Article conveying device

Abstract

To provide an article conveying device that can suppress the generation of wear powder due to the reversal of grippers.SOLUTION: The conveying device is equipped with a rotating body that can be rotated by a drive source, a plurality of grippers supported by the rotating body, each of which can invert a posture while gripping containers, and an inversion mechanism that inverts the posture of the grippers. The inversion mechanism inverts the posture of the grippers by applying a magnetic repulsive force or a magnetic attractive force to the grippers.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an article conveying device that is suitably used in an apparatus known as a rotary rinser for cleaning and draining, for example, resin containers. [Background technology]

[0002] A system for filling containers with contents such as beverages includes a rotary rinser. The rotary rinser is a rotary container washing device that performs processes such as washing, draining, and drying while gripping containers with multiple gripping devices called grippers, chucks, etc. that are provided on the periphery of a rotating body. The rotary rinser grips a part of a container that is conveyed in an upright state with a gripper, for example, a neck portion, and inverts the container together with the gripper to make it inverted. After inverting the container, the rotary rinser inverts the container together with the gripper to an upright state and conveys it toward a downstream process. In other words, the rotary rinser functions as a conveying device.

[0003] A known reversing mechanism is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The reversing mechanism in Patent Document 1 includes a guide rail that is connected in the circumferential direction and has a fixed position, a U-shaped slider that slides on the guide rail, and a gripper that performs a reversing operation integrally with the slider. By changing the circumferential trajectory of the guide rail, the direction of the slider that moves in the circumferential direction while sliding on the guide rail is reversed, thereby reversing the gripper. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-262154 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a reversing mechanism in which a slider slides on a guide rail as in Patent Document 1, the guide rail and the slider inevitably wear out as the slider slides. A rotary rinser equipped with this reversing mechanism requires an element to prevent wear powder generated by wear from entering the inside of the container. In addition, as wear progresses, there is a risk that the guide rail and the slider will need to be replaced. In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an article conveying device that can suppress the generation of wear powder caused by the reversal of the gripper. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The article conveying device according to the present disclosure is A rotating body that can be rotated by a drive source; A plurality of grippers are supported by a rotating body and each of which is capable of reversing its posture while gripping an object; and an inversion mechanism for inverting the attitude of the gripper. The inversion mechanism of the present disclosure comprises: The gripper's orientation is reversed by applying a magnetic repulsive force or a magnetic attractive force to the gripper. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the conveying device of the present disclosure, the gripper's position can be reversed by applying a magnetic repulsive force or a magnetic attractive force to the gripper. Since the magnetic repulsive force or the magnetic attractive force can apply the external force required for reversal to the gripper without contact, according to the conveying device of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the generation of wear powder that accompanies reversing the gripper's position. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a conveying device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a transport device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are a perspective view (PV) and a side view (SV) showing a gripper according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 4A to 4C are diagrams illustrating an example of an arrangement of fixed side magnets according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] 2 is a plan view showing an example of a reversed region A1 and a reversed region A2 according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 11 is a plan view showing another example of the reversed region A1 and the reversed region A2 according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 11 is a plan view showing another example of the reversed region A1 and the reversed region A2 according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating another example of the gripper according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The conveying device described below conveys an object, for example a container to be cleaned in a rotary rinser, along a circular conveying path while inverting the container from an upright position to an inverted position, and then inverts the container from an inverted position to an upright position. In the embodiment, the term "upright" refers to a position in which the mouth of the container, such as the spout or drinking spout, faces upward, whereas the term "inverted" refers to a position in which the mouth faces downward. The gripper itself that grips the container is simply turned upside down and cannot be called upright or inverted, but in order to clarify the correspondence with the container, in this disclosure, the position of the gripper that grips a container in an upright position is referred to as upright, and the position of the gripper that grips a container in an inverted position is referred to as inverted. In the embodiment, upstream and downstream are defined according to the direction in which the container is transported, although upstream and downstream have relative meanings.

[0010] [Embodiment: Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4] In the transport device 1 according to the embodiment, both the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM are made of permanent magnets, and the reversing mechanism 30 is configured so that the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM have the same magnetic poles facing each other. In the transport device 1, the movable magnet MM is fixed to a reversing arm 33 that is rotatable integrally with the gripper 20 that grips the container. Furthermore, in the transport device 1, each gripper 20 is provided with a movable magnet MM, and multiple fixed magnets FM are arranged in a row.

