Tofu packing apparatus

Abstract

To smoothly execute a tofu packing operation in excellent health and hygiene conditions.SOLUTION: A tofu packing apparatus 1 comprises: a pack covering device 20 for covering multiple tofus A1 with packs P with opening parts P1 of the packs P downwards; a pack feeding conveyor 40 for continuously feeding the packs P to the pack covering device 20; and a pack feeding magazine 70 for continuously arranging the packs on the pack feeding conveyor 40. The pack feeding magazine 70 comprises: a supporting member 71 for supporting the multiple packs P stacked with the opening parts P1 downwards; and a cutting-off member 72, in the multiple packs P supported by the supporting member 71, for cutting off the bottom pack PA arranged at the bottom from the other stacked packs P with the opening parts P1 downwards.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tofu packing device that automatically performs processes from cutting to packing continuously produced sheet-like tofu. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, silken tofu is produced by adding a coagulant to the soy milk used as the raw material and allowing it to coagulate and mature in a mold, and then firm tofu is similarly allowed to coagulate and mature in a suitable container (e.g. a tub, bucket, or mold, etc.) and poured into a mold to compact and mold, after which it is removed from the mold, cut to the required size, and packed.

[0003] In recent years, there has been an increase in continuous mass production lines in which sheets of silken tofu that have been continuously coagulated and aged, or cotton tofu that has been broken down and continuously compressed, are cut into individual blocks and packed into packs for packaging.

[0004] Examples of conventional tofu packaging machines include those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic continuous tofu packaging machine having a first transfer conveyor that transfers framed tofu into a water tank, cutting means that sequentially cuts the framed tofu transferred into the water tank in the lengthwise and widthwise directions, a second transfer conveyor that sequentially transfers the cut tofu out of the water tank, and packaging means that is installed downstream of the second transfer conveyor and packs the transferred tofu sequentially or multiple pieces at the same time.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a tofu product transport device which holds and transports tofu products and which is equipped with a clamp having a pair of clamping bodies arranged facing each other, a holding head which clamps and holds tofu products by bringing the pair of clamping bodies closer together, and a head moving device which moves the holding head, and in which the clamp is provided with anti-slip means on the contact surfaces of each of the pair of clamping bodies with the tofu product to prevent the held tofu product from slipping off. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-006759 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-226759 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In a tofu packing device, by grasping the relative relationship, including the relative positioning of the tofu and the empty pack before the tofu is packed, it is possible to achieve smooth operation. In Patent Document 1, the posture information of the empty pack is not grasped by a camera or the like, and even if the pack is missing or the position and posture of the pack is misaligned, the robot assumes that it has grasped the empty pack and performs the operation of covering the tofu, so there is a possibility that the covering operation will not be performed smoothly. In Patent Document 2, a method is adopted in which soft tofu is grasped and dropped into an empty pack, so naturally high-speed operation is not possible and there is a limit to the processing capacity.

[0008] The present invention provides a tofu packing device which enables the tofu packing operation to be carried out smoothly and in a hygienic and clean condition.

[0009] A tofu packing device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a pack covering device that covers a plurality of pieces of tofu aligned at predetermined intervals in the front, rear, left and right directions on the transport surface of a transfer conveyor with packs with the openings of the packs facing downward, a pack supply conveyor that continuously supplies packs to the pack covering device from the side of the transfer conveyor, and a pack supply magazine that continuously places packs on the pack supply conveyor, the pack supply magazine comprising a support member that supports the plurality of packs stacked with the openings facing downward, and a separating member that separates a bottommost pack, which is placed at the bottom of the plurality of packs supported by the support member, from the other stacked packs with the opening facing downward.

[0010] For example, in the packing device, the pack has a flange portion extending outward from the peripheral edge of the opening, and the separating member has an insertion portion that is inserted into the gap between the two flange portions of two stacked packs as the separating member approaches the stacked packs.

[0011] For example, in the packaging device, the insertion portion has a horizontal first surface and a second surface located below the first surface and inclined relative to the first surface, and the first surface and the second surface intersect to form a knife-edge shape at the tip of the insertion portion.

[0012] For example, in the packing device, the support member has a bottom pack support portion that supports the bottom pack, the bottom pack support portion and the separating member are arranged horizontally side by side, and the packing device further includes a drive device that moves the bottom pack support portion and the separating member horizontally simultaneously, and a first surface of the insertion portion is positioned higher than an upper surface of a flange portion of the bottom pack supported by the bottom pack support portion.

[0013] For example, in the packing device, the support member has a bottom pack support portion that supports the bottom pack, the bottom pack support portion and the separating member are arranged horizontally side by side, and the packing device further includes a drive device that moves the bottom pack support portion and the separating member horizontally simultaneously.

[0014] For example, in the packing device, the drive device imparts a horizontal reciprocating motion to the lowest pack support portion and the separating member, repeatedly separating the lowest pack by the separating member and supporting the next stacked pack by the lowest pack support portion.

[0015] For example, in the packing device, a pair of the separating members are arranged on both horizontal sides of the lowest pack support part, and the pair of separating members each have an insertion portion that is inserted into the gap between two flange portions of two stacked packs as they approach a plurality of stacked packs, and the drive device moves the lowest pack support part and the pair of separating members horizontally simultaneously.

[0016] For example, the packing device has a pair of bottom pack support parts that respectively support the bottom pack of a plurality of packs stacked with the opening facing downward, and the separating member has a pair of insertion parts at both horizontal ends that are respectively inserted into the gaps between two flange parts of two stacked packs as it approaches the stacked packs, and the pair of bottom pack support parts are arranged on both horizontal sides of the separating member, and the drive device moves the pair of bottom pack support parts and the separating member horizontally simultaneously.

[0017] For example, in the packing device, the pack supply magazine further has a pack receiving member that receives the separated bottommost pack below, and a pack moving member that moves the bottommost pack received by the pack receiving member onto the pack supply conveyor.

