JPH0441323A - Bar like article aligning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a bunch of aligned bodies automatically on a conveyor device by dropping bar like articles on a drop path from a carrier path, and moving a conveyor intermittently by a moving quantity less and more than the breadth of the bar like articles. CONSTITUTION:Bar like articles 1 are placed on a conveyor device 6a one by one and conveyed to a drop path 7. The drop path 7 is provided with a position control means 11. Each bar like article 1 is supported horizontally by a rod 13 driven by a cylinder device 14, and the rod 13 is retreated by the detection signal of a sensor 19 to land the bar like article 1 on a transfer path 8. The rod 13 is immediately reset into its original position after its retreat so as to shut off the drop path 7. At the same time, a conveyor device 18 moves intermittently by the moving quantity S less than the breadth of the bar like article 1, and then with the specified count signal of a sensor 19, the conveyor device 18 starts large intermittent motion corresponding to the moving quantity L more than the breadth measure. After the transfer of aligned bodies 4, the movable body 33 of a vertical moving means 30 is lowered to transfer the aligned bodies 4 onto a work table 9 by the pushing body 28 of a reciprocating means 29.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an apparatus in which rod-shaped articles such as disposable chopsticks are aligned in parallel, and the array of the juxtaposed rod-shaped articles can be easily packaged in a bag.

[Conventional technology and issues]

For example, as shown in the first diagram, a rod-shaped article 1 related to disposable chopsticks is
It is known that disposable chopsticks 3 are inserted and stored in a sheath bag 2, but when selling this, a predetermined number of rod-shaped articles 1 are overlapped in the width direction and aligned in parallel. It is housed and packaged in a bag 5 made of plastic film or the like. When the unit of the number of rod-shaped articles 1 to be sold increases, a plurality of rod-shaped articles 1 arranged in parallel in the width direction (for example, 10 pieces)
The entire rod-shaped article 1 is defined as one unit of the arrayed body 4, and several units (
When folded, two units) of parallel bodies 4 are stacked vertically and packaged in a bag body 5.

By the way, conventionally, when performing such packaging, the bar-shaped articles 1 are manually placed on a work table, one by one are overlapped and aligned in the width direction as described above, and this aligned body 4 is The products were stored in packaging bags while being held so that they would not collapse, and all of this was done by hand. For this reason, the work is extremely inefficient, and there is a problem in that not only can productivity not be improved, but also skilled workers are required.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention provides a parallel alignment device for rod-shaped articles that solves the above-mentioned problems, and after completely conveying the rod-shaped articles such as disposable chopsticks,
In the case of automating all the steps up to the final packaging of the parallel products into bags, it is possible to automate the process of aligning the rod-shaped articles to form the array.

Therefore, the present invention is configured as a means for this purpose: a conveyance path for conveying the rod-shaped article; a drop path for dropping the rod-shaped article from the conveyance path; a transport path for transporting in a direction intersecting with: a detection means for detecting the transported and dropped rod-shaped articles and emitting a detection signal; and a detection means for counting the number of detected rod-shaped articles and emitting a count signal when a predetermined number of rod-shaped articles have been counted. a counter means for emitting light is provided in the vicinity of the falling path;
The transfer path is constituted by a conveyor driven by a drive means, and the drive means α'7) is caused to intermittently move the conveyor by a movement amount not exceeding the width dimension of the rod-shaped article in response to a detection signal from the detection means; There is provided no movement control means for intermittently moving the conveyor by a movement amount L exceeding the width dimension of the bar-shaped article in response to the count signal from the counter means.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail based on the drawings.In the following embodiment, after one rod-shaped article 1 such as disposable chopsticks is completely conveyed, a predetermined number of rod-shaped articles 1 are arranged in parallel. 4 and a packaging device for packaging the parallel objects 4 into bags 5, and which automates the process of packaging rod-shaped articles 1 into bags 5 from beginning to end. It shows.

(Parallel alignment device) In FIG. 2, the parallel alignment device for rod-shaped articles includes a conveyance path 6 for conveying the rod-shaped article 1, a drop path 7 for dropping the rod-shaped article 1 from the conveyance path 6, and a dropped rod-shaped article. The rod-shaped article 1 is provided with a transfer path 8 for supporting the rod-shaped article 1 and for transferring the rod-shaped article 1 in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction, and a work table 9 facing the terminal end of the transfer path 8.

The conveyance path 6 constitutes a belt conveyor device 6a, and when an operator places the rod-shaped articles 1 one by one on the conveyor device 6a, the rod-shaped articles 1 are transferred to a falling path 7 as shown by the arrow. transport.

