JP2023046830A - Article processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an article processing device with a high operating rate enabling operation even when a problem occurs in a downstream processing device.SOLUTION: An article processing device 10 supplies ingredients to containers V in an ingredient supplying device 20 and seals opening parts of the containers V in a sealing device 22 while conveying the containers V in multiple rows along a transport conveyor 14. Portions of the containers V processed by the transport conveyor 14 are discharged to first and second discharge conveyors 16A, 16B, respectively. First and second downstream processing devices 18A, 18B are provided on the downstream of the first and second discharge conveyors 16A, 16B, respectively. When one of the first and second downstream processing devices 18A, 18B stops, the conveying direction of the first or second discharge conveyor 16A or 16B is changed so that the containers V are conveyed to the other downstream processing device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an article processing apparatus for processing containers conveyed in multiple rows.

A lid sealing device that conveys a plurality of bowl-shaped containers in multiple rows and seals the openings of the containers with lids is known (Patent Document 1). On the downstream side of the lid sealing device, a pair of transport belts are provided on the left and right sides for transporting the containers one row at a time perpendicular to the transport direction of the lid sealing device. They are conveyed in opposite directions and discharged to downstream processing equipment.

Utility Model Registration No. 3192213

However, in the conventional configuration, when a problem occurs in the downstream processing equipment, the entire line must be stopped, resulting in a decrease in operating rate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an article processing apparatus with a high operating rate that can be operated even when a problem occurs in a downstream processing apparatus.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article processing apparatus comprising a conveying means for conveying articles in multiple rows, a first processing means for performing a predetermined process on the articles conveyed by the conveying means, and the first processing means. and second processing means for subjecting the discharged articles to a process different from that of the first processing means, wherein the discharging means comprises , a first discharge conveyor for discharging a part of the articles processed by the first processing means, and a second discharge conveyor for discharging a part of the goods processed by the first processing means, The second processing means are provided downstream of the discharge conveyor and the second discharge conveyor, respectively, so that when one of the second processing means stops, the article is conveyed to the other second processing means. It is characterized in that the conveying direction of the first discharge conveyor or the second discharge conveyor is changed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the first and second discharge conveyors are provided in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the articles are conveyed by the conveying means, and It is characterized in that half of the rows of articles conveyed by the above are each conveyed to the second processing means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the first and second discharge conveyors are capable of forward/reverse operation.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an article processing apparatus with a high operating rate that can be operated even when a problem occurs in a downstream processing apparatus.

It is a top view which shows arrangement|positioning of the article processing apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a configuration of part of the article processing apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a container transport state in the first operation mode; FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a container transport state in the second operation mode when the second downstream processing device is stopped; FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a container transport state in the second operation mode when the first downstream processing device is stopped;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the arrangement of an article processing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of a part of the article processing apparatus.

Articles such as containers V are supplied in multiple rows from an upstream processing apparatus 12 to the article processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment. The article processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes a transport conveyor (transport means) 14 that transports the containers V in multiple rows, and first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B that transport the containers V discharged from the transport conveyor 14. , and first and second downstream processing devices (second processing means) 18A and 18B arranged respectively downstream of the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B.

The container V is intermittently transported while being held in each hole of a retainer 12B that is spanned by a pair of left and right chains 12A of the upstream processing device 12 . A lift 19 is arranged below the retainer 12B in the downstream part of the upstream processing device 12, and each container V held by the retainer 12B is lifted by the lift 19. As shown in FIG. Each container V lifted by the lift 19 is held by a transfer device 21 that spans over the transport conveyor 14 from the upstream processing device 12 and is transported onto the transport conveyor 14 .

As with the upstream processing device 12, the transport conveyor 14 also includes a retainer 14B that spans a pair of left and right chains 14A. Lifts 24 are arranged in the upstream part of the transport conveyor 14 under the retainer 14B corresponding to each hole of the retainer 14B, and the container V held by the transfer device 21 is placed on the lift 24 which is raised. and is held in each hole of the retainer 14B as the lift 24 descends.

