JP6980251B2 - How to supply a pouch to a cup-shaped container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for supplying a pouch to a cup-shaped container.

Cup miso soup, which is an instant food containing miso and ingredients in a cup-shaped container, is sold at convenience stores and the like, and the demand for it is increasing. The lid of such cup miso soup is closed by packing miso and its ingredients in a cup-shaped container having different sizes depending on the capacity of each and different pouches depending on the product type. Conventionally, the work of assembling the pouches into the cup-shaped container and the work of closing the lid have relied on manual work by a plurality of workers, and there is a problem in production efficiency, and the number of production is limited. This is because it is difficult to collectively supply multiple sachets with different bag materials and bag sizes depending on the properties of food such as miso and ingredients from the mouth of the cup-shaped container into the container. I had to rely on the work. In recent years, the labor shortage has become more serious, and there is a demand for the development of automation technology to replace manual work by many such workers. And no proposal has been made to automate the assortment work in such a cup-shaped container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for supplying sachets to a cup-shaped container capable of automating the supply of a plurality of sachets containing foodstuffs to the cup-shaped container.

In order to solve the above problems, the method for supplying a pouch to a cup-shaped container of the present invention takes the following means. First, the invention according to claim 1 is a method of supplying a pouch to a cup-shaped container, wherein the cup-shaped container (70) is such that a plurality of pouches (P) in which foodstuffs are packaged are overlapped articles (W). The cup-shaped container (W) is housed in a gutter-shaped container (50) corresponding to the size of the opening (72) of the above, and a plurality of sachets (P) containing foodstuffs are overlapped to form an article (W). The pouch (P) is placed in a gutter-shaped container (50) having an open portion (55) open above and having openings formed in the front and rear , corresponding to the size of the opening (72) of 70). When accommodating in the accommodating area (51) of the container (50), the central portion of the pouch (P) is held, and the pouch (P) is placed on the open end edge (56) of the open portion (55) in the container. ) Is brought into contact with the container (P), and the pouch (P) is accommodated from above so as to be deformed and bent starting from the central portion of the pouch (P) held. The edges (PL, PR) of the container (PL, PR) are restricted from popping out from the storage area (51) of the container (50), and the plurality of pouches (P) are stacked and a part of the pouch (P) is deformed. A state in which a plurality of sachets (P) are housed together and the outlet (52), which is one end of the opening in the container (50), is covered with the opening (72) of the cup-shaped container (70). The article (W) housed in the container (50) is supplied from the delivery port (52) of the container (50) toward the cup-shaped container (70), and the article (W) is supplied. Was packed from the opening (72) of the cup-shaped container (70) to the position reaching the bottom surface (74).

According to the first aspect of the present invention, with respect to the cup-shaped container (70), a plurality of pouches (P) are held together and the bottom of the cup-shaped container (70) is not disassembled. It can be satisfactorily supplied up to (74). When supplying to the cup-shaped container (70), the articles (W) can be satisfactorily supplied together without being caught around the opening (72) of the cup-shaped container (70). It is possible to obtain an automation technique for supplying a plurality of sachets in which foodstuffs are packaged in a cup-shaped container (70).

Further , the pouch (P) can be efficiently formed into an article (W) by superimposing the pouch (P) on the storage area (51) of the storage tool (50). It is possible to satisfactorily guide the plurality of pouches (P) to the opening (72) of the cup-shaped container (70) while being housed in the container (50).

Further, since the pouch (P) is brought into contact with the open end edge (56) of the open portion (55) and accommodated, even a pouch (P) having a size larger than that of the open portion (55) can be satisfactorily moved to the accommodating tool (50). Can be accommodated. In particular, since the central portion of the pouch (P) is held and placed in the container (50), the pouch (P) is deformed at the time of contact with the open end edge (56) of the pouch (P) and the contact stress is applied to the holding portion. Is difficult to convey and the bag does not come off.

Next, in the invention according to claim 2, which is subordinate to claim 1, the edge portion (PL, PR) of the article (W) is hooked in the storage area (51) in the container (50).
It was made to restrict the jumping out from the accommodation area (51).

