JPS6317718B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to an automatic bottling method.

``Problems to be solved by conventional technology and inventions'' The normal bottling method used in bottling factories involves continuously transporting bottles in a line, with an air cleaner (first step) and a filling device ( Second
A capper (third step), a stamping or labeling device (fourth step) are arranged, and bottles are drawn from the transfer line to each device, processed, and returned to the line.

In addition, a case conveyor is provided in parallel with the line, and the bottles carried in the case are taken out from the case and sent to the line one by one, and the above-mentioned first to fourth processes are performed. The empty case is transferred to the end of the line by a case conveyor and kept on standby, and the bottles after all processing are put back into the waiting case.
It is now being carried outside.

However, this conventional method has the following drawbacks.

The bottle that was brought in and the case that contained it become mismatched when it was taken out. In other words, the route from the container manufacturer to the content manufacturer and the route from the content manufacturer to wholesalers and retailers do not match the bottles and the cases that house them.

Therefore, the container manufacturer is unable to display the contents on the case, as well as the lot number, machine number, date of manufacture, factory name, etc., and the container manufacturer and the content manufacturer are unable to perform efficient integrated work directly connected to each other. It is also essential to stamp or label each bottle.

When taking the bottle in and out of the case, glass bottles may break, chip, crack, etc., and plastic bottles are relatively less likely to have such problems, but they may cause deterioration of physical properties due to blisters, cracks, discoloration, etc.
Deformation etc. also occur.

Therefore, yield is poor and losses are large.

Furthermore, when the bottle is taken in and taken out, the bottle comes into contact with the operator's hands and becomes contaminated.

On the line, move the bottles in a line,
Furthermore, since each processing step processes one item, there is currently a limit to the processing speed.

The present invention seeks to eliminate these drawbacks.

"Means for Solving the Problems" The present invention provides a case transfer conveyor, and uses the conveyor to transfer cases in which a plurality of bottles are arranged in predetermined rows and columns in a constant posture, and
Above the conveyor, in the flow direction, a cleaner, a filling device, a cap feeding device, and a cap tightening device are arranged in order to process the bottles in each case row by row, and the bottles are transported by these devices. By sequentially processing all the bottles in each case row by row, cleaning, filling, cap supply, and cap tightening are sequentially performed for each case, and the bottles are sent out.

``Operation'' With the above configuration, if the cases containing bottles brought in from the container manufacturer are sent as they are to the belt conveyor, the bottles will remain in the cases and will be removed one after another by the cleaner in rows. The air is cleaned, the filling device fills the cap with liquid, the cap supply device puts the cap on, the cap tightening device tightens the cap, and the cap is delivered.

"Example" The illustrated embodiment will be described below.

The illustrated embodiment relates to the bottling of sample bottles for cosmetics, etc., and FIG. 1 shows its configuration.

In this case, case B, which is open from the top and accommodates a large number of sample bottles A in a vertical and horizontal arrangement, is transferred as is on the belt conveyor 1, and during the transfer, the bottles A in case B are delivered to multiple bottles. At the same time, the bottle is cleaned (first step), filled with lotion, etc. (second step), supplied with a cap (third step), and tightened (fourth step). Pack case B together (5th step).

Next, the device will be specifically explained.

As shown in FIG. 1, the belt conveyor 1 that transports the cases 1 includes a cleaner 2 in the first stage, a filling device 3 in the second stage, a cap feeding device 4 in the third stage, and a cap supplying device 4 in the fourth stage. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the belt conveyor 1 has horizontally long frames 11, 11 that are parallel to each other on both sides.
Case guides 12 and 12 are provided on the frames 1 and 11 in parallel with each other and supported and fixed to the frames, and an endless annular flat belt 13 is positioned between the frames 11 and 11. 1
A power source such as a motor is connected to one of the rollers, and the power source is operated by this.

Incidentally, the flat belt 13 is appropriately associated with an idler, a tension roller, etc., which are provided on the frame. If the flat belt has a U-shaped cross section, a case guide is not necessary.

The belt conveyor 1 transports the case 1 containing the bottles A on a flat belt 13, and at this time, both sides of the case 1 are placed on the case guides 12 and 1.
2 to keep case 1 in a fixed direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaner 2 is fixed to both frames 11, 11.
A fluid pressure cylinder 22, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, is fixed to the support body 21 that spans between the belts, and the cylinder 22 moves up and down a lifting plate 23 located above the flat belt 13, and from the lifting plate 23 downward. A plurality of nozzles 24 are arranged and protruded so that they can be inserted into all the bottles A in one row in the transferred case B as the elevating plate 23 is lowered.

