JP3534278B2 - Container discharge device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer device for dropping containers one by one through a dropping chute at a container discharge portion such as a bulk depalletizer or an unscrambler, and transferring the containers downward. The present invention relates to a container discharge device that is carried out. 2. Description of the Related Art In a bulk depalletizer, an unscrambler, or the like, as a technical means for transferring a container, which is a target article, to the next step, the container is conveyed downward through a cylindrical dropping chute. 2. Description of the Related Art A container discharging device that discharges the next process by dropping the devices one by one on the device is known (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-329234, Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-255).
No. 51). By the way, in these conventional container discharge devices, a carrying-out method of carrying out the containers dropped through the drop chute by a row of conveyors is adopted, so that the dropping process until the dropped containers are stabilized and the conveyor are performed. As a result, the carrying-out process is performed in series, and as a result, there is a problem that the capability of the apparatus is restricted. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances of the prior art, and has an improved unloading mechanism after a container is dropped via a dropping chute. It is an object of the present invention to increase the speed and thereby increase the capacity of the device. According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a fixing plate is disposed at a drop position below the drop chute for discharging a plurality of containers one by one, and on both sides thereof. A conveyer is installed to join the downstream sides thereof, and a container guide in which two rows of guide spaces are juxtaposed between the lower end of the drop chute and the fixed plate, one of the guide spaces is fixed plate. above,
The other guide space is reciprocally disposed so as to be located on one of the conveyors, and by reciprocating the container guide, a plurality of rows of a plurality of one row dropped on the fixed plate in an upright state. While the containers are guided by the container guide in an upright state, the containers are alternately carried out via the conveyors installed on both sides of the fixed plate. [0005] The present invention can be applied as a carry-out mechanism after dropping in a case where containers are discharged line by line through a dropping chute in a bulk depalletizer, an unscrambler, or the like. A drop chute is used in which a plurality of containers in a row are sequentially dropped in an upright state. Note that the configuration of the chute itself does not need to be formed in a completely closed cylindrical shape, and the number of gates to be installed can be selected according to the case. Further, the type of container is suitable for discharging a relatively lightweight container such as a plastic container, but is not necessarily limited to the type of container. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall schematic configuration diagram showing a main part when the present invention is applied to a container discharge part of a bulk depalletizer, and FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged configuration showing the container discharge device in an enlarged manner. FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the container discharging device 1 is connected to a stilt type bulk depalletizer 2 and is configured as a container discharging portion thereof. In general, a raised floor type bulk depalletizer 2 raises an object such as a container 5 stacked in a plurality of stages on a pallet 3 via an intermediate sheet 4 by an elevating mechanism 6 one by one. It is configured to discharge sequentially to the next process via the discharge conveyor 7 from the first one. In the drawing, reference numeral 8 denotes a container pushing mechanism for pushing out the container 5 at the top, which pushes the container 5 onto the discharge conveyor 7 via a pressing member 9 attached to a chain or the like stretched between sprocket wheels. It is configured as follows. An intermediate sheet take-out mechanism 10 for removing the intermediate sheet 4 is disposed above the container push-out mechanism 8, and becomes a new uppermost stage every time discharge of the container 5 for one stage is completed. The intermediate sheet 4 remaining on the upper portion of the container 1 is configured to be suction-held by the suction means 11 and transferred to a predetermined place. A container group consisting of a large number of containers 5 extruded onto the discharge conveyor 7 by the container push-out mechanism 8 is connected to the discharge conveyor 7 and is connected to the container discharge device 1 via an inclined conveyor 12 forming a part thereof. It is conveyed and cut out one by one from the containers 5 in the front row onto the lower unloading device 13. Next, the container discharging device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described. As shown in the figure, when a group of containers composed of a large number of containers 5 is conveyed via an inclined conveyor 12 installed low at the front, the containers 5 in the front row are sequentially passed through a cylindrical drop chute 14. Lower unloading device 1
