JPH0767937B2 - Parallel alignment device for rod-shaped articles - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to bar-shaped articles such as disposable chopsticks that are aligned in parallel so that a juxtaposed body of bar-shaped articles can be easily packaged in a bag.

[Conventional technology and problems]

For example, as shown in the first illustration, the stick-shaped article 1 relating to disposable chopsticks is
It is known that the disposable chopsticks 3 are inserted and stored in the sheath bag 2. However, when the disposable chopsticks 3 are sold, a predetermined number of rod-shaped articles 1 are overlapped in the width direction and aligned in parallel to each other. It is housed and packaged in a bag body 5 made of a plastic film or the like. When the unit of the number of rod-shaped articles 1 to be sold increases, a plurality of (for example, 10) rod-shaped articles 1 arranged side by side in the width direction are treated as one unit of the alignment body 4 and several units (see the example in the figure). Then, the parallel body 4 of 2 units) is stacked in the upper and lower sides and packaged by the bag body 5.

By the way, conventionally, when performing such packaging, the rod-shaped articles 1 are manually placed on a work table, and the rod-shaped articles 1 are overlapped one by one as described above and aligned in the width direction. They were stored in a packaging bag while being held so that they would not collapse, all of which were done by hand. Therefore, the work is extremely inefficient, the productivity cannot be improved, and there is a problem in that a skilled worker is required.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The present invention provides a parallel aligning device for stick-shaped articles which solves the above-mentioned problems, and after transporting one stick-shaped article such as disposable chopsticks,
In the case where all the steps up to the final packaging in a bag as a parallel body are automated, it is possible to automate the step of aligning and aligning to align the rod-shaped articles with the aligned body.

Therefore, the present invention is configured as a means thereof, that is, a transport path for transporting a rod-shaped article, a drop path for dropping the rod-shaped article from the transport path, a support for the dropped rod-shaped article, and a longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped article. And a transfer path for transferring the rod-shaped article intermittently in a width direction by a movement amount that does not exceed the width dimension; the drop path includes the drop path. While blocking
The point is that a posture control means for supporting the falling rod-like article substantially horizontally and then retracting it from the dropping path is provided.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following examples, a bar-shaped article 1 such as disposable chopsticks is conveyed to one piece, and then a parallel aligning device for forming a parallel body 4 in which a predetermined number of the bar-shaped articles 1 are arranged in parallel, and the parallel body 4 is wrapped in a bag body 5. 1 is a device for automatically packaging the rod-shaped article 1 in the bag body 5 from the beginning to the end.

(Parallel Aligning Device) In FIG. 2, a parallel aligning device for rod-shaped articles comprises a transport path 6 for transporting the rod-shaped article 1, a drop path 7 for dropping the rod-shaped article 1 from the transport path 6, and a dropped rod-shaped article. It is provided with a transfer path 8 that supports 1 and transfers the rod-shaped article 1 in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction, and a work table 9 that faces the end of the transfer path 8.

The transport path 6 constitutes a belt conveyor device 6a, and a worker places the rod-shaped articles 1 on the conveyor device 6a one by one, so that the rod-shaped articles are dropped in a falling path 7 as indicated by an arrow.
Carry to. A partition plate 10 that defines the drop path 7 is provided at the end of the transport path 6.

The fall path 7 is provided with a posture control means 11 that blocks the fall path and supports the falling rod-shaped article 1 substantially horizontally and then withdraws from the drop path 7. The attitude control means 11 includes a rod 13 inserted into a base frame 12 facing the end of the conveyor device 6a, and a cylinder device 14 for driving the rod 13 forward and backward, and a cylinder device 14 by a movement control means 15 described later. Is driven. The base frame 12 has a guide plate.
16 are connected to guide the rod-shaped article 1 dropped in the dropping path 7 so as to be guided onto the rod 13.

The transfer path 8 constitutes a belt conveyor device 18 driven by a drive means 17 composed of a servomotor, and is intermittently fed by a movement control means 15 described later.

