JPS6097117A - Material feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the material feeding efficiency, in a system for feeding material into a matrix partition in a tray to be carried while being arranged, by reciprocating a plurality of adsorbing boards corresponding with the laterial partition of tray between the tray and each carrying conveyor. CONSTITUTION:Upon arriving of predetermined number of pouches 17 to be carried continually through curved conveyors 12a-12d to the position corresponding with pouch passing systems 20a, 20b said systems 20a, 20b will roll counter- clockwise to adsorb the pouch 17 by means of sucker 22. Then said systems 20a, 20b will roll clockwise and wait at the position shown by solid line. During this process, a tray 14 having plural matrix partitions is carried by conveyor 13 and upon detection of delivery of pouch 17 by means of a detector 31, a drop command is provided to release adsorption thus to drop the pouch 17 into specific partition of tray 14. It is performed for all partitions during carrying process of tray 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in an article supplying device for supplying articles, such as bag-like articles such as pouches filled with food such as curry, stew, etc. and sealed, to a tray and packing it therein.

Retort pouch foods such as curry and stew are filled and sealed using an in-house filling machine, then packed into trays, and then sterilized together with the tray by heating under pressure in a retort. In recent years, pouch filling machines have increased in capacity, and high-speed machines that can handle up to 60 pieces per minute have appeared, but the process of filling pouches into trays has not always been fully automated and high-capacity. Currently, the work is done manually due to the need for soft handling.

Figures 1 and 2 show an example of a conventional automated pouch tray filling device (1") (Ib) (I
C) multiple pouch filling machines installed in parallel, (2α)C2
h) C2e is intermittently driven in synchronization with the pouch filling machine (1αXIAX1?); ), (4) is the same shot (3)
A tray transport controller (51 not shown) is a tray that is placed on A and is continuously transported in the direction of the arrow.
5) is divided into three rows of squares A, B, and C, and three pouch filling machines are installed corresponding to the rows A, B, and C of the tray (5), and each pouch filling machine The pouch (6) from
Each curved container falls through a chute (4) and is packed into a square-shaped section of a tray (5). Note that (5α) indicates the partition of the tray.

There is no particular problem with the above tray (goods) feeding device when combined with a low-capacity pouch filling machine, but when a high-capacity machine is used, the time required to pack pouches into trays becomes shorter, e.g. 60 pouches/min. Since our filling machines fill trays at a rate of 1 piece per second, pouches made of aluminum foil and plastic film may be damaged or lose their airtightness due to rough handling.
The problem was that it could not be applied to high-capacity aircraft. Furthermore, it is necessary to have a one-to-one correspondence between the number of filling machines and the number of rows of trays, so for example, in the case of five rows of trays, five filling machines are required.

The present invention addresses the above-mentioned problems, and includes a tray conveyor in an article supply device for supplying articles into the compartments of a tray having square compartments which are supported and transported in an aligned state by (a). An article conveyor is arranged above the conveyor so that articles can be conveyed in a direction perpendicular to the tray conveyor, and the article is lined up in the conveyor direction in correspondence with each section of the tray. A suction cup for transporting articles that attracts and moves a plurality of articles, and a reciprocating mechanism that reciprocates each suction cup between the tray being conveyed by the tray conveyor and the article conveyor. The purpose of this is to reduce the number of filling machines by eliminating the need for a one-to-one correspondence between the number of filling machines and the number of rows during transport of the goods. can. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved article feeding device that allows a highly flexible layout by increasing or decreasing the number of rows of article conveyors depending on the capacity.

Next, the article feeding apparatus of the present invention will be explained using an embodiment shown in Fig. 3.4.5. (lla) (ltb) is a high-capacity pouch filling machine. Note that this embodiment shows a dual pouch filling machine. Note that (12a) and (12b) are curved conveyors, and each curved conveyor is a (12α).
(12h) receives the pouch 07) supplied from the pouch filling machine (11α) and supplies it to the pouch delivery device for the next process by intermittent conveyance. Each curved controller is a(
12αX121! l) is designed to be driven synchronously with the pouch filling machine (11α) by the same driving source (not shown). Further, the pouches (1?) are supplied at a pitch corresponding to the row spacing of the tray (I4).

