JP2827069B2 - Food and beverage utensil sticking device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for sticking eating and drinking utensils such as straws to containers for beverages such as lactic acid bacteria.
In particular, the present invention relates to a food and drink utensil sticking device for sticking a food and drink utensil to a side surface of a container having a curved side surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Attaching of eating and drinking utensils to containers such as lactic acid bacteria beverages is performed by separating a plurality of eating and drinking utensils surrounded or wrapped by a film or the like into a plurality of successive eating and drinking utensils at equal intervals. Then, the adhesive is applied, and the eating and drinking utensil coated with the adhesive is brought into contact with a container to be attached.

[0003]

The conventional eating and drinking utensil sticking technique can be applied to the case where a flat portion exists on the side surface of the container. However, it cannot be applied to a container having a side surface composed of only a curved surface, such as a container having a circular cross section.

[0004] That is, when the eating and drinking utensils are attached to the flat surface, the contact is made between the flat surface (side surface of the container) and the straight line (the eating and drinking utensils). There is no effect even if the tool mounting position is slightly shifted.
On the other hand, when the eating and drinking utensil is stuck on the curved surface, the contact is made between the straight lines, and the contactable range is extremely narrowed. Therefore, when the container side surface portion is formed only of a curved surface, it is required that the positioning accuracy between the food and beverage tool sticking portion on the container side surface and the food and drink tool is extremely high, and the conventional technology cannot cope with this.

Another conventional technique is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 59-59.
No. 65054 (Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 60-182307) is a device for attaching straws one by one to the outer surface of various food and beverage containers, and using a belt with a guide to transport the straws. It is shown. However, with this device, it is impossible to attach a straw (food and drink) to a predetermined position on the side surface (side surface formed only of a curved surface) of the food and drink container. 3-6
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9781 discloses a technique in which a food and drink tool (a small bag such as a spoon) is attached to a flat portion above a container by inclining. However, this technique is a technique of sticking eating and drinking utensils on a flat surface, and it is impossible to stick eating and drinking utensils on a curved surface (a side surface composed of only a curved surface). In addition to this, it is not possible to attach the eating and drinking utensil to a predetermined position on the side surface (of the eating and drinking container) formed only of the curved surface. In Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-28432, a roller is pressed against the outer periphery of a hard container such as a glass bottle that is revolving and is rotated (rotated) by a fixed amount, and the amount of rotation is checked by the scale attached to the container. A technique that is controlled by detecting a member is disclosed. However, the revolving motion is performed by the rotating disk and the reciprocating plate, and the reciprocating plate reciprocates, so that continuous work cannot be performed, and only intermittent work is performed. There is a problem. In addition, since the roller is pressed against the outer periphery of the container and is rotated, there is also a problem that the pressure of the roller adversely affects the container.
The present invention has been proposed in view of the various problems of the prior art as described above, it is possible to stick eating and drinking utensils at a specific position on the side surface of the container configured only from a curved surface,
Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide a food and beverage utensil sticking device capable of increasing the sticking work speed.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a plurality of eating and drinking utensils surrounded by a film and continuous at equal intervals are separated for each eating and drinking utensil surrounded by a film and an adhesive is applied. Eating and drinking utensil supply mechanism, a container supply mechanism for supplying a plurality of containers to which the eating and drinking utensils are to be attached, and positioning for receiving individual containers from the container supply mechanism and detecting and adjusting a predetermined position to which the eating and drinking utensils should be attached And a sticking mechanism for sticking the eating and drinking utensil surrounded by the film and coated with an adhesive to a predetermined position of the container, the positioning mechanism comprising: a face-matching turret on which the container is placed; and the face-matching turret. And a revolving mechanism that revolves the loaded container by rotating the container, and rotates each of the placed portions of the container in the face-to-face turret so as to rotate freely with respect to the face-to-face turret. Includes a rotation mechanism that rotates the container to control the relative position between the turret and each container, and a position determination mechanism that detects the eye mark attached to the container to determine the state of the container, and the rotation mechanism moves the container. Equipped with a plurality of mounting portions mounted and rotated by a stepping motor,
The stepping motor stops when the position judging mechanism detects an eye mark, and the sticking mechanism has a radius between the plurality of protrusions and the eating tool sticking turret having a plurality of projections for holding the eating tool. And a rod projecting outward in the direction to take in the container.

