JP7619866B2 - Moving and working devices - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a moving device for moving a container and a work device using the moving device.

Patent document 1 discloses a processing and transporting device that processes cylindrical containers while transporting them. In this device, cylindrical containers are transported on a rotating transport shaft with a spiral groove formed therein, and processing is performed on the containers being transported during this process.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-120143

In the case of a processing and transport device with such a configuration, different rotating transport shafts are required when using containers with different outer diameters, for example, when using syringe-type containers and when using vial-type containers, making the configuration complicated. In addition, when changing (switching) the rotating transport shaft, it is necessary to stop the device, which causes problems such as work being slackened.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a moving device that can move containers with different outer diameters without stopping the device and changing the configuration.

The present invention also aims to provide a work device that can process containers with different outer diameters without having to stop the device and change the configuration.

In order to achieve the above object, the moving device of the present invention grips a container and moves the container. The moving device has a base that can rotate around a vertically extending pivot axis, and a gripping section that is attached to the base and grips the container. The gripping section has a first arm section that is arranged to maintain a constant position relative to the pivot axis when viewed from a direction along the pivot axis and has a first contact section and a second contact section that contact the container, and a second arm section that can approach and move away from the first arm section and has a third contact section that contacts the container. The first contact section and the second contact section have a first recess in the vertical middle section that is recessed in a direction away from the second arm section. The third contact section has a second recess in the vertical middle section that is recessed in a direction away from the first arm section. At least the vertical positions of the lower end of the first recess and the lower end of the second recess are the same.

With this configuration, it is possible to hold and move syringe-type containers and vial-type containers with a common gripping part. This eliminates the need to change the gripping part when changing containers, and eliminates the need to interrupt processing. Furthermore, in a device that contains a mixture of syringe-type containers and vial-type containers, it can be used as a device that can move both types of containers, making it possible to simplify and miniaturize the device.

In the above configuration, the first contact portion and the second contact portion form a V-shaped recess in the center away from the arm portion when viewed from the pivot axis direction.

In the above configuration, the second arm portion is supported on the base so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to the pivot axis.

In the above configuration, the gripping portion is movable in the vertical direction.

In order to achieve the above object, the working device of the present invention is a working device that performs a predetermined task on a container, and includes any one of the moving devices described above, a storage case capable of storing the container, a transport device that transports the storage case, and a processing device that performs processing on the container. The transport device includes a receiving section where the moving device receives the container stored in the storage case, and a delivery section that delivers the container from the moving device to the storage case. The receiving section, the processing device, and the delivery section overlap with the container that moves on an arc centered on the pivot axis.

In the above configuration, the processing device is placed at the center of an arc centered on the pivot axis connecting the transfer unit and the receiving unit, two gripping units are attached to the base, and the central angle formed by the first arm unit of each gripping unit about the pivot axis is half the central angle formed by the transfer unit and the receiving unit about the pivot axis.

In order to achieve the above object, the moving device of the present invention grips a container and moves the container. The moving device has a base that can rotate around a vertically extending pivot axis, and a gripping unit that is attached to the base and grips the container. The gripping unit has a first arm unit that maintains a constant position relative to the pivot axis when viewed from a direction along the pivot axis, and a second arm unit that can move in a direction approaching or moving away from the first arm unit. The first arm unit has, on a side surface facing the second arm unit, a first contact unit that inclines toward the second arm unit as it moves toward the tip, and a second contact unit that inclines toward the second arm unit as it moves toward the pivot axis. The first contact unit and the second contact unit form a concave shape when viewed from the pivot axis direction. The second arm unit has a third contact unit that faces the first contact unit and the second contact unit on a side surface facing the first arm unit. The gripping portion grips the container when the second arm portion moves and the first contact portion, the second contact portion, and the third contact portion come into contact with the side of the container.

With this configuration, a container with a cylindrical outer diameter can be gripped at three points simply by moving the second arm portion. A cylindrical container can be gripped with a simple action of moving only the second arm portion. In addition, the third contact portion can press the container against the V-shaped first and second contact portions. Therefore, cylindrical containers with different outer diameters can be gripped without changing the first and second arm portions.

In the above configuration, the second arm portion is supported on the base so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to the pivot axis.

In the above configuration, the gripping portion is movable in the vertical direction.

In the above configuration, the first contact portion and the second contact portion are both flat, and the first contact portion and the second contact portion form a V-shaped recess when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis. When viewed from the direction of the rotation axis, the intersection of the first contact portion and the second contact portion is disposed on an arc centered on the rotation axis and moves on the arc as the base rotates. With this configuration, containers of different outer diameters can be accurately gripped.

In the above configuration, the bisector of the angle between the first contact portion and the second contact portion at the intersection as viewed from the direction of the pivot axis is perpendicular to the line connecting the pivot axis and the intersection. With this configuration, when the second arm portion presses, the force is distributed almost evenly. This allows the container to be stably gripped.

In the above configuration, the first arm portion is positioned downstream of the second arm portion in the direction in which the container is moved.

