Container closure system

Abstract

Provided is a container lid closing system that can achieve labor saving and easily improve the overall lid closing work efficiency of the system even when the processing capacity of a robot is low. The container lid closing system closes a lid body with respect to a container main body, and includes: a first conveyance unit that sequentially conveys the container main body; a second conveyance unit that sequentially conveys the container main body; a supply quantity adjustment unit that adjusts the number of container main bodies supplied to the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit in such a manner that the number of container main bodies conveyed by the second conveyance unit per unit time is greater than the number of container main bodies transferred by the first conveyance unit per unit time; a first robot provided after the supply quantity adjustment unit and performing a first lid closing work on the container main body conveyed by the first conveyance unit; and a defective product transfer unit that transfers defective products generated in the first lid closing work to the second conveyance unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a container lid closing system. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the introduction of robots into various production sites has been studied. However, as one example, a food system is being used to package food or place it into containers and close the lid.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system for bagging stacked food products. Stacked food products include, for example, foods made by layering ingredients such as sandwiches. In this system, stacked food products transported from the previous process via a first transport line are bagged after being repositioned by a robot. Furthermore, in this system, if the robot's bagging and other processing capabilities are insufficient, the stacked food products are transported downstream directly via the first transport line without being bagged, and the bagged stacked food products are transported downstream via a second transport line. It is envisioned that the unbagged stacked food products transported via the first transport line are bagged manually by an operator located downstream of the robot. This avoids the entire production line from stopping.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-187496

[0005] In the system described in Patent Document 1, all stacked food items transported by the first transport line from the previous process rely on robots for posture changes, bagging, and other processing. Therefore, the overall processing capacity of the system is limited by the robot's capabilities, making significant improvements difficult. In particular, the operation of closing the lid of the container containing the food is quite challenging, hindering easy improvements to the robot's processing capacity. Therefore, the objective is to develop a container lid closing system that, even with limited robot processing capacity, can reduce labor costs and easily improve the overall lid closing efficiency of the system. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The container lid closing system described in the application example of the present invention is a system for closing the lid of a container body. The container lid closing system includes: a first transport unit for sequentially transporting the container body; a second transport unit for sequentially transporting the container body; a supply quantity adjustment unit for adjusting the quantity of container bodies supplied to the first transport unit and the second transport unit in such a way that the number of container bodies transported by the second transport unit per unit time is greater than the number of container bodies transferred by the first transport unit per unit time; a first robot disposed after the supply quantity adjustment unit for performing a first lid closing operation on the container bodies transported by the first transport unit; and a defective product transfer unit for transferring defective products generated during the first lid closing operation to the second transport unit. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the container lid closing system according to the first embodiment.

[0008] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 The first 3D model of the robot.

[0009] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the hardware structure of the control unit.

[0010] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram showing the container lid closing system according to the second embodiment.

[0011] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram showing the container lid closing system according to the third embodiment.

[0012] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0013] 1. Container lid closing system; 2. First transport unit; 3. Second transport unit; 6. Supply quantity adjustment unit; 7. Control unit; 41. First robot; 42. Second robot; 43. Robotic arm; 44. Lid holding fixture; 46. Force sensor; 52. Non-conforming product transfer unit; 54. Conforming product transfer unit; 61. Third transport unit; 62. Fourth transport unit; 63. Container body transfer unit; 64. Drive unit; 65. Drive unit; 66. Transport unit Speed ​​setting unit; 72. Operation quality judgment unit; 74. Control signal output unit; 82. Container holding unit; 84. Packaging unit; 91. Container body; 92. Lid; 93. Qualified product; 94. Unqualified product; 701. CPU; 702. ROM; 703. RAM; 704. External interface; 705. Internal bus; M. Operator; S1. Container holding process; S2. Lid closing process; S3. Packaging process; P. Line parallel to the Y-axis. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The container lid closing system of the present invention will now be described in detail based on the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0015] 1. First Implementation Method

[0016] First, the container lid closing system according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram showing the container lid closing system 1 according to the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the figures of this application, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are defined as three mutually orthogonal axes. Each axis is indicated by an arrow, with the top side designated as "positive" and the base side as "negative." In the following description, for example, "X-axis direction" includes both the positive and negative directions of the X-axis. Additionally, in the following description, the negative side of the X-axis is referred to as the "upstream side," and the positive side of the X-axis as the "downstream side." Furthermore, in the following description, the positive side of the Z-axis is referred to as the "upper side."