Here, the state of the container judged by the judging mechanism means information for specifying the relative positional relationship between the eating and drinking utensil sticking position in the container and the eating and drinking utensil such as the orientation, arrangement and posture of the container. doing.

[0008] The eating and drinking utensils refer to tools used in eating and drinking, such as straws, spoons, and forks.

[0009]

According to the eating and drinking utensil sticking apparatus of the present invention having the above-described configuration, when the eating and drinking utensil surrounded by the film and coated with the adhesive is aligned with the container, the rotation of the positioning mechanism is performed. By rotating the container while revolving on the table (face-to-face turret), the position on the side surface of the container where the food and drink is to be stuck is accurately opposed to the food and drink supply mechanism. In other words, the rotating table (face-matching turret) is rotated by the revolving mechanism, so that the container placed there moves around the rotating table (revolving), and the container in the rotating table is mounted by the rotating mechanism. When the rotated portion is rotated, the container rotates and the position where the eating and drinking utensil is to be stuck is accurately adjusted to a position where the eating and drinking utensil supply mechanism is exactly opposed to the eating and drinking utensil supply mechanism, that is, face matching is performed. Further, the position judging mechanism determines whether or not the position where the eating and drinking utensil should be adhered is exactly opposite to the eating and drinking utensil supply mechanism or whether or not the face matching has been performed accurately. Since the determination is made by detecting the eye mark that has been made, positioning with extremely high accuracy is performed. Further, in the present invention, each of the containers placed on the placement portion is rotatable with respect to the face-matching turret by the rotation mechanism, is individually driven to rotate by a stepping motor, and the relative position between the face-matching turret and each container is adjusted. Is controlling. Therefore, individual containers can be accurately positioned. Also, since no reciprocating mechanism such as a reciprocating plate is required,
The sticking work can be performed continuously, and the working speed can be increased. In addition, since there is no need to press the roller against the outer periphery of the container, even if the eating and drinking utensil is attached to a relatively soft food and drink container, there is no possibility that the container will be deformed or crushed by the pressing force.

[0010] Further, since a method of pressing the container against the eating and drinking utensil by the sticking mechanism is adopted, there is little possibility that the relative position between the eating and drinking utensil and the container is blurred when the eating and drinking utensil is stuck. Therefore, even when eating and drinking utensils (eating and eating utensils surrounded by a film) are adhered to the side surface of a container composed only of a curved surface, even when a highly accurate adjustment is required with respect to the eating and drinking utensil sticking position, The device of the present invention can be applied without any problems.

[0011]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a food and beverage tool sticking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a food and beverage utensil sticking apparatus of the present invention is indicated by reference numeral 10 as a whole. Then, the container C to which the eating and drinking utensils are to be attached is supplied to the eating and drinking utensil attaching device 10 by the supply conveyor 12. The container C has, for example, a shape as shown in FIG. 2 and has a circular cross section, so that all the side surfaces are constituted by curved surfaces.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the container (not shown in FIG. 1) C supplied from the supply conveyor 12 is sent to the face-matching turret 16 via the moving turret 14. In this face-matching turret 16, the container C adjusts the location where the eating and drinking utensil is to be adhered to a predetermined position with high accuracy. Then, when the container C moves to the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18, the eating and drinking utensil is adhered to a place to be adhered in a manner described later. The container C to which the eating and drinking utensil is attached is moved from the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18 to the moving turret 20, 2
2 and is sent out of the mechanism of the food and beverage utensil sticking apparatus 10 via the discharge conveyor 24.

