JPH0134896B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a container discharging device, and more particularly:
For example, a container such as a bottle stored in a holder and transported is allowed to fall under its own weight at the discharge section, and the container that falls due to its own weight is caught by a container unloading mechanism equipped with a rotating cam or a bottle receiving bar, and then transported out. The present invention relates to a container discharging device for delivering a container to a conveyor.

This type of container discharging device is used in bottle washing machines and the like and is already well known. Bottle washing machines, like other bottle processing machines such as filling machines and labeling machines, are becoming faster and faster, and of course, high-speed synchronous operation is also required for container discharging machines. However, in this type of container discharging device, it is necessary to optimally match the timing at which containers start falling and the timing at which the dropped containers are received. It is necessary to synchronize the motors at an optimal timing, but the optimal timing differs between high-speed operation and low-speed operation. This is because, whereas the time required for a container such as a bottle to naturally fall from the inside of the holder of the container transport mechanism to the container transport mechanism such as a rotating cam that receives it is specified, during high-speed operation the container is at the receiving position. Since the rotary cam reaches the receiving position earlier than the container receiving position, the timing of container receiving will be delayed. Therefore, during high-speed operation, it is necessary to slightly slow down the speed of the container delivery mechanism such as a rotating cam, and conversely, during low-speed operation, it is necessary to speed up the rotating cam side slightly.

For this reason, if the operation timing of the container discharge device is adjusted to the timing of high-speed operation,
In the low-speed operating state during the transition from the stopped state at the start of operation to the high-speed operating state, the time required for the rotating cam to reach the receiving position is longer than the time required for a container such as a bottle to fall naturally from the holder to the receiving position. Because of the long length, the bottle would fall naturally and reach the receiving position before the rotating cam side reached the receiving position, which could cause problems due to the timing not being correct.

In view of these points, the present invention provides an operation timing control mechanism between the transport mechanism and the unloading mechanism that delays or accelerates the speed of the unloading mechanism according to an increase or decrease in the operating speed, thereby controlling the operating speed. Accordingly, there is provided a container discharging device in which the conveying mechanism and the unloading mechanism can be operated in synchronization with each other at the optimum operating timing.

In addition, in this type of container discharging device, a release mechanism is provided at the discharge portion of the container, and the release mechanism temporarily supports the bottom of the container stored in the holder of the transport mechanism, and releases the next container. A device in which the container is delivered to a container delivery mechanism is well known. In a device equipped with this release mechanism, the above-mentioned operation timing can be essentially regarded as a problem of the operation timing between the release mechanism and the container ejection mechanism. To provide a container discharging device that can ensure smooth synchronized operation by providing an operation timing control mechanism that controls the release mechanism to advance or delay the release operation according to an increase or decrease in operation speed. .

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.
In FIG. 1, a large number of holders 2 for storing containers 1 in an inverted state are provided at predetermined intervals on a bridge 3 disposed horizontally, and both ends of the bridge 3 are connected to an endless chain conveyor 4. ing. A large number of similarly configured bridges 3 are connected to a chain conveyor 4 at predetermined intervals, and both chain conveyors 4 are installed so that the bridges can be conveyed on a predetermined trajectory within the frame of the bottle washer. It is being At the container discharge portion of the bottle washing machine, a chain foil 5 for guiding the chain conveyor 4 is installed above the container discharge portion.
is provided, and the chain conveyor 4 is passed over the chain foil 5 from above so that the chain conveyor 4 is transported diagonally downward in the direction of arrow A. Above holder 2
The container 1 is in an inverted state until it reaches the chain foil 5.
However, if the chain foil 5 inverts the holder 2 by a predetermined amount beyond 90 degrees from the upright position, the container 1 cannot be held, and the container 1 will not be able to hold the holder 2 due to its own weight. Therefore, a guide 6 is attached to the frame of the bottle washing machine to support the bottom of the container 1 which is about to be discharged from the holder 2 by its own weight. The lower end 6a of this guide 6 is cut horizontally at a predetermined position, so that the containers 1 in the horizontal row of holders 2 cross the lower end 6a of the guide 6 at the same time and are all pushed into the holders 2 by their own weight. It will be discharged from.

