JPS6236933B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a package processing apparatus used for processing packages, such as packages of cigarettes.

In the cigarette manufacturing industry, packaged products are transferred between manufacturing machines (for example, between a packing machine and a packaging machine) using a conveyor, and the present invention can be used in cases where demand and supply are not balanced in such a process. More specifically, the apparatus includes: a first conveyor for aligning and moving successive packages; a device for forming a group of packages on the first conveyor; a buffer storage device including an endless strip storage conveyor device disposed adjacent to the conveyor; a plurality of spaced apart members carried by the storage conveyor device and defining a series of compartments; Relating to a package handling device with a fixed guide device for holding in a compartment a group of packages arranged and confined by a plurality of spacing members, and a reversible drive of a storage conveyor device It is something.

(Prior art) One of the prior art is the one disclosed in the specification and drawings of Utility Application No. 48-79364 (Japanese Utility Model Application No. 50-27897) (hereinafter referred to as the first prior art). Here, a fixed shelf having a delivery opening and a plurality of delivery arms including a delivery unit that sequentially sends the articles present on the shelf to the opening and from there as the shelf moves intermittently relative to the shelf are arranged in multiple stages. a delivery mechanism formed in the above-mentioned fixed shelf, and a transport shelf provided facing the fixed shelf for receiving the article sent out from the delivery part in a stopped state at the receiving position and then discharging the article as soon as it is transferred and reaches the discharge position. An unloading device has been proposed.

Another prior art is the one disclosed in the specification and drawings of Utility Application No. 47-44053 (Japanese Utility Model Application No. 49-4698) (hereinafter referred to as the second prior art). The system includes a main body with an article outlet on one side, a chain conveyor installed in the main body and driven by a drive mechanism, and a chain conveyor installed on the chain conveyor so that articles can be placed on the upper surface. An article feeding machine has been proposed that includes a plurality of formed base plates and a mechanism that rotates the chain conveyor and stops the base plates at the outlet position.

As further prior art, there is a device as disclosed in Patent No. 94622 and German Patent Application Publication No. 1268060 (hereinafter referred to as the third prior art).
There is. In this device, articles transported by a conveyor are accommodated and stored between a pair of endless belts of a storage conveyor device composed of a pair of endless belts.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the first prior art described above, the articles stored on the fixed shelf of the delivery mechanism are sequentially discharged from the delivery opening by the delivery arm, and the transport shelf carries out the articles. It is designed to be received and transported to a certain location.
The fixed shelves are only for discharging articles, and cannot accommodate and store articles from the transport shelves to the fixed shelves. In this case, if the balance between supply and demand is disrupted while transporting a group of goods from one location to another isolated location, the first place is used to supply or temporarily store the group of goods. Conventional technology cannot be used. Furthermore, in the first prior art, the transport shelves are necessarily arranged in a vertical direction, and it is not possible to transport a group of articles from one position to another horizontally spaced position.

On the other hand, the second prior art described above only proposes a chain conveyor having a plurality of base plates on which articles can be placed, and conveys a group of articles from one position to another isolated position. The second prior art cannot be used to supply or temporarily store a group of goods if supply and demand are out of balance during the current period. This second method includes means for transporting a group of articles from one position to another horizontally spaced position, and means for enabling smooth transfer of articles between the means and the second prior art chain conveyor. 2 The conventional technology does not have this.

Furthermore, in the third prior art described above, the article storage space of the storage conveyor device is limited to only between the pair of endless belts, so although the storage conveyor device becomes large, the article storage capacity is extremely low. It had become something small.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The present invention provides that the storage conveyor device
an endless series of vertically extending compartments disposed above a conveyor, the first conveyor longitudinally extending the compartments in the lowermost position when the storage conveyor device is at rest; conveying packages on a passageway passing through the first conveyor, and as the storage conveyor system is moving, the spacing member moves in a sweeping manner across the passageway directly and transversely from the first conveyor; and for removing or returning groups of packages directly and transversely onto said first conveyor, each group of packages including a plurality of packages in abutting relationship. the storage conveyor, the guide device wrapping around a generally horizontal guide surface arranged to support a group of packages on each side of the first conveyor and at about the same height; It is characterized in that the device is adapted to receive a plurality of abutting groups of packages at approximately the same height as said first conveyor.

