JPS5930618B2 - Inner container stacking and separation device for flexible packaging conveyor - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an inner container of a conveying tool used when continuously sterilizing a flat flexible package in which a flexible container is filled with an object to be sterilized such as food and sealed. The present invention relates to a device for stacking or separating stacked inner containers.

When sterilizing flexible packaging using a continuous sterilizer, flexible packaging has low mechanical strength and is prone to pinholes and damage due to bending, wrinkles, etc. By stacking the inner containers in multiple tiers and storing them in the outer container, and using a conveyor that handles the flexible packaging horizontally, the flexible packaging will not be damaged. Such protection and ensuring sterilization was previously proposed and used by the inventors of the present invention.

The present invention is capable of automatically stacking the inner containers of the conveying tool or separating the stacked inner containers before and after sterilizing the flexible packaging body by the continuous sterilizer, thereby saving labor. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for stacking and separating inner containers of flexible packaging bodies, which enables efficient stacking and separation.

That is, the present invention provides a flexible package conveying device comprising a dish-shaped inner container having supported portions at the left and right ends, and an outer container into which the inner container is stacked in multiple stages and removably loaded. A device for stacking the inner containers or separating the stacked inner containers one by one, in which a support body is opposed to each other at a predetermined interval to a pair of left and right vertical endless chains that rotate synchronously in one direction. support springs which support the supported portion of the inner container in the upward stroke and release the support in the downward stroke are provided on opposing surfaces of the support body, facing each other; means for preventing displacement of the body in the vertical plane direction; an inner container carrying means for supporting the inner container on the support body via a support spring during the upward movement of the support body; The gist thereof is to include an inner container carrying-out means that can collide with the inner container.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a flexible packaging sterilization device and its front and rear devices.

In Fig. 1, 1 is an automatic filling and sealing machine that intermittently transports flexible packaging containers, sequentially fills the packaging containers with contents such as food, and heat-seals the container openings to flatten them. A flexible packaging body 11 is mounted.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a package loader, which loads the flexible packages 11 loaded by the automatic filling and sealing machine 1 into an inner container 12 of a conveyor 10, which will be described later.
These inner containers 12 are then delivered one by one.

Reference numeral 3 denotes an inner container stacking device according to the present invention, which is configured as described below, and is configured to stack inner containers 1 delivered from a package loader 2.
2 are stacked vertically in a predetermined number of stages and sent out.

4 is an inner container loader which loads the stacked inner containers 12 into an outer container 13, which will be described later.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a continuous sterilizer, in which a carrier 10 with an inner container 12 loaded into an outer container 13 is introduced into the sterilizer main body via a rotary pulp type pressure cutoff mechanism, and the carrier 10 is inserted into the inner container 12 and the outer container 13. While the flexible packaging body 11 is held horizontally and transferred, it is continuously sterilized at a temperature of 100° C. or higher and under a pressure of atmospheric pressure or higher, then subsequently cooled with water, and further discharged to the outside via a pressure cutoff mechanism. do.

Reference numeral 6 denotes an inner container unloader, which takes out the inner container 12 from the outer container 13 of the conveyor 10 discharged to the outside of the continuous sterilizer 5.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an inner container separating device according to the present invention, which separates the inner containers 12 taken out from the outer container 13 into individual containers and sends them out.

8 is a package unloader which uses a suction cup 8a or the like to take out the sterilized and cooled flexible package 11 from the separated inner container 12, and sends it to the next process such as a dryer.
The empty inner container 12 is returned to the package loader 2.

In the above system, the package loader 2, the inner container stacking device 3, and the inner container loader 4 are arranged in a line, and the inner container unloader 6, the inner container separating device 7, and the package unloader 8
is passively arranged, and the package loader 2 and its unloader
8. The inner container stacking device 3 and its separating device 7, and the inner container loader 4 and its unloader 6 are arranged facing each other to reduce the installation space.

Alternatively, an inner container loading/unloading device that integrates the inner container loader 4 and its unloader 6 may be used.

The carrier 10 is composed of an inner container 12 and an outer container 13, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the inner container 12 has a dish-like rectangular parallelepiped shape, is partitioned by a frame 12a, can accommodate a plurality of flat flexible packages 11, and has a space on the upper surface of the accommodated packages 11. The ventilation hole 12a has a sufficient height to allow airflow to occur, and is further provided with a large number of ventilation holes 12b in the bottom wall, side walls, and frame 12a.

The inner container 12 has outward channel members fixed to both end surfaces to form a supported portion 14 having upper and lower surfaces and flat upper and lower protruding plates 14a and 14b, and a substantially conical upper surface on the upper protruding plate 14a. A plurality of trapezoidal projections 14c are provided, and the lower protruding plate 14b is provided with the same number of holes 14d as the projections 14c.
The protrusion 14c is formed in a shape that fits into the position corresponding to the protrusion 4c.

The outer container 13 has entrances and exits on the front and rear surfaces through which the inner containers 12 stacked in multiple stages can be taken in and out, and a frame 15 with an open top surface, and a weight 15a on the bottom of the frame 150, which has air permeability. It is fixed.