Next, the containers 1 ejected from the holder 2 by their own weight slide on guides 8 mounted at equal intervals on the upper surface of the horizontal bar 7, and are placed on the step of a container ejecting mechanism 9 using a rotary cam plate. It is received on the elastic body 10. Such a container unloading mechanism 9 is, for example,
- known as disclosed in No. 27675,
This container unloading mechanism 9 rotates and transfers the container 1 received on the elastic body 10 in the direction of arrow B in FIG.
The container 1 on the dead plate 11 is pushed out to the carry-out conveyor 13 side by the cam surface.

However, in the past, the container transport mechanism 14 consisting of the holder 2, bridge 3, chain conveyor 4, chain foil 5, etc. and the container unloading mechanism 9 were simply synchronized, but in the present invention, both mechanisms 9, 14 are synchronized.
An operation timing control mechanism 15 is provided between them.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, this control mechanism utilizes a gear train having substantially the same configuration as a differential gear mechanism used in the drive system of the rear axle of an automobile. That is, this gear train includes bevel gears 18, 19 of the same shape, which are attached to the ends of shafts 16, 17 and arranged opposite to each other, and both bevel gears 8, 1.
9, three or more bevel gears 20 that mesh with the gears 9 at the same time;
A ring-shaped gear 21 that rotatably supports these bevel gears 20 is provided. The ring-shaped gear 21 is connected to a timing control motor 23 via a pinion 22, and the shaft 16 is connected to the container delivery mechanism 9 via bevel gears 24, 25.
The other shaft 17 has a sprocket 26 and a chain 2.
7. The container conveying mechanism 14 including the chain wheel 5 is connected via the sprocket 28, the drive shaft 29, and the reduction gear mechanism 30, and the drive shaft 29 is connected to a prime mover (not shown).

In the above configuration, when the drive shaft 29 is rotationally driven by a prime mover (not shown) while the timing control motor 23 is stopped, the rotation is transmitted to the container transport mechanism 14 via the reduction gear mechanism 30. On the other hand, the rotation of the drive shaft 29 is transmitted to the shaft 17 via a pair of sprockets 28, 26 and a chain 27, and the rotation of this shaft 17 is transmitted to the bevel gear 1.
9, 20, and 18 to the other shaft 16 at the same rotational speed, and further bevel gears 24, 25.
is transmitted to the container delivery mechanism 9 via. In this state, the container transport mechanism 14 and the container unloading mechanism 9 are operated with predetermined operation timings, for example, with operation timings that are optimal for low-speed operating conditions.

Next, if the rotational speed of the drive shaft 29 is increased by the prime mover, both mechanisms 9 and 14 will shift to high-speed operation, but in such a high-speed operation state, as described above, the rotary cam plate is removed from the holder 2. 12
Since the time required for the rotating cam plate 12 to reach the receiving position is shorter than the time required for the container 1 to naturally fall to the receiving position, the container 1 does not fall to the receiving position after the rotating cam plate 12 passes the receiving position. As the rotary cam plate 12 reaches the lower speed, the rotary cam plate 12 starts to operate relatively too quickly at the low-speed operation timing described above. Therefore, as the rotational speed of the drive shaft 29 increases, the motor 23 is started, and the ring-shaped gear 21 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the right side of the figure via the pinion 22 by an amount corresponding to the increase in the operating speed. By rotationally displacing the rotary cam plate 12, the rotation timing of the rotary cam plate 12 can be relatively delayed. That is, assuming that the shaft 17 is fixed, if the ring-shaped gear 21 is rotated a predetermined amount in the opposite direction to the direction in which the bevel gear 18 is intended to rotate, the bevel gear 20 supported by the ring gear 21 will be rotated. Through this, the other bevel gear 18 can be rotated by a predetermined amount in a direction opposite to the rotating direction with respect to the bevel gear 19 on the stationary side, and therefore, the container conveyance of the container delivery mechanism 9 is increased by the amount of rotation of the bevel gear 18. By slowing down the actuation timing for the mechanism 14, it is possible to obtain an actuation timing between the two that is suitable for high-speed operation.

