JPH0520312B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Industrial Application Field" The present invention provides a method for transferring a cap from a picker, which is transported around a certain rotation center, to a cap holding mechanism, which is transported around another rotation center. This invention relates to a cap feeding device for a cap.

"Prior Art" Conventionally, a star wheel for feeding containers into a rotary body of a rotary capper is provided with a picker, and the picker transports the cap on a circular trajectory. A cap is known in which the cap is delivered to a cap holding mechanism that is conveyed on a circular trajectory centered on the star wheel, and the cap held by the cap holding mechanism is then plugged into a container supplied from the star wheel. There is.

``Problem to be Solved by the Invention'' However, in a conventional cap having this type of configuration, the cap transfer section that transfers the cap from the picker to the cap holding mechanism has a circular movement trajectory of the picker and a circular movement of the cap holding mechanism. Since it is one point of contact with the movement trajectory, the time given for the transfer is short, and this makes it difficult to increase the speed of the capacitor.

In view of such circumstances, the present invention extends the time given to the transfer by moving the picker to follow the cap holding mechanism in the cap transfer section that transfers the cap from the picker to the cap holding mechanism. This is designed to increase the speed of the capacitor.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' That is, the present invention provides a picker provided on a first rotating body to convey a cap, and a second rotating body that rotates around a different rotation center from the first rotating body. , a cap holding mechanism for holding a cap from the picker, and a cap held by the cap holding mechanism for plugging a container, wherein the picker is attached to a first rotating body in a radial and circumferential direction. The picker is provided movably on the picker, the picker is held in a predetermined position by a spring, a roller is provided on the picker aligned with the center of the picker, and an arc-shaped pocket is provided on the second rotating body that is engageable with the roller. The center of the pocket portion is aligned with the center of the cap holding mechanism.

"Operation" According to the above configuration, the picker is normally held in a predetermined position by a spring, and when the picker approaches the transfer section of the cap in this state, the roller provided on the picker rotates for a second rotation. It comes to engage with an arc-shaped pocket provided on the body.

When the roller is completely engaged with the pocket, the center of the pocket is aligned with the center of the cap holding mechanism and the center of the roller is aligned with the center of the picker, as described above, so the picker resists the spring. The cap will automatically follow the cap holding mechanism.

As a result, the time given to transfer the cap can be increased, and even if the speed of the cap is increased, the transfer of the cap can be carried out reliably.

"Example" The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated example.
In FIG. 1, a container 2 (see FIG. 3) conveyed by a conveyor 1 is synchronized with a capper 4 by a timing screw 3, and then a rotating body of the capper 4 is synchronized by a supply star wheel 5. 6 and is fixed to the rotating body 6 by a container holding mechanism (not shown). On the other hand, the container 2
A cap 7 (see FIG. 3) to be plugged is delivered from a chute (not shown) to a picker 8 provided on the star wheel 5, and transported by the picker 8.

The rotating body 6 is provided with a cap holding mechanism 9 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) located directly above each container 2 fixed by the container holding mechanism. It is provided on the rotating body 6 so as to be movable up and down, and is configured to revolve around the center of rotation of the rotating body 6 and rotate on its own axis. The cap holding mechanism 9 holds the cap 7 transported by the picker 8 in the cap delivery section A, and the cap holding mechanism 9 rotates and descends to place the held cap 7 at the mouth of the container 2. I try to screw them together.

The cap holding mechanism 9 holds the cap 7 in the container 2.
When screwed onto the opening of the cap, the cap holding mechanism 9
When the holding of the cap 7 by the cap 7 is released and the cap holding mechanism 9 is raised, and the holding of the container 2 by the container holding mechanism is released, the container 2 with the cap 7 attached is moved by the star wheel 10 on the discharge side. Then, it is discharged onto the conveyor 1.

The above structure and operation are basically the same as those of this type of capacitor known in the art.

However, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. At the cap transfer section A which transfers the cap 7 to the holding mechanism 9, the cap is moved directly below the cap holding mechanism 9, which moves at a constant speed on the circular movement path C. Therefore, the movement locus B of the picker 8 on the plane is a circular trajectory on the plane of the cap holding mechanism 9 over a predetermined range of the cap transfer section A that transfers the caps 7 from the picker 8 to the cap holding mechanism 9. It comes to substantially match the movement trajectory C.

