JP2004345755A - Palletizer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small and compact palletizer capable of automatically and highly efficiently stacking bag bodies on a pallet. <P>SOLUTION: In this palletizer 10, a grasping part 26 grasps the bag body H on a bag body placement part 12. A drive work 20 is rotated horizontally within a horizontal surface around a vertical axis (Z-axis) by an angle θ corresponding to a predetermined target placement position of a pallet P. The grasping part 26 is moved to the front side of this apparatus along the drive work 20 by a distance r corresponding to the target placement position and is rotated by the angle θ in the opposite direction to the rotational direction of the drive work 20. By the above operations, the grasping part 26 reaches the predetermined target placement position on the pallet P and the bag body H is placed on the pallet P. The drive work 20 itself is not needed to be moved along the horizontal axis (Y-axis) in whole, therefore by reducing the dimension in the width direction of the apparatus along the horizontal axis (Y-axis). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a palletizer for stacking bags on which articles such as grains are stored on a pallet.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, when grains (for example, brown rice and other rice grains) are stored in storages and are carried in and out of processing facilities, these grains are stored in paper grain bags of a predetermined size for each predetermined weight. A large number of the grain bags are stacked on a predetermined pallet, and in this state, each pallet is stored in a storage or transported between processing facilities. Further, when performing subsequent processing, for example, when collectively storing in a storage tank, or when processing rice milling or the like with a processing apparatus, each cereal bag is stacked on a pallet, and each pallet is stored in a pallet. It is transported to storage tanks and individual processing equipment by a forklift or the like.
[0003]
Here, when a large number of grain bags are stacked on a pallet as described above, a large amount of labor is required if the stacking operation is performed manually by a worker, and the workability is extremely poor. A robot palletizer has been proposed as a device that uses force (see Patent Document 1 as an example).
[0004]
In the proposed conventional robot palletizer, a clamp claw for grasping a bag such as a grain bag or the like has three axial directions of a front-rear axis (X-axis), a left-right axis (Y-axis), and a vertical axis (Z-axis). Each of the clamp claws is linearly movable along any one of the three axes so as to be able to move linearly (so-called three-axis rectangular coordinate type). It can be stacked on top.
[0005]
However, in such a conventional robot palletizer, as described above, the clamp claws move linearly along three axial directions of the front-rear axis (X-axis), the left-right axis (Y-axis), and the vertical axis (Z-axis). Therefore, the apparatus as a whole is large and expensive. In addition, since the device has such a large configuration, it is of a fixed type requiring installation work of the device and the like, and there is a disadvantage that the installation location (layout) cannot be easily changed.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-7-242332
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and can automatically and extremely efficiently perform an operation of stacking bags on a pallet in which grains such as rice grains are stored. It is another object of the present invention to provide a palletizer in which the device is small and compact.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The palletizer according to the first aspect of the present invention is a palletizer for stacking bags on which articles are housed on a pallet, wherein the bags fed and placed are placed and movable in the vertical direction in the placed state. A bag mounting portion, a pallet mounting portion provided on a side of the bag mounting portion, the pallet being mounted thereon, and being movable up and down in the mounted state; and the bag mounting portion. A drive work that is provided to extend along the device front-rear direction from above the pallet placing portion to above the pallet placing portion, and is capable of reciprocating left and right in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis passing through the bag placing portion; A link head supported by the drive work and movable in the front-rear direction of the apparatus along the drive work; a turntable supported by the link head and rotatable around a vertical axis; and a turntable supported by the turntable. Hanging down Vignetting is characterized in that and a 掴 up part can be stacked on pallets on the bag mounting unit to the placed a bag mounting grasping the pallet portion.
[0009]
In the palletizer according to the first aspect, the pallet on which the bags are stacked is previously placed on the pallet placing portion, and the pallet placing portion is moved to the upper end position (predetermined standby position) to be in the ready state.
[0010]
Further, the drive work is rotated to a reference position parallel to the axis in the front-rear direction of the apparatus (X-axis) to be in a ready state. Further, the link head is made to stand by at the start end position on the side of the bag body mounting portion, and the rotary table is set to a reference position parallel to the apparatus front-rear direction axis (X axis). Further, the gripping portion is set in the open state, and the bag body mounting portion is set at the lower end position.