[0011] [Overall configuration of the conveying device 1: see Figures 1 and 2] The transport device 1 is provided between the loading rotator 101 provided on the upstream side and the unloading rotator 103 provided on the downstream side. The transport device 1 conveys the container along an arc-shaped path and inverts the container twice before transferring the container received from the rotating loading rotator 101 to the rotating unloading rotator 103. The container received by the transport device 1 from the loading rotator 101 is upright. In the process of performing the two inversions, if the transport device 1 constitutes a rotary rinser, the container is subjected to processing such as cleaning and drying. The loading rotator 101 and the unloading rotator 103 are called star wheels, and although not shown, a number of grippers for gripping containers are provided around the periphery of the star wheels and rotate in synchronization with the transport device 1. The conveying device 1 includes a rotating body 10, a plurality of grippers 20 supported by the rotating body 10 and capable of reversing the posture of each of the grippers 20 while gripping a container, and an inversion mechanism 30 that inverts the posture of the grippers 20. The grippers 20 move along an arc-shaped trajectory as the rotating body 10 rotates.

[0012] [Rotating body 10: See Figures 1 and 2] The rotating body 10 is a circular member that can be rotated about a rotating shaft 10C by a driving source (not shown). The rotating body 10 is provided with a plurality of grippers 20 on its outer periphery and rotates with the plurality of grippers 20. In Figs. 1 and 2, the grippers 20 involved in the inversion are shown, but the other grippers 20 are omitted. The areas in which these grippers 20 are shown are the inversion areas A1 and A2. In the inversion area A1, the container is inverted from upright to inverted, and is transported in the inverted state to the inversion area A2, where the container is inverted from upright to upright in the inversion area A2, and then the container is transferred to the conveying rotating body 103. The container is supported by the rotating body 10. Around the inversion areas A1 and A2, in correspondence with each of the inversion areas A1 and A2, an inversion mechanism 30, which will be described later, is provided.

[0013] [Gripper 20: See Figure 3] Next, the gripper 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, the gripper 20 is in an upright position before inversion and in an inverted position after inversion, with the upright position shown in solid lines and the inverted position shown in virtual lines. In Fig. 3, an arrow indicates the direction of inversion. The gripper 20 includes a pair of gripping pieces 21, 21, a first holder 23 that swingably supports each of the gripping pieces 21, 21, and a second holder 25 that swingably supports the first holder 23. In order to prevent the gripper 20 from being magnetized by being placed in the range of the magnetic field affected by the magnetic forces of the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM, it is preferable that each component of the gripper 20, such as the gripping pieces 21, 21, is made of a non-magnetic metal material. In particular, it is preferable to use austenitic stainless steel, such as JIS SUS304 or SUS316, which has both corrosion resistance and strength. Note that swinging refers to an operation of rotating in one direction and an operation of rotating in the other direction being repeated alternately.

[0014] The gripping pieces 21, 21 are supported by the first holder 23 so as to be able to swing via the swing shafts 22, 22, respectively. The gripping pieces 21, 21 perform a reciprocating motion, i.e., a swinging motion, between a closed state in which the gripping piece 21, 21 grips the container and an open state in which the gripping piece 21, 21 releases the gripping of the container. The mechanism for swinging the gripping pieces 21, 21 is omitted here, but a known mechanism using, for example, a cam can be adopted.

[0015] First holder 23 has a U-shape or C-shape in side view, and includes supports 23A, 23B arranged facing each other and in parallel, and a connector 23C connecting one ends of supports 23A, 23B. With the exception of the connecting body 23C, there is a gap between the supports 23A and 23B, which is open to the outside. A portion of the gripping pieces 21 is disposed between the supports 23A and 23B, and the other portion is exposed to the outside from the other end (tip) of the supports 23A and 23B, which are open. A reversing shaft 29 is provided penetrating the connecting body 23C, and both ends of the reversing shaft 29 are supported by the second holder 25.