The nozzle 24... consists of an air nozzle and a vacuum nozzle, and the air nozzle is connected to the air hose 25..., and the vacuum nozzle is connected to the air tank via the vacuum hose 26...
Each is connected to a vacuum tank (not shown), compressed air is supplied into the bottle from an air nozzle, and the air inside the bottle is sucked out by the vacuum nozzle, thereby making it possible to clean the air inside bottle A... .

The cleaner 2 also includes a catcher 7 that catches the case B transferred below the flat belt 13 and sets it in a predetermined position.
The flat belt 13 is moved by a hydraulic cylinder 71 such as hydraulic pressure.
It has a pair of catch bars 73, 73 which can be raised and lowered upwards and downwards and can reciprocate in the direction of the belt, and which are sent pitchwise to the downstream side when raised by a fluid pressure cylinder 72 such as pneumatic or hydraulic pressure. , 73 are positioning stoppers 73a, 73a that abut against the transported case B.
, and protrudes upward during peacetime.

In addition, 1 pitch of the above pitch feed is case B.
It is set according to the line spacing of bottles A... accommodated in the bottle.

The above-mentioned cleaner 2 and catcher 7 are automatically operated in relation to each other as described below by means of timing operation means or known electrical or mechanical detection means and automatic control means.

On the belt conveyor 1, when the case B containing the bottles A is carried on the flat belt 13, the waiting catch bars 73, 7
Then, the hydraulic cylinder 71 is actuated to raise the catch bars 73, 73, and the catch bars pick up the case B and set it in a predetermined position.

At the same time, the fluid pressure cylinder 22 in the cleaner 2 is activated, the elevating plate 23 is lowered, and the nozzle 2
Insert 4... into bottle A... in the first row.

As a result, the first row of bottles A... are cleaned of air, and then the elevating plate 23 is moved to the fluid pressure cylinder 22.
The nozzle 24... is lifted up by the bottle A...
At the same time, the catch bars 73, 73 are moved one pitch in the moving direction of the flat belt 13 by the fluid pressure cylinder 72, and the bottles A in the second row are made to correspond to the nozzles 24.

Thereafter, the same operation as above is repeated to clean the air of all bottles A..., and finally the catch bar 7 is cleaned.
3 and 73 are connected to the flat belt 1 by the fluid pressure cylinder 71.
3, case B is placed on the flat belt 13 again and sent out, and then everything returns to its original state.

As shown in FIG. 3, the filling device 3 has a fluid pressure cylinder 32, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, fixed to a support 31 that is fixed to both frames 11, 11 of the belt conveyor 1 and spans between the frames 11, 11. The cylinder 32 moves the lifting plate 33 located above the flat belt 13 up and down, and the lifting plate 3
3, a plurality of filling nozzles 34 are arranged and protruded so that they can be inserted into all the bottles A in one row in the case B that was being transferred as the elevating plate 33 descends. ing.

The filling nozzle 34... is connected to the pump 3 installed on the side of the frame 11 via a hose 35...
6, 36, and the pumps 36, 36 are connected to a filling liquid tank (not shown).

The filling device 3 also includes a catcher 7 that is the same as the catcher 7 of the cleaner 2.

The filling device 3 and the catcher 7 are automatically operated in relation to each other by timing operation means or known electrical or mechanical detection means and automatic control means as follows.

After the air has been cleaned by the cleaner 2, the bottle A...contained case B, which has been transferred by the belt conveyor 1, reaches the filling device 3, and as in the case of the cleaner 2, a waiting catcher is 7
The case B collides with positioning stoppers 73a, 73a (catch bars), and the catch bars 73, 73 are raised by the hydraulic cylinder 71, and the catch bars pick up the case B and set it in a predetermined position.

Accordingly, in the filling device 3, the fluid pressure cylinder 32 is operated to lower the elevating plate 33, and the filling nozzles 34 are inserted into the bottles A in the first row. At the same time, the pumps 36, 36 are operated to fill the bottle A with a predetermined amount of filling liquid from the filling nozzle 34.