(Operation) In the present invention, the storage conveyor device is capable of receiving a group of packages from a first conveyor carrying them, storing them in sequence, and discharging them sequentially onto the first conveyor. This transfer is effected very smoothly by means of a guiding device having an approximately horizontal guiding surface which is arranged to support the group of packages at approximately the same height as the first conveyor. The storage conveyor arrangement is arranged above the first conveyor, so that the first conveyor can be installed at a lower height.

Furthermore, the storage conveyor device in the present invention comprises:
It can be constructed relatively compactly and the series of compartments in which groups of packages can be contained can be constructed as an endless series, so that the capacity of the storage conveyor device for packages is extremely large.

(Embodiment) Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a package processing apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention.

A first conveyor 110 moves longitudinally and generally horizontally aligning successive packages. Although not shown, a device for forming a group of packages on this first conveyor 110 is provided. Adjacent to the first conveyor 110 is an endless strip storage conveyor system 118.
A buffer storage device including: The storage conveyor arrangement 118 includes a series of vertically extending endless compartments 11 defined by a plurality of spaced apart members 120 and positioned above the first conveyor 110.
2 and passes around the upper pulley 130 and lower pulley 132. By means of a reversible drive (not shown), the storage conveyor system 118 can be driven either clockwise or counterclockwise in FIG. 4. The first conveyor 110 is a storage conveyor device 11
Section 11 in the lowest position when 8 is stationary
2, the packaged goods are conveyed longitudinally and horizontally. When the storage conveyor device 118 is moving, the spacing member 120 is connected to the first conveyor 1.
10 to remove a group of packages directly from the first conveyor 110 and sequentially move them to positions 112a, 112b, . . . It is adapted to return groups of packages directly onto conveyor 110. Each group of packages includes a plurality of packages in an abutting relationship.

A guiding device 134 includes generally horizontal guiding surfaces 135 arranged to support a mass of packages on each side of the first conveyor 110 and at approximately the same height as the first conveyor 110. The guide surfaces 135, 135 are part of the guide device 134 that extends from one side of the first conveyor 110 to the other side and defines the compartment 112 with the endless strip storage conveyor device 118.

In this embodiment of the invention, the first conveyor 110, for example, communicates between the packaging machines to convey a group of packages from one to the other. When there is an oversupply of groups of packages, the storage conveyor system 118 is driven counterclockwise to sequentially deposit the groups of packages into successive compartments 112 of the storage conveyor system 118, as shown in FIG. and store it here temporarily. When the collective demand for packaged goods exceeds the supply, the storage conveyor device 11
8 is driven clockwise to return the group of packages onto the first conveyor 110.

Since the storage conveyor device 118 is provided extending upwardly relative to the first conveyor 110, the height of the first conveyor 110 can be reduced.

It should be noted that the storage conveyor system 118 can also be constructed from a thermoplastic timing belt having a plurality of blocks welded together at predetermined intervals. In this case, the spacing member 120 can be constructed as a metal partition member connected to this block.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, when the balance between supply and demand is disrupted while conveying a group of packaged items from a certain location to another isolated location, the group of packaged items is transported from a storage conveyor device to a separate location. A package handling device is provided which can provide a storage conveyor system with a storage conveyor system for temporarily storing a group of packages. According to the invention, it is then possible to transfer a group of packages directly and extremely smoothly between the first conveyor and the storage conveyor device. Furthermore, since the first conveyor can be installed at a lower height, the condition of the packages can be better monitored at all times, and because all the compartments of the storage conveyor system are located above the first conveyor, the condition of the packages can be better monitored at all times. storage conditions can be better monitored at all times. Further, according to the storage conveyor device of the present invention, it is possible to significantly increase the storage capacity of packaged items while being compact.

(Reference example) Although the package processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is not an embodiment of the present invention, it is a reference for understanding the present invention, and a part thereof is not an embodiment of the present invention. I would like to explain this because it can be used for many people.

The package processing apparatus described in the reference example is inferior to the present invention, particularly in the storage capacity of the storage conveyor apparatus (in this respect, the reference example is similar to the third prior art described above).