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the article (W) can be maintained in a stored state without jumping out from the storage area (51) of the container (50), and a plurality of pouches (P) can be stored. The superposition in the tool (50) can be performed well.

Next, in the invention according to claim 3 which is dependent on claim 1 or claim 2, the article (W) is opened to the cup-shaped container (70) from the delivery port (52) of the container (50). I tried to push it toward (72).

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pouches (P) are put together in a cup-shaped container (70) by a simple process of pushing the article (W) from the rear of the cup-shaped container (70) with a pusher or the like. It can be supplied in a state of being.

Next, in the invention according to claim 4, which is dependent on claims 1 to 3, a plurality of the containers (50) are arranged and the article (W) is collectively supplied to the plurality of cup-shaped containers (70). I tried to do it.

According to the invention of claim 4 , since it is possible to supply to a plurality of cup-shaped containers (70) at once, it is possible to carry out a process having high production efficiency.

According to the present invention, by taking the means of each of the above inventions, it is possible to obtain a pouch supply method capable of automatically supplying a plurality of pouches containing foodstuffs having different properties and sizes to a cup-shaped container without manually supplying them.

It is an overall perspective view which showed the whole process of the pouch supply device to the cup-shaped container which concerns on this embodiment. It is an enlarged perspective view which showed the pouch supply process in this apparatus. It is an enlarged perspective view which showed the positioning process and the pouch packing process in this apparatus.

Hereinafter, a pouch supply device as an embodiment of the pouch supply method for a cup-shaped container of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an automated cup miso soup production line for instant food is exemplified, and a pouch supply device for supplying a bag filled with raw miso in a cup-shaped container and a plurality of pouches containing ingredients to be contained in miso soup is provided. show.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the pouch supply device according to the present embodiment has each robot 40 (first robot 41) for a plurality of gutter-shaped containers 50 arranged on the transport surface 12 of the conveyor 10. A pouch P (first pouch P1) that is separately packed with gutters and ingredients by a hand portion 40H (first hand portion 41H to third hand portion 43H) provided at the tip of the third robot 43). ~ The third pouch P3) is housed as a plurality of sequentially stacked articles W (pocket accommodating step A), and the delivery port 52 for delivering the article W in the container 50 and the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 are mutual. Positioned so as to be oriented (positioning step B), the article W in the accommodating area 51 is supplied from the delivery port 52 of the accommodating tool 50 toward the cup-shaped container 70 (pouch supply step C), and the article W is the cup-shaped container 70. It is a device that performs a series of steps of packing to a position reaching the bottom surface 74 (packing step D).

The conveyor 10 includes an endless cord such as a belt or the like that is rotated by a drive source. The conveyor 10 operates intermittently, and the endless cord repeatedly moves and stops in the transport direction and orbits.

On one side of the left and right sides intersecting the transport direction of the conveyor 10, supply units 21, 22, 23 for supplying the pouch P in which the foodstuff is packaged are provided. The supply unit is provided for each type of food material, and in the present embodiment, the first pouch supply unit 21, the second pouch supply unit 22, and the third pouch supply unit 23 are located from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveyor 10 in the transport direction. They are lined up toward the side. The first pouch supply unit 21 and the second pouch supply unit 22 are ingredient supply units. In the first pouch supply section 21 and the second pouch supply section 22, the first pouch P1 and the second pouch P2 are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns (4 columns in the embodiment), and are sequentially sent toward the conveyor 10. .. In the third supply unit 23 that supplies the third pouch P3 filled with raw miso, the continuous packaged product of the third pouch P3 that is filled and packaged by the multi-row vertical filling and packaging machine and partitioned one by one by the horizontal seal is downward. Each time the bag is continuously supported and the length of one bag is sent out, the intermediate position of the horizontal seal as a connection of each bag is cut and sent out as a third pouch P3 divided into individual bags. Further, on the downstream side of the third pouch supply section 23 in the transport direction of the conveyor 10, a cup stacking section 30 for supplying the cup-shaped container 70 is provided. In the cup stacking portion 30, a plurality of stacked cup-shaped containers 70 are arranged in a plurality of rows (4 rows in the embodiment).