[0018] For example, in the packing device, the pack receiving member is movable up and down between an upper position where it receives the bottom pack separated by the separating member, and a lower position at the height where the conveying surface of the transfer conveyor is located.

[0019] For example, in the packing device, the support member supports a plurality of packs so that the gap between the flange portions is 1 mm or more. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, the pack supply magazine continuously supplies empty packs before tofu is packed with the openings facing downwards, which allows the tofu packing work to be carried out smoothly and in a hygienic manner. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an overall side view of a tofu packing device to which the present invention is applied and a diagram showing its operation. (a) shows the operation of cutting a continuous sheet of tofu along the direction of travel and cutting it across to the size of multiple blocks, as well as the operation of a robot picking up an empty pack and moving it over a block of tofu that has been spread out at a specified interval. (b) shows the operation of finally cutting the tofu cut into multiple blocks across to the size of one block, as well as the operation of placing the empty pack over the block of tofu. (c) shows the operation of finally turning the device over and placing the tofu in the pack, as well as the operation of the robot going back to pick up the empty pack again. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an overall side view of another tofu packing machine to which the present invention is applied. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows the tofu packing apparatus of the embodiment, and is a side view at the position of the pack covering device and the pack supply conveyor. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows the tofu packing device of the embodiment, and is a top view including the pack covering device, the pack supply conveyor, and the pack supply magazine. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a top view of the pack supply magazine. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a side view of a portion of a pack supply magazine illustrating a first step in placing packs from the pack supply magazine onto a pack supply conveyor. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a side view of a portion of the pack supply magazine illustrating a second step in placing packs from the pack supply magazine onto the pack supply conveyor. [Figure 6C] FIG. 6C is a side view of a portion of the pack supply magazine illustrating a third step in placing packs from the pack supply magazine onto the pack supply conveyor. [Figure 6D] FIG. 6D is a side view of a portion of the pack supply magazine illustrating a fourth step in placing packs from the pack supply magazine onto the pack supply conveyor. [Figure 6E] FIG. 6E is a side view of a portion of the pack supply magazine illustrating a fifth step of placing packs from the pack supply magazine onto the pack supply conveyor. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view seen from the right side in FIG. 6D. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a pack with a rim, where (a) shows a pack having a ridge on the side, and (b) shows a pack without a ridge. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view showing a portion of a modified example of the pack supply magazine. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a portion of another modified example of the pack supply magazine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a tofu packing machine to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0023] 1(a)-(c) show a tofu packing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The tofu packing apparatus 1 comprises a circulating endless first transfer conveyor 3, a cutting device 4, a circulating endless second transfer conveyor 5, a pack covering device 20, a pack supply conveyor 40, a lifting conveyor 60, an inverting device 30, and a circulating endless third transfer conveyor 50. The packing apparatus 1 further comprises a pack supply magazine 70 shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

[0024] The first transfer conveyor 3 transfers the leading end of the continuous sheet-like tofu A into the water tank 2. The cutting device 4 cuts the leading end of the continuous sheet-like tofu A in the lengthwise and widthwise directions while it is partially exposed from the water (semi-on land) to cut it into blocks of tofu A1·. The second transfer conveyor 5 transfers the cut pieces of tofu A1·, arranging them at intervals in a semi-on land state. The pack covering device 20 is installed above the second transfer conveyor 5, and packs each piece of tofu A1· transferred by the pack supply conveyor 40 by sequentially covering it with a pack P. The lifting conveyor 60 takes out each piece of tofu A1 covered with a pack P from the water tank 2. The inverting device 30 is installed downstream of the lifting conveyor 60 and inverts the pack P (partially covered by the tofu A1·) upside down. The third transfer conveyor 50 transfers the upside-down packs P to the next processing step (packaging step).

[0025] The tofu packing machine to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a semi-land type in which a water tank 2 is used and part of the cutting and aligning process is performed underwater as shown in Figure 1(a)-(c), but may be a type without a water tank and in which the cutting and aligning process is entirely performed on land as shown in Figure 2. In this case, there is no need to provide a rising conveyor 60 as shown in Figures 1(a)-(c), and the order of the cutting process is also arbitrary as long as the blocks are aligned at predetermined intervals one by one.

[0026] In this application, the direction in which continuous tofu sheets travel is defined as the vertical or column direction, and the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel is defined as the horizontal or row direction. The XYZ coordinate system in the drawing is a coordinate system for clarifying the orientation of the tofu packing apparatus 1 on the drawing, with the X-axis corresponding to the direction in which continuous tofu sheets travel (vertical or column direction), the Y-axis corresponding to the horizontal or row direction of the tofu sheets perpendicular to the X-axis, and the Z-axis corresponding to the height direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis.

[0027] The first transfer conveyor 3 is used to transfer the leading end of the continuous sheet-like tofu A into the water tank 2, and guides the sheet-like tofu A from near the rear periphery of the water tank 2 into the water tank 2 via a transfer plate 6. The sheet-like tofu A is further guided to the second transfer conveyor 5, where it is cut into appropriate blocks of tofu by a cutting device 4 between the downstream part of the transfer plate 6 and the upstream part of the second transfer conveyor 5. The cutting device 4 includes a roll cutter 4a that cuts the continuous sheet-like tofu A along the traveling direction (longitudinal direction), a cross-cutting cutter 4b that cuts it across into multiple blocks (two blocks in this example; see Figures 1(b) and (c)), and a cross-cutting member 4c (see Figures 1(b) and (c)) that finally cuts the tofu cut into multiple blocks by the cross-cutting cutter 4b into the size of one block. However, the specific structure of the cutting device 4 is not particularly limited, and the cutting device 4 may cut the material into pieces (minimum units) at a time using a lattice-shaped cutting blade.