Above the transport conveyor 14, for example, an ingredient charging device (first processing means) 20 for charging contents such as ingredients from the upstream side, and a lid to seal the opening of the container V into which the ingredients are charged. A sealing device (first processing means) 22 is provided. In the present embodiment, two ingredient charging devices 20 are provided, and the ingredients are charged into the container V in two batches for each type. The retainer 14B of the transport conveyor 14 is intermittently transported.

At the downstream end of the transport conveyor 14, first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B are arranged along the width direction of the transport conveyor 14 (direction orthogonal to the transport direction). A lift 26 is arranged below the retainer 14B at the downstream portion of the transport conveyor 14, and each container V held by the retainer 14B is lifted by the lift 26. As shown in FIG. Each container V lifted by the lift 26 is held by a transfer device 28 that extends from the transport conveyor 14 over the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B. It is transferred onto 16B.

The containers V are transferred row by row from the transport conveyor 14 to the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B by the transfer device 28 . That is, some of the containers V constituting each row of the transport conveyor 14 are transferred to the first discharge conveyor 16A by the transfer device 28, and the rest are transferred to the second discharge conveyor 16B. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the containers V are transported in 12 rows on the transport conveyor 14, and six containers V are transferred to each of the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B. 1. The number of containers V transferred to the second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B may not be equal.

The ends of the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B, which are positioned on the inner side in the width direction of the transport conveyor 14, are adjacent to each other with the bridge plate 30 interposed therebetween near the center of the transport conveyor 14 in the width direction. Also, the ends of the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B located on the widthwise outer side of the transport conveyor 14 are respectively connected to the first and second curve conveyors 32A and 32B and the third and fourth unloading conveyors 34A and 34B. conveyors to the first and second downstream processing devices 18A, 18B.

The first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B are respectively operable in forward and reverse directions. driven by That is, the containers V on the first discharge conveyor 16A are conveyed to the first downstream processing device 18A via the first curve conveyor 32A and the third discharge conveyor 34A, and the containers V on the second discharge conveyor 16B are conveyed to the second It is conveyed to the second downstream processing device 18B via the two-curve conveyor 32B and the fourth unloading conveyor 34B. The container V transported to the first and second downstream processing devices 18A and 18B is subjected to, for example, a shrink treatment, and the whole is wrapped with a film.

On the other hand, in the second operation mode in which one of the first and second downstream processing devices 18A and 18B is stopped, the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B are operated in the same direction. The containers V on the two discharge conveyors 16A, 16B pass through one of the first curve conveyor 32A, the third discharge conveyor 34A, or the second curve conveyor 32B, the fourth discharge conveyor 34B to the first and second downstream processing devices 18A. , 18B.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the transport state of the container V in the first operation mode. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the transport state of the container V in the second operation mode when the second downstream processing device 18B is stopped, and FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the transport state when the first downstream processing device 18A is stopped. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a transport state of the container V in the second operation mode;

As shown in FIG. 3, in the normal first operation mode, the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B run in opposite directions toward the outside of the transport conveyor 14 in the width direction. As a result, the containers V on the first discharge conveyor 16A are conveyed to the first downstream processing device 18A via the first curve conveyor 32A and the third discharge conveyor 34A and processed, and the containers on the second discharge conveyor 16B The V is conveyed to the first downstream processing device 18B via the second curved conveyor 32B and the fourth discharge conveyor 34B and processed. The first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B are driven by motors 17A and 17B, respectively, and the third and fourth discharge conveyors 34A and 34B are driven by motors 35A and 35B, respectively. It is driven in synchronization with the transport conveyor 14 and the transfer device 28 by the control section.