In addition, at the end of the conveyance path 6, there is a partition plate 1 that defines a fall path 7.
0 is provided with an attitude control means 11 that blocks the falling path and supports the falling rod-shaped article 1 substantially horizontally and then retreats from the falling path 7. This attitude control means 11 includes a base frame 1 facing the terminal end of the conveyor device 6a.
2, and a cylinder device 14 that drives the rod 13 forward and backward, and the cylinder device 14 is driven by a movement control means 15, which will be described later. A guide plate 16 is connected to the base frame 12 and guides the rod-shaped article 1 that is dropped through the drop path 7 so that it is guided onto the rod 13.

The transfer path 8 constitutes a belt conveyor device 18 driven by a drive means 17 consisting of a servo motor, and is intermittently fed by a movement control means 15, which will be described later.

The movement control means 15 includes a sensor 19 provided facing the falling path 7, a microcomputer 22 that inputs a signal from the sensor 19 to an input boat 20 and emits a predetermined control signal from an output port 21, and a microcomputer 22 that inputs a signal from the sensor 19 to an input boat 20 and outputs a predetermined control signal from an output port 21. A servo mechanism is constituted by a converter 23 that performs D/A conversion of the signal, and a drive unit 24 that operates in response to this signal.

The sensor 15 constitutes a detection means 25 that detects when the rod-shaped article 1 falls down the falling path 7 and issues a detection signal.

The microcomputer 22 also controls the detected rod-shaped article 1.
A counter means 26 is configured to count the number of lines and to issue a count signal when a predetermined number of lines have been counted.

Thus, the movement control means 15 controls the cylinder device 1.
For the drive source No. 4, the cylinder device 14 is driven in response to a detection signal from the sensor 19. That is, by driving the drive source of the cylinder device 14, the rod 13 is moved to the falling path 7.
After being evacuated, the rod 13 is immediately returned to its original position to block the falling path 7. Although not shown, a plurality of rods 13 are arranged in parallel, and support the falling rod-shaped article 1 substantially horizontally, and immediately after supporting it, retreat from the falling path 7, thereby controlling the posture of the rod-shaped article 1. to land on the transfer path 8.

Further, the movement control means 15 controls the servo motor 17 of the belt conveyor device 18 in the transfer path 8 in response to a detection signal from the sensor 19.
The amount of movement S that does not exceed the width dimension of the rod-shaped article 1 (Figure 3)
On the other hand, in response to the above-mentioned count signal, the conveyor device 18 is moved by an amount L (FIG. 2) that exceeds the width dimension of the bar-shaped article 1, and the transfer operation by the transfer means 27, which will be described later, is made possible. The microcomputer 22 stores information that causes the robot to move intermittently until the desired position is reached, and the servo motor 17 is driven in accordance with this information. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the rod-shaped articles 1 are dropped one by one from the drop path 7 to the transfer path 8, the conveyor device 18 moves by a moving amount S.
The rod-shaped articles 1 are moved intermittently, and the rod-shaped articles 1 are aligned in parallel on the conveyor device 18 while overlapping in the width direction. When a predetermined number (for example, 10) of rod-shaped articles l are arranged in parallel to form one unit of arrayed body 4, the conveyor device 18
is moved intermittently to a large extent corresponding to the moving scale, and the aligned body 4
to the specified position.

The transfer means 27 transfers the aligned bodies 4 to a predetermined position.
A pushing body 28 that reciprocates upward between the conveyor device 18 and the work table 9, and
It comprises a reciprocating means 29 for reciprocating the pushing body 28, and a vertical moving means 3o for changing the vertical position of the pushing body 28 between a position above the conveyor device 18 and the work table 9 and a position near the surface. .

As shown in the fourth diagram, the vertical movement means 3o constitutes a cylinder device 32 attached to a base frame 31, and connects a moving body 33 disposed below the base frame 31 to the cylinder device 32. . Another base frame 3 is placed beyond the work table 9.
A guide rod 35 is installed between the base frame 34 and the movable body 33, and a sliding body 36 is slidably guided by the guide rod 35.
A cylinder device door 38 of a cylinder device 37 constituting the reciprocating means 29 is connected to. The pushing body 28
is connected to the sliding body 36 via an arm 39. After the alignment body 4 is transferred by the conveyor device 18 in an amount corresponding to the amount of movement described above, the moving body 33 is lowered by the vertical movement means 30, and in this state, the pushing body 28 is moved by the reciprocating movement means 29 to the conveyor device 18. When the alignment body 4 is moved onto the work table 9 from above, the alignment body 4 is transferred onto the work table 9 by the pushing body 28 . When this transfer work is completed, the moving body 33 is raised by the vertical movement means 30, and the pushing body 28 is returned onto the conveyor device 18 by the reciprocating movement means 29. These vertical movement means 30 and reciprocating movement means 29
The driving may be performed automatically using the microcomputer 22 of the movement control means 15 described above, or may be performed using a sensor and a drive unit separate from the movement control means 15.

