JP2002012205A - Apparatus for accumulating pouch products - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for accumulating pouch products, capable of certainly receiving indefinite-shaped pouch products and capab le of accumulating a predetermined number of the pouch products into a dimension capable of being encased immediately. SOLUTION: The apparatus for accumulating pouch products is equipped with sprockets 11a, 11b arranged at a predetermined interval, the annular endless chain 12 trained over the sprockets 11a, 11b, and housing parts 13a, 13b of pouch products P comprising a large number of the partition plates 14 respectively attached to a large number of the continuous chain elements 12a constituting the endless chain 12 so as to protrude outwardly. Closure members 15 for closing the gaps generated between the chain elements 12a by the contact with the base end parts of the partition plates 14 adjacent on the downstream side in the moving direction of the chain elements 12a are attached to the chain elements 12a to which the partition plates 14 are attached.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pouch product stacking apparatus for stacking a predetermined number of pouch products for packing, and more particularly to a pouch product stacking apparatus capable of stacking pouch products in a state ready for box packing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a large number of pouch products containing cooked foods such as curry, stew, porridge, sour pork and the like in a pouch container have been sold. It is common to transport and store a plurality of pouch products in a boxed state, and the work of boxing such irregular-shaped pouch products is usually performed as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 7, a pouch product P which is conveyed one by one at a constant interval by a conveying means 51 such as a belt conveyer is narrowed by an accumulator 52 constituted by a belt conveyer or the like. In this state, a predetermined number of pouch products P are accumulated by sequentially receiving them.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b), the stack of pouch products P thus stacked is supplied to a pressing device 53 having a pair of pressing plates 53a. Press down to a size that can be inserted into packaging box C.
Then, after the orientation of the stack PG is rotated by 90 degrees while being pressed to a predetermined size as shown in FIG. 9C, the stack PG is turned as shown in FIGS. To the packaging box C supplied to the insertion position by the insertion device 54.
To complete the packing of the pouch product P in the box.

[0005]

By the way, as described above, after a predetermined number of pouch products P are once accumulated by the accumulation device 52, it is possible to pack the aggregate PG of the pouch products P into a box by the pressing device 53. If the pressing is performed to the size that can be achieved, there is a problem that the pouch product P cannot be packed at high speed and the space occupied by the box packing line is increased by the installation area of the pressing device 53.

In order to solve such a problem, a plurality of partitions are provided at predetermined intervals, and the pouch products P are successively accommodated between adjacent partitions, so that the pouch products P can be previously packed in a size that can be packed in a box. Although it is conceivable to use an accumulating device that accumulates a predetermined number of pouch products P, if it is attempted to accumulate a predetermined number of pouch products P into a box using such an accumulating device, a partition When the pouch product P is supplied between the partition bodies, the irregular pouch product P
However, a new problem arises in that the pouch product P cannot be reliably received by being caught by the partition body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a pouch product accumulating apparatus which can reliably receive an irregular-shaped pouch product and can accumulate a predetermined number of pouch products in a size that can be immediately packed in a box. Is to provide.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a pouch product stacking device for stacking a predetermined number of pouch products for packing in a box. An endless chain spanned over the arranged sprocket, and a plurality of outwardly extending partition plates attached to the endless chain at predetermined intervals,
A predetermined number of the pouch products are sequentially received by accommodating the pouch products by accommodating the pouch products between the partition plates adjacent to each other at an arc portion of the sprocket, and sequentially transferring the received pouch products to a linear portion between the sprockets. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for accumulating pouch products, wherein pouch products are accumulated.

[0009] The pouch product accumulating device constructed as described above receives pouch products sequentially by accommodating the pouch products between adjacent partition plates at the arc portions of the sprocket in which the interval between the leading ends of the partition plates is widened. In order to accumulate a certain number of pouch products into a size that can be packed in a box, even if the spacing between the partition plates is set small,
The supplied pouch product can be reliably received without the supplied irregular-shaped pouch product being caught on the partition plate.