The movement control means 15 includes a sensor 19 provided facing the fall path 7, a microcomputer 22 for inputting a signal from the sensor 19 to an input port 20 and issuing a predetermined control signal from an output port 21, and a control signal for the microcomputer 22. A servo mechanism including a converter 23 that performs D / A conversion of the signal and a drive unit 24 that operates in response to this signal. The sensor 15 constitutes a detecting means 25 which detects that the rod-shaped article 1 falls in the drop path 7 and outputs a detection signal. Further, the microcomputer 22 constitutes a counter means 26 which counts the number of the rod-shaped articles 1 detected and outputs a count signal in a state of counting a predetermined number.

Thus, the movement control means 15 causes the drive source of the cylinder device 14 to drive the cylinder device 14 upon receiving a detection signal from the sensor 19. That is, the cylinder device 14
The drive source is driven to retract the rod 13 from the fall path 7, and after the retract, the rod 13 is immediately returned to the original position and the fall path 7 is shut off. Although not shown in the figure, a plurality of rods 13 are arranged in parallel and support the falling rod-shaped article 1 in a substantially horizontal direction, and by retracting from the drop path 7 immediately after the support, the posture of the rod-shaped article 1 And land on the transfer path 8.

Further, the movement control means 15 receives the detection signal of the sensor 19 with respect to the servomotor 17 of the belt conveyor device 18 in the transfer path 8 and moves the conveyor device 18 so as not to exceed the lateral width dimension of the rod-shaped article 1. While moving intermittently by the amount S (FIG. 3), the conveyor device 18 receives the above-mentioned count signal and is a moving amount L (FIG. 2) that exceeds the lateral width dimension of the rod-shaped article 1 by the moving means 27 described later. Information is stored in the microcomputer 22 so that the microcomputer 22 can be intermittently moved until it reaches a position where the transfer operation can be performed, and the servo motor 17 is driven according to the information. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the rod-shaped articles 1 are dropped one by one from the drop path 7 to the transfer path 8, the conveyor device 18 is intermittently moved by the movement amount S, and the rod-shaped articles are moved on the conveyor device 18. 1 is aligned in parallel while overlapping 1 in the width direction. Then, a predetermined number (for example, 10) of rod-shaped articles 1 are juxtaposed to form one unit of the aligned body 4.
Then, the conveyor device 18 is intermittently moved by a large amount corresponding to the moving amount L, and the alignment body 4 is transferred to a predetermined position.

The transfer means 27 transfers the aligned body 4 transferred to a predetermined position from the conveyor device 18 onto the work table 9. Therefore, the transfer device 27 reciprocates upward between the conveyor device 18 and the work table 9. Moving pusher 28 and the pusher
Reciprocating means 29 for reciprocating 28 and vertical moving means 30 for changing the vertical position of the pushing body 28 between the upper position of the conveyor device 18 and the work table 9 and the position near the surface thereof. As shown in FIG. 4, the vertical moving means 30 constitutes a cylinder device 32 attached to a base frame 31, and a moving body 33 arranged below the base frame 31 is connected to the cylinder device 32. . Another base frame 34 is provided at a position beyond the work table 9, and a guide rod 35 is installed between the base frame 34 and the moving body 33, and a slide body 36 is slidable on the guide rod 35. The cylinder rod 38 of the cylinder device 37 constituting the reciprocating means 29 is connected to the sliding body 36. The pushing body 28 is connected to the sliding body 36 via an arm 39. Then, after the alignment device 4 is transferred by the conveyor device 18 corresponding to the moving amount L, the moving member 33 is lowered by the up-and-down moving means 30 and, in this state, the push-moving member 28 is moved by the reciprocating means 29. When the work is moved forward from above 18 onto the work table 9, the aligning body 4 is transferred onto the work table 9 by the pusher 28. When this transfer operation is completed, the moving body 33 is raised by the vertical movement means 30, and
The pusher 28 is returned to the conveyor device 18 by the reciprocating means 29. The driving of the vertical movement means 30 and the reciprocating means 29 may be automatically performed by using the microcomputer 22 of the movement control means 15 described above, or a sensor and drive unit different from the movement control means 15 described above. May be used.

(Packaging Device for Alignment Body) Alignment body 4 on the work table 9 that has passed through the alignment alignment device described above.
Are subsequently stored in the bag body 5 and packaged by the packaging device as shown in FIGS.