To achieve the above object, the working device of the present invention performs a predetermined task on a container. The working device includes any one of the moving devices described above, a storage case capable of storing the container, a transport device to which the storage case is transported, and a processing device including a processing unit that performs processing on the container. The transport device includes a receiving unit that receives the container stored in the storage case by the moving device, and a transfer unit that transfers the container from the moving device to the storage case. The receiving unit, the processing unit, and the transfer unit are arranged on an arc centered on the pivot axis.

In the above configuration, the processing unit is disposed at the center of an arc centered on the pivot axis connecting the receiving unit and the delivery unit, two gripping units are attached to the base, and the central angle formed by the intersection of the first arm units of each gripping unit about the pivot axis is half the central angle formed by the receiving unit and the delivery unit about the pivot axis.

The moving device of the present invention can move containers with different outer diameters without stopping the device and changing the configuration.

Furthermore, the working device of the present invention can process containers with different outer diameters without stopping the device and changing the configuration.

FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a working device. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the transport tray, the first storage case, and the first container. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the transport tray, the second storage case, and the second container. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the gripping portion with the second arm portion separated from the first arm portion. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gripping portion when gripping the first container. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gripping portion when gripping the second container. FIG. 2 is a schematic layout diagram of a moving device in a first position. 11 is a schematic layout diagram showing a state in which the receiving-side gripping portion and the delivery-side gripping portion grip a first container. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic layout diagram of the moving device when it is in a second position. 13 is a schematic layout diagram showing a state in which the receiving-side gripping portion and the transferring-side gripping portion have transferred a first container. FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the "upstream side in the conveying direction" and the "downstream side in the conveying direction" are defined along the conveying direction Tr1 of the conveying device 20. A predetermined process is performed on the container during conveying in the conveying device 20. In the following description, the first container Cn1 contained in the first storage case 31 is referred to as the container, but the same applies to the second container Cn2 contained in the second storage case 32. The second storage case 32 and the second container Cn2 will be described as necessary.

<Working device 100>
FIG. 1 is a schematic layout diagram of the working apparatus 100. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the working apparatus 100. The working apparatus 100 has a moving apparatus 10, a transporting apparatus 20, a processing apparatus 40, and a control unit 50 (see FIG. 2). In the working apparatus 100, the moving apparatus 10 receives a first container Cn1 accommodated in a first storage case 31 transported by the transporting apparatus 20. The moving apparatus 10 places the first container Cn1 in a processing section 41 (described later) of the processing apparatus 40, and after being processed in the processing section 41, removes the first container Cn1 from the processing section 41 and transfers it to the first storage case 31 moving the transporting apparatus 20. Details of each part of the working apparatus 100 will be described below.

<Control Unit 50>
First, the control unit 50 that controls the working device 100 in an integrated manner will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 2, the control unit 50 has an arithmetic circuit 51 and a memory circuit 52. The arithmetic circuit 51 is a circuit that executes calculations and processing of various information, and has arithmetic circuits such as a CPU and an MPU. The arithmetic circuit 51 also controls the moving device 10, the transport device 20, and the processing device 40 based on the processing results.

The memory circuitry 52 is a circuit that includes or is connected to semiconductor memory such as ROM and RAM, portable memory such as flash memory, and storage media such as a hard disk. As the control unit 50, various programs such as calculation programs, processing programs, and control programs may be stored in the memory circuitry 52, and calculation processing may be performed by calling up the programs as necessary and executing them in the calculation circuitry 51. The elements connected to the control unit 50 and their control will be explained when explaining each element.

<Conveyance device 20>
1, the conveying device 20 has a conveying rail 21 and a conveying tray 22. The conveying rail extends along a conveying direction Tr1. The conveying rail 21 has a first straight rail portion 211, a second straight rail portion 212, and a curved rail portion 213. In the conveying device 20, the conveying rail 21 has the first straight rail portion 211, the curved rail portion 213, and the second straight rail portion 212 connected in this order in the conveying direction Tr1.

In the conveying device 20, the conveying tray 22 is moved along the conveying rail 21 by a driving mechanism 23 (see FIG. 2) using, for example, a linear motor. The driving mechanism 23 is connected to the control unit 50. The driving mechanism 23 is controlled by the control unit 50. To explain in detail, the driving mechanism 23 moves the conveying tray 22 in the conveying direction Tr1 based on instructions from the control unit 50. Note that the driving mechanism 23 is not limited to a linear motor. For example, a wide variety of configurations can be adopted that can convey the conveyed object along a predetermined path, such as stably conveying the conveying tray 22 along the conveying rail 21.

In the transport device 20, a first storage case 31 is placed on the transport tray 22. The first container Cn1 is stored in the first storage case 31, and the first container Cn1 is transported by transporting the transport tray 22.

The conveying device 20 is provided with a receiving section 24 and a transfer section 25. In the conveying device 20, the receiving section 24 is provided on the first straight rail section 211. The transfer section 25 is provided on the second straight rail section 212. The moving device 10 receives the first container Cn1 from the first storage case 31 at the receiving section 24. The moving device 10 transfers the first container Cn1 to the first storage case 31 at the transfer section 25. The receiving section 24 and the transfer section 25 may be provided on the same conveying device or on different conveying devices.