[0016] Second holder 25 has a U-shape or C-shape in side view, and includes supports 25A, 25B arranged facing each other and in parallel, and a connector 25C connecting one ends of supports 25A, 25B. Except for the connecting body 25C, there is a gap between the supports 25A and 25B, which is open to the outside. The first holder 23 has the connecting body 23C disposed between the supports 25A and 25B, and the other parts of the first holder 23 are exposed to the outside from the supports 25A and 25B, which are open. An inversion shaft 29 that penetrates the connecting body 23C disposed on the inside in the width direction Y is supported at both ends by the supports 25A and 25B. This allows the first holder 23 and the gripping pieces 21, 21 supported by the first holder 23 to swing relative to the second holder 25. The first holder 23 and the gripping pieces 21, 21 rotate 180 degrees around the inversion shaft 29, that is, are inverted, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0017] [Reversal mechanism 30: see Figures 3 and 4] Next, the reversing mechanism 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. The reversing mechanism 30 includes a movable element 31 that is provided on the gripper 20 and rotates together with the rotating body 10, and a fixed element 37 that is provided in each of the reversing regions A1 and A2. The fixed element 37 is fixed in position in the reversing region A1 (A2). The reversing mechanism 30 reverses the gripper 20 by applying a magnetic repulsive force between the movable element 31 and the fixed element 37 to the gripper 20.

[0018] [Movable element 31: see Figure 3] The movable element 31 is provided for each of the multiple grippers 20. The movable element 31 includes a movable magnet MM that generates a magnetic repulsive force between itself and the fixed magnet FM of the fixed element 37, and an inverted arm 33 that supports the movable magnet MM. The movable magnet MM is fixed to the inverted arm 33 so that it cannot rotate relative to the inverted arm 33. As an example, the movable magnet MM is composed of a rectangular parallelepiped permanent magnet, with one of the front and back sides forming a north pole and the other side forming a south pole. In other words, this permanent magnet has anisotropy in the plate thickness direction. The arrangement of the north and south poles may be reversed on the front and back of the movable magnet MM. Here, as shown in SV in Figure 3, the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM are both north poles or both south poles. The material of the permanent magnet suitable for the movable magnet MM will be described later.

[0019] As an example, the inverting arm 33 is fixed to the support 23B of the first holder 23 in the gripper 20 so as to be perpendicular to the support 23B. When the first holder 23 is in an upright state, the inverting arm 33 faces downward in the vertical direction V. When the first holder 23 is in an inverted state, the inverting arm 33 faces upward in the vertical direction V. In addition, in a free state in which no magnetic force from the fixed magnet FM acts on the movable magnet MM, the inverting arm 33 faces downward in the vertical direction V, and the gripper 20 is in an upright state. The movable magnet MM is provided on the tip side of the inverting arm 33, and faces the inside of the rotating body 10, i.e., the rotation axis 10C, when the first holder 23 is in an upright state.

[0020] When a magnetic repulsive force is generated between the fixed-side magnet FM and the movable-side magnet MM of the fixed-side element 37, the magnetic repulsive force acts on the gripper 20 via the reversing arm 33. That is, the magnetic repulsive force in the present disclosure acts indirectly as an external force on the gripper 20 via the reversing arm 33. Since the first holder 23 to which the reversing arm 33 is fixed is made swingable by the second swing shaft 29, this external force generates a rotational moment in the reversing arm 33 and the first holder 23, causing the gripper 20 to rotate inverted. Note that, for the same magnetic force, the longer the distance from the movable-side magnet MM where the magnetic repulsive force is generated to the second swing shaft 29, the larger the rotational moment becomes.

[0021] [Operation of movable element 31 and fixed element 37: see FIG. 4] The fixed side elements 37 are provided in each of the reversal regions A1 and A2. The fixed element 37 includes a plurality of fixed magnets FM. The plurality of fixed magnets FM are arranged in a row in the reversing area A along the direction in which the container is transported by the rotor 10 and the gripper 20. However, the plurality of fixed magnets FM are not arranged on the same plane, but are arranged along a three-dimensional trajectory corresponding to the trajectory along which the movable magnet MM attached to the reversing arm 33 should move in the process of reversing the gripper 20. When the plurality of fixed magnets FM are placed on a table (not shown) whose surface is continuously tilted, as shown in the figure, the surface is tilted with respect to the horizontal direction H, and is therefore not parallel to the movable magnet MM. However, the surface shape of the table on which the fixed magnet FM is placed can also be made parallel to the moving movable magnet MM.