[0028] The second transfer conveyor 5 is installed inside the water tank 2 and transfers the cut tofu A1, etc., in a semi-land state, i.e., with only the top part of each piece of tofu A1 exposed above the water, in a sequentially spaced-apart arrangement. The pack covering device 20 covers the exposed parts of each piece of tofu A1 transported by the second transfer conveyor 5 with packs P. The pack P is continuously supplied to the pack covering device 20 by the pack supply conveyor 40. The pack covering device 20 and the pack supply conveyor 40 will be described in detail later. In addition, in Figures 1(a) to (c) and Figure 2, the pack supply conveyor 40 is shown as being arranged parallel to the traveling direction of the second transfer conveyor 5 (the traveling direction of the tofu), but in an actual embodiment as shown in Figure 3 and subsequent figures, the pack supply conveyor 40 is arranged so as to intersect with the traveling direction of the second transfer conveyor 5, more specifically, so as to intersect in a direction that is roughly transverse to the traveling direction of the second transfer conveyor 5 (a direction that intersects at a right angle when viewed from above).

[0029] The rise conveyor 60 takes out each tofu A1 covered with a pack P from the water tank 2 and transfers it to the inverting device 30. The inverting device 30 is located downstream of the rise conveyor 60 and turns the packs P (which are partially covered with tofu A1) upside down. The third transfer conveyor 50 transfers the inverted packs P to the next processing step (packaging step).

[0030] In the tofu packing machine 1, the various devices do not stop during production and generally operate continuously in a synchronized manner at a constant speed, but they may also operate intermittently in a synchronized manner.

[0031] Next, the pack covering device 20 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the pack covering device 20 has a support rail 21, which is a base, suspended in the conveyor width direction above the second transfer conveyor 5 driven by the motor 5m. A movable base unit 22 is slidably provided on the support rail 21, and a parallel link mechanism 23 is provided on the movable base unit 22. That is, the pack covering device 20 is a robot equipped with a parallel link mechanism 23 including three link shafts 23a that three-dimensionally drive a tip gripping unit 23b that grips the pack P. The tip gripping unit 23b can be of a suction type that sucks and holds the pack P with a suction cup, a chuck type that has two to four finger forceps and pinches the pack P, or a gripping structure that combines these, and is not particularly limited as long as it can firmly grip the pack with the same orientation. The movable base unit 22 and the tip gripping unit 23b may also be provided with horizontal and vertical rotation axes, and a total of four to six control axes may be provided. A parallel link mechanism is also preferred, but a scalar robot as described later may also be used, as long as it is a high-speed robot that can move back and forth at least 100 times (cycles) over a horizontal distance of 200 to 300 mm per minute (100 CPM; abbreviation for cycles per minute), and preferably a high-speed robot that can move back and forth at least 100 times over a horizontal distance of 0.5 to 1.5 m per minute (100 CPM; abbreviation for cycles per minute).

[0032] In addition, since the support rail 21, which is the base, is located at a higher position than the second transfer conveyor 5, space saving is achieved, and for example, by covering the space surrounded by the support rail 21 with a cover, cleaning of the second transfer conveyor 5 and other equipment inside becomes easy. For example, by cleaning the space with a cleaning nozzle capable of CIP cleaning and sterilization or SIP sterilization (steam sterilization), the conveyor and various parts that come into direct contact with the tofu can be cleaned, sterilized, and sterilized, and dust, dirt, foreign matter, etc. can also be washed away. It is preferable that various robots and conveyors are corrosion-resistant against food cleaning agents and sterilizing agents, and that they meet the IP65 standard or higher (JIS C 0920-1993) for high dustproofness and waterproofness. It is also preferable that steam is blown in during production and the temperature inside the warehouse is kept at 60 to 100°C by temperature control. Further, a member such as a tray for preventing contamination by foreign matter may be provided below the parallel link mechanism 23, or the parallel link mechanism 23 itself may be designed for the food industry, where foreign matter is not generated.

[0033] In addition, the pack covering device 20 has an image sensor (camera device) 24 mounted on the moving base unit 22 to capture images of each piece of tofu A1· flowing on the conveying surface 5s. Each piece of tofu A1· can be accurately covered with a pack P in accordance with the position of each piece of tofu A1· captured by the image sensor 24. Furthermore, lighting members for the image sensor may be provided as necessary.

[0034] Furthermore, one parallel link mechanism 23 is installed on each side in the width direction of the conveyor. The horizontal movement range of the packing device 20 is set to a range of 0.5 to 1.5 meters since the arrangement width of the tofu A1·· is in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 meters, for example, and the operation accuracy is within ±2.0 mm, preferably ±0.2 mm, and more preferably ±0.02 mm. However, the number of parallel link mechanisms 23 is not particularly limited.

[0035] In addition, the parallel link mechanism (robot) 23 of this embodiment and the scalar mechanism (robot) (not shown) are preferably robots having a high-speed processing capability (ability to drive at high speed) of 100 horizontal round trips (100 CPM) or more over a horizontal distance of 0.2 to 3 m, preferably 0.5 to 1.5 m. High-speed processing in this specification refers to a processing capability of 4,000 to 6,000 or more units per hour with one pack covering device 20. If there are two units, the processing capability will be doubled. Note that a multi-joint type (serial link mechanism) robot may be used as long as it is capable of processing at the same or higher speed.

[0036] Next, the pack supply conveyor 40 will be described. In this embodiment, the packs P are supplied by the pack supply conveyor 40 provided adjacent to the second transfer conveyor 5 in the width direction. The pack supply conveyor 40 continuously supplies packs to the pack covering device 20 from the side of the second transfer conveyor 5. For example, the same number of pack supply conveyors 40 as the number of pack covering devices 20 can be provided. In addition, the pack supply conveyor 40 may be provided with an image sensor capable of detecting the state of the packs P.

[0037] The pack supply conveyor 40 of this embodiment is extended to above the second transfer conveyor 5, and continuously supplies packs P to the position where the pack covering device 20 (parallel link mechanism 23) is disposed. This allows the pack covering device 20 (parallel link mechanism 23) to grasp the packs P without moving significantly, thereby shortening the operation time.