Also (120X1'2fL) Ganokuuchi filling machine (11h
03) is a tray conveyor that continuously conveys tray I;
13) is configured to place the tray α4 on the chain 0■, position the tray Q (a) with a busher (te) attached to the chain αω, and convey the tray 04). The same tray controller is located below the pouch delivery device (2), and the curved controller is located below the pouch delivery device (2).
The pouches conveyed by the pouch conveyor (131) are delivered to the tray (141) by the pouch delivery device (20), and then conveyed by the tray conveyor (131). A (13) drive source (13) is provided with a wide guide (not shown) for positioning the tray in the width direction.
(not shown) are driven synchronously with pouch filling machines (11α) (11b), curved containers (12α) to (1), and pouch delivery devices (20cL) (20h). Also, the tray conyer (13) is orthogonal to the curved conveyor (12+). Also, 0 Yong is the tray,
The traycon has outer reinforcement rails (as shown in Figure 5).
41) (421 and partition plate (44) and bottom plate (45)
4 rows of pouches (17) in a square-shaped compartment
Six rows = 24 pieces (in the illustrated example) can be loaded and transported.

The outer peripheral reinforcing rail (41) has a U-shaped cross section. In addition, the four outer peripheral reinforcing rails (4) are orthogonal to the outer peripheral reinforcing rail (41), and have a U-shaped cross section like (41). Also, the partition plates (43 (44) The height is higher than that of the pouch (17) in order to accommodate the outer peripheral reinforcing rail (41) (4
Is it the same height as pouch 3? ) is the partition plate (
43 (4 → Reinforce the outer periphery of the rail (4) to the extent that it does not protrude from the
1) (Slightly lower than 421. Also, the bottom plate (451) is a perforated plate, and the outer peripheral reinforcing rail f41
) (Fixed to 41 partition plate (431 (44) by welding, etc.) Also, in order to stably convey the chains (one is the old tray), they are provided in two rows, and the tray is connected to the sixth .4 It is possible to convey the tray (14) in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 4.The busher 06) is used to transport the tray (14) from the tray accumulation conveyor (not shown) to the tray conveyor 03 by a tray delivery device (not shown). By applying resistance by the tray brake device, the tray (14) is smoothly engaged with the tray (14) to convey the tray (14), and the tray (14) is positioned and the tray (14) It is effective for conveying pouches (with 1°C tray(
I4) is received onto the tray accumulation conveyor by a tray delivery position (not shown) on the downstream side of the tray container 5a (1 set).Also, (20
α) (20h) is the pouch delivery device (pouch adsorption device (
The pouch (I71) on the curved container (12α) (1, 2h) is adsorbed by 2υ, and the tray controller is a device that transfers the pouch 0η to the compartment of tray 0, which is transported by the aoj. g A pouch suction device (a pouch suction device that communicates with a vacuum source (not shown) and uses a vacuum suction cup (22) to suction the pouch a force), when pouch 0η falls into a predetermined section of tray α as follows. In other words, the tray (14) is detected by the tray partition detection device 01).
) is detected, and a tray partition detection signal at that time is sent to a control device (not shown), which then outputs a pouch drop timing signal, and the compressed air (not shown) is sent to the control device. Air source and adsorption device (2I
) is opened, compressed air is sent to the pouch adsorption device (21), the vacuum is broken, and the pouch (17)
falls into a predetermined section of the tray (14) as shown by the arrow in FIG. 4. The vacuum suction cup (22) is made of an elastic material such as rubber in order to adsorb the pouch Q7. In addition, (23) is a support that supports the suction device (21), and the same s'4-[231 is a tray lined up in the conveying direction of the curved conveyor (12d) and (12b), respectively. (14) There are multiple pieces corresponding to each section (in this example, curved conia (12αX
12h) 4 feet each, each support) (
23), a pouch suction device (21
) is installed. In addition, (2 (A) is a lever, and the lever (24) is driven by a drive (not shown) in order to transfer the pouch suction device (2υ) from the position corresponding to the car seat conveyor (12αX12h) to the position corresponding to the tray (14). The oscillating movement is caused by the source around the axis (Tao).
The two-dot chain line in the figure indicates when the pouch suction device (21) has moved to the position corresponding to the car seat conveyor (12αX12A), and the solid line indicates when the pouch suction device (21) has moved to the position corresponding to the tray
4) is shown. As mentioned above, the shaft (25) for swinging the lever (2 (a)
1 is integrally attached to the lever r24). (26) is the above sabot) +23) and the above lever (24)
) and a shaft that connects them through earrings so that they can rotate relative to each other,
C31) is a tray partition detection device, and the tray partition detection device C31) detects the partition plate (44) of the tray (14) or the outer peripheral reinforcing rail (42) using a phototube or a proximity switch.
1 is detected. In this embodiment, the tray partition detection device 01) is the pouch delivery device (20α) (2
Although the partition of the tray is directly detected near point 0b), a detection device for detecting a predetermined index 1~ is provided in the drive part (e.g. sprocket shaft) of the chain (such as a sprocket shaft) to detect a predetermined partition of the tray. You may also do so.

