JPH0221811A - Article processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the application of compact design and manufacture at a less cost by capping an article via the downward motion of a lift rotary shaft, holding the article via the rotation of the lift rotary shaft and releasing the article from a holder via the upward motion of the lift rotary shaft. CONSTITUTION:When a holder 5 is housed in a pocket 86a and carried on the rotation of the third rotary body 81, lift rotary shafts 89 and 90 are lowered on the operation of a lift cam 94, while clamp members 97 are being kept open. A capping head 109 is thereby made in contact with the top of a cap 64 placed on a container 3 and the cap 64 is pressed down with the dead load of the head 109, the lift rotary shafts 89 and 90, and the like, thereby capping the rotary member 4 with the lower open end of the cap 64. A pair of clamp members 97 is closed with a fixed cam 104 while the capping head 109 being in contact with the cap 64, thereby holding the cap 64 ana a processed article 1. In this state, the lift cam 94 operates to move upward the lift rotary shafts 89 and 90 and the processed article 1 is lifted from the holder 5, thereby separating the article 1 from the holder 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an article processing device, and more particularly, to an article processing device that caps an article housed in a holder and then pulls out the article from the holder to separate the article. The present invention relates to an article processing device.

``Prior Art'' Conventionally, when capping an unstable article, the article is usually stabilized by being housed in a holder, and capping is performed in that state. Therefore, in this type of article, it is necessary to separate the article and the holder after capping.

``Problems to be Solved by the Invention'' However, conventionally, the capper that caps the article and the separation device that separates the article from the holder have been constructed separately, making the entire device large and expensive. was.

"Means for Solving the Problem" In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a capping mechanism for capping an article housed in a holder;
The object of the present invention is to provide an article processing device in which a separation mechanism for separating an article and a holder is organically combined.

That is, the present invention includes a pair of lifting and lowering rotation shafts that are provided so as to be able to rise and fall and are interlocked so as to rotate in mutually opposite directions;
A casing that is rotatably provided on both lifting and lowering rotation shafts and that moves up and down together with the lifting and lowering rotational shafts; It is equipped with a capping head for capping the cap, and a clamp member that is provided on both the lifting and lowering rotation shafts and is opened and closed as the lifting and lowering rotational shafts rotate. The capped article is grasped and raised to separate the article from the holder.

"Function" According to the above configuration, it is possible to cap the article by lowering the elevating rotary shaft, it is possible to grip the article by rotating the elevating rotary shaft, and the article can be gripped by rotating the elevating rotary shaft. can be separated from the holder.

Therefore, compared to conventional devices in which such operations are performed by two machines, it is possible to manufacture the device in a smaller size and at a lower cost.

``Example'' The present invention will be described below with reference to an illustrated example. In FIG. 1, an article to be treated 1 is placed in a cylindrical container 3 containing a rod-shaped object 2 such as a lipstick, and a rotatable container 3 at the bottom of the container 3. The container includes a rotating member 4 provided in the container, and screw means (not shown) for causing the rod-shaped body 2 to protrude and retract from the upper opening of the container in accordance with the rotation of the rotating member 4.

The article to be processed 1 is transported along with the holder 5 to the supply conveyor with the rod-shaped body 2 protruding from the mouth of the container 3 and the rotary member 4 housed in the holder 5, as shown in FIG. It is designed to be continuously conveyed by 8.

The articles 1 continuously conveyed by the supply conveyor 8 are synchronized with the rotation of the inlet star wheel 10 by the timing screw 9, and the artificial star wheel 1
0 into the first rotating body 11. This first rotating body 11 is for rotating the container 3 with respect to the rotating member 4 and drawing the rod-shaped body 2 into the container 3.
As shown in FIG. 3, it includes a main shaft 12 and a lower table 13 attached to the main shaft 12 on which articles 1 from the inlet star wheel 10 are carried and placed.

On the outer periphery of the lower table 13, there are semicircular pockets 16 that can accommodate the holders 5 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.
(Fig. 4), and the above-mentioned inlet star wheel 1
An arc-shaped guide member is provided on the forward side in the rotational direction of the first rotary body 11 from the delivery position of the holder 5 from 0 to each pocket 16 to prevent the holder 5 accommodated in the pocket 16 from falling out of the pocket 16. 17 (see Fig. 2) are arranged and fixed.