[0038] Furthermore, the pack supply conveyor 40 supplies the packs P in a direction intersecting the traveling direction of the second transfer conveyor 5, and in a particular embodiment, the pack supply conveyor 40 supplies the packs P so that they overlap in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the second transfer conveyor 5 when viewed from above. This allows the pack supply conveyor 40 to efficiently supply the packs P to the pack covering device 20.

[0039] The pack supply conveyor 40 further comprises a first pack conveyor 41 that circulates endlessly and is disposed to the side of the second transfer conveyor 5 and adjacent to a pack supply magazine 70 described later, a second pack conveyor 42 that circulates endlessly and is disposed above the second transfer conveyor 5 and supplies the packs P supplied from the first pack conveyor 41 to the pack covering device 20, and a third pack conveyor 43 that connects the first pack conveyor 41 and the second pack conveyor 42 and transports the packs P from the first pack conveyor 41 to the second pack conveyor 42. By increasing the transport speed of the first pack conveyor 41, the third pack conveyor 43, and the second pack conveyor 42 in that order, the intervals between the transported packs P can be increased, making it easier for the parallel link mechanism 23 to grip the packs P. In addition, it is possible to transfer packs P from the first pack conveyor 41 to the second pack conveyor 42 without providing the third pack conveyor 43, and in this case too, the conveying speed of the second pack conveyor 42 is faster than that of the first pack conveyor 41.

[0040] Fig. 3 shows the state at the timing when the parallel link mechanism 23 grasps and lifts up the packs P from the second pack conveyor 42. Fig. 4 shows the state at the timing when the parallel link mechanism 23 places the grasped packs P onto each piece of tofu A1.

[0041] Next, the pack supply magazine 70 will be described. As described above, the pack covering device 20 covers a plurality of tofu A1 aligned at predetermined intervals in the front-rear and left-right directions on the conveying surface of the second transfer conveyor 5 with packs P with the openings of the packs P facing downward. The pack supply conveyor 40 continuously supplies packs P to the pack covering device 20 from the side of the second transfer conveyor 5. The pack supply magazine 70 plays a role in continuously arranging packs P on the pack supply conveyor 40.

[0042] 3 and 4, the pack supply magazine 70 has a box-like outer shape and has multiple pack storage sections 70a aligned along the Y-axis direction, each of which stores multiple packs P stacked vertically. The pack supply magazine 70 supports multiple packs P therein with its opening facing downward, and places a specific pack P among the multiple packs P on the pack supply conveyor 40.

[0043] 5 shows a top view of the pack supply magazine 70. The pack supply magazine 70 is disposed adjacent to the first pack conveyor 41 of the pack supply conveyor 40. The pack supply magazine 70 includes a support member 71 that supports a plurality of packs P stacked with their openings facing downward. The support member 71 is formed, for example, by combining a plurality of metal frames extending in any one of the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis directions.

[0044] Fig. 6A is a side view of a portion of the pack supply magazine 70. This is a side view as viewed from the right side in Fig. 5. A plurality of packs P are stacked with their openings facing downwards in a height direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper of Fig. 5, i.e., in the Z-axis direction. The packs P have flange portions F that extend outward from the periphery of the opening P1. The packs P are stacked by the upper pack P covering the main body of the lower pack P from the opening P1, so that the flange portions F of each pack P are adjacent to each other in the height direction.

[0045] The support member 71 has a bottom-most pack support portion 71a that supports a bottom-most pack PA that is arranged at the bottom among the multiple stacked packs P. The bottom-most pack support portion 71a is, for example, a rod-shaped resin member attached to a frame part 71b extending in the Y-axis direction of the support member 71, and supports a flange portion F of the bottom-most pack PA from below.

[0046] The pack supply magazine 70 further includes a separating member 72, a pack receiving member 73, and a pack moving member 74. The separating member 72 separates the lowest pack PA arranged at the bottom from the other stacked packs P with the opening P1 facing downward. The pack receiving member 73 receives the lowest pack PA separated by the separating member 72 from below. The pack moving member 74 moves the lowest pack PA received by the pack receiving member 73 onto the first pack conveyor 41 of the pack supply conveyor 40.

[0047] The separating member 72 can be moved horizontally (in the X-axis direction) by a driving device 76 configured by a motor or the like. The separating member 72 has an insertion portion 75 that is inserted into the gap between two flange portions F of two stacked packs P as the separating member 72 approaches the stacked packs P by being driven by the driving device 76.

[0048] The insertion portion 75 has a horizontal first surface 75a extending parallel to the flange portion F of the pack P, and a second surface 75b located below the first surface 75a and inclined relative to the first surface 75a. The first surface 75a and the second surface 75b intersect to form a knife-edge shape at a tip 75c of the insertion portion 75. The inclination of the second surface 75b may be a straight line, or may be a substantially straight curved line or a bent line. That is, the cutting member 72 corresponds to a plane blade and functions to cut out the packs P one by one from the stacked packs P, just like a plane.

[0049] Moreover, rather than being sharp, tip 75c of insertion portion 75 is preferably chamfered to a chamfered edge such as a C surface (angled surface), R surface (rounded surface), or light chamfer of about 0.1 to 0.5 mm so as not to damage flange portion F of pack P. Moreover, the portion that slides against pack P is preferably processed to a smooth mirror finish (surface roughness Ra 5 nm or less, preferably Ra 2 nm or less, and more preferably Ra 1 nm or less), and the processing means is not limited, and may be buff polishing or electrolytic polishing.

[0050] The material of the separating member 72 is not particularly limited, but since it slides against the flange portion F of the pack P, it is preferable that the material is one that is unlikely to damage the flange portion F. Specific examples of the material include metal materials such as stainless steel, titanium, and aluminum, and resin materials such as UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene), MC (monomer cast) nylon, PP (polypropylene), and PEEK (polyether ether ketone) that are appropriately selected.