Thus, in the container discharging device configured as described above, the ring-shaped gear 21 is rotated in accordance with an increase or decrease in the operating speed, as viewed from the right in the figure, clockwise when speeding up, and counterclockwise when decelerating. By displacing them, it is possible to always operate both mechanisms 9 and 14 at the optimum timing according to the operating conditions. The ring-shaped gear 21 may be driven more simply by selectively switching between two rotational displacement positions: a low-speed full position and a high-speed position; in this case, a cylinder is used as the drive source. A device or the like may also be used.

Next, FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a prime mover and a drive shaft 31 (not shown) are connected to a pair of sprockets 32 and a chain 3.
It is linked via 3. And this drive shaft 3
1 and the container transport mechanism 14 are interlocked via a reduction gear train, that is, gears 34 and 35, a shaft 36, and gears 37 and 38.

Further, in this embodiment, a conventionally known bottle receiving bar 40 is used as the container unloading mechanism 39. That is, the container delivery mechanism 39 includes a pair of endless chains 41 and the bottle receiving bars 40 provided at predetermined intervals between the two chains, and a sprocket 42.
The container 1 falling from the holder 2 is received by the bottle receiving bar 40 and placed on the dead plate 43, and then the pushing member 44 operating in synchronization with the chain 41 removes the container 1 from the dead plate. The containers 1 on 43 are pushed out onto the discharge conveyor 13.

This container unloading mechanism 39 and the drive shaft 31 are interlocked via an operation timing control mechanism 45 having a configuration different from that of the above embodiment, and this control mechanism 45
A lever 47 is pivotally supported on a shaft 46 to which the sprocket 42 is fixed, a sprocket 48 is fixed to the shaft 46, a pair of sprockets 49 are pivotally supported on the lever 47, and these sprockets 4
8 and 49, and a cylinder device 51 that rotationally displaces the lever 47.
It is composed of. The chain 50 of this control mechanism 45 is connected to a sprocket 5 fixed to a shaft 52.
3. Other sprocket 5 fixed to this shaft 52
4. Chain 55, sprocket 57 fixed to shaft 56, reversing gear 58 fixed to this shaft, gear 60 fixed to shaft 59, sprocket 61 fixed to shaft 59, and chain 62 to drive shaft 31.
It is interlocked with a sprocket 63 fixed to.

Therefore, in this embodiment as well, by driving a prime mover (not shown), the container transport mechanism 14 and the container unloading mechanism 39 can be driven synchronously. Then, when the lever 47 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 2 by the cylinder device 51, the chain 5
Since the operation of the container unloading mechanism 39 is delayed relative to the operation of 0, it is possible to obtain the optimum operation timing according to the operating speeds of both mechanisms 14 and 39, as in the previous embodiment.

Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows an embodiment equipped with a release mechanism 70, and this release mechanism 70 is provided with a rotary operating plate 71 provided at the lower end portion of the guide 6, as is conventionally known. . This actuating plate 71 is fixed to a shaft 72 supported on the machine frame, and this shaft 72 is interlocked with a cylinder device 74 via a rod 73. This cylinder device 74 normally has a spring 75
In this state, the surface of the actuating plate 71 substantially corresponds to the surface of the guide 6 to support and guide the bottom of the container 1 in the holder 2. The cylinder device 74 receives fluid pressure from a pressure source 77 when the solenoid valve 76 is opened, and is actuated against the spring 75 to move the actuation plate 71 to the third position.
Rotate clockwise in the figure to release support for the container 1.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the container transport mechanism 14 and the container unloading mechanism 39 have the same structure as that shown in FIG. Omitted, chain 5
By simply passing 0 to the sprocket 48, the operating timing between the two mechanisms 14 and 39 cannot be changed. In this embodiment, the operation timing of the release mechanism 70 can be controlled for these mechanisms 14 and 39, that is, for the container delivery mechanism 39. The operation timing control mechanism 78 includes a cam plate 79 fixed to the shaft 46 constituting the container unloading mechanism 39, and a limit switch 8 that detects the rotational position of the cam plate 79.
0, and a control circuit 81, this control circuit 8
1 receives the detection signal A from the limit switch 80, receives the signal B corresponding to the operating speed of the bottle washer, and outputs the activation signal C of the electromagnetic valve 76.