Next, the elevating plate 33 is raised by the fluid pressure cylinder 32 to move the filling nozzle 34 into the bottle A.
The catch bars 73, 73 are moved one pitch in the moving direction of the flat belt 13 by the fluid pressure cylinder 72, and the bottles A in the second row are made to correspond to the filling nozzles 34.

After that, repeat the same operation as above and bottle A.
...When all the batteries are filled, catch bar 7
3 and 73 are connected to the flat belt 1 by the fluid pressure cylinder 71.
3, case B is placed on the flat belt 13 again and sent out, and everything returns to its original state.

The cap supply device 4, as shown in FIG.
Two fluid pressure cylinders 42, 43 such as pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders with different strokes are placed on a support 41 spanning both frames 11, 11 of the belt conveyor 1, with the longer stroke upstream and the shorter stroke facing downward, respectively. is positioned downstream and fixed, and two elevating plates 44, 49 arranged above the flat belt 13 and parallel to each other in the direction of the flat belt are vertically moved by both cylinders 42, 43, respectively.

Note that if one fluid pressure cylinder can perform two-stage operation, only one fluid pressure cylinder is required.

A movable plate 45 is disposed below the lifting plates 44, 49 in parallel with them, and this moves to the supporting body 4.
The two lifting plates 4 are moved by a fluid pressure cylinder 46 which is appropriately fixed with a side plate on the downstream side of the plate 1 and facing upstream.
It is possible to move directly below numbers 4 and 49.

Vacuum spindles 47 are vertically movably passed through the movable plate 45 in correspondence with the bottles A of the row of case B being sent, and are urged upward by springs 471. The spindles 47... are connected to a vacuum tank (not shown) via a vacuum hose.

A cap parts feeder 48 is installed on the side of the support 41, and its tip 48a is inserted into the inside of the support 41 (above the flat belt) in parallel with the rows of vacuum spindles 47.

The above-mentioned cap feeding device 4 is also equipped with the same catcher 7 as the catcher 7 of the cleaner 2, and is mutually controlled by timing actuation means or known electrical or mechanical detection means and automatic control means.
The following relationships are made to work automatically.

Case B in which bottles A are filled with liquid by the filling device 3 and transported by the belt conveyor 1.
When the case B reaches the cap supply device 4, the catcher 7 picks up the case B and sets it in a predetermined position, as before.

At the same time, the fluid pressure cylinder 42 on the downstream side for vertical movement is operated, and the elevating plate 44 is lowered, and is pushed down against the vacuum spindle 47...spring 471... located below, and the cap is pushed down. In the parts feeder 48 for
It adsorbs the caps C sent to the caps 8a and rises with the elasticity of the springs 471 as the elevating plate 44 rises. Next, the upstream fluid pressure cylinder 46 is activated to move the movable plate 45 below the upstream lifting plate 49, and the upstream fluid pressure cylinder 43 for vertical movement is activated to move the lifting plate 49. 49 descends, the vacuum spindle 47... is again pushed down against the spring 471..., and the adsorbed cap C... is transferred to the bottle A in the first row.
. . ., the vacuum is stopped and the case C is left alone. As the elevating plate 49 rises, the spring 471 . and return to its original state.

After that, the case B is sent one pitch at a time using the catcher 7 as before, and the caps are placed on one row of bottles A one after another in the manner described above, and when all the bottles are finished, they are placed on the flat belt 13. After feeding, both the catcher 7 and the cap feeding device 4 return to their normal states.

The cap tightening device 5, as shown in FIG.
A fluid pressure cylinder 52, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, is fixed to a support 51 that is fixed across both frames 11, 11 of the belt conveyor 1, and the cylinder 52 is used to move the upper part of the flat belt 13 through relay members 53, 54. An elevating plate 55 provided in the vertical axis is movable up and down, and on the elevating plate 55, a plurality of rotating spindles 56 corresponding to a row of bottles A... are rotatably disposed vertically, and these rotating spindles 56 . . . is a downwardly movable spring 57 .
... and is uniformly rotated by a motor 58 provided on the elevating plate 55 via interlocking means such as gears.

Furthermore, a plurality of horizontal hydraulic cylinders 59a and clamps 59 actuated by the hydraulic cylinders 59a are mounted on the support body 51.
A clamper 59 consisting of b is provided, and a row of bottles A . . . corresponding to the rotating spindle 56 .
can be held in one go.

