JPH09323796A - Container detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve device reliability, by surely detecting the presence or absence of bottles or reverse-direction supply irrespective of a bottle shape, in a container detector. SOLUTION: In a container detector, bottles 10 successively carried by a bottle feed conveyor are pressed and transferred by pickup fingers along bottle guides 12, and they are supplied by being pushed by pushing arms 17 into the bottle gauges 16 of bottle carrier 15. In the case, detection levers 24, which swing by the contact parts 24a of their front ends with the bottle gauges 16 or bottles 10 in the bottle gauges 16, are freely swinguably attached to the pushing arms 17, and light-beam sensors 28 and 29 are provided for detecting the detection parts 24b of the detection levers 24, thereby detecting the presence or absence of the bottles 10 in the bottle gauges 16 or their directions based on their swinging positions.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bottle feeding device of a bottle washing machine for feeding bottles successively conveyed by a conveyer conveyor by pushing them into a bottle carrier by a pushing member. Alternatively, the present invention relates to a container detection device that detects a supply state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A container (hereinafter referred to as a bottle) filled with drinking water, soy sauce, liquor or the like is collected after use and reused. In this case, the inside and outside of the collected bottle are washed by a washing machine. This washing machine
It is composed of a bottle supply device, a bottle wash device, and a bottle discharge device. The bottle feeding device sequentially pushes a large number of bottles sent in a standing state by a belt conveyor into a bottle carrier to supply the bottle washing device, and the bottle washing device drives the bottle supplied to the bottle carrier by a chain drive. The bottle is moved, and the outside and inside of the bottle are washed in each of the preliminary washing, main washing, and rinsing steps, and the bottle discharging device pulls out the bottle sent by the chain drive from the bottle carrier and sequentially pushes it out to the conveyor.

In such a bottle feeder for a washing machine, when the bottle fed by the belt conveyor is pushed into the bottle carrier to be supplied, the bottle may not be properly pushed into the bottle carrier. Therefore, a container detection device for detecting the presence or absence of a bottle in the bottle carrier or the supply state is provided here.

As such a container detecting device, for example,
There is one disclosed in JP-B-48-19740. FIG. 7 shows an outline of a bottle supply device to which a conventional container detection device is applied, and FIG. 8 shows an outline showing a container detection state by the conventional container detection device.

As shown in FIG. 7, 001 is a belt conveyor, which is arranged over the entire width of the bottle washing machine.
By driving with a motor (not shown), the bottles 002 can be sequentially conveyed in an upright state. A bottle guide 003 is provided for each bottle row on the downstream side of the belt conveyor 001 in the transport direction, and an infield bottle guide 004 for holding the bottle 002 being transferred is attached inside the bottle guide 003. There is. This Bottle Guide 0
A rotating shaft 005 is provided below 03 along a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the bottle 002, and can be rotationally driven by a drive motor (not shown). A boss portion 007 is inserted into the rotary shaft 005 via a clutch hub 006, and the boss portion 007 is inserted.
A pair of lifting rods 008 are integrally attached to 007 at positions separated by 180 degrees. In addition, a spring 009 and a clutch ball 01 are provided between the clutch hub 006 and the boss portion 007.
A clutch mechanism consisting of 0 is provided. A push-down conveyor 011 driven by a drive motor (not shown) is arranged downstream of the lifting rod 008, and a bottle carrier 013 driven by a chain 012 is arranged adjacent to the push-in conveyor 011. The lifting rod 007, the pushing conveyor 010, and the bottle carrier 012 are controlled to be driven in synchronization with each other.

In such a bottle feeding device, a container detecting device 021 is provided above the pushing conveyor 010. That is, the upper end of the swing rod 022 is positioned above the pushing conveyor 010 and is swingably supported by the swing shaft 023, and the detection plate 024 is attached to the lower end of the swing rod 022. ing. Further, one end of the detection lever 025 is attached to the swing shaft 023, and the other end is in contact with the detection switch 026.

Therefore, the bottle 002 which has been conveyed upright by the belt conveyor 001 is tilted to the in-field bottle guide 004 of the bottle guide 003, and this bottle 002
The bottom part is pressed by the lifting rod 008 that is rotationally driven, and is transferred along the infield bottle guide 004. Here, when the bottle 002 in the normal supply state as shown in FIG. 7 passes between the detection plate 024 and the pushing conveyor 011, the bottle 002 has this smooth gradient from the mouth to the body. The detection plate 024 is lifted up and passes through without being blocked from being transferred. And
By this pushing conveyor 011 bottle 002 is chained 012
Are supplied to a number of bottle carriers 013 driven by.

