JP3241135B2 - Case unloading device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a case unloading apparatus used for sequentially unloading cases formed in a specific shape such as a synthetic resin container and a cardboard box from a pallet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a case unloading device for unloading a case having a unique shape as described above from a pallet one line at a time, for example, a unloading device (Japanese Utility Model Application No. No. 75767).

In this apparatus, a pallet on which a predetermined number of containers made of synthetic resin are stacked is placed on a conveyor, and a plurality of rows of container groups stacked on the pallet are unloaded one by one. The conveyor is intermittently fed by one pitch. At the same time, drive the case unloader,
A device that sequentially loads and unloads a plurality of rows of container groups stacked on a pallet one by one with a pusher, and drives a case separator to sequentially separate each row of container groups one by one from the lower side. is there.

[0004]

However, when the above-mentioned container made of synthetic resin is used for a long period of time, the stacked shape of each container is deformed due to aging, and a predetermined number of each container is vertically inserted. Stacking becomes difficult. In addition, when stacking a plurality of containers into which a large number of products are stacked, the center of gravity of the container group increases, and the stacking posture of the container group becomes unstable. There is a problem that rollover is likely to occur in each container group in the last row stacked on the pallet, and the unloading operation of the container group cannot be performed smoothly.

Further, if the orientation of each container group stacked in a plurality of rows on a pallet is forcibly aligned, both side edges of adjacent containers may overlap with each other.
There is also a problem that the unloading of the container group is hindered.

In view of the above problems, the present invention moves each group of cases in the last row stacked on a pallet while supporting the case group in a vertical position with a case support plate, thereby stacking a plurality of rows in pallet transportation. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a case unloading device that can surely prevent each case group from overturning and can smoothly perform unloading work.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a case supporting plate for supporting each case group of the last row stacked on the pallet in a vertical position is brought into contact with a loading / unloading position set on the transporting conveyor. And a case unloading device provided with case supporting means for moving the case support plate in the pallet feed direction in synchronization with the feed speed of the transport conveyor while maintaining the posture supporting each case group. .

[0008]

According to the present invention, a plurality of rows of case groups stacked on a pallet are moved to an unloading position one row at a time by driving a transport conveyor, and the case supporting means is driven to stack the case groups on the pallet. A case support plate is brought into contact with each case group in the last row, and the case support plate is moved in the pallet feed direction in synchronization with the feed speed of the transport conveyor, and each case group in the last row stacked on the pallet is placed in a case. It moves while being supported in the vertical position by the support plate. At the same time, the case unloading means is driven to sequentially unload the case groups of a plurality of rows stacked on the pallet one by one.
When transporting the pallet, it is possible to prevent each case group stacked on the pallet from overturning.

[0009]

According to the present invention, each case group in the last row stacked on the pallet is moved while being supported by the case supporting plate in the vertical position, so that the transport conveyor is driven and stopped when it is stopped. The case groups of the last row stacked on the pallet can be reliably prevented from overturning, and the case groups adjacent to the front, rear, left and right do not overlap with each other, and the case groups in a plurality of rows are arranged one by one. The work for sequentially loading and unloading can be performed smoothly, and personnel and time required for the loading and unloading work can be reduced, so that labor can be saved and efficiency can be improved.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings show a case unloading device 1 used for unloading a plurality of stacked synthetic resin containers one by one as an example of a case. In FIGS. 1 and 5, the case unloading device 1 is shown. For example, a pallet P on which 45 containers a are stacked is placed on the transport conveyor 2 and the pallet P is transported to a loading / unloading position set on the transport conveyor 2. Thereafter, the case supporting machine 3 is driven to support the plurality of rows of container groups A stacked on the pallet P in an upright posture, and to stack the container groups A stacked on the pallet P one row at a time. The transport conveyor 2 is intermittently driven by one pitch to be sequentially supplied. The case unloader 4 is driven to sequentially unload the container groups A stacked on the pallet P one row at a time, and the case separator 5 is driven so that a predetermined number of containers a. Each row of container group A for one row
Are sequentially separated from the lower stage side and sequentially supplied to the distribution conveyor 6.

The above-mentioned conveyor 2 is provided between the sprockets 7, 7 pivotally supported at the start end on the feed side and the sprockets 8, 8 pivotally supported at the end on the feed side. And the sprockets 11 and 12 are driven by a driving force of a feed motor 10 with a speed reducer disposed at a lower portion on the end side.
And each feed chain 9, 9 via the drive chain 13.
Circulates in the pallet feed direction, and feed chains 9,
9 is a group of containers A corresponding to one row of pallets P placed on
... is intermittently fed one pitch at a time for loading and unloading. and,
A mounting frame 14 is laid horizontally above the loading / unloading position set on the conveyor 2 in parallel with the pallet feeding direction, and an upper stage stacked below the loading / unloading side of the mounting frame 14 on the sending-side front end of the pallet P. An alignment plate 14a is provided upright facing each of the containers a. After unloading all the container groups A stacked on one pallet P,
Pallet stacker connected to the feed end (not shown)
And supply the empty pallets P to collect and collect them.