The cap tightening device 5 described above is also equipped with a catcher 7 like the previous devices, and is controlled by timing actuating means or electrical or mechanical known detection means and automatic control means as follows. The relevant information is automatically activated.

All bottles A accommodated by the cap supply device 4...
When the case B, which has been transferred by the belt conveyor 1 with a cap C... placed on the case B, reaches the cap tightening device 5, the catcher 7 picks up the case B, as in the case of the previous device. Pick it up and set it in place.

At the same time, the clamper 59 operates to clamp the bottles A in the first row, and the fluid pressure cylinder 52 operates to lower the elevating plate 55, and at the same time, the motor 58 moves the rotating spindle 56... Rotate and
The rotating spindle 56... is the bottle A in the first row.
The cap C covering the... is compressed and rotated, tightened onto the bottle, and then raised and returned to its original position.

Thereafter, case B is sent to one pitch by catcher 7 as in the case of the previous device, and cap C is sent to bottles A in successive rows as described above.
After tightening all the parts, they are placed on the flat belt 13 and sent out, and everything returns to its original state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the packaging device 6 is connected to the end of the belt conveyor 1, and specifically, as shown in FIG.
, a supply device 62 for the heat-shrinkable synthetic resin half-folded film 8, a film opening device 63 at the next stage of the introducing belt conveyor 61, a film adhering device 64 at the next stage of the device 63, and a film applying device 64 at the next stage of the device 64. It consists of a shrink tunnel 65 at the next stage and a delivery roller conveyor 66.

The introduction belt conveyor 61 has a pair of flat belts 61a, 61a, which are stretched by rotating rollers supported by a frame (not shown) and are appropriately driven by a motor or the like, and which are supported by the frame on both sides. A pair of case guides 61
b, 61b, and a case feeding arm 61c is provided between both flat belts. The arm 6
1c is not shown, but flat belts 61a, 61
The case B introduced onto the flat belts 61a, 61a is pushed into the film opening device 63 at the next stage by being operated by a drive device located below the flat belts 61a, 61a.

The film opening device 63 has a table 63a on which the case B is placed, and a frame 63b provided above the table 63a so as to be movable up and down by a hydraulic cylinder or the like.
A plurality of vacuum nozzles 63c on the inner surface b...,
63d..., connect these nozzles to a vacuum tank (not shown) via a vacuum hose (not shown), and place the table 63a in place.
It is equipped with a case feed bar 63e for pushing the upper case B into the next stage film adhering device 64, and the case feed bar 63e is operated by an appropriate drive mechanism (not shown). There is.

The film adhering device 64 includes a frame-shaped film closing heater provided above a suitably constructed and driven belt conveyor 64a that introduces the case B and sends it out to the next stage so as to be moved up and down by a fluid pressure cylinder or the like. 64b.

The Shrink tunnel 65 has a heating device therein, and is equipped on a delivery roller conveyor 66, and a supply device 62 for the heat-shrinkable synthetic resin half-folded film 8 is provided on the side of the film opening device 63. The film support portions 62a, 6
2a and a guide roller 62b.

The introduction belt conveyor 61, film opening device 63, film adhering device 64, shrink tunnel 65, and delivery roller conveyor 66 are as follows:
Timing actuation means or known electrical or mechanical detection means and automatic control means are adapted to operate automatically in conjunction with each other as follows.

When a case B containing processed bottles A is sent from the preceding belt conveyor 1 to the introduction belt conveyor 61, the introduction belt conveyor 6
1 transfers the case while maintaining a constant posture with case guides 61b, 61b, and a case sending arm 61c.
The film is pushed into the film opening device 63 at the next stage.

The film opening device 63 introduces the half-folded heat-shrinkable synthetic resin film 8 from the supplying device 62 in the folding side backward position, and sends both half-folded films 8 to upper and lower vacuum nozzles 63c..., 63d... respectively. The case B is sucked and opened and is waiting, and the pushed case B enters inside the half-folded film 8.

Next, the vacuum nozzles 63c..., 63d
Stop the adsorption of ... and move case B to case feed bar 6.
3e, the film is sent together with the half-folded film 8 to the next stage film adhering device 64. Thereafter, the case feed bar 63e returns, and the frame body 63b descends to attract both halves of the half-folded film 8 to the vacuum nozzles 63c..., 63d..., rises, and waits in the above-mentioned introduction position. do.