On the other hand, when the bottle 002 pressed by the lifting rod 008 and transferred along the infield bottle guide 004 is in the reverse supply state as shown in FIG. Bottom is detection plate 024
And the passage between the detection plate 024 and the pushing conveyor 011 is blocked, and the bottom of the bottle 002 swings the swing shaft 023 via the detection plate 024. Then, the detection lever 025 integrated with the swing shaft 023 operates to separate from the detection switch 026, and detects the bottle 002 or more transferred on the pushing conveyor 011.
Belt conveyor 001, lifting rod 008, pushing conveyor 01
1. Stop the movement of the bottle carrier 013 and give a warning. Therefore, the bottle 002 transferred in the reverse supply state does not enter the bottle carrier 013.

[0009]

In the above-mentioned conventional container detection device, the detection plate 0 depends on the outer peripheral shape of the bottle 002.
The vertical movement of 24 allows the bottle 002 in the normal supply state to pass, while the bottom of the bottle 002 contacts the detection plate 024 to prevent the bottle 002 in the reverse supply state from passing. There is. Since the passage and blocking of the bottle 002 with respect to the detection plate 024 thus depend on the outer peripheral shape of the bottle 002, for example, for a cup-shaped wide-mouthed bottle whose outer diameters of the mouth portion, the body portion, and the bottom portion are substantially the same, , This container detector
021 cannot be used. That is, since the mouth portion and the bottom portion of the bottle have the same diameter, the mouth portion and the bottom portion of the bottle 002 contact the detection plate 024 even when the bottle is in the normal supply state or in the reverse supply state, In either case, passage is blocked.

The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and it is possible to improve the reliability of the apparatus by reliably detecting the presence or absence of a bottle and the reverse supply state regardless of the shape of the container. An object is to provide a detection device.

[0011]

The container detecting apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object comprises a container which is sequentially conveyed by the conveying means, is pressed and moved along the transfer guide by the transfer means, and is bottled by the pressing means. In a container supply device which pushes into a carrier and supplies the same, a moving member provided so as to approach and separate from the container insertion side opening of the bottle carrier, and a tip end portion of the bottle which is swingably mounted to the moving member. A detection lever that swings by contacting the carrier or the container in the bottle carrier, and a container detector that detects the presence or absence of the container in the bottle carrier or the direction of the container depending on the swing position of the detection lever. It is characterized by having.

Therefore, the containers sequentially transported by the transport means are pressed and transported along the transport guide by the transport means,
It is pushed into the bottle carrier by the pushing means and supplied. Then, when the moving member is moved closer to the bottle carrier for which the container supply operation has been completed, if the container is normally supplied into the bottle carrier, the tip of the detection lever attached to the moving member moves to this container. The contact causes a predetermined amount of rocking, and the container detector detects the normal rocking position of the detection lever to detect the normal supply state of the container in the bottle carrier. On the other hand, if the container is not supplied in the bottle carrier, or if it is supplied in the opposite direction, the tip of the detection lever attached to the moving member does not come into contact with this container, or even if it comes in contact with it, it shakes by a predetermined amount. Without moving, the container detector cannot detect the predetermined swing position of the detection lever, and detects the no supply state or the reverse supply state of the container into the bottle carrier.

Further, in the container detecting device of the present invention, the container detector comprises a first detector for detecting the presence or absence of the container in the bottle carrier according to a swing angle of the detecting lever, and a swing of the detecting lever. A second detector for detecting the orientation of the container in the bottle carrier according to the movement angle.

Therefore, the first detector detects the presence or absence of the container in the bottle carrier from the swing angle of the detection lever,
The second detector detects the direction of the container in the bottle carrier, that is, whether or not the container is supplied in the opposite direction, and the presence or direction of the container pushed into the bottle carrier is surely detected.

Further, in the container detecting apparatus of the present invention, when the container detector detects a non-supply state or a reverse supply state of the container in the bottle carrier by the swing position of the detection lever, the container detecting means and the conveying means. The present invention is characterized in that control means is provided for issuing a warning to the transfer means and the pushing means, or for instructing stop of each means.

