JP7621155B2 - Automatic ribbon tape tying device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic ribbon tape tying device that automatically ties ribbon tapes together using one or more robot mechanisms.

Generally, gift items in a wrapping box are often tied with ribbons. In this case, a strip of ribbon tape is usually required to be wrapped around the wrapping box and tied, and tying the ribbon by hand is tedious and time-consuming, and there is a problem that the finished product may vary. For this reason, ribbon tying devices that use a robot system to tie the ribbon automatically have been proposed.

Conventionally, examples of this type of ribbon tying device include the ribbon hanging device described in Patent Document 1 and the automatic ribbon tying device described in Patent Document 2. The ribbon tying device in the document 1 aims to provide a ribbon tying device that automatically ties a ribbon around a box without relying on human labor and forms a knot with a decorative aesthetic. Specifically, the ribbon tying device ties a ribbon around a box and forms a knot with a ribbon supply unit that supplies the ribbon, a first hand unit that holds the tip of the ribbon, a second hand unit, and a body unit around which the first hand unit temporarily wraps the ribbon, and a third hand unit that transfers the tip of the ribbon from the second hand unit. The first hand unit holds the tip of the ribbon and ties it around the body unit of the third hand unit, the second hand unit passes the tip of the ribbon through a loop that is formed when the ribbon is ties around the box and the body unit of the third hand unit in a drawn-out state, and the third hand unit passes the tip of the ribbon inside the loop after the ribbon is wrapped around the body unit, forming a knot.

The automatic ribbon tying device in the same document 2 relates to a device that automatically ties ribbons, tapes, strings, etc. into bows, etc. Specifically, the device engages a winding ribbon support device consisting of a frame, support, guide, ribbon holding block, and tension, which slides on a track plate installed under the base plate, with a hook installed at the tip of a square shaft to form a triangular loop of the ribbon, and then operates a square shaft with a plate cam installed on the top surface of the base plate, a bifurcated clamp, and a hook plate to cross-insert each tip of the hook plate into the triangular ribbon loop, and then the looper hooks each end of the ribbon relatively to the hook at the tip of the hook plate, and then the hook plate is retracted to tie the ribbon, and then the ribbon is cut by a cutter.

JP 2018-52526 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-42951

However, the conventional automatic ribbon tying devices described above had the following problems:

In other words, conventional ribbon tying devices realize ribbon hanging (ribbon tying) by automating it, and while the functional purpose can be achieved, there are problems in terms of the finished product, since the production process proceeds simply functionally. In particular, with this type of ribbon hanging, how neatly the ribbon can be hung is an important element, but if the production process proceeds simply functionally, as shown in Figure 12, the knot Cr is prone to losing its shape due to wrinkles and twists, and this problem is more likely to occur the wider the ribbon is. In Figure 12, W indicates the packaging box (work) to which the ribbon is to be hung, and R indicates the ribbon tape hung on the work W. The type of knot Cr indicates a true knot As.

In the end, conventional bow tying devices were not of sufficient quality and could not be used for high-end gift items in boxed packaging. There was room for further improvement, particularly in terms of how to improve the quality of the knots to create a beautiful finished product.

The present invention aims to provide an automatic ribbon tape tying device that solves the problems that exist in the background art.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the automatic ribbon tape tying device 1 according to the present invention is a tying device that automatically ties together tape parts Rs, Rt using one or more robot mechanisms M1... to create a predetermined knot C. The device is provided with a correction rod part 2 having a predetermined length, a rod support part 3 that supports the correction rod part 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in a direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and a rod movement mechanism part 4 that movably supports the rod support part 3. When creating the final knot C in the knot-making process, at least the loop part Qr of the tape part Rs that creates the knot C is provided with a correction rod part 2 having a predetermined length, a rod support part 3 that supports the correction rod part 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in a direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and a rod movement mechanism part 4 that supports the rod support part 3 so that it can be moved. The rod portion 2 is inserted, and the outer peripheral surface 2f of the correction rod portion 2 is brought into contact with the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr. The correction rod portion 2 is arranged so that it can follow and displace relative to the loop portion Qr when the knot C is created. A knotting assistance mechanism portion 5 is provided that has the function of detaching the correction rod portion 2 from the loop portion Qr just before the creation of the knot C is completed. In the knot creation process, the pulling direction Fp of the tape portion Rs when creating the knot portion Cos just before creating the final knot C is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm wrapped around the workpiece W.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the final knot C can include at least a knot related to the ribbon knot Ar or the square knot As.