FIG. 1 shows a circulating belt-shaped first conveyor 1 that holds a series of packages 12 and travels almost horizontally.
Shows part of 0.

In one mode of operation of the device, a first conveyor 10 moves packages 12 to a transfer position 14 (to the left in FIG. 1). On both sides of the first conveyor 10, stopping devices with grippers 16 are provided.

The transfer positions 14 are located on the upper run of the first conveyor 10 and on the opposite side of the first conveyor 10, with a spacing slightly larger than the dimensions of the packaged items on the first conveyor 10. It is defined by a point of intersection with a set of storage conveyor devices 18 having straps 18a, 18b. Second
As can be seen, the width of the first conveyor 10 is somewhat shorter than the size of the packages 12. Obi ring 18a
and the belt ring 18b are each connected to the first conveyor 10.
Items 12 packed with terminals that are long and wide enough to not interfere with
An inwardly directed spacing member 20 of sufficient size to hold the . The spacing between the spacing members 20, 20 of the webbing 18a and the webbing 18b is somewhat greater than the depth of the package 12.

In one mode of operation of the device, the webbing 18a
and the band ring 18b are movable intermittently at each stage while keeping the spacing between the spacing members 20 equal.
Therefore, the package 12 is a group consisting of 12 packages 12 on the band ring 18a and the spacer member 2 on the band ring 18b.
The first conveyor 10 is continuously fed to the transfer location 14 by the first conveyor 10 between 0 and 0. Assuming that the group of packages is at transfer position 14 and that strap rings 18a and 18b are actuated, the group of packages will be moved from location 12a to location 12b as shown in FIG. ring 18
a, 18b and pulled upward. The group of packages supplied in this type of manner to the transfer location 14 is continuously moved by the straps 18a and 18b.

The gripper 16 begins to operate to form a cluster of packages on the first conveyor 10 which is about to be moved to the webbing 18a and the webbing 18b. Imagine a situation where there are no packages on the first conveyor 10 at the transfer location 14 and a series of packages are being held by a gripper 16 located upstream of the transfer location 14 . That is, this shows the state immediately after the group of packaged items has been moved by the straps 18a and 18b. The gripper 16 operates to release the prior packages, and the first conveyor 10 transports the series of packages to the transfer location 14.

When the first package arrives at the leading edge of the travel position (this is determined by sensors or timing depending on conveyor speed), gripper 1
6 operates to grip the packaged items in the vicinity of the gripper 16, and shortly thereafter the first conveyor 10
stops. In this way, the group of packages at the transfer position 14 is separated from the group of packages following it, and the bands 18a and 18b are then actuated to move the group of packages upwards, in which case The cycle repeats (this assumes that no external sensors change the mode of operation of the device).

The first conveyor 10 under the operation of the gripper 16
The group of abutting packages formed above can be formed from a row of spaced packages fed onto the first conveyor 10, the spacing being determined by the period during which the first conveyor 10 is stationary. The containers are closed by a feeding device so that the packages are brought into contact with each other. This feeding device is constructed in the form of another conveyor in line with the first conveyor 10 and can be operated at a somewhat slower speed than the first conveyor 10. Alternatively, this conveyor may be coupled with the gripper 16 just before the lifting operation is completed, but just after the group of packages has been lifted from the first conveyor 10 by the storage conveyor device 18. I can do it.

In another mode of operation, the first conveyor 10 transports the packages through the transfer location 14 without operation of the grippers 16, the webbing 18a, the webbing 18b. If the supply and demand situation were to change such that a storage area formed between the webbing 18a and the webbing 18b would be required, the gripper 16 would prevent the movement of a single package so that the first conveyor The gripper 16 holds the series of packages while 10 continues to slide under the series of packages. This gripper 16 can be coupled with some type of sensor to ensure that the packaged items are always held in the same position.

Moving position 1 as a modification of group formation work for packaged goods
A mechanical arrangement using a gripper 16 at the downstream end of 4 may also be used. This system allows the first conveyor 10 to operate continuously if necessary.

It is a simple matter to transport the group of packages from the webbing 18a and the webbing 18b back to the first conveyor 10. The first conveyor 10 can be operated intermittently or continuously and can be reversible or non-reversible.