Therefore, when the container detector detects the non-supply state or the reverse supply state of the container in the bottle carrier, the control means warns the conveying means, the transferring means and the pushing means, and issues a stop command as necessary. As a result, it does not adversely affect the subsequent container processing work.

Further, in the container detecting device of the present invention, the pushing means is constituted by a pushing arm whose base end is pivotally mounted at a predetermined position, and the detection lever is swingably attached to the tip of the pushing arm. It is characterized by being done.

Therefore, the device is made compact by mounting the detection lever on the pushing means.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a bottle feeding device to which the container detecting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a front view of the bottle feeding device, and FIG. 3 is a normal bottle feeding state of the container detecting device. 4 shows an outline when the container detecting device detects a reverse supply state of the bottle, and FIG. 5 shows an outline when the container detecting device detects a non-supply state of the bottle.

In the bottle feeding apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of bottles 10 are sequentially conveyed by a bottle feeding conveyor 11 in a standing state. A bottle guide 12 is provided for each bottle row. Then, below the bottle guide 12, there is 0 in the direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the bottle 10.
Therefore, a horizontal rotary shaft 13 is provided, and an intermediate portion of the pickup finger 14 is fixed to the rotary shaft 13.
It can be rotationally driven by a drive motor (not shown). A bottle carrier 1 driven by a chain (not shown) is provided downstream of the pickup finger 14.
5 are provided, and the bottle carrier 15 is a bottle 1
A large number of bottle gauges that accept 0 and carry them continuously 1
6. Then, the bottle 10 on the bottle guide 12 is provided with the bottle gauge 16 on the front side of the bottle carrier 15.
A pushing arm 17 for pushing the inside is provided. The push-in arms 17 form a pair on the left and right, the upper end is supported by a swing shaft 18, and can be swung by a drive motor (not shown). A push bar 19 is stretched over the lower end, and the push bar 19 is attached to the push bar 19. A pushing plate 20 is attached.
The pickup finger 14, the pushing arm 17, and the bottle carrier 15 are controlled so as to be driven in synchronization with each other.

In such a bottle supply device, the bottle carrier 15 is provided with a container detection device 21 for detecting the presence and the direction of the bottle 10 pushed into the bottle gauge 16. In this container detection device 21, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, mounting brackets 22 are fixed to the lower portions of the left and right pushing arms 17, and a supporting shaft 23 is installed on each of the mounting brackets 22. Cage,
A detection lever 24 is swingably attached to the support shaft 23 via a collar 25 so as to correspond to each transport line of the bottles 10. The detection lever 24 has an L-shape, a collar 25 is fixed to an intermediate portion, and a tip portion is bent downward to form a contact portion 24a, while a base end portion extends rearward to form a detection portion 24b. ing. And the detection lever 24
Normally, the detection portion 24b hangs downward due to its own weight and abuts on the stopper shaft 26 fixed to the pushing arm 17.

Support brackets 27 are provided outside the left and right pushing arms 17, and a pair of first light beam sensors 28 and a pair of second light beam sensors 29 are attached to each support bracket 27. Has been. Each of the light beam sensors 28 and 29 has substantially the same structure.
The light beam sensor 28 forms the light beam S1, and the second light beam sensor 29 forms the light beam S2.
One of the light beam sensors 28 and 29 constitutes a light emitting portion and the other constitutes a light receiving portion. The light beam sensors 28 and 29 detect the rocking position of the detection lever 24 by the detection unit 24b of the detection lever 24 blocking the light beams S1 and S2. Bottle 1 in bottle gauge 16 based on the swing position of
The presence or absence of 0 and the direction can be detected.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottle 10 that has been conveyed in an upright state by the bottle feeding conveyor 11 contacts the bottle guide 12 and tilts, and the bottle 10 is driven to rotate. The bottom portion 10a is pressed by 14 so that the bottle guide 1
2 is transferred. Then, the bottle 10 is reciprocally rocked by the pushing plates 20 of the pushing arm 17 so that the bottom portion 10 is
a is pressed and pushed into a predetermined bottle gauge 16 of the bottle carrier 15 to be supplied.

