KR20220093677A - Food packaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a food packaging device which automatically packages food in a unit of a container. The food packaging device comprises: a conveyor unit transferring a container storing food; a cover supply unit disposed to be adjacent to the conveyor unit, having a stage where a plurality of covers are overlapped, having a lifting unit lifting the stage to move the cover to an adsorption position, and having a brush unit installed in the adsorption position to compress a side portion of the cover to supply the cover coupled to the container; and a cover transfer unit having a transfer tower positioned between the conveyor unit and the cover supply unit, having a transfer arm rotatably installed in the transfer tower to be swung between the adsorption position and the conveyor unit, and an adsorption unit installed in one end of the transfer arm to adsorb the cover to enable the cover to be coupled to the container positioned on the conveyor unit.

Description

Food packaging apparatus

The present invention relates to a food packaging apparatus that can be used to package food in a predetermined unit, and more particularly, to a food packaging apparatus capable of packaging in a container unit by automatically coupling a cover on a container containing food.

As mass production and mass distribution of goods became possible, the necessity of packaging distributed goods in a certain unit arose. Packaged products are not only easy to handle, but also easy to display in stores. With the development of various technologies, unit packaging and the like are becoming possible even for foodstuffs that have been difficult to handle in the past.

For example, unit packaging in the form of a container capable of accommodating and protecting foodstuffs has been applied in various forms. In the case of foodstuffs, there are many types that are vulnerable to impact because they are not easily perishable or hard. For example, a food packaging method using such a container is disclosed in Korean Utility Model 20-0402875 and the like.

However, conventional packaging of food using a container is usually done by manpower, and thus there is a problem that the operation proceeds very inefficiently when the distribution amount increases. This was not a method such as wrapping simply wrapped in plastic, but a problem caused by a complicated packaging process of putting food in a plastic container and combining the cover. .

Republic of Korea Utility Model Publication No. 20-0402875, (2005. 12.08)

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to solve this problem, and it is to provide a food packaging apparatus capable of packaging in a container unit by automatically coupling a cover on a container containing food.

The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to these problems, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

A food packaging apparatus according to the present invention includes: a conveyor unit for transferring a container containing food; A stage disposed adjacent to the conveyor unit and arranged with a plurality of covers overlapping, a lifting unit for moving the cover to the adsorption position by raising the stage, and a stage installed at the adsorption position to press the side of the cover A cover supply unit for supplying the cover coupled to the container, including a brush unit; and a transfer tower positioned between the conveyor unit and the cover supply unit, a transfer arm rotatably installed on the transfer tower to swing between the adsorption position and the conveyor unit, and one end of the transfer arm installed in the It includes an adsorption unit for adsorbing the cover, and a cover transfer unit for coupling the cover to the container positioned on the conveyor unit.

A plurality of the brush units are arranged in pairs at positions facing each other with the cover in the center, and each of the brush units may include a brush and a positioning unit for moving the brush forward or backward toward the cover. .

The brush part includes a first brush part disposed in pairs on a diagonal of the cover, and a second brush part disposed in pairs on another diagonal of the cover, wherein the first brush part and the second brush part At least one of them may be disposed to be in contact with a corner portion of the cover.

The first brush unit and the second brush unit may be formed such that the respective brushes move sequentially with a time difference toward the cover, or there is a difference in pressure for pressing the cover.

A plurality of the cover supply units are disposed along the conveying direction of the conveyor unit, and the cover conveying unit is formed to be slidable along the conveying direction of the conveyor unit to change positions and from any one of the plurality of cover supply units. The cover may be optionally supplied.

The adsorption unit includes a rotating unit rotatably installed on the transfer arm, and a suction nozzle installed in the rotating unit for vacuum-sucking the cover, The cover transferred to the can be transferred while always maintaining a level.

The cover transfer unit may include a first sprocket coupled to a rotation shaft formed at the rotation center of the rotation unit, a second sprocket fixed to the rotation center of the transfer arm, and between the first sprocket and the second sprocket. The control chain may further include an adjustment chain connected to rotate the first sprocket in a direction opposite to the swing direction of the transfer arm to maintain the rotating part in a horizontal state.