[0011]
Here, the bags are conveyed and supplied from a truck bed, a device in a previous production process, or the like, and are placed on the bag placing portion. Further, the bag mounting portion moves upward while the bag is mounted, and enters a standby state at the upper end position (gripping position).
[0012]
Next, the gripping portion is operated to grip the bag on the bag mounting portion.
[0013]
Further, the drive work is rotated left and right in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis passing through the bag mounting portion by an angle θ corresponding to a predetermined target mounting position of the pallet on which the bag is mounted. Further, the link head is moved to the front side of the device along the drive work by a length (distance) r corresponding to a predetermined target placement position of the pallet on which the bag is placed. Further, the rotary table is rotated by an angle θ in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the drive work.
[0014]
The rotation of the rotary table may be further rotated ± 90 degrees or +180 degrees depending on the predetermined target placement position of the bag body. Further, each movement of the drive work, the link head, and the rotary table may be performed simultaneously.
[0015]
When the movement of each part is completed, the gripping part is opened and the bag is released. Thus, the bag is placed at the predetermined target placement position on the pallet.
[0016]
Thereafter, the above-described steps are sequentially repeated, and a state is reached in which the first-stage bags are all placed on the pallet.
[0017]
After all of the first-stage bags are placed on the pallet, the pallet placement unit is lowered by a height equivalent to one stage of bags.
[0018]
The above steps are repeated for a predetermined number of stages of the bags stacked on the pallet, and the process is completed.
[0019]
Thus, in the palletizer according to the first aspect, the operation of stacking the bags on the pallet can be performed automatically and extremely efficiently. In addition, when placing the grabbed bag at a predetermined target placement position on the pallet, the drive work is rotated left and right in a horizontal plane by an angle θ corresponding to the target placement position, and Is moved to the front side of the device along the drive work by a length (distance) r corresponding to the length of the drive work itself. ). Therefore, the widthwise dimension of the device along the left-right axis (Y-axis) can be reduced and the device can be made compact as compared with the related art.
[0020]
A palletizer according to a second aspect of the present invention is the palletizer according to the first aspect, wherein a caster for moving the device and an adjuster for adjusting the fixed position are provided on the frame of the device.
[0021]
In the palletizer according to the second aspect, since the caster for moving the device and the adjuster for adjusting the fixed position are provided, the device can be moved to an arbitrary place and can be suitably installed.
[0022]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a palletizer 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the palletizer 10 in a side view, and FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the palletizer 10 in a plan view. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the palletizer 10 in a rear view.
[0023]
The palletizer 10 is provided with a bag mounting portion 12 on the rear side of the device. The bag mounting section 12 receives and mounts the bags H transported and supplied by the transport conveyor K and the like, and is capable of moving up and down in the mounted state of the bags H.
[0024]
In addition, a pallet placing portion 14 is provided on the front side of the palletizer 10. The pallet P is placed on the pallet placing portion 14, and the pallet P is vertically moved while the pallet P is placed by the hydraulic drive portion 16 and the link mechanism 18 assembled in an X-arm type. You can move.
[0025]
On the other hand, a drive work 20 is provided above the palletizer 10, that is, above the bag body placement part 12 and the pallet placement part 14. The drive work 20 is provided to extend from above the bag mounting portion 12 to above the pallet mounting portion 14 in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, and furthermore, a vertical axis passing through the bag mounting portion 12. It can reciprocate left and right around the (Z axis) in a horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive work 20 is moved left and right in a horizontal plane around the vertical axis (Z axis) passing through the bag body placement section 12 by the operation of the drive mechanism including the motor 21 and the chain 23 as described above. It reciprocates.
[0026]
The drive work 20 is provided with a link head 22. The link head 22 is supported on the lower surface side of the drive work 20 and is movable along the drive work 20 in the front-rear direction of the apparatus (along the X axis). Further, a turntable 24 is supported on the lower surface side of the link head 22. The turntable 24 is rotatable around a vertical axis (Z axis).
[0027]
Further, the gripping portion 26 is suspended and supported by the rotary table 24. As shown in detail in FIG. 5, the grasping unit 26 includes an arm 28 and a finger 30, and is provided to hang down from the turntable 24. The arm 28 and the finger 30 are driven by the operation of the air cylinder 32 and the air cylinder 33 in the gripping portion 26, so that the bag H can be gripped.
