JPH0443601B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a cap attachment/detachment mechanism for mushroom cultivation bottles.

(Conventional technology) In the artificial cultivation of mushrooms such as enoki mushrooms,
A cultivation bottle filled with a culture medium is used, and seed bacteria is inoculated into this cultivation bottle for cultivation.

This inoculation of the inoculum must be performed for each cultivation bottle, and therefore, a great deal of labor is required to inoculate a large number of cultivation bottles with the inoculum.
It is desired to improve the workability.

Conventionally, the general inoculation process involves holding cultivation bottles one by one and inoculating them from an inoculation machine.In order to automate this inoculation process, the applicant has developed a method for automatically inoculating mushrooms. The bottle attachment/detachment mechanism has already been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-41731 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-42802.

FIG. 3 shows a conventional cap attachment/detachment mechanism. As shown in the figure, in this cap attachment/detachment mechanism, a cap gripping member is attached to the lower end of the arm 1, and when a cultivation bottle with a cap attached enters the cap, the cap gripping part 2 grips the peripheral surface of the cap and the arm 1 The arm 1 rotates in the advancing direction, and at the same time, the roller 3 at the tip of the arm 1 rolls on the upper surface of a guide 4 formed in an upwardly curved shape, so that the arm 1 is lifted upward and the cap is removed. After the inoculum is dropped into the cultivation bottle with the cap removed, the arm 1 is guided by the guide 4 and lowered again to attach the cap to the cultivation bottle.
In this manner, this inoculation machine automates the attachment and detachment of the caps of the cultivation bottles that are sent in one after another, thereby automating the inoculation work.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The use of the above-mentioned inoculation machine has made it possible to inoculate enoki mushrooms and the like in an extremely efficient manner at a rate of about 2000 mushrooms per hour. However, this conventional inoculation machine is composed of a large number of members, such as a cap gripping member, a guide, and a support member for the cultivation bottle, and has a complicated mechanism. Therefore, there are many adjustment points and it is difficult to make adjustments. Since the cap gripping member has a rotating shape, the cap and cultivation bottle tend to move due to vibrations, and the cap may not be properly attached to the cultivation bottle. In addition, since the cultivation bottle is constantly moving in accordance with the rotation of the arm 1, the inoculum must be inoculated while it is being moved, resulting in problems such as spillage of the inoculum.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to more reliably attach and detach caps of cultivation bottles, and to make the operation of attaching and detaching caps more efficient and simpler. To provide a cap attachment/detachment mechanism for a mushroom cultivation bottle that can be achieved with a simple configuration.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

That is, in a mushroom cultivation bottle cap attachment/detachment mechanism for attaching/detaching a cap having a ring-shaped peripheral portion to/from a mushroom cultivation bottle, there is provided a accommodating part into which the mushroom cultivation bottles are arranged in a row, and a accommodating part into which the mushroom cultivation bottles are transferred in a row. a regulating member that regulates the movement of the imported mushroom cultivation bottle in the height direction; a rotating arm that is rotatably supported at a base on one end side above the storage portion; and a lower surface of the base side of the rotating arm. The rotating arm is rotated in the direction of the storage section, and when the cultivation bottle is transferred to the storage section, the peripheral edge of the cap is connected to the claw section and the rotation arm. A fitting pawl that enters into the space between the cap and the fitting pawl is rotatably provided at a position facing the fitting pawl at the tip of the rotating arm across the cap, and when rotated, the bottom surface of the peripheral edge of the cap A claw portion rotates and enters the cap, and the engaging claw grips the cap with the engaging claw and the rotating arm, and the driving member that rotates the engaging claw engages with the fitting claw. In order to rotate the cap held by the claw and the rotating arm in the vertical direction to attach and detach the cap, the device is characterized by comprising a pushing member that rotates the rotating arm in the vertical direction.

(effect) Next, we will discuss the effect.

