JP2020117264A - Cup product boxing method - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To arrange a plurality of cup products in a row corresponding to a box in one direction without introducing a robot with a manipulator, which tends to be widely restricted to workers, and without causing problems in a sucker device. To automate the work of packing the cup products into a box such as a cardboard box from a conveyor on which the cup products are conveyed, by storing the cup products in a box such as a cardboard box by a boxing device that moves the cup products to the top. A holder 3 for supporting a plurality of tandem cup product sets 10 grouped vertically between a pair of inclined sliding plates 13 in a number corresponding to the number of packing stages of boxes 5 is provided. are moved to the box 5 side along the conveying direction of the conveyor 7 to arrange the cup product column set 10 so as to correspond to the box 5, and the interval between the inclined slide plates 13 of the holder 3 is enlarged to make the inclined slide The support of the cup products 6 by the plate 13 is released, and a plurality of series of cup products 10 are dropped into the box 5 in a vertically overlapping state. [Selection drawing] Fig. 6

Description

The present invention relates to a box packaging method performed when a cup product filled with food or the like is shipped at a production factory.

When shipping conventionally produced products, a plurality of products of the same shape are put together in a box such as a cardboard box. In the recent boxing work, a labor saving of the boxing work is attempted by controlling a robot equipped with a movable arm (manipulator) having a plurality of joints so that the boxing operation can be performed.

As an example of a box packing operation by a robot, as shown in Patent Document 1, first, a manufactured product-filled cup product such as an ice cup is manufactured using a product-transporting conveyor connected to a manufacturing line. The robot is transported to the operation area of the robot, and the place where the cup products gather is formed in the work area of the robot.

As for the box containing the cup product, a part of the convey path of the conveyor forming the box making line is located in the work area of the robot, and the box with the opening on the cup product input side facing upward is the cup product. I am trying to make it relative to.

Then, while sucking and holding the cup product by the suction cup device provided at the tip of the working arm of the robot, it is moved to the opening side of the box by the transfer operation of the robot, and when the cup product corresponds to the opening of the box. The suction state is stopped, and compressed air is blown out from the suction cup device to accommodate the cup product.

In this way, the robot moves the cup product to the box side while suction-holding the cup product from the space where the products are temporarily collected and stored, and the robot repeats the movement to release the suction and put the cup product in the box. After that, the box containing the cup product was transferred to the transfer end side of the box making line.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-246668 (FIG. 8)

However, when considering the use of a robot with a work arm, it is necessary to secure a large space by setting the range where the work arm extends around the installation position of the robot so that no one can enter. There is a possibility that the work area of the workers involved in will be narrowed or other machines cannot be installed.

Further, there is a cup ice (frozen dessert product) as a kind of the above-mentioned cup product, and the following problems also occur in that this cup product is sucked and held by a suction cup device. That is, in the production of this cup ice, liquefied ice cream is filled with an ice cream filling machine, top-sealed and sealed. After that, the cup products obtained by cooling and solidifying the ice cream are sequentially passed through a hardening tunnel for freezing, and are sent to a boxing work area, where they are packed in a corrugated cardboard box for shipping while being collected.

Then, in the boxing work area, the boxing work is carried out using a robot having a suction cup device attached to the tip of the work arm, or the boxing work is carried out using a suspending device in which the suction cup device is assembled to the mechanism portion holding the cup product. I am doing it.

However, when the cup product in the case of the above-mentioned cup ice reaches the boxing work area through the curing tunnel, there may be a lot of frost and dew condensation on the surface of the product, depending on the usage conditions of the curing tunnel. Such a cup product having frost or dew on the outer surface is a difficult form for a suction cup device to handle.

In particular, suction at the place where the suction cap abuts is not successful, and there is a tendency for suction products to accidentally fall and cup products to drop in front of the box, and a suction cup device only lifts the lid from the cup product. There was also a problem. Therefore, it is difficult to automate the boxing work of frozen dessert cup products by a robot or a suspending device having a suction cup device. Therefore, at present, the frozen dessert products are often boxed manually by workers.

Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, the present invention is a box product such as a cardboard box for cup products without introducing a robot with a manipulator that is widely regulated for workers' entry and without causing the above-mentioned inconvenience in the suction cup device. The purpose of the present invention is to store the cup products in a box such as a cardboard box from a conveyor on which the cup products are transported, and to automate the work of packing the cup products in the box.

(Invention of Claim 1)
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and is a product-filled cup product in which the product side surface is tapered outward from the product bottom to the product top, and is lined up in one direction by the conveyor. When packaging the cup product that is transported by
The box is located outside the conveyor end side of the conveyor and in the vertical plane including the extension line in the conveyor conveying direction, and a plurality of cup products are arranged in a row on the conveyor. A space is formed on the conveyor end side of the conveyor,
A gate-shaped frame straddling the product storage space and a plurality of inclined slide plates pivotally supported by the rising portion of the gate-shaped frame are provided, and the inclined slide plates are arranged facing each other with the product storage space in between. Then, the inclined slidable plates facing each other abut on the product side surface of the cup product located in the product storage space to support the cup product between the slanted slide plates, and the holder is provided between the product storage space and the box. Is provided so as to be movable in an upright plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor,
In the product storage space in which the holder straddles the inclined slide plate in a corresponding position, a plurality of cup products are aligned in a vertically packed row along the conveying direction of the conveyor in the box,
After forming a cup product column set including a plurality of cup products aligned in the vertical packing line, the holder is raised to support each cup product of the cup product column set between a pair of inclined slide plates. Then, the product storage space is moved upward from the product storage space, and the product storage space below the cup product column set moved upward is formed as an empty space.
By moving the holder supporting the cup product column set to the box side in an upright plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor and positioning the holder corresponding to the box, by increasing the facing interval of the inclined sliding plates. Release the support of the cup product, drop the column product of the cup product into the box,
The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing a method for packing a cup product in which the cup product is arranged in the box in a state in which the cup products are aligned in the direction of the vertical packing line of the box by the dropping. It is a thing.