<Storage case>
The processing device 40 according to this embodiment is capable of processing containers of different shapes and sizes. Here, the containers that can be processed by the processing device 40 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the transport tray 22, the first container case 31, and the first container Cn1. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the transport tray 22, the second container case 32, and the second container Cn2.

First, the first container Cn1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the first container Cn1 is a container known as a syringe. The first container Cn1 is a cylindrical container with a bottom and an opening Cn11 at the top. The first container Cn1 is a cylinder with an outer diameter d1. The first container Cn1 can contain, for example, liquid contents that are injected into the first container Cn1 through the opening Cn11. In other words, the processing device 40 is a device that performs a process to contain contents in the first container Cn1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second container Cn2 is a container known as a vial. The second container Cn2 is cylindrical with a bottom. The second container Cn2 has an opening Cn21, a lower tube portion Cn22, a narrowed portion Cn23, a flange portion Cn24, and an upper tube portion Cn25. The lower tube portion Cn22 is cylindrical with an outer diameter d2.

The constriction portion Cn23 is connected to the upper part of the lower tube portion Cn22. The outer diameter of the constriction portion Cn23 decreases toward the upper part. The upper tube portion Cn25 extending in the axial direction is connected to the upper end of the constriction portion Cn23. The upper tube portion Cn25 is cylindrical with an outer diameter d3 (<d2). An opening Cn21 is provided at the upper end of the upper tube portion Cn25. The flange portion Cn24 is an annular ring that expands outward from the upper end of the upper tube portion Cn25. The second container Cn2 can contain, for example, liquid contents that are injected into the interior from the opening Cn21. In other words, the processing device 40 is also a device that performs a process of containing contents in the second container Cn2.

<Processing device 40>
As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 40 is disposed between the first straight rail portion 211 and the second straight rail portion 212. The processing device 40 has a processing portion 41 that can hold the first container Cn1 and the second container Cn2 and can inject liquid contents. Although details are omitted, the processing portion 41 is configured to be able to hold both the first container Cn1 and the second container Cn2. The processing device 40 has a filling portion 42 (see FIG. 2) that fills the first container Cn1 or the second container Cn2 disposed in the processing portion 41 with the contents. The filling portion 42 is connected to the control portion 50. The filling portion 42 fills the first container Cn1 or the second container Cn2 disposed in the processing portion 41 with the contents based on an instruction from the control portion 50.

The processing unit 41 may be configured to switch between, for example, a configuration capable of holding the first container Cn1 and a configuration capable of holding the second container Cn2. It may also have a movable side wall portion, and the side wall portion may be moved according to the size of the container to grip the container. Furthermore, a wide variety of configurations capable of holding containers of different outer diameters may be adopted.

Next, the storage cases will be described with reference to the drawings. The storage cases include a first storage case 31 that stores the first container Cn1, and a second storage case 32 that stores the second container Cn2. First, the first storage case 31 will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first storage case 31 has a cylindrical tube portion 311 that extends in the vertical direction. The upper portion of the tube portion 311 has an inclined surface 312 that tapers upward. The first storage case 31 has a storage recess 313 that extends axially downward from the upper end surface.

The cylindrical portion 311 has a slit 314 that penetrates from the outer circumferential surface to the storage recess 313. The lower end of the slit 314 reaches the bottom 310 of the first storage case 31. By having the slit 314, even if the contents spill from the first container Cn1 and flow into the storage recess 313, the contents can be easily removed. In addition, cleaning after removing the contents is also made easy.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second housing case 32 has a cylindrical tube portion 321 that extends in the vertical direction. The tube portion 321 has a housing recess 322 that extends axially downward from its upper end surface. The tube portion 321 also has a slit 323 that penetrates from its outer circumferential surface to the housing recess 322.

The lower end of the slit 323 reaches the bottom 320 of the second storage case 32. By having the slit 323, even if the contents spill from the second container Cn2 and flow into the storage recess 322, the contents can be easily removed. In addition, cleaning after removing the contents is also made easy. Note that the slit 323 reaches the upper end of the second storage case 32, but is not limited to this, and the upper part may be formed lower than the upper end of the second storage case 32.

The outer diameter d4 of the lower part of the first storage case 31 is the same as the outer diameter d4 of the second storage case 32. The transport tray 22 has a shape that allows both the first storage case 31 and the second storage case 32 to be placed therein, and has, for example, a substantially square bottom 221 in a plan view and a side wall 222 that extends upward from the edge of the bottom 221, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The inside of the side wall 222 is square with a side length of d4. Therefore, both the first storage case 31 and the second storage case 32 can be placed inside the side wall 222 of the transport tray 22.

