JP2018188159A - Carrying-out device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new type of carrying-out device, which enables separating a side edge UP of a conveyed item C from side edge regulating means 22 by compressing the conveyed item C to partly project forward in a curve when a transferred item C1 located on the frontmost of the laminated conveyed item C is carried out, regardless of whether a regulating tool for regulating the other side edge BL of the conveyed item is present.SOLUTION: Separating and carrying-out means 28 has at least one pair of vacuum holding jigs 30a and 30b which are arranged to face one side edge UL of the conveyed item at right angle and are placed at an interval along the front face of the conveyed item C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to an unloading apparatus for sequentially unloading a flat bag-like object, for example, a packaging bag called a pouch for containing a liquid detergent or a retort food.

  As a conventional unloading device for unloading a flat plate-like object such as a packaging bag called a pouch sequentially one by one, the unloading device disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 and the following Patent Document 2 An unloading device in the disclosed form can be mentioned.

  The unloading device disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 includes a transport conveyor that transports a large number of transported objects that are stacked and shifted by a shift dimension of, for example, about 8 to 10 mm in the transport direction; Separating means for separating one transported object located downstream and other transported objects positioned downstream and upstream in the transport direction; and unloading means for moving the separated transported object in a required direction It comprises.

  The unloading device disclosed in the following Patent Document 2 is a supporting means for supporting a large number of objects to be conveyed in a stacked state, and a means for supporting the objects to be conveyed in the lowermost layer through an unloading opening formed in the bottom wall of the supporting means. And unloading means for unloading from the bottom.

Japanese Patent No. 5897999 Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-221667

  In the unloading apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is necessary to manually stack and arrange a large number of objects to be conveyed on the conveyor by shifting the dimensions in the conveying direction, and this operation is considerably complicated. When a relatively large error occurs in the deviation size, it is difficult to separate one by one, and there is a tendency that two or more objects to be conveyed are carried out at the same time. In order to stack and arrange the objects to be conveyed, there is a problem that it is necessary to considerably lengthen the conveying direction length of the conveyor.

  On the other hand, in the unloading device disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, when the number of objects to be stacked stacked on the support means is increased, the weight of the entire object to be conveyed increases, and therefore the object to be conveyed in the lowermost layer. The frictional resistance between the lower surface of the support and the bottom wall of the support means increases, which makes it difficult to carry out the object to be conveyed through the unloading opening, or to carry out two or more objects to be conveyed at the same time. There is a problem that there is a risk of losing.

  In view of the above facts, the present inventors previously described a number of support devices on the support means as the carry-out device that solves the above-described problems existing in the conventional carry-out device in the specification and drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-211652. A number of objects to be conveyed are arranged in a standing manner in parallel along a predetermined conveyance path, and the foremost object to be conveyed is sequentially carried out and arranged in parallel according to the carrying out of one or a plurality of objects to be conveyed. A unique form of unloading apparatus has been proposed (hereinafter referred to as “preceding unloading apparatus”) that can appropriately move an object downstream in the conveying direction. In this preceding transport device, the lower edges (one end edges) of a large number of objects to be erected in parallel are regulated along with both side edges (that is, the three edges excluding the upper edge (the other end edge) are regulated. ) Carrying toward the unloading end. At the carry-out end, one-side edge restricting means with which the one-side edge of the transported object at the foremost end abuts is disposed. In addition, a separating / carrying means including a suction holder for separating and transporting the foremost transported object from the next transported object is also provided. When separating and transporting the foremost transported object from the next transported object, the suction holder is brought into contact with the front surface of the transported object at the foremost end so that the specific part on the front surface of the transported object at the foremost end The suction holder is moved to the other side edge of the object to be transported in a state where the object is sucked, and the object to be transported is compressed between the member that regulates the other side edge of the object to be transported and the suction holder. Is partially curved forward and the one side edge of the conveyed object is detached from the one side edge regulating means. Thereafter, the suction holder is moved in the direction of retreating from the front surface of the transported grain, and the transported object at the foremost end is separated from the next transported object and carried out.

  Thus, the preceding transport apparatus is not sufficiently satisfactory, and has the following problems to be solved. Comparison of changing the mounting position of the member that regulates the other side edge of the transported member when changing the transported object of another dimension from the state of transporting the transported object of a predetermined dimension It is necessary to perform complicated manual operations. In order to avoid such a manual operation, it is intended to omit the member that regulates the other side edge of the object to be transported. In this way, when carrying out the object to be transported at the foremost end, the suction holder To the other side edge of the object to be conveyed and to compress the object to be conveyed between the member that regulates the other side edge of the object to be conveyed and the suction holder and to project a part of the object to be curved forward Becomes impossible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned facts, and its main technical problem is to be transported in a stacked state regardless of whether or not there is a member that regulates the other side edge of the transported object. When unloading the transported object at the foremost end of the object, compress the transported object and project a part of the object to bend forward, thereby displacing the one side edge of the transported object from the one side edge regulating means. It is to provide a new and improved unloading apparatus capable of