3 is discharged in an upright state. In the drawing, reference numeral 15 denotes a first gate disposed at a drop position, which is configured to open and close an upper opening of the drop chute 14 by an air cylinder 16. Similarly, a second gate 17 and a third gate 18 are provided in the middle of the drop chute 14 so as to be able to protrude and retract, and are configured so that the drop chute 14 can be opened and closed by air cylinders 19 and 20, respectively. I have. Thus, by adjusting the opening and closing timings of these gates 15, 17, and 18, a smooth falling state of the container 5 can be obtained. In front of the gate 15 disposed at the drop position, a stop mechanism for preventing advancement of the containers in the second and subsequent rows is disposed. In this embodiment, a pair of upper and lower containers is provided. It comprises stop means 21 and 22. Further, a guide member 23 for contacting the container 5 and guiding the container to the drop position is provided at the front of the frontmost container 5, and the guide member 23 is located at the front position, the drop position and By sequentially repeating the three operation positions at the rear position, the containers 5 are discharged line by line through the dropping chutes 14 onto the lower conveying device 13. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the guide member 23 supports an operating rod of an air cylinder 27 mounted on a lower end of a swing lever 26 supported by a support shaft 24 and swingably driven by an air cylinder 25. The air cylinders 25 and 27 are connected so as to sequentially repeat the above three operation positions by a combined operation of the two air cylinders 25 and 27. FIG. 3 shows that the containers 5 in the front row are just
That is, a state in which the upper opening of the drop chute 14 is guided on the closed gate 15 is shown. Thereafter, the air cylinder 2 constituting the stopping means 21 and 22 is used.
8 and 29 are actuated upwards and their pressing members 30, 31
The container in the second row is lifted upward through the, the neck of the container in the second row is brought into contact with the fixed stopper 32, and
The containers in the second and subsequent rows are stopped by making contact with the pressing members 30 projecting forward from the bottom of the row. In the stopped state, the swing lever 26 is rotated by the air cylinder 25 to retract the guide member 23 to the rear position to release the pressing force remaining in the container 5 in the front row, and the gate 15 is moved by the air cylinder 16. Is retracted to open the passage, whereby the container 5 is dropped via the drop chute 14. At this time, the second gate 17 has advanced and is in a closed state, and the container 5 has once stopped on the gate 17, then falls on the third gate 18 at a predetermined timing, and further moves on the unloading device 13. Will be dropped.
Then, next, after the air cylinders 25 and 27 are both driven forward, the guide member 23 retreated to the rear position is advanced to the front position, and is brought into contact with or close to the stopped second row of containers 5. The stopped state is released by lowering the air cylinders 28 and 29 to lower the containers in the second row. Thereafter, by driving the air cylinder 27 backward to retract the guide member 23 to the falling position, the second row of containers 5 is guided to the falling position on the gate 15 which has returned to the closed state during this time. The state is returned to the initial state shown in the figure, and the work cycle has been completed. In FIG. 3, reference numerals 33 and 34 denote holding members for suppressing lifting of the adjacent containers 5 before and after the containers 5 are lifted by the stopping means 21 and 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the conveyor 1
A pressing mechanism 35 is disposed above the container 2. When the number of containers 5 remaining on the transport path to the drop chute 14 decreases, the rear of the remaining container 5 is pressed to reduce the number of containers 5.
Is configured to prevent a fall and to ensure a smooth discharge operation. The pressing mechanism 35 includes an L-shaped pressing arm 37 fixed to a support shaft 36, and an air cylinder 39 that rotates the pressing arm 37 via a drive lever 38 fixed to the support shaft 36. During normal operation, the container 5 is retracted upward so as not to obstruct the transfer of the container 5, and when the number of the remaining containers 5 decreases, the pressing arm 37 is rotated downward by the air cylinder 39 to start the pressing operation. Will be. Next, a description will be given of a mechanism for carrying out the container 5 dropped through the drop chute 14, which is a feature of the present invention. As shown in a partially enlarged view of FIG. 4, the unloading device 13 includes a pair of conveyors 4 arranged side by side on both sides of a fixed plate 40 disposed at a position where the drop chute 14 is dropped.
