JP3620804B2 - Method and apparatus for fitting soft tube to fitting object - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for fitting a soft tube to a fitting object, which is optimal for mounting a cylindrical label on a container, for example.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, it has been formed in a cylindrical shape on the outer surface of containers such as bottles and cans made of synthetic resin, glass, metal, etc. that are filled or packaged with products, as labels for displaying product contents such as trademarks, letters, symbols, etc. It is common practice to attach a heat-shrinkable plastic tube.
[0003]
This label is stored in a state where both edges of the long heat-shrinkable film are welded with an organic solvent or bonded with an adhesive and wound into a flat roll. As shown in FIG. When the label 43 obtained by cutting is attached to the container 44, the label 43 can be freely separated from the left and right after the tube 40 is cut to a predetermined length by the cutting means 42 while being fed downward by the feed roll 41. The opener 45 is fitted into a container 44 that is opened and waits downward.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the apparatus has a configuration in which the flat label 43 having flexibility is adsorbed and opened from both sides by the opener 45, the bent edges on both sides of the label 43 are opened even after opening as shown in FIG. As a result, strong creases remain in the portion 46, the opening of the label 43 cannot be sufficiently performed, and there is a defect of poor fitting, and it is not suitable for high-speed automatic work. In particular, in the case of a container such as a cup-shaped container or a cylindrical can having a large upper diameter, the above-described drawbacks are remarkable.
Moreover, in order to eliminate this poor fitting, it is necessary to increase the tube diameter. In this case, the material cost increases, and when the tube 43 is heated and contracted, the amount of contraction increases. There was a problem that design distortion and wrinkles were likely to occur.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and can smoothly and surely perform the tube fitting work, enable high-speed automatic work, and reduce the material cost of the tube. It is an object of the present invention to prevent design distortion and wrinkle generation when the tube is heated and shrunk.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention was made as a method and apparatus for fitting a soft tube to an object to be fitted. The feature of the method for fitting a soft tube to an object to be fitted is folded flatly. The long flexible tube 1 is drawn out, the drawn soft tube 1 is cut by the cutting device 5, and the cut soft tube 11 is expanded by being adsorbed by the opener 7. In the method of fitting a soft tube to an object to be fitted to an object 26, the opener 7 is inserted into the mandrel 13 through an insertion / removal cutout 19 formed in the mandrel 13. The soft tube 11 is expanded and delivered by adsorbing the soft tube 11 expanded by the opener 7 to the inner peripheral surface 18 of the mandrel 13. The soft tube 1 is opened larger than the large-diameter portion 26a inserted into the soft tube 1 in the fitting 26, and the mandrel 13 and the fitting 26 are moved relative to each other to fit the soft tube 11. The purpose is to fit the fitting 26.
[0007]
Moreover, the characteristic as a soft tube fitting apparatus to a to-be-inserted thing is cutting | disconnecting the soft tube 1 extended | stretched by the delivery means 3 which pays out the elongate soft tube 1 folded flatly, and this delivery means 3 And an opener 7 that is provided so as to be able to adsorb and expand the cut soft tube 11, and the expanded soft tube 11 is attached to the fitting 26. in the soft tube to be fitted device to be fitted prepared by such cause the fitting has the soft opening shaped space 16 in which the tube 1 is to be inserted, insertion and removal the opener 7 in the space portion 16 from both sides A mandrel 13 having a possible insertion / removal cutout 19 is provided, and a suction hole 21 for receiving and adsorbing the soft tube 11 expanded by the opener 7 is provided on the inner peripheral surface 18 of the mandrel 13. Multiple formed In addition, the space 16 is formed larger than the large-diameter portion 26a inserted into the soft tube 1 in the fitting 26, and at least one of the mandrel 13 and the fitting 26 is the soft tube 11. Is provided so as to be movable between a receiving position A for receiving the fitting and a fitting position B for fitting the soft tube 11 to the fitting 26.
[0008]
[Action]
In the soft tube fitting device to the fitting object of the present invention, the cutting device 5 cuts the distal end portion of the soft tube 1 with the opener 7 adsorbing and holding the distal end portion of the flat soft tube 1 from both sides. To do. After the cut soft tube (label) 11 is opened by the separation of the opener 7, it is adsorbed along the inner peripheral surface 18 of the mandrel 13 and delivered to the mandrel 13, and the label 11 is placed on standby. 26 is larger than the shape of the large-diameter portion 26a.
[0009]
Therefore, the mandrel 13 approaches the fitting object 26 while holding the label 11, and the label 11 can be smoothly and reliably fitted to the fitting object 26 without hindering the large diameter portion 26 a. .