[0018] Figure 1 The container lid closing system 1 shown is a system for closing the lid 92 of a container body 91 supplied from the previous filling process S1. In the container body 91, food or the like is contained in the filling process S1, and the lid 92 is closed using the lid closing process S2 of the container lid closing system 1. Afterwards, the container body 91 with the lid 92 closed is supplied to the subsequent packaging process S3.

[0019] Figure 1 The container body 91 and the lid 92 shown are fixed by interlocking or snapping together. Specifically, the container body 91 and the lid 92 can be in an inner fit where the lid 92 fits inside the container body 91, or in an outer fit where the lid 92 fits outside the container body 91.

[0020] Figure 1 The container lid closing system 1 shown includes a first handling unit 2, a second handling unit 3, a first robot 41, a non-conforming product transfer unit 52, a conforming product transfer unit 54, a supply quantity adjustment unit 6, and a control unit 7.

[0021] The first transport unit 2 sequentially transports the container bodies 91 continuously supplied from the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 downstream. The second transport unit 3 also sequentially transports the container bodies 91 continuously supplied from the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 downstream.

[0022] The first robot 41 performs a first lid-closing operation on the container body 91 transported by the first transport unit 2. The container body 91 is a vessel that holds food or the like and has an opening at the top. The first lid-closing operation is the operation of covering and closing the opening of the container body 91 transported by the first transport unit 2 with the lid 92. In this specification, the combination of the container body 91 and the lid 92 after the first lid-closing operation is completed is referred to as "qualified product 93", and the combination of the container body 91 and the lid 92 after the first lid-closing operation is not completed is referred to as "defective product 94". Examples of defective products include, for example, a state where the lid 92 is misaligned, a state where food or the like is trapped between the container body 91 and the lid 92, and a state where the lid 92 is not placed on the container body 91. Figure 1 As an example, the illustration shows the state in which the cover 92 is offset.

[0023] The non-conforming product transfer unit 52 transfers the non-conforming product 94 generated during the first cover closing operation to the second handling unit 3.

[0024] The supply quantity adjustment unit 6 supplies container bodies 91 while adjusting the quantity using the first transport unit 2 and the second transport unit 3. Specifically, the quantity of container bodies 91 to be supplied is adjusted such that the number of container bodies 91 transported by the second transport unit 3 per unit time is greater than the number of container bodies 91 transported by the first transport unit 2 per unit time.

[0025] The control unit 7 controls the operation of the defective product transfer unit 52 based on the signal output from the first robot 41.

[0026] 1.1. Structure of each part

[0027] The structure of each part of the container lid closing system 1 is described in detail.

[0028] 1.1.1. First Transport Department

[0029] Figure 1 The first transport unit 2 shown extends between the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 and the defective product transfer unit 52 and the qualified product transfer unit 54. Thus, the first transport unit 2 transports the container body 91 supplied by the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 downstream and is positioned within the working range of the first robot 41. Furthermore, defective products 94 generated by the first cover closing operation based on the first robot 41 are transported to the defective product transfer unit 52, and qualified products 93 are transported to the qualified product transfer unit 54.

[0030] The first transport unit 2 can be composed of any transport device as long as it has the function of transporting multiple container bodies 91. Examples of transport devices include belt conveyors and roller conveyors. Furthermore, the transport device is not limited to a conveyor; for example, it can be a device that transports the container bodies 91 while restricting their position using multiple arms or the like. The spacing between the container bodies 91 transported by the first transport unit 2 can be equal or unequal. Additionally, the first transport unit 2 can stop transporting when it is placing the container bodies 91 within the working range of the first robot 41, when transferring defective products 94 via the defective product transfer unit 52, or when transferring qualified products 93 via the qualified product transfer unit 54.

[0031] 1.1.2. Second Transport Department

[0032] Figure 1 The second transport unit 3 shown extends from the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 to the packaging unit 84, which performs the packaging process S3. The second transport unit 3 transports the container body 91 supplied by the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 downstream and is positioned within the work area of ​​the operator M. Furthermore, the non-conforming product 94 transferred by the non-conforming product transfer unit 52 and the conforming product 93 transferred by the conforming product transfer unit 54 converge in the second transport unit 3.

[0033] The second transport unit 3 can be composed of any transport device as long as it has the function of transporting multiple container bodies 91. Examples of transport devices include belt conveyors and roller conveyors. Furthermore, the transport device is not limited to a conveyor; for example, it can also be a device that transports the container bodies 91 while restricting their position using multiple arms. The spacing between the container bodies 91 transported by the second transport unit 3 can be equal or unequal. Additionally, the second transport unit 3 can stop transporting when the container bodies 91 are positioned within the work area of ​​the operator M, or it can continue transporting.