(Wrapping device for arrayed bodies) The arrayed bodies 4 on the work table 9 that have passed through the alignment and alignment device are then stored and packaged in a bag 5 by a packaging device as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8.

This packaging device includes extrusion means 40 for pushing out the arrayed bodies 4 from a work table 9 in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped articles 1, and the extruded arrayed bodies 4 are inserted through a receiving opening 41 and inserted through an insertion opening 42. Guide cylinder 43 that can be freely inserted and held
, a lifting means 44 for the guide cylinder 43, and a guide cylinder 4.
The bag is comprised of a protruding means 45 for protruding the aligned body 4 in the bag 3 from the insertion opening 42, and a bag holding means 46 for holding the bag 5.

The extrusion means 40 includes a plate-shaped body 47 that slides on the work table 9, and a plate-shaped body 47 that slides the tip of the plate-shaped body 47 to the vicinity of the receiving opening 41 of the guide cylinder 43 and returns it to its original position. A cylinder device 48 is provided.

The guide cylinder 43 has a plurality of compartments 49a and 49b vertically arranged in parallel for holding the alignment bodies 4 in a stacked manner, and has a division plate 50 for this purpose.

The elevating means 44 constitutes a cylinder device 51 connected to the bottom of the guide cylinder 43; (1) a second elevating position that makes the bottom of the second compartment 49a of the guide cylinder 43 flush with the work table 9; and (2) compartments 49a, 49b of the guide cylinder 43.
A third elevating position where the movable member faces the protruding means 45, and three stages of elevating and lowering and stopping are possible. In addition, when the compartments of the guide cylinder 43 are made into two stages as in the case of rotation, the above-mentioned three stages of raising, lowering and stopping are sufficient, but when the compartments of the guide cylinder 43 are made into three or more stages, Correspondingly, the lifting means 44
It is understood that the steps for raising, lowering, and stopping the vehicle will also be increased.

The protrusion means 45 moves the guide cylinder 43 while the guide cylinder 43 is stopped at a predetermined position via the elevating means 44.
A plurality of protrusions 52a, 52b are simultaneously inserted into the plurality of compartments 49a, 49b, and these protrusions 52a,
The cylinder device 53 is connected to the cylinder 52b.

The bag holding device 46 includes a fixed vacuum suction table 56 that suctions a tongue-shaped sealing piece 55 for sealing the opening 54 of the bag 5 from below, and a movable vacuum suction table 56 that vacuum suctions the body of the bag 5 from above. A holding device 57 is provided. Although not shown in the drawings, the movable holding device 57 vacuum-adsorbs the uppermost bag 5 in a magazine section in which a large number of bags 5 are stored in a stack, and then pulls the bag 5 upward. The bag body 5 is moved to the vicinity of the vacuum suction table 56 while holding the bag body 5, and lowered to the position shown in the figure, and then raised slightly with the sealing piece 55 adsorbed to the vacuum suction table 56 to open the bag body 5. 54 is attached to a robotic mechanism that is moved to open it.

The operation of inserting and storing the aligned body 4 into the bag body 5 is performed as follows.

First, as shown in FIG.
In the transferred state, the guide cylinder 43 is stopped at the above-mentioned first position by the elevating means 44. In this state, the extrusion means 40 is driven to move the plate-shaped body 47 via the cylinder device 48, and insert and hold the alignment body 4 on the work table 9 into the first compartment 49a of the guide cylinder 43 (first Figure 6). After that, the plate-shaped body 47 of the extrusion means 40
is returned to its original position by the cylinder device 48.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the guide cylinder 43 is moved to the above-mentioned second position by the elevating means 44 and stopped.

The above-mentioned parallel alignment device successively forms the next alignment body 4 of rod-shaped articles, and the above-mentioned transfer means 27 transfers it onto the work table 9. Then, the extrusion means 40 is driven again and the plate-shaped body 47 is pushed through the cylinder device 48.
, and insert and hold the new alignment body 4 on the work table 9 into the second compartment 49b of the guide cylinder 43 (
Figure 7). Thereafter, the plate-shaped body 47 of the extrusion means 40 is returned to its original position by the cylinder device 48.