According to the present invention, food can be automatically packaged in a container unit, and in particular, the process of coupling the cover to the container containing the food can be effectively automated. According to the present invention, the cover can be transported more conveniently with a mechanical structure using a rotating arm, and the volume of the device can be greatly reduced. Accordingly, the transport position can be freely changed. Processes such as selectively coupling the cover can also be freely performed. In addition, since it is possible to automatically separate and transport covers that are easily attached by electrostatic force because they are made of plastic thinly, the packaging of the container unit can be smoothly performed using the covers supplied in large quantities.

1 is a perspective view showing the operation of a food packaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the food packaging apparatus of FIG.
3 is a plan view of the cover transfer unit of the food packaging apparatus of FIG. 1 .
4 is a side view viewed in the direction A-A' and a cross-sectional view viewed in the direction B-B' of the cover transfer unit of FIG. 3 .
5 is a view showing the horizontal maintenance operation of the adsorption unit using the control chain of FIG.
6 is a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the cover supply unit of FIG. 1 .
7 is an operation view of the brush part of the cover supply unit of FIG. 6 .
8 is a view illustrating various operations of the brush unit of FIG. 6 .
9 is a plan view showing the overall operation of the food packaging apparatus of FIG.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only these embodiments allow the disclosure of the present invention to be complete and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains. It is provided to fully inform the possessor of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, a food packaging apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 .

1 is a perspective view showing the operation of a food packaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the food packaging apparatus of FIG. 1 .

1 and 2 , the food packaging apparatus 1 according to the present invention transfers the cover A loaded on the cover supply unit 100 to the rotating operation (including semi-rotation) of the transfer arm 220 . It is conveyed to the conveyor unit 300 by a swing). The transfer arm 220 swings between the conveyor unit 300 and the cover supply unit 100 and repeats the transfer of the cover A, and in the cover supply unit 100, the cover A while the transfer operation is in progress. supply continuously. Therefore, it is possible to automatically couple the cover (A) to the top of each container (B) while continuously moving the container (B) containing the food on the conveyor unit (300).

In particular, at the upper end of the cover supply unit 100, a plurality of brush parts 150 of a form capable of linear driving moving toward the cover A are disposed, so that the covers A are separated by the operation of the brush part 150. is smoothly separated into That is, even the covers (A) formed of a material such as plastic and easily attached to each other by electrostatic force can be effectively separated using the brush unit 150, and the separated cover (A) can be transferred to the transfer arm 220 . It can be easily removed from the cover supply unit 100 by using the adsorption unit 230 formed on the . The transfer arm 220 swings while adsorbing the removed cover (A) to the adsorption unit 230 to be easily coupled to the upper end of the container (B) of the conveyor unit 300 .

In addition, the present invention has a feature that the cover (A) is maintained in a horizontal state even while the swing operation of the transfer arm 220 is in progress. Therefore, it can be conveniently combined with the container (B) at the top of the conveyor unit 300 placed in the horizontal direction by moving the cover (A) aligned in the horizontal direction and loaded on the cover supply unit 100 as it is, as shown. Therefore, the structure such as a linear guide required to move or maintain the position of the cover (A) in a horizontal state is removed, thereby greatly simplifying the device, and since simple movement by the operation of only the transfer arm 220 is possible, the actual cover supply The time it takes to transport the cover A loaded on the unit 100 to the conveyor unit 300 can also be greatly reduced. In addition, since the cover transfer unit 200 on which the transfer arm 220 is mounted can be moved between the different cover supply units 100 by sliding, the different types of covers (A) are placed on the different cover supply units ( 100 ). Various processes such as loading and selectively combining can also be conveniently performed.

The food packaging apparatus 1 of the present invention is specifically configured as follows. The food packaging device 1 includes a conveyor unit 300 for transporting a container containing food, a stage 110 disposed adjacent to the conveyor unit 300, and a plurality of covers A overlapping a stage 110, the stage Including a lifting unit (see 120 in FIG. 2) for moving the cover (A) to the adsorption position by raising the 110, and a brush unit 150 installed at the adsorption position to press the side of the cover (A), The cover supply unit 100 for supplying the cover A coupled to the container B, and the conveying tower 210 positioned between the conveyor unit 300 and the cover supply unit 100, and the conveying tower 210 A transfer arm 220 that is rotatably installed in the evaporator and swings between the adsorption position and the conveyor unit 300, and an adsorption unit 230 installed at one end of the transfer arm 220 to adsorb the cover (A). , and a cover transfer unit 200 for coupling the cover (A) to the container (B) located on the conveyor unit (300).