Next, the operation of the article supply device will be explained. (In the case of 11 curved containers, the predetermined number of pouches (lη) (4 in this embodiment) that are intermittently conveyed by A (12α) to (12d) correspond to the pouch delivery devices (20a) (201'). When you come to the pouch delivery device (20α) (20
b) swings counterclockwise in Fig. 4, and the pouch (171
, and then swings clockwise in FIG. 4 (direction C in the figure) and waits at the solid line position in FIG. 4. (■) The swinging of the pouch delivery device (20α) (20h), the rotation of the shaft (251) driven by a drive source (not shown) is
4) This is done by transmitting the pouch suction device (21) K through the shaft (26) sabot (231). (E
ll pouch (Iη is adsorbed via a vacuum suction cup (22) connected to a vacuum source (not shown)).
), the tray (1=l) is continuously conveyed. At this time, the tray partition detection device 01) detects the tray (field partition), the control device (not shown) is counting the partitions, and the control device detects the pouches θη waiting in the above [1].
When a drop command is issued to the pouch suction device (21), a valve (not shown) opens and compressed air flows into the pouch suction device (21).
), the pouch 0η is vacuum destroyed, and the pouch 0η separates from the vacuum suction cup (2) of the pouch suction device (21) and falls into a predetermined section of the tray 0η as shown by the arrow in Figure 4.■ While the tray (pouch 07) is being transported from the upstream side to the downstream side in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 6, the pouch 07 is transferred to the pouch delivery device (2).
0α) (20b), and the pouch delivery device (
20h), the trays (pouches 07 in all 14 compartments) are accommodated. (7) Pouch filling machine (
11α) (11h) Curved contact is a(12α) ~ (1
%)) The lay conveyors 03) are driven synchronously by the control device. In this example, two pouch filling machines (1
1α) (11h) are operated at the same time, but even when only one of the two units is operated, the pouches (Iη) can be placed in the tray (14) by switching the control of the control device. It can be filled without forming a line, and there are 3 pouch filling machines.
The same applies to cases where the number of units is more than one.

The present invention provides an article supplying apparatus for supplying articles into square compartments of trays that are supported and conveyed in an aligned state by a tray conveyor as described above. The article conveyor is arranged so as to be able to convey the article in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the article. A reciprocating mechanism is provided for reciprocating each suction cup between the tray conveyor and the article conveyor, and the tray conveyor simultaneously transfers a plurality of articles on the article conveyor to the tray on A. There is no need for a one-to-one correspondence between the number of article filling machines and the number of rows during article transportation.
The number of filling machines can be reduced. Furthermore, by increasing or decreasing the number of rows of article transport conveyors depending on the capacity, a highly flexible layout can be achieved.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and that various design modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional article supply device, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the article supply device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a side view thereof. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tray. (12α) to (12d)...The article conveyor is a, (
131...Tray conveyor conveyor, (1st grade...tray, αη...article, (2nd...article transfer suction cup, (
29～(2e...Reciprocating mechanism. Sub-Agent: Patent Attorney Shige Okamoto 6 other personsContinued from 1st page0 Inventor: Masafumi Takemoto In-house, Mikuriya Sakaemachi, Higashiosaka City0 Inventor: Toku 1) Yoshi Akira Mikuriya Sakae-cho, Higashiosaka City 0 inventions Akira Tamio Nagai Mikuriya Sakae-cho, Higashiosaka City internal company

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an article supplying device for supplying articles into a tray having square-shaped compartments that is supported and conveyed in an aligned state by a tray conveyor, an article is placed above the tray conveyor in a direction perpendicular to the tray conveyance direction of the tray conveyor. an article conveyor arranged to be able to convey articles in the same direction; and an article transfer suction device that adsorbs and transfers a plurality of articles lined up in the conveyance direction of the article conveyor in correspondence with each section of the tray. An article supplying device comprising: a disk; and a reciprocating mechanism that reciprocates each suction cup between the tray being conveyed by the tray conveyor and the article conveyor.