JP4478845B2 - Automatic assembly equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically assembling various articles prior to exterior packaging on a cardboard case or the like, and more particularly, to an automatic article assembling apparatus effective for assembling flat articles.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, flat products, such as bags of instant noodles, confectionery, sanitary napkins, etc., are different from regular products packaged in carton cases, etc. Difficult problems occurred in handling. That is, even if they are stacked, they are not stable and easily collapse, and the contents may be damaged if pressed more strongly.
[0003]
Therefore, the inventor of the present application conveys the article in a horizontally placed state with a predetermined interval and supplies the article obliquely downward at the front end portion thereof, and is provided on the outer periphery provided at the article supply position. Standing pusher wheels each provided with an appropriate number of curved portions for supporting the lower end of the article and subsequently supporting the article supported by the step on the support rail provided forward in the rotational direction, and below the support rail And a slide support rod that can be moved forward by being pushed by the pushed article, and can be moved up and down at an appropriate interval above the support rail. An automatic article collecting apparatus (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-227713) has been proposed, which comprises a transfer rod that holds the front and rear of the articles assembled together and transfers them forward.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The automatic product assembling apparatus proposed by the inventor of the present application can also effectively collect the flat products as described above. However, the present invention further simplifies the apparatus and speeds up the assembly of the articles. The purpose is to provide.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conveyor that conveys the article horizontally at a predetermined interval and feeds the article obliquely downward at the tip, and the article provided at the outer periphery provided at the article supply position. A standing pusher wheel having a stepped portion that supports the lower end of the belt and a curved portion that pushes the article supported by the stepped portion while maintaining the standing state on a support rail provided forward in the rotational direction; and provided on both sides of the support rail. A brush-like holder that collects and holds a predetermined number of articles that are sequentially held in an upright state by the upright pusher wheel, and a predetermined number of collective articles that are held between the brush-like holders in an upright state. The brush-like holder has brush portions disposed so as to face each other, and the brush portions are end portions on both sides of the article pushed out on the support rail. Keeps you flexible Characterized in that it is arranged to a distance capable of maintaining a standing state of the article.
[0007]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the predetermined number of articles sequentially pushed out on the support rail by the upright pusher wheel are not particularly provided with a mechanical device for holding upright. Collectively held between the brush-like holders provided at the fixed positions on both sides of the rail. Therefore, the apparatus can be simplified.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the transfer device according to the first aspect is configured to press and transfer a rear end surface of a predetermined number of collective articles held between the brush-shaped holders to transfer the brush shape. A transfer rod that returns while avoiding between the holders, and a rear end surface presser rod that takes over the transfer of the collective article by the transfer rod and simultaneously presses the rear end face of the collective article and returns to the outside of the transfer path of the collective article at an appropriate time; And a front presser plate that moves backward in contact with the front end face of the transferred collective article and returns after the collective article is conveyed to the next process in the transfer process of the collective article.
[0009]
According to the second aspect, simultaneously with the start of the transfer of the aggregated articles held between the brush-like holders by the transfer rod, the articles to be subsequently assembled by the upright pusher are placed on the support rails. Accordingly, the collection of articles can be speeded up.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. 1 is an overall perspective view of an automatic packaging apparatus provided with an automatic assembly apparatus for articles according to the present application, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conveyor for feeding articles, FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the automatic assembling apparatus for articles of the present application, FIG. 6 is a partially omitted perspective view showing the assembled state of the articles, FIG. 7 is a side view showing the apparatus for transferring the collective article, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the next process transport apparatus for the collective article, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the collective article transport apparatus following FIG. 8, and FIG. is there.
[0011]
In the figure, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are conveyors for feeding an article G such as instant ramen in a bag, for example, and finally the conveyor 6 constituting the present invention, that is, the article G is placed horizontally. The article G is fed to a conveyor 6 which is conveyed at a predetermined interval and is supplied obliquely downward at the tip.
[0012]
An example of feeding the article G to the conveyor 6 will be described. The conveyor 2 and the conveyor 3 are intermittently driven in a timely manner, and the remaining conveyors 4, 5 and 6 are driven at a predetermined speed. Further, the driving speed of the conveyor 3 is faster than the driving speed of the conveyor 2, and the driving speed of the conveyor 4 is faster than the driving speed of the conveyor 3.