At this time, the adsorption position to which the cover (A) is adsorbed may be the upper end of the cover supply unit 100 as shown, but this may be changed or adjusted as needed. As shown, when the cover supply unit 100 having a frame 140 structure is formed, the brush unit 150 may be disposed on the upper end of the frame 140 of the cover supply unit 100, and the cover A is the frame. When the top (140) is reached, it may be separated by the brush unit 150 and adsorbed by the adsorption unit 230 . That is, the adsorption position is a position where the cover (A) is adsorbed to the adsorption unit 230 and may be changed due to structural changes within the limit of adsorption. For example, if factors such as the shape or arrangement of the cover supply unit 100, the shape or arrangement of the cover transfer unit 200, the length of the transfer arm 220, etc. are changed, the adsorption position may also be changed accordingly. The position may vary, and thus the position at which the brush unit 150 is installed may be adjusted.

The conveyor unit 300 serves to transport the container (B) containing the food. A conveyor belt 310 moving in one direction may be formed on the upper surface of the conveyor unit 300 , and the container B may be transported on the conveyor belt 310 of the upper surface of the conveyor unit 300 . The conveyor unit 300 may be formed by variously changing the length of the conveyor belt 310 , and may be formed by combining one or a plurality of conveyor belts 310 . Through this, the food packaging process can be changed in various ways. The upper surface of the conveyor unit 300 may be positioned lower than the main shaft 221 of the transfer arm 220 , thereby securing the swing space of the transfer arm 220 and the mounting space of the container B. However, it is not necessary to be so limited, and a specific structure or arrangement may be appropriately adjusted according to circumstances.

The cover supply unit 100 is disposed adjacent to the conveyor unit 300 . The interval between the cover supply unit 100 and the conveyor unit 300 may be adjusted according to the interval at which the swing operation of the transfer arm 220 is made. The cover supply unit 100 may be formed using, for example, a frame framed with a frame 140 or the like, and one or a plurality of them may be continuously combined as needed. For example, as in this embodiment, a plurality of cover supply units 100 are arranged along the conveying direction (which may have the same meaning as the longitudinal direction of the conveyor unit) of the conveyor unit 300, and the cover conveying unit 200 is a conveyor It is formed to be slidable along the transfer direction of the unit 300 to change the position, and the cover A can be selectively supplied from any one of the plurality of cover supply units 100 . In such a case, the process of loading different types of covers (A) on the plurality of cover supply units ( 100 ), respectively, and coupling different types of covers (A) to the corresponding container (B) may be performed as needed. . The cover transfer unit 200 can change its position by moving along the sliding rail 260 formed between the cover supply unit 100 and the cover supply unit 100 (see FIG. 9), and the sliding rail 260 is the cover transfer unit ( 200) can be installed in various positions where the movement is possible. Therefore, since the sliding rail 260 of the present embodiment is only one example, it is not necessary to understand it as limited.

The cover supply unit 100 includes a stage 110 on which a plurality of covers A are overlapped as shown in FIG. 2 , and a lifting unit 120 for raising the stage 110 to move the cover A to an adsorption position. includes The stage 110 may be formed of a planar structure capable of supporting the cover A, and may be connected to the lifting unit 120 to be lifted. The lifting unit 120 may be implemented in various ways to elevate the stage 110 , and there is no need to have any special limitations. For example, the lifting unit 120 uses various types of linear actuators, uses a mechanical structure having a straight running section such as a belt or chain, or a screw capable of lifting and lowering by rotation in combination with a nut. It can be formed using various various structures, such as a structure. The lifting unit 120 may be connected to a driving unit 130 such as a motor, and may operate by receiving a driving force from the driving unit 130 .

The stage 110 can be raised and lowered from the inside of the frame 140, and at the upper end of the frame 140, there is a guide plate 141 that collects the cover A, which is stacked on the stage 110, in the center. can be installed. The guide plate 141 may be disposed to contact each side of the cover A (see FIG. 6 ), for example, and the number or shape may vary depending on the shape of the cover A. A portion of the stage 110 overlapping the guide plate 141 so as not to interfere with the guide plate 141 when ascending may be formed in a cut-out shape. The guide plate 141 may be formed to have an inclination that has a downward-facing end to the outside of the cover (A). In this form, the stage 110 for loading the covers A on the frame 140 and the lifting unit 120 for elevating the stage 110 may be installed in a structure.

