Bottomed cylindrical body machining device

Abstract

To provide a bottomed cylindrical body machining device which can execute neck machining for a bottomed cylindrical body by a number of times without maximizing an installation space, and can be shared for use for bottom cylindrical bodies different in height without complex setting with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A bottomed cylindrical body machining device 100 comprises: a multistep neck machining unit 110 in which a plurality of neck machining units are arranged in order on a conveyance path; and a circular conveyor 131 for refeeding a bottomed cylindrical body C discharged from a downstream side neck machining unit to an upstream side neck machining unit. The circular conveyor is for absorbing an opening end T of the bottomed cylindrical body on a conveyance surface 132 to convey it. A bottom turret 124 of a machining turret 120 constituting the neck machining unit, which is for supporting a bottom of the bottomed cylindrical body, is configured to be movable in an axial direction by a position adjustment mechanism on the basis of a cylindrical axis height of the bottomed cylindrical body to be neck-machined.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing a bottomed tubular body, which performs necking on an open end of a bottomed tubular body multiple times while transporting the bottomed tubular body along a transport path. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, cans used for beverage cans and the like are manufactured by forming a cylindrical can body with a bottom by drawing and ironing a metal plate punched into a circular shape, and then performing a predetermined necking and trimming process on the open end of the can body and, if necessary, a mouth forming process such as threading or curling. The drawing process, known as necking, is usually divided into multiple steps and performed in stages so that the metal material constituting the can body is not subjected to excessive stress. An example of an apparatus that performs multiple necking processes in stages is an apparatus that connects multiple process turrets in series, performs one stage of necking per process turret while sequentially transporting the can body, and performs multiple necking processes in one round. However, such an apparatus must be provided with processing turrets in the same number as the desired number of necks to be processed. This creates a problem in that, when manufacturing can bodies that require multiple neck processing, the apparatus and facilities must become long and large, requiring more installation space.

[0003] In order to solve such problems, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus in which multiple processing turrets are arranged in series, with a supply position at one end where can bodies are supplied and a discharge position at the other end where can bodies are discharged, in which the can bodies are transported from the supply position and subjected to a first round of multiple processing steps in each processing turret in sequence, and the semi-processed can bodies discharged from the discharge position are returned to the supply position by a circulating conveyor and transported again to the multiple processing turrets where they are subjected to a second round of multiple processing steps. In an apparatus utilizing such a circulating conveyor, the number of processing turrets arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction can be reduced, and the number of processing operations that can be performed per installation space can be increased. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] European Patent No. 2001617 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] On the other hand, in the device using the above-mentioned circulating conveyor, the circulating conveyor is designed to adsorb and transport the bottom of the can body for ease of support and transport, so when converting the can to manufacture beverage cans of a different height, i.e., when changing the shape, it is difficult to transfer the cans from the processing turret to the circulating conveyor. Specifically, since each processing turret processes the open end of the can body, the open end of the can body is aligned with the reference trim surface and transported in order so that it can be reliably processed, and if the device is compatible with only can bodies of a certain height, the initial design may be such that the circulating conveyor's transport surface faces closely to the bottom of the can body, but if the same device is directly used for necking can bodies of a different height, for example, can bodies with a low height, the can body that has completed the first round of processing will be far away from the circulating conveyor at the transfer position to the circulating conveyor, making it difficult to transfer it to the circulating conveyor. In such cases, the problem can be solved by moving the circulating conveyor itself to shift the position of the transport surface, but this is not realistic because it requires a large-scale setup due to the size of the circulating conveyor, and the setup process itself becomes complicated.

[0006] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a bottomed cylindrical body processing device that can perform neck processing multiple times on a bottomed cylindrical body without maximizing the installation space, and that has a simple configuration and can be used commonly for bottomed cylindrical bodies of different heights without complicated setup procedures. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing a bottomed tubular body, the apparatus being configured to perform necking on an open end of a bottomed tubular body multiple times while transporting the bottomed tubular body along a transport path, the apparatus comprising: a multi-stage neck processing section in which a plurality of neck processing units are sequentially arranged along a conveying path; a circulating conveyor that re-supplies the bottomed tubular body discharged from a downstream neck processing unit provided downstream of the multi-stage neck processing section to an upstream neck processing unit provided upstream of the multi-stage neck processing section, the circulating conveyor has a transport surface, and is disposed so as to face an open end of the bottomed cylindrical body, and transports the open end of the bottomed cylindrical body by adsorbing it to the transport surface; the neck processing unit includes a processing turret that processes the neck of the bottomed cylindrical body, the machining turret has a bottom turret in which a plurality of pockets are arranged in a circumferential direction, the bottomed cylindrical body is held in the pockets, and a tool turret is arranged on one axial side of the machining turret and has a machining tool for performing neck machining on the bottomed cylindrical body; The bottom turret is characterized in that it is configured to be movable in the axial direction by a position adjustment mechanism based on the axial height of a bottomed cylindrical body to be subjected to neck processing.

[0008] In the processing apparatus for a bottomed tubular body of the present invention, the circulating conveyor conveys the bottomed tubular body by adsorbing the open end of the bottomed tubular body to the conveying surface by suction, The negative pressure for adsorption may be in the range of -0.5 to -11 kPa.