On the other hand, when constructing the knotting assistance mechanism 5, a rod support part 3 is provided that rotatably supports the rear end 2b of the straightening rod part 2 by a rotating part 11, and a biasing means 12 is provided that biases the tip 2s side of the straightening rod part 2 upward. In addition, the straightening rod part 2 can be formed so that at least the outer peripheral surface 2f that abuts against the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop part Qr is curved.

The automatic ribbon tape tying device 1 according to the present invention provides the following significant advantages:

(1) The knot C can be adjusted to the correct shape by the knot assist mechanism 5, effectively eliminating the problem that occurs with conventional automatic knot tying devices, that is, the problem that the shape of the knot C is distorted due to wrinkles and twists that occur when creating the final knot C with the ribbon tape R. This dramatically improves the quality of the knot C created, as well as the finish, and makes it possible to obtain a beautiful knot C with a high-quality feel, which is particularly ideal for use with high-end gift items in packaging boxes.

(2) Since it is sufficient to add the knotting assistance mechanism 5 to an automatic knotting device that has basic knotting functions, it can be implemented easily and at low cost. Moreover, since it can be implemented as an add-on to existing automatic knotting devices, it is possible to increase versatility and expandability from the perspective of implementing the automatic knotting device 1.

(3) When constructing the knot assist mechanism 5, the rod support 3 that supports the straightening rod 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in the direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and the rod movement mechanism 4 that supports the rod support 3 so that it can be moved, are provided, so that the straightening rod 2 can flexibly follow the movement of the loop portion Qr. This ensures a stable and smooth straightening action.

(4) In the knot-making process, the pulling direction Fp of the tape portion Rs when making the knot portion Cos immediately before making the final knot C is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm wrapped around the workpiece W, so the shape (cylindrical shape) of the loop portion Qr for making the final knot C can be made more appropriate. This contributes to further improving the finish and quality of the final knot C.

(5) In a preferred embodiment, when constructing the knot assist mechanism 5, a rod support 3 is provided that rotatably supports the rear end 2b of the straightening rod 2 by a rotating part 11, and a biasing means 12 is provided that biases the tip 2s side of the straightening rod 2 upward. This allows for a relatively simple structure with a small number of parts, thereby improving cost benefits and ensuring stable and smooth operation.

(6) In a preferred embodiment, when forming the straightening rod portion 2, if the outer peripheral surface 2f that contacts at least the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr is formed into a curved surface, the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the straightening rod portion 2 can be made to approximate the shape of the loop portion Qr, making it possible to implement this as a more desirable form.

(7) In a preferred embodiment, the final knot C can include at least a knot related to the ribbon knot Ar or the square knot As, and can accommodate various knotting methods, thereby enhancing versatility and expandability from the perspective of knotting methods.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of an automatic tying device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the automatic tying device, including a ribbon supply unit; FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the automatic tying device, including a knotting assistance mechanism; FIG. 2 is a side view showing the internal structure of the main part of the knotting assist mechanism; FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the knotting assistance mechanism; FIG. 1 is a schematic process diagram seen from a plan view for explaining an automatic tying method using an automatic tying device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Schematic process diagrams for explaining the automatic knotting method as viewed from a planar or side view; FIG. 2 is a schematic process diagram illustrating the automatic knotting method as viewed from an oblique side view; FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a part of the process for explaining the automatic knotting method; 1 is a plan view of a gift item in a packaging box with a perfect knot created by the automatic knot tying method; 1 is a plan view of a gift product in a packaging box with a ribbon knot according to a modified example that can be made by the automatic knotting device; A plan view of a gift item in a box with a ribbon tied around it, produced using a conventional technique;

Next, we will present a preferred embodiment of the present invention and explain it in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the overall schematic configuration of the automatic knotting device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic knotting device 1 comprises an integrated line unit U, an input line 21 in front of the line unit U, and an output line 22 behind the line unit U. As shown in FIG. 2, the line unit U comprises a number of pallets P on which workpieces W are set. The illustrated workpieces W are flat packaging boxes to be ribboned. Meanwhile, the pallets P move according to the shaded arrows. That is, they are moved from the start position Xs, which is the home position, to an intermediate ribbon-tying position Xm by a transport mechanism (not shown), and when ribbon-tying is completed, they are moved to the end position Xe. After this, they are returned to the start position Xs by moving downward, backward, and upward. The pallets P are supplied with power by a non-contact wireless power supply function.