The brush unit 150 is disposed at the adsorption position where the cover A is adsorbed. 1 and 2 , the brush unit 150 may be disposed at the upper end of the frame 140 , and a plurality of brush units may be disposed to surround the cover (A). In particular, the brush portion 150 is formed to press the side portion (meaning the horizontal end of the cover in FIG. 2) of the cover (A), a plurality of symmetrical arrangement to face the corner formed on the cover (A) can be For example, a plurality of brush units 150 may be arranged in pairs at positions facing each other with the cover A in the center. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 1 , each brush unit 150 may include a brush 151 and a positioning unit 152 for moving the brush 151 forward or backward toward the cover A. The positioning unit 152 may move on the fixing unit 153 fixed to the frame 140 and the like, and may come into contact with the cover A while moving in a straight line to apply pressure to the cover A. In particular, the brush 151 enters between the overlapping covers (A) when the positioning unit 152 advances, and can very effectively separate the covers (A) stuck to each other at the adsorption position into sheets. The operation and arrangement of the brush unit 150, and specific effects thereof will be described later in more detail.

The brush unit 150 may be formed in various ways to move the brush 151 . In addition, since the shape or structure may vary accordingly, it is not necessary to limit the brush unit 150 to the form as shown. For example, a variety of different driving structures may be applied between the positioning unit 152 and the fixing unit 153 , and such a driving structure does not need to be limited to a specific structure. Although not shown, a hydraulic/pneumatic cylinder is formed between the positioning unit 152 and the fixing unit 153 so that the positioning unit 152 moves the brush 151 forward and backward by fluid pressure. In addition, another type of linear actuator other than the hydraulic or pneumatic method may be applied. can also be formed. Each of the plurality of brush units 150 disposed around the cover (A) may operate independently, and it is also possible that the plurality of brush units are synchronized with each other and operate simultaneously. In addition, it can be implemented in various ways, such as by adjusting the strength of the brush 151, such as to prevent the pressure transmitted to the cover (A) from becoming excessive. This will also be described later in more detail.

The cover transfer unit 200 is a transfer tower 210 positioned between the conveyor unit 300 and the cover supply unit 100, and the transfer tower 210 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 rotatably. It includes an installed transfer arm 220 and an adsorption unit 230 installed at one end of the transfer arm 220 to adsorb the cover (A). The transfer tower 210 may be formed, for example, in the same shape as a housing having an accommodating space therein, and the upper end may protrude to form a support structure for supporting the transfer arm 220 . A pump 252 that provides suction power by forming a negative pressure inside the transfer tower 210 may be disposed, and a suction pipe 251 is connected between the pump 252 and the adsorption unit 230 to the adsorption unit 230 . It can be configured to transmit suction power. The suction pipe 251 may be connected to, for example, a plurality of suction nozzles 231 extending downward of the suction unit 230 to transmit suction force through the suction nozzles 231 . In order to more clearly reveal the structure of the present invention, the suction pipe 251 and the pump 252 have been omitted from the remaining drawings except for FIG. 2 and FIG. 9 to be described later. .

For example, the transfer arm 220 may be rotated by being coupled to the main shaft 221 located at the center of rotation of the transfer arm 220 . The main shaft 221 may be supported by a support structure such as an outer support plate 211 of the upper end of the transfer tower 210 . As shown in such a structure, it is possible to swing and move between the adsorption position (which may be the upper end of the frame of the cover supply unit in this embodiment as described above) and the conveyor unit 300 . In addition, the adsorption unit 230 includes a rotating unit 230a which is rotatably installed on the transfer arm 220, and a suction nozzle 231 which is installed on the rotating unit 230a and vacuum-sucks the cover A. Thus, the cover (A) transferred from the cover supply unit 100 to the conveyor unit 300 by the rotation of the rotating part 230a can be transferred while always maintaining a horizontal level. That is, the adsorption unit 230 maintains the horizontal direction while the transfer arm 220 swings and is formed to maintain and transport the adsorbed cover A in the horizontal direction as described above. With reference to this, the structure and operation of the cover transfer unit 200 will be described in more detail.