[0051] As described above, the support member 71 has a bottom pack support portion 71a that supports the bottom pack PA from below. The bottom pack support portion 71a and the separating member 72 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. The bottom pack support portion 71a and the separating member 72 are attached to, for example, a frame part 71b that extends in the Y-axis direction and is movable by a driving device 76, out of the frame that constitutes the support member 71. This allows the driving device 76 to move the bottom pack support portion 71a and the separating member 72 in the horizontal direction at the same time. The driving device 76 may be a reciprocating drive using an air cylinder or an electric cylinder (linear actuator), or a reciprocating drive obtained by converting the rotational drive of a servo motor or a rotary encoder, etc., using a ball screw or a cam.

[0052] Furthermore, when the bottom-most pack support portion 71a and the separating member 72 are attached to the frame part 71b, the first surface 75a of the insertion portion 75 is located higher than the upper surface of the bottom-most pack support portion 71a, and in fact higher than the upper surface of the flange portion F of the bottom-most pack PA supported by the bottom-most pack support portion 71a. More specifically, the first surface 75a of the insertion portion 75 is attached to the frame part 71b so as to be +0.1 mm or more higher than the thickness (e.g., 0.3 to 1 mm) of the flange portion F on the periphery of the bottom-most pack PA.

[0053] Next, a procedure for placing packs P from pack supply magazine 70 onto first pack conveyor 41 of pack supply conveyor 40 will be described with reference to Figures 6A to 6E. Figure 6A shows a first step of this procedure, Figure 6B shows a second step of this procedure, Figure 6C shows a third step of this procedure, Figure 6D shows a fourth step of this procedure, and Figure 6E shows a fifth step of this procedure.

[0054] The first step in Fig. 6A corresponds to the initial state. The separating member 72 is in the retracted position and is separated from the pack P. The pack receiving member 73 is in the lowered position and is at the same height as the first pack conveyor 41. The pack moving member 74 is in the retracted position.

[0055] 6B, the driving device 76 is driven to move the separating member 72 forward as shown by the arrow. Because the lowermost pack support part 71a and the separating member 72 are attached to a movable frame part 71b extending in the Y-axis direction, the lowermost pack support part 71a and the separating member 72 move forward in the horizontal direction in unison with each other.

[0056] As the lowest pack support portion 71a and the separating member 72 advance, one end of the flange portion F of the lowest pack PA falls off from the support of the lowest pack support portion 71a, so that the lowest pack PA tilts downward in the direction toward the separating member 72. As the lowest pack PA tilts, the gap between the flange portion F of the lowest pack PA and the flange portion F of the next pack P (the pack directly above the lowest pack PA) widens, forming a large gap G1. Then, the tip portion of the insertion portion 75 of the separating member 72 that has advanced is inserted into the gap G1 from its tip 75c. At this time, the first surface 75a of the insertion portion 75 advances while sliding against the underside of the flange portion F of the next pack P, and the second surface 75b advances while sliding against one end of the flange portion F of the lowest pack PA.

[0057] 6C, the separating member 72 advances further from the second step and reaches a position where it covers the entire underside of the bottommost pack PA. As a result, the bottommost pack PA is separated from the other packs P and falls, and the rising pack receiving member 73 receives the separated bottommost pack PA below the separating member 72. As a result, the next pack descends and becomes the bottommost pack.

[0058] The pack receiving member 73 is raised by a lifting device (not shown) as shown by the arrow during the second step in Fig. 6B. The timing of the rise may be any timing up to before the third step, that is, before the separating member 72 reaches a position where it covers the entire underside of the bottommost pack PA. However, the pack receiving member 73 can move to just below the separating member 72 before the separating member 72 separates the bottommost pack PA from the other stacked packs P. This allows the pack receiving member 73 to receive the packs P without the packs P shaking significantly in the vertical or horizontal directions.

[0059] In the fourth step in Fig. 6D, a lifting device (not shown) lowers the pack receiving member 73 that has received the lowest pack PA, as shown by the arrow, so that, as in the first step in Fig. 6A, the pack receiving member 73 is positioned at the same height as the conveying surface of the first pack conveyor 41. Furthermore, at any desired timing, the drive device 76 is driven to retract the lowest pack support part 71a and the separating member 72, returning them to the same initial positions as in the first step in Fig. 6A. That is, the pack receiving member 73 is vertically movable between an upper position where it receives the lowermost pack PA separated by the separating member 72, and a lower position at the height where the conveying surface of the pack supply conveyor 40 is located.

[0060] In the fifth step of FIG. 6E, a driving device (not shown) drives the pack moving member 74 to move forward as indicated by the arrow. The pack moving member 74 has a shape, for example, a metal plate processed into an L-shaped cross section. As indicated by the arrow, the pack moving member 74 pushes the lowest pack PA received by the pack receiving member 73 and moves it onto the first pack conveyor 41. The lowest pack PA that has moved onto the first pack conveyor 41 is transported to the pack covering device 20 via the third pack conveyor 43 and the second pack conveyor 42. Note that a receiving member 77 that fills the gap between the pack supply magazine 70 and the first pack conveyor 41 is disposed between the descending pack receiving member 73 and the first pack conveyor 41, and the pack moving member 74 and the lowest pack PA pass over the receiving member 77 and move onto the first pack conveyor 41.

[0061] 7 is a side view seen from the right side in the fourth step of FIG. 6D, with the first pack conveyor 41 omitted from the illustration. A pack receiving member 73 (located behind receiving member 77) is located vertically below the multiple packs P supported above. The receiving member 77 and pack receiving member 73 have convex guide members 78 on both sides of the flange portion F of the lowest pack PA. When the pack moving member 74 pushes the lowest pack PA placed on the pack receiving member 73, the guide members 78 guide the lowest pack PA to move in a straight line, thereby moving it smoothly onto the first pack conveyor 41.

[0062] In the packing device 1 of the embodiment, the pack supply magazine 70 continuously supplies empty packs P before tofu is packed with the openings P1 facing downward. In other words, since the packs P are handled face down, the tofu packing operation can be performed smoothly and in a hygienic condition.