When the first storage case 31 and the second storage case 32 are placed inside the transport tray 22, their outer surfaces come into contact with the side wall portion 222 of the transport tray 22. This makes it difficult for the first storage case 31 and the second storage case 32 to shift when the transport tray 22 moves along the transport rail 21. It is preferable that the side wall portion 222 has a certain level of height so that the first storage case 31 and the second storage case 32 do not fall over when the transport tray 22 moves. Furthermore, slits may also be formed in the side wall portion 222 to facilitate processing after the contents have spilled onto the transport tray 22.

<Movement device 10>
Next, the details of the moving device 10 will be described with reference to the drawings. The moving device 10 has a base 11, a receiving side gripping unit 12A, a delivery side gripping unit 12B, a turning drive unit 101 (see FIG. 2), and a gripping unit drive unit 102 (see FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 1, the moving device 10 is disposed between a first straight rail portion 211 and a second straight rail portion 212.

The base 11 is cylindrical and centered on a rotation axis Rx that extends vertically. The top surface 111 of the base 11 is a surface that is perpendicular to the rotation axis Rx. The base 11 rotates around the rotation axis Rx by the rotation drive unit 101. The base 11 can move in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis Rx. The rotation drive unit 101 is connected to the control unit 50. The rotation drive unit 101 has a configuration that includes, for example, a motor, a reducer, etc., and rotates the base 11 around the rotation axis Rx based on instructions from the control unit 50.

In FIG. 1, the moving device 10 moves the first container Cn1 when rotating in a counterclockwise direction. That is, in FIG. 1, the counterclockwise direction around the rotation axis Rx is the moving direction Mv1. Also, in FIG. 1, the clockwise direction is the return direction Mv2. The receiving side gripping unit 12A and the delivery side gripping unit 12B are disposed on the upper surface 111 of the base 11.

In the moving device 10, the receiving gripping unit 12A grips the first container Cn1 stored in the first storage case 31 that has been transported on the transport tray 22 by the receiving unit 24, and receives the first container Cn1. Then, the base 11 is rotated in the moving direction Mv1 by the swivel drive unit 101. As a result, the first container Cn1 is moved to the processing unit 41 of the processing device 40, and is handed over to the processing unit 41.

The base 11 rotates around the pivot axis Rx. At this time, the receiving gripper 12A grips the first container Cn1 in the receiving section 24, then moves to transfer the first container Cn1 to the processing section 41. Similarly, the transferring gripper 12B grips the first container Cn1 in the processing section 41, then moves to transfer the first container Cn1 to the first storage case 31 in the transferring section 25.

When the first container Cn1 is moved by the moving device 10, it moves on a trajectory Tj that is formed on an arc centered on the rotation axis Rx. As shown in FIG. 1, the receiving section 24, the processing section 41, and the delivery section 25 are all positioned on a single trajectory Tj.

To explain further, when viewed from the direction along the rotation axis Rx, the receiving unit 24 and the transfer unit 25 are arranged on a single trajectory Tj, spaced apart by a central angle θ centered on the rotation axis Rx. The processing unit 41 is arranged midway between the receiving unit 24 and the transfer unit 25 on the trajectory Tj. In other words, the processing unit 41 is arranged at the intersection of the trajectory Tj and the bisector of the central angle centered on the rotation axis Rx of the receiving unit 24 and the transfer unit 25 arranged along the trajectory Tj (see Figure 1).

<Grip portion 12>
In the moving device 10, the receiving side gripping unit 12A and the delivery side gripping unit 12B have the same configuration except for the mounting positions. Hereinafter, the same parts of the receiving side gripping unit 12A and the delivery side gripping unit 12B will be denoted by the same reference numerals. In addition, in the detailed description, they will be described as the gripping unit 12 as a representative.

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of the gripping portion 12. Figure 6 is an oblique view of the gripping portion 12 with the second arm portion 14 separated from the first arm portion 13. Figure 7 is an oblique view of the gripping portion 12 gripping the first container Cn1.

The gripping portion 12 has a first arm portion 13, a second arm portion 14, and a fastening portion 15. The first arm portion 13 and the second arm portion 14 are long members. The ends of the first arm portion 13 and the second arm portion 14 are connected via the fastening portion 15.

The first arm portion 13 is disposed downstream of the second arm portion 14 in the movement direction Mv1. The end of the first arm portion 13 is fixed to the fastening portion 15. As a result, when viewed from a direction along the rotation axis Rx, the first arm portion 13 is fixed to the fastening portion 15 with its angle relative to the rotation axis Rx being fixed. The first arm portion 13 can be fixed by, for example, screws, adhesive, welding, etc. It is preferable to use a detachable fixing method such as screws in order to allow for removal and attachment for maintenance, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, when viewed from the direction along the rotation axis Rx, the tip of the first arm portion 13 is positioned outside the outer edge of the base 11. The first arm portion 13 has a first contact portion 131 and a second contact portion 132. The first contact portion 131 and the second contact portion 132 are positioned on a surface of the first arm portion 13 that faces the second arm portion 14 on the outer side of the outer edge of the base 11.

