JP3240602B2 - Food packaging alignment equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a food packaging aligning apparatus for automatically and continuously packaging foods such as croquettes and hamburgers in a certain direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, foods such as croquettes and hamburgers are often packaged in bags or boxes, and sold in bags or boxes. In particular, in recent years, various types of frozen foods have been sold in large quantities, and accordingly, croquettes, hamburgers, and the like have also been frozen and packaged in a so-called pillow, and the amount sold per bag is extremely large. At the time of this pillow packaging, conventionally, a plurality of workers manually put a plurality of foods S such as frozen croquettes and frozen hamburgers in advance in the thickness direction in the left and right directions (W- A plurality of frozen croquettes and frozen hamburgers arranged in a plurality of rows in the left-right direction and a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction (XY directions in the drawing) so as to be aligned in the Z direction), and the whole frozen croquettes and frozen hamburgers are arranged by a pillow packaging machine. It is packaged by covering with a synthetic resin sheet H. However, since a plurality of workers manually perform the work of arranging the foods S such as a plurality of frozen croquettes and frozen hamburgers in front and rear and right and left in advance in a plurality of rows, it takes time and labor costs are high, As a result, the cost of packaged foods is currently high.

[0003]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in view of the above circumstances, and various kinds of foods such as croquettes and hamburgers are automatically and continuously arranged in a plurality of rows in a certain direction. An object of the present invention is to provide a food packaging aligning device that can be arranged.

[0004]

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a food packaging alignment device having the following features. The first invention of the present application is a first alignment device 1
And a second alignment device 2 connected to the rear side of the first alignment device 1. The first alignment device 1 includes a plurality of transfer paths 3 arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Each transfer path 3 is provided with transfer means, so that foods such as croquettes and hamburgers are placed from the front to the rear along the transfer path 3 in a state where the foods are placed with the thickness direction of the food substantially vertically. Sequential transfer is possible. By these transfer paths 3, the first sorting device 1 can be transferred at least for each food group arranged in a plurality of rows in the left-right direction, and the second sorting device 2 is arranged in the left-right direction. A plurality of receiving portions 84 are provided. Further, each of these receiving portions 84 is connected to each of the transfer paths 3 of the first alignment device 1.
Connected to the rear end sides of the first alignment device 1
The receiving portions 84 are provided with rotating means 85a and 85b. This rotating means 85a,
85b, by rotating each of the receiving portions 84 that have received the food, each of the foods in the aligned state received by each of the receiving portions 84 is aligned in the thickness direction substantially horizontally while maintaining the aligned state. Things.

[0005] A second invention of the present application is directed to a second aligning device 2 according to the first invention of the present application, in which a plurality of second transfer paths 6 connected to the rear end side of each transfer path 3 of the first aligning apparatus 1. In addition, each of the second transfer paths 6 includes a plurality of receiving members 8 having receiving portions 84, transfer means 81 and 82 that can transfer each of the receiving members 8 from the front to the rear, and Rotation means 85a and 85b for rotating each of the receiving members 8 are provided. Each of the transfer means 81 and 82 is provided with a respective second transfer path 6 so that the width of the plurality of second transfer paths 6 decreases from the front to the rear.
By transferring the receiving member 8 of the transfer path 6, each of the aligned foods received by the receiving portion 84 of the receiving member 8 can be changed in the thickness direction substantially in the left-right direction, and the food group in the aligned state can be changed. It is transferred from the front to the rear while reducing the overall width.

In the first invention of the present application configured as described above, first, foods such as croquettes and hamburgers are placed with the thickness direction of the foods substantially vertically by the first aligning device 1. In this state, the foods can be transferred from the front to the rear along the transfer path 3, thereby transferring the food groups arranged in a plurality of rows in the left-right direction. Then, each of the receiving portions 84 of the second aligning device receives the foods sent from each transfer path 3 of the first aligning device 1 in an aligned state, and
By rotating each of the receiving portions 84 by the rotating means 85a and 85b, the foods in the aligned state received by each of the receiving portions 84 are aligned in the thickness direction substantially horizontally while maintaining the aligned state. I do. By doing this,
A group of foods in an aligned state as shown in FIG. 1 in which the thickness directions are substantially aligned in the left-right direction can be automatically and continuously formed. Therefore, the group of foods in the aligned state may be packaged by the packaging machine as it is, and there is no need for the operator to arrange the group by hand as in the conventional case, and the packaging operation can be performed in a short time and at low cost.

In the second invention of the present application, the transfer means 8
The receiving members 8 of each of the second transfer paths 6 are transferred by the steps 1 and 82 such that the width of the plurality of second transfer paths 6 decreases as going from the front to the rear. Each food in the food group in the aligned state from the first sorting device 1 has a vertical thickness direction. For example, if the food is a croquette or a hamburger, the food is rotated as it is to move the thickness direction right and left. If the direction is changed only, a gap is formed between the foods arranged in the left-right direction, and it is difficult to package the food as it is. Therefore, as in the second invention of this application, the receiving members 8 of each of the second transfer paths 6 are transferred so that the entire width of the plurality of second transfer paths 6 becomes narrower from the front to the rear. Then, while changing the thickness direction of each of the aligned foods received by the receiving portion 84 of the receiving member 8 substantially in the left-right direction, and narrowing the width of the entire food group in the aligned state from the front to the rear. Can be transported. Therefore, if the packaging machine 100 is connected to the rear side of the second sorting device 2 and the food is sent from the second sorting device 2, the packaging machine 100 can automatically and continuously package.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the food packaging aligning device of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a food packaging device provided with a food packaging alignment device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above, FIG.
Is a schematic view as seen from the side.

[0009] The food packaging alignment device 10 of the present embodiment comprises:
Used as a part of a food packaging device, the food packaging device includes a food packaging alignment device 10 and a packaging machine 100 connected to the rear side of the food packaging alignment device 10. .

[0010] The food packaging alignment device 10 of the present invention comprises a first alignment device 1 and a second alignment device 2 connected to the rear side of the first alignment device 1. The first aligning device 1 includes a plurality of first transfer paths 3. These first transfer paths 3... 3 are for transferring foods S such as croquettes and hamburgers one by one and sequentially transferring them one by one. In the present embodiment, the conveyors 30 a. 4 is provided.

The conveyors 30a to 30c are connected to the first transfer path 3
3. The first belt conveyor 30a, the second belt conveyor 30b connected to the rear side of the first belt conveyor 30a, and the second belt conveyor 30b connected to the rear side of the second belt conveyor 30b. 30c is provided with three endless belt conveyors, and the foods S are placed on the belt by the movement of these conveyors 30a... 30c and sequentially transferred from the front end side to the rear end side (X direction in the figure). It is made to be able to do.

