TWI662958B - Carrier apparatus, printing apparatus and carrier method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a conveying device that suppresses the particulate matter from being blown off during conveyance, and a printing device including the conveying device.

The transfer device includes a second transfer conveyor and a carry-out conveyor. The second conveying belt is a loop belt on which the horizontally arranged pulleys are looped. A plurality of holding portions are provided on the outer surface of the conveying belt. When the holding portion is moved to the transfer position, air is ejected from the holding portion by a blower mechanism, and the tablets held by the holding portion are separated. The transfer position is a position on the outer peripheral surface of the pulley that is higher on the vertical side and lower than the horizontal direction that passes through the center point of the pulley. The unloading conveyor is disposed below the second transferring conveyor, and transfers the tablets separated from the holding unit.

Description

   Conveying device, printing device, and conveying method   

The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying granules such as lozenges or molded cakes, and a printing device and a conveying method for printing the surface of the granules conveyed by the conveying device.

There may be cases where characters, codes, marks, illustrations, etc. are printed on the surface of tablets or molded cakes of pharmaceuticals (hereinafter referred to as "grains") by using an inkjet printing device. The printing device carries out the printing process while conveying the particulate matter by the conveying mechanism, and ejects the ink from the inkjet head. Such a printing apparatus is described in, for example, Patent Document 1.

The printing device described in Patent Document 1 uses a suction mechanism to cause a negative pressure below atmospheric pressure to work, and the tablets are sucked and held by suction holes provided in a transfer drum and a transfer belt to carry the tablets. Then, ink is ejected from the inkjet head with respect to the transferred tablets, and the tablets are subjected to a printing process.

    [Prior technical literature]         [Patent Literature]    

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-223323

In the printing device described in Patent Document 1, the tablet is separated from the transfer drum or the transfer belt by blowing the pressurized air on the tablet that is sucked and held in the suction hole by a blower mechanism. At this time, if there is no adsorption mechanism on the side where the tablets are transferred from the transfer drum or the transfer belt, there is a possibility that the tablets transferred to the transfer drum or the like may be further blown by the air generated by the blowing mechanism. In this case, there is a possibility that the transfer of the printed ink may occur between the tablets due to being blown by the blown tablets into other tablets.

The present invention has been made in view of such facts, and an object thereof is to provide a conveying device that suppresses the particulate matter from being blown off during conveyance, a printing device provided with the conveying device, and a conveying method.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the first invention of the present invention is a conveying device for conveying granular materials, which includes a first conveying section having a first pulley and a second pulley which are arranged horizontally and are erected in a ring shape. The conveying belts on the first pulley and the second pulley, and a plurality of holding portions provided on the outer surface of the conveying belt to hold the granular material, and at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley is provided. The person rotates to move the conveying belt; the ejection part ejects air from the holding part that moves to the transfer position on the outer peripheral surface of the first pulley, and separates the granular material held by the holding part from the holding part; And the second conveying section is arranged below the first conveying section, and conveys the granular material separated from the holding section; the transfer position is more on the outer peripheral surface of the first pulley than in the vertical direction. The upper side and the lower side than the horizontal direction passing the center point of the first pulley.

The second invention of the present case is the transfer device of the first invention, wherein the plurality of holding portions are arranged at intervals along a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the transfer belt, and the transfer device is provided with a plurality of ejection air The prevention unit, the plurality of ejection air prevention units are arranged at the transfer position and the interval opposite to each other, and block the air ejected from the ejection unit, and each of the plurality of ejection air prevention units can be installed by itself. The granular material separated by the holding portion passes through.

The third invention of the present case is the conveying device of the second invention, wherein the plurality of ejection air prevention sections are in a belt shape, and at a position lower than the height of the granular material in the conveying posture using the second conveying section, The conveying direction of the second conveying section is provided.

The fourth invention of the present case is the conveying device of the first to third inventions, wherein the holding portion is provided in a recessed portion on the outer peripheral surface of the conveying belt.

The fifth invention of the present case is the conveying device of the first invention, wherein the granules are lozenges.

A sixth invention of the present case is a printing device including the conveying device of the first invention and a printing unit that ejects ink droplets onto the surface of the granular material conveyed by the conveying device.

The seventh invention of the present invention is a method for conveying granular materials, wherein a) rotating at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley arranged horizontally so as to be annularly mounted on the first pulley and The conveying belt of the second pulley is moved; b) the plurality of holding parts provided on the outer surface of the conveying belt are used to hold the granules; c) it is moved to a transfer position on the outer peripheral surface of the first pulley The holding part sprays air to separate the particulate matter held by the holding part from the holding part; d) using a second conveying part disposed below the first conveying part, To transfer the granular material separated from the holding part; and the transfer position is on the outer peripheral surface of the first pulley above the vertical direction and below the horizontal direction passing the center point of the first pulley. position.