When viewed from a direction along the rotation axis Rx, the first contact portion 131 and the second contact portion 132 are linear and intersect at an intersection 130. As shown in FIG. 5, the intersection 130 overlaps with the trajectory Tj of the first container Cn1 of the moving device 10. The first contact portion 131 extends radially outward from the trajectory Tj and is inclined so that the radially outward side approaches the upstream side of the moving direction Mv1. The second contact portion 132 extends radially inward from the trajectory Tj and is inclined so that the radially inward side approaches the upstream side of the moving direction Mv1.

In other words, the first contact portion 131 is inclined so as to approach the second arm portion 14 as it approaches the tip of the first arm portion 13. Also, the second contact portion 132 is inclined so as to approach the second arm portion 14 as it approaches the rotation axis Rx of the first arm portion 13.

As shown in FIG. 1, when viewed from the direction along the rotation axis Rx, the tip of the second arm portion 14 is positioned outside the outer edge of the base 11. As shown in FIG. 1, the second arm portion 14 is positioned upstream of the first arm portion 13 in the movement direction Mv1.

The second arm portion 14 has a third contact portion 141. The third contact portion 141 is disposed on the side surface of the tip of the second arm portion 14 that faces the first arm portion 13 and is located outside the outer edge of the base 11. When viewed from the direction along the rotation axis Rx, the third contact portion 141 is linear.

The end of the second arm portion 14 opposite to the tip is supported by the fastener 15 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis Cx parallel to the pivot axis Rx. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, in the moving device 10, the first arm portion 13 and the second arm portion 14 are attached to a common fastener 15, and only the second arm portion 14 is supported so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis Cx. However, this is not limited to this, and the first arm portion 13 and the second arm portion 14 may be attached at different positions.

The second arm unit 14 is rotated around the rotation axis Cx by the gripper drive unit 102 that receives instructions from the control unit 50. The gripper drive unit 102 has a configuration including, for example, a motor, a reducer, etc., and rotates the second arm unit 14 around the rotation axis Cx based on instructions from the control unit 50. The second arm unit 14 rotates around the rotation axis Cx, thereby moving closer to or away from the first arm unit 13.

The gripper drive unit 102 moves the fastener 15 in the vertical direction based on instructions from the control unit 50. Note that in this embodiment, the fastener 15 is movable up and down, but this is not limited to this. For example, the base 11 may be configured to move up and down. By allowing the fastener 15 of the receiving gripper 12A and the fastener 15 of the transferring gripper 12B to be independently movable up and down, it is possible to accommodate configurations in which the heights of the receiving unit 24 and transferring unit 25 are different from those of the processing unit 41.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the second arm portion 14 is separated from the first arm portion 13, the gripper drive portion 102 moves the fastening portion 15 downward, thereby positioning the first container Cn1 between the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141.

In this state, the gripper drive unit 102 rotates the second arm unit 14 toward the first arm unit 13. As a result, the outer peripheral surface of the first container Cn1 is pressed against the third contact unit 141. The first container Cn1 is then gripped by the first contact unit 131, the second contact unit 132, and the third contact unit 141 (see Figures 5 and 7). When viewed from the direction along the pivot axis Rx, the gripper 12 grips the side surface of the first container Cn1 at three points.

When viewed from the direction along the rotation axis Rx, the bisector 135 of the angle including the intersection 130 between the first contact portion 131 and the second contact portion 132 coincides with the tangent Tj1 at the intersection of the trajectory Tj (see FIG. 5). The intersection 130 moves on the trajectory Tj when the base 11 rotates. With this configuration, when the first container Cn1 is gripped and the base 11 is moved in the return direction Mv2, the first contact portion 131 and the second contact portion 132 apply force evenly to the first container Cn1. This makes it difficult for excessive force to be applied to the first container Cn1.

As described above, even if the outer diameter of the first container Cn1 changes, the bisector 135 at the intersection 130 of the first contact portion 131 and the second contact portion 132 coincides with the tangent Tj1 at the intersection 130. As a result, by rotating the second arm portion 14 in the direction of the rotation axis Rx, the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141 can be accurately brought into contact with the outer surface of the first container Cn1 even if the outer diameter of the first container Cn1 changes. As a result, even if the outer diameter of the first container Cn1 changes, it is possible to prevent excessive force from acting on the first container Cn1 when gripping it with the gripping portion 12. As a result, it is possible to prevent the first container Cn1 from being deformed or damaged. The same applies when the outer diameter of the upper tube portion Cn25 of the second container Cn2 changes.

The first contact portion 131 and the second contact portion 132 of the receiving side gripping portion 12A and the first contact portion 131 and the second contact portion 132 of the delivery side gripping portion 12B both have the above-mentioned configuration.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the first arm portion 13 has a first recess 133 on the side facing the second arm portion 14. In other words, a cross section of the first arm portion 13 cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is C-shaped with the first recess 133 recessed toward the downstream side in the moving direction Mv1.