Further, when the article 1 to be treated stored in the holder S in each of the pockets 16 is slightly raised as described later, the lower table 13 has a rotating member 4 of the article 1 to be treated.
A first clamp mechanism 20 is provided for gripping the rotating member 4 and fixing the rotating member 4 to the rotating body 11.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the first clamp mechanisms 20 includes a pair of rotating shafts 21 supported on the lower table 13, and a pair of clamp members 22 attached to each rotating shaft 21. , a pair of gears 23 that are attached to each rotating shaft 21 and mesh with each other to interlock both rotating shafts 21 so as to rotate in opposite directions. The clamp members 22 are urged toward each other by a spring (not shown), so that the rotating member 4 can be gripped between the clamp members 22 in a natural state.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a lever 24 is attached to the lower end of one of the rotating shafts 21, M21, and a cam follower 25 provided at the tip of the lever 24 is fixed to the frame 26. By engaging the fixed cam 27, the pair of clamp members 22 can be opened and expanded at a predetermined position against the spring.

Further, the first rotating body 11 is provided with two parallel discs 31 above the lower table 13, and the discs 31 grip the container 3 of the article to be processed 1 and rotate the container 3. A second clamp mechanism 32 is provided for pulling the rod-shaped body 2 into the container 3.

Each of the above-mentioned clamp mechanisms 32 is equipped with an elevating drive shaft 33 provided on a disk 31 so as to be able to rise and fall freely, and an air chuck means 34 provided at the lower end of each elevating drive shaft 33. , as shown in FIG. 5, when compressed air is supplied into the pressure chamber 36 of the cylinder 35 and the piston 37 is pushed down, the inner diameter of the ring-shaped elastic member 38 is reduced and the pair of clamp members are closed. 39 so that the container 3 can be gripped.

On the other hand, when compressed air is discharged from the pressure chamber 3G, the inner diameter of the ring-shaped elastic member 38 is expanded by its own elasticity, and the pair of clamp members 3
9 are expanded and expanded by the elasticity of the O-ring 40, thereby making it possible to release the grip on the container 3.

In addition, in FIG. 3, a guide rod 43 is vertically arranged at an intermediate position between the adjacent elevating drive shafts 33 and fixed to the disc 31, and a bracket is attached to the guide rod 43 so as to be able to move up and down. 44 is rotatably supported on the elevating drive shaft 33, and a cam follower 45 is attached to the bracket 44. Then, the cam follower 45 is engaged with a fixed cam 47 attached to a fixed member 46 provided on the outer periphery of the main shaft 12, so that the elevating drive shaft 33 can be moved up and down according to the cam curve of the fixed cam 47. There is.

Further, gears 49 are provided on the upper outer periphery of the elevating drive shaft 33, and each gear 49 is meshed with a gear 50 rotatably supported on the disc 31. Each gear above 50
are integrally provided with friction rollers 51, and each friction roller 51 is rotationally driven by the PJ friction plate 52 when it comes into contact with a fixed friction plate 52 attached to the fixed member 46 due to the rotation of the disc 31. It is now possible to do so.

This friction plate 52 comes into contact with the friction roller 51 after the pair of clamp members 39 grip the container 3, and the friction plate 52 connects the container 3 to the container 3 via the friction roller 51, gear 50.49, lifting drive shaft 33, and air chuck means 34. The container 3 is provided over a range such that the container 3 can be rotated with respect to the rotating member 4 enough to draw the rod-shaped body 2 into the container 3 when the container 3 is rotated.

In the above configuration, the holder 5 accommodating the bottom of the article 1 to be processed is moved from the inlet star wheel 10 to the first rotating body 11.
The clamp member 22 of the first clamp mechanism 20 is expanded and expanded when it is sequentially transferred into each pocket 16 of the first clamp mechanism 20 . When the holder 5 is accommodated in the pocket 16, the outer circumference of the holder 5 is supported by the arcuate guide member 17 due to the rotation of the first rotating body 11, and each pocket 1
6 and is transported along with the rotation of the first rotating body 11 without falling off.

When the holder 5 and the article to be processed 1 are transported by the first rotary body 11, the elevating drive shaft 33 of the second clamp mechanism 32 is first lowered by the fixed cam 47, and the space between the pair of clamp members 39 that has been opened and expanded is lowered. Insert the container 3 relative to the When the container 3 is inserted between the clamp members 39, the flow path of a flow path switching valve (not shown) is switched to supply compressed air to the pressure chamber 36 of the air chuck means 34, thereby closing the clamp member 39. grip the container 3. At this time, the friction roller 51 is not in contact with the friction plate 52, and the rotation of the elevating drive shaft 33 is stopped.