On the other side of the left and right sides of the conveyor 10 where the transport directions intersect, a robot 40 for accommodating each pouch P in the accommodating tool 50 is arranged along the transport direction. In the robot 40, the first robot 41 corresponds to the first pouch supply unit 21, the second robot 42 corresponds to the second pouch supply unit 22, and the third robot corresponds to the third pouch supply unit 23, respectively. 43 is arranged. The fourth robot 44 is arranged at a position below the cup laminated portion 30. The first robot 41 to the third robot 43 are arranged so as to face each storage unit with the conveyor 10 interposed therebetween, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a pouch is provided for the accommodating tool in accordance with each supply unit. It suffices if it is arranged at an appropriate position where it can be supplied. At the tip of each robot 40, a hand portion 40H for holding the pouch P and the cup-shaped container 70 is provided. Each robot 40 is configured such that the hand portion 40H can freely move in the three-dimensional space.

In the first hand portion 41H of the first robot 41, a plurality of pairs of holding pieces 45a, 45b are arranged on a support along the transport direction of the conveyor 10, and the holding pieces 45a, 45b are appropriately provided by a driving means. It is configured so that it can be separated from each other in the vertical direction. Each of the holding pieces 45a and 45b corresponds to the row spacing of the first pouch P1 of the first pouch supply unit 21. The same applies to the second hand portion 42H and the third hand portion 43H. The fourth robot 44 sucks and holds the side surface 73 of the cup-shaped container 70 from below the stacking of the cup-shaped container 30 and pulls it out so that the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 and the delivery port 52 of the container 50 are directed. After maintaining the holding state in the posture of lying sideways, the cup-shaped container 70 can be switched to the upright posture after the supply of the article into the cup-shaped container 70 is finished.

A plurality of accommodating tools 50 are arranged as a set on the conveyor 10. In this example, four accommodating tools 50 are arranged side by side in the transport direction and adjacent to each other at intervals corresponding to the row spacing of the pouches P of each supply unit.

The accommodating tool 50 is composed of a pair of partition walls made of thin plate-shaped members. The pair of partition walls has a curved wall 50a whose outer peripheral edge is formed in a shape and size corresponding to the opening of the cup-shaped container, and whose inner wall bulges outward, and a mounting portion 50b at the peripheral end of the partition wall. Are provided, and are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other with the slit 54 interposed therebetween. Each curved wall 50a is attached to the conveyor 10 by the mounting portion 50b with the slit 54 facing downward, and is configured as an accommodating tool having openings in the left-right direction intersecting the transport direction and opening upward. As a result, the accommodating tool 50 is provided with an upper opening portion 55 capable of accommodating the pouch P from above on the upper side laid sideways. Further, the accommodating tool 50 is configured as an accommodating area 51 in which the space between the opposing curved walls 50a is substantially gutter-shaped and can accommodate the article W in which a plurality of pouches P are stacked. The upper end edge of the curved wall 50a is projected toward the accommodation area side, and the left end PL right end PR, which is the both end edges in the width direction of the pouch P, is hooked and restricted from popping out from the accommodation area 51. It is configured as. One side of the container 50 in the longitudinal direction serves as a delivery port 52 for discharging the article W in the storage area 51, and the rear side of the article W is pushed by the extrusion member 60 from the other side of the delivery port 52. It is supplied toward the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70.

The extrusion member 60 is configured at a position facing the fourth robot 44, which is the same number as the set of accommodating tools 50 of the present embodiment, on the left and right sides of the conveyor 10 intersecting in the transport direction. The extrusion member 60 is provided with four rod-shaped members in a hanging shape, and the upper ends thereof are connected by a plate-shaped member. The four rod-shaped members of the extruded member 60 are positioned so as to be able to pass through the slits 54 of each set of accommodating portions. The extrusion member 60 is configured to be movable to the left and right where the conveyors 10 intersect in the transport direction by a drive means (not shown).

Next, the operation of the pouch supply method for the cup-shaped container in the pouch supply device will be described. The pouch supply device is performed in the order of the pouch storage step A, the positioning step B, the pouch supply step C, and the pouch packing step D.