(Invention of Claim 2)
Another aspect of the present invention is a product-filled cup product in which the product side surface is tapered outward from the product bottom portion to the product upper portion, and is conveyed in a row in one direction by a conveyor. When packaging the above cup products in multiple boxes in an open box,
The box is located outside the conveyor end side of the conveyor and in the vertical plane including the extension line in the conveyor conveying direction, and a plurality of cup products are arranged in a row on the conveyor. A space is formed on the conveyor end side of the conveyor,
A gate-shaped frame straddling the product storage space and a plurality of inclined slide plates pivotally supported by the rising portion of the gate-shaped frame are provided, and the inclined slide plates are arranged facing each other with the product storage space in between. In addition, the inclined slide plates are arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction of the upright portion, and each of the opposed inclined slide plates abuts the product side surface of the cup product located in the product storage space to support the cup product between the inclined slide plates. The enabled holder is provided so as to be movable between the product storage space and the box in an upright plane including the transport direction of the conveyor,
In the product storage space in which the holder straddles the inclined slide plate in a corresponding position, the cup products are arranged in a number corresponding to the number of vertically packed cup products in the vertically packed row along the conveying direction of the conveyor in the box. ,
Each time a cup product column set including the cup products aligned in the vertical packing number is formed, the holder is raised to support each of the cup products of the cup product column set between a pair of inclined slide plates. The product is moved upward from the storage space, and the product storage space below the cup product column set that has been moved upward is formed as a vacant space. Position it corresponding to the product storage space in the void,
Alternate between the formation of the cup product column set in the product storage space to which the inclined slide plate is located and the formation of the empty space in the product storage space by the upward movement of the cup product column set as the holder is raised. Repeatedly, to support a plurality of cup product column set in a number of sets corresponding to the number of packing stages in the vertical direction of the box, in a state of being divided into upper and lower parts by a holder,
After moving the holder that supports the plurality of sets of vertical columns of cup products to the box side in the vertical plane including the conveyance direction of the conveyor from the product storage space, position the holder corresponding to the box, and then perform the inclined slide. By releasing the support of the cup product by expanding the facing interval of the plate, drop the plurality of sets of the column series of cup products in the box in a state of being vertically stacked,
By the dropping, the cup products are arranged in a vertical packing row according to the number of vertically packed boxes, and the cup products are arranged in the box in a stacked state according to the number of packing steps of the box. The present invention provides a method for packing a cup product, which solves the above-mentioned problems.

(Invention of Claim 3)
And in the above-mentioned invention, the above-mentioned conveyors are arranged in parallel in the number of rows corresponding to the number of laterally packed cup products in the laterally packed row of the box, and the product storage space is provided on the conveying end side of each of the conveyors arranged in parallel. Is formed, the holder is provided with a plurality of the gate-shaped frames corresponding to each product storage space arranged side by side in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor,
Alternate between the formation of the above-mentioned cup product column set in the product storage space by each conveyer and the above-mentioned empty space in the product storage space of each conveyor by the upward movement of this cup product column set and the rise of the holder. Repeating the above, a plurality of pairs of cup product columns in the number corresponding to the number of packing stages in the vertical direction of the above box are arranged in the upper and lower parts of each of the side-by-side gate frames. ,
The holder, which supports and arranges the plurality of sets of vertical columns of cup products at respective portions of the gate-shaped frame, is moved to the box side within the vertical plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor from the product storage space, and the holder is boxed. After the position corresponding to the above, the support of the cup product is released by expanding the facing interval of the inclined slide plate, and the plurality of sets of the cup product column sets are vertically stacked and dropped into the box,
Due to the dropping, the cup products are arranged in the vertical packing row in the number corresponding to the vertical packing number of the boxes and are in a stacked state according to the packing step number of the boxes, and the horizontal packing row in the number corresponding to the horizontal packing number of the boxes. It is possible to place them in a box next to each other.

(Invention of Claim 4)
Further, in the above invention, it is preferable that the holder is provided with two bodies, and each of the holders alternately moves between the product storage space and the box.

(Effect of the invention of claim 1)
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the inclined slide plates that are attached so as to straddle the product storage space on the conveyor end side of the conveyor with the gate-shaped frame of the holder and face each other with the gate-shaped frame are the inclined slide plates. There is an interval between the lower ends of the plates that abut the product side of the cup product, and by moving the holder upward, the lower ends of the inclined sliding plates abut the product side faces of the plurality of cup products arranged in the product storage space. The cup products are supported, and when the holder rises, the cup products move upward from the product storage space while they are still in a line, and the cup products that were previously lined up in the product storage space move upward. By doing so, the product storage space is made empty.

The holder, while supporting a plurality of cup products, moves in the vertical plane including the convey direction of the conveyor to reach the box side, and supports the cup products when the position of the box is met. By releasing the support by the pair of inclined slide plates, a plurality of cup products are dropped into the box, and this drop causes the cup products to be packed vertically in the box (along the conveying direction of the conveyor). They are placed in a box and are housed in a box.

In this way, the inclined slide plate provided in the holder is brought into contact with the product side surface from the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the cup product, and the pair of inclined slide plates support the cup product from both product side surfaces, and the product storage space of the conveyor Since it is moved from the cup to the box side, even if there is frost or dew on the outer surface of the cup product, there is no problem such as falling of the cup product or detaching the cap from the cup product, so that it can be packed in the box. Has the effect of becoming.

(Effect of the invention of claim 2)
According to the invention of claim 2, the inclined sliding plates mounted so as to straddle the product storage space on the conveying end side of the conveyor with the gate-shaped frame of the holder, and to be opposed to each other with the gate-shaped frame, There is a space between the lower ends of the inclined slide plates to contact the product side surface of the cup product, and the holder moves upward, so that the lower end of the inclined slide plate is attached to the product side faces of the plurality of cup products arranged in the product storage space. While supporting the cup products while abutting, the holder is moved upward from the product storage space while the plurality of cup products are lined up. By moving upwards, the product storage space is vacant.