Then, for the bottle 10 supplied to the bottle gauge 16 of the bottle carrier 15, the container detecting device 2
1 detects the presence or absence of the bottle 10 or the orientation of the bottle 10. That is, in accordance with the reciprocating swing motion of the pushing arm 17 for supplying the bottle 10 into the bottle carrier 15,
The detection lever 24 approaches and separates from the bottle carrier 15. This detection lever 24 is located at "M" where the detection portion 24b hangs downward due to its own weight and abuts against the stopper shaft 26, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. The light beam S1 of the one-light beam sensor 28 is blocked. The detection lever 24 swings together with the pushing arm 17, so that the contact portion 24a is placed in the bottle gauge 16 and the bottle 10 moves.
When it comes into contact with the bottom portion 24a of the, as shown by the solid line in FIG.
The detection lever 24 swings in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3 by a predetermined angle, contacts the stopper shaft 26, and the detection unit 24b located at "M" is the light beam S1 of each of the light beam sensors 28 and 29. S2 also moves to "N" where light is not blocked. Therefore, the control device (not shown) detects the swinging position “N” of the detection lever 24 from the unshielded state of the light beams S1 and S2 by the detection unit 24b, so that the presence and orientation of the bottle 10 in the bottle gauge 16 is determined. Determine normal and continue the bottle operating cycle.

On the other hand, when the bottle 10 on the bottle guide 12 is transferred in the opposite direction for some reason and the bottle 10 is supplied in the bottle gauge 16 in the reverse direction as shown in FIG. 4, the detection lever 24 is pushed in. When swinging together with the arm 17, the contact portion 24a is placed in the bottle gauge 16
The detection lever 24 swings in the counterclockwise direction by a predetermined angle in FIG. 4 instead of the bottom portion 24a. That is, the stopper shaft 26 is brought into contact with the stopper shaft 26, is positioned at “M”, and
The detection unit 24b that shields the light beam S1 of the first light beam sensor 28 is the light beam S of the second light beam sensor 29.
Move to "L" that blocks 2 Therefore, the control device
By detecting the swinging position “L” of the detection lever 24 from the light shielding state of the light beam S2 by the detection unit 24b, it is determined that the bottle 10 inside the bottle gauge 16 is in the opposite direction and direction, and the bottle feeding conveyor. 11, pickup finger 1
4, the driving of the bottle carrier 15, the pushing bar 19, etc. is stopped to stop the operation cycle of the bottle supply.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the bottle 10 on the bottle guide 12 is not transferred for some reason, as shown in FIG.
When the detection lever 24 swings together with the pushing arm 17 when the bottle 10 is not supplied into the bottle gauge 16, the contact portion 24a enters the bottle gauge 16 and does not contact the bottle 10, and the detection lever 24 moves. Does not rock. That is, the stopper shaft 26 is brought into contact with the stopper shaft 26, is positioned at “M”, and
The detection unit 24b that shields the light beam S1 of the first light beam sensor 28 is maintained as it is. Therefore,
The control device determines the non-supply state of the bottle 10 in the bottle gauge 16 by detecting the swing position "M" of the detection lever 24 from the light blocking state of the light beam S1 by the detection unit 24b, and the same as the above. , Stop the bottle operation cycle.

As described above, when the pushing arm 17 supplies the bottle 10 into the bottle gauge 16, the detection lever 24 swings together with the pushing arm 17, and the light beams of the respective light beam sensors 28 and 29 by the detecting portion 24b. S1, S2
From the light-shielded state, the swing position "M" of the detection lever 24
By detecting “N” and “L”, it is possible to easily detect the presence or absence and the orientation of the bottle 10 in the bottle gauge 16.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a bottle feeding device to which the container detecting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied. The members having the same functions as those described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description will be omitted.

In the bottle feeding device, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of bottles 10 are sequentially conveyed in a standing state by a bottle feeding conveyor 11, and a bottle guide 12 is provided on the downstream side of the bottle feeding conveyor 11 in the bottle conveying direction.
A pick-up finger 14 having a rotary shaft 13 is rotatably provided. A pushing cam 31 for pushing the bottle 10 into the bottle gauge 16 of the bottle carrier 15 is rotatably provided on the downstream side of the pick-up finger 14 in the bottle conveying direction by a rotating shaft 32. The container detection device 33 of the present embodiment is provided separately from the pushing cam 31. That is, a swing arm 36 is swingably mounted on the frame 34 of the bottle feeding apparatus by a swing shaft 35 above the push-in cam 31, and a support shaft is provided below the swing arm 36. The detection lever 24 is swingably attached by 37. The detection lever 24 has an L-shape, a contact portion 24a is formed at the tip end portion thereof, and a detection portion 24b is formed at the base end portion thereof, and the detection portion 24b contacts the stopper shaft 38 by its own weight. .

