JPH0442269Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Industrial Application Field" The present invention relates to a container dispensing device which holds and takes out a container stored in a box with a container holding head, and more specifically relates to a container dispensing device using the container holding head. The present invention relates to a remaining container detection device that detects a mistake in taking out a container.

``Prior Art'' Conventionally, as a container takeout device, a box in which containers are stacked in multiple stages is supplied to a predetermined takeout position via a partition plate, and a container holding head capable of holding the container and the partition plate are subjected to negative pressure. A device is known in which containers and partition plates are sequentially taken out from inside a box by alternately operating partition plate holding heads that can hold the containers by suction.
Utility Model No. 55-41306).

"Problem to be solved by the device" However, in this type of container removal device,
If the container holding head makes a mistake in removing a container and a container remains in the box, the next time the partition plate holding head attempts to remove the partition plate, the remaining container may be damaged, or the partition plate may be removed while the remaining container remains in the box, making it impossible for the container holding head to remove any containers thereafter.

To improve this problem, it is possible to install a sensor in the partition plate holding head to detect remaining containers, but especially when a large number of small diameter containers are stored in the box, the entire area of the box may be A large number of sensors had to be installed to cover this, making it expensive.

"Means for Solving the Problems" In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides the above-mentioned container unloading device, in which the partition plate holding head is provided with a suction pad at a position above the suction pad that adsorbs the partition plate.
Also, a remaining container detection plate is installed at a position below the minimum height dimension of the container to abut the container remaining in the box to prevent the partition plate holding head from descending, and a negative pressure is introduced to the suction pad. A pressure detector is provided in the negative pressure passage to detect the internal pressure.

"Function" According to such a configuration, the opening of the suction pad is not closed by the partition plate when the detection plate contacts the remaining container and the descent of the partition plate holding head is prevented, so the partition by the suction pad is not closed. Even if a required amount of time elapses from the timing of adsorption of the plate, the required amount of negative pressure will not be obtained, and therefore the pressure detector will be able to detect the presence of the remaining container.

"Example" The present invention will be explained below with reference to the illustrated example.
In FIG. 1, a rectangular cardboard box 1 containing a container is conveyed leftward by a supply conveyor 3 while being guided on both sides by guide members 2, and hits a stopper 4 provided at the tip of the supply conveyor 3. It is now possible to stop the vehicle if it comes in contact with the vehicle. Inside the box 1, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a large number of cylindrical containers 6 are stacked and stored in multiple tiers with a plurality of partition plates 5 in between.

As shown in FIG. 1, a box opening device 10 is provided on one side of the distal end of the supply conveyor 3, and on the other side of the supply conveyor 3, a box 1 which has been stopped by contacting the stopper 4 is disposed. A pushing mechanism 11 is disposed along the stopper 4 to push the box from the supply conveyor 3 into the box opening device 10. This extrusion mechanism 11 is
In the illustrated embodiment, it is composed of a cylinder device 12 and a pressing member 13 that is moved forward toward the box opening device 10 by the cylinder device 12.

The box opening device 10 includes a first transport path 15 that guides the box 1 pushed out by the pushing mechanism 11.
and a second conveyance path 16 connected to the tip of the first conveyance path 15 in an L-shape, and the box 1 pushed out by the extrusion mechanism 11 to the L-shaped connection part through the first conveyance path 15, a conveyance mechanism 17 for conveying along the second conveyance path 16;
An inner corner of the L-shaped connection between the conveyance path 15 and the second conveyance path 16, the other side position of the first conveyance path 15 opposite to the corner, and the second conveyance path 16 opposite to the corner.
Cutters 18 and 18, respectively, are placed at three locations on the other side.
19 and 20 are arranged at the same height position.

Therefore, the box 1 that is transported through the first transport path 15 by the extrusion mechanism 11 has cutters 18 whose both sides in the transport direction are located on both sides of the first transport path 15,
The box 1 which has been cut by the cutters 19 and both sides thereof by the cutters 18 and 19 is transferred to the second conveyor with the cut sides by the conveyor mechanism 17 as the front and rear sides in the conveyance direction. Road 16
The cutter 1 is conveyed, and both sides of the box 1 in the conveyance direction are located on both sides of the second conveyance path.
Since the box 1 is cut at 8 and 20, the upper part of all sides of the box 1 is cut, and the upper part of the box can be opened.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cutter 18 disposed at the inner corner of the L-shaped connecting portion is composed of a rotary cutter 18 that is rotationally driven in a horizontal plane by a drive motor 24 with a speed reduction mechanism. The support member 25 to which the drive motor 24 is attached has a
At the same time, an L-shaped guide member 26 that guides the upper portions of two adjacent side surfaces of the box 1 that are orthogonal to each other is fixed, and an L-shaped guide member 27 that guides the upper side of the box 1 that corresponds to the two side surfaces is fixed. A guide member 27 that is provided and guides the upper side of the box 1 is biased downward by a spring 28.