Further, a plurality of cup products are lined up again in a line in the empty product storage space by the conveyer of the conveyor, and the lined plurality of cup products are again lifted by the holder to tilt the slide plate. Similarly, it is moved upward while being supported by the inclined slide plate at the lower position, so that the product storage space is made empty. Form a state in which a plurality of cup products are lined up in this product storage space, and move the plurality of cup products that were lined up earlier by raising the holder to form a product storage space as an empty space. Is repeated.

By alternately arranging the cup products in the product storage space and moving the cup products upward to make the product storage space a vacant space, the cup products can be separated into upper and lower parts. The holder supports a plurality of cup products.

When the holder moves to the box side while moving in the vertical plane including the convey direction of the conveyor while supporting a plurality of cup products assembled in the upper and lower directions, and when it corresponds to the position of the box. In addition, by releasing the support by the pair of inclined slide plates that supported the cup product, a plurality of cup products are dropped into the box in a state where they are vertically stacked in the box, and by this drop, the cup product is The boxes are lined up in a vertically packed row (rows along the conveying direction of the conveyor) and stacked vertically to be housed in the box.

In this way, the inclined slide plate provided in the holder is brought into contact with the product side surface from the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the cup product, and the pair of inclined slide plates support the cup product from both product side surfaces, and the product storage space of the conveyor Since it is moved from the cup to the box side, even if frost or condensation is formed on the outer surface of the cup product, the cup product may drop off or the cap may come off from the cup product as in the case of the invention of claim 1. This has the effect of enabling box packaging without causing problems.

In addition, since the holder is moved in the vertical plane including the conveyer direction of the conveyor, it is not necessary to secure a wide space for restricting the entry of workers in the boxing work place, and the boxing work can be performed. The effect that the equipment to be performed can be made into a compact size is produced.

Furthermore, by dropping from the holder, the cup products will be arranged in the box in a line according to the number of cup products in the vertical packing row of the box and in a stacked state according to the number of packing steps of the box. The effect is that the cup products can be packed efficiently.

(Effect of the invention of claim 3)
According to the invention of claim 3, by dropping from the holder, the cup products are arranged in a number corresponding to the number of cup products in the vertical packing row of the boxes and are stacked according to the number of packing stages of the boxes, Since the number of cup products arranged in the horizontal packing row of the boxes is arranged in the box, the cup products can be efficiently packed in the box.

(Effect of the invention of claim 4)
According to the invention of claim 4, two holders are provided, and each of the holders alternately moves between the product storage space and the box in an upright plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor. Since one holder can receive the cup product from the conveyor and the other holder can drop the cup product into the box, the efficiency of the box packing work can be improved. It is effective.

It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the box packing apparatus which implements the box packing method which concerns on this invention in the state seen from the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of a conveyor. It is an explanatory view showing an example of a box packing device in the state seen from the conveyance direction of a conveyor. It is explanatory drawing which shows the receiving position of the cup product in an example of the box packing apparatus in the state seen from above. It is explanatory drawing which shows roughly the up-and-down arrangement of the inclined sliding plate in a gate type frame. It is explanatory drawing which shows the inclination slide plate in a gate type frame, and the cup product supported by an inclination slide plate in the state seen from the conveyor conveyance direction. FIG. 7A is a view showing the rise of the holder at the cup product receiving position and the formation of the cup product column set, and FIG. 7A is an explanatory view showing the state of the holder when the feeding of the cup product is started at the cup product receiving position, (B) is an explanatory view showing a state in which a cup product vertical set is formed between the uppermost inclined slide plates, (C) is an explanatory view showing a rise of a holder for moving the uppermost cup product vertical set upward, ) Is an explanatory view showing a state in which a cup product column set is formed between the inclined slide plates of the next stage, and (E) is an explanatory diagram showing a rise of a holder for moving the uppermost stage and the next stage cup product column set upward, F) is an explanatory view showing a state in which a cup product column set is formed between the lowermost inclined slide plates, and (G) is an explanatory view showing a holder separated from the cup product receiving position. It shows the holder and the dropping of the cup product at the dropping position, (A) is an explanatory view showing the holder that has reached the dropping position, and (B) releases the tilt maintenance of the inclined sliding plate to drop the cup product. 6C is an explanatory view showing a state where the holder is separated from the dropping position, and FIG. 6D is an explanatory view showing a state where the wedge-shaped material is descending. It is explanatory drawing which shows the arrangement|sequence of the cup product accommodated in the box.

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a boxing device, which is a device for boxing a cup product in which a cup body filled with ice cream is covered with a lid and a cosmetic material is attached, and the cup product is sent out from a freezing process. It is a device that stores a plurality of boxes in a cardboard box. The shape of the cup product is a taper shape that opens upward in a side view, and the product side surface is inclined outward from the product bottom portion to the product upper portion. Note that the cup product is described as a cup ice (frozen dessert product) filled with ice cream, but the cup product to be boxed using the present invention is not limited to the cup ice.

(Boxing device)
1 and 2 show a boxing device 1 for carrying out the present invention. The boxing device 1 is a space for gathering cup products fed from one direction and a space for placing cup products below the space for gathering cup products. A pedestal 2 formed inside two spaces, that is, a space for arranging a box for accommodating, a holder 3 for supporting a plurality of cup products, a vertical direction and a front-back direction of the holder 3 (in a conveyance direction of the cup products, The mast 4 is moved in a vertical direction (including the elevation) while controlling its position.

(mast)
The mast 4 moves the holder 3 from a position where the cup product is received (cup product receiving position a) to a position where the cup product can be stored in the box 5 (dropping position d), and a position where the cup product is received again. Is repeatedly performed, and at the receiving position a of the cup product, the vertical position of the holder 3 is changed so that the cup product can be received. After receiving, the holder 3 is raised to the upper position b, the drop standby position c to the position where the holder 3 is moved to the side opposite to the cup product receiving side, and the drop standby position c. The holder 3 is moved down to the dropping position d corresponding to the box 5, and the holder 3 is moved to the receiving position a of the cup product after the cup product is stored in the box 5. It is a thing. In FIG. 2, the white arrow below the conveyor 7 indicates the transport direction of the cup product, and the black arrow next to the mast 4 indicates the movement of the mast 4.