[0022] At the most upstream (MU) in the reversal region A1 (A2), the movable magnet MM has, as an example, an N pole facing outward in the radial direction R and an S pole facing inward in the radial direction R. At this time, the gripper 20 is in an upright position, the reversal arm 33 faces downward in the vertical direction V, and the movable magnet MM has a magnetic pole face MF parallel to the vertical direction V. As the movable magnet MM moves from the most upstream (MU) to the most downstream (MD), its inclination with respect to the vertical direction V increases and its position in the vertical direction V becomes higher. In this example, at the midpoint (MP) between the most upstream (MU) and the most downstream (MD), the magnetic pole face MF is perpendicular to the vertical direction V, that is, parallel to the horizontal direction H. After passing the midpoint (MP), the movable magnet MM moves toward the most downstream (MD) while increasing its inclination with respect to the horizontal direction H and increasing its position in the vertical direction V. At the most downstream (MD) in the reversal area A1, the S pole of the movable magnet MM faces inward in the radial direction R, and the N pole faces outward in the radial direction R. At this time, the gripper 20 is in an upside-down position, and the reversal arm 33 faces upward in the vertical direction V.

[0023] In order to realize the movement and operation of the movable magnets MM as described above, the multiple fixed magnets FM are arranged as follows. At the most upstream (MU) in the reversing region A1, the fixed magnet FM has a magnetic pole face consisting of an N pole and an S pole that are parallel to the vertical direction V, and the N pole faces outward in the radial direction R. The fixed magnet FM is arranged so that its inclination with respect to the vertical direction V increases and its position in the vertical direction V becomes higher as it moves from the most upstream (MU) side to the most downstream (MD). In this example, at the midpoint (MP) between the most upstream (MU) and the most downstream (MD), the magnetic pole face MF of the fixed magnet FM is also perpendicular to the vertical direction V, that is, parallel to the horizontal direction H. After the midpoint (MP), the fixed magnet FM is arranged toward the most downstream (MD) so that its inclination with respect to the horizontal direction H increases and its position in the vertical direction V becomes higher. At the most downstream (MD) in the reversing region A1, the fixed magnet FM has a S pole that faces outward in the radial direction R, and the N pole that faces inward in the radial direction R. From the most upstream (MU) to the most downstream (MD), the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM, which are subjected to a magnetic repulsive force from each other, move at a predetermined interval. In other words, the gripper 20 is reversed from an upright position to an inverted position while the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM maintain a non-contact state. As the gripper 20 is reversed, the position of the container being gripped is also reversed from upright to inverted.

[0024] 4 shows the arrangement of the fixed magnets FM and the operation of the movable magnets MM in the reversing area A1, but in the reversing area A2, the movable magnets MM move with a predetermined distance from the fixed magnets FM, and the gripper 20 is reversed from an inverted position to an upright position while the movable magnets MM and the fixed magnets FM are maintained in a non-contact state. Between the reversing areas A1 and A2, the gripper 20 in the inverted position needs to move while maintaining that position, and the maintenance of this position will be described later.

[0025] [effect] The above-described conveying device 1 has the following advantages. The advantages are based on the fact that the gripper 20 can be inverted from an inverted position to an upright position while the movable-side magnets MM and the fixed-side magnets FM, which are elements of the inversion mechanism 30, maintain a non-contact state. <Prevention of wear debris generation> The container held by the gripper 20 is inverted by using the magnetic force, particularly the magnetic repulsive force, between the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM. In other words, the inversion mechanism 30 of the conveying device 1 can achieve inversion without mechanical contact such as sliding, thereby suppressing the wear and generation of wear powder that occurs between a conventional guide rail and slider.

[0026] <Possibility of shortening the inversion region> In conventional reversing mechanisms, where the slider and guide rail slide and are in mechanical contact with each other, the friction between the slider and guide rail increases, which can cause scuffing, sticking, etc., and can impede the movement of the slider. Therefore, conventional reversing mechanisms must suppress the upward inclination of the guide rail to a degree that does not cause scuffing or sticking, which lengthens the area required for reversal (reversal area). The upward inclination of the guide rail is the upward inclination of the trajectory that the slider moves along the guide rail.