On the left side of the line unit U in the conveying direction (upper side in FIG. 1), a first robot mechanism M1 equipped with an orthogonal actuator having a hand part H1, and a fourth robot mechanism M4 equipped with an orthogonal actuator having a pressing function and a guide function are arranged. In this case, the first robot mechanism M1 has an XYZ axis movement function, and the fourth robot mechanism M4 has an X axis diagonal movement function and a Z axis pressing movement function. In addition, on the right side of the line unit U in the conveying direction (lower side in FIG. 1), a second robot mechanism M2 equipped with an orthogonal actuator having a hand part H2, and a knotting assistance mechanism part 5 according to this embodiment are arranged. In this case, the second robot mechanism M2 has an XYZ axis movement function and a hand rotation function, and the knotting assistance mechanism part 5 has an XYZ axis movement function.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, above the line unit U, there is provided a ribbon supply unit 23 that supplies ribbon tape R, and a third robot mechanism M3 that is equipped with an orthogonal actuator having a hand unit H3. In this case, the ribbon supply unit 23 has an XZ axis movement function and a tape cutter function, and the third robot mechanism M3 has an XZ axis movement function. Note that 25 denotes an apparatus controller that controls the sequence of the entire automatic tying device 1, and is equipped with various controls, various data processing, and further with setting and display functions. The above is the basic configuration of the entire system of the automatic tying device 1.

The knot assist mechanism 5 described above is an additional component of the present invention. The structure and function of the knot assist mechanism 5, which is a key component of the present invention, will be described below with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

The knotting assistance mechanism 5 basically comprises a straightening rod 2 having a predetermined length, a rod support 3 that supports the straightening rod 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in the direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and a rod movement mechanism 4 that supports the rod support 3 so that it can be moved.

As shown in FIG. 4, the correction rod portion 2 is integrally formed or assembled from a metal material or a hard synthetic resin material so that the cross section is circular and the correction rod portion 2 is a straight rod. In this case, the tip of the correction rod portion 2 (rear side with respect to the conveying direction of the workpiece W) is formed in a hemispherical shape. Although the example shows a hemispherical shape, it is desirable to form it in a pointed shape or other shape so that it can be smoothly inserted into the loop portion Qr described later. As a result, at least the outer peripheral surface 2f of the correction rod portion 2 that abuts against the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr is formed into a curved surface. In this way, when forming the correction rod portion 2, if the outer peripheral surface 2f that abuts against the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr is formed into a curved surface, the outer peripheral surface shape of the correction rod portion 2 can be approximated to the shape of the loop portion Qr, and therefore it can be implemented as a more desirable form. In addition, a bearing portion 2c having an axis in the horizontal direction is integrally formed at the rear end 2b of the correction rod portion 2 (the front side in the transport direction of the workpiece W), and a stopper 2x is integrally formed behind this bearing portion 2c.

The rod support 3 also has the function of supporting the straightening rod 2. In the illustrated example, it is configured as a rectangular housing with the bottom and front parts removed, and the horizontal shaft 31 is fixed at a front position inside to rotatably support the bearing 2c of the straightening rod 2. The bearing 2c and the horizontal shaft 31 form the rotating part 11. A spring 12s constituting the biasing means 12 is compressed and interposed between the stopper 2x and the rod support 3. Note that 32 indicates a locking part fixed inside the rod support 3, which is locked to the stopper 2x to restrict the stopper 2x to a horizontal position. As a result, the straightening rod 2 is held in a horizontal position relative to the rod support 3, and the tip 2s side is supported so as to be elastically displaceable downward. In FIG. 4, the straightening rod 2 shown by the imaginary line shows a state in which it is displaced downward (rotationally displaced).

Furthermore, as described above, the rod movement mechanism 4 has the function of moving the correction rod 2 (rod support 3) in the X, Y and Z axis directions, and as shown in Figures 1 and 5, it has a Y-direction movement mechanism 4y that moves the rod support 3 in the Y-axis direction, an X-direction movement mechanism 4x that moves the Y-direction movement mechanism 4y in the X-axis direction, and a Z-direction movement mechanism 4z that moves the X-direction movement mechanism 4x in the Z-axis direction.