According to the first to seventh inventions of the present case, by suppressing the amount or pressure of air used to separate the particulate matter from the holding portion, it is possible to suppress the particulate matter from being caught during the transfer from the first transfer portion to the second transfer portion. The possibility of air blowing. When the conveying belt is set on the first pulley and the second pulley, the conveying belts on the lower side of the first pulley and the second pulley may hang down. In this case, a gap is generated between the conveying belt and the vertical downward portions of the first and second pulleys due to the deflection of the conveying belt. In this state, when the granular material is transferred from the first conveying section to the second conveying section at a position in the vertical direction of the first pulley, the ejection section must be enlarged corresponding to the gap caused by the deflection of the conveying belt The amount or pressure of air ejected. As a result, there is a possibility that the particulate matter is further blown by the air ejected by the ejection section after being transferred to the second conveying section. Therefore, by avoiding the transfer of the particulate matter in the vertical direction of the first pulley, the amount or pressure of the air ejected from the ejection portion can be suppressed.

In particular, according to the second invention of the present case, the ejection air prevention portion provided at a position facing the holding portion and the holding portion can prevent the air ejected from the holding portion from spreading in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction. . Thereby, it is possible to suppress the possibility that the particulate matter transferred from one holding portion to the second conveying portion is blown off by air from another holding portion adjacent to one holding portion.

In particular, according to the third invention of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the possibility that the granular material is blown in the lateral direction due to the air in the lateral direction from the conveying direction of the granular material.

1‧‧‧Printing Device

9‧‧‧ lozenges

10‧‧‧Control Department

20‧‧‧ Supply agency

21‧‧‧ Hopper

22‧‧‧Straight Feeder

23‧‧‧Rotary feeder

24‧‧‧Supply feeder

30‧‧‧ transfer agency

31‧‧‧ transporting roller

32‧‧‧The first conveying belt

32A, 32B, 33A, 33B, 34A, 34B‧‧‧‧pulley

32C, 33C, 34C ‧‧‧ transport belt

33‧‧‧The second conveying belt

33D‧‧‧Blasting mechanism

34‧‧‧ Removed from the conveyor

35‧‧‧Transfer correction channel

35A‧‧‧Slot for channel

35B‧‧‧Blow-out prevention unit

40‧‧‧Printing Department

41‧‧‧The first printing department

42‧‧‧The second printing department

50‧‧‧ inspection agency

51‧‧‧The first visual inspection camera

52‧‧‧The second visual inspection camera

53‧‧‧The first printing inspection camera

54‧‧‧3rd appearance inspection camera

55‧‧‧ 2nd printing inspection camera

56‧‧‧Defective Product Recycling Department

91‧‧‧ lozenges

100‧‧‧Frame

101‧‧‧Operation Processing Department

102‧‧‧Memory

103‧‧‧Storage Department

211‧‧‧ opening

212‧‧‧inclined

221‧‧‧Vibration groove

231‧‧‧Turntable

241‧‧‧Hollow

310, 320, 330‧‧‧

311‧‧‧outer surface

312, 321, 331‧‧‧through holes

400‧‧‧ head

410‧‧‧Head unit

561‧‧‧Recycling bin

D‧‧‧ Information

D1‧‧‧ length

D2‧‧‧Width

D3‧‧‧thickness

D4‧‧‧distance

O‧‧‧center

P‧‧‧Computer Program

S‧‧‧ Clearance

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view including a part of a supply feeder, a part of a conveying roller, and a part of a first conveying belt.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view including a part of the second conveyance belt and the conveyance belt.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a transfer position.

FIG. 5A is a diagram for explaining a conveyance correction path.

FIG. 5B is a diagram for explaining a conveyance correction path.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the connection between the control section and each section in the printing apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a direction in which a plurality of granular materials are conveyed is referred to as a "conveying direction", and a direction perpendicular to and horizontal to the conveying direction is referred to as a "width direction". The direction in which the width direction is perpendicular is called "height direction".

    <1. Configuration of Printing Device>    

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The printing device 1 is a device that transports a plurality of tablets 9 as medicines along the conveying path, and prints the tablets 9 on the other side. In this embodiment, the lozenge 9 has a circular disc shape or a lens shape in plan view. The printing device 1 prints an image of a product name, a product code, a company name, or a brand logo on the surface of the circular portion of the tablet 9. The tablet 9 may be an uncoated tablet (bare tablet) or a coated tablet such as a film-coated tablet (FC tablet). Lozenge 9 may also be a capsule containing hard capsules and soft capsules. Moreover, in the present invention, the granular material to be transported is not limited to a lozenge, and may be a molded cake such as fizzy sugar.