[0010] In particular, as in the accumulator according to claim 2, the partition plate is attached to each of the chain elements constituting the endless chain, and the partition plate is adjacent to each of the chain elements. In the case where a closing member for closing a gap formed between the adjacent chain elements to which the partition plate is attached is attached by contacting the base end of the In the circular arc portion, the gap generated between the chain elements to which each partition plate is attached is closed by the closing member, so that when the pouch product is stored between the adjacent partition plates in the circular arc portion of the sprocket, heat sealing is performed. The edge of the pouch product does not get caught in the gap between the chain elements, and the pouch product can be received reliably. There is.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the partition plate is fixedly installed at a rear end side in a moving direction of the chain element constituting the endless chain, and one end side is fixed at the rear end side. A movable partition plate rotatably supported by the fixed partition plate, wherein the movable partition plate has a front end in the moving direction of the chain element adjacent to the other end on the rear side in the moving direction of the chain element. Even when the pouch product is locked by a locking portion provided on the side thereof so that the rotation toward the fixed partition plate side is regulated, the edge of the heat-sealed pouch product is connected to the chain element. The same effect as that of the integrated device according to the second aspect is obtained in that the pouch product can be reliably received without being caught in the gap between them.

That is, at the arc portion of the sprocket, which is the pouch product storage position, the movable partition plate is rotated by its own weight, and the other end is fixed to the fixed partition plate fixed to the chain element adjacent to the rear side in the moving direction. Because of the contact, the gap generated between the adjacent chain elements is closed by the movable partition plate. In this state, when the pouch product is stored between the adjacent partition plates, the movable partition plate is pushed by the pouch product and pivots forward (toward the fixed partition plate to which the movable partition plate is attached). However, since the other end side of the movable partition plate abuts on the locking portion provided on the front end side of the chain element, the rotation of the movable partition plate toward the fixed partition plate side is regulated, so that the adjacent chain The gap generated between the elements is not released, and the pouch product is not sandwiched in the gap generated between the chain elements.

[0013]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the pouch product accumulating device 1 is installed in a box for pouch products P for packing a predetermined number of pouch products P in a packaging box C. The pouch products P conveyed one by one are sequentially received, and a predetermined number of the pouch products P are accumulated in a state where they can be packed in a box.

As shown in FIG. 2, the integrated device 1 has sprockets 11a, 11b arranged at a predetermined interval.
And a plurality of endless chains 12 attached to the sprockets 11a and 11b, and a plurality of chain elements 12a attached to the continuous chain elements 12a constituting the endless chain 12 so as to project outward. And a storage portion 13a, 13b for the pouch product P composed of a partition plate 14. The one sprocket 11a is configured to be rotationally driven by a servo motor (not shown).

As shown in the drawing, a pair of storage portions 13a and 13b are configured such that one storage portion 13b has a sprocket 11a,
When the stacking position β is set to a preset position on the linear portion of the endless chain 12 hung over the chain 11b, the other receiving portion 13a is at the receiving position α set to the arc portion of the one sprocket 11a. Is located in
As the endless chain 12 rotates, the pair of housing portions 13a and 13b move between the receiving position α and the stacking position β.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the chain element 12a to which the partition plate 14 is attached abuts on the base end of the partition plate 14 adjacent on the downstream side in the moving direction. As a result, the gap S generated between the chain elements 12a
A closing member 15 for closing is attached,
At the receiving position α, the heat-sealed edge e of the pouch product P stored between the adjacent partition plates 14 is prevented from entering the gap formed between the chain elements 12a.

As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the closing member 15 is a fixing plate 1 fixed to each chain element 12a.
6 and a rotating plate 17 rotatably supported on the fixed plate 16 via a hinge 18.
Is always urged open by a spring 19 attached to a hinge 18 as shown by a dashed line in FIG.

Therefore, when the closing member 15 is attached to the chain element 12a, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the end of the rotary plate 17 is always adjacent to the partition plate 1 adjacent thereto.
4, and the gap S formed between the adjacent chain elements 12a is closed.

The boxing process in the boxing line for the pouch products P provided with the pouch product stacking device 1 configured as described above will be described below. First, as shown in FIG. 1, a pouch product P filled with contents is laid down one by one at a constant interval or at an irregular interval (random) by a transport device such as a belt conveyor (not shown). At the receiving position α.