[0063] Specifically, because the opening P1 faces downward, the risk of foreign matter (for example, dirt attached to people, hair, dirt falling from the environment, insects, etc.) getting into the packs P is reduced as much as possible, allowing work to be done in hygienic conditions. Also, the face-down packs P are supported above the device, which ensures a certain distance from the floor and makes it easier to prevent the adhesion of airborne bacteria, splashes of contaminated water, etc., compared to a configuration in which the packs P are supported below the device, making it hygienic. Furthermore, because the opening P1 faces downward, the packs P can be placed directly over the tofu T in a later process, eliminating the need for an inverting conveyor to turn the packs P upside down.

[0064] Furthermore, since the insertion portion 75 of the separating member 72 is inserted into the gap between the two flange portions F, the bottom pack PA can be smoothly separated from the other stacked packs P.

[0065] In particular, the first surface 75a of the insertion portion 75 advances while sliding against the underside of the flange portion F of the next pack P, and the second surface 75b advances while sliding against one end of the flange portion F of the lowermost pack PA. This allows the insertion portion 75 to be smoothly inserted into the gap between the two flange portions F.

[0066] Furthermore, the first surface 75a and the second surface 75b form a knife-edge shape at the tip 75c, so that the insertion portion 75 can be inserted into the gap between the two flange portions F more smoothly.

[0067] In addition, the bottommost pack support portion 71a and the separating member 72 are arranged side by side horizontally, and the drive device 76 moves the bottommost pack support portion 71a and the separating member 72 horizontally at the same time, so that the bottommost pack PA can be smoothly separated from the other stacked packs P.

[0068] The drive device 76 imparts a horizontal reciprocating motion to the bottommost pack support portion 71a and the separating member 72, repeatedly separating the bottommost pack PA with the separating member 72 and supporting the next stacked pack with the bottommost pack support portion 71a. This allows the bottommost pack PA to be separated continuously and efficiently.

[0069] This horizontal reciprocating motion continues until all the packs P stacked on the support member 71 are gone. The time t (seconds) for one cycle from when the packs P are gone and the operation ends, until the packs P are set back into the pack supply magazine 70 and the operation of the device begins, the number n (number of supply magazines) of packs that can be dropped continuously at the same time, and the pack processing capacity C (packs / hour) of the device satisfy the following formula (1).

[0070] C = n × 3,600 ÷ t t = n × 3,600 ÷ C (1)

[0071] Below are some specific numerical examples. For n=10, C=3,000 pieces / hour, t=12 seconds For n=10, C=4,500 pieces / hour, t=9 seconds For n=10, C=6,000 pieces / hour, t=6 seconds For n=15, C=3,000 pieces / hour, t=18 seconds For n=15, C=4,500 pieces / hour, t=12 seconds For n=15, C=6,000 pieces / hour, t=9 seconds For n=20, C=3,000 pieces / hour, t=24 seconds For n=20, C=4,500 pieces / hour, t=16 seconds For n=20, C=6,000 pieces / hour, t=12 seconds

[0072] Increasing the number n of packs increases the pack processing capacity C and ensures the cycle time t for setting the packs. The cycle time t is 5 seconds or more, and more preferably 10 seconds or more. As shown in Fig. 5, the support member 71 can support packs P in multiple pack storage sections 70a across multiple locations along the Y-axis direction, for example, and can efficiently supply a large number of packs P.

[0073] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a pack P with a rim, where (a) shows a pack having a protruding rib P3 on the side, and (b) shows a pack without a protruding rib. The pack P in this figure has a quadrangular shape (square, rectangle) in plan view (as viewed from the Z-axis direction). When the pack P has a quadrangular shape, the support member 71 can be formed by combining multiple metal frames extending in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and the pack supply magazine 70 can be simply configured. As long as the pack P has a flange portion on the periphery, it can be a circular, elliptical, or other shape in plan view, and can be a container for pressed tofu or soft tofu.

[0074] The support member 71 preferably supports a plurality of packs so that the gap between the flange portions F is 1 mm or more, and preferably 3 mm or more. This allows the insertion portion 75 of the separating member 72 to be inserted into a gap between the two flange portions F that is equal to or larger than a predetermined gap, so that the bottom pack PA can be smoothly separated from the other stacked packs P.

[0075] In order to ensure a large gap, it is preferable that the pack P is a rimmed pack having a rim R that bulges outward at a corner adjacent to the flange portion F, as shown in Fig. 8. In the case of a rimmed pack, the gap between the flange portions is generally set to 5 mm to 6 mm.

[0076] The thickness of the flange portion F of the pack P (particularly the thickness at the corners ≈ thickness of the raw roll before molding) may be 0.3 mm or more, preferably 0.4 mm or more, and more preferably 0.8 mm or more, and is a hard pack. The thickness of the flange portion is generally set to 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0077] The pack may be circular or the like in plan view. The pack may be a multi-part pack divided into two, four, six, or other regions in plan view. The pack may be a paper pack.

[0078] As a result, the present disclosure includes at least the following items. Note that, in parentheses, the components corresponding to those in the above-described embodiment are shown, but the present disclosure is not limited to these. For example, in the above embodiment, by providing the pack receiving member 73 and the pack moving member 74, the pack supply magazine 70 is disposed to the side of the pack supply conveyor 40, thereby improving maintainability and improving layout freedom. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the bottommost pack PA separated by the separating member 72 may be dropped directly onto the pack supply conveyor 40 (first pack conveyor 41). In this case, the first pack conveyor 41 may be intermittently operated by repeatedly stopping and driving. Furthermore, as in the above embodiment, the configuration may have a pack receiving member 73 that moves up and down, but a simple configuration in which the drop between the lowest pack PA and the pack receiving member 73 is small and the pack receiving member 73 does not move up and down may also be used.