[0027] In contrast to the above, the reversing mechanism 30 of the present embodiment can realize reversal without contact, so there is no need to consider biting, sticking, etc. Therefore, the reversing mechanism 30 can increase the upward inclination of the trajectory along which the movable magnet MM moves, so the reversing region can be shortened. If the reversal area can be shortened, the area in which other processes are performed other than the reversal area can be lengthened, so that other processes can be performed without difficulty. Alternatively, if the reversal area can be shortened, the diameter of the rotor constituting the transport device can be shortened, so that the space occupied by the transport device 1 can be reduced.

[0028] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it is possible to select the configurations given in the embodiments or to change them to other configurations as appropriate.

[0029] [Magnetic repulsion and magnetic attraction] In the embodiment described above, the fixed-side magnet FM and the movable-side magnet MM have the same magnetic poles on the opposing faces, and the mutual magnetic repulsion property is utilized to reverse the gripper 20, but the present disclosure can also reverse the gripper 20 by utilizing the mutual magnetic attraction property. When using this magnetic attraction force, two aspects are included. In the first embodiment, both the fixed side and the movable side are made of magnets, and the magnetic poles of the fixed side magnet FM and the movable side magnet MM facing each other are different. In the second embodiment, one of the fixed side and the movable side is made of a magnet, and the other is made of a soft magnetic material. For example, the magnetic material provided on the gripper 20, which is the movable side relative to the fixed side magnet FM, is a soft magnetic material that is attracted to the magnet. A typical example of a soft magnetic material is any one metal of the iron group elements (Fe, Ni, Co) or multiple alloys. In this disclosure, when the word "magnet" is used simply, the concept includes both permanent magnets and electromagnets.

[0030] Furthermore, when using magnetic attraction, care must be taken to ensure that the fixed magnet FM and the movable magnet MM do not come into direct contact. This is because contact can cause chipping, cracking, and the like, particularly in the case of sintered magnets. By adjusting the magnetic attraction, it is possible to prevent the fixed magnet FM and the movable magnet MM from coming into direct contact. Furthermore, chipping, cracking, and the like can be prevented by enclosing one or both of the fixed magnet FM and the movable magnet MM in a case made of a highly flexible material.

[0031] [Type of permanent magnet] The material of the permanent magnet used in the present disclosure is not limited, and may be selected from known permanent magnets such as ferrite permanent magnets and rare earth permanent magnets. When strong magnetic force is required for the fixed magnet FM and the movable magnet MM, it is preferable to use a rare earth permanent magnet. Typical examples of rare earth permanent magnets include Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets, which are mainly composed of Nd, Fe, and B, and Sm-Co permanent magnets, which are mainly composed of Sm and Co, but either can be used in the present disclosure. Comparing Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets and Sm-Co permanent magnets, Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets have higher magnetic properties than Sm-Co permanent magnets. However, Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets have better corrosion resistance than Sm-Co permanent magnets. This is because Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets contain a lot of Fe, which has poorer corrosion resistance than Co. For this reason, when using Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets, it is preferable to perform plating or other surface treatment. When plating, Ni plating is preferably used. Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets have a lower Curie temperature of about 300°C compared to Sm-Co permanent magnets, but in the environment of a filling system including a rotary rinser, the decrease in magnetic force is hardly an issue.

[0032] The manufacturing process for permanent magnets is also arbitrary, and in addition to sintered magnets obtained by sintering magnet powder, resin-bonded magnets (bonded magnets) can be used, which are made by mixing magnet powder with a binder such as plastic or rubber and then solidifying and molding the mixture. Some examples of bonded magnets are shown below. Compression molded magnet: A permanent magnet made by press-molding a mixture of magnet powder and thermosetting resin, such as epoxy resin, and then heat-curing it. Injection molded magnets: Permanent magnets made by injection molding raw materials made from a mixture of magnetic powder and thermoplastic resin using an injection molding machine and mold. Extrusion-molded magnets: Permanent magnets made by extrusion molding a mixture of magnetic powder and thermoplastic resin.