Meanwhile, the de-stacker pallet P and opposed to the position side set on the transporting conveyor 2, for example, by disposing the configured photoelectric sensor S ₁ at the transmitter and receiver, the photoelectric sensor S _{In step 1} , the start and end of the pallet P are detected. In addition, each container group A in each row stacked on the pallet P on the side of the unloading position set on the transporting conveyor 2
Opto-electronic sensors S ₂ , S ₃ , S ₄ composed of, for example, a light emitter and a light receiver are arranged, and are stacked on the pallet P by the respective photoelectric sensors S ₂ , S ₃ , S _4. The container group A in the last row is detected, and based on the detection of each of the photoelectric sensors S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ , and S ₄ , the feed motor 10 for the transport conveyor 2 and the case supporting machine 3 The moving motor 21 and the turning cylinder 25 are driven and stopped.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the case supporting machine 3 horizontally mounts a mounting frame 14 above a loading / unloading position set on the conveyor 2 in parallel with the pallet feeding direction. A movable table 16 is mounted between the two guide rails 15 and 15 erected on the lower side of the mounting frame 14 so as to be movable back and forth. Each container a on the upper stage stacked in the section
, A horizontally long case support plate 17 is pivotally supported so as to be vertically rotatable. In addition, the sprockets 18, 19 pivotally supported on the feed-side start end and the feed-side end of the mounting frame 14.
A moving chain 20 is stretched between the moving chains 20,
0 are connected and fixed to the center of the upper surface side of the movable base 16 and the moving motor 21
The driving force causes the moving chain 20 to circulate in the feed direction via the sprockets 22, 23 and the drive chain 24, and synchronizes with the intermittent feed of the transport conveyor 2 described above, so that each row of container groups A ... The movable table 16 is intermittently moved by one pitch for loading and unloading.

The above-mentioned case supporting plate 17 is connected to a shaft end of the case supporting plate 17 and a piston rod of a turning cylinder 25 disposed on an upper portion of one side of the movable base 16. By operation, each container group A stacked on the pallet P is held in a vertical position that supports the container groups A stacked on the rear end portion on the feed side of the pallet P in a vertical position.
… And up and down to a horizontal position that allows the passage of
The case support plate 17 is rotated and stopped at a vertical position close to a predetermined interval with respect to the rear surface of each container group A stacked on the rear end of the pallet P on the feed side. And the case support plate 17
An indentation hole 17a having a shape and a size that allows the pressing plate 26 to protrude and retract is formed at the lower end portion on the front side of the pressurizing plate. A spring 27 is stretched between the lower rear side of the rear surface 17a and the shaft end of the pressing plate 26, and
The pressing plate 26 is always urged to rotate in the direction in which the pressing plate 26 protrudes with respect to 7a.

[0015] and, to face the rear side press plate 26 in the lower portion of the case supporting plate 17, for example, arranged to press the sensor S ₅ composed of a limit switch or the like, stacked on the pallet P at the same pressing sensor S ₅ the pressing plate 26 detects the address is pressed against the last column of the group of containers a, which is, the movement motor 21 drives and stops based on the detection of the pressing sensor S _5, stacked on the pallet P Each container group A ...
Then, the case support plate 17 is moved and stopped at a position close to a predetermined interval.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the case unloading machine 4 has a mounting frame 28 at the upper part of the unloading position set on the conveyor 2 at right angles to the pallet feeding direction.
The movable base 30 is horizontally mounted between the two guide rails 29, 29 horizontally mounted on the front side of the mounting frame 28 so as to be movable left and right. Long pusher plate 31 facing container group A of FIG.
Are connected and fixed. In addition, a moving chain 34 is stretched between the sprockets 32 and 33 pivotally supported on the unloading-side start end and the unloading-side end of the mounting frame 28, and the end of the moving chain 34 is A transfer motor 35 with a speed reducer, which is connected and fixed to the center portion on the rear side, is directly connected to the shaft end of the sprocket 33, and is driven by the driving force of the sprocket 33.
The moving chain 34 is circulated in the unloading direction via the pallet P, and is moved in a retreat position facing the container group A for one row of the stacked pallets P and one row on the elevating conveyor 39 of the case separator 5 described later. The pusher plate 31 is moved back and forth to a forward position where the container groups A.

As shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7, the case separator 5 has a mounting frame 3 on the side of the loading / unloading position set on the conveyor 2 in parallel with the case unloading direction.
6 is mounted horizontally, and a lifting table 38 is vertically movably mounted between two guide rails 37, 37 vertically mounted on the front side of the mounting frame 36.
An elevating conveyor 39 formed in a size for placing the container groups A... Of the rows is horizontally fixed. Further, the front side peripheral edge of the rotating plate 40 bearing at the center of the upper end side of the mounting frame 36 and the rear lower end of the lifting platform 38 are connected to the crank arm 4.
1, the rotating plate 40 is rotated in one direction via sprockets 43, 44 and a driving chain 45 by the driving force of a lifting / lowering motor 42 provided with a speed reducer disposed at the lower portion on the same side. The vertical movement of the elevator 38 is caused to move vertically by the rocking, so that the pallet P on the transporting conveyor 2 disposed on the upper side becomes horizontal with the pallet P and the distribution conveyor 6 disposed on the lower side becomes horizontal. The elevating conveyor 39 is stopped at the lowering position.

The ascending and descending conveyor 39 has a V-shaped cross section between each of the pulleys 46, 46 pivotally supported at the starting end of the feeding side and each of the pulleys 47, 47 pivotally supported at the terminating end of the sending side. The belts 48, 48 are stretched, and the feed belts 48, 48 are unloaded from the case via the sprockets 50, 51 and the drive chain 52 by the driving force of the feed motor 49 with a speed reducer arranged at the lower end side. The conveyor 39 is driven in one direction at the ascending position and the descending position.

The lower and upper conveyors 39 are located on both sides of the elevating conveyor 39 stopped at the ascending position.
Each case holding plate 53 is rotatably supported in opposition to both side surfaces of the containers a stacked on the stage, and ends of the support shafts 54, 54 to which the case holding plates 53 are fixed. And the two ends of an interlocking shaft 55 bearing at the upper end on the end side are connected via umbrella-shaped gears 56 and 57, respectively.

An end of one side of the support shaft 54 bearing on one side and one side end of a support shaft 58 bearing in parallel with the support shaft 54 are connected by an arm 59, and A cam roller 60 pivotally supported at the other end is engaged with a cam portion 61 formed at the rear peripheral edge of the rotary plate 40, and a piston rod of a towing cylinder 62 disposed at the upper end side is supported by a shaft. 54
The cam roller 60 of the support shaft 58 is rotationally biased in a direction in which the cam roller 60 of the support shaft 58 is always in contact with the cam portion 61 of the rotating plate 40. That is, the rotating plate 40 is rotated by the driving force of the above-described elevating motor 42, and via the cam rollers 60 and the cam portions 61, the containers a at the second stage from the bottom placed on the elevating conveyor 39. The left and right case holding plates 53 are rotated between a closed position in which the horizontal position is held and an open position in which the holding of the containers a is released.

The illustrated embodiment is configured as described above. Hereinafter, each container a ...
Will be described. First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyor 2 is driven in the pallet feed direction, and a pallet P on which 45 containers a are stacked.
To the unloading position on the transport conveyor 2. At the same time, based on the detection of each of the photoelectric sensors S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ , S ₄ , the feed motor 10 of the transport conveyor 2 and the transfer motor 21 of the case supporting machine 3 are driven, and the transport conveyor 2 is driven.
When each of the container groups A stacked at the rear end of the pallet P on the feed side reaches the upper unloading position, the conveyance is stopped.

Based on the detection of each of the photoelectric sensors S ₁ and S ₂ , the turning cylinder 25 of the case supporting machine 3 is operated, and the rear side of each container group A stacked on the rear end of the pallet P on the feed side is connected. The case supporting plate 17 is rotated to the opposed vertical position, and the pressing plate 26 pivotally supported on the lower end of the case supporting plate 17 is rotated.
Are pressed against the upper containers a stacked on the rear end of the pallet P on the feed side. At the same time, it is moving to stop the case support plate 17 at a position close to the predetermined interval for each group of containers A ... of stacked last column on the pallet P on the basis of the detection of the pressing sensor S _5.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the pusher plate 31 of the case unloader 4 is moved in the unloading direction, and the one row stacked on the front end of the pallet P on the feed side is moved. After each container group A in the first row is horizontally moved in the loading / unloading direction by the pusher plate 31, and each container group A in the first row is transferred onto the elevating conveyor 39 of the case separator 5 waiting at the ascending position. Then, the pusher plate 31 is returned to the initial position.
At the same time, the lifting conveyor 39 is lowered vertically, and
The left and right case holding plates 53 are locked to both side edges of the containers a stacked in the row, and the remaining container groups A are held in a horizontal posture, and the elevating conveyor 39 is held.
Are moved down to the lowering position to separate the lowermost containers a..., And the lifting conveyor 39 is driven to rotate in the unloading direction, and the separated containers a are sequentially transferred onto the distribution conveyor 6.