When the control circuit 81 receives the detection signal A from the limit switch 80, it adjusts the magnitude of the clock delay using a timer circuit according to the magnitude of the operating speed signal B, and then, when the operating speed becomes high, the control circuit 81 controls the operation plate of the release mechanism 70. The actuation signal C is output so as to open the actuating plate 71 early, and to open the actuating plate 71 later when the operating speed is low. As a result, the container unloading mechanism 39 and the release mechanism 70 are operated at optimal timings depending on the operating speed, and smooth ejection of the container 1 can be ensured.

FIG. 4 shows yet another embodiment, in which a release mechanism 90 is constructed at the lower end of the guide 6 so that it can reciprocate in parallel with this. Since the release mechanism 90 having such a configuration is conventionally well known, a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. The release mechanism 90 is interlocked with one end of a lever 92 swingably provided on a shaft 91 via a rod 93, and a roller 94 provided on the other end of the lever 92 is connected to a cam plate 96 fixed to a shaft 95 by a spring 97. I was hit by a bullet. Therefore, by rotationally driving the shaft 95 and rotating the cam plate 96, the release mechanism 90 can be reciprocated to release the container 1.

The container conveyance mechanism 14 and the container discharge mechanism 9 in this embodiment are the same as those shown in FIG. Timing control mechanism 15
is omitted to fix the operation timing between the mechanisms 9 and 14, while the container unloading mechanism 9 and the release mechanism 9
0, an operation timing control mechanism 15' is provided. This control mechanism 15' has the same structure as the control mechanism 15 in FIG. 1, and the same parts are indicated by the same reference numerals with (') added thereto. This control mechanism 1
One shaft 16' constituting the shaft 5' is a bevel gear 24',
The other shaft 17' is linked to the drive shaft 29 via sprockets 26', 28' and a chain 27' therebetween.

It is clear that even in such a configuration, the timing of operation between the release mechanism 90 and the container delivery mechanism 9 can be controlled in accordance with the operating speed. In addition, the third
4, the container transport mechanism 14 and the container discharge mechanisms 39, 9 are operated at fixed timings, whereas the operating timings of the release mechanisms 70, 90 can be changed. The container transport mechanism 14 and the release mechanisms 70, 90 are operated at a constant timing, and the container transport mechanisms 39, 9 are activated.
Of course, the configuration may be such that the operation timing of the controller can be changed.

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation timing between the container transport mechanism or release mechanism and the container unloading mechanism can be controlled, so it is possible to obtain the optimal operation timing according to the operating speed of these mechanisms. Therefore, it is possible to expect a smooth and reliable discharge operation of the container.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are block diagrams similar to FIG. 1 showing other embodiments of the present invention. 1: Container, 2: Holder, 4: Chain conveyor,
5: Chain foil, 9, 39: Container delivery mechanism, 1
0: Rotating cam plate, 13: Unloading conveyor, 14: Container conveyance mechanism, 15, 15', 45, 78: Operation timing control mechanism, 23, 23': Motor, 51,
74: Cylinder device, 70, 90: Release mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A container conveyance mechanism that conveys a holder containing a container, and a container discharge mechanism that receives a container falling from the holder at a container discharge portion and delivers it to a discharge conveyor. In a container discharging device in which the mechanisms are driven synchronously, a delay operation is performed between the container transport mechanism and the container unloading mechanism in response to an increase in the operating speed of the device in order to synchronize the operation timing between the two mechanisms. The container discharging device is further provided with an operation timing control mechanism that applies an acceleration operation to the container discharging mechanism in response to a change in deceleration. 2. A container transport mechanism that transports a holder containing a container, a release mechanism that supports and releases the bottom of the container in the holder at the container discharge portion, and a release mechanism that receives and releases the container released from the release mechanism. In a container discharging device that is equipped with a container discharging mechanism that delivers a container to a discharging conveyor, and in which each of these mechanisms is driven synchronously, a device operation is performed between the release mechanism and the container discharging mechanism in order to synchronize the operating timing between the two mechanisms. Container discharge characterized by being provided with an operation timing control mechanism that applies an earlier release operation to the release mechanism in response to an increase in speed, and a later release operation in response to a change in deceleration to the release mechanism. Device.