[0010]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a long flexible heat-shrinkable tube (hereinafter referred to as a tube) 1 that is folded into a flat shape. The tube 1 is formed into a cylindrical shape by bonding both ends of a plastic film in the longitudinal direction. From the state wound up in a coil shape, the feed roll 3 feeds it downward.
[0011]
Reference numeral 5 denotes a cutter device composed of a pair of left and right cutting blades 6, and 7 denotes an opener. The opener 7 is an arm 8 that can approach or separate from the tube 1 in the left-right direction, and a tube provided at the tip of each arm 8. It consists of an adsorbent 9 that sucks one side surface from both sides. Therefore, the cutter device 5 cuts the tube 1 to a predetermined length while the both adsorbers 9 hold the tube 1 from both sides, and the adsorber 9 recedes from side to side and separates the label 11. Expand.
[0012]
Reference numeral 13 denotes a mandrel for opening a tube for receiving the label 11 adsorbed by the opener 7 and opening the label 11 into a predetermined shape. The mandrel is provided below the cutter device 5 and freely movable up and down. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the mandrel 13 has a cylindrical mandrel body 15 having an open top and bottom surface fixed to a bracket 14 that is attached to the machine base so as to be movable up and down.
[0013]
The mandrel main body 15 has two circular arc plates 15a facing each other so that escape openings 17 for escaping both end portions 1a of the flat label 11 are formed at symmetric positions in the radial direction. The one end side of both the circular arc plates 15 a is connected to the bracket 14. Further, insertion / removal cutouts 19 are respectively formed in the direction perpendicular to both relief openings 17 of the arc plate 15a so that the opener 7 can be inserted into and removed from the space 16 formed in the mandrel body 15. Yes. The insertion / removal cutout 19 may have an opening shape on the upper surface, an opening shape on the lower surface, or an appropriately shaped hole.
[0014]
The inner peripheral surface 18 of the mandrel body 15 is provided with suction holes 21 at equal intervals in the vertical direction, and the plurality of vertical suction holes 21 are also spaced in the circumferential direction of the mandrel body 15. It is provided. As shown in FIG. 2B, the suction holes 21 in each row are connected to each other by a communication passage 22 in the vertical direction. The communication passages 22 are connected to connection holes 23 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel main body 15, respectively. Yes. Therefore, each connection hole 23 is connected to a suction device (not shown) via a hose, and the label 11 can be sucked along the inner peripheral surface 18 of the mandrel body 15 through each suction hole 21. Moreover, the length of the mandrel body 15 is provided substantially the same as the length of the label 11, and the label 11 sucked by the mandrel body 15 is opened over the entire length.
[0015]
Reference numeral 25 denotes a conveyor device. The conveyor device 25 has a cup 26 such as a cup-shaped miso soup whose upper surface, that is, the diameter of the lid portion 26a is the largest and decreases downward, continuously or intermittently below the mandrel body 15. It is intended to be conveyed. The inner diameter of the space portion 16 of the mandrel body 15 is formed slightly larger than the diameter of the lid portion 26a so that the label 11 can be externally fitted to the circular lid portion 26a in plan view. 11 is provided so as to be movable up and down to a receiving position A for receiving 11 from the opener 7 and a fitting position B for lowering and fitting the label 11 to the container 26.
[0016]
The present embodiment has the above-described configuration. Next, a case where the tubes 1 are fitted into the plurality of containers 26 using the apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described.
[0017]
First, when the long tube 1 is drawn downward by a predetermined length by the rotation of the feed roll 3, both the adsorbents 9 together with the arms 8 of the opener 7 approach and rise to the receiving position A. It enters into the space 16 of a certain mandrel body 15 and presses and holds the flat tube 1 from both sides (see FIG. 3A).
[0018]
Further, when the cutter device 5 is operated to cut the tube 1, both arms 8 of the opener 7 move to both sides, so that the adsorber 9 is separated and the label 11 inserted from above into the space 16 of the mandrel body 15. To expand. The expanded label 11 is adsorbed to the inner peripheral surface 18 of the mandrel main body 15 through the suction hole 21. At this time, the label 11 has a substantially circular shape along the inner peripheral surface 18 of the mandrel main body 15 (see FIG. 3 (b)).
[0019]
Further, the adsorbent 9 is separated from the label 11 and reaches the outside of the mandrel body 15. After the adsorber 9 is detached from the mandrel main body 15, the mandrel main body 15 descends via the bracket 14, and is externally fitted to the container 26 that is conveyed by the conveyor device 25 at the fitting position B and is waiting below. When the mandrel body 15 is externally fitted to the container 26, the label 11 is in close contact with the entire inner peripheral surface 18 of the mandrel body 15. There will be no hindrance. Simultaneously with the end of the external fitting of the mandrel body 15 to the container 26, the evacuation to the mandrel body 15 is stopped, and the mandrel body 15 rises again with the label 11 fitted to the container 26.