[0034] 1.1.3. The First Robot

[0035] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A 3D view of the first robot, 41. Figure 2 The first robot 41 shown is a horizontal multi-joint robot. Since the rotational surfaces of the arms of a horizontal multi-joint robot are horizontal, it is easy to increase the rotational speed. Therefore, by using a horizontal multi-joint robot, the processing speed of the first robot 41 can be increased. Furthermore, the form of the first robot 41 is not limited to this; it can be a vertical multi-joint robot or a dual-arm robot with multiple robotic arms.

[0036] Figure 2The first robot 41 shown has a robotic arm 43, a cover gripper 44 (cover gripper) and a force sensor 46.

[0037] A cover-holding gripper 44 is mounted at the tip of the robotic arm 43. The cover-holding gripper 44 has the function of holding the stored cover 92 and releasing the held cover 92. The robotic arm 43 moves the cover-holding gripper 44 to any position within its range of motion. Thus, the first robot 41 is able to perform the first cover-closing operation by using the stored cover 92 to close the container body 91.

[0038] Force sensor 46 detects the force applied to the cover holding clamp 44. For example, a force sensor can be used as the force sensor 46. The force sensor detects, for example, the magnitude and direction of the force applied to the cover holding clamp 44. Based on the force detection result generated by the force sensor 46, the control unit 7 determines whether the result of the first cover closing operation is good, i.e., whether it becomes a qualified product 93 or a defective product 94. Then, if a defective product 94 is generated, the control unit 7 controls the operation of the defective product transfer unit 52 to transfer the defective product 94 to the second transport unit 3.

[0039] Force sensor 46 can be replaced by other sensors. These other sensors can be any sensors capable of judging the quality of the first lid-closing operation; examples include image sensors like cameras and range sensors like laser sensors. For instance, an image sensor might acquire an image of the container body 91 and lid 92 after the first lid-closing operation has been completed. The control unit 7 judges the quality of the first lid-closing operation based on this image. Similarly, a range sensor might acquire the distance between the lid 92 and the upper surface. The control unit 7 judges the quality of the first lid-closing operation based on this distance.

[0040] 1.1.4. Transfer of Non-conforming Products Department

[0041] Figure 1The defective product transfer unit 52 shown is located downstream of the first robot 41, transferring defective products 94 from the first transport unit 2 to the second transport unit 3. An operator M is located downstream of the defective product transfer unit 52 in the second transport unit 3. The operator M not only closes the lid 92 of the container body 91 supplied from the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 to the second transport unit 3, but also performs the operation of eliminating defects in the defective products 94 transferred to the second transport unit 3. Thus, two operations can be performed by working only on the transported items handled by the second transport unit 3. That is, in parallel with the first lid-closing operation performed by the first robot 41, a second lid-closing operation can be performed on the container body 91 handled by the second transport unit 3, while simultaneously correcting the defective products 94 resulting from the first lid-closing operation performed by the first robot 41. As a result, the container lid closing system 1 becomes a system that facilitates cooperation between the first robot 41 and the operator M, thus enabling labor-saving and improved efficiency in lid closing operations even when the processing capacity of the first robot 41 is low. Furthermore, the introduction of the first robot 41 can reduce the workload of the operator M when improved efficiency is not required.

[0042] The non-conforming product transfer unit 52 operates based on the control signal output from the control unit 7. The control signal is output in response to the generation of the non-conforming product 94. Therefore, the non-conforming product transfer unit 52 can selectively transfer the non-conforming product 94 without transferring the conforming product 93.

[0043] Examples of transfer devices included in the non-conforming product transfer unit 52 include a device (push rod) that pushes out the non-conforming product 94 in a direction intersecting the transport direction (X-axis direction) of the first transport unit 2, a device (transfer device) that sends out the non-conforming product 94 in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the first transport unit 2, and a device (steering device) that changes the transport direction of the non-conforming product 94.

[0044] 1.1.5. Qualified Product Transfer Department

[0045] Figure 1 The qualified product transfer unit 54 shown transfers qualified products 93 from the first transfer unit 2 to the second transfer unit 3. This allows qualified products 93 to be collected in the second transfer unit 3. That is, not only qualified products 93 generated in the second cap-closing operation based on operator M, but also qualified products 93 generated in the first cap-closing operation based on the first robot 41 are transported by the second transfer unit 3. As a result, since the packaging unit 84, located downstream of the second transfer unit 3, only accepts qualified products 93 transported by the second transfer unit 3, miniaturization becomes easier. Furthermore, it is useful in situations where existing packaging units 84 correspond to the container cap-closing system 1 according to this embodiment, without requiring modifications.