[0013]
Furthermore, on the outer peripheral surfaces of the conveyors 5 and 6, locking pieces 7 and 8 that are locked to the rear end portion of the supplied article G are provided at a predetermined interval. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the locking pieces 7 and 8 feed the article G to the next process at the leading ends of the conveyors 5 and 6 and are locked to a stopper (not shown) to the rear. It is configured to fall down and then automatically stand up.
[0014]
In the above configuration, several articles G sent from the manufacturing process by the conveyor 1 are made to wait on the conveyor 2. Next, the conveyor 2 and the conveyor 3 are driven intermittently.
[0015]
In the intermittent driving of the conveyor 2 and the conveyor 3, the driving speed of the conveyor 3 is configured to be faster than the driving speed of the conveyor 2, so that only the article G at the front end on the conveyor 2 is separated from the rear article. It is transferred to.
[0016]
In the figure, 9 is a cushion belt conveyor that is intermittently driven simultaneously with the conveyor 2 and the conveyor 3, and holds the article G supplied on the conveyor 3 between the conveyor 3 and stops at a predetermined position. is there.
[0017]
Next, when the article G on the conveyor 3 is detected by a sensor (not shown) and the conveyors 2 and 3 are intermittently driven, the article G on the conveyor 3 is transferred onto the conveyor 4 having a higher driving speed than the conveyor 3. At the same time, the article G is transferred onto the conveyor 3 from the conveyor 2.
[0018]
The transfer of the article G onto the conveyor 4 is performed at a timing at which a locking piece 7 of the conveyor 5 provided in a lapped state with the conveyor 4 is locked at the rear end of the article G. From the conveyor 5, as shown in FIG. 4, the articles G are supplied onto the conveyor 6 constituting the present invention in time. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes support rails provided on both sides of the conveyor 5.
[0019]
The apparatus for automatically assembling articles according to the present invention is provided following the feeding of articles G supplied from the conveyor 5. That is, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, first, in the direction intersecting with the conveyor 5, the articles G constituting the present invention are transported horizontally at a predetermined interval. A conveyor 6 for supplying the article G obliquely downward is provided at the tip. As described above, the conveyor 6 is provided with the locking piece 8 having the above-described configuration at a predetermined interval on the outer peripheral surface thereof.
[0020]
The conveyor 6 is driven in synchronism with the feeding of the articles G by the conveyor 5. In other words, the article G is fed into the conveyor 6 by the conveyor 5 by feeding it immediately before the locking piece 8 of the conveyor 6 rotates.
[0021]
Next, at the supply position of the article G by the conveyor 6, a step part 11 that supports the lower end of the supplied article G on the outer periphery and an article G that is supported following the step part 11 are provided forward in the rotation direction. An upright pusher wheel 14 having a curved portion 13 that is pushed out while maintaining an upright state is provided on the support rail 12.
[0022]
The upright pusher wheel 14 is composed of two pieces with an interval to support the article G, and in advance, when the article G is supplied from the conveyor 6, and the stepped portion 11 of the upright pusher wheel 14. Timing is adjusted so that the position matches.
[0023]
Further, in the present invention, a predetermined number of articles G pushed out in a standing state by the upright pusher wheel 14 are held together on the support rail 12, so that a brush-like holder 15 is provided on both sides of the support rail 12. Provided.
[0024]
The brush-shaped holder 15 has a flexible brush portion provided in two upper and lower stages facing each other, and the brush portion holds the both end portions of the article G softly and maintains an upright state. Provided.
[0025]
Therefore, the articles G pushed out while being kept standing by the standing pusher wheel 14 are slid and gathered on the support rail 12 while sequentially pushing the articles G while maintaining the standing state. Collectively held between the shaped holders 15.
[0026]
Further, a transfer device is provided for transferring the collective article G held and held between the brush-like holders 15 in a standing state. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the transfer device will be described.
[0027]
First, a predetermined number (five in the drawing embodiment) of the assembled articles G held together between the brush-shaped holders 15 are pressed and transferred to avoid the space between the brush-shaped holders 15. A transfer rod 16 is provided for returning.
[0028]
In one embodiment of the drawings, a cylinder 18 is provided below the support rail 12 in the same direction as the support rail 12, and a lifting cylinder 19 of the transfer rod 16 is provided at the tip of the piston rod 17 of the cylinder 18. The transfer rod 16 is fixed to the tip of the piston rod 20 of the lift cylinder 19.