  The present inventors have continued further diligent examinations and experiments, and the separation / carrying means is at least a pair of suction / holding units arranged in the direction perpendicular to one side edge of the object to be conveyed and along the front surface of the object to be conveyed. The present inventors have found that the main technical problem can be achieved by using a tool.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, as a carry-out device that achieves the above-mentioned main problem, a large number of flat objects are stacked and at least one side edge and one edge thereof are regulated to the carry-out end. Conveying means forcibly toward the front side, one side edge restricting means with which the front side edge of the foremost object to be conveyed contacts, and the foremost object to be conveyed separated from the one side edge restricting means and the next object to be conveyed In a carry-out apparatus provided with a separation / unloading means for separating from a transfer object and unloading from the transfer means,
The separating / carrying means includes at least a pair of suction holders arranged perpendicular to one side edge of the object to be conveyed and spaced in a direction along the front surface of the object to be conveyed,
Each of the pair of suction holders can freely move forward and backward between a forward position contacting the front surface of the front-most object to be transported and a retracted position retracting in a direction away from the front surface of the front-most object to be transported. One of the pair of suction holders located closer to the one-side edge regulating means is movable in the direction perpendicular to the one-side edge of the object to be conveyed and along the front surface of the object to be conveyed,
Each of the pair of suction holders can be switched between an operating state and a non-operating state,
Each of the pair of suction holders is moved forward from the retracted position to the advanced position, abuts against the front surface of the transported object at the foremost end and switched to the operating state, and then the pair of suction holders One is moved laterally toward the other of the pair of suction holders, and then each of the pair of suction holders is moved back to the retracted position and the other of the pair of suction holders is in the non-operating state. Then, the one of the pair of suction holders is laterally moved in a direction toward the one side edge regulating means.
An unloading device is provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, as a carry-out device that achieves the main technical problem, a large number of flat objects are stacked and at least one side edge and one edge thereof are regulated to the carry-out end. Conveying means forcibly toward the front side, one side edge restricting means with which the front side edge of the foremost object to be conveyed contacts, and the foremost object to be conveyed separated from the one side edge restricting means and the next object to be conveyed In a carry-out apparatus provided with a separation / unloading means for separating from a transfer object and unloading from the transfer means,
The separating / carrying means includes at least a pair of suction holders arranged perpendicular to one side edge of the object to be conveyed and spaced in a direction along the front surface of the object to be conveyed,
Each of the pair of suction holders can freely move forward and backward between a forward position that contacts the front surface of the front-most object to be transported and a retreat position that recedes in a direction away from the front surface of the front-most object to be transported. Along with the one side edge of the object to be conveyed, and can move laterally in the direction along the front surface of the object to be conveyed,
Each of the pair of suction holders can be switched between an operating state and a non-operating state,
Each of the pair of suction holders is moved forward from the retracted position to the advanced position, abuts against the front surface of the transported object at the foremost end, and is switched to the operating state. One positioned closer to the one-side edge regulating means is laterally moved toward the other of the pair of suction holders, and then each of the pair of suction holders is moved backward to the retracted position, and then the Each of the pair of suction holders is laterally moved in a direction toward the one side edge regulating means.
An unloading device is provided.

  Conveniently, the objects to be conveyed are arranged upright in parallel and stacked and conveyed in the horizontal direction toward the unloading end, and the one side edge is advantageously shorter than the one end edge. Preferably, the conveying means includes a pressing piece that locally presses the object to be conveyed forward, and the pressing piece is perpendicular to one side edge of the object to be conveyed and in a direction along the front surface of the object to be conveyed. Each of the pair of suction holders is located between the portions that are in contact with the front surface of the conveyed object.

  In the unloading device of the present invention, the direction perpendicular to the one side edge of the object to be conveyed and along the front surface of the object to be conveyed, regardless of whether there is a member for regulating the other side edge of the object to be conveyed. One of the pair of suction holders, that is, one located closer to the one-side edge restricting means, with the pair of suction holders arranged at intervals on the front surface of the transported object at the foremost end, By moving laterally toward the other side, the object to be conveyed can be compressed and a part of the object can be bent forward and the one side edge of the object to be conveyed can be separated from the one side edge regulating means.

The simplified perspective view which shows suitable embodiment of the carrying-out apparatus comprised according to this invention. The simplified front view of the carrying-out apparatus shown in FIG. The AA cross-section simple top view of the carrying-out apparatus shown in FIG. Simplified left side view of the unloading device shown in FIG. The simplified schematic diagram for demonstrating the movement path | route of a pair of suction holder of a separation carrying-out means. The standing pouch which is an example of the to-be-conveyed object carried out by the carrying-out apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is shown. The simplified schematic diagram for demonstrating the action | operation of the carrying-out apparatus shown in FIG. The simplified schematic diagram for demonstrating the action | operation of the carrying-out apparatus shown in FIG. The simplified schematic diagram for demonstrating the action | operation of the carrying-out apparatus shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, with reference to an accompanying drawing, the preferred embodiment of the carrying-out device constituted according to the present invention is further explained in full detail.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows an overall preferred embodiment of an unloading apparatus constructed according to the present invention. Such an unloading device includes a conveying means 2. As will be described later, the conveying means 2 forces a large number of flat objects to be conveyed in a stacked state and restricts at least one side edge and one edge thereof toward the carry-out end. The transport means 2 further includes a support member 4, a back plate 6, a transport stand 8, and a holding member 10.

  Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4 together with FIG. 1, the support member 4 includes a substrate 12 and legs 14 that support the substrate 12 in a horizontal state at a predetermined height position. The substrate 12 is a rectangular flat plate having a substantially horizontal upper surface, and is a longitudinal direction of the substrate 12, that is, a direction indicated by an arrow in FIGS. 2 and 3 (this is referred to as a conveyance direction, and may be referred to as a front-rear direction hereinafter). A transport path L is defined in FIG. The conveyance path L is a path along which a flat plate-like object is conveyed as described later, and is horizontal and straight in the illustrated embodiment. As clearly understood by referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the substrate 12 has a groove 16 extending linearly from the upstream end in the transport direction to a position extending somewhat downstream from the intermediate position. A plurality of are formed. In the illustrated embodiment, three grooves 16 are formed, which are indicated by numbers 16a, b, and c, respectively. Each of the grooves 16 is parallel to each other and penetrates from the upper surface to the lower surface of the substrate 12. As clearly understood by referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of small holes 18 that are circular through holes are equidistant between the grooves 16 a and 16 b in the substrate 12 along the transport direction. In the illustrated embodiment, six are formed. Each of the small holes 18 has a position moved by X from the retracted position (described in FIGS. 1 to 4 (refer to FIG. 3 in particular)) of the back plate 6, which will be described later, when viewed in the transport direction. The starting points are sequentially formed with an interval of X toward the upstream side in the transport direction (X will be described later). If desired, the small hole 18 may be formed between the groove 16b and the groove 16c instead of or together with the groove 16a and the groove 16b. When viewed from the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a lateral direction), one end of the substrate 12 (the left end in FIG. 4 and the upper end in FIG. 3) extends from the upper surface of the substrate 12. A wall 20 that stands vertically upward is provided. The wall 20 extends in a straight line from the upstream end of the substrate 12 to the position slightly beyond the downstream end of the groove 16 in the conveyance direction of the substrate 12.

  At the downstream end of the wall 20 in the transport direction, a one-side edge regulating means 22 is disposed on which a front-side one-side edge of the foremost transport object to be described later comes into contact. The one-side edge regulating means 22 is a plate-like member having a rectangular cross section extending in the vertical direction, and protrudes inward in the width direction of the substrate 12 and perpendicular to the wall 20. A contact surface 24 that abuts the object to be conveyed and defines the unloading end is provided on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the one-side edge regulating means 22, and the object to be conveyed exceeds the contact surface 24 by the conveying means 2. Forced to the downstream side in the transport direction is restricted. The abutment surface 24 is conveniently located downstream from the downstream end of the groove 16 as viewed in the transport direction by a distance slightly greater than X or later described below. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, a front surface restricting means 26 is provided on the upstream side surface in the transport direction of the legs of the installation table, which will be described later, for installing the back plate 6, with which the front surface of the transported object at the foremost end described later comes into contact. It has been. The front regulating means 26 is a bar-shaped member having a rectangular section extending in the vertical direction, and the upstream side in the transport direction coincides with the contact surface 24 in the transport direction, so that the object to be transported moves forward beyond the contact surface 24. Is more reliably prevented.

  1 to 4, the separation / conveying means 28 is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 12 and on the downstream side of the groove 16 when viewed in the conveyance direction. As will be described later, the separating / unloading means 28 separates the foremost object to be conveyed from the one-side edge regulating means 22 and separates it from the next object to be conveyed from the conveying means 2. The separating / unloading means 28 is at least a pair arranged at intervals in the transverse direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (that is, the direction perpendicular to one side edge of the object to be conveyed and along the front surface of the object to be conveyed). In the embodiment, four pairs of suction holders 30a and 30b and a pair of suction holder attachment members 32a and 32b to which the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b are attached are provided. Each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b has a bowl shape formed of an appropriate soft synthetic resin having flexibility such as an elastomer material, and a suction hole 31 (see FIG. 4) at the center top portion thereof. Is formed. The pair of suction holder mounting members 32a and 32b are substantially prismatic members that are long in the vertical direction. At least one connection valve (not shown) is installed on the upstream side surface in the transport direction of the pair of suction holder mounting members 32a and 32b at intervals in the vertical direction, and four in the illustrated embodiment. Each connection valve has two ports, one port is connected to each of the suction holes 31 of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b, and the other port is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) via a hose (not shown). Has been. Thereby, negative pressure can be generated by the vacuum pump in the inner region (that is, the inner region of the bag) of each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b. The vacuum pump can be switched appropriately between an operating state and a non-operating state, and by switching the operation of the vacuum pump, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b can be switched between an operating state where the negative pressure is generated and a non-operating state where the negative pressure is not generated. It can be switched to the state. Actuators 34 are respectively connected to the downstream sides of the pair of suction holder mounting members 32a and 32b in the transport direction. By this actuator 34, each of the pair of suction holders 30 a and 30 b causes the forward position to come into contact with the front surface of the foremost object to be described later and the retracted position for retreating in the direction away from the front surface of the foremost object to be conveyed. Is movable in the transport direction (ie, can be moved forward and backward), and at least one of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b, which is positioned closer to the one-side edge regulating means 22, is 30a in the transport direction. On the other hand, it is movable in the horizontal direction perpendicular to it (that is, it can move laterally). The actuator 34 is a part of a compressed air control device (not shown), and uses compressed air as an operating power source.

  Referring to FIG. 5, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is periodically moved by the actuator 34 as follows. That is, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is advanced from the retracted position shown in FIG. 5A to the advanced position shown in FIG. 5B, and then one of the pair of suction holders 30a is paired with the suction. Next, the holder 30 moves laterally toward the other 30b (FIG. 5C), and then each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b moves backward to the retracted position (FIG. 5D), and then the pair of suctions. It moves laterally in the direction approaching the one-side edge regulating means 22 to a predetermined position for discharging the object held by one of the holders 30a (FIGS. 5E and 5F). The other 30b of the tool is indicated by a solid line), and then one of the pair of suction holders 30a moves laterally toward the other 30b of the pair of suction holders, and each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is again The state shown in FIG.

  Here, in the case where not only one of the pair of suction holders 30a but also the other 30b of the pair of suction holders is movable in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (that is, can be moved laterally), the pair of suction holders is held. After each of the tools 30a and 30b is in the state shown in FIG. 5 (d), the one-side edge regulating means 22 reaches a predetermined position where the transported object held by each of the pair of suction holding tools 30a and 30b is discharged. Laterally move in the direction of approach (FIGS. 5E and 5F. In this figure, the other 30b of the pair of suction holders is indicated by a dotted line), and then each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b It is also possible to move sideways again to the state shown in FIG.

  Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the back plate 6 is disposed between the downstream end of the groove 16 and the contact surface 24 in the transport direction. The back plate 6 includes a pressing piece 36a and auxiliary pressing pieces 36b and 36c. Each of the pressing piece 36a and the auxiliary pressing pieces 36b and 36c is a bar-like member extending in the vertical direction, and the width in the conveying direction of these lower end portions is gradually reduced downward. The cross-sectional shape excluding the lower end of the pressing piece 36a is a substantially rectangular shape whose length in the width direction is about twice as long as the length in the conveyance direction. The cross-sectional shapes excluding the lower ends of the auxiliary pressing pieces 36b and 36c are substantially squares whose length in the transport direction is the same as that of the pressing piece 36a. A detection switch 38 is disposed on the downstream side surface in the conveyance direction of the pressing piece 36a and is closed when the object to be conveyed contacts. In the pressing piece 36a and the auxiliary pressing pieces 36b and 36c, the width in the width direction between the pressing piece 36a and the auxiliary pressing piece 36b is approximately twice the width in the width direction between the auxiliary pressing piece 36b and the auxiliary pressing piece 36c. Are fixed to the pressing piece fixing member 40 in a state of being juxtaposed in the width direction. At this time, in the width direction (that is, the direction perpendicular to the one side edge of the object to be conveyed and along the front surface of the object to be conveyed), each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is pressed against the front surface of the object to be conveyed. It is preferable to be positioned between the parts abutted on (see FIG. 5 (a) together with FIG. 3).

  The pressing piece fixing member 40 includes an upstream flat plate 40a and a downstream flat plate 40b extending linearly in the width direction. The upper surfaces of the upstream flat plate 40a and the downstream flat plate 40b are joined by a hinge portion 40c, and the upstream flat plate 40a and the downstream flat plate 40b are relatively rotatable within a predetermined angle range around the hinge portion 40c. It is. The upper end of each of the pressing piece 36 a and the auxiliary pressing pieces 36 b and 36 c is fixed to the upstream side surface in the transport direction of the upstream flat plate 40 a, and the downstream flat plate 40 b is installed on the standing part 42 a of the L-shaped member 42. A rail 44 extending linearly in the vertical direction is disposed on the upstream side surface of the upright portion 42a of the L-shaped member 42 in the conveying direction, and the downstream flat plate 40b is installed on the rail 44 via an actuator (not shown). It can move freely. Accordingly, the back plate 6 fixed to the pressing piece fixing member 40 is also movable in the vertical direction. The L-shaped member 42 is installed on an installation table 46 located on the upper surface of the substrate 12 and on the downstream side of the contact surface 24 when viewed in the transport direction. The installation base 46 includes a horizontal rectangular top plate 48 that is spaced above the substrate 12 and a plurality of (in the illustrated embodiment, five) legs 50 that support the top plate 48. ing. A rail 52 that extends linearly in the conveying direction is formed on the top surface of the top plate 48. A horizontal portion 42b of the L-shaped member 42 is connected to the rail 52 via an actuator (not shown), and the L-shaped member 42 is It becomes movable in the transport direction. Accordingly, the back plate 6 disposed on the L-shaped member 42 via the pressing piece fixing member 40 is also movable in the transport direction. Furthermore, since the upper surface of the upstream flat plate 40a to which the back plate 6 is fixed and the downstream flat plate 40b to which the L-shaped member 42 is connected are coupled by the hinge portion 40c, the back plate 6 has the hinge portion 40c. It is also elastically retractable to the upstream side in the transport direction as the center of rotation. Each of the actuators is a part of a compressed air control device (not shown) and uses compressed air as an operating power source.

  Referring to FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C, the back plate 6 is separated by a first predetermined distance D1 rearward (that is, upstream in the conveyance direction) from the foremost object to be described later by the actuator. It is movable between the retracted position and the advanced position moved forward from the retracted position by a second predetermined distance D2 shorter than the first predetermined distance D1 (that is, moved downstream in the conveying direction). It is possible to move between an action position that enters between two adjacent objects to be conveyed and a non-action position that is separated from the objects to be conveyed in the objects to be conveyed that are sequentially arranged in a standing manner along the path L. In the illustrated embodiment, the back plate 6 moves downward from the non-operation position and is positioned at the operation position. When the back plate 6 is in the non-operating position, the lower end of the back plate 6 is positioned above the object to be conveyed supported by the support member 4, and when the back plate 6 is in the operating position, the lower end of the back plate 6 is It is below the upper end edge (that is, the other end edge) of the object to be conveyed and is opposed to the upper surface of the substrate 12 and slightly above it. However, the back plate 6 periodically moves along the following path. That is, the back plate 6 is in the retreat position and the retreat action position (FIG. 7-1 (a) and FIGS. 7-2 (e) to 7-3 (i)), which is the action position. A forward acting position (FIG. 7-1 (b)) which is an operating position, a forward non-acting position (FIG. 7-1 (c)) which is a forward position and a non-acting position, a reverse position and After sequentially moving to the non-operating position, the non-operating position (FIG. 7-2 (d)), the retracting position (FIGS. 7-1 (a) and FIGS. 7-2 (e) to 7-3 ( Go to i)).

  Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the transfer stand 8 is disposed inside the groove 16 in the transfer direction. The transfer stand 8 includes a plurality of partition pieces 54 and a partition piece support member 56 that supports and fixes each of the partition pieces 54. Each of the partition pieces 54 is a bar-like member extending in the vertical direction, and has a substantially square cross section except for the upper end portion. As for the upper end part of the partition piece 54, the conveyance direction width | variety is gradually reduced upwards. The partition piece support member 56 includes a plurality of (seven in the illustrated embodiment) width direction support portions 58 extending in the width direction and a pair of transport direction support portions 60 extending in the transport direction. Three partition pieces 54 are fixed at a predetermined position on the downstream side surface in the transport direction of each width direction support portion 58. The three partition pieces 54 are aligned with the grooves 16a to 16c formed in the substrate 12 when the transport stand 8 is installed as required with respect to the support member 4 (see FIG. 3). W), the lower end of each is fixed. Each of the width direction support portions 58 is parallel to each other, and a pair of transports is performed such that the transport direction interval of the partition pieces 54 is an interval (X) corresponding to the distance between the retracted position and the advanced position of the back plate 6. It is fixed to the upper surface of the direction support part 60. A pair of rails 62 extending in the transport direction are formed on the lower surface of each of the pair of transport direction support portions 60, and the rails 62 are connected to a bottom plate 64 via an actuator (not shown). Accordingly, the transfer stand 8 is movable in the transfer direction. Further, an actuator 66 for raising and lowering that is movable in the vertical direction is also provided on the lower surface of the bottom plate 64. Accordingly, the transfer stand 8 is also movable in the vertical direction. Each of the above actuators is a part of a compressed air control device (not shown), and uses compressed air as an operating power source.

  Referring to FIGS. 7-1 to 7-3, the transport stand 8 is moved from the retracted position of the back plate 6 when the partition piece 54 at the downstream end (front end) in the transport direction is viewed in the transport direction by the actuator. The backward position moved backward by (= D2) and the forward position advanced by a second predetermined distance D2 from the backward position (therefore, the partition piece 54 and the back plate 6 at the downstream end in the transport direction at the forward position are retracted). Each of the partition pieces 54 is adjacent to the object to be conveyed, which is sequentially arranged in a standing manner along the conveyance path L, as will be described later. It is possible to move between an action position that enters between two conveyed objects and a non-action position that is separated from the conveyed objects. In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer stand 8 moves upward from the non-operation position and is positioned at the operation position. When the transport stand 8 is in the non-operating position, the upper end of the partition piece 54 is below the object to be transported supported by the substrate 12, more specifically, the upper end of the partition piece 54 is inside the groove 16 of the substrate 12 (ie, (Between the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate 12). When the transfer stand 8 is in the operating position, the upper end of the partition piece 54 is positioned above the upper surface of the substrate 12. However, the transport stand 8 is periodically moved along the following path by the actuator. That is, the transport stand 8 is in the retracted position and the retracted position (FIGS. 7-1 (a), 7-3 (h) and (i)), the forward position, and the operating position. The forward acting position (FIGS. 7-1 (b) to 7-2 (e)), the forward non-operating position (FIG. 7-2 (f)), and the retracted position. Then, after sequentially moving to the reverse non-acting position (FIG. 7-3 (g)) which is the non-acting position, the reverse acting position (FIGS. 7-1 (a), 7-3 (h) and ( Go to i)).

  Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the holding member 10 is disposed inside the groove 16 in the transport direction. The holding member 10 includes a plurality of first holding pieces 68 and a plurality of second holding pieces 70. Each of the first holding pieces 68 is a bar-like member having the same cross-sectional shape as that of the partition piece 54, but the width in the transport direction of the lower end portion, not the upper end portion, is gradually reduced downward. The first holding piece 68 is supported and fixed above the substrate 12 by a first holding piece support member 72. The first holding piece support member 72 has a plurality of (six in the illustrated embodiment) width direction support portions 74 extending in the width direction and one transport direction support portion 76 extending in the transport direction. Two first holding pieces 68 are fixed at predetermined positions on the upstream side surface in the transport direction of each width direction support portion 74. The two first holding pieces 68 are arranged in the width direction between the groove 16b and the groove 16c formed in the substrate 12 when the first holding piece support member 72 is disposed on a support frame member described later. Each upper end is fixed so as to be equally spaced (see FIG. 3). Each width direction support portion 74 is fixed to the transport direction support portion 76 in parallel with a distance X along the transport path L. Therefore, the conveyance direction interval of the first holding piece 68 is also the same as the interval (X) corresponding to the interval between the backward position and the forward position of the back plate 6.

  The first holding piece support member 72 that supports and fixes the plurality of first holding pieces 68 is supported above the substrate 12 by a support frame member 78 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The support frame member 78 is disposed adjacent to the upstream end in the transport direction of the substrate 12 and has an U-shaped upstream frame portion 80 that is open at the bottom, and the other widthwise end portion of the upper side of the upstream frame portion 80 ( In FIG. 4, a straight intermediate frame portion 82 that extends substantially horizontally from the right end portion toward the downstream in the conveying direction and is connected and fixed to the installation base 46, and an upper surface of the intermediate frame portion 82 in the substantially intermediate portion in the conveying direction. And an upper frame portion 84 having a U-shape that is fixed and opened at the bottom. A pair of rails 86 extending linearly in the vertical direction is formed on one side (left side in FIG. 4) of the pair of sides facing each other when viewed in the transport direction in the upper frame portion 84. The holding piece support member 72 is connected to the rail 86 through an actuator (not shown) so as to be movable in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the first holding piece 68 fixed to the first holding piece support member 72 is also movable in the vertical direction. In the state where the first holding piece support member 72 is connected to the support frame member 78, the first holding piece 68 is viewed in the transport direction as clearly understood by referring to FIG. Starting from the position where the back plate 6 is moved upstream by X from the retracted position (the state shown in FIGS. 1 to 4), the back plate 6 is sequentially positioned at intervals of X toward the upstream side.