3 is a plan view of the cover transfer unit of the food packaging apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a side view and a cross-sectional view of the cover transfer unit of FIG. It is a diagram showing the horizontal maintenance operation of the adsorption unit using the control chain of Fig. 4.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the transfer arm 220 is rotatably installed in the transfer tower 210 . In addition, the adsorption unit 230 includes a rotating unit 230a rotatably installed at one end of the transfer arm 220, and a suction nozzle (see 231 in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5) on the rotating unit 230a. ) is formed. A plurality of suction ports 232 connected to, for example, the suction nozzle 231 may be formed in the rotating part 230a, and the distal end of the above-described suction pipe (refer to 251 in FIG. 2 ) is coupled to the suction port 232 for adsorption. A suction force may be generated in the nozzle 231 . Meanwhile, the transfer arm 220 may be rotated about the main shaft 221 , for example. The transfer arm 220 is centered on the main shaft 221 coupled between the inner support plate 212 formed at the upper end of the transfer tower 210 and the outer support plate 211 disposed outside the transfer tower 210 apart from it. can be rotated. The main shaft 221 is located at the center of rotation of the transfer arm 220 , and the main shaft gear 222 for receiving the driving force may be formed at the outer end of the main shaft 221 . Looking at this structure from the side through Fig. 4 (a), the main shaft 221 coupled to the center of rotation of the transfer arm 220, the main shaft gear 222 connected to the main shaft 221, and the main shaft gear 222 mesh with each other. The structure of the used driving gear 223 is confirmed. The driving gear 223 may be axially coupled to the driving motor 224 disposed inside the transfer tower 210 to rotate the main shaft gear 222 by the power of the driving motor 224 . Accordingly, when the driving gear 223 is rotated, the main shaft gear 222 is rotated in the opposite direction, and the transfer arm 220 connected to the main shaft 221 together with the main shaft gear 222 swings as shown in FIG. 4(a). will do Since the driving gear 223 can rotate forward and backward by the operation of the driving motor 224 , the transfer arm 220 repeatedly moves between the conveyor unit 300 and the cover supply unit 100 as shown in FIG. 2 . can swing

On the other hand, the transfer arm 220 is also connected to the aforementioned adjustment chain 243 separately from this. As shown in each figure, the transfer arms 220 may be formed as a pair, and as shown in FIG. 3 , they are connected by a main shaft 221 to move together. Referring back to FIG. 3 , the rotating part 230a constituting the adsorption part 230 is coupled to the end opposite to the main shaft 221 of the transfer arm 220 , and the rotating part 230a is the center of rotation of the rotating part 230a. It is rotatably coupled to the distal end of the transfer arm 220 through the rotation shaft 230b formed on the . At this time, a part of the rotation shaft 230b protrudes to the outside of the transfer arm 220 and is coupled to the first sprocket 241 located at the center of rotation of the rotation part 230a, and the first sprocket 241 is an adjustment chain 243 ) is connected to the second sprocket 242 that is spaced apart in the direction of the transfer arm 220 . In particular, the second sprocket 242 is disposed at the center of rotation of the transfer arm 220 on which the main shaft 221 is located, and is completely separated from the main shaft 221 and disposed in a fixed state not to rotate (the main shaft is not coupled). It can be coupled with a fixed shaft to the other side outer support plate, etc.). This structure can be seen more clearly through the cross-section shown opposite to that of FIG. 4(a) shown in FIG. 4(b).

For this reason, in the transfer arm 220, a swing operation in which the main shaft 221 and the transfer arm 220 are rotated by the driving of the driving gear 223 as shown in Fig. 4 (a), and Fig. 4 (b) and Likewise, the first sprocket 241 whose position is changed by it (eg, revolved in a radius away from the center of rotation of the transfer arm by the length of the transfer arm) is an adjustment chain caught between the second sprocket 242 and the fixed second sprocket 242. The operation of rotating in the reverse direction by (243) proceeds at the same time. For this reason, when the transfer arm 220 swings, the rotating part 230a connected to the first sprocket 241 by the rotating shaft 230b continuously maintains the horizontal direction. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5 as follows.