In this manner, the pouch products P conveyed at regular intervals or irregular intervals (random) are placed between the partition plates 14 of the accommodating portion 13a located at one sprocket 11a of the stacking device 1. It is accommodated sequentially. Specifically, first, the second partition plate 14 is moved from the downstream side in the moving direction of the storage portion 13a to a position where the second partition plate 14 is in a horizontal state,
When the pouch product P is placed on the partition plate 14, the sprockets 11a and 11b rotate by a predetermined angle to bring the third partition plate 14 into a horizontal state, and the next pouch product P is placed on the third partition plate 14. Be placed on In this way, a predetermined number of pouch products P are successively stored between the partition plates 14.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, each partition plate 14 constituting the accommodating portion 13a located at the arc portion of the sprocket 11a, which is the receiving position α, has a wide interval between its tip ends. Therefore, a sufficient receiving space is secured between the partition plates 14, and the pouch product P is securely housed between the partition plates 14 without being caught by the adjacent downstream partition plates 14. become.

Further, in a state where the accommodating portion 13a is located at the arc portion of the sprocket 11a at the receiving position α,
As shown in FIG. 3A, a gap S is formed between the chain elements 12a to which the partition plates 14 are attached.
As described above, since the rotating plate 17 of the closing member 15 attached to each chain element 12a abuts on the base end of the adjacent partition plate 14, the gap S is closed. The pouch product P housed therebetween is not caught in the gap S formed between the chain elements 12a.

When a predetermined number of pouch products P are stored between the partition plates 14 of the storage section 13a, the storage section 13a moves to the stacking position β. The receiving portion 13a is moved from the arc portion of the sprocket 11a to the two sprockets 11
When moving to the linear portion between a and 11b, the interval between the distal ends of the partition plates 14 is naturally narrowed, and a predetermined number of pouch products P stored between the partition plates 14 are just stored in the packaging box C. The sheet is conveyed to the accumulation position β in a state where the sheets are accumulated in a size that can be used. At this time, the rotating plate 17 of the closing member 15 is rotated toward the fixed plate 16 by being pushed by the partition plate 14, and rises along the partition plate 14 as shown in FIG. It has become.

In this manner, the stack PG of the pouch products P conveyed to the stacking position β is pushed laterally out of the storage section 13a, so that an insertion device (not shown) into the packaging box C is provided. After being inserted into the packaging box C by this insertion device, the packaging box C is sealed by a sealing device (not shown), and the packing operation of the pouch product P is completed.

As described above, this accumulating device 1 has a pouch between the adjacent partition plates 14 in the arc portion of the sprocket 11a in which the distance between the distal ends of the partition plates 14 constituting the accommodating portions 13a and 13b is widened. Since the products P are accommodated, the accommodating portions 13a and 13b are arranged in order to accumulate a predetermined number of pouch products P in a size that can be packed in a box.
Even if the interval between the partition plates 14 constituting is set small,
The supplied unshaped pouch product P is adjacent to the partition plate 14.
The pouch product P can be reliably received without being caught on the pouch.

When the pouch product P is received at the arc portion of the sprocket 11a, a certain gap S is formed between the chain elements 12a to which the partition plate 14 is attached at the receiving position α. However, as described above, since the gap S is reliably closed by attaching the closing member 15 to the chain element 12a, the pouch product P stored between the partition plates 14 is No damage is caused by being sandwiched between the elements 12a.

Accordingly, when the accumulating device 1 is used, a step of pressing a predetermined number of pouch products once accumulated to a size that can be inserted into a packaging box, unlike a conventional accumulating device, becomes unnecessary, and the accumulated pouches are not required. Since the product P can be immediately boxed, the boxing line for the pouch product P can be operated at high speed.

In this embodiment, a pair of housings 1
Although the integrated device 1 on which one set of integration mechanisms having 3a and 13b is mounted has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and two or three or more sets of integration mechanisms that are individually driven are mounted. The pouch products P can be more efficiently stacked by sequentially using a plurality of sets of the stacking mechanisms mounted thereon.

In the above-described embodiment, the pouch products P which are sequentially conveyed are received from the side. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
It is also possible to receive a pouch product conveyed in the same direction as the moving direction of 13b.

In the above-described embodiment, the fixing plate 16
The gap S between the chain elements 12a is closed by the closing member 15 having the rotating plate 17 and
The present invention is not limited to this. For example, FIG.
As shown in (b), a closing member 15a made of a synthetic resin member such as a urethane sheet having flexibility is attached to the chain element 12a such that the distal end of the closing member 15a contacts the proximal end of the adjacent partition plate 14. Thus, the gap S between the chain elements 12a may be closed.

As shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), the closing members 15 and 15a are fixedly installed at the rear end side of the chain element 12a constituting the endless chain 12 in the moving direction. The fixed partition plate 24a and a movable partition plate 24b, which is rotatably supported at one end by a hinge 24c at the distal end of the fixed partition plate 24a, are used to rotate. The other end of the movable partition plate 24b is locked by a locking piece 25 provided on the front end side in the movement direction of the chain element 12a adjacent to the rear side in the movement direction of the chain element 12a, whereby the movable partition plate 24b is moved.
b, the closing members 15 and 15a are connected to the
The same effect as when attached to a can be obtained.

In such an accumulating device, when the accommodating portion 13a is located at the arc portion of the sprocket 11a at the receiving position α, the movable partition plate 24b is moved downward by its own weight as shown in FIG. Side, and the other end abuts against the fixed partition plate 24a fixedly installed on the chain element 12a adjacent to the rear side in the moving direction, so that the movable partition plate 24b forms between the adjacent chain elements 12a. The gap S is in a closed state.

In this state, when the pouch product P is stored between the adjacent partition plates 24 (between the fixed partition plate 24a and the movable partition plate 24b), as shown in FIG. The movable partition plate 24b is rotated forward (toward the fixed partition plate 24a to which the movable partition plate 24b is attached), but the other end of the movable partition plate 24b is at the front end of the chain element 12a. The movable partition plate 24b is fixed to the fixed partition plate 24b by contacting the locking piece 25 provided on the movable partition plate 24b.
Since the pivoting operation toward the a side is restricted, the gap S formed between the adjacent chain elements 12a is not released, and the received pouch product P is inserted into the gap S formed between the chain elements 12a. It will not be pinched.

After a predetermined number of pouch products P have been stored between the partition plates 24 in this way, when the storage section 13a moves to the stacking position β, as shown in FIG. Since the fixed partition plate 24a attached to the element 12a and the locking piece 25 approach each other, the movable partition plate 24b that is in contact with the locking piece 25 is fixed to the fixed partition plate 2a.
4a, the movable partition plate 24b is vertically erected along the fixed partition plate 24a.
A predetermined number of pouch products P housed between the four are stacked in a size that can be just housed in the packaging box C.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a pouch product boxing line in which an accumulating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the integrated device according to the first embodiment;

3 (a) and 3 (b) are partially enlarged side views showing a storage section in the integrated device of the above.

FIG. 4A is a plan view showing a closing member attached to a storage unit of the above, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing the closing member of the same.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are partially enlarged side views showing a storage section in an integrated device according to another embodiment.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are partially enlarged side views showing a storage section in an integrated device according to still another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a conventional pouch product integration device.

FIG. 8 is a process chart showing a conventional pouch product boxing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Accumulator 11a, 11b Sprocket 12 Endless chain 12a Chain element 13a, 13b Storage part 14 Partition plate 15, 15a Closure member 16 Fixed plate 17 Rotating plate 18 Hinge 19 Spring 24 Partition plate 24a Fixed partition plate 24b Movable partition plate 24c Hinge 25 Locking piece α Receiving position β Stacking position P Pouch product PG stack

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shiroro Miyagi 1-5 Ishiharacho, Sakai-shi, Osaka F-term in Fuji Astec Co., Ltd. (Reference) 3E054 AA13 DB03 DB04 EA02 FA04 FC09 FC12 FC15 FE03 GA01 GB02 GC02 HA03 HA08

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pouch product stacking device for stacking a predetermined number of pouch products for packing in a box, comprising: an endless chain wound around a sprocket arranged at a predetermined interval; and a predetermined interval to the endless chain. A plurality of partition plates protruding outwardly attached in the step, the pouch products are sequentially received by accommodating the pouch products between the adjacent partition plates at arc portions of the sprocket, and the received pouch products are received. Are sequentially conveyed to a linear portion between the sprockets, thereby accumulating a predetermined number of the pouch products. 2. The partition plate is attached to each of the chain elements constituting the endless chain, and each of the chain elements abuts on a base end of an adjacent one of the partition plates. The pouch product accumulating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a closing member that closes a gap formed between the adjacent chain elements to which the partition plate is attached. 3. The partition plate has a fixed partition plate fixedly installed on a rear end side in a moving direction of a chain element constituting the endless chain, and one end side is rotatably supported by the fixed partition plate. A movable partition plate, the other end of which is locked by a locking portion provided on the front end side in the movement direction of the chain element adjacent to the rear side in the movement direction of the chain element. The pouch product accumulating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation toward the fixed partition plate side is regulated by this.