JPH0747413B2 - Article extrusion equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is for grouping a predetermined number of articles such as containers conveyed on a conveyor, and extruding the articles in an aligned state from the conveyor to supply them to the next step. Product extrusion equipment, especially suitable for orthogonal to the extrusion direction or the convey direction of the conveyor, improved so that it can handle articles with different outer shapes such as bottles with different barrel diameters without any problems The present invention relates to an article extrusion device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An article extruding apparatus has been widely used for various bottling lines, packaging lines and the like, and various devices have been devised so that a smooth extruding operation can be obtained (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-62). -153017 gazette).

[0003]

However, the conventional article extruding apparatus has no countermeasure against the case where there is a gap in the extruding direction between the articles to be targeted and the case where articles having different outer shapes such as a barrel diameter are handled. It wasn't enough. Therefore, for example, in multi-row transportation in which there is a constant gap between rows of articles, when pushing out articles orthogonal to the direction of conveyance or when switching target articles to different types of barrel diameter, the articles are pushed. The spacing between the pushing plates for ejecting does not match, and a gap is created between each article and the pushing plate, causing trouble such as falling,
Furthermore, there is a drawback that the range of the cylinder diameter that can be dealt with is narrowed to reduce flexibility. In view of such circumstances, the present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and is suitable when the extrusion direction is orthogonal to the transport direction, and corresponds to the case where an article having a different outer diameter such as a barrel diameter is handled without any trouble. It is an object of the present invention to provide an article extrusion apparatus that is improved so that it is possible.

[0004]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in a first aspect of the present invention, a predetermined number of articles conveyed to a grouping zone of a conveyor are conveyed in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the conveyor. In a plurality of pushing plates to be pushed out, and a supporting frame body that supports the pushing plates and is driven in the front-back and up-down directions, the pushing plate is used as the supporting frame body. The guide member disposed between the lanes of the grouping zone of the conveyor is movably supported by the mounted supporting shaft portion and protrudes above the conveyance surface during conveyance, and descends below the conveyance surface during extrusion of the article. In the pushing stroke of the article, the spacing between the pushing plates is reduced to a spacing suitable for the article to be in a supporting state and then pushed out. The technical means of providing an interval adjusting mechanism for returning to an interval that coincides with the interval between the guide members is adopted, and in the invention according to claim 2, the pushing plates are relatively connected to each other via the connecting member. A technical means is adopted in which the gap between the respective pushing plates during the pushing stroke and the returning stroke is regulated by connecting them in the state where a predetermined play that can be moved is provided.

[0005]

According to the present invention, by adopting this technical means, the gap between the article and the pushing plate is absorbed during the pushing stroke for pushing the article, and it is intended for different articles having different outer shapes such as a barrel diameter. Even in such a case, since the article is always pushed while being in contact with and supported by the respective pushing plates, troubles such as falling due to the gap between them are eliminated, and a smooth pushing operation can be obtained. On the other hand, during the return stroke, regardless of the interval during the pushing stroke, it always matches the interval between the guide members of the conveyor. In this case, when the pressing plates are connected to each other by providing a predetermined play by the connecting member, the distance between the pressing plates at the time of the push stroke and the return stroke may be set depending on the way the play is selected. Easy and reliable regulation.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a layout when the present invention is applied to a wrap round caser. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a conveyor constituted by lanes 2 in three rows. An article 3 such as a resin bottle is conveyed on the conveyor 1 and is extruded to the outside of the conveyor 1 by the present article extruding device at the end portion thereof to be a blank. It is configured to be supplied on the sheet 4. In the figure, 5 and 6 are guide members, 7 is a stopper member, and 8 is an end wall member, and a grouping zone 9 is formed between the stopper member 7 and the end wall member 8. The guide member 6 in the grouping zone 9 is configured to repeat the retracting operation with respect to the conveying surface in synchronization with the operation of the main extrusion device, and at the same time, the stopper member 7 also performs the same operation and timing. The stop operation is also repeated. Further, the terminal wall member 8 is configured so that the set position can be adjusted according to the external dimensions of the article 3 and the number of groupings.
Then, the articles 3 conveyed from the upstream side on the conveyor 1 are grouped into a predetermined number in the grouping zone 9, and are extruded in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction by the article extruding device to be placed on the blank sheet 4. Supplied.

Next, the present device extruding apparatus will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a partial front view showing a supporting relationship of each part of the apparatus in a sectional view. In the figure, 10 is a supporting main body for supporting the respective constituent parts of the present apparatus, and a guide for forward and backward movement installed in the main body of the apparatus (not shown) disposed above the grouping zone 9 of the conveyor 1 along the extrusion direction of the article 3. The article 3 in the grouping zone 9 is pushed by being slidably supported by the shaft 11 and sliding forward and backward on the guide shaft 11 for forward and backward movement by an appropriate drive mechanism. It is configured. Further, an elevating guide shaft 12 is installed in the supporting main body 10, and a supporting frame body 15 that supports the pushing plate 14 is slidably supported via a sliding means 13. In addition, 1 in the figure
6 is a lifting drive cylinder, 17 is an operating rod of the lifting drive cylinder 16 connected to the supporting frame 15, and 18 is a shock absorber for softening the shock at the rising end of the supporting frame 15.