5 is a first sprocket 241 and a second sprocket 242, a control chain 243 connected thereto, and a rotating part connected to the first sprocket 241 as viewed in the direction of FIG. 4 (b) to explain the operation. (230a) is drawn overlaid with the swinging motion of the transfer arm. For example, when the transfer arm swings and rises by an angle α from the horizontal position by the above-described driving gear (see 224 in FIG. It also swings and rises. At this time, since the second sprocket 242 is fixed so as not to rotate, the adjustment chain 243 is raised along the first sprocket 241 so that the meshing point with the second sprocket 242 is changed. That is, a relative displacement occurs between the control chain 243 and the second sprocket 242, and since the second sprocket 242 is fixed, the control chain 243 substantially moves around the second sprocket 242 in the swing direction. It has the same effect as if it was rotated in the opposite direction. This effect is transmitted to the first sprocket 241 along the control chain 243, and the first sprocket 241 meshes with the control chain 243 and rotates in the same direction, so the rotation coupled to the first sprocket 241 The coaxial 230b rotates in the opposite direction to the swing direction, exactly by the swing angle α. The displacement of the control chain 243 is generated in proportion to the swing angle along the circumferential surface of the second sprocket 242 , which is transmitted to the first sprocket 241 and also in the reverse direction along the circumferential surface of the first sprocket 241 . Since a proportional rotation angle is created, as shown in the figure, when the diameters of the first sprocket 241 and the second sprocket 242 are the same, the rotation angle of the first sprocket 241 exactly matches the swing angle. Accordingly, as a result, the rotating part 230a is rotated together with the rotating shaft 230b to maintain the horizontal as shown.

That is, the transfer arm 220 includes a first sprocket 241 coupled to a rotation shaft 230b formed at the center of rotation of the rotation unit 230a, and a second sprocket fixedly disposed at the center of rotation of the transfer arm 220 ( 242), and connected between the first sprocket 241 and the second sprocket 242 to rotate the first sprocket 241 in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the transfer arm 220 to turn the rotating part 230a into a horizontal state. By the structure of the holding control chain 243, it is possible to maintain the adsorption unit in the horizontal direction, and through this, the cover adsorbed to the adsorption unit 230 through the suction nozzle 231 (see A in FIGS. 1 and 2) is also horizontal. direction can be maintained. Through this transfer structure, it is possible to transfer the cover more quickly and stably in a swing manner.

6 is a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the cover supply unit of FIG. 1 , FIG. 7 is an operation view of the brush unit of the cover supply unit of FIG. 6 , and FIG. 8 is a view showing various operations of the brush unit of FIG. 6 .

Hereinafter, the operation of the brush unit 150 formed in the cover supply unit 100 will be described in more detail this time with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 . The brush unit 150 is disposed at an adsorption position where the cover A is adsorbed by the adsorption unit 230 as described above. 1 , the structure of the brush unit 150 includes a brush 151 and a position control unit 152 for moving the brush 151 forward and backward as described above, and the position control unit 152 includes a frame ( 140) may be combined with the fixing part 153 fixed to the back. As shown in (a) of FIG. 6 , a plurality of these brush parts 150 may be disposed to face each other around the cover (A), and in particular, the forward direction may be arranged to face the corner portion. In cross-section, the brush unit 150 is located at the upper end of the frame 140 as shown in FIG. 6(b) and is exposed above the frame 140 among the covers (A) stacked in close contact with each other. can be placed face-to-face.

When the brush unit 150 operates, the cover A is pressed as shown in FIG. 7 . As shown in (a) of Figure 7, a plurality of brush parts 150 move forward from the edge of the cover (A) toward the center of the cover (A) while fixing the cover (A) and at the same time as in Figure 7 (b) As the brush 151 disposed in the forward direction of the brush unit 150 enters between the overlapping covers A, the cover A may be separated into sheets. That is, when the positioning unit 152 advances the brush 151 , the brush 151 presses the side of the cover A to easily dig into the space between the covers A, and thus the brushes 151 are in close contact with each other by electrostatic force, etc. The cover (A), which was made, can also be made to be separated by a gap (Aa) between each other. In this state, the adsorption unit (refer to 230 in FIG. 2) can vacuum-adsorb the uppermost cover (A), so that only one of the stacked covers (A) can be taken out and transported (refer to the operation of FIG. 2).