At this time, one guide surface of the L-shaped guide member 26 is aligned with the guide surface of the stopper 4, and the box 1 pushed out by the extrusion mechanism 11 along the guide surface of the stopper 4 is smoothly guided. I'm trying to make it possible. The other guide surface of the L-shaped guide member 26 is made to coincide with the guide surface of a guide member 29 (FIG. 1) provided on one side of the second conveyance path 16, and is conveyed by the conveyance mechanism 17. This allows the box 1 to be smoothly guided from the guide member 26 to the guide member 29.

Further, the support member 25 is attached to a support post 32 erected on the machine frame so that it can be raised and lowered while being prevented from rotating by a key member. 25, the height of the support member 25, that is, the height position of the rotary cutter 18 can be adjusted by rotating a handle 34 attached to the screw shaft 33.

On the other hand, the structure of the cutters 19 and 20 provided at positions facing the cutter 18 is that the guide members 26 and 2
The point that the guide member corresponding to 7 is a straight line,
Although a detailed explanation of the structure will be omitted, the structure is substantially the same as that of the cutter 18, except that the distance between the cutter 18 and the cutter 18 is adjustable. When the size of the arrangement is changed, the intervals between the cutters 18 and 19 and between the cutters 18 and 20 can be adjusted according to the size of the box 1 after the change, and the distance between the cutters 18, 19, 20 can be adjusted. The height position can be adjusted.

However, the box 1 that has passed through the box opening device 10
is transported by the transport mechanism 17 via the second transport path 16 to the take-out position A where the container 6 is taken out from the box 1, and is stopped. At removal position A of this container, there is a first
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 3, a container takeout device 38 is provided to sequentially take out the upper surface portion of the box 1 cut by the box opening device 10, and the stacked containers 6 and partition plate 5 from inside the box 1. ing.

As particularly shown in FIG. 3, the container unloading device 38 includes a guide rail 39 that is horizontally arranged and fixed above the second conveyance path 16 and perpendicular to the direction in which the boxes 1 are conveyed. It is provided with a moving frame 41 which is provided so as to be able to reciprocate along the same axis and which is reciprocally operated by a reciprocating mechanism 40. Further, this movable frame 41 is provided with elevating and lowering mechanisms 42 and 4, respectively.
A container holding head 44 and a partition plate holding head 45 which are raised and lowered by means of a partition plate holding head 45 are provided.

In the illustrated embodiment, the reciprocating mechanism 40 for reciprocating the movable frame 41 includes a drive motor 48 provided on the movable frame 41, a pinion (not shown) interlocked with the drive motor 48 via a deceleration mechanism (not shown), and It is provided with a rack 49 arranged parallel to the guide rail 39 and fixed to the machine frame, and the movable frame 41 is reciprocated along the guide rail 39 by the operation of the drive motor 48. A container holding head 44 and a partition plate holding head 45 provided at the box 1 can be alternately positioned directly above the box 1 located at the take-out position A.

Furthermore, when the container holding head 44 is positioned directly above the box 1 at the take-out position A, the upper surface portion of the box 1 to be delivered from the partition plate holding head 45 and the partition are located at the bottom of the partition plate holding head 45. A carry-out conveyor 50 is provided to carry out the plate 5 to the outside. Similarly, when the partition plate holding head 45 is positioned directly above the box 1 at the take-out position A, the container holding head 44 is provided with a container holding head 50 at the bottom of the container holding head 44. A conveyor 51 transports the container 6 released from the head 44 to the next process.
has been established.

The lifting mechanism 42 for lifting and lowering the container holding head 44 is composed of a servo motor 52 provided on the moving frame 41 and a screw shaft (not shown) rotated by the servo motor 52. It is screwed into the frame 53 of the head 44 so that the servo motor 52 can control the vertical position of the container holding head 44.

On the other hand, the elevating mechanism 43 for elevating and lowering the partition plate holding head 45 is composed of an air cylinder device 54 provided on the moving frame 41. At this time,
The lowering position of the partition plate holding head 45 connected to the air cylinder device 54 is not particularly controlled;
When the partition plate holding head 45 comes into contact with the partition plate 5 in the box 1, it can stop at that height position against the air pressure supplied to the air cylinder device 54.