FIG. 3 is a partial side view showing a sectional view of a supporting relationship of the pushing plate 14 with respect to the supporting frame body 15. In FIG. 3, 19 is the pushing plate mounted on the supporting frame body 15. 14 shows a supporting shaft portion of 14, and the supporting shaft portion 1
As shown in FIG. 2, each of the pushing plates 14 other than the rearmost portion is supported by 9 via a slide portion 20 so as to be slidable back and forth. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the space between the push plates 14 is different from each other.
4 are connected to each other by a connecting member 23 through a pin 22 fixed to a pin mounting portion 21 installed on the connector 4.
A knob 24 is screwed onto the. In this case, as shown in the figure,
It is also possible to prevent all the connecting members 23 from falling off with one knob 24. In the figure, 25 is a side support member for preventing sideways falling, which is provided between the rearmost pushing plate 14 and a front pushing member 26 fixed to the supporting frame 15, and 27 is a side supporting member. A front fall prevention member supported by the main body 10 or the support frame 15 and a side fall prevention member 28, which is continuous with the front fall prevention member 27, are provided.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view showing a gap adjusting mechanism between the pushing plates 14. As shown,
An operating rod 31 of a drive cylinder 30 which is a driving means of the pushing plate is connected to the pushing plate 14 at the forefront via a connecting portion 29 so that a driving force is applied. In this case, it is easy to use an air cylinder as the drive cylinder 30, but it is also possible to use a hydraulic cylinder whose output can be adjusted or another drive means. Further, the connecting member 23 connecting the pushing plates 14 to each other is provided with elongated holes 32 that cooperate with the pins 22 to form the play. When the driving cylinder 30 exerts a pressing force on the foremost pushing plate 14 via the connecting portion 29, the foremost pushing plate 14 is biased in the right direction in the figure, The distance between the pushing plates 14 is expanded until the state shown in FIG. 4, that is, all of the pins 22 reach the right end positions of the elongated holes 32 in the figure and stop.
The specific shape and positional relationship of the elongated holes 32 are set so that the intervals between the elongated plates 32 match the intervals between the guide members 6 of the conveyor 1 when the pushing plates 14 are expanded to the maximum extent. I'll do it. Therefore, during the return stroke in which the pressing force acts on the foremost pushing plate 14 by the driving cylinder 30, each pushing plate 14 is moved.
The distance between them will always match the width of each lane 2 of the conveyor 1. On the other hand, by the drive cylinder 30,
During the pushing stroke in which the rearward pulling force acts on the foremost pushing plate 14 via the connecting portion 29, the foremost pushing plate 14 is urged to the left in the figure, The spacing between the pushing plates 14 is reduced to a supporting state in which the pushing plates 14 are in contact with the article 3 interposed therebetween.

Next, a method of operating this embodiment will be described. When a predetermined number, in this case, a total of 12 articles 3 are conveyed in the grouping zone 9 of the conveyor 1 in this case, 4 rows in 3 rows, the respective stopper members 7 project from the conveyance surface to stop the articles 3 behind. , The grouping zone 9
The inner guide member 6 descends below the transport surface. In parallel with this, the supporting main body 10 moves to a position above the grouping zone 9 along the guide shaft 11 for forward and backward movement by a drive mechanism (not shown), and at that position, the supporting frame 15 moves up and down. The driving plate 16 descends to insert the pushing plates 14 between the rows of the articles 3. Then, the process of pushing the article 3, which is the main function of the present apparatus, is performed next. In this pushing stroke, as described above, the driving cylinder 30 exerts a rearward pulling force on the pushing plate 14 at the forefront through the connecting portion 29 so that the pushing plates 14 between the pushing plates 14 are connected to each other. By pushing the article 3 forward by moving the supporting main body 10 forward by the drive mechanism (not shown) with the space reduced to a support state in which the article 3 is interposed therebetween. become. In this case, the pin 22 and the long hole 32
From this relationship, the article 3 is pushed by the predetermined play formed between the pushing plates 14 in a supported state in which the articles 3 are in contact with the pushing plates 14, so that there is a gap between them. Problems such as falls due to this are resolved. During the pushing stroke, the front article 3 already extruded last time is supported by the front-tilting prevention member 27 and the side support member 28, and the bottom portion of the blank sheet 4 is supported by the front pushing member 26. Pushed up. Then, when the pushing stroke is completed, the supporting frame 15 is raised by the elevating drive cylinder 16 and the pushing plates 14 are pulled upward from between the articles 3 to be ready for the next returning stroke. enter. In this return stroke, the supporting body 10 is returned to the position above the grouping zone 9 along the guide shaft 11 for forward / backward movement by the drive mechanism (not shown). The driving cylinder 30 exerts a pressing force on the foremost pushing plate 14 via the connecting portion 29, and the distance between the pushing plates 14 is such that all the pins 22 are the ends of the elongated holes 32. By expanding to the position where it reaches the position and stops, it operates so as to match the distance between them with the distance between the guide members 6, that is, the width of each lane 2 of the conveyor 1. As a result, the preparation for the next work of inserting the pushing plates 14 into the rows of the articles 3 is completed, and the operation of one cycle is completed.