[0046] Furthermore, the qualified product transfer unit 54 is preferably located downstream of the operator M. Therefore, the qualified product 93 transferred from the qualified product transfer unit 54 to the second handling unit 3 will not enter the operator M's field of vision, but will instead be sent towards the packaging unit 84. This reduces the workload of the operator M.

[0047] Examples of transfer devices included in the qualified product transfer unit 54 include a device (push rod) that pushes out the qualified product 93 in a direction intersecting with the transport direction of the first transport unit 2, a device (transfer device) that delivers the qualified product 93 in a direction intersecting with the transport direction of the first transport unit 2, and a device (steering device) that changes the transport direction of the qualified product 93.

[0048] Furthermore, the qualified product transfer unit 54 can be set up as needed, or it can be omitted. In this case, the packaging unit 84 can accept qualified products 93 transported by the first transport unit 2, in addition to those transported by the second transport unit 3.

[0049] 1.1.6. Supply Quantity Adjustment Department

[0050] The supply quantity adjustment unit 6 is located downstream of the holding unit 82, which performs the holding process S1. Figure 1 The supply quantity adjustment unit 6 shown has a third transport unit 61, a fourth transport unit 62, and a container body transfer unit 63.

[0051] The third transport unit 61 is connected to the upstream side of the first transport unit 2. The third transport unit 61 and the first transport unit 2 can be separate from each other, or they can be arranged as follows: Figure 1 As shown, they are integrated. That is, the third transport unit 61 and the first transport unit 2 can be composed of two connected transport devices, but in this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown, it consists of a continuous conveying device.

[0052] The fourth transport unit 62 is connected to the upstream side of the second transport unit 3. The fourth transport unit 62 and the second transport unit 3 can be separate from each other, or they can be arranged as follows: Figure 1 As shown, they are integrated. That is, the fourth transport unit 62 and the second transport unit 3 can be composed of two connected transport devices, but in this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown, it can also be composed of a single, continuous conveying device.

[0053] The holding section 82 can also supply the container body 91 to both the third transport section 61 and the fourth transport section 62, but in this embodiment, the container body 91 is only supplied to the fourth transport section 62. This makes miniaturization of the holding section 82 easier. Furthermore, it is useful in situations where the existing holding section 82 corresponds to the container lid closing system 1 according to this embodiment, without requiring modifications to the existing holding section 82.

[0054] The container body transfer unit 63 transfers a portion of the container bodies 91 supplied to the fourth transfer unit 62 to the third transfer unit 61. This allows the container bodies 91 supplied from the holding unit 82 to be distributed between the fourth transfer unit 62 and the third transfer unit 61. The container bodies 91 transferred to the third transfer unit 61 are then transported to the first transfer unit 2, and the remaining container bodies 91 in the fourth transfer unit 62 are transported to the second transfer unit 3. At this time, the container body transfer unit 63 distributes the container bodies 91 between the third transfer unit 61 and the fourth transfer unit 62 in such a manner that the number of container bodies 91 supplied to the second transfer unit 3 is greater than the number supplied to the first transfer unit 2.

[0055] Thus, assuming the transport speed of the first transport unit 2 is equal to that of the second transport unit 3, the number of container bodies 91 transported by the second transport unit 3 per unit time can be greater than the number of container bodies 91 transported by the first transport unit 2 per unit time. This avoids supplying the first transport unit 2 with an excessive number of container bodies 91, preventing the first robot 41 from being unable to handle the load completely. Furthermore, the processing capacity of the operator M is generally higher than that of the robot. Therefore, by using the second transport unit 3, which is operated by the operator M, to transport more container bodies 91 than the first transport unit 2, excess processing capacity of the operator M can be avoided.

[0056] Furthermore, the number of container bodies 91 transported per unit time can be defined as the number of container bodies 91 passing through line P per unit time, which passes through the position where the first robot 41 is located and is parallel to the Y-axis. In this embodiment, taking the case where the transport speed of the first transport unit 2 is equal to the transport speed of the second transport unit 3 as an example, the result of the container body transfer unit 63 distributing the container bodies 91 is simply that the number of container bodies 91 remaining in the fourth transport unit 62 per unit time is greater than the number of container bodies 91 transferred to the third transport unit 61. In addition, even when the transport speeds are different, the above condition can be satisfied by taking into account the difference in transport speeds and the ratio at the time of distribution.