[0079] In addition to the above embodiment, the pack supply magazine may also be configured as shown in Figure 9, in which a pair of separating members 72 having insertion portions 75 facing each other are arranged on both horizontal sides of the lowest pack support portion 71a in a frame part 71b extending in the Y-axis direction of the support member 71. As a result, the drive device 76 moves the lowest pack support portion 71a and the pair of separating members 72 horizontally at the same time, enabling the pair of separating members 72 to separate the lowest pack PA on the outward and return paths of the frame's reciprocating motion, and allowing the pack P to be separated and dropped more efficiently with fewer reciprocating movements, thereby reducing wear and extending the lifespan of mechanical parts.

[0080] In this case, too, the insertion portions 75 of a pair of separating members 72 are attached to the frame parts 71b so as to be inserted into the gap between the two flange portions F of two stacked packs P as they approach the stacked packs P.

[0081] 10, in the case where two pack supply magazines 70 are arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction, frame part 71b of support member 71 extending in the Y-axis direction has a pair of lowermost pack support portions 71a that respectively support the multiple packs stacked in each pack storage portion 70a, on both horizontal sides of separating member 72. Also, separating member 72 has a pair of insertion portions 75 on both horizontal ends that are respectively inserted into gaps between two flange portions of two stacked packs as separating member 72 approaches the multiple stacked packs.

[0082] Therefore, in the frame part 71b extending in the Y-axis direction, a pair of bottommost pack support parts 71a are arranged on both horizontal sides of the separating member 72, and the drive device 76 moves the pair of bottommost pack support parts 71a and the separating member 72 horizontally simultaneously.

[0083] In this case too, the pair of insertion portions 75 can separate the bottom-most packs PA of the two pack storage sections 70a on the outward and return paths of the frame's reciprocating motion, allowing the packs P to be separated and dropped more efficiently with fewer reciprocating movements, thereby reducing wear and extending the lifespan of mechanical parts.

[0084] (1) A pack covering device (pack covering device 20) that covers a pack (pack P) with an opening (opening P1) facing downward on a plurality of tofu (tofu A1) aligned at predetermined intervals in the front-rear and left-right directions on the conveying surface of a transfer conveyor (second transfer conveyor 5); a pack supply conveyor (pack supply conveyor 40) for continuously supplying packs to the pack covering device from a side of the transfer conveyor; a pack supply magazine (70) for continuously placing packs on the pack supply conveyor; Equipped with The pack supply magazine includes: A support member (support member 71) for supporting a plurality of stacked packs with the openings facing downward; a separating member (separating member 72) that separates a lowest pack (lowest pack PA) arranged at the lowest level among the plurality of packs supported by the supporting member from the other stacked packs with the opening facing downward; A tofu packing device (tofu packing device 1) comprising: This allows the pack supply magazine to continuously supply empty packs with the openings facing downwards before being filled with tofu, making it possible to pack tofu smoothly and in hygienic conditions.

[0085] (2) The tofu packing device according to (1), The pack has a flange portion (flange portion F) extending outward from the peripheral edge of the opening, The separating member has an insert portion (insertion portion 75) that is inserted into a gap between two flange portions of two stacked packs as the separating member approaches the stacked packs. Tofu packing machine. As a result, the insertion portion of the separating member is inserted into the gap between the two flange portions, so that the bottom pack can be smoothly separated from the other stacked packs.

[0086] (3) The tofu packing device according to (2), The insertion portion has a horizontal first surface (first surface 75a), a second surface (second surface 75b) located below the first surface and inclined with respect to the first surface, The first surface and the second surface intersect to form a knife edge shape at the tip (tip 75c) of the insertion portion. Tofu packing machine. This allows the insertion portion to be smoothly inserted into the gap between the two flange portions.

[0087] (4) The tofu packing device according to (3), the support member has a lowest pack support portion (lowest pack support portion 71 a) that supports the lowest pack, the lowermost pack support portion and the separating member are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction, The apparatus further includes a drive unit (drive unit 76) for moving the lowermost pack support unit and the separating member in a horizontal direction at the same time, a first surface of the insertion portion is positioned higher than an upper surface of a flange portion of the lowermost pack supported by the lowermost pack support portion; Tofu packing machine. This allows the bottommost pack support part and the separating member to be arranged side by side horizontally, and the drive device moves the bottommost pack support part and the separating member horizontally at the same time, allowing the bottommost pack to be smoothly separated from the other stacked packs.

[0088] (5) A tofu packing device according to (1), the support member has a lowest pack support portion (lowest pack support portion 71 a) that supports the lowest pack, the lowermost pack support portion and the separating member are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction, The lowermost pack support unit and the separating member are further moved in a horizontal direction at the same time by a drive unit (drive unit 76). Tofu packing machine. This allows the bottommost pack support part and the separating member to be arranged side by side horizontally, and the drive device moves the bottommost pack support part and the separating member horizontally at the same time, allowing the bottommost pack to be smoothly separated from the other stacked packs.

[0089] (6) The tofu packing device according to (5), the drive device applies a horizontal reciprocating motion to the lowermost pack support portion and the separating member, and the separating member repeatedly separates the lowermost pack and the lowermost pack support portion supports a next stacked pack. Tofu packing machine. This allows the lowermost pack to be separated continuously and efficiently.

[0090] (7) A tofu packing apparatus according to (5) or (6), a pair of the separating members are disposed on both sides of the lowermost pack support portion in the horizontal direction, the pair of separating members each have an insertion portion that is inserted into a gap between two flange portions of two stacked packs as the separating members approach the stacked packs, the drive device moves the lowermost pack support portion and the pair of separating members in a horizontal direction at the same time. Tofu packing machine. This allows the pair of separating members to separate the lowermost pack on the outward and return paths of their reciprocating motion, and allows the pack to be separated and dropped more efficiently with fewer reciprocating movements, thereby reducing wear and extending the life of mechanical parts.