The printing apparatus 1 includes a supply mechanism 20, a conveyance mechanism 30, a printing unit 40, an inspection mechanism 50, and a control unit 10.

The supply mechanism 20 transfers the tablets 9 put into the printing apparatus 1 to the transfer mechanism 30. The supply mechanism 20 includes a hopper 21, a straight-feed feeder 22, a rotary feeder 23, and a supply feeder 24.

The hopper 21 receives most of the tablets 9 into the device at one time. The hopper 21 is arranged at the uppermost part of the frame 100 of the printing apparatus 1. The hopper 21 includes an opening portion 211 located on the upper surface of the frame body 100 and a funnel-shaped inclined surface 212 that gradually contracts as it goes downward. The plurality of lozenges 9 that are put into the opening portion 211 slide on the inclined surface 212 and flow into the straight feeder 22.

The straight-feed feeder 22, the rotary feeder 23, and the supply feeder 24 transfer a plurality of tablets 9 that are put into the hopper 21 to the transfer mechanism 30. The straight-feed feeder 22 has a flat-shaped vibration groove 221. The plurality of tablets 9 supplied from the hopper 21 to the vibration groove 221 are conveyed to the rotary feeder 23 by the vibration of the vibration groove 221.

The rotary feeder 23 includes a disc-shaped rotary table 231. The plurality of tablets 9 dropped from the vibration groove 221 to the upper surface of the rotary table 231 are gathered toward the outer periphery of the rotary table 231 by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotary table 231.

The supply feeder 24 supplies the tablets 9 one at a time to a plurality of holding portions 310 (see FIG. 2) of the transfer drum 31 provided in the transfer mechanism 30 described later.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view including a part of the supply feeder 24, a part of the transfer drum 31, and a part of the first transfer conveyor 32. FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supply feeder 24 extends vertically from the outer peripheral portion of the rotary table 231 to the transfer drum 31 of the transfer mechanism 30. Inside the supply feeder 24, a plurality of (eight in the example of FIG. 2) hollow portions 241 extending in the vertical direction are provided. The plurality of lozenges 9 that are transported toward the outer peripheral portion of the turntable 231 are respectively supplied to any one of the plurality of hollow portions 241 and are dropped in the hollow portions 241. In this way, the plurality of tablets 9 are distributed and supplied to the plurality of hollow portions 241. Then, the plurality of tablets 9 are supplied to the transfer drum 31 in the order of dropping.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyance mechanism 30 includes a conveyance roller 31, a first conveyance conveyance belt 32, a second conveyance conveyance belt 33, an conveyance conveyance belt 34, and a conveyance correction passage 35.

The transfer drum 31 transfers the plurality of tablets 9 from the supply feeder 24 to the first transfer conveyor 32. The conveyance roller 31 has a substantially cylindrical roller-shaped outer surface 311. The conveyance roller 31 rotates in a direction of an arrow in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 by using a power obtained from a motor (not shown) as a center around a rotation axis extending in the width direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of holding portions 310 are provided on the outer surface 311 at substantially equal intervals in the conveying direction and the width direction. The plurality of holding portions 310 are arranged on the outer surface 311 in the width direction at the same interval as the plurality of hollow portions 241 of the feeder 24. The holding portion 310 is a recessed portion that is recessed from the outer surface 311 toward the inside of the conveyance roller 31. A through hole 312 is provided at the bottom of the holding portion 310. A suction mechanism and a blower mechanism (not shown) are provided inside the conveyance drum 31.

The suction mechanism applies a negative pressure below atmospheric pressure to the plurality of holding portions 310 through the through hole 312. When this suction mechanism is operated, the plurality of holding portions 310 can hold and hold the tablet 9 individually. The tablets 9 supplied from the supply feeder 24 are sucked and held by the plurality of holding portions 310 one at a time in the conveying posture. In addition, the tablet 9 is held in the holding portion 310 in a state of being sucked and held, and is transferred to a position opposed to the first transfer conveyor 32 by the rotating transfer drum 31. This conveyance posture refers to a posture in which the thickness direction of the tablets 9 is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the outer surface 311 of the conveyance roller 31 and the surface of the circular portion of the tablets 9 is adsorbed on the holding portion 310.