In this way, if the knotting assistance mechanism 5 is configured with the rod support 3 that supports the straightening rod 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in the direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and the rod movement mechanism 4 that movably supports the rod support 3, the straightening rod 2 can be flexibly adapted to the movement of the loop portion Qr, ensuring a stable and smooth straightening action. In particular, if the rod support 3 that rotatably supports the rear end 2b of the straightening rod 2 by the rotating part 11 is provided, and a biasing means 12 that biases the tip 2s side of the straightening rod 2 upward is provided, it can be implemented with a relatively simple structure with a small number of parts, which increases the cost benefits and ensures stable and smooth operation.

Next, the automatic tying method that operates the automatic tying device 1 having such a configuration will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10.

The embodiment of the automatic knot tying method illustrates a method for tying the true knot As shown in Figure 10, and mainly describes the knot creation process.

First, the work W brought in from the carry-in line 21 is set on the pallet P at the start position Xs shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this case, the pallet P is equipped with a chuck mechanism Pc at the left end position (the upper end position in Figure 1), and the left end position of the work W is gripped and fixed by this chuck mechanism Pc. The set pallet P (work W) is then sent to the ribbon hanging position Xm near the center of the line unit U.

Meanwhile, the ribbon supply unit 23 shown in FIG. 2 moves toward the carry-in side in the X-axis direction, that is, moves toward the carry-in side relative to the pallet P at the ribbon winding position Xm, as shown in FIG. 6(a). In addition, the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled, and the hand unit H2 grasps the tape portion Rs at the tip side of the ribbon tape R unwound from the ribbon supply unit 23, and winds it once around the workpiece W while unwinding it from the ribbon supply unit 23. This state is shown in FIG. 6(a). The ribbon tape R on the ribbon supply unit 23 side in the vicinity of the ribbon supply unit 23 is referred to as the tape portion Rt.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the first robot mechanism M1 is driven and controlled so that the hand unit H1 grips the tape portion Rs located near the hand unit H2, and once gripped, the hand unit H2 is released from the tape portion Rs. Then, while gripping the tape portion Rs, the hand unit H1 moves in the direction of the arrow F1 shown in FIG. 6(b). Note that when viewed from the side, the area between the tape portions Rs and Rt is inclined at an angle, and a triangular opening is formed, so that the tape portion Rs is wound around the tape portion Rt only once, as shown in FIG. 6(c), and thus the knot portion Cos is created.

After that, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to grip the tip of the tape portion Rs with the hand portion H2, and once gripped, the hand portion H1 of the first robot mechanism M1 is detached from the tape portion Rs. This state is shown in FIG. 7(d). From this state, the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to pull the tip of the tape portion Rs with the hand portion H2. At this time, the pulling direction is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm wrapped around the workpiece W, as shown in FIG. 7(e). This makes it possible to create the knot Cos just before creating the final knot C, which will be described later.

In this way, if the pulling direction Fp of the tape portion Rs when creating the knot portion Cos immediately before creating the final knot C in the knot-making process is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm wrapped around the workpiece W, the shape (cylindrical shape) of the loop portion Qr for creating the final knot C can be made more appropriate, which contributes to further improving the finish and quality of the final knot C.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7(e), the fourth robot mechanism M4 is driven and controlled, and the fourth robot mechanism M4 uses its pressing function to press the created knot Cos from above and fix its position. In this case, the fourth robot mechanism M4 has three pins V1, V2, and V3 at its tip, so the knot Cos can be pressed by the pin V1 located at the bottom. In this state, the ribbon supply unit 23 is moved in the direction of removal relative to the workpiece W. In addition, the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to move the hand unit H2 in the direction of insertion relative to the workpiece W. This state is shown in FIG. 7(f). Note that FIG. 7(f) shows the state when viewed from the side of the workpiece W. At this time, since the fourth robot mechanism M4 has pins V2 and V3 with a guide function, the tape portion Rt unwound from the ribbon supply unit 23 is guided around the pin V2, and the tape portion Rs held by the hand portion H2 of the second robot mechanism M2 is guided around the pin V3. Then, as shown in FIG. 7(f), in this state, the first robot mechanism M1 is driven and controlled to hold the tape portion Rs located near the hand portion H2 with the hand portion H1, and once held, the hand portion H2 is released from the tape portion Rs.