Each of the first belt conveyor 30a and the third belt conveyor 30c is composed of one wide belt conveyor, and is connected to one motor (not shown).
Each of them can be circulated when the motors are started. FIG. 6A shows the second belt conveyor 30b.
As shown in (B) and (C), it is composed of a plurality of narrow belt conveyors 31 ... 31 arranged in the left-right direction in the width direction, and the entire narrow belt conveyors 31 ... 31 constitute one second belt conveyor 30b. And each narrow belt conveyor 31 ... 3
1 constitutes a conveyor for each of the first transfer paths 3... Each of these narrow belt conveyors 31... 31 is individually connected to a motor (not shown) as a driving means.
Each motor can be moved independently and independently with the start of the motor. In addition, these narrow belt conveyors 3
1 to 31 are supported by two front and rear support shafts 32, 32 passed in the left-right direction so as to be movable in the left-right direction in the axial direction of the support shafts 32, 32. Position adjustment in the left-right direction is enabled.
The position adjusting means 36 of each of the narrow belt conveyors 31 includes an interval adjusting mechanism 41 for the first partition walls 40a... 40a and an interval adjusting mechanism 4 for the second partition walls 40b.
The third embodiment employs substantially the same mechanism as that of the first embodiment, and will be described again after these descriptions for convenience of explanation.

The partition walls 4 are connected to the conveyors 30a.
A plurality of first transfer paths 3 each having a width corresponding to one food S are placed on 30c.
3 so that the foods S can be transferred one by one to each of the first transfer paths 3... 3. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. First partition wall 40a that partitions on two-belt conveyor 30b
.. 40a and second partition walls 40b... 40b that partition the third belt conveyor 30c. First partition wall 4
Each of 0a... 40a has a predetermined height, and is formed of a plate-like body having substantially the same length as the length from the first belt conveyor 30a to the second belt conveyor 30b. Each of these first partition walls 40a.
As shown in (A) and (B), a plurality of connecting members 11... 11 provided on the upper side of the belts of the first belt conveyor 30a and the second belt conveyor 30b so as to be movable in the left-right direction allow the first belt to be moved. The conveyor 30a and the second belt conveyor 30b are suspended and supported so as to be movable in the left-right direction at substantially equal intervals in the left-right direction forming the width direction of the second belt conveyor 30b.
A plurality of first transfer paths 3... 3 are formed on the belt conveyor 30a and the second belt conveyor 30b so as to have a width of about one food S in the left-right direction in the width direction.

The first partition walls 40a... 40a
Move in the left-right direction by the movable operation of the connecting members 11... That support them, and the first partition walls 40 a.
Can be adjusted so that each of the first
The width of the transfer paths 3... 3 can be adjusted. Hereinafter, the interval adjusting mechanism 41 of the first partition walls 40a... 40a will be described. In the present embodiment, the first partition 40
40a are provided on the first belt conveyor 30a in three, and two on the second belt conveyor 30b, the number and positions of the space adjustment mechanisms 41 are not particularly limited. It may be provided at an appropriate position.

The interval adjusting mechanism 41 is shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.
As shown in the figure, the support main body 1 is located above the conveyor 30a.
2 is provided with a rod-shaped support main body 12 extended in the left-right direction so that the axial direction crosses the conveyor 30a, and a movable shaft 51. The support main body 12 has a long groove 12a formed in the axial direction, and is bridged between the columns 15.
The connecting members 11 are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the support main body 12 such that the sliding shaft portions 11a provided on the respective upper end sides are passed through the long grooves 12a from below.
Each of the connecting members 11... 11 other than the connecting member 11d arranged at the center is slidable in the axial direction of the support main body 12 by sliding along the long groove 12a. Note that the connection member 11d arranged at the center is fixed to the support body 12 by a pin, and cannot be moved in the left-right direction.
The support members 11... Passed through the long grooves 12a are attached to the support body 12 by a plurality of plates 14. These plates 14
Each central portion is rotatably supported by a sliding shaft 11a of a connecting member 11... 11 passed through a long groove 12a of the supporting body 12, so that the connecting member 11.
1 is rotatably supported. Also, the left and right sides of the plates 14 of the same length, which support the connecting members 11 on the support body 12 in this manner, are rotatably connected to each other by adjacently supporting the plates. Have been. Therefore, two shaft support portions 19a, 19a of the two adjacent connection members 11, 11 and the plates 14, 14, respectively, and the shaft support portion 19b, which supports the ends of the plates 14, 14, respectively. Are all congruent isosceles triangles of the same shape and size. In this embodiment, the plates 14... 14 are also arranged below the support main body 12, and are constituted by a pair of upper and lower members.
.. 11 can be supported by the support body 12.
Further, since the left and right end plates are connected to only one plate, a half length plate of the other plate is used.

The movable shaft 51 is formed in a round bar shape, and a left plate guiding screw 51a and a right plate guiding screw 51b are engraved on the outer periphery on both right and left sides, respectively. These two plate guiding screws 51a, 51b
.. 14 are guided and movable. In the present embodiment, the left plate guiding screw 51a is a right screw, and the right plate guiding screw 51b is a left plate guiding screw 5.
The left thread has the same thread pitch as 1a. The movable shaft 51 is rotatably bridged between the columns 15 supporting the support main body 12 in a manner substantially parallel to the upper side of the support main body 12, and is disposed on the left plate guide screw 51a on the left end side. The connected connecting member 11b is screwed, and the connecting member 11c arranged on the right end side is screwed to the right plate guiding screw.

In this manner, the connection members 11... 11 suspended from the support main body 12 are moved by operating the operation handle 52 provided at the left end of the movable shaft 51.
By rotating 1, each moves simultaneously,
The first partition walls 40a... 40a connected to each are moved in the left-right direction. For example, if the operation handle 52 is rotated left, the movable shaft 51 rotates left, and with the left rotation of the movable shaft 51,
The left connecting member 11b screwed to the left plate guiding screw 51a is guided to the right side and moves, and accordingly, the connecting member 11 arranged to the left side from the central connecting member 11d.
.. 11 are also moved toward the central connecting member 11d via the plates 14. At the same time, the connecting member 11b screwed with the right plate guiding screw 51b is guided to the left and moves, and accordingly, the central connecting member 11d is moved.
Each of the connecting members 11 arranged on the right side is also moved toward the central connecting member 11d via the plates 14. 4A and 4B, the connecting members 11... 11 and the plates 14.
14, two shaft supports 19a, 19a and the plate 1
Since the triangles 19... 19 formed by the shaft support portions 19 b between the ends of 4 and 14 all move while maintaining a congruent isosceles triangle having the same shape and size, the connection members 11.
Of each connecting member 11 while maintaining the same distance from each other.
Moves. In other words, based on the first partition wall 40a connected to the center connecting member 11d, the first first partition wall 40a is separated from the center first partition wall 40a by the first first partition wall 40a.
At the same time as moving from the partition wall 40a by the distance (L), the second first partition wall 40a from the central connecting member 11d is twice as long as the central first partition wall 40a (2 × L).
And the Nth first partition wall 40a moves from the central first partition wall 40a to the Nth first partition wall 40a.
It moves by the double distance (N × L). As described above, the left and right connecting members 11... 11 move toward the center connecting member 11 d, and the intervals of the first partition walls 40 a. The distance between the first transfer paths 3... 3 can be reduced. On the other hand, from the state shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B in which the width of each of the first transfer paths 3... Each of the connecting members 11... 11 moved to the center connecting member 11 d side as shown in B) moves to the left side and the right side, and the first partition wall 40 a suspended and supported by the supporting member 11.
.. 40a can be widened while maintaining the same distance between the first transfer paths 3,.
Can be made wider. In this manner, the first partition walls 40a ... 40a are moved and operated to move the respective first transfer paths 3 ... 3.
The width of the operation handle 5 can be increased or decreased.
3 can be adjusted simultaneously while maintaining the same width of all the first transfer paths 3... 3 by a single operation of rotating the second transfer path 2. In the present embodiment, the central first partition wall 40a is fixed, and the central first partition wall 40a is fixed.
A plurality of first partition walls 40a... 40a arranged laterally from the central first partition wall 40a are moved so as to approach / retreat with reference to a. Wall 4
0a is fixed and used as a reference, and a plurality of first partition walls 40a... 40a arranged laterally with respect to that are moved so as to approach / retreat, and any one of the first partition walls 40a is fixed. The reference may be used and may be changed as appropriate. The adjustment of the width of each of the first transfer paths 3 is not limited to the above method. For example, the adjustment of the width of each of the first partition walls 40a... 40a may be performed individually without connecting each of the first partition walls 40a. obtain. Also, the left plate guiding screw 51a and the right plate guiding screw 51
“b” may be screws in opposite directions, and the left plate guiding screw 51a may be a left screw and the right plate guiding screw 51b may be a right screw.