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view showing another embodiment relating to the space adjusting mechanism between the pushing plates 14, and the drive cylinder 3 in the embodiment as a driving means.
In place of 0, the motors 33 are arranged on the supporting frame 15 in correspondence with the respective pushing plates 14, and the rotation angles themselves of these motors are automatically controlled respectively, so that during the pushing stroke and returning. Each pushing plate 14 at the time of stroke
It is characterized in that it is configured to adjust the interval between them. In the figure, 34 is a rack fixed to each pushing plate 14, and 35 is a pinion fixed to the operating shaft of the motor 33 and meshing with the rack 34. In the above description, the case where there are three lanes has been described.
The number of lanes can be set freely. Further, in the adjustment of the interval during the pushing stroke, it is not always necessary for the respective parts to come into exact contact with each other, and even if there is a slight gap that does not hinder, it may be treated as a supported state. In the former embodiment, the rearmost pushing plate 14 is fixed and the foremost pushing plate is driven. However, the middle pushing plate 14 is fixed or all pushing plates are pressed. The moving plate is configured to be movable, and the foremost and rearmost pressing plates 1 are provided.
It is possible to select various modes, such as a configuration in which 4 is driven.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained based on the above constitution. (1) During the pushing stroke of the article, the distance between the pushing plates is adjusted so as to come into contact with the article, so troubles such as falling due to the gap between the article rows are eliminated. Therefore, it is possible to cope with pushing different kinds of articles having different outer shapes such as a body diameter without any trouble, and the applicable range is expanded. (2) Moreover, since the aligned state of the articles after extrusion becomes a good aligned state in which they are almost intimately contacted with each other in the vertical and horizontal directions, that is, in both the transport direction and the extrusion direction, the next step such as box packaging can be carried out as it is. It is extremely effective in terms of work efficiency. (3) On the other hand, during the return stroke, regardless of the distance between the pushing plates during the pushing stroke, the distance between the guide members of the conveyor, that is, the width of each lane, can be always matched. The work of inserting the pushing plate between the rows of articles can be favorably performed. (4) When the pressing plates are connected to each other by providing a predetermined play by the connecting member, the distance between the pressing plates at the time of the push stroke and the return stroke can be set depending on how the play is selected. It can be regulated easily and surely, and its structure is simple and resistant to breakdown.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a layout of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view showing a cross-sectional view of a supporting relationship of each part of the apparatus in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partial side view showing a cross section of a supporting relationship of a pushing plate with a supporting frame body in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view showing a space adjusting mechanism between the respective pushing plates in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view showing another embodiment of the space adjusting mechanism between the pushing plates.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Conveyor, 3 ... Article, 4 ... Blank sheet, 5, 6
... guide member, 7 ... stopper member, 9 ... grouping zone, 10 ... support body, 11 ... forward / backward movement guide shaft, 12
... Elevating guide shaft, 13 ... Sliding means, 14 ... Pushing plate, 15 ... Supporting frame, 16 ... Elevating drive cylinder, 1
9 ... Support shaft, 22 ... Pin, 23 ... Connecting member, 26 ...
Front push member, 27 ... Front fall prevention member, 30 ... Drive cylinder, 32 ... Long hole, 33 ... Motor, 34 ... Rack, 35
… Pinion

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of pushing plates for pushing out a predetermined number of articles conveyed to a grouping zone of a conveyor in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor, and a plurality of pushing plates for supporting the pushing plates and in the front-back and up-down directions. In an article extruding device having a driven supporting frame, the pushing plate is movably supported on a supporting shaft portion mounted on the supporting frame, and between the lanes of a grouping zone of the conveyor. The guide member disposed in the above is configured so as to project onto the transport surface during transport and descend below the transport surface during extrusion of the article, and the spacing between the pushing plates is set to the article during the pushing stroke of the article. It is characterized in that it is provided with an interval adjusting mechanism for reducing the size to a suitable interval to put it in a supporting state and then extruding, and returning to an interval that coincides with the interval between the respective guide members during the return stroke. Article extrusion equipment. 2. The pressing plates are connected through a connecting member in a state where a predetermined play is provided so that they can move relative to each other, so that the pressing plates can be moved during the pressing stroke and the returning stroke. The article extruding device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the motion plates is regulated.