[0033] The multiple fixed-side magnets FM provided in the reversible region A1 and the reversible region A2 may be composed of multiple permanent magnets having the same magnetic force. In this case, the magnetic repulsive force between the movable-side magnet MM and each of the multiple fixed-side magnets FM can be made the same. Also, the multiple fixed-side magnets FM provided in the reversible region A1 may be composed of permanent magnets having different magnetic forces. In this case, the repulsive force between the movable-side magnet MM and each of the multiple fixed-side magnets FM can be changed. In this case, all of the multiple magnets can be permanent magnets having different magnetic forces, or, as an example, the multiple permanent magnets can be divided into several groups, for example, three groups, and the magnetic force of each group can be changed.

[0034] [Use of electromagnets for fixed magnet FM and movable magnet MM] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which permanent magnets were used as the fixed magnet FM and the movable magnet MM, but in this embodiment, instead of a permanent magnet, an electromagnet can be used for one or both of the fixed magnet FM and the movable magnet MM. In this case, it is preferable to use an electromagnet for the fixed magnet FM. Since an electromagnet requires auxiliary elements such as electric wires to supply electric current, applying it to the fixed magnet FM can simplify the configuration of the transport device 1. The strength of a magnet's magnetic force is expressed as magnetic flux density (T). The magnetic flux density of an electromagnet is proportional to the number of turns in the coil and the value of the current supplied to the coil. Therefore, an electromagnet can generate a stronger magnetic force than a permanent magnet. Also, while the magnetic force of a permanent magnet is constant, the strength of the magnetic force of an electromagnet can be varied by changing the value of the current supplied.

[0035] [Example of fixed magnet FM (reversed regions A1, A2) arrangement: see Figure 5] Between the reversal areas A1 and A2 in the above embodiment, the gripper 20 in the inverted state needs to move while maintaining that position. This position can be maintained by using magnetic force from a magnet, or by other means. A centrifugal force is generated in the movable element 31 (the reversal arm 33 and the movable magnet MM) provided on the gripper 20 toward the outside in the radial direction as the rotor 10 rotates. The movable element 31 receiving this centrifugal force tries to tilt toward the outside in the radial direction, so it is necessary to stop this tilt and move the gripper 20 to the reversal area A2 while maintaining the inverted state.

[0036] An example using magnetic force is shown in FIG. 5 (upper part). In this example, a position maintaining area A3 in which multiple fixed side magnets FM are arranged is provided between a reversing area A1 and a reversing area A2 in which multiple fixed side magnets FM are arranged in both. The fixed side magnets FM in the position maintaining area A3 are in the same position as the fixed side magnets FM in the most downstream (MD) of the reversing area A1, that is, along the vertical direction V. While the gripper 20 passes through the position maintaining area A3, a magnetic repulsive force is generated between the movable side magnets MM supported by the reversing arm 33 of the gripper 20 in an inverted position and the fixed side magnets FM in the position maintaining area A3, so that the gripper 20 maintains its inverted position. The fixed side magnets FM arranged in the position maintaining area A3 may be either permanent magnets or electromagnets.

[0037] An example using a means other than magnetic force is shown in FIG. 5 (lower part). In this example, a posture maintaining area A4 is provided between a reversing area A1 and a reversing area A2, both of which have a plurality of fixed side magnets FM arranged therein, to maintain the posture of the gripper 20 provided with the movable side element 31 without applying magnetic force. In the posture maintaining area A3, the position of the center of gravity of the gripper 20 provided with the movable side element 31 is adjusted so that the gripper 20 does not tilt radially outward even if a centrifugal force is applied to the movable side element 31 (the reversing arm 33 and the movable side magnet MM). In other words, the center of gravity of each gripper 20 is displaced inward in the radial direction R. For example, it is sufficient if the reversing arm 33 is tilted inward in the radial direction R rather than parallel to the vertical direction V.

[0038] [Use of electromagnets: Figure 6] As mentioned above, electromagnets can be used for either or both of the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM, and here, an example of a form in which electromagnets are used will be shown. The upper diagram in FIG. 6 shows an example in which fixed-side magnets FM, which are made up of a plurality of electromagnets, are arranged over the entire area of ​​each of reversal regions A1 and A2. The upper diagram in Fig. 6 shows an example of combining permanent magnets and electromagnets. Reversal region A1 is composed of reversal region A11 and reversal region A12, and reversal region A2 is composed of reversal region A21 and reversal region A22. In reversal region A1 and reversal region A2, reversal region A11 and reversal region A21, which include the beginning of the reversal operation, are composed of one or more electromagnets. In reversal region A1 and reversal region A2, reversal region A12 and reversal region A22, which follow reversal region A11 and reversal region A21, respectively, are composed of multiple permanent magnets.