[0028]
As described above, the gripping portion 26 for gripping the bag H can move in the front-rear direction of the device along the drive work 20 together with the link head 22 and the rotary table 24. By reciprocating in the horizontal direction, the position in the lateral direction of the apparatus can be changed. In addition, in any of these states, the rotary table 24 rotates around the vertical axis, so that the gripper 26 can also rotate around the vertical axis.
[0029]
That is, the gripper 26 can be moved backward along the drive work 20 in the front-rear direction of the device, so that the gripper 26 can be moved backward to a position where the bag H placed on the bag receiver 12 can be gripped. Further, it is configured to be able to move forward just above the pallet P placed on the pallet placing portion 14. In addition, the gripper 26 can move in the device width direction (the left and right direction of the pallet P) by reciprocatingly rotating the drive work 20 in the horizontal plane. This is a configuration that can reach a predetermined target mounting position of the bag H on P.
[0030]
In addition, the operation order of each part when the grasping part 26 grasps the bag body H and stacks it on the pallet P on the pallet placing part 14 is set in advance as a program, and is executed according to this program.
[0031]
Further, the palletizer 10 is provided with a caster 34 for moving the apparatus and an adjuster 36 for adjusting the fixed position at the bottom of the apparatus frame 11. Thereby, the palletizer 10 can be moved to an arbitrary installation place.
[0032]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
[0033]
In the palletizer 10 having the above configuration, the pallet P is placed on the pallet placing portion 14 in advance by a forklift or the like, and the pallet placing portion 14 is moved to the upper end position (a predetermined standby position) to be in a ready state. .
[0034]
Further, the drive work 20 is rotated to a reference position parallel to the device front-rear direction axis (X-axis) to be in a ready state. Further, the link head 22 is caused to stand by at the start end position on the side of the bag body placement section 12, and the rotary table 24 is set to a reference position parallel to the apparatus front-rear direction axis (X axis). Further, the gripping portion 26 (the arm 28 and the finger 30) is opened, and the bag body placing portion 12 is set at the lower end position.
[0035]
Here, the bags H are transported and supplied from a truck bed, a device in a previous production process, or the like by a transport conveyor K or the like, and are placed on the bag placing portion 12. Further, with the bag H placed thereon, the bag placing section 12 moves upward, and enters a standby state at the upper end position (gripping position). At this time, if there is another bag to be processed immediately above the bag mounting portion 12, the bag mounting portion 12 stops and waits in the middle of the upward movement.
[0036]
Next, the gripping section 26 (the arm 28 and the finger 30) is operated by driving the air cylinder 32 and the air cylinder 33, and the bag body H on the bag body placing section 12 is gripped.
[0037]
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, an angle θ corresponding to a predetermined target placement position of the pallet P on which the bag body H is placed (in FIG. 6, any one of the positions (1) to (7)). The drive work 20 is rotated left and right in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis (Z axis) passing through the bag body placement section 12. Further, the link head 22 is moved forward along the drive work 20 by a length (distance) r corresponding to a predetermined target mounting position of the pallet P on which the bag H is placed. Further, the rotary table 24 is rotated by an angle θ in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the drive work 20.
[0038]
For example, in FIG. 6, when the target mounting position is the position (1), the drive work 20 is rotated by the angle indicated by the angle θ in FIG. 6, and the link head 22 is further moved by the distance indicated by the length r. Move. Further, the rotary table 24 is rotated by an angle θ in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the drive work 20.
[0039]
The rotation of the turntable 24 may be further rotated by ± 90 degrees or +180 degrees depending on the predetermined target mounting position of the bag body H. Further, each movement of the drive work 20, the link head 22, and the rotary table 24 may be performed simultaneously.
[0040]
By the above operation, the gripping section 26 (that is, the bag body H) reaches the predetermined target mounting position of the pallet P.
[0041]
At the time when the movement of each part is completed, the gripping part 26 (the arm 28 and the finger 30) is opened and the bag H is released. Thereby, the bag H is placed on the pallet P at the predetermined target placement position.
