JPH0251821B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to an article holding device used in a depalletizer to hold and suspend articles.

"Prior Art" Conventionally, when holding a beer case as an article in a depalletizer, an opening as an engaging part is formed in the side wall of the case, and a pair of engaging claws for holding the case are connected to the beer bottle and the case. The case was held by being engaged with the opening from between the cases, that is, from inside the case. Therefore, even when the cases were stacked in close contact with each other, it was possible to hold each case.

"Problem to be Solved by the Invention" However, if the engaging claw cannot be engaged with the engaging portion of the article from inside the article, the engaging claw may be engaged with the engaging portion from the outside of the article. In this case, it was necessary to provide a sufficient distance between adjacent articles to allow the engagement claw to be inserted. However, providing such a spacing has the disadvantage that stability deteriorates when a large number of articles are stacked and the overall size increases when a certain number of articles are stacked.

"Means for Solving the Problem" In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a plurality of first articles and a second article arranged in substantially contact with each other, each of which engages with each article from the adjacent side. An inner engagement claw, a plurality of outer engagement claws that respectively engage each article from the outside side opposite to the adjacent side, and the inner engagement claw and the outer engagement claw are operated to open and close, respectively, to engage the inner engagement. The above-mentioned first
An article holding device comprising a drive mechanism for holding and releasing an article and a second article, the moving means for separating the first article from the second article by moving the outer engaging claw engaged with the first article. The inner engaging claw that is provided and engages with the first article is disposed at a position where it can engage with the first article moved by the outer engaging claw.

"Function" According to the above configuration, even if the first article and the second article are arranged in contact with each other and the inner engaging claw cannot be inserted between them, the reciprocating cylinder device etc. can be moved. By moving the outer engaging claw and separating the first article engaged therefrom from the second article, the inner engaging claw can be engaged with both articles.

"Example" Hereinafter, an example applied to a depalletizer of the present invention will be described. First, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. A large number of articles 1 and 2 are stacked in two rows on a pallet 3, and each article 1 and 2 has an engaging portion 4 on the adjacent side wall and the opposite side wall, respectively. It is set up.

Reference numerals 5 and 6 denote a pair of engagement claws that can each engage with the engagement portion 4 of the first article 1, and 7 and 8 indicate a pair of engagement claws that can each engage with the engagement portion 4 of the second article 2. , each pair of engagement claws 5, 6 and 7, 8 is provided on the elevator frame 9 so as to be able to rise and fall and rotate freely, and furthermore, among each pair of engagement claws, the outer engagement claws 5, 7 are the outer side. is provided so as to be movable in the direction toward and away from the inner engaging claws 6 and 8.

In the initial state, each pair of engagement claws 5, 6 and 7, 8 is located at the lower end position with respect to the elevator frame 9, and each engagement claw 5, 6 and 7, 8 is at the open position. That is, it is located in a horizontal position. Moreover, the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 are the inner engaging claws 6,
In this state, the outer engaging claws 5, 7 are located on the outer side walls of the mutually adjacent articles 1 and 2.

When the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 are rotated from this state to the engaging position, that is, to the vertical direction, the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 are rotated to the respective outer engaging portions 4 of the first article 1 and the second article 2. (Fig. 1a).

Next, when each of the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 is raised slightly, each of the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 is completely engaged with the outer engaging portion 4, and the subsequent outer engagement As the claws 5, 7 rise, each article 1, 2 is tilted, and the rising end side of the fitting part 10 provided at the bottom of the article 1, 2 comes to be separated from the opening of the article 1, 2 below (Fig. 1b). . In this state, each of the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 moves in a direction away from the inner engaging claws 6 and 8, forming a gap between the adjacent articles 1 and 2 (FIG. 1c).

When the adjacent side walls of each of the articles 1 and 2 reach the respective lower positions of the inner engaging claws 6 and 8, the lateral movement by the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 is stopped, and then the inner engaging claws 6・When the inner engaging claws 6 and 8 are rotated to the engaging position, that is, in the vertical direction, the inner engaging claws 6 and 8
engages with the engaging portion 4 of each article 1, 2 (FIG. 1d). When the inner engaging claws 6, 8 are raised from this state, the articles 1, 2 are completely floated above the articles 1, 2 below (FIG. 1e).