  Each of the second holding pieces 70 includes a substantially hemispherical protrusion 88 protruding upward and a rod 90 connected to the lower surface of the protrusion 88. The second holding pieces 70 are respectively accommodated in the small holes 18 formed in the substrate 12, and all the second holding pieces 70 can be moved up and down simultaneously by a connecting member and an actuator (not shown). As described above, each small hole 18 has a distance X from the position moved by X toward the upstream side from the retracted position of the back plate 6 (the state shown in FIGS. 1 to 4) when viewed in the conveyance direction. Accordingly, the respective second holding pieces 70 are aligned with the respective first holding pieces 68 in the conveying direction.

  Referring to FIGS. 7-1 to 7-3, the holding member 10 is adjacent to the object to be transported that is sequentially arranged upright along the transport path L as will be described later by an actuator that operates the holding member 10. An action position (FIGS. 7-2 (e) to 7-3 (h)) entering between two objects to be conveyed and a non-action position (FIGS. 7-1 (a) to FIG. 7-2 (d) and FIG. 7-3 (i)). In the illustrated embodiment, the first holding piece 68 is moved downward from the non-operating position to the operating position, and the second holding piece 70 is moved upward from the non-operating position to the operating position. . When the first holding piece 68 is in the non-operating position, the lower end of the first holding piece 68 is positioned above the object to be transported supported by the substrate 12, and the first holding piece 68 acts. When in position, the lower end of the first holding piece 68 is below the upper end edge (that is, the other end edge) of the object to be conveyed and is opposed to the upper surface of the substrate 12 and slightly above it. When the second holding piece 70 is in the non-operating position, the upper end of the protrusion 88 is below the object to be conveyed supported by the substrate 12, more specifically, the upper end of the protrusion 88 is the small hole 18 of the substrate 12. It is located inside (that is, between the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate 12 when viewed in the vertical direction). When the second holding piece 70 is in the operating position, the upper end of the protrusion 88 is positioned above the upper surface of the substrate 12 when viewed in the vertical direction. The first holding piece 68 and the second holding piece 70 can be simultaneously switched from the non-operating position to the operating position and from the operating position to the non-operating position by appropriate control means.

Next, the operation of the carry-out device configured according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7-1 to 7-3 together with FIG.
First, prior to operating the carry-out device, the operator manually arranges a large number of objects to be conveyed C on the substrate 12 in a state in which they stand up in parallel along the conveyance path L. As shown in FIG. 7A, the conveyed object C is not only between the partition pieces 54 adjacent in the transport direction, but also between the partition piece 54 and the back plate 6 at the downstream end in the transport direction, and back. It arrange | positions also between the plate 6 and each of a pair of suction holders 30a and 30b. When performing such work, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b of the separation / conveying means 28 is in an inoperative state, the back plate 6 is held in the retracting position, and the transport stand 8 is held in the retracting position. The member 10 (namely, the 1st holding piece 68 and the 2nd holding piece 70) is each located in a non-operation position. Here, the plate-shaped transported object is a well-known package called a pouch for containing, for example, liquid detergent or retort food, and one side edge portion called a so-called standing pouch as shown in FIG. UP (upper edge in FIG. 6) is thinner than other side edge BP (lower edge in FIG. 6), and one side edge UL is an edge that connects one end edge SL (one side edge UL and the other side edge BL). However, it includes a type shorter than the edge extending in the vertical direction in FIG. The present invention is suitable for conveying the standing pouch. While the standing pouch is transported by the carrying-out device of the present invention, the one-side edge portion UP is opened, but after being transported by the carrying-out device of the present invention and filled with contents, the one-side edge portion UP is opened. Occluded. Each of the objects to be conveyed C is substantially vertically in a state in which the one side edge UL and the one end edge SL are regulated by the upper surface of the wall 20 and the substrate 12 and the objects to be conveyed adjacent to each other in the conveying direction are in surface contact with each other. It is supported in an upright parallel arrangement (see FIGS. 5 (a) and 7-1 (a)).

When the operation of the unloading apparatus is started, the separation / unloading means 28 is operated to start transporting the object C supported by the substrate 12.
The operation of the separating / carrying means 28 will be described with reference to FIG. The pair of suction holders 30a and 30b of the separating / carrying means 28 are operated by the actuator 34 as follows. That is, first, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is located at the retracted position (FIG. 5A). At this time, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b may be in an activated state or a non-activated state. Next, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is advanced (i.e., moved upstream in the transport direction) and abuts against the front surface of the transported object C1 at the foremost end and is switched to the operating state (FIG. 5B). ). At this time, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is brought into contact with a surface on the inner side of the front side edge of the transported object C1 at the foremost end, and each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b has a bowl shape. The part is brought into close contact with the conveyed object C1 and deformed. Each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b sucks and holds the foremost object C1 to be conveyed by a negative pressure generated by a vacuum pump (not shown). Next, one side 30a of the pair of suction holders moves laterally toward the other side 30b of the pair of suction holders (that is, laterally moves in a direction perpendicular to one side edge UL of the object to be conveyed and along the front surface of the object to be conveyed). (FIG. 5C). Thus, the distance between each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is shortened, that is, the distance between each part of the transported object C1 held by the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is shortened. The transported object C1 is compressed and a part of the transported object C1 is curved forward. At this time, in the illustrated embodiment, the pressing piece 36a locally moves the conveyed object C forward between the portions where the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b are in contact with the front surface of the conveyed object C1. The object to be transported C is somewhat convex in advance. Therefore, when one side 30a of the pair of suction holders moves laterally toward the other side 30b of the pair of suction holders, the object C1 is surely convexly protruded forward, and the foremost end object is conveyed. The object C1 and the conveyed object C2 positioned immediately after this (that is, the second position from the front) are reliably separated. Thereafter, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is moved back to the retracted position, and the other 30b of the pair of suction holders is switched to an inoperative state (FIG. 5D). At this time, in the state shown in FIG. 5 (c), since the foremost object C1 and the object C2 positioned second from the front are reliably separated, the suction holder 30a and 30b can reliably detach only the foremost object C1 from the one-side edge regulating means 22, that is, carry it out of the conveying means 2. Thereafter, one of the pair of suction holders 30a is laterally moved in the direction toward the one-side edge regulating means 22 to be positioned at a predetermined position, and the conveyed object C1 is discharged at the predetermined position (FIG. 5 (e)). And (f) In this figure, the other 30b of the pair of suction holders is indicated by a solid line). The discharge of the transported object C1 is received by an appropriate feeding means 92 such as a nip roller indicated by a two-dot chain line while one of the pair of suction holders 30a is switched to an inoperative state at the predetermined position. Done by passing. After the transported object C1 is discharged, one of the pair of suction holders 30a moves laterally toward the other 30b of the pair of suction holders, and each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is again shown in FIG. The state shown in FIG.