Thereafter, the lifting conveyor 39 is vertically moved upward, and the remaining container groups A held by the left and right case holding plates 53 are lifted by the lifting conveyor 39, and the left and right case holding plates 53 are also lifted. Is released, and the remaining container groups A are transferred to the elevating conveyor 39. In the same manner as described above, the remaining container groups A are sequentially separated one by one from the lower side, and the separated containers a.
Are sequentially transferred onto the distribution conveyor 6 and transported and supplied to the next step (not shown).

Next, after separating the container groups A in the first row, the container groups A in the next row are unloaded based on the detection of the photoelectric sensors S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ , S _4. The conveying conveyor 2 is intermittently fed in the pallet feeding direction by one pitch to be moved, and the feeding motor 10 of the conveying conveyor 2 and the moving motor 21 of the case supporting machine 3 are synchronously driven, so that the case supporting machine 3 The case supporting plate 17 is moved while being in close proximity to the container groups A stacked on the rear end of the pallet P on the feed side, and is stacked on the pallet P when the transport conveyor 2 is driven and stopped. Each container group A is prevented from falling or tilting rearward. Similarly,
The case unloader 4 is driven to sequentially unload the container groups A in the second to fifth rows stacked on the pallet P one by one. At the same time, the case separator 5 is driven to sequentially separate the container groups A in each row one by one from the lower side, and the separated containers a are sequentially transferred onto the distribution conveyor 6 for the next step. (Not shown).

Next, after lowering the container groups A ... product of the last column stacked on the pallet P, return operates the case supporting device 3 of the turning cylinder 25 based on the detection of the pressing sensor S _5, case supporting The plate 17 is pivotally returned to the horizontal position and returned to the initial position. The transport conveyor 2 is driven in the pallet feed direction, the next pallet P is transported to the unloading position, and the empty pallets P are supplied to a pallet stacking machine (not shown) to be collected and collected. ₁ ,
Based on the detection of S ₂ , S ₃ , S ₄ , S ₅ , each machine 3, 4,
5 is continuously driven to sequentially unload the container groups A in the first to fifth rows stacked on the pallet P one by one.

As described above, since the container groups A in the fifth row stacked on the pallet P are moved while being supported in the vertical position by the case support plate 17, the transport conveyor 2 is driven and stopped. Sometimes, the container groups A in the fifth row stacked on the pallet P can be reliably prevented from overturning, and the container groups A adjacent to the front, rear, left, and right sides can be prevented.
Are not overlapped with each other, the work for sequentially loading and unloading the container groups A stacked in five rows one by one can be performed smoothly, and the work and time required for the unloading work can be reduced. Can save labor and improve efficiency.

In the correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the above-described embodiment, the case of the present invention corresponds to the container a of the embodiment, and similarly, the case group corresponds to the container group A, and The unloading means corresponds to the case unloading machine 4 and the pusher plate 31, and the case supporting means corresponds to the case supporting machine 3 and the case supporting plate 53.
It is not limited only to the configuration of the above embodiment.

For example, each of the photoelectric sensors S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ ,
Arranged a limit switch (not shown) instead of S _4, a photoelectric sensor instead of pushing the sensor S ₅ (not shown)
May be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a container unloading operation by a case unloading device.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a container supporting state by a case supporting machine.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a case supporting plate of the case supporting machine.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a container unloading operation by a case unloading machine.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a container separating operation by the case separator.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a container separating operation by the case separator.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an elevating conveyor of the case separator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 a ... Container A ... Container group P ... Pallet 1 ... Case loading / unloading device 2 ... Transport conveyor 3 ... Case supporting machine 4 ... Case loading / unloading machine 5 ... Case separating machine 17 ... Case supporting plate 31 ... Pusher plate 53 ... Case holding Board

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 59/06 B65G 59/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pallet on which a plurality of rows of case groups are stacked is placed on a transport conveyor, and the plurality of rows of case groups are moved one row at a time to a loading / unloading position set on the transport conveyor. And a case unloading device for driving case unloading means disposed at the unloading position to sequentially unload a plurality of rows of case groups stacked on a pallet one by one, one by one. At the upper unloading position, a case support plate that supports each case group in the last row stacked on the pallet in a vertical position is in contact with the case support plate, and the case support plate is transported while maintaining the respective case groups. A case loading / unloading device provided with case supporting means which moves in the pallet feed direction in synchronization with the feed speed of the conveyor.