[0057] Furthermore, the ratio for distributing the container bodies 91 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set according to the processing capacity of the first robot 41. Specifically, ratios that maximize the utilization of the processing capacity of the first robot 41 are listed. More specifically, when the number of container bodies 91 transported by the first transport unit 2 per unit time is set to 1, the number of container bodies 91 transported by the second transport unit 3 per unit time is not particularly limited as long as it exceeds 1, preferably 1.1 or more and 5.0 or less, more preferably 1.5 or more and 3.0 or less.

[0058] 1.1.7. Control Department

[0059] As a functional department Figure 1 The control unit 7 shown has a work quality judgment unit 72 and a control signal output unit 74.

[0060] The performance evaluation unit 72 acquires the force detection results, such as the magnitude and direction of the force, output from the force sensor 46 of the first robot 41. Then, based on the force detection results, the performance evaluation unit 72 determines the quality of the first lid-closing operation. For example, a performance value obtained through repeated prior experiments can be used as the basis for judgment. Specifically, the range of the direction and magnitude of the force that would result in a defective product 94 is determined in advance through experiments. Then, the performance evaluation unit 72 is configured such that when the container lid-closing system 1 is operating, if the force detection result is within this range, it determines that a defective product 94 has been generated.

[0061] When the work quality judgment unit 72 determines that the work is defective, that is, when it is determined that a defective product 94 has been generated, the control signal output unit 74 outputs a control signal to the defective product transfer unit 52. When this control signal is input, the defective product transfer unit 52 performs the operation of transferring the defective product 94 generated in the first cover closing operation to the second transport unit 3. That is, the control unit 7 controls the operation of the defective product transfer unit 52 based on the signal output from the first robot 41.

[0062] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 The diagram shows an example of the hardware structure of the control unit 7.

[0063] The functions performed by the functional units of control unit 7, for example, by having Figure 3 The CPU 701, ROM 702, RAM 703, external interface 704, and internal bus 705 shown are implemented in hardware. The CPU 701, ROM 702, RAM 703, and external interface 704 can communicate with each other via the internal bus 705.

[0064] CPU 701 stands for Central Processing Unit. Alternatively, CPU 701 can also be a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Furthermore, all or part of the hardware can be constructed using FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0065] ROM 702 is Read-Only Memory, which is composed of any non-volatile storage elements. RAM 703 is Random Access Memory, which is composed of any volatile storage elements.

[0066] External interfaces 704 include, for example, digital input / output ports such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) and Ethernet (registered trademark) ports.

[0067] 1.2. Work

[0068] The operation of container lid closing system 1 is described.

[0069] After food or other items are placed into the container body 91 in the holding section 82, the container body 91 is supplied to the fourth transport section 62 of the supply quantity adjustment section 6. The container bodies 91 are supplied sequentially at predetermined time intervals. The fourth transport section 62 transports the container bodies 91 to the second transport section 3 via the container body transfer section 63. The container body transfer section 63 transfers a portion of the container bodies 91 transported by the fourth transport section 62 to the third transport section 61. Then, the third transport section 61 supplies the transferred container bodies 91 to the first transport section 2, and the fourth transport section 62 supplies the remaining container bodies 91 to the second transport section 3. Thus, the supply quantity adjustment section 6 adjusts the quantity of container bodies 91 supplied to the first transport section 2 and the second transport section 3.

[0070] The first robot 41 performs a first cap-closing operation on the container body 91 supplied to the first transport unit 2. This yields a qualified product 93. The qualified product 93 is directly transferred to the second transport unit 3 via the qualified product transfer unit 54 through the non-qualified product transfer unit 52. Then, it is sent to the packaging unit 84 along with the qualified product 93 transported by the second transport unit 3. On the other hand, during the first cap-closing operation, a non-qualified product 94 may sometimes be generated with a certain probability. When a non-qualified product 94 is generated, the non-qualified product transfer unit 52 is controlled by the control unit 7 to transfer the non-qualified product 94 to the second transport unit 3. The non-qualified product 94 transferred to the second transport unit 3 is corrected by the operator M to become a qualified product 93. This prevents the non-qualified product 94 from being sent to the packaging unit 84.

[0071] In addition, operator M performs a second lid-closing operation on the container body 91 supplied to the second transport unit 3. Since operator M's processing capacity is generally higher than that of the robot, it is able to perform both the correction operation for the aforementioned defective product 94 and the second lid-closing operation.

[0072] By operating as described above, the container lid closing system 1 can reduce manpower even when using the first robot 41 with low processing capacity, and as a whole, it can improve the efficiency of lid closing operations.