As shown in Figure 8, the container holding head 44 is equipped with a horizontal mounting plate 58 which forms part of its frame 53, and suction heads 59 in the same number as the number of containers 6 which are attached to this mounting plate 58 in accordance with the storage positions of the multiple containers 6 in the box 1 shown in Figure 4, so that these multiple suction heads 59 can suck and hold one level of containers 6 stored in the box 1 at one time.

Each suction head 59 includes a conical centering member 60 with a pointed lower end, and a gasket 61 attached to the outer periphery of the centering member 60 to seal the mouth of the container 6. A negative pressure passage 62 bored in the shaft portion of the shaft is communicated with a negative pressure source (not shown). Therefore, when the container holding head 44 is lowered, the container 6 is centered with respect to the suction head 59 by the centering member 60 of each suction head 59, and the opening of the container 6 is sealed by the packing 61. Therefore, if negative pressure is introduced into the container 6 from the negative pressure source in this state, the container 6 can be held by suction on the suction head 59.

In this way, each container 6 can be centered using the conical centering member 60 with a pointed lower end, but especially when holding a large number of small-diameter containers by suction, each container including the centering member 60 can be centered. Since the suction heads 59 that hold the containers must be installed so that they do not interfere with each other, it becomes difficult to ensure a sufficiently large amount of centering, especially in the case of small-diameter containers, and centering of some containers 6 becomes impossible. There is.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a container aligning device 64 is provided for arranging the containers 6 in a desired state within the box 1. That is, in FIGS. 1 and 2, a tilting mechanism 65 is provided at the take-out position A to place the box 1 conveyed from the second conveyance path 16 and tilt it. The second transport path 1 is connected to the inclined plate 66 which is thus inclined.
A positioning member 67 is attached to the front side of the box 1 to position the front surface of the box 1.

The machine frame 68 at the entrance of the box 1 to the inclined plate 66 is provided with a pressing member 69 that is reciprocated in a vertical plane by a drive source (not shown), and when the pressing member 69 is raised, the pressing member 69 is pressed against the second transport path 16. Box 1 to the above inclined plate 66
When the box 1 is lowered, the rear surface of the box 1 is pressed to bring the front surface of the box 1 into contact with the positioning member 67, so that the box 1 can be positioned in the front-back direction.

Further, the positioning member 6 is attached to the inclined plate 66.
a positioning member 70 for positioning the side surface of the box 1 on one side of the box 7;
A pressing member 71 is provided which is actuated by a drive source (not shown) to press the box 1 against the opposing positioning member 70, thereby making it possible to position the box 1 in the lateral direction.

The inclined plate 66 is rotatably supported on the machine frame 68 via a support shaft 72 and a bearing member 73 on the forward side of the box 1 in the carrying direction, and is provided on the other side of the inclined plate 66 on the machine frame 68. An air cylinder device 74 is interlocked with the air cylinder device 74, and the operation of the air cylinder device 74 allows the inclined plate 66 to be inclined at a predetermined angle about the support shaft 72.

Therefore, when the tilting plate 66 is tilted, the box 1 placed on it is also tilted, so that a large number of containers 6 stored in the box 1 are slid downward, and the box 1 in the lower position is also tilted. With reference to the inner wall surface of the box 1, that is, the inner wall surface of the front surface of the box 1, the boxes 1 and 1 are brought into contact with each other and are closely aligned. As a result, a large number of containers 6 are housed in the box 1 by the large number of suction heads 59.
can be reliably adsorbed and held.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the containers 6 that have been arranged closely are further arranged by the inclination of the box 1, so that the suction head 59 can more reliably suction and hold them. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, by storing a cylindrical container 6 in a rectangular box 1, a large number of containers 6 stored in a box 1 are automatically placed on one side of the box 1. The boxes 1 are stored so that their sides are aligned in a line, and the other sides perpendicular thereto are arranged in a staggered manner. The front and rear surfaces in the conveyance direction are staggered so that

And the mounting plate 58 of the container holding head 44
Attach two correction members 77a and 77b to be inserted into the space between the inner corner of the box 1 and the container 6,
Each correction member 77a, 77b is arranged at a desired position with reference to two positioning members 67, 70 provided on the inclined plate 66. That is, one of the correction members 77a is disposed close to the positioning member 67 that positions the box 1 in the front-rear direction and away from the positioning member 70 that positions the box 1 in the lateral direction, and the other correction member 77b It is arranged diagonally to the member 77a.

In other words, the correction member 77a is arranged at a predetermined position on the opposite side of the positioning member 70 in the staggered arrangement of the containers located at the front in the transport direction of the box 1, when an appropriate staggered arrangement has been obtained in advance. It is placed in a position where it can be inserted into the space between. Therefore, for example, if the lateral dimension of the box 1 is slightly large and the staggered arrangement is slightly extended from the proper length, the correcting member 77a may be placed in the correct position at the inner corner of the box 1. By inserting the correction member 77a between the container 6 and the container 6, the correction member 77a
It is possible to correct the staggered arrangement to an appropriate length and, therefore, to an appropriate state by moving the .

At this time, the other correction member 77b is located at a diagonal position with respect to the correction member 77a, and the inside of the box 1 is close to the two correction members 77a, 77b and the two positioning members 67, 70. The corner portions 1a serve as reference points for positioning the container 2 at those portions. Therefore, when the two correction members 77a and 77b are inserted into the box 1, the correction member 77a forcibly moves the container 6 and corrects the position of the container, and at the same time,
Other correction member 77b and inner corner 1 of the box 1
Since a functions to maintain the position of the entire container, each container 6 can be positioned as appropriately as possible without damaging the overall arrangement of the containers.

Incidentally, the mounting position of the correction member is not limited to the position shown in the illustrated embodiment, and it goes without saying that it can be provided at any appropriate position.

As shown in FIG. 8, each of the correction members 77a and 77b is attached to the lower end of a lifting rod 78 with a rectangular cross section that is attached to the mounting plate 58 so as to be able to move up and down.
Further, they are biased downward by a spring 79 elastically mounted between the mounting plate 58 and each correction member 77a, 77b. Each of the correction members 77a and 77b has a rectangular horizontal cross section so that it can be inserted between the inner corner of the box 1 and the container 6 adjacent thereto (see FIG. 4), and when inserted, the correction members 77a and 77b Taper portions in appropriate directions are formed at the lower end so that the material can be extruded in the lateral direction and the front-back direction.

Furthermore, each correction member 77 is provided on the mounting plate 58.
A detector 80 detects that each of a and 77b has risen relative to the mounting plate 58 against the spring 79.
has been established. This detector 80 is connected to each correction member 77.
The upper end of the lifting rod 78 to which the lifting rods a and 77b are attached can be detected, and when the detector 80 detects that the lifting rod 78 has been raised, each correction member 77
a, 77b come into contact with box 1 or container 6 and the above period
When it is determined that insertion is no longer possible, the operation of the entire device is stopped.

Next, the aforementioned partition plate holding head 45
As shown in the figure, it is fixed to its frame 82;
It is provided with a plurality of suction pads 84 each communicating with a negative pressure source (not shown) via negative pressure passages 83, and a remaining container detection plate 85 in the form of a horizontal flat plate fixed to the frame 82. This detection plate 85 is located above the lower end surface of the suction pad 84 and below the minimum height dimension of the container 6, that is, in the case of the illustrated embodiment, the diameter dimension of the body of the overturned container 6. If an overturned container remains in the box 1, the detection plate 85 is brought into contact with the overturned container and the space between the partition plate 5 and the suction pad 84 is fixed for a required period of time. is formed.

The negative pressure passage 83 that introduces negative pressure into the suction pad 84 is provided with a pressure detector 86 that detects the internal pressure. When the required amount of negative pressure cannot be obtained, it is determined that there is a remaining container in the box 1, and the operation of the apparatus can be stopped.

According to the above configuration, the boxes 1 that are conveyed by the supply conveyor 3 and stopped by coming into contact with the stopper 4 provided at the tip thereof are directed toward the first conveyance path 15 by the extrusion mechanism 11 as described above. At the same time, it is subsequently conveyed through the second conveyance path 16 by the conveyance mechanism 17, while the cutters 18, 19,
20 cuts the periphery of the box 1 so that its upper surface can be opened.

When the box 1 passes below the pressing member 69 located at the upper position and is supplied onto the inclined plate 66 located at the horizontal position, the pressing member 69 swings down and the box 1 is moved downward. The box 1 is positioned by pushing out the rear surface of the box 1 and bringing the front surface of the box 1 into secure contact with the positioning member 67. After this, the push-out member 69 is returned to its original upper position.

When the box 1 is carried to the take-out position A in this manner, the partition plate holding head 45 located directly above the take-out position A is lowered by the air cylinder device 54, and the upper surface of the box 1 is sucked. It is held by suction by the pad 84. And the suction pad 84 is in box 1.
After suctioning and holding the upper part of the partition plate holding head 4
5 is raised by the air cylinder device 54, and then the moving frame 41 is moved in one direction so that the partition plate holding head 45 is positioned above the discharge conveyor 50,
At the same time, the container holding head 44 is positioned directly above the box 1 which is opened upward.