This packaging apparatus has a pushing means 40 for pushing the aligned body 4 from the work table 9 in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped article 1, a pushed-out aligned body 4 inserted from a receiving opening 41, and an inserting opening 42. A guide cylinder 43 that is embodied in an insertable and closable manner, an elevating means 44 for the guide cylinder 43, and an alignment body 4 in the guide cylinder 43.
It comprises a projecting means 45 for projecting from the insertion opening 42 and a bag body holding means 46 for holding the bag body 5.

The pushing means 40 is a disc-shaped body that slides on the work table 9.
47, and a cylinder device 48 for sliding the tip of the disc-shaped body 47 to the vicinity of the receiving opening 41 of the guide cylinder 43 and returning it to its original position.

The guide cylinder 43 has a plurality of compartments 49a and 49b for vertically holding the alignment body 4 in a vertically stacked manner and has a compartment plate 50 for this.

The elevating means 44 constitutes a cylinder device 51 connected to the bottom portion of the guide cylinder 43, and a first compartment of the guide cylinder 43.
A first ascending / descending position where the bottom of the 49a is flush with the work table 9, and a second ascending / descending position where the bottom of the second compartment 49a of the guide cylinder 43 is flush with the work table 9.
The third elevating position in which the compartments 49a and 49b of the guide cylinder 43 are exposed to the projecting means 45 and the elevating / stopping operation in three steps are possible. Incidentally, as shown in the example, when the partition chamber of the guide cylinder 43 has two stages, it is sufficient to move up and down in three stages, but when the partition chamber of the guide cylinder 43 has three or more stages, Correspondingly, it is appreciated that the number of steps of the lifting / stopping position of the lifting / lowering means 44 can be increased.

The projecting means 45 is a plurality of projecting bodies 52a which are simultaneously inserted into the plurality of compartments 49a, 49b of the guide tubular body 43 in a state where the guide tubular body 43 is stopped at a predetermined position via the elevating means 44. Five
2b, and a cylinder device 53 connected to these protrusions 52a and 52b.

The bag body holding device 46 is a fixed vacuum suction table for sucking a tongue-like sealing piece 55 for sealing the opening 54 of the bag body 5 from below.
56 and a moving holding device 57 for vacuum-sucking the body of the bag body 5 from above. Although not shown in the drawings, the moving and holding device 57 vacuum-sucks the uppermost bag 5 in a magazine part in which a large number of bags 5 are stacked and accommodated, and then the bag 5
Is moved up to the vicinity of the vacuum suction table 56 while holding the bag body 5 and lowered at the position shown in the drawing, and slightly raised with the sealing piece 55 adsorbed on the vacuum suction table 56. And is attached to a robot mechanism that is moved so as to open the opening 54 of the bag body 5.

Then, the work of inserting the alignment body 4 into the bag body 5 and storing it is performed as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 5, the alignment body 4 is placed on the work table 9.
The guide cylinder body 43 is stopped at the above-mentioned first position by the elevating means 44 in the state where the is transferred. In this state, the pushing means 40 is driven to move the disc-shaped body 47 via the cylinder device 48, and the alignment body 4 on the work table 9 is inserted and held in the first compartment 49a of the guide cylinder 43 (first). 6
Figure). After that, the disc-shaped body 47 of the pushing means 40 is a cylinder device.
It is returned to the original position by 48.

After that, as shown in FIG. 7, the guide cylinder 43 is moved up and down by the lifting means 44.
Is moved to the above-mentioned second position and stopped. The parallel aligning device described above continuously forms the next aligned body 4 of rod-shaped articles, which is transferred onto the work table 9 by the transfer means 27 described above. Therefore, again, the pushing means 40 is driven to move the disc-shaped body 47 via the cylinder device 48,
The new alignment body 4 on the work table 9 is inserted and held in the second compartment 49b of the guide cylinder 43 (FIG. 7). After that, the disk-shaped body 47 of the pushing means 40 is returned to the original position by the cylinder device 48.