[0029]
When the piston rod 20 of the elevating cylinder 19 is contracted, the transfer rod 16 is positioned below the support rail 12, and when the piston rod 17 of the cylinder 18 is further contracted, the transfer rod 16 is raised. When the piston rod 17 of the cylinder 18 is further extended, the transfer rod 16 is advanced to a predetermined position which will be described later.
[0030]
In the above configuration, the transfer rod 16 is initially raised between the upright pusher wheels 14. Next, when it is detected that a predetermined number of collective articles G are held between the brush-like holders 15 and the piston rod 17 of the cylinder 18 is extended, the brush-like holders 15 are held together. The collective article G is pressed by the transfer rod 16 and transferred to a predetermined position.
[0031]
Thereafter, the transfer rod 16 is restored by first contracting the piston rod 20 of the lifting cylinder 19 to position the transfer rod 16 below the support rail 12, and then contracting the piston rod 17 of the cylinder 18. Then, the transfer rod 16 is returned between the upright pusher wheels 14, and then the piston rod 20 of the lift cylinder 19 is extended to prepare for the next transfer of the collective article G.
[0032]
However, in the process of transporting the collective article G, it is necessary to prevent the collective article G from falling down, and a device for that purpose is provided separately. For example, when the transfer rod 16 is returned, the transfer of the collective article G is succeeded, and at the same time, the rear end face of the collective article G is pressed and returned to the outside of the transfer path of the collective article G in a timely manner. And the other one is a front end face pressing plate 22 that moves back in contact with the front end face of the collective article G in the transfer process of the collective article G and returns after the collective article G is conveyed to the next step. It is.
[0033]
First, the rear end surface presser bar 21 will be described. In the embodiment of the drawings, the rear end surface presser bar 21 can be moved up and down by the cylinder 23 above the transfer path of the collective article G and slightly moved forward by the cylinder 34. It is provided freely.
[0034]
However, the rear end surface presser bar 21 may be provided so as to be able to advance and return from the lateral direction of the transfer path of the collective article G, or may be provided so as to be able to be raised and lowered from below the transfer path of the collective article G. . However, in any case, it is provided so as not to contact the transfer rod 16.
[0035]
Next, a description will be given of the front end surface pressing plate 22 that moves backward while being in contact with the front end surface of the collective article G to be transferred and returns after the collective article G is conveyed to the next step. A cylinder 24 provided at a position facing the flange 16 is previously advanced to a position close to the brush-shaped holder 15.
[0036]
After the advancement, the function of the cylinder 24 is stopped, and the cylinder 24 is configured to be pushed back by being pushed by the collective article G assembled by the upright pusher wheel 14.
[0037]
In the figure, reference numeral 25 denotes a lateral feed plate that conveys the collective article G held between the rear end surface pressing bar 21 and the front pressing plate 22 to the next process, and is advanced and returned by a cylinder 26.
[0038]
In the figure, 27 is a transport device that takes over the transport of the collective article G that has been laterally fed by the lateral feed plate 25, and is provided at an appropriate interval between the endless chain 28 and the endless chain 28. It is comprised with the press plate 29 which presses the rear-end part of the said collective article G sent laterally, and is intermittently driven.
[0039]
Note that the pressing plate 29 is not completely fixed to the endless chain 28, and as shown in FIG. 10, jumps up the collective article G being pressed at the end of conveyance of the collective article G. It is configured to be gradually rotated upward while maintaining a vertical state and to be vertically raised by a stopper (not shown) above.
[0040]
In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a conveyer that takes over the collective article G from the conveying device 27 and conveys it to an exterior device such as a cardboard case, and is provided with a locking piece 31 at a predetermined interval on the outer peripheral surface. The transfer of the collective article G is taken over in synchronization with the intermittent drive.
[0041]
Also, 32 in the figure is for completely locking the collective article G taken over by the conveyor 30 to the locking piece 31 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the conveyor 30 so as to make the transport timing to the exterior device accurately constant. It is an alignment plate that is rotated by the cylinder 33 and repeatedly abuts on the front end of the transferred collective article G and releases the corresponding contact.
[0042]
In the above configuration, the collection of the articles G is performed as follows. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the articles G sent from the conveyors 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 for feeding the articles G to the conveyor 6 constituting the present invention are erected at the same timing. It is supplied to the step portion 11 of the pusher wheel 14.
[0043]
Further, the article G supplied to the step portion 11 is raised and pushed out by the bending portion 13 provided subsequent to the step portion 11 and supplied onto the support rail 12.