[0073] 2. Second Implementation Method

[0074] Next, the container lid closing system 1 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0075] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram showing the container lid closing system 1 according to the second embodiment.

[0076] The second embodiment will now be described, focusing on its differences from the first embodiment; similar points will be omitted from the description. Furthermore, in... Figure 4 In this drawing, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same structures as in the first embodiment.

[0077] The second embodiment, in addition to having Figure 4 Apart from the second robot 42 shown, it is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0078] The second robot 42 is configured in Figure 1 The position of operator M is shown. That is, replacing... Figure 1The operator M shown is equipped with a second robot 42. The second robot 42 is a robot with a higher processing capacity than the first robot 41. Therefore, the second robot 42 performs a second lid closing operation on the container body 91 transported by the second transport unit 3, and performs a correction operation on the defective products 94 generated in the first lid closing operation based on the first robot 41.

[0079] Furthermore, the first robot 41 and the second robot 42 can be of different or the same model. Even if the models are the same, there may be differences in processing capacity due to individual differences in the cover-holding clamp 44 and other factors. In the second embodiment, even when using two robots with different processing capabilities, the robot with the lower processing capacity will not limit the speed, and the processing capabilities of both robots can be fully utilized. As a result, even when using the first robot 41 with lower processing capacity, labor saving can be achieved, and the overall efficiency of the cover-closing operation can be improved.

[0080] Figure 4 The second robot 42 shown can be a horizontal multi-joint robot, a vertical multi-joint robot, or a dual-arm robot with multiple robotic arms. Furthermore, by using a horizontal multi-joint robot as the second robot 42, it is easy to increase the processing speed of the second robot 42.

[0081] Furthermore, the second robot 42 is positioned upstream of the qualified product transfer unit 54. Therefore, qualified products 93 transferred from the qualified product transfer unit 54 to the second handling unit 3 do not enter the working range of the second robot 42, but are instead sent towards the packaging unit 84. Thus, the second robot 42 can perform the second cover closing operation and correction operation without wasting time observing the qualified products 93 (waiting for the qualified products 93 to pass through).

[0082] Furthermore, operator M can be configured in any location as needed. Figure 4 In this example, an operator M is positioned downstream of the qualified product transfer unit 54. In this configuration, all qualified products 93 being sent to the packaging unit 84 come into the operator M's field of vision. Therefore, the operator M can focus on inspecting the qualified products 93. Furthermore, even if defective products 94 are mixed in with the qualified products 93, the operator M can perform corrective operations, thus preventing defective products 94 from being sent to the packaging unit 84. As a result, the cap-closing operation can be further streamlined using two robots, and the probability of defective products 94 being sent to subsequent processes can be reduced.

[0083] In the second embodiment described above, the same effects as in the first embodiment can also be obtained.

[0084] 3. Third Implementation Method

[0085] Next, the container lid closing system 1 according to the third embodiment will be described.

[0086] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram showing the container lid closing system 1 according to the third embodiment.

[0087] The third embodiment will now be described, focusing on its differences from the first embodiment; similar points will be omitted from the description. Furthermore, in... Figure 5 In this drawing, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same structures as in the first embodiment.

[0088] The third embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the different structure of the supply quantity adjustment unit 6.

[0089] Figure 5 The supply quantity adjustment unit 6 shown includes: a drive unit 64 that drives the first transport unit 2; a drive unit 65 that drives the second transport unit 3; and a transport speed setting unit 66 that sets the transport speed of each transport unit based on the drive units 64 and 65. Furthermore, as an example, Figure 5 The container section 82 shown is configured to supply the same number of container bodies 91 to both the first transport section 2 and the second transport section 3 per unit time.

[0090] Drive unit 64 is the power source for driving the first transport unit 2. Drive unit 65 is the power source for driving the second transport unit 3. The transport speeds of drive units 64 and 65 can be arbitrarily set. The transport speed setting unit 66 outputs a speed setting signal or electrical power to enable drive units 64 and 65 to reach the target transport speed.

[0091] In the transport speed setting unit 66, the transport speed based on the second transport unit 3 is set to be greater than the transport speed based on the first transport unit 2. This allows the number of container bodies 91 transported by the second transport unit 3 per unit time to be greater than the number of container bodies 91 transported by the first transport unit 2 per unit time without complicating the structure of the supply quantity adjustment unit 6. As a result, it avoids supplying the first transport unit 2 with a large number of container bodies 91, preventing the first robot 41 from being unable to handle them completely. Furthermore, it avoids excess processing capacity of the operator M. Consequently, even when using the first robot 41 with low processing capacity, labor saving is achieved, and the overall efficiency of the lid-closing operation is improved.