The boxing device 1 is provided with two masts 4 and the holder 3 is supported for each mast 4. Then, the masts 4 alternately move along the direction in which the cups are conveyed by a conveyor, which will be described later, so that the holders 3 supported by the respective masts 4 receive the cup products at the receiving position a, the upper position b, the drop waiting position c, and the drop position d. The positions of the holders 3 on the mast 4 are preset so that the holders 3 do not collide with each other during the movement.

In addition, although one holder 3 is described in the following description of the embodiment, the other holder 3 supported by the other mast 4 also performs the same operation while avoiding collision. Is provided.

(Box transport section)
In the cartoning device 1 of the embodiment, an empty carton 5 which is supplied by the holder 3 for accommodating a plurality of cup products is dropped from the lateral direction of the cartoning device 1 with its upper surface opened. It is sent to the portion by an appropriate conveying means, for example, a roller conveyor. Then, after a predetermined number of cup products are stored, they are sent out of the boxing device 1 by the same conveying means, and the box 5 is moved to the step of sealing the upper surface. (Fig. 2)

(Conveyor)
As shown in FIG. 3, the conveyors 7 that convey the cup products 6 filled with the commodities toward the boxing device 1 are in two parallel rows, and each conveyor 7 forms one row in one direction. The cup product 6 is conveyed. The portion of the conveyor 7 at the end of conveyance is extended to the receiving position a of the cup product in the box packing device 1, and is outside the end of the conveyor 7 at the end of conveyance, and the conveying direction of the conveyor 7 when viewed from above. The portion where the above-mentioned box 5 is arranged is set in the portion that overlaps the extension line of (the portion within the vertical plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor 7), and the portion where the above-mentioned box 5 is arranged is set to the above-mentioned cup product. It is the part that is dropped and accommodated.

In the conveyor 7 that conveys the cup products 6 in a line, when the cup products 6 reach the conveyance end side of the conveyor 7, the stopper 8 protrudes from the side of the conveyor 7 and the cup product at the front end in the conveyance direction. A product storage space 9 is provided on the conveyer end side of the conveyor 7 so that the cup products 6 are arranged in a line and arranged in order so that the cup products 6 do not move. The two rows of product storage spaces 9 are located inside the holder 3 when the cup product 6 is at the receiving position a.

The size of the box 5 for accommodating the cup products 6 in the box packaging device 1 is the direction along the conveying direction of the conveyor 7 and the number of the cup products 6 arranged in the vertical packing row direction of the boxes 5 is three. Two cup products 6 are arranged in the direction of the horizontal packing row of the boxes 5, which is a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor 7. Since the conveyors 7 are arranged in two rows, the product storage space 9 has two rows, and the cup products 6 that are stopped from moving in the product storage space 9 are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor 7. It corresponds to each position of the cup products 6 arranged in the direction of the horizontally packed row of the boxes 5.

Further, the number of cup products 6 to be stopped from moving in each of the product storage spaces 9 is three, which is the same as the number in the vertically packed row of the boxes 5. In the cup product column set 10 in which the cup products 6 are arranged in a row in the product storage space 9 so that three holders are arranged in a line, the holder 3 is arranged at the receiving position a of the cup product 6 in the conveying direction of the conveyor 7. The two columns are arranged in the orthogonal direction, and the cup product column set 10 is accommodated in the box 5 by the holder 3 in a state of being arranged in two columns in parallel as will be described later.

(holder)
The holder 3 for transferring a plurality of cup products 6 from the product storage space 9 to the box 5 includes a gate-shaped frame 11 having a lower opening, and inclined slide plates 13 pivotally supported on respective upright portions 12 of the gate-shaped frame 11. In the present embodiment, the gate-shaped frames 11 are arranged side by side in two bodies in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor 7, and the gate-shaped frames 11 correspond to the conveyors 7 respectively. The gate-shaped frame 11 is provided so as to be positioned on each extension line of the conveyor 7. (See FIGS. 4 and 5)

(Gate type frame)
As described above, the lower portion of the gate-shaped frame 11 is open so as to straddle the product storage space 9 and the conveyor 7. In the present embodiment, the conveyor 7 that sequentially conveys the cup product 6 is, for example, a belt having the same width as the product bottom of the cup product 6 or a narrow belt, and the operation of the stopper 8 is performed by the conveyor 7. When the need arises, the cup product 6 is brought into contact with the bottom side of the product to prevent the cup product 6 from moving. Further, the conveyor 7 does not collide with the portal frame 11.

(Inclined sliding plate Fig. 4 and Fig. 5)
FIG. 4 shows that, in one gate-shaped frame 11 that straddles the product storage space 9, of the standing portions 12 that face each other in a pair, the facing surface side of one standing portion 12 is visible, and The arrangement of the inclined slide plate 13 is schematically shown. As shown in the drawing, each of the inclined slide plates 13 is located on the facing surface side of each standing portion 12, and is arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction of the standing portion 12. Further, the inclined slide plate 13 is elongated along the longitudinal direction of the product storage space 9 and has a length such that the bottom side 14 can contact all the cup products 6 of the cup product vertical set 10 formed in the product storage space 9. Have

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the inclined slide plates 13 pivotally supported by each of the one upright portion 12 and the other upright portion 12 are in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor 7 and the product. The storage spaces 9 are arranged so as to face each other with a space allowing them to be arranged therebetween, and each of the inclined slide plates 13 can be inclined so that the lower ends 14 thereof are in contact with the product side surface 15 of the cup product 6. It is supposed to be.

In this way, each of the inclined slide plates 13 is inclined downward from the pivotally supported portion of the upper end toward the center of the gate-shaped frame 11, and the lower end 14 of the inclined slide plate 13 is the longitudinal direction of the cup product column set 10. The cup product 6 can be supported between the inclined slide plates 13 by contacting the product side surface 15 from both directions orthogonal to the direction.