The cultivation bottle is accommodated in the storage section, and at this time, one end of the peripheral edge of the cap that covers the cultivation bottle enters the fitting claw 119. As a result, the lower surface of the peripheral edge of the cap is held by the fitting claws 119. Then, the engaging claw 120 is rotated so that the lower surface of the other end of the peripheral edge of the cap is supported by the engaging claw 120. Then, the arm 116, the push-down rod 11
The rotating arm 115 is rotated by a pushing member such as 7, and the cap is removed from the opening of the cultivation bottle.

Further, by rotating the rotating arm 115 in the opposite direction, the cap is attached to the cultivation bottle.

(Embodiments) Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment in which a mushroom cultivation bottle cap attachment/detachment mechanism according to the present invention is used in a seed inoculation device. Reference numeral 50 denotes a cultivation bottle, and the bottle mouth is covered with a cap having a ring-shaped peripheral edge. In the figure, 18 is a supply conveyor formed to have approximately the same width as the cultivation bottle.
The cultivation bottle 50 is transferred in the direction of the arrow in the figure. 20 is a supply conveyor 1 at the front end of this supply conveyor 18.
This is a rotary plate installed at the same height as the transfer surface of No. 8. This rotary plate 20 is constantly driven to rotate clockwise when viewed from above. Reference numeral 22 denotes a push rod disposed on the side of the rotary plate 20, which passes slightly above the rotary plate 20 and is reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the supply conveyor 18.

Reference numeral 110 denotes a tilting box that temporarily stores the cultivation bottles pushed out from above the rotary plate 20 by the push rod 22, and in this embodiment, the tilting box 110 is formed in a size that can accommodate two cultivation bottles. ing.
Further, the tilting box 110 is formed into a U-shaped box shape in cross section with the side surface in the direction of transport of the cultivation bottle open, and the upper edge of the side surface of the tilting box 110 is a presser that is bent inward into an L shape. It is formed as a section 110a. The height of the tilting box 110 is determined so that the holding portion 110a comes into contact with the shoulder of the base of the bottle mouth of the cultivation bottle when the cultivation bottle is transferred into the tilting box 110. That is, this holding portion 110a is
It acts as a regulating member that regulates the movement in the height direction of the mushroom cultivation bottle that has been moved into the tilting box 110, which is a container for the mushroom cultivation bottle. Reference numeral 110b denotes an elastic abutment plate that is fixed in the longitudinal direction along the inner surface of the tilting box 110, and is attached so that the outlet side is narrow in order to determine the position of the cultivation bottle within the tilting box 110. Established by force.

Further, a base frame 112 extends downward from the bottom side edge of the tilting box 110, and the lower end edge of the base frame 112 is fixed to a shaft fixed to the frame body. 113a is a link member whose one end is linked and engaged with the outer surface of the base frame 112, and 113b and 113c are link members that are linked and engaged with the link member 113a. The lower end of the link member 113c is connected to a drive unit (not shown) that drives the link member 113c in the vertical direction.

114 is a cap holder provided above the tilting box 110, and this cap holder 11
A rotating arm 115 is fixed to the upper surface of 4, and the end of the rotating arm 115 is pivotally supported by the frame. 116
is an arm that drives the rotating arm 115 in reverse, and the end of this arm 116 is linked to a push-up rod 117. This push-down rod 11
7 extends vertically downward, and a drive section for pushing down and driving the push-down rod 117 is connected to its lower end. Further, 118 is a push-up rod, which is connected to the rotating arm 115 and connected to the push-up drive section at its vertical lower end.

26 is a seed inoculator installed at a position facing the tilting box 110. Reference numeral 124 designates a seed storage bottle that is fitted and fixed in the upper part of the seed inoculator 26 with the bottle mouth facing downward, and in this embodiment, two bottles are installed in parallel. 126 is the seed culture bottle 1
24, and is formed in a gutter shape so as to introduce the seed bacteria toward the bottle opening of the cultivation bottle housed in the tilting box 110.