1, 42. Between the fixed plate 40 and the lower end of the drop chute 14, the drop chute 1
A distributing mechanism 43 for distributing the containers 5 cut out from the conveyor 4 to the respective conveyors 41 and 42 is provided. The distribution mechanism 43 is connected to a support shaft 45 via a slide block 44.
, And slidable along a support shaft 45 by an air cylinder 46. Further, the sorting mechanism 43 has a guide space capable of accommodating two rows of containers 5 (a).
(B) is provided side by side, and the container guide 47 is reciprocated by the air cylinder 46 to move the container 5 to the conveyor 41 or 42.
Are configured to be carried out alternately via the. That is, one of the guide spaces (a) and (b) of the container guide 47 is positioned above one of the conveyors 41 and 42 for carrying out, and the other guide space is positioned above the fixed plate 40. The conveyors 41 and 42 on the side from which the container 5 is carried out are alternately sorted by switching between the guide spaces via the air cylinder 46. Therefore, one of the conveyors 41 or 42
During the unloading, the next container 5 can be dropped on the fixing plate 40 in parallel via the other guide space and stabilized, so that the container 5 is conveyed to the conveyors 41 and 4.
Since the transfer can be started immediately after the transfer to the upper position, the work speed can be improved. Next, the operation of the distribution mechanism 43 will be specifically described step by step. FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view showing the operation of the distribution mechanism 43. In the figure, the state (A) is such that the container guide 47 is moved to the left and right air cylinders 4 at a predetermined timing after the container 5 is carried out from the conveyor 41 side.
6 shows a state immediately after switching to the conveyor 42 side. In the drawing, 48 is the fixing plate 4
This is a stopper disposed at 0. The conveyor 41,
The downstream side of 42 is merged and transported to the next step by the transport conveyor 49. As shown
The container guide 47 is open on the downstream side, the guide space (a) side is closed by the stopper 48, and the guide space (b) side is open on the conveyor 42. It should be noted that one row of containers 5 in the guide space (b) is the one that was previously dropped on the fixed plate 40 and moved. In the state (B), the predetermined time has elapsed while the operation state of the state (A) is being maintained, the container 5 in the guide space (b) is unloaded halfway, and in parallel with the guide space (a). 2) shows a state where the next container 5 is dropped via the drop chute 14. In this state (B), after all of the containers 5 have been carried out of the guide space (b), the air cylinder 46 is operated at a predetermined timing to operate in the next state (C).
Move to The state (C) shows a state immediately after the air cylinder 46 is operated to move the container guide 47 to the conveyor 41 side. In this case, in the state (B), the containers 5 in a row in the standing state, which are dropped and housed in the guide space (a) side, are in a stable standby state. Therefore, when the container guide 47 is moved to the conveyor 41 side, A stable carry-out state is obtained while being guided by the container guide 47 itself. Conveyance interval S between each row of unloaded containers 5
Is determined by the length of one row of the containers 5, the conveying speed of the conveyors 41 and 42, and the operation interval of the reciprocating movement of the container guide 47 by the air cylinder 46. Therefore, the transport interval S between the rows of the containers 5 can be adjusted by the operation interval of the container guide 47 or the transport speed of the conveyor. In the state (D), while the predetermined time has elapsed while the operation state of the state (C) is being maintained, the container 5 in the guide space (a) is unloaded halfway, and in parallel with the guide space (b). 2) shows a state where the next container 5 is dropped via the drop chute 14. In this state (D), after all of the containers 5 have been carried out of the guide space (a), the air cylinder 46 is actuated at a predetermined timing to move the container guide 47 to the conveyor 42 side. Returning to A), the work cycle related to the reciprocating operation of the container guide 47 completes one cycle. As described above, in the container discharging device 1 according to the present invention, two rows of guide spaces (a).