As described above, in each gate type frame 11, the inclined slide plates 13 are arranged in a plurality of stages above and below the upright portion 12, and the pair of the inclined slide plates 13 facing each other is provided in a plurality of stages. The cup product 6 can be supported. The upper and lower inclined slide plates 13 are arranged at intervals such that the upper and lower cup products 6 do not contact each other when supporting the cup product 6 by the pair of inclined slide plates 13 in each stage.

In each of the gate-shaped frames 11, the inclined slide plates 13 are arranged in a number corresponding to the number of steps for packing the cup products 6 in the box 5 in the vertical direction, that is, the number of steps for packing the cup products 6 (the number of stacking steps). In the box 5, the cup product 6 is packed in three steps, and in accordance with the number of packing steps in the box 5, in the illustrated gate-shaped frame 11, the upright portions 12 are vertically arranged in three steps and inclined slide plates are provided. 13 are pivotally attached.

In the holder 3, the gate-shaped frames 11 are juxtaposed in two rows according to the number (two) of the cup products in the horizontally packed row of the boxes 5, and are pivotally supported on the upright portions 12 of each gate-shaped frame 11. The inclined sliding plates 13 are arranged vertically in three stages, and further, in the product storage space 9 straddled by the gate-shaped frame 11, three cup products 6 are arranged in a row, and a cup product vertical set 10 is formed. The cup product column sets 10 are formed one by one so that they can be supported between the pair of inclined sliding plates 13 in the portal frame 11.

The fact that there are three cup products 6 that make up the above-mentioned column series 10 of cup products depends on the number of cup products in the vertically packed row of the boxes 5, and the cup products supported by one portal frame 11 The point that the column set 10 is three sets up and down corresponds to the number of packing stages of the box 5, so that the integrated holder 3 has a configuration in which all the cup products 6 stored in the box 5 are stored in the box 5. It is said that it can be supported.

4 and 5 show one portal frame 11. Further, in FIG. 4, reference numeral 13a is a hinge for the upright portion 12 to pivotally support the inclined sliding plate 13.

(Inclination of inclined slide plate)
When the holder 3 is at the receiving position a for the cup product 6, when the cup product column set 10 is formed in the product storage space 9 between the uppermost inclined slide plates 13 of the gate-shaped frame 11, the holder 3 is attached to the mast 4. The pair of inclined slide plates 13 in the next stage are raised while being guided so as to correspond to the product storage space 9. At the time of this ascent, the ascending position is started at the receiving position a of the cup product 6 so that the column product 10 of cup products can be supported and moved upward while abutting between the lower ends 14 of the inclined slide plates 13. Before, each inclined slide plate 13 inclines toward the center side of the gate-shaped frame 11, and the space between the lower ends 14 of the inclined slide plates 13 contacts the product side surface 15 of the cup product 6 as described above. It is provided in.

The inclination of the inclined slide plate 13 is raised at the receiving position a of the cup product 6 or when the holder 3 is placed at the receiving position a of the cup product 6 and the cup product 6 is fed into the product storage space 9. From the time when the holder 3 stores the cup product 6 in the box 5 until the holder 3 returns to the receiving position a of the cup product 6. In the interval, the inclined slide plate 13 vertically or nearly vertically extends from the pivotal support portion at the upper end so that the cup product 6 descends toward the bottom of the box 5 at least during storage in the box 5. Of the cup product 6 and the receiving position a of the cup product 6 does not come into contact with the conveyor 7 when descending across the product storage space 9.

(Inclination maintaining means)
The holder 3 has an inclination maintaining means 16 for maintaining the inclination of each inclined slide plate 13. The inclination maintaining means 16 drops the cup product 6 at the dropping position d from the time when the holder 3 is raised at the receiving position a of the cup product 6 or the time when the cup product 6 is fed into the product storage space 9 as described above. The inclined state of the inclined slide plate 13 is maintained until the start.

The mechanism of the inclination maintaining means 16 is schematically shown in FIG. 4, and the wedge-shaped member 17 arranged on the lower surface side of each of the inclined slide plates 13 of each stage and the vertically movable along the upright portion 12. A pair of wedge interlocking arms 18 provided to support the wedge-shaped member 17 and a lateral member 19 of the wedge interlocking arm 18 positioned above the gate frame 11 are brought into contact with each other to raise and lower the wedge interlocking arm 18. And the wedge upper and lower cylinders 20. Note that FIG. 4 shows one of the gate-shaped frames 11 which are arranged in parallel for ease of explanation as described above, and the inclination is maintained in the other gate-shaped frame 11 not shown in FIG. Means 16 are provided.

Then, the wedge up-and-down cylinder 20 performs an extension operation for pulling up the wedge-shaped material 17 when necessary so that the inclined slide plate 13 is in an inclined state, and the wedge up-and-down cylinder 20 contracts and the wedge-shaped material 17 descends to incline. The sliding plate 13 hangs downward, and by maintaining the inclination of the inclined sliding plate 13 by the wedge-shaped member 17, the gap between the lower ends 14 of the inclined sliding plates 13 facing each other can support the cup product 6. In addition, when the wedge-shaped member 17 descends, the inclined slide plate 13 hangs in the vertical direction or in a state of being almost vertical, and the space between the lower ends 14 of the inclined slide plates 13 facing each other expands. The cup product 6 is not supported and is arranged to drop.