A first light beam sensor 28 and a second light beam sensor 29 are attached to the support bracket 27 adjacent to the pushing cam 31. The light beam sensors 28 and 29 detect the light beams S1 and S2 by the detection unit 24b of the detection lever 24, so that the detection lever 24
The swing position of the detection lever 24 is detected.
The presence or absence of the bottle 10 in the bottle gauge 16 and the direction thereof can be detected based on the swing position of the.

Therefore, the bottle 10 conveyed by the bottle feeding conveyor 11 in an upright state is bottle guide 12.
The bottle 10 is transferred along the bottle guide 12 when the bottom portion 10a is pressed by the pick-up finger 14 which is rotationally driven. Then, the bottle 10 is pushed and supplied into a predetermined bottle gauge 16 of the bottle carrier 15 by the pushing cam 31 which is rotationally driven.

Then, with respect to the bottle 10 supplied to the bottle gauge 16 of the bottle carrier 15, the swing arm 36
By swinging back and forth to move the detection lever 24 to the bottle carrier 15
To move away from. At this time, the bottle gauge 16
When the bottle 10 is normally supplied into the bottle gauge 16, the contact portion 24a of the detection lever 24 is inside the bottle gauge 16.
Contacting the bottom portion 24a of the shaft and swinging by a predetermined angle, the detecting portion 24b
Indicates which light beam S of each light beam sensor 28, 29
1 and S2 also move to "N" where light is not shielded, and the control device detects that the bottle 10 is present and oriented normally. On the other hand, when the bottle 10 is supplied in the bottle gauge 16 in the opposite direction for some reason, the contact portion 24a of the detection lever 24 abuts the mouth portion 24b of the bottle 10 in the bottle gauge 16 and swings by a predetermined angle. The detection unit 24b moves to "L" that blocks the light beam S2 of the second light beam sensor 29, and the control device detects that the bottle 10 is present and the direction is reversed. Further, when the bottle 10 is not supplied into the bottle gauge 16, the contact portion 24a of the detection lever 24 does not swing because the contact portion 24a enters the bottle gauge 16 and does not contact the bottle 10, and the detection portion 24b does not swing.
Keeps the light beam S1 of the second light beam sensor 29 at “M” that blocks the light beam S1, and the control device detects the non-supply state of the bottle 10.

[0034]

As described above in detail with reference to the embodiments, according to the container detecting apparatus of the present invention, the containers sequentially conveyed by the conveying means are pressed and transferred along the transfer guide by the transfer means and by the pushing means. In a container supply device that pushes into a bottle carrier and supplies it, a moving member is provided so as to be able to move toward and away from the container insertion side opening of the bottle carrier, and the tip end comes into contact with the bottle carrier or the container within the bottle carrier to swing. The detection lever is attached to this moving member so that it can swing, and a container detector that detects the presence or absence of the container in the bottle carrier or the direction of the container depending on the swing position of this detection lever is provided. The presence or absence of the bottle and the reverse supply state can be detected without fail, and the reliability of the device can be improved.

Further, according to the container detecting device of the present invention, the first detector for detecting the presence or absence of the container in the bottle carrier by the swing angle of the detection lever and the container in the bottle carrier by the swing angle of the detection lever. Since the second detector for detecting the direction is provided, it is possible to reliably detect the presence or the direction of the container pushed into the bottle carrier.

Further, according to the container detecting apparatus of the present invention, when the container detector detects the non-supply state or the reverse supply state of the container in the bottle carrier by the swing position of the detection lever, the conveying means and the transfer means are connected. Warn the pushing means,
Alternatively, since the control means for instructing stop of each means is provided, it is possible to prevent cleaning failure or damage of the container in the subsequent processing operation.