The blower mechanism blows the pressurized air through the through holes 312 to the plurality of holding portions 310 located opposite to the first conveying belt 32, so that the positive pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure acts on the plurality of holding portions.部 310。 310. When the air blowing mechanism is operated, air is sprayed on the tablets 9 that are adsorbed and held by the plurality of holding portions 310, and the adsorption and maintenance of the tablets 9 are released. Thereby, while the suction force generated by the suction mechanism can be applied to the plurality of holding portions 310, the adsorption of the tablets 9 held on the holding portion 310 opposite to the first conveying belt 32 can be released. . Then, the tablets 9 are transferred from the transfer drum 31 toward the first transfer conveyor 32. At this time, the surface of the tablets 9 adsorbed and held by the conveyance roller 31 is different from the surface of the tablets 9 adsorbed and held by the first conveying belt 32. Therefore, the front and back of the tablet 9 are reversed while being held on the transfer drum 31 and while being held on the first transfer conveyor 32.

The first transfer conveyor 32 includes a pair of pulleys 32A and 32B, a transfer belt 32C, and a suction mechanism and a blower mechanism (not shown). The pair of pulleys 32A and 32B are arranged substantially horizontally. The pulley 32A and the transfer drum 31 are arranged to face each other. The conveying belt 32C is stretched between the pair of pulleys 32A and 32B in an endless manner. The portion of the transfer belt 32C that is stretched over the pulley 32A is close to the outer peripheral surface of the transfer roller 31. At the approaching portion, the transfer of the tablets 9 from the transfer drum 31 to the first transfer conveyor 32 is performed.

One of the pair of pulleys 32A and 32B is rotated by power obtained from a motor (not shown). Thereby, the conveyance belt 32C rotates in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. At this time, the other one of the pair of pulleys 32A and 32B is driven to rotate with the rotation of the conveyance belt 32C.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of holding portions 320 are provided on the outer surface of the conveyance belt 32C at substantially equal intervals in the conveyance direction and the width direction. The intervals between the conveyance direction and the width direction of the plurality of holding portions 320 are equal to the intervals between the conveyance direction and the width direction of the plurality of holding portions 310 of the conveyance roller 31. The holding portion 320 moves while facing the holding portion 310 of the transfer drum 31. The holding portion 320 of the conveying belt 32C is provided in a recessed portion on the outer surface of the conveying belt 32C similarly to the holding portion 310 of the conveying roller 31, and a through hole 321 is provided at the bottom thereof.

The first conveying belt 32 operates the suction mechanism similarly to the conveying roller 31 to generate negative pressure in the spaces inside the pulleys 32A, 32B and the conveying belt 32C, so that each of the plurality of holding portions 320 adsorbs and holds the tablet 9. In addition, the first conveyance conveyor 32 operates the blower mechanism to release the adsorption of the tablets 9 held by the plurality of holding portions 320, respectively. Thereby, the 1st conveyance conveyor 32 is conveyed by the several holding | maintenance part 320, holding and holding the several tablets 9 while holding it. In addition, the first transfer conveyor 32 releases the adsorption of the tablets 9 held in the holding section 320 that has been moved to a position facing the second transfer conveyor 33. Then, the tablets 9 are transferred from the first conveyance conveyor 32 to the second conveyance conveyor 33. At this time, the surface of the tablets 9 adsorbed and held by the first conveying belt 32 is different from the surface of the tablets 9 adsorbed and held by the second conveying belt 33. Therefore, the pros and cons of the tablet 9 are reversed while being held on the first conveying conveyor 32 and while being held on the second conveying conveyor 33.

The configuration of the second transfer conveyor 33 is substantially the same as that of the first transfer conveyor 32. The second transfer conveyor 33 includes a pair of pulleys 33A and 33B, a transfer belt 33C, a suction mechanism (not shown), and a blower mechanism 33D. The second transfer conveyor 33 is an example of the "first transfer unit" of the present invention. The pulley 33A is an example of the "first pulley" of the present invention, and the pulley 33B is an example of the "second pulley" of the present invention. The conveying belt 33C is an example of the "conveying belt" of the present invention. The blower mechanism 33D is an example of the "ejection part" of this invention.

The pair of pulleys 33A and 33B are arranged substantially horizontally. The pulley 33A is a pulley 32A arranged opposite to the first conveyance belt 32. The conveying belt 33C is stretched between the pair of pulleys 33A and 33B in an endless manner. The portion of the transfer belt 33C that is stretched over the pulley 33A is close to the outer peripheral surface of the pulley 32A of the first transfer conveyor 32. At this approaching portion, the transfer of the tablets 9 from the first transfer conveyor 32 to the second transfer conveyor 33 is performed.

One of the pair of pulleys 33A and 33B is rotated by power obtained from a motor (not shown). Thereby, the conveying belt 33C is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1. At this time, the other of the pair of pulleys 33A and 33B is driven to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the conveyance belt 33C.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view including a part of the second conveyance belt 33 and the conveyance belt 34. In addition, in FIG. 3, illustration of the 1st conveyance conveyor 32 is abbreviate | omitted. The arrow shown in FIG. 3 is the conveyance direction.