In the pouch storage step A, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the article W in which the pouch P is housed in the storage area 51 of the storage tool 50 and a plurality of pouches P (first pouch P1 to third pouch P3) are superposed. This is the process. Then, as the conveyor 10 travels, the set of accommodating tools 50 stops corresponding to the work station by the first to fourth robots. The first robot 41 moves the first hand portion 41H to the position of the first pouch P1 in the front row of the first pouch supply portion 21, and the holding pieces 45a and 45b of the first hand portion 41H of the first pouch P1. Hold (hold) each of the central parts. Then, the first hand portion 41H moves directly above the opening portion 55 of the accommodating tool 50 while sandwiching each first pouch P1. Then, the first hand portion 41H moves downward toward the open portion 55 while holding each first pouch P1. At this time, since the left end PL and the right end PR of the first pouch P1 sandwiched between the sandwiched pieces 45a and 45b abut on the opening end edge 56, the first pouch P1 is deformed and bent starting from the sandwiched central portion. It is housed in 51. When the first pouch P1 is housed in the storage area 51, the first hand portion 41H returns to the initial position after releasing the pinching of the first pouch P1 by the holding pieces 45a and 45b. Similarly, the second hand portion 42H of the second robot 42 also accommodates the second pouch P2 in the accommodating area 51 of the accommodating tool 50 and stacks it on the first pouch P1. Similarly, the third hand portion 43H of the third robot 43 also accommodates the third pouch P3 in the accommodating area 51 of the accommodating tool 50 and stacks it on the first pouch P1 and the second pouch P2. Even if any of the first pouches P1 to the third pouch P3 shifts to the left or right while stacking the pouches P1 to P3, one of the edges of the pouches P1 to P3 is caught by the regulation portion 53 and accommodated. It is restricted from jumping out of the area 51. In the container 50, the stacked pouches P (first pouch P1 to third pouch P3) are the articles W, and the bottom pouch P1 embraces and wraps the pouch that overlaps on top. There is. Further, any edge portion (left end PL and right end PR) in the first pouch P1 to the third pouch P3 corresponds to the edge portion of the article W.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the positioning step B is a step in which the delivery port 52 of the container 50 and the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 are positioned so as to face each other. The accommodating tool 50 moves to the position of the fourth robot 44 in the state of the article W in which the pouches P of the first pouch P1 to the third pouch P3 are stacked in the accommodating area 51. Then, in the fourth robot 44 located below the cup-shaped container 30, the fourth hand portion 44H holds the side surface 73 of the cup-shaped container 70 with a holding means such as a suction tool and pulls it out, and the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 is opened. And lay it in a sideways posture so that the delivery port 52 of the container 50 faces. Here, the delivery port 52 is covered with the opening 72.

The pouch supply step C is a step of collectively supplying the articles W (plurality of pouches P) in the storage region 51 from the delivery port 52 of the storage tool 50 toward the cup-shaped container 70. With the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 covering the delivery port 52 of the accommodating tool 50, the extrusion member 60 moves in the left-right direction intersecting the transport direction of the conveyor 10. Then, the extrusion member 60 supplies the article W (first pouch P1 to third pouch P3) to the cup-shaped container 70 by pushing it out from the delivery port 52. The extrusion member 60 advances and enters the accommodating tool 50 from the other side of the accommodating tool 50 so as to straddle the accommodating area 51 and the slit 54 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the extrusion member 60 collectively supplies the articles W in the storage area 51 to the cup-shaped container 70. That is, the extruded member 60 supplies the article W to the cup-shaped container 70 without leaving any of the first pouches P1 to the third pouches P3 stacked in the accommodating area 51, and extends the article W to the bottom surface of the cup-shaped container 70. It is supposed to reach.

When the article W is supplied into the cup-shaped container 70, the fourth hand portion 44H switches to the posture in which the cup-shaped container 70 is erected.