An inner container holding plate 16 is disposed on the frame 15, and this holding plate 16 is fixed to the opening operation rod 18 via a guide shaft 17, and is urged downward by a coil spring 19.
The inner container 12 is moved in and out of the frame 15 while the holding plate 16 is opened upward by pushing up the opening operation rod 18.
When the opening operation rod 18 is released, the restraining plate 16 is lowered and the inner container 12 fitted to the frame body 15 is pressed and fixed by the spring force of the coil spring 19.

A shaft 15b fixed to both end walls of the frame body 15 is rotatably supported by a bearing 20, and the bearing 20 is fixed to both ends of a cylindrical body 21. Two rod-shaped parts are provided in the center of the cylindrical body 21. A notch 21b is formed through which the inner container 12 can be taken in and taken out, leaving the opening 21a.

5 and 6 show an inner container stacking device 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This stacking device 3 includes vertical left and right endless chains 32 that are meshed with upper and lower chain wheels 31 and driven synchronously only in the direction of arrow a in FIG. are connected to each other so as to be rotatable in a vertical plane direction, with the two facing each other at a predetermined interval.

Two support springs 34 are provided on opposing sides of the support body 33, respectively. The six support springs 34 have their lower ends fixed to the support body 33, and extend upwardly (thereby protruding inwardly). The support part 34a is formed by bending the upper end horizontally in opposite directions.

The means 35 for preventing displacement of the support body 33 in the vertical plane direction includes:
Vertical rails 36 and 37 that removably support the rollers 33a provided on the support body 33 are arranged outside the part where the endless chain 32 vertically moves up and down, and these are fixed to the device frame.
A rotary plate 3 having centers directly below and directly above the upper and lower chain wheels 31 and driven in synchronization with the chain wheels 31.
8, arms 38a are made to protrude radially at equal angular intervals, and rollers 38b are provided at the tips of these arms 38a,
Notches 3 are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the support 33, respectively, to be located directly above and below the connecting shaft 33b of the support 33 to the endless chain 32.
3c, chain wheel 310 rotation radius r1
and the revolution radius r2 of the rotating plate 38 with the roller 38b, the distance 11 from the center of the chain wheel 31 to the center of the rotating plate 38, and the distance 12 from the center of the connecting shaft 33b of the support body 33 to the notch 33c, respectively. , the rollers 38b are configured to removably engage with the notches 33c.

A conveyor 39 with claws 39a, which is an inner container carrying means, is horizontally arranged on the support 33 side in the upward stroke (left side in FIG. 5), and a conveyor 39 with claws 39a, which is a means for carrying the inner container, is disposed horizontally on the support 33 side in the downward stroke (right side in FIG. 5). A conveyor 40 serving as means is arranged horizontally, and the rear end of the latter conveyor 400 is connected to an endless chain 32 and a support 3.
3 movement locus, and inside these at a distance in the left and right direction,
They are arranged intersecting in the front and back direction.

Further, a conveyor 39 serving as an inner container carrying means is similarly arranged.

Moreover, the conveyor 40, which is the means for carrying out the inner container, is driven intermittently.

The spring regulating plate 41 collides with the support springs 34 of the support body 33 in the upward stroke, reduces the amount of protrusion from these supports 33, and lowers the lower protrusion plate 14 of the inner container 12 on the conveyor 39.
After the upper end of the support spring 34 passes through part b, the abutment is released and the support spring 34 is fitted into the U-shape.

Although not shown, the above-mentioned splash regulating plate 4 on the carry-in side
A splash regulating plate similar to No. 1 is also provided on the discharge side so as to abut against the support springs of the support body in the downward stroke to reduce the amount of projection thereof.

In the inner container stacking device configured as described above, when the endless chain 32 is driven in the direction of the arrow a in FIG. 5, the support body 33 also moves in the same direction.

In this case, since the rotary plate 38 is driven in synchronization with the chain wheel 31, the support body 33 is attached to the rotary plate 38 in the upper and lower turn portions.
Displacement in the vertical plane direction is prevented by the rollers 38b of 8 being engaged with the upper and lower notches 33c and moving, and by the rollers 33a of the support body 33 being supported by the vertical rails 36 and 37 during the upward and downward strokes. Then, the upper surface of the support portion 34a of the support body 33 and the support spring 34 moves while maintaining a horizontal state.

When the support body 33 is in the upward stroke, the support spring 34 collides with the spring regulating plate 41 and the amount of protrusion decreases, and in this state, the inner container is transported in the direction indicated by the arrow by the drive of the conveyor 39 which is the means for transporting the inner container. Inner container 12 (the flexible packaging body 11 is already placed in this inner container 12).

) Upper and lower protruding plates 14a of the supported part 14 provided at both ends of the
, 14b, the restriction of the support spring 34 by the spring regulating plate 41 is released, the amount of protrusion of the support portion 34a of the support spring 34 increases, and the support portion 34a extends beyond the aforementioned protrusion. It fits between the plates 14a and 14b.

Therefore, the support portion 34a of the support spring 34 allows the upper protruding plate 14 to
A, the inner container 12 moves while maintaining a horizontal state as the support body 33 moves.