The second partition walls 40b... 40b have the same height as the first partition walls 40a.
It is composed of a plate-like body having substantially the same length as 0c. The second partition walls 40b... 40b are formed on the upper side of the third belt conveyor 30c in such a manner that a plurality of first transfer paths 3. 40a, but the second partition walls 40b... 40b are attached to a frame 17 (shown in FIG. 5) that can move up and down with respect to the third belt conveyor 30c. Therefore, the first partition walls 40a... 40a do not move up and down, but the second partition walls 40b.
It is possible to move up and down together with the up and down movement of. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.
Connecting rods 17a, 17a are provided on both front and rear sides of the lower end so as to extend in the left-right direction in the axial direction, and the upper side is suspended and supported by a rod of a cylinder 18a attached to the fixed frame 18. Then, the front side and the rear side of each of the second partition walls 40b ... 40b arranged side by side in the left-right direction are penetrated by the respective connecting rods 17a, 17a so that the connecting rods 17a, 17a,
The cylinder 18 is supported so as to be movable in the axial direction of the cylinder 17a.
a of the second partition wall 4 in accordance with the vertical movement of the frame 17 due to the operation of
0b... 40b can be moved up and down on the third belt conveyor 30c. In FIG. 7,
Reference numerals 18b and 18b denote guide members for guiding the frame 17 when the frame 17 moves up and down.

At the rear end of each of the second partition walls 40b... 40b supported by the connecting rods 17a, 17a, an interval adjusting mechanism 43 is provided. The space between the provided second partition walls 40b... 40b can be adjusted.
The width of each of the first transfer paths 3... defined by b... 40b is adjusted. The interval adjusting mechanism 43 is provided with the first partition walls 40a shown in FIGS.
It has substantially the same configuration as the interval adjusting mechanism 41 of 40a, and it is possible to simultaneously adjust the width of all the first transfer paths 3... 3 while maintaining the same width with one operation by rotating the operation handle 52. I have. Also, the second partition wall 40b
.., 40b, although not shown, the connection between each second partition wall 40b and the connection member 11 is such that each second partition wall 40b is connected to the connection member 11 so as to be vertically movable. , 40b are the frame 1
When moving up and down together with 7, the support main body 12, the movable shaft 51, etc., which constitute the interval adjusting mechanism 43 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B)
It can move up and down with respect to.

Thus, the third belt conveyor 30
The front end side of each of the second partition walls 40b... 40b supported on the connecting rods 17a, 17a of the frame 17
The second partition walls 40b ... 40b are connected to the first partition walls 40a ... 40a by being vertically slidably fitted into fitting grooves 42 provided on the rear end sides of the partition walls 40a ... 40a. Thereby, each of the first transfer paths 3... 3 formed on the third belt conveyor 30 c is connected to the first partition walls 40 a.
0a is connected to each of the first transfer paths 3... 3 formed on the first belt conveyor 30a and the second belt conveyor 30b, and is connected to the third end from the front end side of the first belt conveyor 30a.
A plurality of first transfer paths 3... 3 that are linearly extended in the front-rear direction over the entire length reaching the rear end side of the belt conveyor 30c and are arranged side by side in the left-right direction are defined, and the food S is transferred to the first belt conveyor. The third belt conveyor 30c from the front end side of 30a
It can be transported to the rear end.

At the rear end of each of the first transfer paths 3 formed in this way, the first transfer paths 3 are opened and closed as shown in FIGS. 33, a number detecting device 34... 34, a gap detecting device 35, and a control device (not shown). Each of the shutters 33 ... 33 is a second partition wall 40b ...
The food S passes through each of the first transfer paths 3... 3 while being inserted into the gap between the first transfer paths 3. It can be opened and closed as possible or not. Each of the number detecting devices 34... 34 is a first transfer path 3.
It is for detecting the number of foods S passing each,
By being attached to the front connecting rods 17a, 17a of the frame 17, the second partition walls 40b ... 40b
34, the number of foods S passing below each of the number detecting devices 34... 34 can be detected. As will be described later, the gap detection device 35 determines the last food S in the group of foods S arranged in a predetermined number on the first transfer paths 3... And the first food S that enters the first transfer paths 3. This is for detecting a gap formed therebetween, and in the present embodiment, is constituted by a photoelectric tube 35. The photoelectric tube 35 is arranged on the front end side of the third belt conveyor 30c so that light crosses the upper side of the third belt conveyor 30c. The control device includes the cylinder 18a for movably operating the shutters 33, 33, and the number detection device 34,.
34 are connected to the motors of the narrow belt conveyors 31... 31 of the second belt conveyor 30b, and these can be interlocked.