Further, according to the container detecting apparatus of the present invention, the pushing means is constituted by a pushing arm whose base end portion is pivotally attached at a predetermined position, and the detection lever is swingably attached to the tip end portion of the pushing arm. Therefore, the device can be made compact.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a bottle supply device to which a container detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the bottle feeding device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram when the container detection device detects a normal supply state of a bottle.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram when the container detection device detects a reverse supply state of a bottle.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram when the container detection device detects a non-supply state of a bottle.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a bottle supply device to which the container detection device according to the second embodiment is applied.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a bottle feeding device to which a conventional container detection device is applied.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a container detection state by a conventional container detection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Bottles (Containers) 11 Bottle Feeding Conveyors (Conveying Means) 12 Bottle Guides (Transfer Guides) 14 Pickup Fingers (Transfer Means) 15 Bottle Carriers 16 Bottle Gauges 17 Pushing Arms (Pushing Means and Moving Members) 21 Container Detecting Devices 24 Detection Lever 28 First Light Beam Sensor 29 Second Light Beam Sensor 31 Pushing Cam (Pushing Means) 33 Container Detection Device 36 Swing Arm (Moveable Member)

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] July 5, 1996

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0011

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0011]

The container detecting apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object comprises a container which is sequentially conveyed by the conveying means, is pressed and moved along the transfer guide by the transfer means, and is bottled by the pressing means. In a container supply device which is pushed into a carrier to supply, a moving member provided so as to approach and separate from the container insertion side opening of the bottle carrier, and a tip end portion swingably attached to the moving member.
Is the bottom or opening of the container in the bottle carrier
And a container detector that detects the presence or absence of the container in the bottle carrier or the direction of the container according to the swing position of the detection lever. It is a thing.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0012

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Therefore, the containers sequentially transported by the transport means are pressed and transported along the transport guide by the transport means,
It is pushed into the bottle carrier by the pushing means and supplied. Then, when the moving member is moved closer to the bottle carrier for which the container supply operation has been completed, if the container is normally supplied into the bottle carrier, the tip end of the detection lever attached to the moving member causes the container to move . By contacting the bottom surface , the container swings by a predetermined amount, and the container detector detects the normal swinging position of the detection lever to detect the normal supply state of the container in the bottle carrier. On the other hand, if the container is not supplied in the bottle carrier, or if it is supplied in the opposite direction, the tip of the detection lever attached to the moving member will not contact this container, or the container will be reversed even if it contacts. In the case of the orientation , the container detector does not swing a predetermined amount, the container detector cannot detect the predetermined swing position of the detection lever, and the container is not supplied into the bottle carrier or the container is supplied in the reverse direction. To detect.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0021

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

In the bottle feeding apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of bottles 10 are sequentially conveyed by a bottle feeding conveyor 11 in a standing state. A bottle guide 12 is provided for each bottle row. Then, below the bottle guide 12, along the direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the bottle 10,
A horizontal rotation shaft 13 provided What has an intermediate portion of the pickup fingers 14 are consolidated in the rotating shaft 13,
It can be rotationally driven by a drive motor (not shown). A bottle carrier 1 driven by a chain (not shown) is provided downstream of the pickup finger 14.
5 are provided, and the bottle carrier 15 is a bottle 1
A large number of bottle gauges that accept 0 and carry them continuously 1
6. Then, the bottle 10 on the bottle guide 12 is provided with the bottle gauge 16 on the front side of the bottle carrier 15.
A pushing arm 17 for pushing the inside is provided. The push-in arms 17 form a pair on the left and right, the upper end is supported by a swing shaft 18, and can be swung by a drive motor (not shown). A push bar 19 is stretched over the lower end, and the push bar 19 is attached to the push bar 19. A pushing plate 20 is attached.
The pickup finger 14, the pushing arm 17, and the bottle carrier 15 are controlled so as to be driven in synchronization with each other.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0022

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

In such a bottle supply device, the bottle carrier 15 is provided with a container detection device 21 for detecting the presence and the direction of the bottle 10 pushed into the bottle gauge 16. In this container detection device 21, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, mounting brackets 22 are fixed to the lower portions of the left and right pushing arms 17, and a supporting shaft 23 is installed on each of the mounting brackets 22. Cage,
Multiples corresponding to each conveyance column of the support shaft 23 Niwabin 10
The detection levers 24 are independently mounted via a collar 25 so as to be swingable. The detection lever 24 has an L-shape, and the tip portion is bent downward to contact the contact portion 24a.
While the base end portion extends rearward, the detection portion 24b is formed.
Are formed. And the detection lever 24 is usually
The detection portion 24b hangs downward due to its own weight and abuts on the stopper shaft 26 fixed to the pushing arm 17.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0023