Thereafter, when the elevating frame 9 is moved laterally and each first article 1 is lowered and placed on a conveyor (not shown), the engaging claws 5, 6 and 7, 8 rotate to the open position, Release the holding of each article 1 and 2. Then, when the respective engaging claws 5, 6 and 7, 8 release their holding of the articles 1, 2, the respective engaging claws 5, 6 and 7, 8 are lowered to the lowering end position with respect to the elevator frame 9, Also, lift frame 9 is pallet 3
It is moved to a position where it holds the articles 1 and 2 above, and the same operations as described above are repeated thereafter.

However, FIG. 2 shows the above-mentioned engaging claws 5, 6 and 7,
FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration for obtaining the above-mentioned operation of 8. FIG. 2 shows only the two inner engaging claws 6 and 8 and the outer engaging claw 7 on the right side, and Although the outer engaging claw 5 is symmetrical with the right outer engaging claw 7, it has the same structure, so illustration thereof is omitted.

In FIG. 2, the two inner engaging claws 6 and 8 are each rotatably attached to a lifting member 15 provided on the lifting frame 9 so as to be able to rise and fall freely, and the lifting member 15 is a lifting cylinder device provided on the lifting frame 9. 16 so that it can be raised and lowered. Further, the elevating member 15 is provided with a pair of rotating cylinder devices 17, and by interlocking the rotating cylinder devices 17 with the inner engaging claws 6 and 8 through levers 18, each inner engaging claw 6 and 8 can be rotated.

On the other hand, the outer engaging claw 7 is rotatably provided on an elevating member 19, and the elevating member 19 is a reciprocating member movable along a guide rod 20 horizontally disposed on the elevating frame 9. 21 so that it can be raised and lowered freely. The reciprocating member 21 can be moved forward and backward by a reciprocating cylinder device 22 provided on the elevating frame 9, and the elevating member 19 can be moved forward and backward by a reciprocating cylinder device 23 provided on the reciprocating member 21. Furthermore, the engagement claw 7 can be rotated via a lever 26 by a rotary cylinder device 25 provided on a support member 24 that moves up and down together with the elevating member 19.

Although only one pair of each of the above-mentioned engaging claws 5, 6, 7, and 8 is shown in the drawing, it is possible to arrange multiple sets in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper and operate them in an integrated manner by interlocking them. Of course, this can be done.

It is clear that with the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the operation shown in FIG. 1 described above can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, since the fitting part 10 is provided at the bottom of each article 1, 2, each article 1, 2 is tilted and then moved laterally. If there is no such device, the lifting cylinder devices 16 and 23 for lifting and lowering the respective engaging claws 5, 6 and 7, 8 can be omitted. In this case, depending on the shape of the engaging part 4, at least the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 may be provided with a mechanism such as a clamper to securely grip the engaging part 4.

Further, in the above embodiment, both the outer engaging claws 5 and 7 are moved in the lateral direction, but only one of them may be moved. Basically, the same can be applied even in cases where For example, when articles are arranged in four rows, each pair of engaging claws 5, 6 and 7, 8 located on both sides of the outermost side are integrally movable in the lateral direction, and these engaging claws are used to The two articles are moved laterally, and then the inner two articles are moved with each pair of inner engaging claws 5, 6 and 7, 8.
The same operation as shown in FIG. 1 may be performed for one article.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, according to the present invention, even when the first article and the second article are arranged in contact with each other and the inner engaging claw cannot be inserted between them, By separating the articles with at least one outer engaging pawl, the articles can be engaged with the inner engaging pawl, thereby expanding the types of articles that can be handled by the article holding device. You can get the effect that you can.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1A to 1E are explanatory diagrams for explaining the operation in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing a specific configuration for obtaining the operation shown in FIG. 1. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2... Article, 4... Engaging portion, 5, 7... Outer engaging claw, 6, 8... Inner engaging claw, 9... Elevating frame, 16, 23... Elevating cylinder device, 17 ,2
5... Rotating cylinder device (drive mechanism), 22...
Reciprocating cylinder device (transportation means).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A first article and a second article arranged in substantially contact with each other; a plurality of inner engaging pawls that respectively engage each article from adjacent sides; A plurality of outer engaging claws that respectively engage with each article from the outside, the inner engaging claw and the outer engaging claw are operated to open and close, respectively, and the inner engaging claw and the outer engaging claw engage the third object. In an article holding device comprising a drive mechanism that holds and releases a first article and a second article, the moving means moves the outer engaging claw engaged with the first article to separate the first article from the second article. What is claimed is: 1. An article holding device comprising: an inner engaging claw that engages with the first article; and an inner engaging claw that engages with the first article, and is disposed at a position where the outer engaging claw can engage the first article moved by the outer engaging claw.