That is, it is possible to separate the cover (A) very conveniently and effectively at the adsorption position by using the brush portion 150 having a structure that presses forward to the side of the cover (A) around the cover (A). The brush 151 of the brush unit 150 can be sufficiently deeply inserted into the space between the covers A by the operation of the positioning unit 152, and when the cover A is separated, it can be retracted and returned to its original position. . If necessary, a portion of the brush 151 may be maintained in contact with the cover A even in a retracted state, and through this, the position of the cover A may be more stably maintained during adsorption. The length, strength, thickness, fineness, etc. of the brush 151 may be adjusted as desired, and the material may be appropriately selected such as a material that does not generate static electricity even with repeated movement. In this way, by using the brush unit 150, the overlapping cover (A) at the adsorption position can be separated into sheets and more easily adsorbed to the adsorption unit 230 .

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 8 , the brush unit may change the arrangement and movement of the brush unit in various ways. As described above, the brush unit is arranged in plurality, each of which can be operated independently, so that the cover (A) can be separated in various ways by using such structural features. For example, as shown in FIG. 8 , a first brush part 150a disposed in pairs on the diagonal of the cover A, and a second brush part disposed in pairs on the other diagonal of the cover A as shown in FIG. 8 . Including 150b, at least one of the first brush unit 150a and the second brush unit 150b may be arranged to contact the edge of the cover (A). That is, it is possible to continuously support a part of the edge portion rather than the entire cover (A) by using the brush part, and through this, it is possible to more stably position the cover (A) even during the adsorption operation. In addition, it is possible to minimize the deformation due to the pressure applied to the cover (A) by contacting the brush portion on both sides of the diagonal corner portions that are relatively strong in pressure.

The first brush unit 150a and the second brush unit 150b, for example, as in FIG. 8 (a), each brush (see 151 in FIG. 7) has a time difference toward the cover It may move sequentially, or it may be formed to have a difference in pressure for pressing the cover (A) as shown in FIG. 8 ( b ). For example, even if the strength of the brush is the same, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the brushes of the first brush unit 150a and the second brush unit 150b disposed on different diagonals are sequentially moved to cover It is possible to prevent pressure from being applied to all corners of (A) at the same time, and through this, even if the cover (A) is a material that is weak in deformation, it can be separated and adsorbed while maintaining its original shape. In addition, as shown in (b) of FIG. 8 , each brush of the first brush part 150a and the second brush part 150b is formed to have different strength, length, and fineness, for example, so that the pressure is transmitted differently. It is possible to prevent the entire cover A from being deformed by being pressed by a strong pressure. In addition, as shown in (c) of FIG. 8, each of the first brush part 150a and the second brush part 150b is disposed in a pair on a diagonal line with each other, but the viewing direction is not matched but shifted from each other so that the cover (A) ) can be adjusted so that the applied pressure does not become excessive. By adjusting the arrangement, structure, and operation of the brush part in these various ways, it is possible to prevent problems such as being easily separated from the cover (A) but being deformed by excessive pressure.

9 is a plan view showing the overall operation of the food packaging apparatus of FIG.

The food packaging apparatus 1 of the present invention operates as shown in FIG. 9 and can automatically package food in units of containers (B). Food is transported while being placed in the container (B) on the conveyor belt (310) of the conveyor unit (300). The container (B) may have various shapes, which may vary depending on the type of food. For example, depending on the shape of the container (B), it is possible to accommodate food in a form that is difficult to transport several at once, such as eggs, inside the container (B). A variety of cooked or uncooked foods may be accommodated in the container B and continuously moved along the conveyor unit 300 . Such a container (B) may have an open upper end, and a cover suitable for it may be loaded in the cover supply unit 100 . As described above, the cover transfer unit 200 swings the transfer arm 220 to simply reciprocate between the cover supply unit 100 and the conveyor unit 300 and couple the cover (A). The adsorption unit 230 at the end of the transfer arm 220 receives suction force through the suction pipe 251 and can adsorb the cover A with negative pressure, and the cover A at the top of the cover supply unit 100 is attached to the suction nozzle ( 231 of FIGS. 1 and 2 ) can be taken out while being attached to the conveyor unit 300 . When the cover (A) is seated on the open top of the container (B), the suction force is removed, and the cover (A) is coupled to the container (B) and transferred together with the container (B) in a covered state of the container (B). The transfer arm 220 returns to the position of the cover supply unit 100 again, and repeats the operation of adsorbing the cover (A) of the sheet and coupling it to the container (B) of the conveyor unit 300 . By coupling the cover (A) to the container (B) in this way, the food packaging of the container (B) unit can be carried out very conveniently.