A plurality of holding portions 330 are provided on the outer surface of the conveying belt 33C at substantially equal intervals in the conveying direction and the width direction. The intervals in the conveying direction and the width direction of the plurality of holding portions 330 are equal to the intervals in the conveying direction and the width direction of the plurality of holding portions 320 (see FIG. 2) of the first conveying belt 32. The holding portion 330 moves while facing the holding portion 320 of the first conveyance belt 32. The holding portion 330 is a recessed portion provided on the outer surface of the conveying belt 33C, and a through hole 331 is provided at the bottom thereof.

The suction mechanism causes negative pressures below atmospheric pressure to act on the plurality of holding portions 330 through the through holes 331. When the suction mechanism is operated, the plurality of holding portions 330 can adsorb and hold the tablet 9. The lozenges 9 transferred from the first transfer conveyor 32 are individually held and held in a plurality of holding units 330 in a transfer posture one at a time. Then, the tablet 9 is transported to a delivery position facing the unloading conveyor 34 in a state of being sucked and held by the holding portion 310. The transfer position will be detailed later.

The blower mechanism 33D is provided in the pulley 33A. The air blowing mechanism 33D, like the other air blowing mechanism, blows the pressurized air through the through holes 331 to the plurality of holding portions 330 located at the transfer position, so that positive pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure acts on the plurality of holding portions 330. When the air blowing mechanism is operated, the air is sprayed on the tablets 9 adsorbed and held by the plurality of holding portions 330, respectively, and the adsorption and maintenance of the tablets 9 are released. Thereby, the suction force generated by the suction mechanism can be applied to the plurality of holding portions 330 respectively, and the adsorption of the tablets 9 held and held in the holding portion 330 located at the transfer position can be released. Then, the tablets 9 are transferred from the second transfer conveyor 33 toward the unload conveyor 34.

The transfer position will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a transfer position. In addition, in FIG. 4, the illustration of the conveyance correction path 35 mentioned later is abbreviate | omitted.

The transfer position is located on the outer peripheral surface of the semicircular arc-shaped portion of the pulley 33A wound around the conveying belt 33C. Position (within the range of the arrow in Figure 4). Here, the transfer position does not include a position in the vertical direction from the center point O and a position in the horizontal direction that coincides with the center point O. That is, the transfer position only needs to be a position that becomes obliquely downward from the center point O. Then, the air blowing mechanism 33D blows air from the center point O in an obliquely downward direction.

Here, the reason why the transfer position is set to a position obliquely downward from the center point O will be described. When the conveying belt 33C is erected in a ring shape on the pair of pulleys 33A and 33B, the conveying belt 33C on the lower side of the pulleys 33A and 33B may hang down. In this case, a gap S may be generated between the conveying belt 33C and the vertically downward portion of the pulley 33A due to the deflection of the conveying belt 33C. In this state, when the position in the vertical direction of the pulley 33A is set as the transfer position, the amount or pressure of the air blown to the holding portion 330 by the blowing mechanism 33D of the second conveying belt 33, Compared with the case where the pulley 33A and the conveyance belt 33C are in close contact, the amount corresponding to the gap S must be increased. The carrying-out conveyor 34 described later does not have a suction mechanism, and the tablets 9 are carried in a state of being placed on the carrying-out belt 34C. Therefore, if the air from the blower mechanism 33D is strong, there is a possibility that the tablets 9 placed on the carry-out conveyor 34 may be blown away.

In this embodiment, the transfer position is set by avoiding the vertical downward direction portion of the pulley 33A. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the amount or pressure of the air blown to the holding portion 330 by the blower mechanism 33D. As a result, blow-off of the tablets 9 after delivery to the conveyor 34 is suppressed.

Return to FIGS. 1 and 3. The unloading conveyor 34 is arranged obliquely downward of the second transfer conveyor 33. The unloading conveyor 34 unloads the plurality of tablets 9 after printing toward the outside of the frame 100 of the printing apparatus 1. The carry-out conveyor 34 includes a pair of pulleys 34A and 34B, and a conveyor belt 34C. The unloading conveyor 34 is an example of the "second transfer unit" of the present invention.

The pair of pulleys 34A and 34B are arranged substantially horizontally. The pulley 34A is disposed obliquely downward of the pulley 33A of the second conveyance belt 33. The pulley 34B is located outside the housing 100. The conveying belt 34C is stretched between the pair of pulleys 34A and 34B in an endless manner. One of the pair of pulleys 34A and 34B is rotated by power obtained from a motor (not shown). Thereby, the conveying belt 34C is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. At this time, the other of the pair of pulleys 34A and 34B is driven to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the conveying belt 34C.