  Here, in the case where not only one of the pair of suction holders 30a but also the other 30b of the pair of suction holders is movable in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (that is, freely movable laterally), the above-described FIG. From the state shown in (d), each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is laterally moved in a direction approaching the one-side edge regulating means 22 to be positioned at a predetermined position, and the conveyed object C1 is moved at the predetermined position. (FIGS. 5E and 5F) In this case, the conveyed object C1 is adsorbed and held not only by one of the pair of suction holders 30a but also by the other 30b. In this figure, the other 30b of the pair of suction holders is indicated by a broken line, even if the object to be conveyed is of a type in which the length of one edge SL is relatively long. ). The discharge of the transported object C1 is performed when each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is switched to the inoperative state at the predetermined position. After the transported object C1 is discharged, each of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b is moved laterally to be in the state shown in FIG.

  Therefore, in the carry-out device of the present invention, the object to be conveyed is perpendicular to the one side edge UL of the object to be conveyed C, regardless of whether there is a member that regulates the other side edge BL of the object to be conveyed C. One of the pair of suction holders 30a, that is, one side edge in a state where the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b arranged at intervals in the direction along the front surface of the pair is adsorbed on the front surface of the transported object C1 at the foremost end One of the edges of the object to be conveyed C is compressed by projecting the object to be conveyed C by laterally moving one of the parts located closer to the part regulating means 22 toward the other 30b. The part can be detached from the one-side edge regulating means 22.

  Each time one or a plurality of the objects to be conveyed C are unloaded by the above-described operation of the separation / conveying means 28, the back plate 6 and the conveyance stand 8 are separated by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the one or a plurality of objects to be conveyed C Advance. The back plate 6 and the transport stand 8 are configured such that the detection switch 38 provided on the downstream side surface in the transport direction of the back plate 6 is brought into contact with the transported object C (that is, the detection switch 38 is relatively pressed by the transported object C). To be stopped by being closed). Even after the back plate 6 and the transport stand 8 are stopped, the above-described operation of the separation / carrying means 28 is continued. When the separation / carrying means 28 continues the above operation while the back plate 6 and the conveyance stand 8 are stopped, the number of the objects C to be conveyed between the separation / carrying means 28 and the back plate 6 decreases, and the conveyance object C The contact with the detection switch 38 (that is, pressing of the detection switch 38 by the conveyed object C) is released, and the detection switch 38 is opened. When the detection switch 38 is opened, the back plate 6 and the transfer stand 8 move forward again. By doing so, the suction of the pair of suction holders 30a and 30b to the object to be conveyed C is damaged due to excessive pressing of the object to be conveyed C by the back plate 6, and the separation / conveying means 28 is removed. Is prevented from properly transporting the transported object C. In the illustrated embodiment, the operation of both the back plate 6 and the transport stand 8 is controlled by switching the detection switch 38 provided on the back plate 6. However, if desired, the downstream end of the transport stand 8 in the transport direction can be used. A second detection switch is provided on the downstream side of the partition piece 54 located in the transport direction so that the operation of the transport stand 8 is controlled independently of the operation of the back plate 6 by switching the second detection switch. Also good.

  When the back plate 6 and the transport stand 8 advance from the respective backward action positions shown in FIG. 7-1 (a) to the respective forward action positions shown in FIG. 7-1 (b), the back plate 6 advances from the forward action position. Move to the non-acting position (FIG. 7-1 (c)), then move to the retracting non-acting position (FIG. 7-2 (d)), and then move to the retracting action position, and hold member 10 (ie, The first holding piece 68 and the second holding piece 70) move from the non-operating position to the operating position (FIG. 7-2 (e)). This movement of the holding member 10 may be performed while the back plate 6 is moved from the forward acting position to the backward acting position or after the movement is completed. In the state shown in FIG. 7-2 (e), the back plate 6 and the partition piece 54 at the foremost end of the transport stand 8 match in the transport direction, but the pressing piece 36a constituting the back plate 6 and the auxiliary press Since the positions of the pieces 36b and 36c and the partition piece 54 positioned at the forefront end of the transport stand 8 are different in the width direction, the pressing piece 36a, the auxiliary pressing pieces 36b and 36c, and the partition piece 54 do not interfere with each other. Similarly, the first holding piece 68 and the second holding piece 70 and the partition piece 54 of the transfer stand 8 match in the transfer direction, but the first holding piece 68 and the second hold piece 70 and the transfer stand 8 are matched. Therefore, the first holding piece 68 and the second holding piece 70 do not interfere with the partition piece 54 (see FIG. 3). During the above movement of the back plate 6 and the holding member 10, the separation / carrying means 28 continues to convey the object C supported by the substrate 12.