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Support brackets 27 are provided outside the left and right pushing arms 17, and a pair of first light beam sensors 28 and a pair of second light beam sensors 29 are attached to each support bracket 27. Has been. The respective light beam sensors 28 and 29 have the same structure. The first light beam sensor 28 forms the light beam S1 and the second light beam sensor 29 forms the light beam S2. , 29 each constitute a light emitting portion and the other constitutes a light receiving portion. The light beam sensors 28 and 29 detect the light beams S1 and S2 by the detection unit 24b of the detection lever 24.
The swing position of the detection lever 24 is detected.
The presence or absence of the bottle 10 in the bottle gauge 16 and the direction thereof can be detected based on the swing position of the.

[Procedure amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0030

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

In the bottle feeding device, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of bottles 10 are sequentially conveyed in a standing state by a bottle feeding conveyor 11, and a bottle guide 12 is provided on the downstream side of the bottle feeding conveyor 11 in the bottle conveying direction.
A pick-up finger 14 having a rotary shaft 13 is rotatably provided. A pushing cam 31 for pushing the bottle 10 into the bottle gauge 16 of the bottle carrier 15 is rotatably provided on the downstream side of the pick-up finger 14 in the bottle conveying direction by a rotating shaft 32. The container detection device 33 of the present embodiment is provided separately from the pushing cam 31. That is, a swing arm 36 is swingably mounted on the frame 34 of the bottle feeding apparatus by a swing shaft 35 above the push-in cam 31, and a support shaft is provided below the swing arm 36. 37, a plurality of detection levers 24 are independently mounted so as to be swingable. The detection lever 24 has an L-shape, and a contact portion 24a is formed at the tip end portion thereof, while a detection portion 24b is formed at the base end portion thereof.
Is formed, and the detection portion 24b is in contact with the stopper shaft 38 by its own weight.

[Procedure amendment 8]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0034

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0034]

As described above in detail with reference to the embodiments, according to the container detecting apparatus of the present invention, the containers sequentially conveyed by the conveying means are pressed and transferred along the transfer guide by the transfer means and by the pushing means. In a container supply device that pushes into a bottle carrier and supplies it, a moving member is provided so as to be able to approach and separate from the container insertion side opening of the bottle carrier , and the tip end is the bottom surface of the container in the bottle carrier.
Or a container detection device that detects the presence or absence of a container in the bottle carrier or the direction of the container by swingably mounting a detection lever that swings when it contacts the opening on this moving member. Since the container is provided, it is possible to reliably detect the presence or absence of the bottle and the reverse supply state regardless of the shape of the container, and it is possible to improve the reliability of the device.

[Procedure amendment 9]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

[Procedure amendment 10]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Figure 2

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Fig. 2]

[Procedure amendment 11]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 4

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG. 4

[Procedure amendment 12]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 5

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Figure 5]

[Procedure amendment 13]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 6

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG. 6

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A container supply device in which a container sequentially transferred by a transfer unit is pressed and transferred along a transfer guide by a transfer unit and is pressed into a bottle carrier by a pressing unit to supply the container, and a container insertion side opening of the bottle carrier is provided. A moving member provided so as to be able to move toward and away from the movable member; and a detection lever which is swingably mounted on the moving member and swings when its tip portion comes into contact with the bottle carrier or the container in the bottle carrier. And a container detector for detecting the presence or absence of the container in the bottle carrier or the direction of the container according to the swing position of the detection lever. 2. The container detection device according to claim 1,
The container detector detects the presence / absence of the container in the bottle carrier according to a swing angle of the detection lever.
A container detection device, comprising: a detector; and a second detector that detects the orientation of the container in the bottle carrier based on the swing angle of the detection lever. 3. The container detection device according to claim 1,
When the container detector detects a non-supply state or a reverse supply state of the container in the bottle carrier according to the swing position of the detection lever, the container means, the transfer means and the pushing means are warned, or A container detection device comprising control means for instructing stop of each means. 4. The container detection device according to claim 1, wherein
The container detecting device, wherein the pushing means is constituted by a pushing arm whose base end is pivotally mounted at a predetermined position, and the detection lever is swingably attached to a tip end of the pushing arm.