[0020]
Next, the container 26 fitted with the label 11 is transported to the next shrink process by the conveyor device 25 and the label 11 is heated and shrunk. Thereafter, the label 11 is attached to the entire length of each container 26 in the same manner as described above. It is.
[0021]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the plan view shape of the mandrel body 15 may be a hexagon as shown in FIG. 4 or may be another polygon. is there. Further, the mandrel 13 may be fixed so as not to move up and down, and the container 26 side may be moved up and down, or both of them may be moved. In short, the mandrel 13 and the container 26 to be fitted are relatively in contact with each other. It only needs to be able to move freely, and the moving direction of both is not limited to the vertical direction, and may be the horizontal direction.
[0022]
In addition, the object to be fitted is not limited to the container 26. For example, in addition to directly fitting the label 11 on the container 26 with the mandrel 13, the label 11 is fitted on the jig with the mandrel 13, and the treatment is performed. You may make it make it fit after conveying the label 11 to the container 26 via a tool. In this case, the jig becomes the fitting object 26.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
In the soft tube fitting method of the fitting object of the present invention, the soft tube expanded by the opener is transferred to the mandrel, and the mandrel is inserted from the large diameter portion inserted into the soft tube in the fitting object. Since the soft tube is greatly opened and the mandrel and the object to be fitted are relatively moved so that the soft tube is fitted to the object to be fitted, the tube is smoothly and surely covered with the object to be fitted. The tube can be fitted and is suitable for high-speed and automatic tube fitting work, and the mandrel can be used to expand the flexible tube according to the shape of the large-diameter portion of the container. A small-diameter tube having a small difference in diameter can be used, and the material cost can be reduced.
[0024]
In addition, when the soft tube is a cylindrical heat-shrinkable label, since the tube can be reduced in diameter as described above, there is an advantage that the design distortion and wrinkle generation after heat-shrinkage can be prevented.
[0025]
In the flexible tube fitting device to the fitting object of the present invention, high-speed and automation of the tube fitting operation using the above method can be easily achieved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mandrel and an opener according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the mandrel with a label fitted to a container.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show a mandrel and an opener, in which FIG. 3A is a plan view including a partial cross section in a state where a flat soft tube is held by the opener, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an overall schematic diagram showing a conventional example.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state where the soft tube is expanded by the opener.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Soft tube, 3 ... Feeding means, 5 ... Cutting device, 7 ... Opener, 11 ... Label (cut label), 13 ... Mandrel, 18 ... Inner peripheral surface, 26 ... Container (mounting object), 26a ... Lid part (large diameter part), A ... Receiving position, B ... Fitted position

Claims (3)

The long flexible tube (1) folded flat is fed out, and the fed out soft tube (1) is cut with a cutting device (5), and the cut soft tube (11) is opened with an opener (7). In the method of fitting a soft tube to an article to be fitted, which is made to spread by adsorbing with an adhesive, the opener (7) is attached to a mandrel (13). The soft tube (11) is expanded by being inserted into the mandrel (13) through the formed insertion / removal cutout (19), and the soft tube (11) expanded by the opener (7) is expanded. More than the large-diameter portion (26a) inserted into the soft tube (1) in the fitting (26) by the mandrel (13) by being attracted to the inner peripheral surface (18) of the mandrel (13). Soft chu And the mandrel (13) and the object to be fitted (26) are relatively moved so that the soft tube (11) is fitted to the object to be fitted (26). A method for fitting a soft tube to an article to be fitted. A feeding means (3) for feeding out the elongated soft tube (1) folded flat; a cutting device (5) for cutting the soft tube (1) fed by the feeding means (3); An opener (7) provided so as to be able to adsorb and separate the cut soft tube (11), and the expanded soft tube (11) is attached to the fitting (26). the opener to the soft tube to be fitted device to be fitted prepared by such cause the fitting, said soft tube (1) opening shaped space part to be inserted has a (16), the space portion (16) A mandrel (13) having an insertion / removal cutout ( 19 ) that can be inserted / removed from both sides is provided, and an opener (7) is provided on the inner peripheral surface (18) of the mandrel (13). Receive and adsorb the soft tube (11) expanded by A plurality of suction holes (21) are formed, and the space (16) is formed larger than the large-diameter portion (26a) to be inserted into the soft tube (1) of the fitting (26). In addition, at least one of the mandrel (13) and the fitting (26) has a receiving position (A) for receiving the soft tube (11), and the soft tube (11) is fitted on the fitting (26). A flexible tube fitting device for a fitting object, wherein the fitting device is movably provided at a fitting position (B) to be fitted. The soft tube fitting apparatus to the to-be-fitted material of Claim 2 with which the said tube 1 has heat shrinkability.

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