[0044]
In the present invention, the brush-like holder 15 is provided on both sides of the support rail 12, and the article G supplied on the support rail 12 stands upright at the both end portions by the brush-like holder 15. So that it does n’t fall down naturally.
[0045]
The article G supplied and pushed out onto the support rail 12 by the upright pusher wheel 14 as described above is held in a brush shape on the support rail 12 while pressing the article G in the upright state while maintaining the upright state. Collected between the tools 15.
[0046]
Next, when a set of a predetermined number of articles G is detected, the cylinder 18 is operated, and the transfer rod 16 transfers the set articles G to a predetermined position ahead. In this transfer process, the front end face pressing plate 22 is brought into contact with the front end face of the collective article G, and retreats with the transfer of the collective article G to prevent the collective article G from falling forward. .
[0047]
When the collective article G is moved to a predetermined position by the transfer bar 16, the rear end surface holding bar 21 advances to the rear of the transferred collective article G and takes over the transfer of the collective article G. At the same time, the rear end face of the collective article G is pressed to prevent the collective article G from falling backward.
[0048]
At the same time as the rear end surface pressing bar 21 presses the rear end surface of the collective article G, the transfer bar 16 is lowered by the operation of the cylinder 19, and the cylinder 18 is further operated to be returned to the original state. Prepare for forward transfer of collective goods G.
[0049]
In the present invention, simultaneously with the start of the forward transfer of the collective article G by the transfer rod 16, the next article G is sequentially supplied between the brush-like holders 15 on the support rail 12 by the upright pusher wheel 14, and the assembly is performed. Therefore, high-speed aggregation is possible.
[0050]
Further, the collective article G held between the rear end surface pressing bar 21 and the front end surface pressing plate 22 is subjected to the next process, that is, the exterior process by maintaining the assembled state by the lateral feed plate 25, the conveying device 27, the conveyor 30 and the like. And so on. In addition, this invention can be used not only for the said flat-shaped goods in a bag but for the collection | assembly of the goods in a carton case.
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, automatic assembly of articles can be performed by a simplified device without providing a mechanical device for standing and holding, and further, high-speed assembly is possible, and particularly unstable. The assembly of flat articles can be performed effectively.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an automatic packaging apparatus provided with an automatic assembly apparatus for articles according to the present application.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conveyor for feeding articles.
FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view in which a part of an article feeding section to an automatic assembling apparatus for articles according to the present application is shown in a cross-sectional view.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an automatic assembly device unit for articles according to the present application.
FIG. 6 is a partially omitted perspective view showing an assembled state of articles of the present application.
FIG. 7 is a side view showing a collective article transfer apparatus.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the conveying device for the next process of the aggregated article.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the collective article conveying apparatus subsequent to FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a side view of FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
6 Conveyor 11 Stepped portion 12 Support rail 13 Curved portion 14 Standing pusher wheel 15 Brush-like holder 16 Transfer rod 21 Rear end surface presser foot 22 Front presser plate G (Assembly) article

Claims (2)

A conveyor for horizontally transporting the article at a predetermined interval and supplying the article obliquely downward at the tip, a step provided at a supply position of the article and supporting a lower end of the supplied article on an outer periphery; and Standing pusher wheels having curved portions that push the articles supported by the stepped portions on the support rails provided in the forward direction of the rotation while being kept standing, and the standing pusher wheels provided on both sides of the support rails. A brush-like holder that collects and holds a predetermined number of articles extruded while maintaining a state, and a transfer device that transfers a predetermined number of aggregate articles held between the brush-like holders in a standing state and forwards ; The brush-shaped holder has brush portions arranged so as to face each other, and the brush portions flexibly hold both side ends of the article pushed out on the support rail, and the article Standing up Automatic collection device of the article, characterized in that disposed on the interval may be lifting. The transfer device presses and transfers a rear end surface of a predetermined number of collective articles held between the brush-shaped holders and returns to avoid the space between the brush-shaped holders, and the set by the transfer poles At the same time as taking over the transfer of the article, press the rear end face of the collective article and press the rear end face holding bar that returns to the outside of the collective article transfer path when appropriate, and the front end face of the collective article to be transferred The apparatus for automatically assembling articles according to claim 1, further comprising a front pressing plate that retracts while being in contact and returns after conveyance of the aggregated article to the next step.

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