This filling device 17 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in the figure, a traveling body 33 that travels horizontally between the alignment table 15 and the container filling table 27, and a gripping body 34 that is provided on the traveling body 33 so as to be vertically movable. The traveling body 33 is slidably provided along a parallel guide rail 35 and is configured to travel by a servomotor 36. In addition, a horizontal plate 38 is fixed to the lower end of a rack rod 37 provided to be vertically movable with respect to the traveling body 33, and a suction pad 39 is provided on the lower surface of the horizontal plate 38.
Each suction pad 39 is connected to a vacuum device (not shown). The traveling body 33 is provided with a gear 40 that meshes with the rack 37a of the rack rod 37. By rotating the gear 40 forward and reverse, the suction pad 39 moves up and down.

In the filling device 17, when the traveling body 33 is positioned on the alignment table 15 and the suction pad 39 is lowered, the suction pad 39 is fitted on the head of the container 4.
Then, after the air of the suction pad 39 is evacuated by the vacuum device and the container 4 is sucked, the suction pad 39 is lifted up to the top dead center, and the traveling body 3 is further moved by the servomotor 36.
The container 3 is moved onto the cardboard box 2 of the container filling table 27 and lowered again, the suction force of the suction pad is released, and the container 4 is filled into the cardboard box 2 held by the robot 1.

When filling the container 4 into the cardboard box 2, the robot 1 raises the cardboard box 2 while slightly tilting it with respect to the horizontal plane while the upper flap 13 is slightly open. As a result, the container 4 is securely placed inside the upper flap 13, and thereafter, the cardboard box 2 is leveled and stopped. Suction pad and cardboard box 2
Is preferably lowered onto the container filling table 27.

When the suction force of a part of the suction pad of the filling device 17 is insufficient, for example,
In some cases, some containers 4 may remain on 5, and the number of containers 4 filled in the cardboard box 2 becomes insufficient. For this reason,
When the cardboard box 2 is underfilled (the alignment table 1
(When the container 4 remains in the container 5), a discharge mechanism for discharging the container 4 out of the system is provided. That is, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), the sensor 40 extends along the inside of the plate surface of the fall prevention plate 24.
(For example, a photoelectric sensor combining a light source and a light receiving unit) is horizontally arranged. The sensor 40 detects whether or not the containers 4 remain on the alignment table 15 when the overturn prevention plate 24 moves to the initial position after moving a predetermined number of containers 4. Next, the top plate 41 of the alignment table 15 is attached rotatably downward, and is supported by the air cylinder 42. When a detection signal from the sensor 40 is input, the air cylinder 42 operates to move the top board 40 downward, and the robot 1 places the gripped cardboard box 2 on the payout conveyor 8. It is configured to carry.

In the above configuration, after the container is filled into the cardboard box 2 by the filling device 17, the fall prevention plate 24 returns to the initial position, but the container 4 remains on the top plate of the alignment table 15. And the sensor 4 of the fall prevention plate 24
Therefore, when this detection signal is output, the top plate rotates downward as shown in FIG.
Is dropped from the top plate onto the discharge chute 48 and discharged, and at the same time, the robot 1 conveys the gripped cardboard box 2 onto the discharge conveyor 8 (see FIG. 1) and discharges the cardboard box 2 out of a predetermined system. In this way, if there is a filling error, the apparatus solves itself and continues the operation automatically, so that a series of filling operations are performed without delay, and the filling is processed smoothly and reliably.

On the other hand, conventionally, when an error occurs in the filling operation, the system is automatically stopped, a person comes to remove the unfilled cardboard box 2, and then restarts the system. Meanwhile, the filling operation is stagnated. However, since the containers 4 are transported to the in-feed conveyor 14 one after another, if an abnormality occurs in the filling system, the supply line of the containers 4 must also be stopped.
Production efficiency was very poor.

Next, when the container 4 is filled in the cardboard box 2, the robot 1 puts the grasped cardboard box 2 into the tape sticking section 6. Here, an adhesive tape is attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the cardboard box 2 and sealed. As a device for adhering the adhesive tape to the cardboard box 2 (called a case sealer, a sealing machine, or the like), a conventionally known device may be used.

The completed cardboard box 2 to which the adhesive tape has been attached
Is further transported to the downstream side of the system by a conveyor, and finally, the robot 1 transfers the completed cardboard box 2 to a pallet 7 for loading.
(Loading unit) for loading. This completes a series of operations, and the robot 1 returns to the initial position again,
Repeat the same operation. In addition, when the filling failure occurs and the cardboard box 2 is conveyed to the payout conveyor 8, the operation returns to the initial position and resumes the operation.