  After the holding member 10 moves from the non-operating position to the operating position, the transfer stand 8 moves from the forward operating position to the forward non-operating position (FIG. 7-2 (f)), and then moves to the reverse non-operating position (FIG. 7). 7-3 (g)), and then moves to the reverse action position (FIG. 7-3 (h)). Then, after the transfer stand 8 has moved to the retracting action position, the holding member 10 moves from the action position to the non-action position (FIG. 7-3 (i)). During the above movement of the transfer stand 8 and the holding member 10, the separation / carrying means 28 continues to transfer the transfer object C supported by the substrate 12.

  The state shown in FIG. 7-3 (i) and the state shown in FIG. 7-1 (a) are adjacent to the partition piece 54 located at the end in the transport direction of the transport stand 8 and the partition piece 54 in the transport direction. Only the presence or absence of the object to be conveyed C in the region between the partition pieces 54 is different, but the other states are the same, and the object to be conveyed C can be continuously conveyed by repeating the above operation. In addition, it becomes possible for the worker to continue transporting the transported object C continuously by replenishing the transported object C with a new transported object C in the above-described area where the transported object C is free.

  Although the carrying-out device of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and corrections can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. . For example, in the present embodiment, the support substrate that constitutes the support means is configured by a single flat plate, and a groove is formed in the flat plate. Instead, a plurality of flat plates extending in the transport direction of the support substrate are arranged in width. The grooves may be defined between the flat plates adjacent to each other in the width direction. Further, in the present embodiment, the transport path extends linearly in the horizontal direction, but instead, the transport path may extend in a curved line.

2: Transport means 4: Support member 6: Back plate 8: Transport stand 10: Holding member 22: One side edge regulating means 28: Separation carrying means 30a: One of a pair of suction holders 30b: The other of a pair of suction holders 36a: Pressing piece C: Transported object UL: One side edge of transported object UP: One side edge of transported object BL: Other side edge of transported object SL: One end edge of transported object L: Transport direction

Claims (4)

A conveying means for restricting at least one side edge and one edge of the plate-shaped objects to be conveyed and forcing them toward the carry-out end, and a front one-side edge of the foremost object to be conveyed are brought into contact with each other. In the unloading apparatus comprising the one-side edge regulating means and the separation and unloading means for separating the foremost object to be conveyed from the one-side edge regulating means and separating the next object to be conveyed from the conveying means.
The separating / carrying means includes at least a pair of suction holders arranged perpendicular to one side edge of the object to be conveyed and spaced in a direction along the front surface of the object to be conveyed,
Each of the pair of suction holders can freely move forward and backward between a forward position contacting the front surface of the front-most object to be transported and a retracted position retracting in a direction away from the front surface of the front-most object to be transported. One of the pair of suction holders located closer to the one-side edge regulating means is movable in the direction perpendicular to the one-side edge of the object to be conveyed and along the front surface of the object to be conveyed,
Each of the pair of suction holders can be switched between an operating state and a non-operating state,
Each of the pair of suction holders is moved forward from the retracted position to the advanced position, abuts against the front surface of the transported object at the foremost end and switched to the operating state, and then the pair of suction holders One is moved laterally toward the other of the pair of suction holders, and then each of the pair of suction holders is moved back to the retracted position and the other of the pair of suction holders is in the non-operating state. Then, the one of the pair of suction holders is laterally moved in a direction toward the one side edge regulating means.
An unloading device characterized by that. A conveying means for restricting at least one side edge and one edge of the plate-shaped objects to be conveyed and forcing them toward the carry-out end, and a front one-side edge of the foremost object to be conveyed are brought into contact with each other. In the unloading apparatus comprising the one-side edge regulating means and the separation and unloading means for separating the foremost object to be conveyed from the one-side edge regulating means and separating the next object to be conveyed from the conveying means.
The separating / carrying means includes at least a pair of suction holders arranged perpendicular to one side edge of the object to be conveyed and spaced in a direction along the front surface of the object to be conveyed,
Each of the pair of suction holders can freely move forward and backward between a forward position that contacts the front surface of the front-most object to be transported and a retreat position that recedes in a direction away from the front surface of the front-most object to be transported. Along with the one side edge of the object to be conveyed, and can move laterally in the direction along the front surface of the object to be conveyed,
Each of the pair of suction holders can be switched between an operating state and a non-operating state,
Each of the pair of suction holders is moved forward from the retracted position to the advanced position, abuts against the front surface of the transported object at the foremost end, and is switched to the operating state. One positioned closer to the one-side edge regulating means is laterally moved toward the other of the pair of suction holders, and then each of the pair of suction holders is moved backward to the retracted position, and then the Each of the pair of suction holders is laterally moved in a direction toward the one side edge regulating means.
An unloading device characterized by that.   The unloading apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the objects to be conveyed are arranged in a standing and parallel manner, stacked, and conveyed in a horizontal direction toward the unloading end, and the one side edge is shorter than the one end edge.   The conveying means includes a pressing piece that locally presses the object to be conveyed forward, and the pressing piece is perpendicular to one side edge of the object to be conveyed and in the direction along the front surface of the object to be conveyed. The carry-out device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the holders is located between a portion where the holder is brought into contact with the front surface of the object to be conveyed.