In the pouch packing step D, after the article W is supplied to the cup-shaped container 70, a portion of the article W protruding above the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 is pushed into the opening of the cup-shaped container 70. Is. The cup-shaped container 70 to which the article W is supplied protrudes above the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 in the article W by the packing member 80 entering from the opening 72 toward the bottom surface 74 in an upright state. The portion is pushed into the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70. At this time, the packing member 80 is provided with a lid supply device corresponding to the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70, and the portion of the article W protruding above the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 is the cup-shaped container. The lid may be supplied to the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 while being pushed into the opening 72 of the 70.

The method of supplying a pouch to a cup-shaped container as described above has the following effects.
The pouches P are individually housed in the gutter-shaped container 50 to form a stacked article W, and the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 faces the delivery port 52 in the container 50, and the stacked pouches P are used as the article W. Since the container 70 is collectively supplied from the delivery port 52 of the container 50 to the cup-shaped container 70, a cup that improves productivity by automating the supply of a plurality of sachets containing food ingredients to the cup-shaped container 70. It is possible to provide a method for supplying a pouch to a container.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of each of the above-exemplified examples, and various embodiments can be adopted within the scope of the gist of the present invention. It is possible.
-The housing tools 50 do not have to be in a set. That is, the supply processing method may be one by one.
In the positioning step B, the relationship between the outlet 52 of the container 50 and the opening 72 of the cup-shaped container 70 is such that the outlet 52 and the opening 72 are directly connected to each other, as well as a guide member or the like. It may be connected via another member.
-When supplying the pouch, the container 50 and the cup-shaped container 70 may be in an upright position.
The article W is not limited to the supply mode other than the mode in which the article W is extruded by the extrusion member 60 and supplied to the cup-shaped container 70, and various supply modes can be adopted.
-The regulating portion 53 in the accommodating tool 50 may be provided with a hooking portion as appropriate, which is different from the embodiment exemplified in the embodiment. For example, a groove portion may be provided to form a catching portion.
-The robot does not have to be the arm type robot shown in the embodiment.
-Furthermore, a transfer device may be used instead of the robot.
The first hand portion 41H to the third hand portion 43H were held by sandwiching the central portion of the pouch P with the holding pieces 45a and 45b, but instead of the holding pieces 45a and 45b, the pouch P was held by the suction head. It may be held by adsorbing the central portion.
-Although the accommodating tool 50 exemplifies a pair of partition walls, it may have an integral configuration.

50: Storage tool 51: Storage area 52: Delivery port 55: Opening part 56: Opening edge 70: Cup-shaped container 72: Opening 74: Bottom surface A: Pouch storage process B: Positioning process C: Pouch supply process D: Pouch packing Process P: Pouch PR: Right end PL: Left end W: Article

Claims (4)

It is a method of supplying sachets to cup-shaped containers.
A gutter-shaped container with an open portion at the top and an opening at the front and back, corresponding to the size of the opening of the cup-shaped container so that multiple sachets containing foodstuffs are stacked. To,
When accommodating the pouch in the accommodating area of the accommodating tool, the central portion of the pouch is held, and the pouch is brought into contact with the open end edge of the open portion of the accommodating tool, and the central portion of the pouch held is held. The pouch is housed from above so that it can be deformed and bent as a starting point.
In the container, the edges of the article are restricted from popping out from the storage area of the container, and the plurality of pouches are stacked, and a part of the pouch is deformed to be housed by tying the plurality of pouches.
The outlet, which is one end of the opening in the container, is positioned so as to be covered with the opening of the cup-shaped container.
The article contained in the container is supplied from the outlet of the container toward the cup-shaped container.
A method for supplying a pouch to a cup-shaped container in which the article is packed from the opening of the cup-shaped container to a position reaching the bottom surface. The cup-shaped container according to claim 1 , wherein the edge of the article is hooked in the accommodation area of the container to regulate the movement of the article and to prevent it from jumping out of the storage area. How to supply sachets to. The method for supplying a pouch to a cup-shaped container according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the article is pushed out from the delivery port of the container toward the opening of the cup-shaped container. The method for supplying a pouch to a cup-shaped container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein a plurality of the containers are arranged and the articles are collectively supplied to the plurality of cup-shaped containers.

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