When the above work is completed, the guide cylinder 43 is moved to the elevating means 44.
is moved to the third position mentioned above and stopped. In this position, the insertion opening 42 of the guide cylinder 43 matches and faces the opening 54 of the bag 5 held by the holding device 57 (FIG. 8). Then, the protrusion means 45 is driven, and the protrusions 52a and 52b are respectively thrust into the compartments 49a and 49b of the guide cylinder 43 via the cylinder device 53, and the arrayed bodies 4.4 in each compartment are moved into the bag body 5. Insert it inside and store it. After that, the protrusions 52a, 52 of the protrusion means 45
b is returned to its original position by the cylinder device 53. Note that, prior to driving the protruding means 45, the guide cylinder 43 is moved in the lateral direction, and the edge of the insertion opening 42 of the guide cylinder 43 is slightly inserted into the opening 54 of the bag body 5. It is preferable to provide a horizontal movement driving means for returning the guide cylinder 43 to its original position after the insertion and storage operation of the alignment body 4 into the bag body 5 is completed.

The bag body 5 containing the arrayed bodies 4 is moved onto the sealing line while being held by the movable holding device 57, and is removed from the movable holding device 57 on the sealing line. Then, while the bag 5 is being transported on the belt conveyor, the sealing piece 55 is folded back onto the body of the bag 5 by a known sealing device, and
They are adhered or welded, and packaging with the bag body 5 is thus completed.

By repeating the above operations, the operations of forming the arrayed bodies 4 by aligning the rod-shaped articles 1 in parallel and inserting and storing the arrayed bodies 4 into the bag body 5 are automatically and successively performed. It turns out. Therefore, the operator only needs to feed the rod-shaped articles 1 one by one into the conveyance path 6, and the subsequent operations can be fully automated.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, before the rod-shaped articles 1 such as disposable chopsticks are inserted into the bag body 5, a necessary number of rod-shaped articles 1 are moved mutually in the width direction on the conveyor device 18 which is intermittently moved by the above-mentioned movement amount S. Owing to the overlapping and parallel alignment, this operation can be automated, in particular the movement control means 15, which includes counter means 26, cause the conveyor device 18 to be moved corresponding to the displacement after forming the alignment body 4. As a result, the arrayed bodies 4 formed on the conveyor device t18 are grouped together according to a predetermined number, and other rod-shaped articles 1 are
This has the excellent effect of being able to separate and automatically form the assembled arrayed body 4 on the conveyor device 18.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a perspective view of disposable chopsticks arranged in parallel and packaged in a bag; Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a parallel alignment device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 3 is the same parallel alignment device. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal front view showing the action of the attitude control means in the parallel alignment device; FIG. 5 is a longitudinal side view showing the packaging device in one embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8 are longitudinal sectional side views showing the operation of the packaging device in order. 1... Stick-shaped article, 2... Shaft, 3... Disposable chopsticks, 4...
... Aligned body, 5... Bag body, 6... Conveyance path, 7...
Fall path, 8... Transfer path, 9... Work table, 11
...Attitude control means, 13.. Rod, 14.. Cylinder device, 15.. Movement control means, 16.. Guide plate, 17.. Drive means, 18.. Belt conveyor device, 19...Sensor, 22...Microcomputer, 25
...Detection means, 26...Counter means, 27...
- Transfer means, 28... Pushing body, 29... Reciprocating means, 30... Vertical movement means, 33... Moving body, 35...
・Guide Rond, 36...Sliding body, 40...Extrusion means, 41...Reception opening, 42...Insertion opening, 43...
- Guide cylinder body, 44... Lifting means, 45... Projection means, 46... Bag body holding means, 47... Disc-shaped body, 49
a, 49b... compartment chamber, 50... compartment board, 52a,
52b... Projection body, 54... Opening of bag body, 55...
- Sealing piece, 56... Vacuum suction stand, 57... Moving holding device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A conveyance path (6) for conveying the rod-shaped article (1), and a drop path (7) for dropping the rod-shaped article (1) from the conveyance path (6).
and a transfer path (8) that supports the dropped rod-shaped article (1) and transports the rod-shaped article (1) in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction.
) and a counter means (25) for counting the number of detected rod-shaped articles (1) and emitting a count signal after counting a predetermined number of rod-shaped articles (1).
26) is provided near the drop path (7); the transfer path (
8) to the conveyor (1) driven by the driving means (17).
8), and the drive means (17) receives the detection signal from the detection means (25) and drives the conveyor (18).
is intermittently moved by a movement amount S that does not exceed the width dimension of the rod-shaped article (1), and in response to a count signal from the counter means (26), the conveyor (18) is moved by an amount L that exceeds the width dimension of the rod-shaped article (1). 1. An apparatus for parallel alignment of rod-shaped articles, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a movement control means (15) for intermittently moving rod-shaped articles.