[0039] In a series of inversion movements from upright to inverted and from inverted to upright, a stronger magnetic repulsion force is required at the beginning of the movement than thereafter. Therefore, in the above example, fixed magnets FM, which are electromagnets that tend to produce a stronger magnetic force, are arranged in the inversion region A11 and the inversion region A21. However, this is merely a preferred form in this disclosure, and it is permissible to use permanent magnets in the inversion region A11 and the inversion region A21, which are the beginning of the inversion movement, and to use electromagnets in the subsequent inversion regions A21 and A22.

[0040] [Refer to Figure 7] In the above embodiment, each of the reversal regions A1 and A2 includes a plurality of fixed-side magnets FM, and two reversal regions A1 and A2 are provided, but the present disclosure includes other embodiments. 7 shows an example in which the gripper 20 is reversed by receiving a magnetic force from a single fixed-side magnet FM in both the reversal region A1 and the reversal region A2 as an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. A strong magnetic force is required to reverse the gripper 20 by the magnetic repulsive force between the single fixed-side magnet FM and the movable-side magnet MM, and therefore it is preferable to use an electromagnet for the fixed-side magnet FM, or if a permanent magnet is used, to use a Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet.

[0041] The lower part of FIG. 7 shows an example of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, which includes four reversal areas A1, A2, A3, and A4. In other words, the number of reversal areas provided in the conveying device of the present disclosure is not limited to two, and one or three or more reversal areas are selected. The four reversal areas A1, A2, A3, and A4 are assumed to perform reversal from upright to inverted, from inverted to upright, from upright to inverted, and from inverted to normal, respectively. In addition, the lower part of FIG. 7 follows the upper part and shows an example in which the gripper 20 is reversed by receiving a magnetic force from a single fixed-side magnet FM, but in the present disclosure, the gripper 20 may be reversed by receiving a magnetic force from multiple fixed-side magnets FM.

[0042] [Mounting of movable magnet MM: Fig. 3, Fig. 8] In the embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 3, the movable magnet MM is mounted on an inverted arm 33 arranged perpendicular to the support 23B of the gripper 20, but the present disclosure includes other mounting forms of the movable magnet MM.

[0043] In the first of the other mounting configurations, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 8, the movable magnet MM is fixed to the reversing shaft 29. The movable magnet MM is made of a rod-shaped permanent magnet with a rectangular cross section. When an external force based on a magnetic force is applied in the horizontal direction H to the tip side opposite to the fixed side of the reversing shaft 29, a rotational moment is generated in the movable magnet MM, and the movable magnet MM rotates counterclockwise in the figure. As the movable magnet MM rotates, the reversing shaft 29 rotates counterclockwise in the figure, so the gripper 20 is reversed counterclockwise. In order to apply this external force, a fixed magnet FM is provided. One surface of the movable magnet MM forms an S pole and the other surface forms an N pole, and the surface of the fixed magnet FM facing the movable magnet MM forms an S pole. Therefore, the magnetic repulsive force between the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM becomes the external force that is the starting point of the generation of the rotational moment. The movable magnet MM may be magnetized so that its leading end is an S pole and its trailing end is an N pole as long as a magnetic repulsive force is generated between the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM.

[0044] In the second alternative mounting configuration, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 8, the movable magnet MM is fixed to the tip of the reversing arm 33 which is fixed to the reversing shaft 29. This movable magnet MM is made of a rectangular parallelepiped permanent magnet. In the second configuration as well, the magnetic repulsive force MF between the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM becomes the external force F which is the starting point for generating the rotational moment.

[0045] What is common to the embodiment and the two mounting configurations is that the moment that reverses the gripper 20 is generated by a magnetic force. That is, the reversing mechanism 30 reverses the gripper 20 by generating a rotational moment about the reversing axis 29 of the gripper 20.

[0046] [Shapes of movable magnet MM and fixed magnet FM] As long as there is a magnetic repulsive or attractive force between them, the shape of the movable magnet MM and the fixed magnet FM is not limited to the rectangular parallelepiped shape with a rectangular cross section. For example, permanent magnets with an elliptical (including circular) cross section or polygonal cross section other than a rectangle, such as a regular hexagon, can be used.