(Holder for receiving cup product, Fig. 6A)
FIG. 6A shows a state in which the holder 3 is at the receiving position a of the cup product 6 and the feeding of the cup product 6 into the product storage space 9 is started. The state of tilt-maintaining operation is shown. As shown in FIG. 6(A), when the holder 3 is arranged at the receiving position of the cup product 6 so that the gate-shaped frame 11 straddles the product storage space 9 of the conveyor 7, the gate-shaped frame 11 is vertically moved. Of the three pairs of inclined slide plates 13, first, the pair of uppermost inclined slide plates 13 corresponds to the product storage space 9. (Product standby)

When the holder 3 is arranged at the receiving position a of the cup product 6, the inclination maintaining means 16 raises the wedge-shaped members 17, and the inclined slide plates 13 incline downward toward the center of the gate frame 11. Inclined to state. The lower end 14 of the inclined slide plate 13 facing each other is in a position where it comes into contact with the product side surface 15 of the cup product 6 fed into the product storage space 9 or a position slightly separated from the product side surface 15, and the holder 3 Is raised, the cup product 6 is supported between the lower ends 14 of the inclined slide plates 13, and the cup product 6 (cup product column set 10) can be moved upward as the holder 3 rises. ..

(Formation of top-most cup product column set Fig. 6B)
In FIG. 6B, the cup products 6 are fed into the product storage space 9 located between the uppermost inclined slide plates 13, and the individual cup products 6 are stopped from moving, so that the three cup products 6 are formed. The cup product column set 10 is formed by. When the lower end 14 of the inclined slide plate 13 is in contact with the product side surface 15 of the cup product 6 as described above, the lower end 14 of the inclined slide plate 13 is different from the product side surface 15 of the cup product 6. It is provided so as to be in sliding contact without hindering the movement of 6 (formation of the column series of cup products). When the required number of cup products 6 are lined up in a row to form the cup product column set 10, the conveying operation of the conveyor 7 is temporarily stopped. (1st stage accumulation)

(Upward movement of the top row of cup product columns) (Fig. 6C)
In FIG. 6C, the holder 3 is raised by the operation of the mast 4 while supporting the cup product column set 10 formed between the pair of inclined sliding plates 13 of the uppermost stage, and the lowermost of the uppermost stage is shown. 2 shows a state in which the next pair of inclined sliding plates 13 correspond to the product storage space 9. As the holder 3 rises in this manner, the cup product column set 10 previously formed as a set moves upward, and the product storage space 9 becomes empty. When the next inclined slide plate 13 is positioned in the empty product storage space 9 after the previously formed cup product column set 10 has moved upward, the holder 3 is stopped from rising and the conveyor 7 is moved. It will be restarted. (One step up)

(Medium cup product column set formation Fig. 6D)
In FIG. 6D, the cup product 6 is fed into the product storage space 9 between the inclined slide plates 13 of the next stage, and the cup product column set 10 is formed in the same manner as the previously formed set. The state is shown (formation of a middle cup product column set). Then, when the middle cup product column set 10 is formed in the product storage space 9 while being between the pair of inclined slide plates 13, the conveying operation of the conveyor 7 is temporarily stopped. (2nd stage collection)

(Upward movement of the middle cup product column set FIG. 6E)
FIG. 6E shows the holder 3 in the same manner as described above, while supporting the two upper and middle cup product column sets 10 formed between the uppermost and the next inclined slide plates 13. Shows the state in which the pair of inclined sliding plates 13 in the lowermost stage, which is the lower order of the next stage, corresponds to the product storage space 9, and the raising of the holder 3 is stopped. If the lowermost inclined slide plate 13 is positioned in the empty product storage space 9 after the previously formed middle cup product column set 10 has moved upward, the rise of the holder 3 is stopped and the conveyor 7 is The transport operation is restarted. (One step up)

(Formation of the bottom row of cup product columns) (Figure 6F)
In FIG. 6F, the cup product 6 is fed into the product storage space 9 located between the lowermost inclined slide plates 13, and the cup product column set 10 is formed in the same manner as the previously formed set. The state is shown (formation of the bottommost cup product column set). When the lowest cup product column set 10 is formed in the product storage space 9, the convey operation of the conveyor 7 is temporarily stopped. (3rd stage collection)

(Support for a series of three-tiered cup products in cascade) (Figure 6G)
FIG. 6(G) shows the holder 3 supporting the cup product column set 10 between all the inclined slide plates 13 of the three steps, and the holder 3 is moved to the receiving position of the cup product 6 by the operation of the mast 4. a position a apart from a, an upper position b, a drop standby position c in the direction along the conveying direction of the conveyor 7 and above the box 5, and after descending from the drop standby position c toward the box 5. It temporarily stops at the position which becomes the upper surface of the box 5, and then temporarily stops at the upper surface of the box 5 and then descends inside the box 5 to come into contact with the bottom surface of the box 5 and the movement of the holder 3 is stopped at the dropping position d. It (Completed)

(The drop-in position of the holder in the box Fig. 7A)
FIG. 7(A) shows a state in which the holder 3 supporting the three cup product column sets 10 in a vertically assembled state has moved to the dropping position d of the cup product 6. The position where the holder 3 descends is set along one side surface of the box 5.

(Drop of cup product Fig. 7B, Fig. 7D)
FIG. 7B shows a state in which the holder 3 at the position where the cup product 6 is dropped has the upper and lower three cup product column sets 10 stacked and dropped. When the cup product column set 10 is dropped, as shown in FIG. 7D, the inclination maintaining means 16 is provided so that all the wedge-shaped members 17 move downward from the position where the inclined slide plate 13 is maintained in the inclined state. When the wedge-shaped member 17 is lowered, each of the inclined slide plates 13 hangs vertically from the pivoted upper end portion, or hangs in a state close to the vertical direction, and the lower ends of the inclined slide plates 13 facing each other. The space between 14 is expanded to be wider than the portion having the longest width of the cup product 6 (for example, the width of the upper part of the product).

Each cup product 6 in the upper and lower three sets of cup product column sets 10 has been released from the support by the inclined slide plate 13, so the inclined slide plate 13 is moved downward by its own weight to move downward, and the boxes are stacked in three stages. It is arranged inside 5.