[0091] (8) A tofu packing apparatus according to (5) or (6), the support member has a pair of bottom-stage pack support parts that respectively support the bottom-stage pack of a plurality of packs stacked with the openings facing downward, the separating member has a pair of insertion portions at both ends in a horizontal direction, the insertion portions being inserted into gaps between two flange portions of two stacked packs as the separating member approaches the stacked packs, the pair of lowermost pack support portions are disposed on both sides of the separating member in the horizontal direction, the drive device moves the pair of lowermost pack support members and the separating member in a horizontal direction at the same time. Tofu packing machine. This allows the pair of insertion parts to separate the bottom packs of the two pack storage parts on the outward and return paths of their reciprocating motion, and allows the packs to be separated and dropped more efficiently with fewer reciprocating movements, thereby reducing wear and extending the life of machine parts.

[0092] (9) A tofu packing device according to (1), The pack supply magazine includes: a pack receiving member (pack receiving member 73) that receives the separated lowermost pack below; and a pack moving member (pack moving member 74) that moves the lowermost pack received by the pack receiving member onto the pack supply conveyor. This makes it possible to improve ease of maintenance and increase the degree of freedom in the layout of the pack supply magazine and the pack supply conveyor.

[0093] (10) The tofu packing device according to (9), the pack receiving member is vertically movable between an upper position at which the pack receiving member receives the lowermost pack separated by the separating member and a lower position at a height where a conveying surface of the pack supply conveyor is located. Tofu packing machine. This allows the pack receiving member to receive the pack without the pack swinging significantly up and down or sideways.

[0094] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. In addition, the material, shape, size, numerical value, form, number, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary as long as they can achieve the present invention, and are not limited. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1 Tofu packing equipment 3. First transfer conveyor 5 Second transfer conveyor (transfer conveyor) 20 Pack Covering Device 21 Support Rail 22 Mobile base unit 23 Parallel link mechanism 24 Image Sensor 30 Inversion device 40 Pack Supply Conveyor 41 1st pack conveyor 42 Second pack conveyor 43 3rd pack conveyor 70 pack supply magazine 71 Support member 71a Bottom pack support 72 Separation member 73 Pack receiving member 74 Pack moving parts 75 Insertion part 75a 1st page 75b Side 2 75c tip 76 Drive Unit 77 Supporting member 78 Guide member A. Continuous tofu sheet A1 Tofu per block F flange part P-Pack PA Bottom Pack P1 opening P3 Convex stripe R Rim T Tofu cut into individual blocks

Claims

1. a pack covering device for covering a plurality of tofu pieces arranged at predetermined intervals in the front, rear and left and right directions on the conveying surface of the transfer conveyor with packs with the openings of the packs facing downward; a pack supply conveyor for continuously supplying packs to the pack covering device from a side of the transfer conveyor; a pack supply magazine for sequentially placing packs on the pack supply conveyor; Equipped with The pack supply magazine includes: a support member for supporting a plurality of stacked packs with the openings facing downward; a separating member for separating a bottom pack, which is disposed at the bottom among the plurality of packs supported by the supporting member, from the other stacked packs with the opening facing downward; The tofu packing device comprises:

2. 2. The tofu packing device according to claim 1, The pack has a flange portion extending outward from a peripheral edge of the opening, the separating member has an insertion portion that is inserted into a gap between two flange portions of two stacked packs as the separating member approaches the stacked packs; Tofu packing machine.

3. 3. The tofu packing device according to claim 2, The insertion portion has a horizontal first surface and a second surface located below the first surface and inclined relative to the first surface, The first surface and the second surface intersect to form a knife edge shape at a tip of the insertion portion. Tofu packing machine.

4. 4. The tofu packing device according to claim 3, the support member has a lowest pack support portion that supports the lowest pack, the lowermost pack support portion and the separating member are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction, a drive device that moves the lowermost pack support portion and the separating member in a horizontal direction at the same time, a first surface of the insertion portion is positioned higher than an upper surface of a flange portion of the lowermost pack supported by the lowermost pack support portion; Tofu packing machine.

5. 2. The tofu packing device according to claim 1, the support member has a lowest pack support portion that supports the lowest pack, the lowermost pack support portion and the separating member are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction, a drive device that moves the lowermost pack support portion and the separating member in a horizontal direction simultaneously, Tofu packing machine.

6. 6. The tofu packing device according to claim 5, the drive device applies a horizontal reciprocating motion to the lowermost pack support portion and the separating member, and the separating member repeatedly separates the lowermost pack and the lowermost pack support portion supports a next stacked pack. Tofu packing machine.

7. 7. The tofu packing device according to claim 5 or 6, a pair of the separating members are disposed on both sides of the lowermost pack support portion in the horizontal direction, the pair of separating members each have an insertion portion that is inserted into a gap between two flange portions of two stacked packs as the separating members approach the stacked packs, the drive device moves the lowermost pack support portion and the pair of separating members in a horizontal direction at the same time. Tofu packing machine.

8. 7. The tofu packing device according to claim 5 or 6, the support member has a pair of bottom-stage pack support parts that respectively support the bottom-stage pack of a plurality of packs stacked with the openings facing downward, the separating member has a pair of insertion portions at both ends in a horizontal direction, the insertion portions being inserted into gaps between two flange portions of two stacked packs as the separating member approaches the stacked packs, the pair of lowermost pack support portions are disposed on both sides of the separating member in the horizontal direction, the drive device moves the pair of lowermost pack support members and the separating member in a horizontal direction at the same time. Tofu packing machine.

9. 2. The tofu packing device according to claim 1, The pack supply magazine includes: a pack receiving member that receives the separated lowermost pack below; a pack moving member that moves the lowermost pack received by the pack receiving member onto the pack supply conveyor. Tofu packing machine.

10. 10. The tofu packing device according to claim 9, the pack receiving member is vertically movable between an upper position where the pack receiving member receives the lowermost pack separated by the separating member and a lower position at a height where the conveying surface of the transfer conveyor is located. Tofu packing machine.

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