The support body 33 supporting the inner container 12 with the support spring 34 enters a downward stroke, and the inner container 12 collides with the conveyor 40 serving as its conveyance means in a stopped state.

However, since the support body 33 continues to descend, the support body 34
The support portion 34a of the inner container 12 due to the inclination of the support spring 34
The support of the supported part 14 is released, and the inner container 12 is left on the conveyor 40 and moved down.

The support body 33 supporting the next inner container 12 by the support spring 34 descends, the inner container 12 collides with the inner container 12 on the conveyor 40, the support body 33 descends leaving the inner container 12, and this operation By repeating this process, a predetermined number of inner containers 12 are placed on the conveyor 40.
are stacked up.

In this case, when the next inner container is to be stacked on top of the stacked inner containers 12 by a spring regulating plate (not shown), the amount of protrusion of the support spring 34 from the support body 33 is reduced (by The support body 33 is smoothly lowered while preventing the support spring 34 from colliding with the inner containers below the uppermost inner container 12.

The inner containers 12 stacked in a predetermined number are transferred to a conveyor 4.
By operating 0, the material is carried out in the direction of arrow C and sent to the next process.

Note that when stacking the inner containers 12, the lower inner container 1
By fitting the second protrusion 14c into the hole 14d of the upper one, the inner containers 12 are aligned and stacked one above the other.

In order to use this embodiment as a separation device 7 for stacked inner containers, the direction in which the endless chain 32 is driven and the direction in which the inner containers 12 are conveyed by the conveyors 39 and 40 is set to the arrows a, b, and c in FIG. is in the opposite direction, and the conveyor 39 is also located inside the endless chain 32 and the support body 33 at a distance from the movement locus of the endless chain 32 and the support body 33 in the left and right direction like the conveyor 4 (l).
By arranging the inner containers so as to intersect with each other in the front-rear direction, they can be separated from the stacked state in substantially the same manner as in the case of stacking the inner containers.

In this case, the spring regulating plate 41 is provided on the side of the support spring 34 that supports the inner container 12, and since it must be supported by the support spring 34 from the upper inner container 12, the spring regulating plate 41 or the conveyor must be supported by the upper inner container 12. It is necessary to lower or raise the inner container sequentially by the height of the inner container.

In the present invention, the shapes of the supported portion 14 and the support spring 34 of the inner container 12 are not necessarily limited to the shapes of the above-described embodiments, but may be of the shapes shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Moreover, instead of the cylindrical body, the outer container of the flexible container conveyor may be one in which a frame body is pivotally supported by left and right wheels connected by a connecting rod.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the inner container is received from the inner container carrying means while being supported by the support spring, and the inner container is held horizontally and carried out by moving the support body provided with the support spring. The inner containers can be stacked on the device, and conversely, stacked inner containers can be separated one by one by making slight changes such as reversing the moving direction of the support, and can be easily automated. In addition, by moving the inner container in the same direction, it can be supported by the support body from the carrying means and delivered to the inner container carrying means, which increases the speed. Since the stacking device and the separating device can be made into almost common parts, there is an advantage that they can be provided at a relatively low cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of a continuous sterilization system using the device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a carrier for flexible packaging, Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the same part, and Fig. 4 is FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a front sectional view of the same part, and FIGS.
The figures are explanatory diagrams showing different modifications of the inner container and the support spring. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Carrying tool, 12... Inner container, 13... Outer container, 14... Supported part, 32... Endless chain, 3
3... Support body, 34... Support spring, 35... Means for preventing displacement of the support body, 36, 37... Vertical rail, 38... Rotating plate, 39... Conveyor (contents) container carrying-in means), 40...conveyor (inner container carrying-out means).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Stacking the inner containers of a flexible package conveying device consisting of a dish-shaped inner container having supported parts at the left and right ends and an outer container in which the inner containers are stacked in multiple stages and removably loaded, or This device separates stacked inner containers one by one, and includes a pair of vertical left and right endless chains that rotate synchronously in one direction, and each of which can rotate at a predetermined interval and facing the endless chains. a support spring that is provided opposite to each other on the opposing surface side of each of the supports and supports the supported portion of the inner container during the upward stroke of the support body and releases the support during the downward stroke of the support body; , on the line between the centers of the upper and lower wheels for the endless chain, and a rotating body having a rotation center located at a distance of 11 points from the rotation center of the upper wheel, and radially from the rotating body at equal angular intervals. It is composed of a plurality of extending arms, each of which has a length r2 from the center of rotation of the rotating body to the tip end of the arm that engages with the support body, which is equal to the pitch circle radius r1 of the wheel. Vertical displacement prevention means of the support and a groove that engages the tip of the arm (formed on the support and on a vertical line at a distance 12 equal to the dimension 11 from the center of rotatable connection of the support with the endless chain) an engaging portion formed at a position; an inner container carrying means for supporting the inner container on the support body via the support spring during the upward stroke of the support body; An inner container stacking and separating device for a flexible package conveyor, including an inner container carrying means capable of colliding with the supported inner container.