The first contact portion 131 and the second contact portion 132 are divided into two sections, upper and lower, by the first recess 133. If necessary, the upper and lower parts of the first contact portion 131 are referred to as the first upper contact portion 131u and the first lower contact portion 131d, respectively. In addition, the upper and lower parts of the second contact portion 132 are referred to as the second upper contact portion 132u and the second lower contact portion 132d, respectively.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the second arm portion 14 has a second recess 142 on the side facing the first arm portion 13. That is, a cross section of the second arm portion 14 cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is C-shaped with the second recess 142 recessed toward the upstream side of the moving direction Mv1. In other words, the third contact portion 141 is divided into two sections, an upper section and an lower section. If necessary, the upper and lower sections of the third contact portion 141 are referred to as the third upper contact portion 141u and the third lower contact portion 141d.

When the first container Cn1 is gripped by the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141, the first upper contact portion 131u and the first lower contact portion 131d of the first contact portion 131 come into contact with the side surface of the first container Cn1. In other words, the first contact portion 131 comes into contact with the first container Cn1 at two points vertically spaced apart from one another at one point in the circumferential direction.

The second upper contact portion 132u and the second lower contact portion 132d of the second contact portion 132 contact the side surface of the first container Cn1. In other words, the second contact portion 132 contacts the first container Cn1 at two points vertically spaced apart from one another at one point in the circumferential direction.

Furthermore, the third upper contact portion 141u and the third lower contact portion 141d of the third contact portion 141 contact the side surface of the first container Cn1. In other words, the third contact portion 141 contacts the first container Cn1 at two points vertically separated from each other at one point in the circumferential direction.

When the first container Cn1 is gripped by the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141, the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141 are in contact at two locations, one above the other. Therefore, vertical and horizontal movement of the first container Cn1 gripped by the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141 is suppressed. Therefore, the gripping portion 12 can grip the first container Cn1 stably. Therefore, the moving device 10 can increase the movement speed of the first container Cn1 gripped by the gripping portion 12.

The gripper drive unit 102 continues to bias the second arm unit 14 to rotate in a direction approaching the first arm unit 13. This allows the gripper unit 12 to continue gripping the first container Cn1 with the first contact unit 131, the second contact unit 132, and the third contact unit 141. In this state, the base 11 rotates in the movement direction Mv1, causing the first container Cn1 to move in the movement direction Mv1.

The first container Cn1 is held by the frictional force between the outer surface of the first container Cn1 and the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141. Therefore, the weight of the first container Cn1 is such that the frictional force is greater than gravity.

The surfaces of the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141 that come into contact with the first container Cn1 may be formed of a material with high friction, such as rubber or resin. In this way, the first container Cn1 can be held more firmly. As a result, even if the moving speed of the first container Cn1 by the moving device 10 increases, the first container Cn1 is less likely to shift or shake. In other words, the moving device 10 can increase the moving speed of the first container Cn1 gripped by the gripping portion 12.

Next, the gripping of the second container Cn2 by the gripping portion 12 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the gripping portion 12 gripping the second container Cn2. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the length of the upper tube portion Cn25 of the second container Cn2 in the vertical direction is short. Therefore, the upper tube portion Cn25 cannot be gripped by the first upper contact portion 131u and the first lower contact portion 131d.

Therefore, when the gripping portion 12 grips the second container Cn2, the flange portion Cn24 is accommodated in the first recess 133 of the first arm portion 13 and the second recess 142 of the second arm portion 14. In this manner, the lower surface of the flange portion Cn24 is supported by the lower end of the inner surface of the first recess 133 of the first arm portion 13 and the lower end of the inner surface of the second recess 142 of the second arm portion 14. Here, the lower end of the inner surface of the first recess 133 and the lower end of the inner surface of the second recess 142 are at the same position in the up-down direction. Therefore, when the lower surface of the flange portion Cn24 is supported by the lower end of the first recess 133 and the lower end of the second recess 142, the axis of the second container Cn2 does not wobble. Then, by bringing the second arm portion 14 closer to the first arm portion 13, the first lower contact portion 131d, the second lower contact portion 132d, and the third lower contact portion 141d come into contact with the side surface of the upper cylinder portion Cn25.

As described above, the lower surface of the flange portion Cn24 of the second container Cn2 is supported from below by the first recess 133 and the second recess 142, and the upper tube portion Cn25 of the second container Cn2 is supported horizontally by the first lower contact portion 131d, the second lower contact portion 132d, and the third lower contact portion 141d. By supporting the second container Cn2 in this manner, the gripping portion 12 can suppress the vertical and horizontal movement of the second container Cn2 and can grip it stably. Furthermore, even when the second container Cn2 is empty, a force acts downward due to its own weight. Therefore, even when the gripping portion 12 moves in the movement direction Mv1, the second container Cn2 is less likely to shift or shake.

In other words, in the moving device 10 of this embodiment, even if the cylindrical container has a short outer diameter, if the container has a flange portion Cn24, the flange portion Cn24 can be stably held by accommodating the flange portion Cn24 in the first recess 133 and the second recess 142.

As described above, the gripping portion 12 can grip the syringe-type first container Cn1 and the vial-type second container Cn2 without changing the shapes of the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141.