Returning to FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C, the position adjusting means 36 of the narrow belt conveyors 31 will be described. The position adjusting means 36 employs substantially the same mechanism as the space adjusting mechanism 41 of the partition wall 4 as described above.
Specifically, the support main body 12 having the long groove 12a, and the left plate guiding screw 51 arranged below the support main body 12
a and a movable shaft 51 having a right plate guiding screw 51b
Are connected to the lower side of the second belt conveyor 30b in the left-right direction, and the lower ends of the connection members 11 ... 11 connected to the narrow belt conveyors 31 ... 31 pass through the long grooves 12a of the support body 12. A plurality of plates are arranged side by side in the axial direction, and are rotatably connected to each other by plates 14... 14. When the movable shaft 51 is rotated by rotating the operation handle 52 of the movable shaft 51, It is movable so that the position of each narrow belt conveyor 31... 31 in the left-right direction can be adjusted to the left or right while maintaining the same distance from each other. In this way, when the distance between the first partition walls 40a ... 40a is adjusted, the position of the narrow belt conveyors 31 ... 31 can be adjusted accordingly, and each narrow belt conveyor is always located between the first partition walls 40a ... 40a. 31 ... 31 can be easily coordinated. In the position adjusting means 36 of the narrow belt conveyors 31... 31, the pins 16 connecting the plates 14, 14 arranged at the left and right centers are engaged with the left and right center positions of the support body 12 so as not to be able to move left and right. When the operation handle 52 is rotated left, the three narrow belt conveyors 31... 31 on the left side of the pins 16 approach the pins 16 and the three narrow belt conveyors on the right side of the pins 16. 31... 31 approach the pin 16.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second sorting device 2 includes a plurality of second transfer paths 6... Arranged in the left-right direction, and the food sent from the second transfer paths 6. And a delivery mechanism 7 for delivering S. The second transfer paths 6...
The same number as the first transfer paths 3... 3 of the alignment device are provided,
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, each of the second transfer paths 6... Includes a plurality of receiving members 8 and a plurality of transfer shafts 81 that support the receiving members 8 and transfer from the front to the rear. 81, a plurality of guide rails 82... 82 having guide grooves 82a for guiding the receiving members 8.

As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, each of the receiving members 8 includes a main body 83 and a receiving portion 84 arranged on the upper side of the main body 83. The main body 83 has a sliding portion 83a at the lower end that can be fitted into and slides in the guide groove 82a of the guide rail 82, and a transfer portion that extends in the left and right directions at both front and rear portions above the sliding portion 83a. Shaft insertion hole 83,
83b. The receiving portion 84 includes a lower surface mounting portion 84.
a from one end side of the lower surface mounting portion 84a.
a and a side mounting portion 84b protruding in a substantially perpendicular direction, and one end of the lower surface mounting portion 84a on the side of the side mounting portion 84b is pivotally supported by the main body portion 83. Lower surface mounting portion 84a
Is for placing the lower surface of the food S when the thickness direction of the food S is made up and down (hereinafter, referred to as the lower surface of the food S), and has a length approximately equal to the width of the lower surface of the food S. . The side surface mounting portion 84b is for mounting a side surface of the food S when the thickness direction of the food S is raised and lowered (hereinafter, referred to as a side surface of the food S), and a protruding height from the lower surface mounting portion 84a. Is slightly higher than the thickness of the food S placed on the lower surface placing portion 84a. The receiving portion 84 is rotated by a rotation restricting member 83c provided on the main body 83 to the other end side (the right end in FIG. 13A) of the receiving portion 84 on the side of the side mounting portion 84b. The lower surface mounting portion 84a is in a substantially vertical state (a state shown in FIG. 16) from an inclined state (hereinafter, this state is referred to as an inclined state) in which the left end of FIG.
Hereinafter, this state is referred to as a vertical state). The reason for setting the lower surface mounting portion 84a in the range from the above-described inclined state to the vertical state is that the lower surface mounting portion 84a corresponds to FIG.
In FIG. 3 (A), if the food S is placed in a state where the food S is lowered to the left, the food S may fall from the lower surface mounting portion 84a.
Therefore, the range in which the food S does not fall from the lower surface placing portion 84a,
For example, the range may be from a state close to horizontal to a vertical state, and may be changed as appropriate.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, each of the transfer shafts 81... 81 is formed of a round bar having the same length as the left and right widths of the above-mentioned conveyors 30a.
Each of the transfer shafts 81... 81 is sequentially attached to an annular chain 81 a arranged on both left and right sides, so that the transfer shafts 81. The entirety of the shafts 81... 81 forms one annular body having a width corresponding to the length of the transfer shaft 81. or,
A chain 81 to which these transfer shafts 81 are attached.
a is a sprocket 81b, 81b installed on both front and rear sides
With the start of the driving means (not shown) connected to the sprocket 81b, the transfer shafts 81... 81 circulate and move together with the chain 81a, and move the upper outward path 80a forward (in the X direction shown in the figure). ), And moves rearward (Y direction in the figure) on the lower double path 80b. In the present embodiment, the transfer shafts 81.
It is set to start moving with the opening of 3, and to move and stop by a predetermined distance, and to move intermittently. Then, two adjacent transfer shafts 81 and 8 in the plurality of transfer shafts 81.
1, each of the transfer shaft fitting insertion holes 83b and 83 of the receiving members 8.
b is inserted so as to be slidable in the left-right direction in the axial direction of the transfer shaft 81, and the transfer shafts 81 ... 81
Along with the transfer shafts 81... 81 and circulates in the outward path 80a and the multiple path 80b. The receiving members 8 attached in this manner are attached along the entire circumference in the front-rear direction of the plurality of transfer shafts 81. 8 are arranged in the front-rear direction, and one second transfer path 6 is formed on the outward path 80a of the transfer shafts 81. The receiving members 8... 8 attached in this manner are used as transport shafts 81.
The second transfer passages 6 are formed in six rows in the left-right direction by being attached six by six in the left-right direction of the axial direction.

In this embodiment, the left three receiving members 8 and the right three receiving members 8 of the six rows in the left and right direction are symmetrically arranged. The lower surface mounting portion 84a of the three rows of receiving members 8.
4b, and is rotated from the left side to the right side so that the lower surface mounting portion 84a is in a vertical state, while the lower surface mounting portions of the right three rows of receiving members 8. 84a is the side mounting portion 84
b, and is pivoted from the right side to the left side to bring the lower surface mounting portion 84a into a vertical state.

Each of the guide rails 82 has an annular shape extending along the inside of the transfer shaft 81 having an annular shape, and guides the guide members 8... 8 for guiding the receiving members 8. Grooves 82a are opened, and are fixed inside the transfer shafts 81 ... 81 in the form of an annular body so as to be arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The guide grooves 82 of the respective guide rails 82.
a, each sliding portion 83 of each of the receiving members 8... 8 which is annularly attached to the transfer shafts 81 in the left-right direction in six rows.
The receiving members 8... 8 arranged in six rows in the left-right direction can be circulated and moved while being guided in the front-rear direction along the guide grooves 82a.

In addition, each guide rail 8 in the present embodiment
.. 82a are composed of a plurality of rail pieces 82a... 82a rotatably connected as shown in FIGS.
It is made to be able to be bent from each connection part. Also, the distance between the guide rails 82... 82 is such that the two guide rails 82, 8 on the center side are located at the front end side.
The interval between the guide rails 82 is set smaller than the interval between the other guide rails 82. As shown in FIG.
2.. 82 when traveling on the front end side
4b abut against each other, and each lower surface mounting portion 84,
84 is inclined. On the other hand, the intervals between the guide rails 82... 82 on the rear end side are narrower than the front end side because the left and right guide rails 82. The receiving members 8... 8 running on the left and right three rows of guide rails 82 are set so as to be gathered at the center side. 82, the tip of the side surface mounting portion 84b of the receiving member 8 running on the 82 can be brought into contact with the lower surface mounting portion 84 of the left and right receiving members 8 (see FIGS. 15 and 16).