In the vicinity of the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18,
A plurality of eating and drinking utensils (eg, straws) SS which are surrounded by a film and are continuously arranged at equal intervals are formed by individual straws (hereinafter simply referred to as “straws”) S which are surrounded by a film.
The cutting drum 26 that cuts and separates the straw, and the individual straws S that have been cut and separated are separated from each other by a distance corresponding to the distance between the containers C that move on the face-to-face turret 16 and transferred to the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18. A drum 28 and a hot-melt transfer unit 30 for applying a hot-melt as an adhesive to the individual straws S transferred to the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18 are provided.

With reference to FIG. 3, a process until the straw is transferred to the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18 will be described in more detail. A series of a plurality of straws SS which are surrounded by the film and are continuous at equal intervals are sent to the cutting drum 26 via a receiving table 34, a straw feeding roller 36, a free roller 38, a ladder straw feeding roller 40, and a free roller 42. The cutting drum 26 has a cutter 44, and a plurality of grooves 46 for accommodating the individual straws S cut and separated are formed in a peripheral portion thereof.
Here, a groove 46 formed in the cutting drum 26 is formed.
Is much smaller than the distance between the moving containers C, so it is impossible to synchronize the container C with the straw S and to attach the straw S at a predetermined position on the container C accurately. It is. Therefore, the transfer drum 28 takes out the straw S in the groove 46 and transfers it to the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18 at an interval corresponding to the container C. An adhesive (hot melt) is applied by the hot melt transfer unit 30 to the straw S transferred to the eating tool pasting turret 18.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a process until the straw is transferred to the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18 in another arrangement different from FIG. In addition, in FIG.
4 shows another cutter that performs a cutting operation in cooperation with FIG. 4 (FIG. 3).

Next, the face matching turret 16 will be described. In FIG. 5, the container C is placed on the face matching turret 16, and the face matching turret 16 is
0 and is rotated by a motor (not shown). Here, when the face-matching turret 16 rotates, the container C also moves (along the peripheral edge of the turret 16) and revolves around the turret 16, so that the shaft 50 and a motor (not shown) revolve the container C. This constitutes a revolving mechanism that causes the rotation. On the other hand, below the container C, the container C is face-fitted by a motor (not shown) and a shaft 50.
Is provided with a rotation mechanism 54 for rotating the container C while revolving around the periphery of the container C. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 52 denotes an electronic control panel such as a pulse motor.

The rotation mechanism 54 is shown in detail in FIGS. In FIG. 6, the container C is placed on a placing portion 56, and the placing portion 56 is driven to rotate by a stepping motor 58. The output of the stepping motor 58 is controlled so that an eye mark (not clearly shown in FIG. 6) on the container C is arranged at a predetermined position. That is, when the container C is placed on the placement portion 56, the container C is rotated (rotated) by the stepping motor 58,
As a result of the rotation, when the eye mark of the container C is detected by the photoelectric switch (position determination mechanism) 60, the rotation output of the stepping motor 58 stops. As a result, the container C is adjusted to a predetermined arrangement or orientation. It should be noted that the relationship between the mounting portion 56 and the photoelectric switch 60 in the planar position is shown in FIG.
Indicated by 8 shows the rotation mechanism 5 shown in FIG.
4 is modeled and shown.

Regarding the control of the stepping motor 58,
This will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. As described above, the control of the stepping motor 58 is controlled by the photoelectric switch 6.
0 is detected based on whether or not the eye mark I (FIG. 8) on the container C is detected. 9, the photoelectric switch 60 includes a light emitting element 62 and a light receiving element 64. The light emitting element 62 emits a light beam L from the output of the oscillator 66. The irradiated light beam L is reflected by the surface of the container C and received by the light receiving element 64. Then, the light receiving element 64 generates an output having a waveform as shown in FIG. 10 (indicated by a symbol OP-1 in FIG. 9).