(Lift of holder from box 7C, 7D)
FIG. 7C shows a state in which the holder 3 that has released the support for each cup product 6 is lifted from the box 5 by the operation of the mast 4. The holder 3 moves to the receiving position a of the cup product 6 by the operation of the mast 4 with the inclined slide plate 13 hanging down. The wedge-shaped material 17 is in the lowered position as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the direction X of the vertically packed rows of the boxes 5 in which the cup products 6 have been dropped (the direction along the conveying direction of the conveyor 7), the number (three pieces) corresponding to the size of the boxes 5 is formed. ), the cup products 6 are vertically arranged, and also in the direction Y of the horizontally packed row of the boxes 5, the cup products 6 are accommodated side by side in a number (two) according to the size of the boxes 5. The cup products 6 are housed in a stacked state with the number of packing stages (three stages) according to the size of the box 5. As described above, by dropping the cup product 6 from the holder 3 once, the cup products 6 matching the number of the cups 5 to be accommodated are arranged and accommodated according to the size of the box 5. .. The box 5 in which the cup product 6 has been dropped in a predetermined arrangement and number of stages is sent out from the boxing device 1 and moved to the next sealing step.

(How to pack)
A method of packing a carton using the cartoning machine 1 will be described below. In this method, the conveyor 7 is installed inside the boxing device 1 so that the transfer end side is located, and as described above, the conveyor 7 is located outside the transfer end side and in the vertical plane including the transfer direction of the conveyor 7. Then, the box 5 is placed at a position below the drop-in standby position c and where the cup product 6 is dropped. Further, the conveyors 7 for feeding the cup products 6 to the box packing device 1 are arranged in parallel in two rows, which is the number of rows corresponding to the number (two pieces) of the cup products 6 in the horizontal packing row direction Y. ..

At the end of the conveyor 7 that enters the inside of the boxing device 1, the three cup products 6 are stopped on the conveyor 7 in the order in which they are conveyed, and the three cup products 6 are arranged in a line. The product storage space 9 that is aligned with each other is formed. Of course, this product storage space 9 is formed in the space inside the boxing device 1.

The inside of the boxing device 1 is provided with the above-described gate-shaped frame 11 which is formed in a shape that straddles the product storage space 9 and which is open downward, and the above-mentioned inclined slide plate 13 which is pivotally supported by the standing portion 12 of this gate-shaped frame 11. There is a holder 3, and gate-shaped frames 11 corresponding to the product storage spaces 9 are arranged side by side in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor 7. Further, the boxing device 1 has the above-mentioned masts 4 that can move in the direction along the conveying direction of the conveyor 7, and each mast 4 supports the holder 3 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. Therefore, the boxing device 1 includes two holders 3.

Then, as described above, the inclined slide plates 13 of the holder 3 are arranged so as to face each other with a space in which the product storage space 9 can be arranged in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and the vertical direction of the upright portion 12 is increased. The inclined slide plates 13 are arranged in three stages, and the inclined slide plates 13 are inclined so that the lower ends 14 of the inclined slide plates 13 facing each other in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction are in contact with the product side surfaces 15 of the cup product 6. So that the cup product 6 can be supported between the inclined slide plates 13.

While each holder 3 is supported by the mast 4, the holder 3 is moved between the product storage space 9 and the box 5 in an upright plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor, and cups are prevented from overlapping with each other. The product 6 moves from the receiving position a to the ascending position b, from the ascending position b to the dropping standby position c, from the dropping standby position c to the dropping position d, and from the dropping position d to the receiving position a.

When the holder 3 reaches the receiving position a of the cup product 6, the gate-shaped frame 11 straddles the product storage space 9 and positions the uppermost inclined slide plate 13 in the product storage space 9. Then, in the product storage space 9 corresponding to the uppermost inclined slide plate 13, three cup products 6 are formed according to the number of the cup products 6 in the vertical packing line along the conveyance direction of the conveyor 7 in the box 5. Align.

The holder 3 is moved up every time when the cup product column set 10 including the cup products 6 arranged vertically in the two product storage spaces 10 is formed. By the raising of the holder 3, the cup products 6 of the cup product column set 10 are supported between the opposed pairs of inclined slide plates 13 to move upward from the product storage space 10, and the cup products 6 moved upward. The product storage space 9 below the column set 10 is formed as an empty space. Then, the inclined slide plate 13, which is the lower stage of the inclined slide plate 13 that supports the cup product column set 10, is positioned corresponding to the empty product storage space 9.

At the receiving position “a” of the cup product 6, the product product space is formed in the product storage space 9 by the transport of each of the conveyors 7 and the product product storage space is formed by raising the holder 3 with the upward movement of the cup product column set 10. 9 The formation of voids in each of them is repeated alternately. In the holder 3, each of the gate-shaped frames 11 arranged side by side in a state in which three cup product vertical groups 10 having a number of groups corresponding to the number of packing stages in the vertical direction of the box 5 are vertically combined. To support.

Next, the holder 3 that supports the upper and lower three cup product column sets 10 on each of the gate-shaped frames 11 is located at the upper position b, the drop standby position c, and the drop position d from the receiving position a that straddles the product storage space 9. It moves to the box 5 side in the vertical plane including the conveyance direction of the conveyor 7.

Then, at the drop-in position d, the three cup product column sets 10 which are divided into the upper and lower parts by the number corresponding to the number of packing stages of the box 5 for each gate type frame 11 are positioned corresponding to the box 5, and the inclined slide plate 13 is provided. The facing interval of the lower end 14 of the cup product 6 is expanded as described above, the support of the cup product 6 is released, and a total of six parallel cup product column sets 10 are dropped in the box 5 with the three sets being vertically stacked. ..

As a result of the dropping, the cup products 6 are lined up in the direction X of the vertical packing row according to the number of vertical packing of the boxes 5, and are stacked according to the number of packing steps of the boxes 5, and the horizontal packing of the boxes 5 is performed. The boxes are arranged in the box 5 side by side in the direction Y of the horizontally packed row according to the number. See Figure 8

In the above embodiment, the inside of the box 5 is set as the drop position d, but the position close to the open upper surface of the box 5 is set as the drop position d, and the holder 3 is close to the open upper surface without descending to the inside of the box 5. It is also possible to stop at that position and drop the cup product 6 at that position.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the two masts 4 are two bodies and the two holders 3 are alternately boxed has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, one holder 3 supported by one mast 4 may be used for box packing.