Next, the movement of the first container Cn1 by the moving device 10 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 9 is a schematic layout diagram of the moving device 10 at the first position P1. FIG. 10 is a schematic layout diagram showing the state in which the receiving side gripping unit 12A and the delivery side gripping unit 12B grip the first container Cn1. FIG. 11 is a schematic layout diagram of the moving device 10 at the second position P2. FIG. 12 is a schematic layout diagram showing the state in which the receiving side gripping unit 12A and the delivery side gripping unit 12B have handed over the first container Cn1. Here, the position of the base 11 when the receiving side gripping unit 12A is in a position where it can grip the first container Cn1 at the receiving unit 24 is defined as the first position P1, and the position of the base 11 when the receiving side gripping unit 12A is in a position where it can place the first container Cn1 in the processing unit 41 is defined as the second position P2.

First, the positions of the moving device 10 and the processing device 40 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the intersection 130 of the receiving side gripping section 12A and the intersection 130 of the delivery side gripping section 12B are located at a central angle δ about the rotation axis Rx. The central angle δ is half the central angle θ, i.e., θ/2.

As described above, the receiving side gripping portion 12A and the delivery side gripping portion 12B are positioned in the first position P1 with the fasteners 15 on which they are arranged facing upward (see FIG. 9). At this time, the receiving side gripping portion 12A is positioned above the first container Cn1 contained in the first storage case 31 placed on the transport tray 22 that has been moved to the receiving portion 24. In addition, the delivery side gripping portion 12B is positioned above the first container Cn1 in the processing portion 41.

Then, with the second arm 14 separated from the first arm 13 by the gripper drive unit 102, both fasteners 15 are moved downward. As a result, the first container Cn1 stored in the first storage case 31 placed on the transport tray 22 that has moved to the receiving unit 24 is placed between the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141 of the receiving side gripper 12A. Similarly, the first container Cn1 stored in the first storage case 31 placed on the transport tray 22 that has moved to the processing unit is placed between the first contact portion 131, the second contact portion 132, and the third contact portion 141 of the delivery side gripper 12B.

Then, the gripper drive unit 102 moves the second arm unit 14 of the receiving gripper unit 12A and the delivery gripper unit 12B so that they approach the first arm unit 13. As a result, the receiving gripper unit 12A grips the first container Cn1 with the receiving unit 24. At the same time, the delivery gripper unit 12B grips the first container Cn1 with the processing unit 41 (see FIG. 10).

Then, the gripper drive unit 102 raises both fasteners 15. This causes the first container Cn1 to be removed from the first storage case 31 placed on the transport tray 22 of the receiving unit 24. Similarly, the first container Cn1 is removed from the processing unit 41. The transport tray 22 on which the first storage case 31 from which the first container Cn1 has been removed is placed at the receiving unit 24 is transported in the transport direction Tr1 along the transport rail 21. The transport tray 22 then moves to the delivery unit 25.

In this embodiment, a linear motor mechanism is used as the drive mechanism 23, so that the transport trays 22 can be individually controlled to move and stopped at any desired location. In other words, the linear motor mechanism used in the work device 100 makes it easy to stop the transport trays 22 and transfer the first container Cn1.

Then, the swivel drive unit 101 moves the base 11 in the movement direction Mv1, and moves the base 11 to the second position P2. As a result, the first container Cn1 held by the receiving side gripper 12A moves above the processing unit 41, and the first container Cn1 held by the delivery side gripper 12B moves above the first storage case 31 placed on the transport tray 22 that has moved to the delivery unit 25 (see FIG. 11).

Then, the gripper drive unit 102 moves the fastening unit 15 downward, and moves the second arm unit 14 of the receiving gripper unit 12A and the delivery gripper unit 12B away from the first arm unit 13. This allows the first container Cn1 to be stored in the first storage case 31 placed on the transport tray 22 that has moved to the processing unit 41 and the delivery unit 25 (see FIG. 12).

Then, the gripper driver 102 moves both fasteners 15 upward, and the swivel driver 101 moves the base 11 in the return direction Mv2, moving the base 11 to the first position P1.

Here, the movement of the first container Cn1 is explained as an example, but the same operations can be performed when moving the second container Cn2.

In the above configuration, an example was described in which there is one processing section 41 between the receiving section 24 and the delivery section 25, but there may be cases in which multiple (n) processing sections 41 are arranged. In this case, it is sufficient to configure so that δ = θ/(n + 1).