When the above work is completed, the guide cylinder 43 is moved to the above-mentioned third position by the elevating means 44 and stopped. At this position, the insertion opening 42 of the guide cylinder 43 is aligned with and faces the opening 54 of the bag body 5 held by the holding device 57 (eighth embodiment).
Figure). Therefore, the projecting means 45 is driven and the projecting bodies 52a and 52b are respectively separated via the cylinder device 53 into the compartments of the guide cylindrical body 43.
The alignment bodies 4 and 4 in the compartments are inserted into the bag body 5 all at once by being inserted into the compartments 49a and 49b and stored. After that, the protruding means 45
The protrusions 52a and 52b are returned to their original positions by the cylinder device 53. Incidentally, prior to the driving of the projecting means 45, the guide cylinder 43 is moved in the lateral direction, and the insertion opening of the guide cylinder 43 is opened.
Horizontal movement driving means for returning the guide cylinder 43 to the original position after inserting the corrugated rim of 42 slightly into the opening 54 of the bag body 5 and completing the inserting and storing operation of the alignment body 4 into the bag body 5. Is preferably provided.

The bag body 5 accommodating the alignment body 4 is moved to the sealing line while being held by the moving and holding device 57, and is separated from the moving and holding device 57 on the sealing line. Then, while the bag body 5 is being transported on the belt conveyor, the sealing piece 55 is folded back onto the body of the bag body 5 by a known sealing device and is adhered or welded, whereby the packaging by the bag body 5 is completed.

Thus, by repeating the above-mentioned work, the work of forming the aligned body 4 by the parallel alignment of the rod-shaped articles 1 and the insertion and storage of the aligned body 4 in the bag body 5 is automatically performed continuously. It will be. Therefore, the worker only has to send the rod-shaped articles 1 one by one to the transport path 6, and the work thereafter can be fully automated.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, before inserting the stick-shaped article 1 such as disposable chopsticks into the bag body 5, the necessary number of stick-shaped articles 1 are overlapped with each other in the lateral direction and aligned in parallel to form the alignment body 4. The work can be automated, in which case
The rod-shaped articles 1 have an excellent effect that the aligned bodies 4 that are correctly aligned can be reliably formed without being displaced from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the disposable chopsticks in a state of being aligned in parallel and packaged in a bag, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional front view showing a parallel aligning device in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional front view showing the operation of the attitude control means in the parallel aligning apparatus, FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional front view showing the operation of the transfer means in the parallel aligning apparatus, and FIG. 5 is a package in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are vertical side views showing the apparatus, and are vertical side views showing the operation of the packaging apparatus in order. 1 ... Rod-shaped article, 2 ... Sheath bag, 3 ... Disposable chopsticks, 4 ... Alignment body, 5 ...
Bag body, 6 ... Transport path, 7 ... Drop path, 8 ... Transfer path, 9 ... Work table, 11 ... Posture control means, 13 ... Rod, 14 ... Cylinder device, 15 ... Movement control means, 16 ... Guide plate, 17 ... drive means, 18 ... belt conveyor device, 19 ... sensor, 22 ... microcomputer, 25 ... detection means, 26 ... counter means, 27 ... transfer means, 28 ... pusher, 29 ... reciprocating means, 30 ... up / down moving means , 33
... Movable body, 35 ... Guide rod, 36 ... Sliding body, 40 ... Extrusion means, 41 ... Receiving port, 42 ... Extrusion opening, 43 ... Guide cylinder, 44 ...
Elevating means, 45 ... Projecting means, 46 ... Bag holding means, 47 ... Board, 49a, 49b ... Compartment chamber, 50 ... Partition plates, 52a, 52b ... Projecting body, 54 ... Bag opening, 55 ... Sealing Piece, 56 ... Vacuum suction table, 57
... moving and holding device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transport path (6) for transporting a rod-shaped article (1).
And a dropping path (7) for dropping the rod-shaped article (1) from the transport path (6), and supporting the dropped rod-shaped article (1) in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped article (1). A transfer path (8) for transferring: the transfer path (8) moves the rod-shaped article (1) in the width direction in a width S that does not exceed the width dimension.
It comprises a conveyor (18) for intermittently moving only; the dropping path (7) is blocked by the dropping path (7) while the falling rod-shaped article (1) is supported substantially horizontally and then the falling path (7) is supported. ). A parallel alignment device for rod-shaped articles, characterized in that a posture control means (11) for retracting from the above is provided.