[0042]
During this time, after the bag mounting portion 12 has been lowered to the lower end position, the next bag H is placed on the bag mounting portion 12 and rises to a predetermined position at the upper end to stand by. .
[0043]
Further, the drive work 20 is rotated to the reference position parallel to the device front-rear direction axis (X axis) to return to the reference position, and the link head 22 is moved to the start end position on the side of the bag mounting portion 12. At the same time, the rotary table 24 is set at a reference position parallel to the apparatus front-rear direction axis (X axis). Also in this case, the movement of the drive work 20, the link head 22, and the turntable 24 may be performed simultaneously.
[0044]
When the above-mentioned respective parts return to the predetermined positions, the next bag H is placed on the bag mounting portion 12 and is waiting at the predetermined position. Therefore, the bag H is again grasped by the grasping portion 26, Thereafter, the above-described steps are sequentially repeated, and the first-stage bags H are all placed on the pallet P.
[0045]
After all of the first-stage bags H are placed on the pallet P, the pallet placing portion 14 is lowered by a height corresponding to one stage of the bags H. In this case, the lowering position of one stage of the pallet placing portion 14 is controlled by a plurality of position detection sensors (either mechanical or optical) arranged for each stage. Alternatively, the configuration may be such that the hydraulic drive unit 16 (link mechanism 18) is drive-controlled based on the amount of descent for one stage input (stored) in advance.
[0046]
The above process is repeated for a predetermined number of stages of the bags H stacked on the pallet P, and the process is completed.
[0047]
The arrangement (arrangement) of the odd-numbered and even-numbered bags H on the pallet P may be the same, and the arrangement (arrangement) of the bags H is alternately changed in the front-rear direction (90). It can be set arbitrarily by a program.
[0048]
Thus, in the palletizer 10 according to the present embodiment, the operation of stacking the bags H on the pallet P can be performed automatically and extremely efficiently.
[0049]
Further, when placing the grasped bag body H at a predetermined target placement position on the pallet P, the drive work 20 is rotated left and right in a horizontal plane by an angle θ corresponding to the target placement position, and Since the link head 22 (that is, the grip portion 26) is moved to the front side of the apparatus along the drive work 20 by a length (distance) r corresponding to the mounting position, the drive work 20 itself is entirely It is not necessary to move along the left-right axis (Y-axis). Therefore, the widthwise dimension of the device along the left-right axis (Y-axis) can be reduced and the device can be made compact as compared with the related art.
[0050]
Further, in the palletizer 10, since the caster 34 for moving the device and the adjuster 36 for adjusting the fixed position are provided, the device can be moved to an arbitrary place and installed suitably.
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the palletizer according to the present invention can automatically and extremely efficiently perform an operation of stacking bags containing grains such as rice grains on a pallet, and furthermore, the device is small and compact. Has an excellent effect.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a palletizer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the palletizer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of the palletizer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the entire configuration of the palletizer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a front view showing a configuration of a gripper of the palletizer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a correspondence between a bag on a pallet placed by the palletizer according to the embodiment of the present invention and a drive work.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Palletizer 12 Bag mounting portion 14 Pallet mounting portion 20 Drive work 22 Link head 24 Rotary table 26 Gripping portion 28 Arm 30 Finger 34 Caster 36 Adjuster H Bag P pallet

Claims (2)

A palletizer for loading a bag on which articles are stored on a pallet,
A bag body placement part on which the bag body transported and supplied is placed and is movable in the vertical direction in the placement state,
A pallet placing portion provided on a side of the bag placing portion, wherein the pallet is placed and is movable vertically in the placed state;
It is provided extending in the front-rear direction of the device from above the bag mounting portion to above the pallet mounting portion, and reciprocates right and left in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis passing through the bag mounting portion. Possible drive work,
A link head supported by the drive work and movable in the front-rear direction of the device along the drive work;
A rotary table supported by the link head and rotatable about a vertical axis,
A grasping unit that is supported by the rotary table and is provided to hang downward, grasps a bag placed on the bag body placing unit, and can load the pallet on the pallet placing unit;
A palletizer comprising: 2. The palletizer according to claim 1, wherein a caster for moving the device and an adjuster for adjusting the fixed position are provided on the frame of the device.

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