Each of the guide rails 82 can be adjusted by the position adjusting means in the left-right direction.
This position adjusting means has substantially the same configuration as the interval adjusting mechanism 41 of the first partition walls 40a... 40a described with reference to FIGS. 3 (A) and 3 (B). As shown, the long groove 12a
And a left plate guiding screw 51
a, a movable shaft 51 having a right plate guiding screw 51b is bridged over a support, and each of the guide rails 82.
11 are rotatably connected by a plurality of plates 14.
82 are slidably inserted into the long groove 12a, and the movable shaft 51 is rotated by the rotating operation of the operation handle 52 of the movable shaft 51, so that each of the guide rails 82. 82 can be narrowed or widened while maintaining the same intervals. Note that this guide rail 82
In the position adjusting means 82, the two guide rails 82 on the center side cannot be moved in the left-right direction with respect to the support main body 12, and the two guide rails on the left side with the left rotation of the operation handle 52. 82, 82 and the two left guide rails 82, 82 can be moved to the center side. In this position adjusting means, two support bodies 12 are arranged at two positions, a front part and a rear part, and two parts of each guide rail 82... 82 are connected to each other via connecting members 11. , And move from two places.

Further, the guide rail 8 in the present embodiment
The moving means for moving the left and right guide rails 82a and 82b on the rear end side in the left-right direction in 2... 82 is provided. This means of transportation
The leftmost guide rail 82a and the rightmost guide rail 82b are moved to the left and right ends to separate or approach each other. The leftmost guide rail 82a and the rightmost guide Each of the rails 82b has a rotatable shaft 86 having a threaded portion formed on the outer periphery.
Is screwed into. By rotating the handles 86a, 86a provided on the shafts 86, 86, the leftmost guide rail 82a and the rightmost guide rail 82 are operated.
b is guided by the screw portion and can move in the left and right directions in the axial direction of the shafts 86 and 86. By providing such moving means, when the left end guide rail 82a or the right end guide rail 82b is not used, or when both are not used, the left end guide rail 82a or Right end guide rail 82b
Or both are separated from the other guide rails 82,
You can keep it in a play state.

The pivoting operation members are raising operation members 85a and 85b for raising the lower surface mounting portion 84a of the receiving member 8 from the inclined state to the vertical state, and the raised lower surface mounting portion 84a.
From the vertical state to the inclined state. The raising operation members 85a and 85b are shown in FIG.
1. As shown in FIG. 14, it is composed of a bar-shaped body having a two-letter shape, a left-raising operation member 85a and a right-raising operation member 85b. Left-hand operation member 85a
Is a forward path 80 of an annular body formed by shafts 81.
a, rearward from the leftmost position of the guide rail 82a disposed on the leftmost side in the rear part of FIG. a, in the front-rear direction so as to intersect with the guide rail 82 and to be at the right side of the guide rail 82a. It is stretched. The height position of the left-raising operation member 85a is the same as the height of the receiving portion 84 of the receiving members 8 (see FIGS. 15 and 16). The left-raising operation member 85a thus configured
Is installed, the receiving member 8 moving from the front along the guide rail 82 arranged on the leftmost side
.. 8 move rearward while the inclined lower surface mounting portion 84a abuts the left-raising operation member 85a, and when the lower surface mounting portion 84a moves, as shown in FIGS.
Is gradually raised from the left side to the right side and can be rotated. Right-hand operation member 85b
The tilting lower surface mounting portion 84a, which is installed at a position symmetrical with the left-raising operation member 86a and moves from the front along the guide rail 82b arranged on the rightmost side, is used for the right-raising operation. It moves rearward while abutting on the member 85b, and at that time, the lower surface mounting portion 84a can rotate from the right side to the left side.

The return mechanism 87 is provided with four return members 87a... 87a as shown in FIGS. The return members 87a ... 87a are formed of plate-like members, and have inclined surfaces 87b on the side surfaces. 87a are two guide rails 82, 82 on the front side and left end side of the annular body formed by the transfer shafts 81 ... 81 and two guide rails on the right end side. 82, 82 are arranged on the front side corresponding to each.
In addition, the inclined surfaces 87b of the two return members 87a, 87a arranged on the front sides of the two guide rails 82, 82 on the left end side, respectively, rise upward, while the two guides on the right end side. The inclined surface 87b of each of the two return members 87a, 87a arranged on the front side of each of the rails 82, 82 is attached so as to rise to the right.

The return members 87a configured as described above are arranged as follows.
87a functions as follows. First, guide rail 8
The receiving portion 84 transported to the rear along 82 is moved downward by the raising operation members 85a and 85b.
a is raised from the inclined state to the vertical state, and is transferred from the rear to the front along the multiple path 80b of the transfer shafts 81... 81 in that state, and then enters the forward path 80a from the multiple path 80b as shown in FIG. At this time, the lower surface placing portion 84
a is a return member 87a... 87a and each inclined surface 87b.
7b while moving in contact with the outside route 80a,
The lower surface mounting portion 84a falls down and is inclined. Note that the receiving members 8... 8 running on the two guide rails 82 on the center side are not provided with the returning members 87 a. 87 a, and these receiving members 8. This is performed by setting the interval between the guide rails 82, 82 narrow. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the lower mounting portion 84 is formed by the raising operation members 85a and 85b.
When the receiving members 8, 8 with the vertical position a move along the multiple paths 80b from the rear to the front along the guide rails 82, 82, the distance between the guide rails 82, 82 is reduced. The side surface mounting portions 84b, 84b abut against each other and press against each other, and the lower surface mounting portions 84a of the respective receiving members 8, 8 fall down to be in an inclined state. Therefore, the returning mechanism of the receiving members 8... 8 running on these two guide rails 82 on the center side is composed of the two guide rails 8.
Although there is an interval set at 2, 82, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the two guide rails 82, 82 on the center side are provided.
A similar return member 87a, 87a is also arranged on the front side of
You may make it return by the return members 87a and 87a.

In the present embodiment, the position of these return members 87a, 87a in the left-right direction can be adjusted by position adjusting means. This position adjusting means also has substantially the same configuration as the above-described distance adjusting mechanism 41 for the first partition walls 40a ... 40a and the position adjusting means for the guide rails 82 ... 82, as shown in FIG. 14 (B). And a movable shaft 51 having a left plate guiding screw 51a and a right plate guiding screw 51b are bridged over the support column, and each return member 87
The connecting members 11... 11 connected to a. 87 a are slidably inserted in the long grooves 12 a and are juxtaposed, and are rotatably connected by a plurality of plates 14. By the rotation, the respective return members 87a ... 87a are simultaneously movable along the long groove 12, so that the distance between the guide rails 82 ... 82 can be narrowed or widened while maintaining the same distance therebetween. I have. Further, in the position adjusting means of the return members 87a ... 87a, the right end of the movable shaft 51 is connected to the gears 55, 55 and the chain 56 by the right end of the movable shaft 51 in the position adjusting means of the guide rails 82 ... 82. The rotation of the movable shaft 51 in the position adjusting means of the guide rails 82 ... 82 is accompanied by the rotation of the movable shaft 51 in the position adjusting means of the return members 87a ... 87a.
Are also rotated so that the positions of the return members 87a... 87a can be changed in accordance with the movement of each guide rail 82. By doing so, only by changing the position of the guide rails 82 ... 82, the return members 87a ... 87a to the guide rails 82 ... 82 always remain.
At a predetermined position on the front side.