During this operation, when the suction pad 84 suctions the upper surface of the box 1 and starts discharging it, the pressing member 71 operates and the positioning member 7
0, and the box 1 is positioned in the lateral direction. In this state, the air cylinder device 74 swings and tilts the tilting plate 66 around the support shaft 72, so that the container 6 stored in the box 1 falls within the box 1 and moves downward. The layers are evenly stacked and aligned based on the inner wall surface of the box. When the containers 6 in the box 1 are aligned in this manner, the air cylinder device 74 returns the inclined plate 66 to its original horizontal state.

Next, as described above, when the partition plate holding head 45 is positioned above the discharge conveyor 50 and at the same time, the container holding head 44 is positioned directly above the box 1 opened upward, each head 44, 45 is moved to each elevating mechanism. 42 and 43, and the negative pressure introduced into the suction pad 84 on the side of the partition plate holding head 45 is cut off, so the upper surface portion of the box 1 falls onto the discharge conveyor 50 and is discharged to the outside. be done.

On the other hand, when the container holding head 44 is lowered, each straightening member 77a, 77b is first inserted between the inner corner of the box 1 and the container 6, and the container 6 in the box 1 is
Then, by lowering the container holding head 44, each centering member 60 is inserted into the container 6 to perform centering. When the gasket 61 seals the mouth of each container 6, all the containers 6 on the uppermost stage in the box are suctioned and held by each suction head 59.

When the suction head 59 of the container holding head 44 suction-holds the container 6, the pushing member 71 is retracted and the box 1 is released from being held. It will be lifted up. Then, by moving the moving frame 41, the partition plate holding head 45 is positioned directly above the box 1, and the container holding head 44 is moved to the position directly above the transport conveyor 51.
is located above the

In this state, each head 44, 45 is lowered again, and the suction pad 8 of the partition plate holding head 45
4 comes into contact with the partition plate 5 in the box 1 and attracts it, and then it is raised again. At this time, if an upright or inverted container 6 remains on the partition plate 5 as described above, the detection plate 85 comes into contact with the remaining container 6 and the opening of the suction pad 84 is closed by the partition plate 5. Since the negative pressure is not increased, the overturned container 6 remaining on the partition plate 5 can be detected.

On the other hand, the container holding head 44 is attached to each suction head 59.
After placing the adsorbed container 6 on the conveyor 51, the introduction of negative pressure is cut off and the container 6 is raised.
Each container 6 is left on the transport conveyor 51 and the containers 6 are lifted up on the transport conveyor 51.
1 to be transported to the next process.

Further, when the partition plate 5 is ejected from the box 1, the pressing member 71 is operated again to clamp the box 1 between it and the positioning member 70, and in this state, the inclined plate 66 is tilted and the box 1 is The containers 6 inside are now aligned, and the above-described operation is repeated thereafter. Finally, when the lower body portion of the box 1 is discharged onto the discharge conveyor 50, the work for one box is completed.

In the above embodiment, an inverted cone-shaped centering member 60 is used, but as shown in FIG. Of course, it may also be used.

``Effect of the invention'' As described above, according to the invention, a remaining container detection plate is provided on the partition plate holding head, and a pressure detector is provided to detect the pressure in the negative pressure passage of the suction pad, which is extremely simple. Moreover, an effect can be obtained in that residual containers remaining in the box can be detected with an inexpensive configuration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is a side view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of FIG. 1, FIGS. 7 is a plan view of FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the main part of the container holding head 44, and FIG. 9 is a main part of the partition plate holding head 45. FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. 1... Box, 5... Partition plate, 6... Container, 38...
...Container unloading device, 44...Container holding head, 45
... Partition plate holding head, 83 ... Negative pressure passage, 84
...Suction pad, 85...Remaining container detection plate, 86
...Pressure detector, A...Extraction position.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A container holding head capable of holding the containers and a partition plate holding head capable of suctioning and holding the partition plates using negative pressure are provided to a predetermined take-out position by feeding boxes in which containers are stacked in a plurality of stages via a partition plate. In a container unloading device which is operated alternately to sequentially take out containers and partition plates from inside a box, the partition plate holding head is placed at a position above the suction pad that adsorbs the partition plate and at the minimum height of the container. A remaining container detection plate is installed at a position lower than the dimensions of the box to prevent the descending of the partition plate holding head by contacting the containers remaining in the box, and a negative pressure passage that introduces negative pressure to the suction pad is provided with the remaining container detection plate. A residual container detection device for a container removal device, characterized in that a pressure detector for detecting internal pressure is provided.