[0092] In the third embodiment described above, the same effects as in the first embodiment can also be obtained.

[0093] 4. The effects of the above-described implementation methods

[0094] As described above, the container lid closing system 1 according to the above embodiments is a system for closing the lid 92 of a container body 91, and includes a first transport unit 2, a second transport unit 3, a first robot 41, a defective product transfer unit 52, and a supply quantity adjustment unit 6. The first transport unit 2 and the second transport unit 3 transport the container body 91 sequentially. The supply quantity adjustment unit 6 adjusts the number of container bodies 91 supplied to the first transport unit 2 and the second transport unit 3, so that the number of container bodies 91 transported by the second transport unit 3 per unit time is greater than the number of container bodies 91 transported by the first transport unit 2 per unit time. The first robot 41 is located after the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 and performs a first lid closing operation on the container bodies 91 transported by the first transport unit 2. The defective product transfer unit 52 transfers defective products 94 generated in the first lid closing operation to the second transport unit 3.

[0095] The container lid closing system 1 with this structure can perform a second lid closing operation based on an operator M and a second robot 42 in parallel with the first lid closing operation based on a first robot 41. Furthermore, the operator M and the second robot 42 can perform correction operations on the defective products 94 generated during the first lid closing operation based on the first robot 41. Therefore, even when using the first robot 41, which has limited processing capacity, labor savings can be achieved, and the overall efficiency of the lid closing operation can be improved.

[0096] Alternatively, the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 may also include a third transport unit 61, a fourth transport unit 62, and a container body transfer unit 63. The third transport unit 61 is connected to the upstream side of the first transport unit 2. The fourth transport unit 62 is connected to the upstream side of the second transport unit 3. The container body transfer unit 63 transfers a portion of the container body 91 supplied to the fourth transport unit 62 to the third transport unit 61.

[0097] With this structure, the holding section 82 located upstream of the container lid closing system 1 can be configured to supply only the container body 91 to the fourth conveying section 62. Therefore, miniaturization of the holding section 82 becomes easier. Furthermore, since no modifications are required when using an existing holding section 82 corresponding to the container lid closing system 1 of this embodiment, a reduction in system cost can be achieved.

[0098] Alternatively, the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 may also have a transport speed setting unit 66. The transport speed setting unit 66 makes the transport speed based on the second transport unit 3 greater than the transport speed based on the first transport unit 2.

[0099] With this structure, the complexity of the supply quantity adjustment unit 6 can be avoided, and the number of container bodies 91 transported by the second transport unit 3 per unit time is greater than the number of container bodies 91 transported by the first transport unit 2 per unit time.

[0100] Furthermore, the container lid closing system 1 according to the above embodiments includes a qualified product transfer unit 54. The qualified product transfer unit 54 is located downstream of the unqualified product transfer unit 52 and transfers the qualified product 93 obtained in the first lid closing operation to the second transport unit 3.

[0101] According to this structure, not only the qualified product 93 produced in the second cap-closing operation based on operator M, but also the qualified product 93 produced in the first cap-closing operation based on the first robot 41 is transported by the second transport unit 3. As a result, the packaging unit 84, located downstream of the second transport unit 3, only needs to accept the qualified product 93 transported by the second transport unit 3, thus miniaturization becomes easier. In addition, if the existing packaging unit 84 is made to correspond with the container cap-closing system 1 according to this embodiment, no modifications are required, thus reducing the cost of introducing the system.

[0102] Alternatively, the container lid closing system 1 may also include a second robot 42. The second robot 42 is located downstream of the non-conforming product transfer unit 52 and performs a second lid closing operation on the container body 91 transported by the second handling unit 3.

[0103] Based on this structure, a further labor-saving container lid closing system 1 can be obtained, which enables lid closing operations.

[0104] Furthermore, when the container lid closing system 1 includes a qualified product transfer unit 54 and a second robot 42, it is preferable that the second robot 42 is positioned upstream of the qualified product transfer unit 54. Additionally, the qualified product transfer unit 54 is located downstream of the unqualified product transfer unit 52, and transfers the qualified product 93 obtained in the first lid closing operation to the second handling unit 3.

[0105] With this structure, the qualified product 93 transferred from the qualified product transfer unit 54 to the second handling unit 3 will not enter the working range of the second robot 42, but will be sent towards the packaging unit 84. Therefore, the second robot 42 can perform the second cover closing operation and the correction operation without wasting the time spent observing the qualified product 93 (waiting for the qualified product 93 to pass through).