An end portion on the downstream side of the transfer belt 34C is located outside the casing 100. That is, the unloading conveyor 34 unloads the plurality of tablets 9 transferred from the second transferring conveyor 33 toward the outside of the housing 100. An end portion on the downstream side of the carry-out conveyor 34 is connected to a packaging device for packaging the tablets 9 after the printing process, for example.

The conveyance correction path 35 is arranged between the second conveyance conveyor 33 and the conveyance conveyor 34. The conveyance correction passage 35 functions as an ejection air prevention unit that prevents the tablets 9 transferred from the second conveyance conveyor 33 toward the ejection conveyor 34 from being blown out by the air from the blower mechanism 33D of the second conveyance conveyor 33. . In addition, the conveyance correction path 35 also functions as a conveyance path that corrects the tablet 9 without being deviated from the conveyance path when conveyed by the conveyance belt 34.

The conveyance correction channel 35 is a plate-shaped metal plate, and has a plurality of (eight in FIG. 3) channel slits 35A formed in parallel in the width direction. Although not shown in FIG. 3, the upstream side and the downstream side of the conveyance correction path 35 are fixed to a part of the conveyance belt 34 or the frame 100 and the like.

5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the conveyance correction path 35. FIG. 5A shows a state where the tablet 9 is sucked and held by the holding portion 330 of the second conveyance belt 33. Fig. 5B shows a state in which the tablets 9 are transferred from the second conveyance conveyor 33 toward the conveyance belt 34C of the conveyance conveyor 34. The arrow shown in FIG. 5B indicates the air blown from the blower mechanism 33D (see FIG. 1).

The plurality of passage slits 35A are arranged opposite to the holding portions 330 arranged in the width direction at the transfer position, respectively. That is, a part of the conveyance correction passage 35 (hereinafter referred to as the ejection air prevention portion 35B) and a position facing the region between the holding portion 330 and the holding portion 330 are opposed to each other. Here, as shown in FIG. 5A, if the length of the tablet 9 in the width direction in the transport posture is represented by D1, and the distance of the width of the passage 35A is represented by D2, then D1 <D2. As a result, the tablets 9 blown by the air of the blower mechanism 33D are transferred from the holding portion 330 toward the conveyance belt 34C through the passage slit 35A.

As shown by the arrow in FIG. 5B, the air of the blower mechanism 33D has directivity, and even if the air blown from the holding portion 330 spreads in the width direction, the air spreading in the width direction can also be ejected by the air prevention portion. Blocked by 35B. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the influence of the tablet 9 transferred from the second conveyance conveyor 33 toward the output conveyor 34 from the air from another holding portion 330 adjacent to the holding portion 330 holding the tablet 9.

Further, the plurality of passage slits 35A are belt-shaped and extend along the conveyance direction of the conveyance belt 34. Further, the passage slit 35A constitutes a conveyance path for the tablets 9 conveyed by the conveyance belt 34. That is, the tablets 9 transported by the transport belt 34C are transported along the passage slit 35A. Here, as shown in FIG. 5B, if the thickness in the thickness direction of the tablet 9 in the transport posture using the transport belt 34C is represented by D3, and the distance between the transport belt 34C and the transport correction channel 35 is represented by D4 Indicates, then D3> D4. This conveyance posture refers to an attitude in which the thickness direction of the tablets 9 is placed substantially perpendicularly to the conveyance belt 34C. With this, for example, even if the air blown against the conveying belt 34C is blown from the lateral direction of the conveying direction, the conveyed tablet 9 can prevent the tablet 9 from being blown because the tablet 9 contacts the ejection air prevention portion 35B. The possibility of flying. In addition, the possibility that the tablet 9 is sandwiched between the ejection air prevention portion 35B and the conveyance belt 34C can be suppressed.

In addition, the distance between the conveyance correction path 35 and the conveyance belt 33C of the second conveyance belt 33 is preferably shorter. By moving the conveyance correction passage 35 closer to the conveyance belt 33C, it is possible to further prevent the air sprayed from the holding portion 330 from being diffused. In addition, the possibility that the tablets 9 sucked and held in the holding portion 330 when they are transferred toward the carry-out conveyor belt 34 may be caught between the carrying correction channel 35 and the carrying belt 33C.

In this way, the supply mechanism 20 and the transfer mechanism 30 constitute a transfer device for transferring the tablets 9.

Go back to Figure 1. The printing unit 40 includes a first printing unit 41 and a second printing unit 42.