As shown in FIGS. 18A, 18B and 18C, the delivery mechanism 7 includes a plurality of pressing members 71.
And an annular belt 72 to which a circulating movable member 71 is attached. Each of the pressing members 71... 71 is formed of a plate-like body, and is provided with a plurality of vertically extending insertion grooves 71 a. These insertion grooves 71a
, 71a are the lower surface mounting portions 84a of the receiving member 8, respectively.
Is formed to be slightly wider than the thickness of the lower surface mounting portion 84a so that it can be inserted. In addition, these insertion grooves 71a ... 7
The receiving members 1a are provided at positions corresponding to the receiving portions 84 ... 84 of the receiving members 8 ... 8 which have been transferred to the rear side and gathered at the center side. And these pressing members 71 ... 7
1. One end of each is attached to an annular belt 72 by pressing members 71.
Each of the pressing members 71... 71 protrudes outward from the annular belt 72 by being attached at predetermined intervals so that the width direction of each of the members 71 extends along the width direction of the annular belt 72. The annular belt 72 is wound around two front and rear wheels 73, 73 and circulates with the start of a motor (not shown) connected to one of the wheels. Direction), and moves backward (Y direction in the figure) on the return path 72b on the upper side. The annular belt 72 to which the pressing members 71... 71 are attached is installed above the rear part of the annular body formed by the transfer shafts 81. When the pressing members 71... 71 move above the rear part of the annular body and move from the front to the back on the outward path 72 a, the lower surface mounting portions of the receiving members 8. Each of the pressing members 71... 71a moves in a state where the lower side of the pressing members 71. The transfer speed of the annular belt 72 is set to be slightly higher than the transfer speed of the transfer shafts 81.

Next, returning to FIG. 1 and FIG.
I will explain. In the present embodiment, the packaging machine 100 is configured by a pillow packaging machine, and is configured to be able to package the sent food products in an aligned state with a single sheet-like material, and has conventionally been used. Pillow packaging machines are being used.

In this embodiment, the packaging machine 100
And the second aligning device 2, a conveyor 9 for feeding the packaging machine is installed. This conveyor 9 for feeding the packaging machine includes:
Two side walls 9 protruding upward on the left and right sides of the belt
1, 91, and between the side walls 91, 91, the food is sent to the packaging machine 100 through the group of aligned foods sent from the second aligning device 2. Also, each of the two side walls 91, 91 is installed so as to be movable in the left-right direction.
The distance 91 can be adjusted.

The operation of the overall apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. The food S fed from the food feeding belt conveyor 11 is sent to the front end side of the first belt conveyor 30a, and from there, to each of the first transfer paths 3... 3, the width of the food S is reduced as shown in FIG. It enters according to the width L of the first transfer path 3. If it is difficult to enter the first transfer paths 3... 3 naturally, the first transfer paths 3.
Further, as in the present embodiment, the food feeding belt conveyor 11 may not be connected to the front end side of the first belt conveyor 30a, and may be manually inserted into the first transfer paths 3,. . Further, at this time, the first partition wall 40 having the width of each of the first transfer paths 3... 3 formed by the width of the food S to be transferred.
The food S hits the first partition walls 40a... 40a because the interval between a.
In the case where the food S is transported in an arbitrary direction because the interval between a ... 40a is too wide, the first partition walls 40a ... 4
The distance between the first partition walls 40a... 40a may be adjusted according to the lateral width of the food S to be transported by the interval adjusting mechanisms 41. The width of each of the first transfer paths 3... 3 can be simultaneously adjusted to the same width, and can be easily adjusted. In addition, this food S
Is different depending on the type of the food S to be transferred, for example, croquettes and hamburgers, and even in the case of the same croquette, even if it is molded into the same shape, bread crumbs are attached to the surface after molding, so the conditions of breading It depends on the situation. Therefore, it is preferable that the width adjustment of the first transfer paths 3... 3 is performed each time the food S is transferred before the food S is transferred. In addition, when adjusting the interval between the first partition walls 40a ... 40a, the narrow belt conveyors 31 ... 31
Are adjusted by the position adjusting means 36, the narrow belt conveyors 31 can be moved to the first partition wall 40a.
.. 40a, and at the time of the adjustment, the entire narrow belt conveyor 31 can be moved only by operating the operating handle.
It can be done easily.

The first transfer path 3 of the first belt conveyor 30a
... 3 the food S entered into each is the second belt conveyor 30b
Through the first transfer paths 3... Of the narrow belt conveyors 31.
to go into. When the food S enters each of the first transfer paths 3... 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c, it is stopped by the shutters 33... 33 of each of the first transfer paths 3. The transfer is temporarily stopped in each of the first transfer paths 3. When the food S enters each of the first transfer paths 3... 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c, each of the number detecting devices 3
4... 34 are detected, and the first transfer path 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c containing only a predetermined number (set to five in this embodiment), for example, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, in the third transfer path 3 from the right,
When a predetermined number of foods S enter before the other first transfer path 3, the number detecting device 34 installed in the third first transfer path 3 from the right.
Detects this, communicates it to the control device, and the control device that has received it stops the motor of the narrow belt conveyor 31a of the second belt conveyor 30b at the front end side of the first transfer path 3. As a result, the third first conveyor path 3a from the right in the third belt conveyor 30c having the predetermined number is provided with:
Narrow belt conveyor 31a of second belt conveyor 30b
The food S is not sent any more. The other first transport paths 3... 3 of the third belt conveyor 30 c which do not yet contain the predetermined number of foods S are fed from the narrow belt conveyors 31. S is fed in, and when a predetermined number is entered, each number detecting device 34 detects the same in the same manner as described above, and the narrow belt of the second belt conveyor 30b at the front end side of the first transfer path 3 is controlled via the control device. The motors of the conveyor 31 are sequentially stopped. At this time, if the motor of the narrow belt conveyor 31 is not stopped, a predetermined number of foods S are already supplied until the predetermined number of foods S enter the first transfer paths 3... 3 of all the third belt conveyors 30c. Since the food S continues to be sent from the narrow belt conveyor to the first transfer paths 3... 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c containing the food S of the third type, as shown in FIG. Transfer path 3 ... 3
And the foods S arranged one after the other are pressed from the rear side and lifted up. As a result, the foods S cannot be arranged on the first transfer paths 3... 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c, and at the same time, There is a risk that more numbers will be included. However, as described above, the narrow belt conveyor 31 of the second belt conveyor 30b stops moving into the first transfer path 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c having the predetermined number, and more food S is sent. Therefore, such a situation can be prevented, and it is possible to maintain a predetermined number of rows before and after. Therefore, each of the first transfer paths 3.
Even if the food S is discontinuously sent and a time difference occurs between the predetermined number of foods S being lined up in the first transfer paths 3... 3 of the third belt conveyer 30c, it is possible to do so. Note that the first belt conveyor 30a and the third belt conveyor 30c are
Even while the belt conveyor 30b is stopped, it is continuously moved without stopping.