When the clamp member 39 grips the container 3, the elevating drive shaft 33 is slightly raised by the fixed cam 47, and the rotary member 4 of the article to be processed 1 is positioned between the clamp members 22 of the first clamp mechanism 20. Then the fixed cam 47
The clamp member 22 is thereby closed and grips the rotating member 4.

At this time, the article to be treated 1 is set to be raised within a range in which the lower end of the rotating member 4 does not come off from inside the holder 5, and when the article to be treated 1 is lowered later. This ensures that it can be returned into the holder 5.

When the first clamp mechanism 20 grips the rotating member 4,
The friction roller 51 comes into contact with the friction plate 52, and when the lifting drive shaft 33 and the machining chuck means 34 are rotated by the frictional force and the container 3 is rotated relative to the rotating member 4, the rod-shaped The body 2 is drawn into the container 3.

When the rod-shaped body 2 is drawn into the container 3 in this manner, the friction roller 51 comes to separate from the friction plate 52, and in this state, the grip of the rotating member 4 by the first clamp mechanism 20 is released. Ru. Next, the vertical drive shaft 33
When the object 1 is slightly lowered and the article 1 to be treated is accommodated in the holder 5 again, the flow path of the flow path switching valve (not shown) is switched and compressed air is discharged from the pressure chamber 36, whereby the second clamp mechanism 32 The clamp member 39 is expanded and the container 3
release the grip.

Thereafter, the elevating drive shaft 33 is raised to the original height position, and the above-described operations are repeated to sequentially draw the rod-like bodies 2 of the articles 1 into the container 3.

Next, when the rod-shaped body 2 cannot be drawn into the container 3 for some reason, the reject mechanism 55 shown in FIG. It is designed so that it can be discharged from the processing line to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 2, the reject mechanism 55 is located downstream of the position where the first run 1 mechanism 20 and the second clamp mechanism 32 have finished pulling the rod-shaped body 2 into the container 3. and from the first rotating body 11 to the second rotating body 63
The guide member 17 that guides the holder 5 is provided with a notch 17a at this position.

The second rotating body 63 is a container 3 into which the rod-shaped body 2 is retracted.
A cap feeding mechanism 65 is provided for placing a cap 64 (see FIG. 1) on the container 3.However, if the rod-shaped body 2 remains protruding from the container 3, capping cannot be performed. The defective articles can be discharged from the first rotating body 11 before being supplied.

The reject mechanism 55 has a shaft 5 as shown in FIG.
6 is provided with swing arms 57 pivotably supported on the upper surface of the lower table 13 so as to be swingable in a horizontal plane, and each swing arm 57 is formed with the semicircular pocket 16 described above.

Each of the swing arms 57 is normally held at a predetermined non-operating position by a return spring (not shown), and in this state, the pocket 16 is opened outward in the radial direction of the first rotating body 11, thereby The holder 5 conveyed from the entrance star wheel IO can be smoothly accommodated in the pocket 16.

An operating lever 58 extending from the shaft 56 inward in the radial direction of the first rotating body 11 is integrally attached to the shaft 56 to which each of the swing arms 57 is fixed, and the notch 17a
A cam member 59 is provided on the locus of movement of the tip of each actuating lever 58 at the position shown in FIG.

The cam member 59 is normally held at a position where it does not come into contact with the operating lever 58, but when a defective article is detected by a sensor such as a phototube (not shown), the cam member 59 comes into contact with the operating lever 58 by the cylinder device. projected in position,
By rotating the swinging arm 58 in the clockwise direction in FIG. There is.

Next, the cap supply mechanism 6 provided on the second rotating body 63
5, in FIGS. 6 and 7, the second rotating body 63 includes a rotary table 69 attached to the upper part of the drive shaft 68, and radial slits formed at equal intervals in the rotary table 69. A guide member 71 is provided below the rotary table 69 to prevent the cap 64 stored in the cap storage portion 70 from falling over a required rotation range. Fixed.

The caps 64 are housed in the chute 73 in a state in which they are horizontally in contact with each other in parallel, and fall down in the chute 73 due to their own weight. The lower end opening of the chute 73 is opened at a position above the cap storage section 70, which is moved as the rotary table 69 rotates, and the head of the cap 64 is directed outward in the radial direction from the chute 73. Each cap storage section 70 is
It is now possible to supply one by one.