Transfer to the storage conveyor device 18 is effected by a control device responsive to the status of the first conveyor 10 or a stop device (such as the gripper 16) associated with the first conveyor 10.

Band rings 18a and 18b are interlocked with four fixed corner-mounted guide posts 22 which serve to hold the ends of the bundle of packages, if necessary, as shown in FIG. Guide pillar 2 extending towards the inside
The portion 2 is tapered to prevent the packages from being damaged by the guide post ends 22a as shown in FIG. 1 when the straps 18a and 18b lift a group of packages.

The band ring 18a and the band ring 18b are arranged so that the group of packaged goods is the first one.
is reversible so that it can be returned to the conveyor 10 and then removed from there. If the first conveyor is reversible, the packages are then moved to the right as shown in FIG. Instead, conveyor 10 is moved to position 1
It is possible to carry the group of packaged goods that extend to the left of 4 and return in the original direction.

In systems in which packages are moved between one or several packaging machines and between one or several packaging machines, for example, the first conveyor 10 may be formed by a storage conveyor arrangement 18. It is possible to connect to the main stream so as to communicate with a buffer storage device. Sensors capable of automatically operating such systems are already well known.

Upper band ring 18a, 1 of first conveyor 10
The space between 8b creates the overall size of the storage area. In such an arrangement, the control device
When the containers a and 18b have already reached their full capacity, the group of further packages is transferred to the storage conveyor device 18.
will not accept it. first conveyor 1
If 0 is of the open-end type and is supported from inside at the end, the band ring 18
a, 18b and capable of moving parallel to the first conveyor 10 for removing packages from the first conveyor 10 when the storage area is full. Mobile storage devices may be utilized. The mobile storage device that has been moved is then replaced with another empty mobile storage device.

Wheels are mounted for moving the mobile storage device, which is connected to one or more balers and one or more balers to adjust the net flow within the system. It can be used in conjunction with a conveyor system between
In this way, it is possible to accommodate packages into this system, and it is possible to supply packages from this system. The drive system for the webbing of such a movable storage device borrows from the drive power for driving the other conveyor so that when the movable storage device is moved into engagement with that conveyor, its movable The storage device can be automatically connected to this drive output.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 are reference figures.
3 is a perspective partial view of a package processing device including a first conveyor and a storage conveyor device; FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the package processing device taken along line - in FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the - line, and FIG. 4 is a front view of a package processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 110...first conveyor, 112...section, 118...storage conveyor device, 120...
Spacing member, 130... Upper pulley, 132... Lower pulley, 134... Guide device, 135... Guide surface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first conveyor for aligning and moving successive packages, a device for forming a group of packages on the first conveyor, and a device adjacent to the first conveyor. a buffer storage device including an endless strip storage conveyor device disposed in the storage conveyor device; a plurality of spacing members carried on the storage conveyor device defining a series of compartments; and a plurality of spacing members disposed adjacent the storage conveyor device; a package handling device comprising: a fixed guide device for retaining a group of packages within said compartment; and a reversible drive for said storage conveyor device; , the storage conveyor device 118 comprises an endless series of vertically extending compartments 112 disposed above the first conveyor 110.
, the first conveyor 110 conveys packages on a path longitudinally passing through the compartment 112 in the lowermost position when the storage conveyor device 118 is at rest; is moving, the spacing member 120 sweeps across the path to remove a mass of packages directly and transversely from the first conveyor 110, or directly and transversely. the group of packages is returned onto the first conveyor 110, each group of packages including a plurality of packages in an abutting relationship, and the guide device 134 returns the group of packages onto the first conveyor 110. The storage conveyor apparatus 118 includes a generally horizontal guide surface 135 arranged to support a group of packages on each side of the conveyor 110 and at approximately the same height, such that the storage conveyor apparatus 118 is connected to the first conveyor 110. A package processing device adapted to accommodate a plurality of abutting groups of packages at approximately the same height. 2. In the package processing apparatus according to claim 1, the guide surface 135 extends from one side of the first conveyor 110 to the other side, and the guide surface 135 extends from one side of the first conveyor 110 to the other side of the compartment 1 along with the endless belt storage conveyor device 118.
12. A package processing device characterized in that it is a part of a guide device 134 defining a package 12.