The first transfer path 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c
... When a predetermined number of foods S have entered all three, the control device receives a communication from each number detection device 34, operates the cylinder 18a supporting the frame 17, and pulls up the frame 17.
Thereby, the shutter 33 attached to the frame 17 is
... 33 and the second partition walls 40b ... 40b are raised,
The third belt conveyor 30c is placed on the first transfer path 3... 3 with the thickness direction up and down, and is arranged in a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction and in the left-right direction (5 rows in the front-rear direction and 6
The group of foods is sent to the second sorting device 2. At this time, for example, when the food S is croquette, breadcrumbs are applied to the entire outer peripheral surface, and the widths of the food S are different from each other. When sent to the second aligning device 2, it may hit the second partition walls 40b... 40b and break its alignment state, but by raising the second partition walls 40b. Can be. or,
After the shutters 33... 33 are lifted, the control device starts moving the narrow belt conveyor of the second belt conveyor 30b with a delay of a predetermined time, and the food S on the narrow belt conveyor 31 is moved to the third belt conveyor 30c. The first transfer path 3 is sent to 3. Therefore, the rear end of the last food S in the aligned food group sent from the first transfer path 3... 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c to the second sorting device 2 and the third belt conveyor from the second belt conveyor 30b. 30c first
A predetermined gap is formed between the front end of the food S first sent to the transfer paths 3. This gap is detected by the photoelectric tube 35, and in response to the detection, the control device controls the cylinder 18 a.
To operate the first transfer path 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c.
The frame 17 is lowered after the last food S in the food group in the aligned state sent from the... 3 to the second sorting device 2 passes through the shutters 33. Thereby, the shutters 33... 33 attached to the frame 17 and the second
0b ... 40b is lowered. Thereafter, in the first transfer path 3... 3 of the third belt conveyor 30c, as described above, a plurality of food groups are formed in the front-rear and left-right directions with the thickness direction up and down.

The food group in the aligned state sent to the second sorting device 2 is received by the receiving members 8... 8 of the second transfer routes 6. The receiving members 8 ... 8 of 6 ... 6 start to move in accordance with the rise of the shutters 33 ... 33, and are placed on the lower surface when entering the upper outward path 80a from the lower multiple path 80b as shown in FIG. The portion 84a falls down and is inclined. Therefore, each receiving member 8 ... 8
Is the front end position of the second transfer paths 6... 6 (position D in FIG. 11).
The food S is placed on the lower surface placing portion 84a in the inclined state and is transported. Then, the receiving members 8... 8 on which the food S is placed are intermittently movable and continue to move from the front side to the rear side, and the raising operation members 85a, 85
b (position E in FIG. 11), the leftmost receiving member 8 comes into contact with the left-raising operation member 85a, and the rightmost receiving member 8 comes into contact with the right-raising operation member 85b. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 16, the leftmost receiving member 8 is gradually rotated rightward with the movement to the rear side, and finally reaches a vertical state as shown in FIG. 16 (F in FIG. 11). position).
On the other hand, the rightmost receiving member 8 is gradually rotated leftward to be in a vertical state. In addition, with these rotations, the receiving members 8 on the side thereof are sequentially raised by the side surface mounting portions 84b of the respective receiving members 8 and become vertical. In this manner, in the state where the lower surface placing portions 84a of the respective receiving members 8 are in the vertical state, the food S placed on each lower surface placing portion 84a is replaced by the side surface of the food S. It will be in a state of being placed on the placing portion 84b. Therefore, in this state, the foods S arranged in a plurality of rows in the left, right, front and back are aligned in the thickness direction in the left and right direction.

Thereafter, the food S in the aligned state, which is oriented in the thickness direction to the left and right, is transported as it is to the rear side and sent to the packaging machine feeding conveyor 9, where the pressing member of the feeding mechanism 7 is pressed. As a result of being transferred from the rear side to the front side by 71... 71, they are placed on the side surface mounting portions 84 b of each receiving member 8 as shown in FIG. Even when the food S is shifted rearward, the shift is corrected at the time of transport, and the front and rear ends of the food S in the left and right rows are aligned and sent. In addition, the food group in the aligned state that has entered the packaging machine feeding conveyor 9 has two side walls 91 of the packaging machine feeding conveyor 9,
By being transported while being supported on both sides by the 91, the food group in an aligned state in which the thickness direction is oriented in the left-right direction is sent to the packaging machine 100 while maintaining that state. In the case where the number of rows in the left and right direction of the food S is reduced and transferred and packaged,
By adjusting the left and right positions of the two side walls 91, 91,
The interval can be adjusted according to the number of rows in the left-right direction, and the sheet can be sent to the packaging machine 100 while maintaining an alignment state in which the thickness direction is oriented in the left-right direction.

The food group in the aligned state sent to the packaging machine 100 is automatically pillow-packed as it is.

If the food S is sent to the packaging machine 100 as described above, the food S can be automatically and continuously performed without having to arrange the food S by the operator as in the conventional case.
It can be packaged efficiently and at low cost.

In the present invention, in the first sorting device 1, the foods S are placed in a state of being arranged in a plurality of rows in front and rear and right and left once in a state of being placed with the thickness direction of the foods up and down. By rotating the group in the second aligning device 2, the food S is placed in an aligned state with the thickness direction of the food S left and right. In this case, the first transfer paths 3 of the first aligning device 1 are arranged. It is also conceivable that the food 3 is transported with the thickness direction of the food S left and right, so that the second alignment device 2 does not need to be rotated. However, in such a case, as shown in FIG. 10, in the case of a croquette or a hamburger, since both front and rear portions are formed in an arc shape, when stopped by the shutter 33,
When pressed by a rear object, the food S easily rotates along the arc. Also, the first belt conveyor 30a
In the case where resistance is applied to the food S even during the transfer of the second belt conveyor 30b or the like, the food S easily rotates along the arc shape at the front end similarly, and it is difficult to align the food S. Become. Therefore, the present invention is particularly suitable for foods S such as croquettes and hamburgers whose front and rear portions are formed in an arc shape. However,
The present invention can be applied to foods S having no arc portion, such as croquettes and hamburgers, and can be used for various foods S without being limited to croquettes and hamburgers. In the case of a croquette or a hamburger, it can be used either as it is after molding or after freezing after molding.

In this embodiment, the packaging machine 100 is connected to the packaging machine 100 so that the packaging can be performed automatically and continuously. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the packaging machine 100 is not connected to the packaging machine 100 and is aligned. May be carried to the packaging machine 100 by hand, or the aligned products may be stored once, and then sequentially transferred to the packaging machine 100 by a conveyor or the like for packaging, or may be changed as appropriate.