Using the container guide 47 provided side by side with (b), the container 5 is carried out in one guide space via the conveyor 41 or 42, and at the same time, the step of dropping the next container 5 in the other guide space is performed in parallel. Since the operation is efficient, the container 5 is dropped on the fixed plate 40 once, and then the position of the container guide 47 is moved to be carried out alternately from the conveyors on both sides. The state of the container 5 that has fallen in the standing state is stabilized during standby until it is moved onto the conveyor 41 or 42, and the container guide 47 itself functions as guiding means when the container 5 is carried out by the conveyor 41 or 42. As a result of obtaining a more stable carry-out operation, it is possible to increase the capacity of the apparatus. FIG. 6 is a schematic overall configuration diagram showing a main portion of another embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a container discharge section of an unscrambler. In the drawing, reference numeral 50 denotes a conveyor belt composed of a large number of rows, which is a main part of the unscrambler.
1 is provided, and is configured to randomly transport a container 53 inserted from the upper opening 52 to a pocket portion formed between the locking pieces 51 and sequentially transport the container 53 to the upper reversing portion 54. I have. In the present embodiment, a well-known reversing hook system is employed for the upper reversing portion 54, and the neck 53 is inverted and aligned by the hook reversing member 55 engaged with the neck of the container 53. It is configured to A container discharge device 56 having the same configuration as the above-described container discharge device 1 which is a characteristic portion of the present invention is provided below the reversing portion 54, and has the same functions as those described above. That is, below the drop chute 57, 2
A distributing mechanism 59 having a container guide 58 in which guide spaces for rows are arranged side by side is movably disposed, and one guide space of the container guide 58 is disposed at a drop position below the drop chute 57. The other guide space is disposed on one of the conveyors 61 and 62 disposed on both sides of the fixed plate 60, and the container guide 58 is reciprocated to fix the other guide space. The container 53 dropped on the plate 60 in a standing state is alternately carried out via the conveyors 61 and 62 on both sides. In the above description of the embodiment, an example is described in which an air cylinder is used as a driving means of each operation unit. However, various actuators such as other fluid cylinders and electric means can be used. It is. Further, it is also possible to make changes regarding the specific configuration of the stopping means 21 and 22 and the guide member 23. Further, the present invention is also applicable to a case where the reversing method of the reversing unit 54 in the unscrambler is changed to another known reversing method according to the type of the container. According to the present invention, as described above, the container is carried out in one guide space using the container guides in which two rows of guide spaces are juxtaposed, and at the same time, the other guide space is used. In parallel, a step of dropping the next container is performed, and a plurality of containers of one row sequentially dropped on the fixed plate are kept standing and guided by the container guide itself, via the conveyors installed on both sides. Since the container is configured to carry out the container alternately, the container can be stably and efficiently carried out in an upright state, and the capacity of the apparatus can be increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged configuration diagram showing a container discharge device in an enlarged manner. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view in which a part of FIG. 2 is further enlarged. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part in which a part related to the main part of the present invention is enlarged. FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view showing the operation of the distribution mechanism. FIG. 6 is a schematic overall configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. [Description of Signs] 1 ... Container discharging device, 2 ... Bulk depalletizer, 5 ... Container, 13 ... Unloading device, 14 ... Falling chute, 15 ... Gate, 16 ... Air cylinder, 17, 18 ... Gate, 21,
22 stopping means, 23 guide member, 40 fixing plate, 41, 42 conveyor, 43 distribution mechanism, 44
Slide block, 45: Support shaft, 46: Air cylinder,
47: Container guide, 48: Stopper, 49: Conveyor, 50: Conveyor belt, 53: Container, 54: Reversing part, 5
5: hook reversing member, 56: container discharging device, 57: dropping chute, 58: container guide, 59: sorting mechanism, 60
... Fixing plate, 61,62 ... Conveyor

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 47/44 B65G 47/68 B65G 47/82

Claims (1)

(57) [Claim 1] In a container discharging device for discharging a plurality of containers one by one via a dropping chute, a fixing plate is disposed at a drop position below the dropping chute, and both sides thereof are provided. A container guide in which two rows of guide spaces are juxtaposed between the lower end of the drop chute and the fixed plate, while installing a conveyor at
One of the guide spaces is disposed on the fixed plate, and the other guide space is disposed so as to be reciprocally movable so as to be located on one of the conveyors. A plurality of containers for one row dropped in the upright state are guided by the container guide itself in the upright state, and are alternately carried out via the conveyors installed on both sides of the fixed plate. Container discharge device.