JPH11139554A - Branching device for container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a branching device for containers branching the containers into two without overturning them. SOLUTION: This branching device is constituted of a first conveyor 2 feeding containers 1 in a line, a timing screw 3 provided on the first conveyor 2, a first star wheel 4 kept in contact with the first conveyor 2 at the outlet of the timing screw 3, a second star wheel 5 kept in contact with the first star wheel 4, guides 6A, 6B provided on the outer peripheries of the first and second star wheels 4, 5, and a second conveyor 7 provided in the same direction as the first conveyor 2 in contact with the second star wheel 5. The first star wheel 4 is provided with suction cups 8 sucking the containers 1 in every other pockets 4a, the second star wheel 5 has the same number of pockets 5a as those of the first star wheel 4, and a half number of the containers 1 of the first conveyor 2 are extracted by the suction cups 8 and discharged to the second conveyor 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container bifurcation device for branching containers supplied in a single row into two rows.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a device for branching containers supplied in a single row into two rows, the containers are transferred to a conveyor having a width of two rows provided adjacent to a single row of conveyors. Some are assigned to containers. In some cases, two conveyors are provided adjacent to each other, and half of the containers supplied in one row in one row are transferred to another row by a pusher.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned method, the container may fall when the container hits the partition plate or the pusher, that is, when the container turns. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a container bifurcation device that does not fall when bifurcating a container.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a first conveyor in which containers are supplied in a line, a timing screw provided in the first conveyor, and an outlet of the timing screw. A first star wheel in contact with the first conveyor, a second star wheel in contact with the first star wheel, a guide provided on the outer periphery of the first and second star wheels, and a first conveyor A second conveyor provided in the same direction and in contact with a second star wheel, the first star wheel includes a suction cup for sucking a container in one of pockets, and the second star wheel includes a first star wheel. The same number of star wheels and pockets are provided, and half of the containers of the first conveyor are taken in by the suction cup and discharged to the second conveyor. .

According to the present invention, the containers fed in a line on the first conveyor are synchronized with the first starwheel by the timing screw, and at the contact point between the first conveyor and the first starwheel. Get stuck in the pocket of the first star wheel. Since the suction cup of the first star wheel is located at one of the pockets, the container on the first conveyor is sucked at the single jump. The container in the pocket without the suction cup proceeds directly downstream of the first conveyor. The container taken in the first star wheel is released from the suction, is supported by the pocket and the guide, and is transferred to the contact point with the second star wheel. At the point of contact between the first starwheel and the second starwheel, the container fits into the pocket of the second starwheel, and is transported and discharged to the point of contact with the second conveyor supported by the pocket and the guide.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a container bifurcation device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire configuration of the container bifurcation device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. As shown in FIG.
The container bifurcating device includes a first conveyor 2 to which the containers 1 are supplied in a line, a timing screw 3 provided on the first conveyor 2, and a first conveyor 2 in contact with the first conveyor 2 at an outlet of the timing screw 3. One star wheel 4 is provided. The container bifurcation device includes a second star wheel 5 in contact with the first star wheel 4, and guides 6A and 6B provided on outer peripheral sides of the first and second star wheels 4, 5, respectively. Second conveyor 7 provided in the same direction as first conveyor 2 and in contact with second star wheel 5
And

[0007] The first star wheel 4 has a plurality of pockets 4a on its outer periphery in which the container 1 fits.
The first star wheel 4 is provided with a suction cup 8 for sucking the container 1 in one of a plurality of pockets 4a. The first star wheel 4 is fixed to a support plate 9 as shown in FIG. 2, and the support plate 9 is fixed to a main shaft 16 connected to a motor (not shown). Below the support plate 9, a substantially cylindrical fixing portion 11 having an annular portion 10 slidably in contact with the lower surface of the support plate 9 is provided.

The suction cup 8 is connected via a pipe 12 to a communication path 9a formed in the support plate 9. The number of the communication paths 9 a is equal to the number of the suction cups 8, and each communication path 9 a is opened on the upper surface of the annular portion 10. Annular part 10
An arc-shaped groove 10a that can communicate with the communication path 9a is formed on the upper surface of the groove 10a, and a through hole 10b is formed at the center of the arc-shaped groove 10a. The lower end opening of the through hole 10b is connected to a vacuum source via a pipe 14.
The annular portion 10 has a through hole (not shown) formed adjacent to the arc-shaped groove 10a and capable of communicating with the communication path 9a. (Not shown) to the compressed air source. The lower surface of the rotary-side annular portion 9 and the upper surface of the fixed-side annular portion 10 constitute a rotary joint that slides on each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, the second star wheel 5 in contact with the first star wheel 4 has the same number of pockets 5a as the first star wheel 4 on the outer peripheral portion.
A guide 6A disposed on the outer peripheral side of the first star wheel 4 extends between the first conveyor 2 and the second star wheel 5, and is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the second star wheel 5. The provided guide 6B extends between the first star wheel 4 and the second conveyor 7. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a support rail 15 for supporting the bottom of the container 1 is provided inside and below the guides 6A and 6B.

Next, the operation of the container bifurcating device constructed as described above will be described. The containers 1 supplied in a line by the first conveyor 2 are synchronized with the first star wheel 4 by the timing screw 3 and the first conveyor 2
At the contact point between the first star wheel 4 and the pocket 4a of the first star wheel 4. Since the suction cup 8 of the first star wheel 4 is located at one of the plurality of pockets 4a, the container 1 on the first conveyor 4 is sucked and taken in one at a time. The container 1 in the pocket 4 a without the suction cup 8 proceeds downstream of the first conveyor 2 as it is.

The container 1 taken up by the first starwheel 4 is released from suction and is supported by the pocket 4a, the guide 6A and the support rail 15, and is transferred to the contact point with the second starwheel 5. At the contact point between the first star wheel 4 and the second star wheel 5, the container 1 fits into the pocket 5a of the second star wheel 5, and is supported by the pocket 5a, the guide 6B and the support rail 15, and the second conveyor 7
It is transferred to the point of contact with and discharged. Thus, the containers 1 fed in a single row on the first conveyor 2 can be split into two rows: a row on the first conveyor 2 and a row on the second conveyor 7.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the container changes direction due to branching, the container is supported by the starwheel and the suction cup, and furthermore by the starwheel and the guide, so that the container does not fall.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of a container bifurcation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container 2 First conveyor 3 Timing screw 4 First star wheel 5 Second star wheel 6A, 6B Guide 7 Second conveyor 8 Suction cup 9 Support plate 10 Annular part 11 Fixed part 12, 14 Pipe 15 Support rail

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first conveyor in which containers are supplied in a row, a timing screw provided on the first conveyor, a first star wheel in contact with the first conveyor at an outlet of the timing screw, and a first star wheel. A second star wheel in contact with the first star wheel, a guide provided on the outer periphery of the first and second star wheels, and a second conveyor provided in the same direction as the first conveyor and in contact with the second star wheel. The first star wheel has a suction cup for sucking the container in one of the pockets, the second star wheel has the same number of pockets as the first star wheel, and has the same number of containers as the first conveyor. A bifurcating device for containers, wherein half of the container is taken in by a suction cup and discharged to a second conveyor.