In order to operate the picker 8 in accordance with the operation of the cap holding mechanism 9, the picker 8 is provided so as to be movable in the circumferential direction and radial direction relative to the star wheel 5 in this embodiment. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a rotating body 1 that rotates integrally with the star wheel 5 is located above the star wheel 5.
5 (FIG. 3), six holders 16 are arranged radially outward, and the inner end of each holder 16 is pivoted to the rotating body 15 with a pin 17 so that it can swing. This allows the picker 8 provided at the tip of each holder 16 to be moved in the circumferential direction of the star wheel 5. Further, each of the pickers 8 is engaged with a guide groove 18 formed in the longitudinal direction at the tip of each holder 16, and is movable forward and backward along the guide groove 18.
It is movable in the radial direction.

The picker 8, which is slidably engaged in the guide groove 18 of the holder 16, is biased radially outwardly by a spring 19 loaded between the picker 8 and the holder 16. The holder 16, which swings around the pin 17, is held by a tension spring 28 in a position where it abuts against a stopper pin 35 normally provided on the rotating body 15. There is. A roller 36 is provided at the bottom of the holder 16 and is rotatable about the center of the picker 8.

On the other hand, a disc 38 having a plurality of semicircular pockets 37, each of which is engaged with the outer periphery of the roller 36, is fixed to the rotating body 6 of the cap 4, and the center of each pocket 37 is connected to a cap holding mechanism. 9, and the inner diameter of the pocket portion 37 is set larger than the outer diameter of the cap holding mechanism 9 so as not to obstruct the lifting and lowering of the cap holding mechanism 9.

In the above configuration, when the picker 8 is located at the tip of the holder 16 and the holder 16 is in contact with the stopper pin 35, the picker 8 moves on a constant circular movement trajectory B other than the cap delivery section A. receives the cap 7 from a chute (not shown) and transports the cap 7 along a circular movement path B. When the picker 8 approaches the cap delivery section A, the holder 16
The roller 36 provided in the pocket portion 37 of the disc 38
It becomes engaged inward.

When the roller 36 is completely engaged in the pocket portion 37, the center of the pocket portion 37 is aligned with the center of the cap holding mechanism 9, and the center of the roller 36 is aligned with the center of the picker 8, as described above. The picker 8 automatically moves to a position directly below the cap holding mechanism 9. That is,
As the rotating body 15 rotates, the picker 8 and holder 16 are moved in the radial and circumferential directions of the star wheel 5 against the springs 19 and 28, respectively, so that the roller 36 is completely removed from the pocket portion 37. As a result, the picker 8 is moved to follow the position directly below the cap holding mechanism 9, which moves at a constant speed on the circular movement trajectory C.

When the picker 8 follows the cap holding mechanism 9 and moves directly below it, the cap holding mechanism 9 is lowered and holds the cap 7.
Next, the cap holding mechanism 9 is raised again to release the engagement between the cap 7 and the picker 8. The transfer operation of the cap 7 at this time can be performed within the range of the cap transfer section A having a predetermined length, so it is more reliable than the conventional device in which the cap is transferred at substantially one point. You will be able to perform handoffs.

As is well known in the art, instead of raising the cap holding mechanism 9, it is also possible to lower the picker 8 and release the engagement between the cap 7 and the picker 8. After this, the cap holding mechanism 9 holding the cap 7 is lowered, and as it rotates, the held cap 7 is screwed onto the mouth of the container 2, as described above.

Furthermore, although the above embodiments apply the present invention to a screw cap, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is of course possible to apply the present invention to crowners and the like.

``Effects of the Invention'' As described above, according to the present invention, the picker can be moved in the cap transfer section while accurately following the cap holding mechanism, so the time given to transfer the cap can be extended. Therefore, even if the speed of the cap is increased, it is possible to securely transfer the cap.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is an enlarged plan view of the main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part of FIG. 2... Container, 4... Cap, 6, 15... Rotating body, 7... Cap, 8... Picker, 9... Cap holding mechanism, 16... Holder, 19, 28...
...Spring, 36...Roller, 37...Pocket part,
B, C...Movement trajectory, A...Cap delivery section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A picker provided on a first rotating body to transport the caps, and a picker provided on a second rotating body rotating around a rotation center different from the first rotating body to transport the caps from the picker. The cap is provided with a cap holding mechanism for holding the cap, and is configured to plug the cap held by the cap holding function into a container, wherein the picker is provided on the first rotating body so as to be movable in the radial direction and the circumferential direction, The picker is held in a predetermined position by a spring, and a roller is provided on the picker so as to coincide with the center of the picker, and an arcuate pocket portion that can be engaged with the roller is formed on the second rotary body; A cap feeding device for a cap, characterized in that the center of the pocket portion is aligned with the center of the cap holding mechanism.