128a and 128b are limit switches provided on the sides of the rotating plate 20;
The cultivation bottle on the rotary plate 20 is detected by coming into contact with the outer surface of the cultivation bottle placed thereon.

A limit switch 129 is provided at the base of the seed inoculator 26 on the tilting box 110 side, and when the tilting box 110 is tilted toward the seed inoculator 26 side, the limit switch 129 is pressed and the seed inoculator 2
Drive 6.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the cap attachment/detachment mechanism of the cultivation bottle and the seed inoculator 26. 11 in figure
9 is a fitting claw fixed to the lower surface of the rotating arm 115, and when a cultivation bottle is fed into the tilting box 110 from the side, the lower part of the periphery of the cap is fitted into a rod-shaped angle with an L-shaped cross section. A claw portion is thus formed. On the other hand, 120 is an engaging claw rotatably provided at the tip of the rotating arm 115 opposite to the fitting claw 119, and the lower end of this engaging claw 120 is bent inward into an L shape. It forms a claw part. A lever part 121 is integrally fixed to the upper part of the engaging claw 120, and a roller 121 is fixed to the top of the lever part 121.
a is pivoted.

A small arm 122 has one end of its upper surface in contact with the roller 121a, and the other end is fixed to the upper surface of the arm 116. 123 is the lever portion 121
It is a coil spring that always urges the to rotate in the opposite direction from the clockwise direction.

A seed scraping rod 136 having a T-shaped tip extends from the main body of the seed inoculator 26 inside the seed storage bottle 124, and the seed scraping rod 136 rotates around its axis during seed inoculation. At the same time, the seed culture bottle 124 is gradually increased for each seed inoculation.
It is configured to go inside. Further, the seed inoculation dish 126 is rotatably supported on an axis, and is configured to be able to be reversely moved to two positions: a seed receiving position and a seed inoculation position.

Next, the operation of the above-described embodiment will be explained.

First, the supply conveyor 18 transports the cultivation bottles 50
are transferred onto the rotary plate 20, and by rotation of the rotary plate 20, the traveling direction of the cultivation bottles 50 is aligned with the supply conveyor 1.
8 is transformed in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle. The cultivation bottle 50 on the rotary plate 20 is waiting for the next inoculum inoculation, and when the inoculum inoculation of the immediately preceding cultivation bottle is completed, the thrust rod 22 is pushed forward and the two on the rotary plate 20 are The cultivation bottle is placed in a tilting box 110.
to be sent within. Since the tilting box 110 houses cultivation bottles that have been inoculated with the inoculum, the push rod 22 is used to align the two cultivation bottles in the tilting box 110 and the two cultivation bottles on the rotary plate 20. In this system, four cultivation bottles are pushed at once while their outer surfaces are in contact with each other. The limit switch 12
8a and 128b are used to detect the presence of two cultivation bottles on the front end side of the push rod 22 when the sides of the cultivation bottles come into contact with each other. If there is, the push rod 22 will not operate. The cultivation bottles that have been inoculated with the inoculum are pushed onto the next transport conveyor and proceed to the next process.

Since the cultivation bottle is slid from the side of the tilting box 110, at this time, the rotation arm 1
15 and the fitting claw 119 while being inserted.

Then, when the push-down rod 117 is pushed down, the front end of the arm 116 is lifted, and the small arm 122 fixed to the front end is lifted, so that the lever part 121 rotates clockwise so as to stand upright. As a result, the claw portion of the engagement member 120 engages with the periphery of the cap. The reason for this operation is that when the small arm 112 is lifted, the contact position between the small arm 122 and the roller 121a is also forced to rise, and the small arm 1
This is because the lever portion 121 is in an upright state when the contact position between the roller 121a and the roller 121a is the highest. At this time, the rotation of the lever portion 121 is
The movement of the small arm 122 is made smooth through the rotation of the roller 121a. Then, when the push-up rod 118 descends, the rotating arm 115 rotates around the shaft provided in the frame as a pivot, and gradually lifts up from the front end on the engaging claw 120 side, and the cap is released. At this time, the shoulder portion of the cultivation bottle is supported by the holding part 110a. Escaped cap 50
a is held by a fitting claw 119, an engaging claw 120, and a cap holder 114.