Here, the output OP-1 decreases when the eye mark I is detected. However, since the output OP-1 also changes depending on the position of the container C and other conditions, it is impossible to determine whether the output is decreased due to the detection of the eye mark I or the output decreased due to other conditions. Therefore, the output OP-1 is input to the variable amplifier 68, and a part of the output OP-2 is subjected to amplification adjustment (reference numeral FB in FIG. 9). As a result, an output as shown in FIG. 11 is obtained. If the output is input to the differentiator 70 and only a signal which suddenly changes to the negative side is taken out, an output as shown in FIG. ) Is obtained. Here, the abrupt change on the minus side (downward in FIG. 12) is due to the detection of the eye mark I. Therefore, the level determining means 72 determines whether or not the output OP-3 as shown in FIG. 12 is equal to or higher than the threshold level SL (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 12).
The determination (FIG. 9) is made, and the result (output) OP is output to the stepping motor 58. When the output OP-3 having a level lower than the threshold level SL is detected, it is determined that the eye mark I has been detected, and the stepping motor 5
8 stops the rotation (rotation). When a sensor having high sensitivity is used, the operation / stop of the stepping motor 58 can be controlled using the output of the sensor as it is.

Next, the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18 will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 13, a plurality of protrusions 74 are arranged on the circumference of the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18. The central part of the protrusion 74 is a straw S surrounded by a film (not shown in FIG. 13).
Is configured to be held. An adhesive is applied to the straw S radially outward. And FIG.
As is evident from the part shown in broken part in FIG.
・ ・ Is arranged. This push rod 78 ...
Is movable radially outward or radially inward along a cam (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1, the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18 is adjacent to the face-to-face turret 16 and the container C
Are arranged to transfer. When the container C moves from the face-matching turret 16 to the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18, in the mode described with reference to FIGS. It is adjusted to face each other.

When the container C and the straw S to be adhered reach a predetermined relative position, the rods 78 are extended radially outward (to the face-matching turret 16 side) by the action of a cam (not shown), The extended rod 78 has a protrusion 74
The container C is taken in such a way that the container C is pressed against the straw S held at the center of the container C. Then, when the container C is pressed toward the straw, the face-matching turret 16 of the straw S
Adhesive (hot melt) is applied to the side,
The straw S is adhered to the surface of the container C. Here, since the position of the container C is accurately adjusted, even if the adhesive surface of the straw S is a curved surface, it is securely attached. FIG. 14 shows a state in which the eating and drinking utensil pasting turret 18 is viewed from the side.

In the illustrated embodiment, a straw is illustrated as a food and drink tool, but it is noted that other food and drink tools, for example, forks and spoons may be used.

[0025]

As described above, according to the eating and drinking utensil sticking apparatus of the present invention, when the eating and drinking utensil surrounded by the film and coated with the adhesive is aligned with the container, the rotation of the positioning mechanism is performed. By revolving the container on the table and detecting the eye mark of the container, the container rotates with a high degree of accuracy, and the position on the side of the container where the eating and drinking utensils should be adhered to the eating and drinking utensil supply mechanism Are exactly opposite.
Further, since the container is pressed against the eating and drinking utensil such that the eating and drinking utensil is attached to the eating and drinking utensil attaching position of the container, the adjustment of the eating and drinking utensil attaching position is accurately performed. Therefore, even when it is necessary to stick the eating and drinking utensil at a specific position with high precision, such as when the eating and drinking utensil is attached to the side surface of a container constituted only by a curved surface, the present invention can be applied. . further,
Each of the containers mounted on the mounting portion is rotatably driven by a stepping motor so as to be rotatable with respect to the face-matching turret by a rotation mechanism, and the relative position between the face-matching turret and each container is controlled. Can be positioned accurately continuously. Then, there is no need to perform intermittent operation by the reciprocating mechanism, and the sticking operation can be performed continuously, and as a result, the operation speed can be increased.
In addition, since it is not necessary to press a rotating member such as a roller on the outer periphery of the container, even when the food and drink utensil is stuck to a relatively soft food and drink container, the container is adversely affected and deformed or crushed. I do not have.

[0026] Further, since automation is easy, if it is applied to a factory or the like that handles a large amount of products, the speed of the work of attaching eating and drinking utensils can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of a container to which a straw is attached.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view showing an arrangement in the vicinity of the edible tool sticking turret in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in the vicinity of a food and beverage utensil pasting turret arranged differently from FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a revolution mechanism and a rotation mechanism of the face-matching turret.

FIG. 6 is a partial side view showing details of the rotation mechanism of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view showing an arrangement of a mounting portion and a phototube in the rotation mechanism of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a model of a rotation mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a mode in which a stepping motor is controlled by a phototube output.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an output of a light receiving element of a photoelectric tube.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an output after the amplification degree is adjusted by a variable amplifier.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a result obtained by differentiating the output shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the food and drink tool-attached turret partially broken away.

FIG. 14 is a side view of a turret to which food and drink are attached.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Eating and drinking tool sticking apparatus C ... Container 12 ... Supply conveyor 14, 20, 22 ... Moving turret 16 ... Face-to-face turret 18 ... Eating and drinking tool sticking turret 24 ... Discharge conveyor 26: cutting drum 28: transfer drum 30: hot melt transfer unit SS: a plurality of series of straws surrounded by film and continuous at equal intervals 34: cradle 36: straw delivery Rollers 38, 42 ... Free rollers 40 ... Ladder straw feeding rollers 44, 45 ... Cutter S ... (Individual) drinking straws (enclosed with film) 46 ... Grooves 50 ...・ Axis 52 ・ ・ ・ Electronic control panel of motor 54 ・ ・ ・ Rotating mechanism 56 ・ ・ ・ Mounting part 58 ・ ・ ・ Stepping motor 60 ・ ・ ・ Light Tube (position judging mechanism) I: Eye mark 62: Light emitting element 64: Light receiving element 66: Oscillator L: Light beam OP-1, OP-2, OP-3: Output 68 ... variable amplifier FB ... amplification adjustment 70 ... differentiator SL ... threshold level 72 ... level judgment means OP ... level judgment means output 74 ... projection 76 ... recess 78 ・ ・ ・ Extrusion rod

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Osamu Hoshino 1-1-1 Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-152638 (JP, A) JP-A-Hei 2-127231 (JP, A) JP-A-61-217334 (JP, A) JP-A-60-182307 (JP, U) JP-B 3-69781 (JP, B2) JP-B 52-28432 (JP, A) B2) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65B 61/20

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A eating and drinking utensil supply mechanism for separating a plurality of eating and drinking utensils surrounded by a film and continuing at equal intervals into individual eating and drinking utensils surrounded by a film and applying an adhesive, and affixing the eating and drinking utensils. A container supply mechanism for supplying a plurality of containers to be attached, a positioning mechanism for receiving the individual containers from the container supply mechanism, and detecting and adjusting a predetermined position where the eating and drinking utensil is to be adhered; And a sticking mechanism for sticking the eating and drinking utensil on which the food is applied to a predetermined position of the container, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises: a face-matching turret on which the container is placed; and a container placed by rotating the face-matching turret. A revolving mechanism for revolving, and a relative position between the face-matching turret and each container by rotatably driving each of the mounting portions of the containers in the face-matching turret with respect to the face-matching turret. It includes a rotation mechanism that rotates the container to control the position of the container, and a position determination mechanism that detects the eye mark attached to the container and determines the state of the container. The rotation mechanism places the container and rotates it with a stepping motor. A plurality of mounting portions to be driven, wherein the stepping motor stops when the position judging mechanism detects an eye mark, and the sticking mechanism has a plurality of projections for holding eating and drinking tools. A food and beverage utensil sticking device, comprising: a turret; and a rod that projects radially outward between the plurality of protrusions to take in a container.