The guide member 71 is designed to maintain the cap 64 in a horizontal state at the position where the cap 64 is supplied from the chute 73 to the cap storage section 70, but is tilted forward in the direction of rotation of the rotary table 69 from that position. Face 7
4, and the cap 64 is formed by the inclined surface 74.
The opening side can be guided downward.

The lower surface of the rotary table 69 receives the falling cap 64 at a radially inward position of the cap storage portion 70 while rotating so that the opening thereof faces downward by the inclined surface 74, and holds the cap 64 in an almost upright position. A semi-cylindrical guide member 75 is provided to guide the drop in the suspended state.

Furthermore, a lower table 76 is attached to the drive shaft 68 below the rotary table 69, and a semicircular shape in which the holder 5 is accommodated is placed on the outer periphery of the lower table 76 at a position below each of the guide members 75. A pocket 77 is formed. A guide member 78 is arranged and fixed around the lower table 76 to prevent the holder 5 housed in the pocket 77 from falling off (see FIG. 2).

Therefore, the cap 64, which falls while rotating due to the inclined surface 74 so that the opening faces downward, is stopped from rotating by the guide member 75 in the middle of falling and stands upright. Now it can be covered with container 3.

When the cap 64 is placed on the container 3 in this way,
The article to be processed 1 is transferred from the second rotating body 63 to the third rotating body 81 .

As shown in FIG. 8, this third rotating body 81 pushes down the cap 64 placed on the container 3 and
Press fit the lower end opening into the rotating member 4 of the article to be processed 1 (
(See FIG. 1) A capping mechanism 82 for capping, and an article 1 to be processed capped with the cap 64.
and a separating mechanism 83 that raises the object 1 to separate the article 1 from the holder 5.

The third rotating body 81 includes a main shaft 85, a lower table 86 attached to the main shaft 85 on which the article 1 from the second rotating member 63 is carried in and placed thereon, and a lower table 86 attached to the main shaft 85 above the lower table 86. A disk 87 is provided.

Pockets 86a that can accommodate the holders 5 are formed on the outer periphery of the lower table 86 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and the holders 5 accommodated in the pockets 86a are guided by an arcuate guide member 88 (see FIG. 2). (see).

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the separation mechanism 83 for lifting the article 1 to be processed relative to the holder 5 is provided through the lower table 86 and the disc 87 so as to be able to rise and fall and rotate freely. Each pair of elevating and lowering rotation shafts 89.9 degrees is provided, and a bracket 91 is rotatably provided between the lower ends of both of the elevating and lowering rotation shafts 89 and 90.

Then, by attaching a cam follower 92 to this bracket 91 and engaging the cam follower 92 with an elevating cam 94 provided on the frame 93, the elevating rotation shaft 89.9o can be raised and lowered integrally according to the cam curve of the elevating cam 94. We are making it possible to do so.

Further, a pair of clamp members 97 (first O
(see figure) and gears 98 that mesh with each other.
, and by rotating one of the lifting rotation shafts 89 in the forward and reverse directions, the pair of clamp members 97 are connected via the gear 98.
It is designed so that it can be opened and closed. The clamp members 97 are urged toward each other by a spring (not shown), and in a natural state, the cap 64 of the article to be processed 1 can be gripped between the two clamp members 97.

In addition, a spline 99 is provided at the lower end of one of the vertical rotation shafts 89.
A cylindrical member 101 is rotatably supported by a bracket 100 attached to the lower table 86, and the spline 99 is spline-fitted to the cylindrical member 101.

A lever 102 is attached to the cylindrical member 101, and a cam follower 103 provided on the lever 102 can be engaged with a fixed cam 104 attached to the frame 93. When the cam follower 103 engages with the fixed cam 104, the The pair of clamp members 97 can be opened and expanded by rotating the lifting and lowering rotation shafts 89 and 90.

Furthermore, a cylindrical casing 107 constituting the above-described capping mechanism 82 is rotatably attached to the outer periphery of one of the lifting rotation shafts 89, and a fork-shaped portion 107a provided at the upper end of the casing 107 is connected to the other lifting rotation shaft. By engaging the casing 90 so as to be able to rise and fall, the casing 107 is prevented from rotating with the rotation of the lifting and lowering rotation shaft 89.