The first printing section 41 prints an image on the surface of the tablet 9 side. The first printing unit 41 includes a head unit 410, and the head unit 410 includes four heads 400. Each of the four heads 400 ejects ink toward the surface of the tablet 9 transported by the transport mechanism 30 by an inkjet method. Drop and perform printing processing. The four heads 400 eject ink droplets of different colors (for example, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). A multi-color image is recorded on the surface of the tablet 9 by superimposing a monochrome image formed by the respective colors. In addition, the ink ejected from each of the heads 400 is an edible ink made from a raw material approved by the Food Sanitation Law.

Although not shown, a plurality of nozzles capable of ejecting ink droplets are provided on the lower surface of the head 400. In this embodiment, a plurality of nozzles are arranged two-dimensionally in the conveying direction and the width direction on the lower surface of the head 400. The nozzles are arranged at positions shifted in the width direction. As described above, if the plurality of nozzles are arranged two-dimensionally, the positions in the width direction of the respective nozzles can be brought closer to each other. However, a plurality of nozzles may be arranged in a row along the width direction.

The method of ejecting ink droplets from a nozzle is, for example, a so-called piezoelectric method in which a voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element to deform the ink element, and the ink in the nozzle is pressurized and ejected. In addition, the method of ejecting the ink droplets may be a so-called thermal method, that is, the ink in the nozzle is heated and expanded by energizing the heater, and the ink is ejected.

The second printing unit 42 prints an image on the other side of the tablet 9. Since the configuration of the second printing section 42 is the same as that of the first printing section 41, description thereof is omitted.

The inspection mechanism 50 includes a first appearance inspection camera 51, a second appearance inspection camera 52, a first print inspection camera 53, a third appearance inspection camera 54, a second print inspection camera 55, and a defective product recovery unit 56.

The first appearance inspection camera 51 captures the surface on the other side of the tablet 9 conveyed by the conveyance roller 31. The second visual inspection camera 52 captures the surface of the tablet 9 on the upstream side of the first printing section 41 by the first transfer conveyor 32. The photographed images obtained by the first appearance inspection camera 51 and the second appearance inspection camera 52 are input to the control unit 10. The control unit 10 detects the presence or absence of the tablet 9 in each of the holding units 310 and 320, the presence or absence of a defective shape of each tablet 9, and the direction of each tablet 9 based on the obtained photographed images.

The first printing inspection camera 53 captures the surface of the tablet 9 on the downstream side of the first printing section 41 on the tablet 9 conveyed by the first conveying belt 32. The photographed image obtained by the first print inspection camera 53 is input to the control unit 10. The control unit 10 detects the presence or absence of a defect in the printing process by the first printing unit 41 based on the obtained photographed image.

The third appearance inspection camera 54 captures the surface of the other side of the tablet 9 conveyed by the second conveyance belt 33 on the upstream side of the second printing section 42. The photographed image obtained by the third appearance inspection camera 54 is input to the control unit 10. The control unit 10 detects the presence or absence of tablets 9 in each holding portion 330 of the second conveying conveyor 33 based on the obtained photographed images, the presence or absence of bad shape of each tablet 9, and the direction of each tablet 9 .

The second print inspection camera 55 captures the surface of the other side of the tablet 9 conveyed by the second conveyance conveyor 33 on the downstream side of the second printing section 42. The photographed image obtained by the second print inspection camera 55 is input to the control unit 10. The control unit 10 detects the presence or absence of a defect in the printing process by the second printing unit 42 based on the obtained photographed image.

The defective product recovery unit 56 collects the tablets 9 judged to be defective in shape and the tablets 9 judged to be defective in printing based on the photographic images obtained by the five cameras 51 to 55 described above. The defective product recovery unit 56 includes a pressurizing mechanism (not shown) and a recovery box 561. The pressurizing mechanism partially blows the pressurized gas from the inside of the second conveyance belt 33 to the holding portion 330 that holds the tablet 9 that has been detected to be defective, thereby releasing the adsorption of the tablet 9. As a result, the tablets 9 which have been detected to be defective are collected in the collection box 561.

The control unit 10 is a means for controlling operations of each unit in the printing apparatus 1. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the connection between the control section 10 and each section in the printing apparatus 1.

As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the control unit 10 includes a processing unit 101 including a central processing unit (CPU), a memory 102 such as a random access memory (RAM), and a hardware The computer includes a storage unit 103 such as a disc drive. In the storage unit 103, a computer program P and data D for performing printing processing are stored.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 10 is communicably connected to a straight-feed feeder 22, a rotary feeder 23, a transfer drum 31 (including a motor, a suction mechanism, and a blower mechanism) and a first transfer conveyor 32 (including a motor, (Suction mechanism, blower mechanism), second transfer conveyor 33 (including motor, suction mechanism, and blower mechanism 33D), carry-out conveyor 34, head 400 of first printing section 41 and second printing section 42, first section The appearance inspection camera 51, the second appearance inspection camera 52, the first print inspection camera 53, the third appearance inspection camera 54, the second print inspection camera 55, and a defective product recovery unit 56.

The control section 10 temporarily reads out the computer program P and the data D stored in the storage section 103 to the memory 102, and causes the arithmetic processing section 101 to perform arithmetic processing according to the computer program P, thereby controlling the operations of the aforementioned sections. Thereby, a plurality of tablets 9 are subjected to a printing process.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the tablet 9 is transferred from the second conveying conveyor 33 toward the unloading conveyor 34, the vertical downward portion of the pulley 33A is avoided to set the transfer position of the tablet 9. Therefore, the amount or pressure of air from the blower mechanism 33D can be suppressed. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the possibility that the tablet 9 placed on the conveyance belt 34C may be blown off due to excessive air. In particular, by providing the conveyance correction passage 35, it is possible to further prevent the tablets 9 transferred from the second conveyance conveyor 33 toward the ejection conveyor 34 from being blown by the air from the blower mechanism 33D of the second conveyance conveyor 33. situation. In addition, the passage slit 35A of the conveyance correction passage 35 can prevent the tablet 9 from being deviated from the conveyance path when being conveyed by the conveyance belt 34.

    <2. Modifications>    

As mentioned above, although the main embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment.

In the aforementioned embodiment, the holding portion holding the tablet 9 is a concave portion, but it is not limited to this. For example, the conveying belt 33C of the second conveying belt 33 may be provided with only a through hole for suction, and the tablets 9 may be adsorbed and held in the through hole. Moreover, in the second conveyance conveyor 33, although the tablets 9 are conveyed in a semi-circular arc shape from the bottom to the top, the tablets 9 are delivered to the conveyance belt 34, but the tablets 9 may be placed from the top to the bottom. During the transfer of the tablets 9 in a semi-circular arc shape, the tablets 9 are transferred toward the unloading conveyor 34.

The printing device 1 is a device that prints both sides of the tablet 9 by the first printing portion 41 and the second printing portion 42. However, the tablet printing device of the present invention may be a device that prints only one side of the tablet 9.

In addition, the detailed configuration of the printing device 1 may be different from the drawings in this case. In addition, each element appearing in the aforementioned embodiment and modification may be appropriately combined within a range where no contradiction occurs.

Claims (7)

A conveying device is used for conveying granular materials. The conveying device includes a first conveying section including a first pulley and a second pulley arranged horizontally, and the first conveyor and the first pulley are annularly mounted on the first pulley and the first pulley. 2) a conveyer belt of a pulley, and a plurality of holding portions provided on the outer surface of the conveyer belt to hold the granules, and rotate at least one of the first pulley and the second pulley to move the conveyer belt A spraying portion that sprays air from a holding portion that moves to a transfer position on the outer peripheral surface of the first pulley, and separates the granular material held by the holding portion from the holding portion; and a second conveying portion that is It is arranged below the first conveying section, and conveys the granular material separated from the holding section; the transfer position is on the outer peripheral surface of the first pulley above the vertical direction and passing through the first section. The center point of the pulley is positioned further down. In the conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holding portions are arranged at intervals along a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the conveying belt, the conveying device is provided with a plurality of ejection air preventing portions. The plurality of ejection air prevention sections are arranged at the transfer position and the interval so as to oppose the air ejected from the ejection section, and each of the plurality of ejection air prevention sections is available from the holding section. The separated granules passed through. For example, the conveyance device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of ejection air prevention sections are belt-shaped, and in a position where the height of the second conveyance section is lower than the height of the granular material, the conveyance is performed along the second conveyance. The transport direction of the part is set. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding portion is provided in a recessed portion on the outer peripheral surface of the conveying belt. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the granules are lozenges. A printing device comprising: the conveying device according to claim 1; and a printing unit that ejects ink droplets onto the surface of the granular material conveyed by the conveying device. A conveying method is used for conveying granular objects, wherein: a) rotating at least one of the first belt pulley and the second belt conveyor arranged horizontally so as to be circularly mounted on the first belt pulley and the The conveying belt of the second pulley is moved; b) the plurality of holding parts provided on the outer surface of the conveying belt are used to hold the granules; c) it is moved to a transfer position on the outer peripheral surface of the first pulley The holding part sprays air to separate the particulate matter held by the holding part from the holding part; d) the second conveying part arranged below the first conveying part is used for conveying from the holding part The separated granules; and the transfer position is a position on the outer peripheral surface of the first pulley that is higher on the vertical side and lower than the horizontal direction that passes through the center point of the first belt.