At this time, whenever the adsorption of the cover (A) in the cover supply unit 100 proceeds, the brush unit 150 repeats the advance and separates the uppermost cover (A) at the adsorption position into sheets. Therefore, even if a plurality of covers (A) are overlapped and loaded on the cover supply unit 100, one sheet at a time can be coupled to different containers (B) without any problem. When the cover (A) is reduced, all of the lower cover (A) can be used by raising the above-mentioned stage (see 110 in FIGS. 1 and 2), and when the cover (A) falls, new covers (A) can be charged and used. have. In addition, since the cover transfer unit 200 may change its position between a plurality of different cover supply units 100 using a sliding structure such as a sliding rail 260 , the operation is completed in one cover supply unit 100 . It is also possible to immediately proceed with the packaging process by changing the location to the next cover supply unit 100 immediately after. Alternatively, it is also possible to flexibly carry out the packaging operation by loading different types or sizes of covers (A) in different cover supply units ( 100 ), and coupling them to a suitable container (B) as needed. As described above, by using the food packaging apparatus 1 of the present invention, food packaging in a container unit can be carried out very conveniently in various ways.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can realize that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without changing its technical spirit or essential features. you will be able to understand Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive.

1: food packaging device 100: cover supply unit
110: stage 120: elevator
130: driving unit 140: frame
141: guide plate 150: brush unit
150a: first brush unit 150b: second brush unit
151: brush 152: position adjustment unit
153: fixing unit 200: cover transfer unit
210: transfer tower 211: outer support plate
212: inner support plate 220: transfer arm
221: spindle 222: spindle gear
223: drive gear 224: drive motor
230: adsorption unit 230a: rotating unit
230b: rotation shaft 231: suction nozzle
232: intake port 241: first sprocket
242: second sprocket 243: control chain
251: suction pipe 252: pump
260: sliding rail 300: conveyor unit
310: conveyor belt A: cover
B: vessel Aa: gap

Claims (7)

Conveyor unit for transporting containers containing food;
A stage disposed adjacent to the conveyor unit and arranged with a plurality of covers overlapping, a lifting unit for moving the cover to the adsorption position by raising the stage, and a stage installed at the adsorption position to press the side of the cover A cover supply unit for supplying the cover coupled to the container, including a brush unit; and
A transfer tower positioned between the conveyor unit and the cover supply unit, a transfer arm rotatably installed on the transfer tower to swing between the adsorption position and the conveyor unit, and one end of the transfer arm installed on the cover A food packaging apparatus comprising a cover transfer unit for coupling the cover to the container positioned on the conveyor unit, including an adsorption unit for adsorbing the food. According to claim 1,
The brush unit,
A food packaging apparatus comprising a plurality of pairs of the cover placed in the center and facing each other in pairs, each of the brush units including a brush and a position adjusting unit for moving the brush forward or backward toward the cover. 3. The method of claim 2,
The brush part includes a first brush part arranged in pairs on a diagonal of the cover, and a second brush part arranged in pairs on another diagonal of the cover, the first brush part and the second brush part At least one of the food packaging device is arranged to be in contact with the edge portion of the cover. 4. The method of claim 3,
The first brush unit and the second brush unit,
A food packaging device in which each brush moves sequentially with a time difference toward the cover, or is formed to have a difference in pressure for pressing the cover. According to claim 1,
A plurality of the cover supply units are arranged along the conveying direction of the conveyor unit,
The cover conveying unit is formed to be slidable along the conveying direction of the conveyor unit to change positions and selectively receive the cover from any one of the plurality of cover supply units. According to claim 1,
The adsorption unit,
A rotating part rotatably installed on the transfer arm, and a suction nozzle installed on the rotating part to vacuum-suck the cover,
A food packaging device in which the cover transferred from the cover supply unit to the conveyor unit is always maintained horizontally and transferred by the rotation of the rotating part. 7. The method of claim 6,
The cover transfer unit,
A first sprocket coupled to a rotation shaft formed at the rotation center of the rotation unit, a second sprocket fixedly disposed at the rotation center of the transfer arm, and a connection between the first sprocket and the second sprocket of the transfer arm The food packaging apparatus further comprising a control chain for rotating the first sprocket in a swing direction and a reverse direction to maintain the rotating part in a horizontal state.

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