A protrusion 108 is integrally formed in the casing 107 so as to extend outward in the radial direction of the third rotating body 81.
1), a capping head 109 is provided at the tip of the protrusion ioa so as to be movable up and down.

This capping head 109 is attached to the pocket 86a.
It is located directly above the article 1 to be processed in the holder 5 housed in the holder 5, and is biased downward by a lever spring 110.

In the above configuration, the pair of clamp members 97 are opened when the holder 5 is transferred from the second rotating body 63 to the third rotating body 81, and the holder 5 is accommodated in the pocket 86a and the guide member 88.

When the holder 5 is accommodated in the pocket 86a and transported as the third rotating body 81 rotates, the pair of elevating and lowering rotation shafts 89 and 90 are moved by the elevating cam 94 while the clamping member 97 remains open. The capping head 109 is lowered and brought into contact with the cap 64 covering the container 3, and the cap 64 is lowered by the weight of the capping head 109, the lifting and lowering rotation shafts 89, 90, etc.
is pressed down to cap the lower end opening of the cap 64 on the rotary member 4.

When capping by the capping head 109 is completed, the pair of clamp members 97 are closed by the fixed cam 104 while the capping head 109 is in contact with the cap 64, and the capped cap 64 is gripped and processed. Grip article 1. When this state is reached, the elevating and lowering rotating shafts 89 and 90 are raised by the elevating cam 94, the object to be processed 1 is lifted from the holder 5, and the object to be processed 1 and the holder 5 are separated.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the third rotating body 81 has a first discharging means 115 and a second discharging means 11B for discharging the mutually separated article 1 and holder 5 to the outside separately. It is equipped with

A second ejection means 116 for ejecting the holder 5 includes a guide member 117 that engages with the holder 5 on the lower table 86 and guides it to the outside, and a star wheel 118 that forms a pocket 118a for accommodating the holder 5. The holder 5 from which the article to be processed 1 has been pulled out is discharged onto the holder discharge conveyor 119 by the star wheel 118 and the guide member 117.

On the other hand, the article 1 to be processed, which has been lifted while being gripped by the pair of clamp members 97, is conveyed beyond the guide member 117, and is then conveyed to the pocket 121a of the outlet star wheel 121 constituting the first discharge means 115 and the guide member 117. Member 12
2 and discharged onto the article discharge conveyor 123.

Note that when the rod-shaped body 2 is drawn into the container 3, the upper end of the rod-shaped body 2 does not need to be completely buried in the container 3, and may protrude slightly depending on the size of the cap 64. Of course.

Further, in the above embodiment, the capping head 109 presses down the cap 64 already placed on the container to cap the container, but this is not limited to stiffness. A cap supplying mechanism may be provided which allows the cap to be held by the capping head 109 and supplies the cap directly to the capping head 109.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, in the present invention, the capping head and the clamp member are operated by the lifting and lowering and rotation of the lifting rotation shaft, thereby capping the article and separating the article and the holder. Therefore, compared to the conventional device in which such an operation is performed by two machines, it is possible to manufacture the device in a smaller size and at a lower cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional front view showing an example of a processed article 1 to be processed according to the present invention, and shows the state accommodated in a holder 5, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the first rotating body 11, FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view showing a portion of the paste eject mechanism 55 in FIG. 2, and FIG.
The figure is an enlarged sectional view showing the main parts of the second clamp mechanism 32 in Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the second rotating body 63, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in Fig. 6. , FIG. 8 shows the third rotating body 8
1, FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional front view of a pair of rotating wheels 89.90, FIG. 1O, and FIG.
It is a sectional view taken along the -X line and the ■-°C line. 97...Clamp member 107...Casing 109...Capping head 115...First discharge means 116...Second discharge means 119--Holder discharge conveyor 123-...Article discharge conveyor...Fixed cam

Claims (1)

[Claims] A pair of lifting and lowering rotation shafts that are provided so as to be freely raised and lowered and are interlocked so as to rotate in opposite directions; a casing that is rotatably provided on both of the lifting and lowering rotational shafts and that is raised and lowered together with the lifting and lowering rotational shafts; A capping head is provided on the casing and caps the article housed in the holder and fed downward when the elevating rotary shaft is lowered; and a clamp member that is opened and closed by a user, and the clamp member grips the capped article and lifts the capped article when the lifting rotation shaft is raised, thereby separating the article from the holder. Article processing equipment.