It is to be noted that, depending on the shape of the container 4, the filled container 4 may be deviated or rolled in the cardboard box 2, so that the interleaving paper 43 (partition) shown in FIGS. The holes formed in the plate) are preferably engaged with the neck of the container 4 so as to maintain a distance from each other. In this case, as shown in FIG. 14, a slip sheet suction pad 46 is attached near the suction pad 39 of the filling device 17, and is moved to the slip sheet supply table 45 (see FIG. 5) before moving to the alignment table 15. Then, the uppermost interleaf paper 43 is sucked, and thereafter, it is moved onto the container group 4 of the alignment table 15 as shown in FIG. As described above, when the suction pad is fitted into the container 4, the hole of the slip sheet 43 is also inserted into the neck of the container 4 at the same time. Container 4 in this state
Is filled in the cardboard box 2 and then the container 4 and the slip sheet 43 may be released.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 16, the interleaf paper supply table 45 is loaded with the interleaf paper 43 and rises. The uppermost interleaf sheet 43 is set to be always at the same height by a sensor (not shown). When the slip sheet 43 is running low,
The holding plate 44 at the position retracted from the slip sheet 43 enters under the slip sheet 43 by an air cylinder or the like, and
The holding plate 44 holds the slip sheet 43 in place of 5. The supply table 45 descends, and receives a supply of a new slip sheet 43. When the interleaving paper 43 on the holding plate 44 is exhausted, the holding plate 44 retreats, the supply table 45 rises, and stops at the height set by the sensor.

By the way, since the holding plate 44 does not have a propulsion device of a height, the height position of the uppermost stage changes every time the slip sheet 43 on the holding plate 44 is consumed. In this case, a sensor (not shown) provided on the interleaf sheet suction pad 46 detects the position of the interleaf sheet 43 and stops at the position, thereby holding the holding plate 44.
Can smoothly supply the interleaving paper 43 without having a propulsive force.

According to the above-mentioned method, the supply of the interleaf 43 is performed without delay, and it is possible to prevent the apparatus from being stopped due to a defective supply of the interleaf 43.

As described above, in the above-described apparatus for filling and moving the container 4 into the cardboard box 2, the loading section 3 of the cardboard box 2, the filling section 5 of the container 4, and the tape attaching section 6 are within the operating range of the robot 1. And assembling the folded cardboard box 2 taken out of the loading unit 3 into a box shape,
A series of operations of transporting to the filling section 5 and further putting the filled cardboard box 2 of the container 4 into the tape attaching section 6 and finally transporting the completed cardboard box 2 to the loading pallet 7 for loading. Is performed by the robot 1 so that the entire apparatus becomes compact,
Does not require large space. Also, it can be installed at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of a container filling and moving device for a cardboard box according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a hand.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a manner of assembling and assembling a cardboard box by a hand.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a suction state of a main body of a cardboard box and an upper flap by the above hand.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an arrangement state of the device in a filling section of the container.

FIGS. 6 (a), (b), and (c) are explanatory views of a container extrusion mode.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing an arrangement of a holding plate and an extruding plate.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a folding mode of a filling table of the cardboard box and a bottom flap of the cardboard box.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of a folding mode of a bottom flap of a cardboard box.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the container filling device.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the filling device.

12 (a) and (b) are explanatory views of a state of detecting a remaining container by a sensor and a state of discharging the remaining container, respectively.

FIGS. 13 (a) and (b) are a plan view of an interleaf paper and an explanatory view of an engagement state with a container, respectively.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged explanatory view of an interleaf paper suction pad.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a supply mode of a slip sheet by a slip sheet suction pad.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a supply mode of interleaf paper.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Robot 2 Cardboard box 3 Loading part 5 Filling part 6 Tape sticking part 9 Hand 15 Alignment table 16 Alignment supply device 17 Filling device 20 Extruded plate 22 Pressing plate 24 Fall prevention plate 26 Supporting guide 27 Filling table 28 Bottom flap 40 Sensor

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cardboard box body in a folded state is gripped by a robot hand, the body is bent from a predetermined bent portion into a cylindrical shape, and a bottom flap of the cardboard box is bent inward to form a box. A corrugated cardboard by a robot, wherein the objects to be filled, which are arranged on an alignment table by an alignment supply device, are lifted by a filling device and supplied and filled into a cardboard box on the filling table. A mechanism for filling the box with the material to be filled. 2. An alignment table is provided with a sensor for detecting whether there is an error in the supply of the filling material to the cardboard box gripped by the robot, and when an error is detected, the robot grips the cardboard box. The mechanism for filling a cardboard box with an object to be filled by a robot according to claim 1, wherein the cardboard box is paid out of a predetermined system. 3. The aligning and feeding device, wherein the aligning table is arranged beside an end of a supply line through which the objects to be filled are conveyed in tandem, and a holding plate is provided between the end of the supply line and the aligning table. The supply line is provided with an extruding plate for extruding the material to be filled on the supply line toward the alignment table, and the alignment table is provided with an extruding plate which is extruded from the end of the supply line by the extruding plate. It is characterized in that it is provided with an overturn prevention plate that moves in the extrusion direction by a servo motor while supporting the opposite side of the filling material, and a guide that guides both ends of the filling material on the alignment table in the extrusion direction. 2. A mechanism for filling an object to be filled into a cardboard box by the robot according to claim 1.