Figures 7(f) and 8(g) show the same state, but are viewed from different angles from the side. This state is just before the final knot C is created using the tape portion Rs on one side and the tape portion Rt on the other side during the knot-making process, so the knot-making assist mechanism 5 is driven and controlled, and the correction rod portion 2 is inserted into the loop portion Qr of the tape portion Rs that will create the knot C. Figures 7(f) and 8(g) show this state. Also, a more specific example of this state, that is, the state viewed from the planar direction, is shown in Figure 9.

On the other hand, when the straightening rod part 2 is inserted into the loop part Qr, the outer peripheral surface 2f of the straightening rod part 2 is brought into contact with the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop part Qr. In addition, due to the structure of the knotting assistance mechanism part 5 shown in the embodiment, in this state, the straightening rod part 2 is elastically displaced downward with respect to the creation of the knot C, and displaces in response to the creation of the knot C. In other words, when creating the final knot C in the knotting process, the straightening rod part 2 is inserted at least into the loop part Qr of the tape part Rs where the knot C is created, and the outer peripheral surface 2f of the straightening rod part 2 is brought into contact with the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop part Qr, and the straightening rod part 2 is arranged so that it can displace in response to the creation of the knot C.

After that, as shown in FIG. 8(g), the first robot mechanism M1 is driven and controlled to move the tape portion Rs held by the hand unit H1 in the direction of the arrow F2. As a result, the state of FIG. 8(h) is reached, where the tape portion Rs on one side is wound around the tape portion Rt on the other side only once. Then, as shown in FIG. 8(h), the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to hold the tip of the tape portion Rs with the hand unit H2, and once held, the hand unit H1 of the first robot mechanism M1 is detached from the tape portion Rs. Next, the second robot mechanism M2 and the ribbon supply unit 23 are moved to their respective preset positions. In this case, they are moved in directions away from each other at moving speeds set to appropriate speeds. As a result, the diameter of the loop portion Qr gradually becomes smaller, so that the pins V2 and V3 are retracted at appropriate timing along the way to detach the loop portion Qr from the loop portion Qr (see FIG. 8(i)). Furthermore, when the loop portion Qr becomes smaller, the correction rod portion 2 follows and gradually elastically displaces downward as shown in FIG. 8(i). This state is shown in FIG. 8(i). Then, when the loop portion Qr becomes even smaller and the creation of the knot C is about to be completed, the correction rod portion 2 is detached from the loop portion Qr.

This makes it possible to obtain the ribbon-tied workpiece W shown in Figure 10. The example workpiece W is a gift item in a wrapping box, and a beautiful knot C without wrinkles or twists, that is, a knot C made using a perfect knot As, can be created.

The above shows an example of a method for creating a knot C using a square knot As. However, the automatic tying device 1 according to this embodiment can also create a ribbon knot Ar as shown in FIG. 11. In this case, the third robot mechanism M3, which is not used in the case of a square knot As, can be combined to perform the same operation. In this way, the final knot C can include at least a knot related to a ribbon knot Ar or a square knot As. The automatic ribbon tape tying method according to this embodiment can be adapted to various tying methods, and can increase versatility and expandability from the perspective of tying methods. In FIG. 11, the same parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 9 are given the same reference numerals to clarify the configuration, and detailed explanations are omitted.

Therefore, according to the automatic ribbon tape tying device 1 of this embodiment, as a basic method, when constructing a tying device that automatically ties the tape parts Rs, Rt together using one or more robot mechanisms M1... to create a predetermined knot C, the device is provided with a correction rod part 2 having a predetermined length, a rod support part 3 that supports the correction rod part 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in the direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and a rod movement mechanism part 4 that supports the rod support part 3 so that it can be moved, and when creating the final knot C during the knot creation process, the correction rod part 2 is inserted at least into the loop part Qr of the tape part Rs that creates the knot C, The outer peripheral surface 2f of the straightening rod portion 2 is abutted against the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr, and the straightening rod portion 2 is arranged so that it can follow and displace relative to the loop portion Qr when the knot C is made. A knotting assistance mechanism 5 is provided that has the function of detaching the straightening rod portion 2 from the loop portion Qr just before the knot C is made. In the knot making process, the pulling direction Fp of the tape portion Rs when making the knot portion Cos just before making the final knot C is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm wrapped around the workpiece W, so that the knot C can be corrected to the appropriate shape by the knotting assistance mechanism 5.