The film adhering device 64 brings the case B and the half-folded film 8 to a predetermined position using a belt conveyor 64a, and the film closing heater 64b descends to weld both the top and bottom of the half-folded film 8 together around the case B. At the same time, the subsequent film is cut to cover the entire case B, bottle A, etc. with the film, and the belt conveyor 64a sends the film to the next delivery roller conveyor 66 at the same time as the film closing heater 64b returns to the upward position.

The delivery roller conveyor 66 transports the bottles A and cases B coated with heat-shrinkable synthetic resin films and passes through the shrink tunnel 65, which properly coats the coated film D. Remove slack from film D by heating and shrinking it.
Complete the packaging. The delivery roller conveyor 66 is
Send this out.

Therefore, the automatic bottling device of the illustrated embodiment is as follows:
As described above, if case B containing bottle A... brought in from a container manufacturer is sent to belt conveyor 1 along with the case,
Bottle A... remains in case B, and
In the process, the air is cleaned by the cleaner 2, in the second process, liquid is filled by the filling device 3, in the third process, the cap supply device 4 covers the cap C, and in the fourth process, the cap tightening device 5 tightens the cap. The cap is tightened, and then the bottle is transferred to the packaging device 6 in the fifth step. In the fifth step, the packaging device 6 wraps the entire bottles A and Case B in synthetic resin film, and sends them out to the wholesaler. It can be transported to a store or store.

In the above embodiment, each device in the first to fourth steps processes the entire case of bottle A in case B by repeating it several times for one line. It is also possible to process all addresses at once. In this case, make the elevating plate of each device larger,
In the cleaner 2 and the filling device 3, the nozzles 24 and 34
The cap feeding device 4 is equipped with a vacuum spindle 47 and a cap parts feeder 48, and the cap tightening device 5 is equipped with a rotary spindle 56 and a clamper 59, respectively, and the catcher 7 of each device is operated accordingly. Just do it.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the object to be processed is a sample bottle, but the object is not limited thereto.

The above-mentioned first to fifth steps may not all be necessary depending on the object to be treated, and steps for performing different operations such as capping and sealing may be added, and the selection of each part and device may be made as appropriate. The specific configuration of these devices may be changed in design as required.

``Effects of the Invention'' According to the present invention, a plurality of bottles are transported by a conveyor with their cases stored therein, and during the transport, the bottles are transported by a cleaner, a filling device, a cap feeding device, and a cap tightening device while the bottles are in the container state. , the process of cleaning, filling, cap supply, and cap tightening is performed sequentially in each line and then sent out, so there is no need to take the bottle out of the case and put it back in. Manufacturers display the contents on the case, lot
No., machine No., manufacturing date, factory name, etc. can be displayed, allowing efficient integrated work that is directly connected between container manufacturers and content manufacturers, and eliminating the need for marking, labeling, etc. on each bottle. It becomes possible.

In addition, since the bottle is not taken out or taken out from the case, there is no deformation, discoloration, or deterioration of physical properties due to cracking, chipping, cracking, bulging, etc. of the bottle, and there is no loss, and the yield can be improved. Furthermore, since there is no need for the operator to touch the bottle, no contamination occurs.

Furthermore, since each process can be performed on a line-by-line basis at once during transport by the conveyor, the processing speed can be improved.

Furthermore, there is no need for a bottle insertion/extraction device or a conveyor for transferring empty cases, and the device and equipment can be simplified and downsized, which is extremely effective economically.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration, and FIGS. 2 to 6 are perspective views specifically showing each part and device. 1...Belt conveyor, 2...Cleaner, 3...
...filling device, 4...cap feeding device, 5...cap tightening device, 6...packaging device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A case transfer conveyor is provided, and the conveyor transfers cases in which a plurality of bottles are arranged in predetermined rows and columns in a fixed posture, and also, above the conveyor, in the flow direction, each case is A cleaner, a filling device, a cap feeding device, and a cap tightening device that process bottles one after another in rows are arranged in sequence, and these devices process each bottle one after another in rows for all the bottles in each case that are transferred. A bottling method characterized by sequentially cleaning, filling, supplying caps, and tightening caps for each case, and then sending the bottles out.