[0106] Additionally, the first robot 41 includes a robotic arm 43, a lid-holding clamp 44 serving as a lid-holding part, and a force sensor 46. The lid-holding clamp 44 is mounted on the robotic arm 43 and holds the lid 92. The force sensor 46 detects the force applied to the lid-holding clamp 44. The container lid closing system 1 then includes a control unit 7. The control unit 7 includes a work quality judgment unit 72 and a control signal output unit 74. The work quality judgment unit 72 determines the quality of the first lid closing operation based on the force detection result generated by the force sensor 46. When the work quality judgment unit 72 determines that the operation is defective, the control signal output unit 74 outputs a control signal to the defective product transfer unit 52 in a manner that the defective product 94 is transferred to the second transport unit 3.

[0107] Furthermore, the first robot 41 is preferably a horizontal joint robot. The rotation surface of the arm of a horizontal joint robot is horizontal, thus facilitating increased rotation speed. Therefore, by using a horizontal joint robot, the processing speed of the first robot 41 can be improved.

[0108] Furthermore, the container lid closing system 1 described in the above embodiments is a system that closes the lid 92 while food is contained within the container body 91. Since the lid 92 is relatively flexible, closing the lid of a food container is one of the more difficult tasks to automate. The container lid closing system 1 described in this embodiment is a system that allows for cooperation from the operator M as needed, and is therefore suitable for automating a portion of an existing production line. Thus, for the lid closing operation of food containers, the container lid closing system 1 can achieve labor-saving efficiency at a low cost.

[0109] The above description of the container lid closing system according to the present invention is based on the illustrated embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0110] For example, the container lid closing system according to the present invention can also be a system in which the parts of the above embodiments are replaced with any components having the same function, or it can be a system in which any components are added to the above embodiments. In addition, the present invention can also combine two or more of the above embodiments.

Claims

1. A container closure system characterized by, For the container body, close the lid. The container lid closing system includes: The first transport unit transports the container bodies sequentially. The second transport unit transports the container bodies sequentially. A supply quantity adjustment unit is provided on the upstream side of the first transport unit and the second transport unit, and adjusts the quantity of the container bodies supplied to the first transport unit and the second transport unit; A first robot, located downstream of the supply quantity adjustment unit, has a first working range for performing a first cap-closing operation on the container body transported by the first conveying unit; and The defective product transfer unit is located downstream of the first robot. The supply quantity adjustment unit adjusts the quantity in such a way that the number of container bodies transferred by the first transport unit per unit time is less than the number of container bodies transferred by the second transport unit per unit time. The first transport unit transports the container body within the first operating area. The first robot performs the first cover closing operation within the first working area. The non-conforming product transfer unit will transfer non-conforming products generated during the first cover closing operation from the first transport unit to the second transport unit. The second transport unit transports the defective product within the second work area where the correction operation is performed.

2. The container lid closing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supply quantity adjustment unit has: The third transport unit is connected to the upstream side of the first transport unit; The fourth transport unit is connected to the upstream side of the second transport unit; and The container body transfer unit transfers a portion of the container body supplied to the fourth transfer unit to the third transfer unit.

3. The container lid closing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supply quantity adjustment unit has a transport speed setting unit that sets the transport speed based on the second transport unit to be greater than the transport speed based on the first transport unit.

4. The container lid closing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The container lid closing system includes a qualified product transfer section located downstream of the unqualified product transfer section, which transfers the qualified products obtained through the first lid closing operation to the second transport section.

5. The container lid closing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The container lid closing system includes a second robot located downstream of the non-conforming product transfer unit and having the second operating range.

6. The container lid closing system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The container lid closing system includes a qualified product transfer section located downstream of the unqualified product transfer section, which transfers the qualified products obtained through the first lid closing operation to the second handling section. The second robot is positioned upstream of the qualified product transfer unit.

7. The container lid closing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first robot has: robotic arm; A cover holding part is provided on the robotic arm to hold the cover; and A force sensor detects the force applied to the cover's gripping portion. The container lid closing system includes a control unit, which has: a performance evaluation unit that determines the performance of the first lid closing operation based on the force detection result generated by the force sensor; and a control signal output unit that outputs a control signal to the non-conforming product transfer unit when the performance evaluation unit determines that the operation is defective, in order to transfer the non-conforming product to the second transport unit.

8. The container lid closing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first robot is a horizontal multi-joint robot.

9. The container lid closing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The container lid closing system is a system that closes the lid while food is contained within the container body.

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