1...Boxing device 3...Holder 4...Mast 5...Box 6...Cup product 7...Conveyor 8...Stopper 9...Product storage space 10...Cup product column set 11...Gate frame 12...Standing part 13...Inclined sliding plate 14... Lower end of inclined slide plate 15... Product side surface of cup product 16... Inclination maintaining means 17... Wedge-shaped material a... Cup product receiving position b... Ascending position c... Drop standby position d... Drop position X... Vertical packing row direction Y... Horizontal row direction

Claims (4)

A product-filled cup product in which the product side faces are tapered outward from the product bottom to the product top, and the cup products that are conveyed in a row in one direction on a conveyor are placed in an open-top box. When packing in a box
The box is located outside the conveyor end side of the conveyor and in the vertical plane including the extension line in the conveyor conveying direction, and a plurality of cup products are arranged in a row on the conveyor. A space is formed on the conveyor end side of the conveyor,
A gate-shaped frame straddling the product storage space and a plurality of inclined slide plates pivotally supported by the rising portion of the gate-shaped frame are provided, and the inclined slide plates are arranged facing each other with the product storage space in between. Then, the inclined slidable plates facing each other abut on the product side surface of the cup product located in the product storage space to support the cup product between the slanted slide plates, and the holder is provided between the product storage space and the box. Is provided so as to be movable in an upright plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor,
In the product storage space in which the holder straddles the inclined slide plate in a corresponding position, a plurality of cup products are aligned in a vertically packed row along the conveying direction of the conveyor in the box,
After forming a cup product column set including a plurality of cup products aligned in the vertical packing line, the holder is raised to support each cup product of the cup product column set between a pair of inclined slide plates. Then, the product storage space is moved upward from the product storage space, and the product storage space below the cup product column set moved upward is formed as an empty space.
By moving the holder supporting the cup product column set to the box side in an upright plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor and positioning the holder corresponding to the box, by increasing the facing interval of the inclined sliding plates. Release the support of the cup product, drop the column product of the cup product into the box,
A method for packing a cup product, wherein the cup product is arranged in the box in a state where the cup products are aligned in the direction of the vertical packing line of the box by the dropping. A product-filled cup product in which the product side faces are tapered outward from the product bottom to the product top, and the cup products that are conveyed in a row in one direction on a conveyor are placed in an open-top box. When packaging in multiple stages,
The box is located outside the conveyor end side of the conveyor and in the vertical plane including the extension line in the conveyor conveying direction, and a plurality of cup products are arranged in a row on the conveyor. A space is formed on the conveyor end side of the conveyor,
A gate-shaped frame straddling the product storage space and a plurality of inclined slide plates pivotally supported by the rising portion of the gate-shaped frame are provided, and the inclined slide plates are arranged facing each other with the product storage space in between. In addition, the inclined slide plates are arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction of the upright portion, and each of the opposed inclined slide plates abuts the product side surface of the cup product located in the product storage space to support the cup product between the inclined slide plates. The enabled holder is provided so as to be movable between the product storage space and the box in an upright plane including the transport direction of the conveyor,
In the product storage space in which the holder straddles the inclined slide plate in a corresponding position, the cup products are arranged in a number corresponding to the number of vertically packed cup products in the vertically packed row along the conveying direction of the conveyor in the box. ,
Each time a cup product column set including the cup products aligned in the vertical packing number is formed, the holder is raised to support each of the cup products of the cup product column set between a pair of inclined slide plates. The product is moved upward from the storage space, and the product storage space below the cup product column set that has been moved upward is formed as a vacant space. Position it corresponding to the product storage space in the void,
Alternate between the formation of the cup product column set in the product storage space to which the inclined slide plate is located and the formation of the empty space in the product storage space by the upward movement of the cup product column set as the holder is raised. Repeatedly, to support a plurality of cup product column set in a number of sets corresponding to the number of packing stages in the vertical direction of the box, in a state of being divided into upper and lower parts by a holder,
After moving the holder that supports the plurality of sets of vertical columns of cup products to the box side in the vertical plane including the conveyance direction of the conveyor from the product storage space, position the holder corresponding to the box, and then perform the inclined slide. By releasing the support of the cup product by expanding the facing interval of the plate, drop the plurality of sets of the column series of cup products in the box in a state of being vertically stacked,
By the dropping, the cup products are arranged in a vertical packing row according to the number of vertically packed boxes, and the cup products are arranged in the box in a stacked state according to the number of packing steps of the box. Boxing method. The conveyors are arranged in parallel in the number of rows according to the number of horizontally packed cup products in the horizontally packed row of the box, and the product reservoir space is formed on the transport end side of each of the conveyors arranged in parallel, The holder is provided with a plurality of the gate-shaped frames corresponding to each product storage space arranged side by side in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveyor,
Alternate between the formation of the above-mentioned cup product column set in the product storage space by each conveyer and the above-mentioned empty space in the product storage space of each conveyor by the upward movement of this cup product column set and the rise of the holder. Repeating the above, a plurality of pairs of cup product columns in the number corresponding to the number of packing stages in the vertical direction of the above box are arranged in the upper and lower parts of each of the side-by-side gate frames. ,
The holder, which supports and arranges the plurality of sets of vertical columns of cup products at respective portions of the gate-shaped frame, is moved to the box side within the vertical plane including the conveying direction of the conveyor from the product storage space, and the holder is boxed. After the position corresponding to the above, the support of the cup product is released by expanding the facing interval of the inclined slide plate, and the plurality of sets of the cup product column sets are vertically stacked and dropped into the box,
Due to the dropping, the cup products are arranged in the vertical packing row in the number corresponding to the vertical packing number of the boxes and are in a stacked state according to the packing step number of the boxes, and the horizontal packing row in the number corresponding to the horizontal packing number of the boxes. The boxing method according to claim 2, wherein the boxes are arranged next to each other in the box. The boxing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising two holders, each of the holders alternately moving between the product storage space and the box.

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