4 and 5, if one of the first and second downstream processing units 18A, 18B is shut down for some reason, the article processing unit 10 is driven in the second mode of operation. In FIG. 4, the operation of the second downstream processing device 18B is stopped, and the downstream processing is performed on all the containers V in the first downstream processing device 18A.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the second downstream treatment device 18B is shut down, the second discharge conveyor 16B is driven in the same direction and speed as the first discharge conveyor 16A in the opposite direction to the normal first mode of operation. be driven. As a result, the containers V on the second discharge conveyor 16B are transferred to the first discharge conveyor 16A via the bridge plate 30, and then transferred to the first curve conveyor 32A following the containers V on the first discharge conveyor 16A. transported towards That is, the containers V transferred from the transport conveyor 14 onto the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B are discharged to the first downstream processing device 18A through the first curve conveyor 32A and the third discharge conveyor 34A. It is processed. In addition, when the operation of the second downstream processing device 18B is stopped, the operation of the second curve conveyor 32B and the fourth discharge conveyor 34B is also stopped.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the first downstream treatment device 18A is shut down, the first discharge conveyor 16A is driven in the same direction and speed as the second discharge conveyor 16B, opposite to the normal first mode of operation. be driven. As a result, the containers V on the first discharge conveyor 16A are transferred to the second discharge conveyor 16B via the bridge plate 30, and then transferred to the second curve conveyor 32B following the containers V on the second discharge conveyor 16B. transported towards That is, the containers V transferred from the transport conveyor 14 onto the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B are discharged to the second downstream processing device 18B through the second curve conveyor 32B and the fourth discharge conveyor 34B. It is processed. At this time, the operations of the first curve conveyor 32A and the third discharge conveyor 34A are stopped.

In the second operation mode, processing is performed using only one of the first and second downstream processing apparatuses 18A and 18B. The speed is reduced to half or less, and the drive timings of the ingredients charging device 20 and the sealing device 22 are adjusted accordingly. The transport speed of the transport conveyor 14 in the first and second operation modes depends on the number of containers V distributed to the first and second discharge conveyors 16A and 16B and the number of containers V distributed to the first and second downstream processing devices 18A and 18B. is stopped.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the operation of one of the first and second downstream processing devices is stopped, the other downstream processing device can be used to process all the articles on the downstream side. can be applied, and a high operating rate can be achieved.

Although the article handled by the article processing apparatus of the present embodiment is a container, the type of article is not limited as long as the article is subjected to some kind of treatment on the conveyer and in the downstream processing apparatus. The treatment to be applied to is also arbitrary depending on the type of article, and is not limited to this embodiment. In the present embodiment, the articles are transported from the first and second discharge conveyors to the first and second downstream processing devices, respectively. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which containers are received by the discharge conveyor described above, and a downstream processing device is provided downstream of each of them.

In addition, in the article processing apparatus of the present embodiment, the case where the articles are conveyed in even-numbered rows (12 rows) has been described as an example, but the articles may be conveyed in odd-numbered rows. For example, in the case of (2n+1) rows, it is possible to transfer n articles to one discharge conveyor and (n+1) articles to the other discharge conveyor.

In this embodiment, a lift is used to lift the container, but the container may be gradually lifted above the retainer by a fixed guide or the like that engages with the container. Further, the transfer device illustrated in this embodiment uses a chuck to hold the container and transfer it to the conveyor on the downstream side. can also

Also, the first and second downstream processing devices may have different capabilities. In this case, the ratio of the number of articles to be discharged to each discharge conveyor (the length ratio of the first and second discharge conveyors) is set according to the capacity ratio of the downstream processing equipment. Then, when one of the downstream processing devices stops, the capacity of the upstream processing device is adjusted according to the above capacity ratio.

10 article processing device 14 transport conveyor (transport means)
16A first discharge conveyor (discharge means)
16B second discharge conveyor (discharge means)
18A first downstream processing device (second processing means)
18B second downstream processing device (second processing means)
20 Ingredients input device (first processing means)
22 sealing device (first processing means)

Claims (3)

a conveying means for conveying articles in multiple rows;
a first processing means for performing a predetermined process on an article conveyed by the conveying means;
a discharging means for discharging the article processed by the first processing means from the conveying means;
An article processing apparatus comprising a second processing means for performing a process different from that of the first processing means on discharged articles,
The discharging means comprises a first discharging conveyor for discharging a part of the articles processed by the first processing means, and a second discharging conveyor for discharging a part of the articles processed by the first processing means. ,
The second processing means is provided downstream of each of the first discharge conveyor and the second discharge conveyor,
The conveying direction of the first discharge conveyor or the second discharge conveyor is changed so that when one of the second processing means stops, the article is conveyed to the other second processing means. Article handling equipment. The first and second discharge conveyors are provided in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the articles are conveyed by the conveying means, and each conveys approximately half of the rows of articles conveyed by the conveying means to the second processing means. The article processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by: 3. The article processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second discharge conveyors is operable in forward and reverse directions.

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