[0047] [Note] According to the present disclosure, the following conveying device (1) is specified. Note that specific feature 2 and subsequent features can be applied to all previous specific features. <Specific matter 1> The article conveying device (1) comprises: A rotating body (10) that can be rotated by a drive source; a plurality of grippers (20) on the periphery of the rotating body (10), each capable of reversing its position while gripping an object; and an inversion mechanism (30) that inverts the attitude of the gripper. The reversing mechanism (30) is The position of the gripper (20) is reversed by applying a magnetic repulsive force or a magnetic attractive force to the gripper (20).

[0048] <Specific matter 2> The inversion mechanism (30) preferably includes: A reversing shaft (29) is provided to rotatably support the gripper (20), The position of the gripper (20) is reversed by generating a rotational moment around a reversal axis (29) in the gripper (20) by a magnetic repulsive force or a magnetic attractive force.

[0049] <Specific matter 3> The inversion mechanism (30) preferably includes: A movable magnet (MM) provided in each gripper (20); and one or more fixed magnets (FM) provided in a reversal region of a gripper (20) provided along the periphery of the rotating body (10), As the gripper (20) moves, the movable magnet (MM) and the fixed magnet (FM) face each other without contacting each other, generating a magnetic repulsive force or a magnetic attractive force.

[0050] <Specific matter 4> The inversion mechanism (30) preferably includes: an inversion arm (33) fixed to the gripper (20) at a predetermined angle with the gripper (20); and a movable magnet (MM) fixed to the inversion arm (33).

[0051] <Specific matter 5> The reversing mechanism (30) preferably includes a movable magnet (MM) fixed to the reversing shaft (31).

[0052] <Specific matter 6> Preferably, one or both of the movable magnet (MM) and the fixed magnet (FM) are made of a permanent magnet.

[0053] <Specific matter 7> Preferably, one of the movable magnet (MM) and the fixed magnet (FM) is a permanent magnet, The other of the movable magnet (MM) and fixed magnet (FM) is an electromagnet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1. Transport device 10 Rotating Body 10C Rotational axis 20 Gripper 21 Grip piece 22 Swing shaft 23 First Holder 23A,23B Support 23C Linker 25 Second Holder 25A,25B Support 25C Concatenation 29 Inverted Axis 30 Reversal mechanism 31 Movable element 33 Inverted Arm 37 Fixed element 101 Loading Rotary Body 103 Unloading Rotary Body A1,A2 inversion region MM Movable magnet FM Fixed magnet V vertical direction H horizontal direction Y Width direction

Claims

1. a rotating body that can be rotated by a drive source; a plurality of grippers supported by the rotating body and each capable of reversing its posture while gripping an object; an inversion mechanism that inverts the attitude of the gripper without inverting the rotating body, The inversion mechanism includes: An article transport device that reverses the posture of the gripper by applying a magnetic repulsive force or a magnetic attractive force to the gripper.

2. The inversion mechanism includes: an inversion shaft that rotatably supports the gripper; a rotational moment is generated around the reversal axis in the gripper by the magnetic repulsive force or the magnetic attractive force, thereby reversing the attitude of the gripper; The conveying device according to claim 1 .

3. The inversion mechanism includes: a movable-side magnet provided in each of the grippers; one or more fixed magnets provided in a reversing region of the gripper provided along the periphery of the rotating body, the movable-side magnet and the fixed-side magnet face each other without contacting each other as the gripper moves, thereby generating the magnetic repulsive force or the magnetic attractive force; The conveying device according to claim 2 .

4. The inversion mechanism includes: an inverted arm fixed to the gripper at a predetermined angle; the movable-side magnet fixed to the inverted arm; Equipped with The conveying device according to claim 3 .

5. The inversion mechanism includes: The movable-side magnet is fixed to the reversal shaft. The conveying device according to claim 3 .

6. One or both of the movable-side magnet and the fixed-side magnet are made of a permanent magnet. The conveying device according to claim 3 .

7. one of the movable-side magnet and the fixed-side magnet is a permanent magnet, the other of the movable-side magnet and the fixed-side magnet is an electromagnet, The conveying device according to claim 3 .

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