In this embodiment, the first aligning device 1 is connected to the front end of the second aligning device 2 of the present invention, and the first aligning device 1 is arranged in a plurality of rows in the front-back and left-right directions. Of the present invention is automatically and continuously fed to the front end side of the second aligning device 2 of the present invention with the front and rear positions aligned. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the first aligning device 1 is not provided. The food may be manually fed in from the front end side, and may be changed as appropriate.

Further, in the present embodiment, each second transfer path 6 of the second aligning device 2 is constituted by a plurality of receiving members 8... 8 arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction, but is not limited to this embodiment. Without
For example, a belt conveyor is formed, and at one end of the belt from the front end to the rear end, the belt is twisted so that one end in the width direction of the belt is changed from a horizontal state to a vertical state, so that a thickness direction is formed on the belt. During the transfer of the food placed in the up-down direction, the thickness direction may be rotated so as to be in the left-right direction, and may be changed as appropriate. However, in this case, it is difficult to reliably rotate the food by sliding on the belt or the like. Therefore, from this point, it is preferable that the receiving member 8 is composed of the plurality of receiving members 8 as in the present embodiment.

[0049]

As described above, according to the first invention of the present application, the first sorting apparatus 1 transfers foods in a group of foods arranged in a plurality of rows in the horizontal direction with the thickness direction of the foods substantially up and down. 2
By receiving each food sent from each transfer path 3 of the first alignment device 1 in an aligned state in each of the receiving portions 84 of the alignment device, by rotating each of the receiving portions 84 by rotating means 85a, 85b, It is assumed that the foods in the aligned state received by the receiving portions 84 are aligned in the thickness direction substantially horizontally while maintaining the aligned state. This makes it possible to automatically and continuously form a food group in an aligned state as shown in FIG. Therefore, the group of foods in the aligned state may be packaged by the packaging machine as it is, and there is no need for the operator to arrange the group by hand as in the conventional case, and the packaging operation can be performed in a short time and at low cost.

According to the second invention of the present application, the receiving members 8 of the second transfer paths 6 are moved by the transfer means 81 and 82 so that the entire width of the plurality of second transfer paths 6 decreases from the front to the rear. To transfer the food from the front while changing the thickness direction of each of the aligned foods received by the receiving portion 84 of the receiving member 8 substantially in the left-right direction, and narrowing the width of the whole food group in the aligned state. It can be transported backward. Therefore, if the packaging machine 100 is connected to the rear side of the second sorting device 2 and food is sent from the second sorting device 2, the packaging machine 10
0 means automatic continuous packaging.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a food packaging device provided with a food packaging alignment device of the present invention as viewed from above.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a food packaging device provided with the food packaging alignment device of the present invention as viewed from the side.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a space adjusting device for a partition wall, and FIG.
Is an enlarged plan view of the main part with the space between the partition walls widened, (B)
FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of the main part.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a partition wall spacing adjusting device, and FIG.
Is an enlarged plan view of a main part in a state where the interval between the partition walls is narrowed, (B)
FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of the main part.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a second belt conveyor and a third belt conveyor in the first alignment device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the second belt conveyor.
FIG. 4B is a side view of the second belt conveyor, FIG. 4B is a front view of the second belt conveyor, and FIG. 4C is an explanatory diagram of the position adjustment mechanism of the narrow belt conveyor of the second belt conveyor as viewed from below.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a third belt conveyor.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram viewed from above when feeding food from the second belt conveyor to the third belt conveyor.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a predetermined number of food items are fed into a third belt conveyor, and then the narrow belt conveyor is continuously moved without stopping.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram in a case where food is transferred to the first aligning device with the thickness direction of the food left and right.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view of a main part of a second alignment device.

FIG. 12 is a side view in which a part of a second transfer path in the second alignment device is sectioned.

13A is a front view of the receiving member, and FIG. 13B is a side view thereof.

14A is an explanatory view of a guide rail and a return mechanism of a receiving member as viewed from a plane, and FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram when the juxtaposed receiving members are raised by the raising operation member.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory view of a state where the juxtaposed receiving members are raised vertically by the raising operation member.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 18 (A) relates to an explanatory view of a conveyor for feeding a packaging machine;
Is an explanatory view seen from the side when the food on the receiving member is sent backward by the packaging machine feeding conveyor, and (B) is a front view when the food on the receiving member is sent backward by the packaging machine feeding conveyor. (C) is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of (A).

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram in the case where the front and rear positions of foods in the juxtaposed receiving members are shifted.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram of packaging foods arranged in a plurality of rows in the left, right, front, and back directions with the thickness direction of the food left and right.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st alignment apparatus 2 2nd alignment apparatus 3 1st transfer path 4 Partition wall 6 2nd transfer path 7 Sending-out mechanism 8 Receiving member 30a 1st belt conveyor 30b 2nd belt conveyor 30c 3rd belt conveyor 31 Narrow belt conveyor 40a 1st partition wall 40b 2nd partition wall 81 Transfer axis 82 Guide rail 84a Lower surface placing part 84b Side placing part 100 Packaging machine S Food

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-51-145696 (JP, A) JP 2-55292 (JP, B2) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 47/22-47/32 B65B 35/44-35/58

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first aligning device (1), and a second aligning device (2) connected to the rear side of the first aligning device (1). A plurality of transfer paths (3) arranged in parallel to each other, and each transfer path (3) is provided with a transfer means, so that foods such as croquettes and hamburgers can be arranged so that the thickness direction of the foods is substantially vertical. Transfer path
(1) can be sequentially transferred from front to back along (3), and by these transfer paths (3), the first sorting device (1) transfers at least a plurality of food groups arranged in a plurality of rows in the left-right direction. The second aligning device (2) is provided with a plurality of receiving portions (84) arranged side by side in the left-right direction, and each of these receiving portions (84) is provided with each transfer portion of the first aligning device (1). By being connected to the rear end sides of the passages (3), respectively, it is possible to receive the aligned food products sent from each transfer passage (3) of the first sorting device (1). Each part (84) is provided with rotating means (85a) (85b), and the rotating means (85a) (85b)
(84) By rotating each, it is ensured that the food in the aligned state received by each of the receiving portions (84) is aligned in the thickness direction substantially in the horizontal direction while maintaining the aligned state. Characteristic alignment device for food packaging. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second aligning device is a first aligning device.
And a plurality of second transfer paths (6) connected to the rear end side of each of the transfer paths (3) of (1).
A plurality of receiving members (8) each having a receiving portion (84), and transfer means (8) capable of transferring each of the receiving members (8) from the front to the rear.
1) (82), and rotating means (85a) (85b) for rotating each of the receiving members (8) in the middle of the transfer, and the plurality of transfer means (81) (82) are increased from the front to the rear. By transferring the receiving members (8) of the second transfer paths (6) so that the entire width of the second transfer paths (6) becomes narrow, the receiving parts (84) of the receiving members (8) are transferred to the receiving parts (84) of the receiving members (8). Each of the received aligned foods is transported from the front to the rear while changing the thickness direction in the left-right direction and narrowing the width of the aligned food group. The food packaging alignment device according to claim 1.