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this content. Furthermore, various modifications can be made to the embodiment of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Working device 101 Swivel drive section 102 Gripper drive section 10 Moving device 11 Base 12 Gripper 12A Receiving side gripper 12B Delivery side gripper 13 First arm section 14 Second arm section 15 Section 20 Transport device 21 Transport rail 22 Transport tray 23 Drive mechanism 24 Receiving section 25 Delivery section 31 First storage case 32 Second storage case 40 Processing device 41 Processing section 42 Filling section 50 Control section 51 Arithmetic circuit 52 Memory circuit 111 Top surface 130 Intersection 131 First contact section 131d First lower contact section 131u First upper contact section 132 Second contact section 132d Second lower contact section 132u Second upper contact section 133 First recess 135 Bisector 141 Third contact portion 141d Third lower contact portion 141u Third upper contact portion 142 Second recess 211 First straight rail portion 212 Second straight rail portion 213 Curved rail portion 221 Bottom portion 222 Side wall portion 310 Bottom portion 311 Cylindrical portion 312 Inclined surface 313 Storage recess 314 Slit 320 Bottom portion 321 Cylindrical portion 322 Storage recess 323 Slit Cn1 First container Cn11 Opening Cn2 Second container Cn21 Opening Cn22 Lower cylinder portion Cn23 Constricted portion Cn24 Flange portion Cn25 Upper cylinder portion

Claims (12)

A moving device that grips a cylindrical first container or a second container having a flange portion at an upper end and moves the first container or the second container ,
A base that can rotate around a vertically extending rotation axis;
a gripping portion attached to the base and configured to grip the container;
The gripping portion is
a first arm portion having a first contact portion and a second contact portion that are arranged to maintain a constant position with respect to the pivot shaft when viewed from a direction along the pivot shaft and that come into contact with the container;
a second arm portion that is movable toward and away from the first arm portion and has a third contact portion that contacts the container,
the first contact portion and the second contact portion have a first recess in a vertical intermediate portion, the first recess being recessed in a direction away from the second arm portion and capable of accommodating a part of the flange portion ;
the third contact portion has a second recess in a vertical intermediate portion, the second recess being recessed in a direction away from the first arm portion and capable of accommodating a part of the flange portion ;
A moving device in which at least a lower end of the first recess and a lower end of the second recess are positioned at the same vertical position. The moving device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion form a V-shaped recess in the center portion in a direction away from the second arm portion when viewed from the direction along the pivot axis. The moving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second arm is supported on the base so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to the pivot axis. The moving device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gripping part is movable in the vertical direction. A work device that performs a predetermined work on a container,
A moving device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A storage case capable of storing the container;
A conveying device that conveys the storage case;
a processing device for performing a process on the container,
The conveying device is
a receiving section for receiving the container housed in the container case by the moving device;
a transfer unit that transfers the container from the moving device to the storage case,
The receiving section, the processing device, and the transfer section are a work device that overlaps with the container moving on an arc centered on the pivot axis. the processing device is disposed at the center of an arc that connects the transfer unit and the receiving unit and has the rotation axis as its center;
Two gripping parts are attached to the base,
The working device according to claim 5 , wherein a central angle between the first arm portions of each gripping portion and the pivot shaft is half a central angle between the delivery portion and the receiving portion and the pivot shaft is half the ... A moving device that grips a container and moves the container,
A base that can rotate around a vertically extending rotation axis;
a gripping portion attached to the base and configured to grip the container;
The gripping portion is
a first arm portion that maintains a constant position with respect to the pivot shaft when viewed from a direction along the pivot shaft;
a second arm portion that is movable in a direction approaching or moving away from the first arm portion,
The first arm portion has a side surface facing the second arm portion,
a first contact portion that is inclined toward the second arm portion toward the tip;
a second contact portion inclined toward the second arm portion as it approaches the pivot axis,
The first contact portion and the second contact portion form a concave shape when viewed from a direction along the pivot shaft,
the second arm portion has a third contact portion on a side surface on the first arm portion side, the third contact portion facing the first contact portion and the second contact portion;
the gripping portion grips the container by the second arm portion moving and the first contact portion, the second contact portion, and the third contact portion contacting a side surface of the container;
The first contact portion and the second contact portion are both flat, and the first contact portion and the second contact portion form a V-shaped recess when viewed from a direction along the pivot axis,
When viewed from a direction along the pivot axis, an intersection between the first contact portion and the second contact portion is disposed on an arc centered on the pivot axis and moves on the arc in accordance with the rotation of the base;
a bisector of an angle between the first contact portion and the second contact portion at the intersection when viewed from a direction along the pivot axis is perpendicular to a straight line connecting the pivot axis and the intersection . The moving device according to claim 7, wherein the second arm is supported on the base so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to the pivot axis. The moving device according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the gripping part is movable in the vertical direction. The moving device according to claim 7 , wherein the first arm portion is disposed downstream of the second arm portion in a moving direction in which the container is moved. A work device that performs a predetermined work on a container,
A moving device according to any one of claims 7 to 10 ;
A storage case capable of storing the container;
A conveying device for conveying the storage case;
A processing device including a processing unit that performs processing on the container,
The conveying device is
a receiving section for receiving the container housed in the container case by the moving device;
a transfer unit that transfers the container from the moving device to the storage case,
The receiving portion, the processing portion, and the transfer portion are arranged on an arc centered on the pivot axis of the working device. The processing section is disposed at the center of an arc that connects the receiving section and the delivery section and has the rotation axis as its center,
Two gripping parts are attached to the base,
12. The working device according to claim 11, wherein a central angle formed by an intersection of the first contact portion and the second contact portion of the first arm portion of each gripping portion about the pivot axis is half a central angle formed by the receiving portion and the transferring portion about the pivot axis.

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