Next, the link member 113c is pulled down,
The base frame 112 is pushed and the tilting box 110 is tilted in the direction of the seed inoculator 26. As a result, the cultivation bottle 50 is also tilted, and its mouth is stopped at a position directly below the seed inoculation dish 126. At this time, the tilting box 110
Since the side surface presses the limit switch 129, the tilting movement of the tilting box 110 is sensed, and the seed inoculation dish 126 is turned downward, dropping the seed into the cultivation bottle. This seed inoculation dish 126 has previously received the seed bacteria by scraping off the seed from the seed storage bottle 124 with a seed scraping rod 136 at the seed receiving position (the position where the seed inoculation dish is horizontal). In order to efficiently perform
This inoculum scraping operation is performed in advance when transporting the cultivation bottle and when removing the cap.

When the inoculum is inoculated, the link member 113c is driven again to return the tilting box 110 to the vertical position, and then the push-up rod 118 is driven upward, and the rotating arm 115 is rotated clockwise in FIG. The cap is attached.

This completes one inoculation process, and then a new cultivation bottle is transferred into the tilting box 110, and the next inoculum inoculation is performed. In this way, the operations of removing the cap, inoculating the inoculum, and attaching the cap are performed successively, and automatic inoculation of the inoculum is sequentially performed.

(Effects of the Invention) The mushroom cultivation bottle cap attachment/detachment mechanism of the present invention has the following remarkable effects due to the above-described configuration. In other words, the cap attachment/detachment mechanism is much simpler than that of conventional models, which makes it easy to adjust each part and eliminates misfitting of the cap and cultivation bottle. .

Since a plurality of cultivation bottles are housed in the tilting box and the caps of these cultivation bottles are attached and detached at once, the operation of attaching and detaching the caps can be carried out more efficiently.

In addition, compared to conventional methods where each cultivation bottle was stopped and inoculated with inoculum, with this device,
Since the inoculum is inoculated into multiple cultivation bottles at once, the number of stoppages of cultivation bottles is reduced by more than half, and work efficiency can be improved.

The present invention has been variously explained above with reference to preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. That's true.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a mushroom cultivation bottle cap attachment/detachment mechanism and seed inoculation device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a conventional cap attachment/detachment mechanism. . 110...Tilt box, 113a, 113b, 11
3c... Link member, 115... Rotating arm, 1
16...Arm, 117...Push down rod, 1
18... Push-up rod, 119... Fitting claw, 1
20... Engaging claw, 121... Lever portion, 122...
small arm.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A mushroom cultivation bottle cap attachment/detachment mechanism for attaching/detaching a cap having a ring-shaped peripheral portion to/from a mushroom cultivation bottle, comprising: a storage section into which the mushroom cultivation bottles are arranged in a row; , a regulating member that regulates movement in the height direction of the mushroom cultivation bottle transferred to the storage section; a rotating arm rotatably supported at a base on one end side above the storage section; and the rotation arm. It has a claw portion fixed to the lower surface of the base side of the arm, and when the rotating arm is rotated toward the storage portion and the cultivation bottle is transferred to the storage portion, the peripheral edge portion of the cap touches the claw portion. a fitting claw that enters into a space between the rotating arm and the rotating arm, and a fitting claw that is rotatably provided at a position opposite to the fitting claw at the tip of the rotating arm with a cap interposed therebetween;
An engaging claw that rotates and enters the lower surface of the periphery of the cap by rotation, and grips the cap with the fitting claw and the rotating arm; and a drive that rotates the engaging claw. a pushing member that rotates the rotary arm in the vertical direction in order to rotate the cap held by the fitting claw, the engaging claw, and the rotary arm in the vertical direction to attach and detach the cap; A cap attachment/detachment mechanism for a mushroom cultivation bottle, characterized by comprising: