Container processing system

Abstract

To provide a container processing system that can reliably collect rejected containers into a collection box and convey the collection box to a predetermined position with fewer automatic conveying machines.SOLUTION: A container processing system includes a discharge chute 40 that receives containers V rejected by reject means provided at a predetermined position on a container conveying path, a collection box 42 that collects the containers V discharged via the discharge chute 40, and an automatic conveying machine 50 that moves the collection box 42. A storage part 52 that stores the rejected containers V is formed at the downstream end of the discharge chute 40. It is possible to switch between discharging the rejected containers V to the collection box 42 or storing them in the storage part 52. When the number of containers V stored in the collection box 42 reaches a predetermined quantity, the automatic conveying machine 50 moves the collection box 42 to a predetermined container disposal position, and stores the containers V in the storage part 52 while the collection box 42 is moving.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container processing system that recovers defective containers depending on whether the containers being transported are good or bad. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in a beverage production line, collection boxes are installed after the blow molding machine, after the inspection wheel, midway through the air rinser, after the capper, after the labeler, etc. to collect containers that have been determined to be defective and rejected from the line. An operator visually checks whether a collection box is full, and manually replaces an empty collection box with a full collection box. The operator moves the full collection box to a designated container disposal position, and the containers in the collection box are dispensed at the same position.

[0003] Meanwhile, in recent years, automatic collection of collection boxes has been considered for the purpose of unmanned operation and labor saving, and it is considered to move collection boxes by automatic transport machines such as AGVs (automatic guides vehicles) and AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) instead of workers. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which an automatic transport machine supplies and collects medical equipment, and proposes the use of an automatic transport machine for supplying and collecting items. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3839954 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] On the other hand, in a beverage container filling system, when a defective container occurs, the defective container is collected from the regular conveying line by dropping the container into a collection box via a discharge chute. Therefore, when a full collection box is collected using an automatic conveying machine, if a container is rejected while the collection box is being moved by the automatic conveying machine, the container will be scattered from the outlet of the discharge chute. It is possible to prepare two sets of collection boxes and automatic conveying machines and use them alternately, but this would require the deployment of many automatic conveying machines, increasing costs.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a container processing system that can reliably collect rejected containers in a collection box and transport the collection box to a predetermined position with a smaller number of automatic transport machines. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The first invention of the present invention is a container processing system that has a transporting means for transporting containers and performs a predetermined processing while transporting the containers, and is characterized in that the system comprises a rejection means arranged at a predetermined position of the transporting means, a discharge means for receiving containers rejected from the transporting means by the rejection means, a collection box arranged downstream of the discharge means for storing containers discharged from the discharge means, an automatic transport machine arranged to be engageable with the collection box, a control means for controlling the automatic transport machine, and a detection means for detecting the amount of containers stored in the collection box, a storage section for storing rejected containers is formed at the downstream end of the discharge means, and an operation means is provided for switching whether the rejected containers are discharged to the collection box or stored in the storage section, and when the amount of containers stored in the collection box reaches a predetermined amount, the control means engages the automatic transport machine with the collection box and moves the collection box to a predetermined container disposal position using the automatic transport machine, and when the collection box is moving, controls the operation means to store the rejected containers in the storage section. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a container processing system that can reliably collect rejected containers in a collection box and transport the collection box to a predetermined position with a smaller number of automatic transport machines. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing an overall arrangement of a container processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a storage section of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the storage unit of the first embodiment in which a storage body has been lowered to a storage position by an elevator. FIG. [Figure 4] 5A to 5C are perspective views showing in chronological order the exchange process of a collection box using an automatic conveyor in the container processing system of the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a container processing system according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the overall layout of a container processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] In this embodiment, the container processing system 10 transports a container V, for example blow-molded in a molding chamber 12, sequentially through an inspection chamber 14, a sterilization / air rinse chamber 16, a water rinse chamber 18, a filling chamber 20, and a capping chamber 22 using a wheel (conveying means), and discharges the container V downstream using a discharge conveyor 24.

[0012] A wheel-type blow molding machine 12A that blow molds a container V is disposed in the molding chamber 12. A parison is supplied to the molding chamber 12 from a parison chute 26A, and the parison supplied to the molding chamber 12 is transported to the blow molding machine 12A via a plurality of parison supply wheels 26B, a parison preheating and transporting device 26C, and a blow molding supply wheel 26D. In the blow molding machine 12A, air is blown into the parison to form a container V. The container V molded in the blow molding machine 12 is delivered to a first reject wheel (transport means, reject means) 28A in the inspection chamber 14 via a blow molding discharge wheel 26E.

[0013] The containers V delivered to the first reject wheel 28A are delivered to the inspection wheel 14A via the inspection supply wheel 28B. The first reject wheel 28A is a wheel that rejects containers V (containers whose temperature has dropped and which cannot be sterilized) remaining in the section from the blow molding machine 14A to the first reject wheel 28A when the blow molding machine 12A is stopped temporarily due to some trouble and then resumed. As will be described later, the discharged containers V are collected in a first collection box 42A via a first discharge chute (discharge means) 40A adjacent to the first reject wheel 28A.

[0014] The first reject wheel 28A grips and transports the neck portion of the container V with a plurality of mechanical grippers 29 arranged along the outer periphery. The grippers of the first reject wheel 28A are constantly biased in a closing direction by, for example, a spring 27, which causes a cam follower 29A cooperating with the gripper 29 to be pressed against a cam 29B. The gripper 29 is opened and closed by the oscillation of the cam follower 29A which runs along the cam 29B together with the gripper 29. The configuration of the mechanical gripper 29 of the first reject wheel 28A is similar to the configuration of the mechanical gripper 29 of the second reject wheel 28C shown in FIG. 2 (see FIG. 2).

[0015] The cam of the first reject wheel 28A can be switched (moved forward and backward) between a container delivery position to the inspection supply wheel 28B and a reject position to the first discharge chute 40A according to the operation mode (normal operation / reject operation mode). In the normal operation mode, the cam 29B at the container delivery position is advanced by, for example, an air cylinder 31 (see FIG. 2). This opens the gripper at the container delivery position, and the container V is delivered to the inspection supply wheel 28B.

[0016] On the other hand, in the reject operation mode, the cam 29B at the container transfer position is moved backward, and the cam 29B at the reject position is moved forward. As a result, the container V is not transferred to the inspection supply wheel 28B at the container transfer position, but is transported to the reject position. Then, at the reject position, the gripper 29 is opened and the container V is discharged into the first collection box 42A via the first chute 40A (reject means).

[0017] In the inspection wheel 14A, the quality of the molded container V is judged using an inspection device such as a camera. That is, in the normal operation mode, the container V transferred to the inspection wheel 14A is inspected by the inspection device and then transferred to the second reject wheel (conveying means, reject means) 28C. The container V determined to be defective by the inspection device is discharged to the second recovery box 42B via the second discharge chute (discharge means) 40B at the reject position of the second reject wheel 28C. On the other hand, the container V determined to be free of problems in the inspection by the inspection wheel 14A is passed to the intermediate wheel 28D at the container delivery position of the second reject wheel 28C, and passed to the sterilization supply wheel 30A in the sterilization / air rinser chamber 16 via the intermediate wheel 28D.

[0018] The gripper mechanism of the second reject wheel 28C is configured in a manner substantially similar to that of the first reject wheel 28A, but the cam position of the second reject wheel 28C can be switched (moved forward and backward) only at the reject position of the second reject wheel 28C. That is, the cam 29B at the reject position is advanced and the gripper 29 is opened only when the gripper 29 gripping the defective container V passes through the reject position. On the other hand, at the container transfer position of the second reject wheel 28C, all the grippers 29 are opened by the cam 29B.

[0019] A sterilizing wheel 16A and an air rinser (transport means, reject means) 16B are arranged in the sterilization / air rinser chamber 16. The container V delivered to the sterilizing supply wheel 30A is first delivered to the sterilizing wheel 16A, where a sterilizing process is performed by spraying a sterilizing agent onto the container V. After the sterilizing process is completed, the container V is delivered from the sterilizing supply wheel 30A via the air rinser supply wheel 30B to the wheel-type air rinser 16B. In the air rinser 16B, heated air is blown onto the container V to dry the sterilizing agent. Thereafter, the container V is delivered to the wheel-type water rinser 18A arranged in the water rinser chamber 18 via the water rinser supply wheel 32.

[0020] A third discharge chute 40C is disposed adjacent to the air rinser 16B, and the containers V discharged from the third discharge chute 40C are collected in a third collection box 42C. Discharge of the containers V from the air rinser 16B is used when the container processing system 10 is stopped in an emergency due to a problem occurring between the first reject wheel 28A and the discharge conveyor 24 (from the first reject wheel 28A to the capping chamber 22), and containers V determined to have been defective in sterilization are rejected.

[0021] The gripper of the air rinser 16B is, for example, a leaf spring type gripper that is constantly biased in a closing direction, and at the reject position of the air rinser 16B to the third discharge chute (discharge means) 40C, for example, a guide member (reject means) that can engage with the body of the container V is arranged so as to be movable forward and backward. When discharging a container V determined to have a sterilization defect from the first reject wheel 28A to the air rinser 16B, each wheel is driven with the guide member advanced to the transport path of the container V, and the container V held by the gripper of the air rinser 16B is pulled down by the guide member and collected in the third collection box 42C via the third discharge chute 40C.

[0022] In the water rinser 18A, the container V is cleaned by spraying a cleaning liquid onto it. After cleaning, the container V is transferred to a wheel-type filler (filling device) 20A disposed in the filler chamber 20 via a filler supply wheel 34. In the filler 20A, the container V is filled with, for example, a liquid, and the filled container V is transferred to a wheel-type capper 22A disposed in the capping chamber 22 via a capper supply wheel 36A. The container V with a cap attached in the capper 22A is transferred to a discharge conveyor 24 that transports the container V from the capping chamber 22 to a downstream device via a capper discharge wheel 36B and a discharge wheel 36C.

[0023] In addition, a discharge device (reject means) 44 is provided on one side of the discharge conveyor 24, which uses an air cylinder 44A to move a pusher 44B forward and backward along the conveying path of the discharge conveyor 24, and a fourth collection box 42D is arranged on the other side of the discharge conveyor 24 to collect containers V pushed out by the pusher 44B.

[0024] The operation of each wheel of the container processing system 10, the advancement and retreat of the cams of the first and second reject wheels 28A and 28C, the advancement and retreat of the guide member of the air rinser 16B, and the drive of the air cylinder 44A of the discharge device 44 are controlled by a container processing system controller 46. In addition, in the container processing system 10, the positions of each gripper of the wheel provided with the reject means and the operation of each reject means are grasped by the container processing system controller 46. That is, the number of containers V rejected at each reject position is grasped by the container processing system controller 46 (counting means). In addition, the discharge device 44 advances the pusher 44B to count the number of rejected containers V, so that the container processing system controller 46 can grasp the number of containers V discharged at the same position (counting means).

[0025] 1 shows an example of a configuration in which collection boxes 42A-42D are arranged in four locations, but the number of locations where collection boxes are arranged is arbitrary. In addition, although not shown in the figure, the container processing system 10 of this embodiment has processing devices such as labelers and casers and conveyors arranged downstream of the discharge conveyor 24, and collection boxes are arranged in several tens of locations throughout the system. The number of containers V stored in each collection box is constantly grasped by the container processing system controller 46, as described above.

[0026] In the container processing system 10 of this embodiment, an automatic conveying machine 50 such as an AGV is used to collect all of the collection boxes arranged at each position. In this embodiment, a plurality of automatic conveying machines 50 (the number of which is smaller than the number of collection boxes arranged in the entire container processing system 10) are used, and each automatic conveying machine 50 waits in, for example, an automatic conveying machine waiting area A1 and is controlled by an automatic conveying machine controller (control means) 48.

[0027] For example, when a signal is input from the counting means corresponding to the third collection box 42C to the container processing system controller 46 that the containers V stored in the third collection box 42C have reached 90% of their limit storage amount, the container processing system controller 46 commands the automatic conveyor controller 48 to collect the third collection box 42C. Upon receiving the collection command, the automatic conveyor controller 48 checks the position of each automatic conveyor 50 and commands the automatic conveyor 50 in the optimal position to move to the third collection box 42C.

[0028] The collection box 42 collected by the automatic conveyor 50 is moved to the reject container disposal area (container disposal position) A2. In the reject container disposal area A2, an operator separates the discharged containers V into empty containers and filled containers, and collects the containers V in the corresponding areas. In addition, empty collection boxes 42 (42A, 42B, 42C, 42D) are waiting in the collection box waiting area A3, and the automatic conveyor 50 moves the empty collection box 42 from the collection box waiting area A3 to the exit position of the third discharge chute 40C in place of the collected third collection box 42C. The automatic conveyor 50 that moves the third collection box 42C filled with collection containers V to the reject container disposal area A2 and the automatic conveyor 50 that moves the empty collection box 42 from the collection box waiting area A3 to the exit position of the third discharge chute 40C may be the same device, or may be moved in parallel using different automatic conveyors 50.

[0029] As described above, there is a possibility that containers V may be discharged while the collection box 42 is being replaced, i.e., even when the collection box 42 is not installed at the exit position of the discharge chute 40. In such a case, the discharged containers V will be scattered on the floor at the exit position of the discharge chute 40. For this reason, in the container processing system 10 of this embodiment, a storage section 52 for temporarily storing the containers V is provided at the downstream end of the discharge chute 40.

[0030] Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the storage unit 52 of the first embodiment. Note that Fig. 2 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the storage unit 52 of the second reject wheel 28C as an example, but the configurations of the other discharge chutes 40 (40A, 40C) and the storage unit 52 are similar in other reject means using discharge chutes.

[0031] 2, each discharge chute 40 is disposed so as to descend toward the outlet side, and a plurality of air nozzles 51 for assisting the movement of the inserted container V are provided inside the discharge chute 40 along the conveying path. The downstream end of the discharge chute 40 communicates with the outer wall 54 of the inspection chamber 14, and is connected to a storage section 52 disposed outside the outer wall 54 through an opening 54A. The storage section 52 has an outer housing 56, and disposed inside the outer housing 56 is a container 58 that can rise and fall within the outer housing 56, and an elevator (operating means) 60 such as an air cylinder that raises and lowers the container 58.

[0032] A supply port 56A to which the outlet of the discharge chute 40 is connected is provided on the rear side (the outer wall 54 side) of the outer housing 56, and a discharge port 56B for discharging the container V into the adjacent second collection box 42 is provided on the front side (the opposite side to the outer wall 54) of the outer housing 56. The supply port 56A is provided at a higher position than the discharge port 56B, and the lower side of the discharge port 56B is located at approximately the same height as the upper side of the second collection box 42B.

[0033] The container 58 is composed of a bottom surface 58A and an inner housing 58B that covers it. Each side wall of the inner housing 58B is disposed along each inner wall of the outer housing 56, and the bottom surface 58A is disposed at an incline from the supply port 56A toward the discharge port 56B. When the container 58 is raised to the discharge position by the elevator 60, the inclination of the bottom surface 58A is such that one end of the bottom surface 58A approximately matches the height of the bottom side of the supply port 56A, and the other end approximately matches the height of the bottom side of the discharge port 56B. This inclination approximately matches the inclination of the discharge chute 40, for example.

[0034] Inner housing 58B is provided with discharge port 59B having substantially the same size as discharge port 56B at a position facing discharge port 56B of outer housing 56 in the discharge position. In addition, supply port 59A is provided on the supply port 56A side of inner housing 58B. Supply port 59A is formed vertically long so that supply port 56A always communicates with housing 58 even when housing 58 is raised or lowered.

[0035] While the second recovery box 42B is positioned adjacent to the discharge outlet 56B, the container 58 is in the discharge position, and the container V placed into the second discharge chute 40B is discharged into the container 58 through the supply outlets 56A, 59A, slides over the bottom surface 58A and is placed into the second recovery box 42B through the discharge outlets 59B, 56B.

[0036] When the counting means detects that the number of containers V contained in the second collection box 42B is greater than or equal to a predetermined number (predetermined amount) (full), the automatic conveyor 50 located in the optimal position moves the full second collection box 42B to the rejected container disposal area A2, in response to a command from the automatic conveyor controller 48.

[0037] The recovery box 42 is, for example, the upper part of a towing dolly with wheels at each of the four corners, and has a structure in which a guide 43 with a slit is provided under the bottom surface. On the other hand, the automatic conveyor 50 has a structure in which a plate 50A is fixed to the top surface. When towing the recovery box 42, the automatic conveyor 50 slips under the recovery box 42 and inserts the plate 50A into the slit of the guide 43, and engages with the recovery box 42 by passing an electromagnetic locking pin (not shown) through the plate 50A and the guide 43 to engage the electromagnetic lock (see FIG. 3). When releasing the engagement, the electromagnetic lock is released and the plate 50A is removed from the slit of the guide 43.

[0038] Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the storage unit 52 in which the container 58 has been lowered to the storage position by the elevator 60. As shown in Fig. 3, the second collection box 42B, which is full of rejected containers V, has been moved to the rejected container disposal area A2 by the automatic conveyor 50. Therefore, if containers V are discharged through the second discharge chute 40B before a new empty collection box 42 is carried by the automatic conveyor 50, the discharged containers V will be scattered on the floor.

[0039] In order to deal with such a problem, the storage unit 52 of this embodiment lowers the container 58 to the storage position immediately before the second collection box 42B is moved. As shown in FIG. 3, when the container 58 is lowered to the storage position, the discharge port 59B of the inner housing 58B is lowered to the inside of the outer housing 56, and the side wall of the inner housing 58B closes the discharge port 56B of the outer housing 56. Meanwhile, the second discharge chute 40B maintains communication with the inside of the container 58 through the supply port 59A of the inner housing 58B. As a result, the container V rejected by the second discharge chute 40B is stored in the container 58 lowered to the storage position in the storage unit 52.

[0040] 4(a) to (d) are perspective views showing in chronological order the exchange process of the collection box 42 using the automatic conveyor 50 in the container processing system 10 of this embodiment. Note that in Figs. 4(a) to (d), the outer housing 56 and a part of the outer wall of the chamber are shown removed.

[0041] 4(a) shows a state in which a rejected container V is collected in collection box 42 arranged at a predetermined position adjacent to storage section 52. At this time, container 58 is in the discharge position, and container V rejected by discharge chute 40 slides down bottom surface 58A of container 58 and is stored in collection box 42 through discharge ports 59B, 56B. When the counting means determines that the number (capacity) of containers V stored in collection box 42 is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (predetermined amount), container 58 is lowered to the storage position, and automatic conveyor 50 enters under collection box 42 and engages with collection box 42, as shown in FIG.

[0042] Thereafter, the collection box 42 filled with containers V is towed by the automatic conveyor 50 and moved to the rejected container disposal area A2, and as shown in FIG. 4(c), in a state where the collection box 42 is not arranged at a predetermined position adjacent to the storage section 52, the containers V discharged to the discharge chute 40 are inserted into the container 58 lowered to the storage position in the storage section 52 and stored therein. Also, FIG. 4(d) shows a state immediately after an empty collection box 42 is placed at a predetermined position by the automatic conveyor 50. When a new empty collection box 42 is set, the container 58 in the storage section 52 is lifted to the discharge position, and the containers V stored in the container 58 are discharged into the empty collection box 42. Thereafter, the rejected containers V slide over the discharge chute 40 and the bottom surface 58A of the storage section 52, and are directly inserted into the replaced collection box 42.

[0043] As described above, according to the first embodiment of the container processing system, even if the collection box is not installed in the designated position, rejected containers can be stored in the storage section, so that containers can be reliably collected into the collection box and the collection box can be transported between designated areas using fewer automatic transport machines.

[0044] 5 is a perspective view of a container processing system 62 of the second embodiment. In the container processing system 62 of the second embodiment, the configuration of the storage unit provided at the downstream end of the discharge chute 40 is different from that of the storage unit 52 of the first embodiment, but the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, the same reference symbols are used for the same configurations, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0045] In the container processing system 62 of the second embodiment, a turntable 66 is disposed as a storage section 64 at the downstream end of the discharge chute 40. The turntable 66 is a disk-shaped rotating disk that rotates around a rotation axis 66A disposed slightly obliquely at a position slightly lower than the outlet height of the discharge chute 40, and rotates obliquely so that the point facing an opening 68B described later is the lowest end. A side guide 68 is provided around the turntable 66 so as to surround the turntable 66 over substantially the entire circumference except for the connection portion with the discharge chute 40.

[0046] A part of the side guide 68 is configured as an opening / closing door 68A, which can be opened and closed outward by an opening / closing mechanism (operating means) such as an air cylinder (not shown). That is, when the opening / closing door 68A is opened as shown in Fig. 5(a), an opening 68B is formed in the side guide 68, and the container V can be discharged from the opening 68B, and when the opening / closing door 68A is closed as shown in Fig. 5(b), the container V can be stored on the turntable 66 inside the side guide 68.

[0047] Furthermore, a plurality of bars 66B are integrally provided radially around the rotation axis 66A on the turntable 66. When the opening / closing door 68A is opened with the collection box 42 disposed below the opening / closing door 68A, the container V, which is rotated and transported on the turntable 66 by engaging with the bars 66B, is ejected to the outside through the opening 68B by centrifugal force and falls into the collection box 42.

[0048] 5(a) shows a state in which the opening / closing door 68A is opened and the containers V from the discharge chute 40 are collected in the collection box 42. Also, FIG. 5(b) shows a state in which the opening / closing door 68A is closed and the containers V from the discharge chute 40 are stored on the turntable 66 that constitutes the storage section 64. At this time, the empty collection box 42 is being pulled by the automatic conveyor 50 toward a predetermined position adjacent to the storage section 64.

[0049] As described above, the container processing system of the second embodiment also provides the same effects as those of the first embodiment.

[0050] In this embodiment, the collection box is explained using an example of a towing cart that can engage with an automatic conveying machine, but the collection box may not have wheels, in which case a lift mechanism may be provided on the top surface of the automatic conveying machine and the collection box may be lifted from below and moved.

[0051] In addition, in this embodiment, the amount of containers put into the collection box is detected by counting the number of discharge containers using a counting means, but the means (detection means) for detecting the amount of containers put into the collection box is not limited to a counting means, and may be detected (including estimated) by, for example, the weight of the stored containers or the height of the stored containers, etc. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a discharge chute is used as the discharge means, but the discharge means is not limited to this, and a belt conveyor driven by a motor may be used instead of the discharge chute. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10. Material handling system 16B Air Rinser (conveying means, rejecting means) 28A, 28C First and second reject wheels (conveying means, rejecting means) 40, 40A~40C Discharge chute (discharge means) 42, 42A~42C Collection Box 46 Container processing system controller (detection means) 48 Automatic conveyor controller (control means) 50 Automatic conveyor 52, 64 Reservoir 60 Elevator (operating means) A2 Reject container disposal area (container disposal position) V container

Claims

[Claim 1] A container processing system including a transport means for transporting a container and performing a predetermined process while transporting the container, A reject means disposed at a predetermined position of the conveying means; a discharge means for receiving a container rejected by the reject means from the conveying means; a collection box provided downstream of the discharge means and configured to receive containers discharged from the discharge means; an automatic conveyor that is provided so as to be capable of engaging with the collection box; A control means for controlling the automatic conveyor; a detection means for detecting the amount of containers contained in the collection box; forming a storage section for storing rejected containers at a downstream end of the discharge means, and providing an operating means for switching between discharging the rejected containers to the collection box or storing them in the storage section; The control means, when a predetermined amount of containers are contained in the collection box, engages the automatic conveying machine with the collection box and causes the automatic conveying machine to move the collection box to a predetermined container disposal position, and while the collection box is moving, controls the operating means to store rejected containers in the storage section.

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