This effectively solves the problem that occurs with conventional automatic knot tying devices, that is, the problem that the shape of the knot C is distorted due to wrinkles and twists that occur when creating the final knot C with the ribbon tape R. This dramatically improves the quality of the knot C created, as well as the finish, and makes it possible to obtain a beautiful knot C with an excellent sense of high quality, which is particularly ideal for use with high-end gift items in packaging boxes. Moreover, since it is only necessary to add the knot assist mechanism unit 5 to an automatic knot tying device that has basic creation functions, it can be implemented easily and at low cost. Moreover, since it can be implemented as an add-on to existing automatic knot tying devices, it is possible to increase versatility and expandability from the perspective of implementing the automatic knot tying device 1.

The above describes in detail preferred embodiments, including modified examples, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and the detailed configuration, shape, material, quantity, numerical values, etc. can be changed, added, or deleted as desired without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the embodiment illustrates an automatic tying device 1 equipped with four robot mechanisms M1, M2, M3, and M4, but the robot mechanism may be a single high-performance robot mechanism, or any number of robot mechanisms of two or more may be combined. In addition, the knot C may include at least a knot C related to a ribbon knot Ar or a true knot As, but various tying methods having a similar knot C can be applied. On the other hand, in the knot making process, it is desirable to select the pulling direction Fp of the tape part Rs when making the knot part Cos just before making the final knot C to be perpendicular to the tape part Rm hung on the work W, but this is not an essential component. In addition, it is desirable to form the outer peripheral surface 2f of the correction rod part 2, which contacts the back surface Ci of the part of the knot C in at least the loop part Qr, into a curved surface, but this is not an essential component. Furthermore, in constructing the knot assist mechanism 5, a rod support part 3 is provided that rotatably supports the rear end 2b of the straightening rod part 2 by a rotating part 11, but this can be replaced with another structure that has the same function and operates in the same way, such as the straightening rod part 2 moving downward in parallel while remaining horizontal.

The automatic ribbon tape tying device of the present invention can be used to automatically tie ribbons in various ways using a robot mechanism on various packaged boxed products, etc.

1: Automatic knotting device, 2: Straightening rod part, 2f: Outer surface of straightening rod part, 2b: Rear end of straightening rod part, 2s: Front end of straightening rod part, 2f: Outer surface of straightening rod part, 3: Rod support part, 4: Rod movement mechanism part, 5: Knotting assistance mechanism part, 11: Rotation part, 12: Pressing means, Rs: Tape part, Rt: Tape part, Rm: Tape part, M1: Robot mechanism, M2: Robot mechanism, M3...: Robot mechanism, C: Knot, Ci: Back side of knot part in loop part, Cos: Knot part, Fs: Right angle direction, Fp: Pull direction, Qr: Loop part, Ar: Ribbon knot, As: True knot, W: Workpiece

Claims (4)

An automatic ribbon tape tying device that uses one or more robot mechanisms to automatically tie tape parts together to create a specified knot, the device comprises a correction rod part having a specified length, a rod support part that supports the correction rod part so that it can be elastically displaced in a direction perpendicular to the axis, and a rod movement mechanism part that movably supports the rod support part, and when creating the final knot in the knot-making process, the correction rod part is inserted at least into the loop part of the tape part where the knot is to be created, and the outer peripheral surface of the correction rod part is abutted against the back surface of the knot part in the loop part, and the correction rod part is arranged so that it can be displaced following the loop part when the knot is created, and a knot-making assistant mechanism part is provided that has the function of releasing the correction rod part from the loop part just before the knot is created, and in the knot-making process, the pulling direction of the tape part when creating the knot just before the final knot is created is selected to be perpendicular to the tape part hung on the work. The automatic ribbon tape tying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the knotting assistance mechanism includes a rod support section that rotatably supports the rear end of the straightening rod section by a rotating section, and a biasing means that biases the tip side of the straightening rod section upward. The automatic ribbon tape tying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the correction rod portion is formed with a curved outer periphery that abuts against the back surface of the knot in at least the loop portion. The automatic ribbon tape tying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the final knot includes at least a knot related to a ribbon knot or a square knot.

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