[0009] In addition, the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of the present invention further includes a transfer turret that moves a bottomed tubular body discharged from a downstream neck processing unit provided downstream of the multi-stage neck processing section to a transfer position opposite the circulating conveyor, The delivery turret has a plurality of pockets arranged in a circumferential direction, When the pocket holding the bottomed cylindrical body in the transfer turret is in a transfer position to the circulating conveyor, the clearance between the bottomed cylindrical body and the conveying surface of the circulating conveyor can be configured to be within 15 mm.

[0010] In the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of the present invention, the transport speed in the circulating conveyor can be configured to be slower than the transport speed in the processing turret of the neck processing unit.

[0011] In addition, the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of the present invention includes a deceleration turret that decelerates the conveying speed of the bottomed tubular body, The reduction turret can be any of the turrets that are provided between the bottomed cylindrical body discharged from the downstream neck processing unit and the circulating conveyor, and that transport the bottomed cylindrical body.

[0012] In the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of the present invention, the delivery turret is a deceleration turret that decelerates the conveying speed of the bottomed tubular body, A transport speed in the delivery turret may be configured to be slower than a transport speed in the processing turret of the neck processing unit and to be equal to or faster than a transport speed in the circulating conveyor.

[0013] In the apparatus for processing bottomed tubular bodies of the present invention, the open end of the bottomed tubular body that is attracted to and transported by the transport surface of the circulating conveyor is in a reduced diameter state.

[0014] In the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of the present invention, each neck processing unit of the multi-stage neck processing section is arranged in series in one horizontal direction, The circulating conveyor extends along the one direction above the multi-stage neck processing section, a chute is provided for moving the bottomed cylindrical body downward from the rear end of the conveying path of the circulating conveyor to the upstream neck processing unit; The chute may be configured to include an air mechanism that assists the movement of the bottomed cylindrical body. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the bottomed tubular body processing device of the present invention, by providing a circulating conveyor that supplies the bottomed tubular bodies discharged from the downstream neck processing unit back to the upstream neck processing unit, the number of processing turrets required for the desired series of multiple neck processing can be reduced, so that multiple neck processing can be basically performed on the bottomed tubular bodies without maximizing the installation space. Moreover, since the conveying surface of the circulating conveyor is configured to adsorb and convey the open end, i.e., the trim side, of the bottomed tubular body, even if it is diverted (changed) to necking of a bottomed tubular body of a relatively different height, the distance between the open end of the bottomed tubular body and the conveying surface of the circulating conveyor does not change, so there is no need to change the type of the circulating conveyor. When the apparatus is diverted (changed) to necking of bottomed tubular bodies of relatively different heights, the bottom turret supporting the bottom of the bottomed tubular body can be adjusted by the position adjustment mechanism so that it is positioned at an appropriate axial position based on the axial height of the bottomed tubular body to be necked, so that the axial position of the open end of the bottomed tubular body can be standardized for transportation. Therefore, the apparatus for processing bottomed tubular bodies of the present invention can be used in common for bottomed tubular bodies of different heights without complicated setting operations, resulting in high convenience. In addition, since the circulating conveyor is configured to suck and transport the open end of the bottomed cylindrical body, the distance between the open end of the bottomed cylindrical body and the transport surface of the circulating conveyor can be set to a constant close distance regardless of the axial height of the bottomed cylindrical body, so that the bottomed cylindrical body can be easily transferred to the circulating conveyor regardless of the axial height of the bottomed cylindrical body, and high stability is obtained in the transfer and subsequent transport of the bottomed cylindrical body. Note that when the bottom of the bottomed cylindrical body is sucked and transported, a separate transfer means is required when transferring it to the circulating conveyor, and depending on the type of transfer means, dents may occur in the bottomed cylindrical body or jams may occur.

[0016] In addition, according to the bottomed cylindrical body processing apparatus of the present invention, the negative pressure for adsorption of the circulating conveyor is within a specific range, so that sufficient adsorption force can be obtained against the conveying surface without causing deformation such as dents or crushing of the bottomed cylindrical body, thereby preventing positional displacement during conveying, and thereby achieving high conveying stability.

[0017] In addition, according to the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of the present invention, when the pocket of the transfer turret holding the bottomed tubular body is in the transfer position to the circulating conveyor, the clearance between the bottomed tubular body and the conveying surface of the circulating conveyor is within a predetermined range, so that the bottomed tubular body can be reliably transferred to the circulating conveyor using only the suction force of the circulating conveyor, while reducing the impact on the open end of the bottomed tubular body associated with transfer using the suction force, thereby preventing damage such as deformation to the open end of the bottomed tubular body.

[0018] In addition, according to the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of the present invention, the conveying speed in the circulating conveyor is slower than the conveying speed in the processing turret of the neck processing unit, so that the speed at which the bottomed tubular body is fed into the chute for re-supplying it to the multi-stage neck processing section for the second round can be reduced, and as a result, deformation such as dents can be prevented from occurring in the bottomed tubular body when it is fed into the chute.

[0019] In addition, according to the bottomed tubular body processing device of the present invention, since one of the turrets that are provided between the bottomed tubular body discharged from the downstream neck processing unit and the circulating conveyor and that transport the bottomed tubular body is a deceleration turret, for example, the transfer turret is a deceleration turret and the transport speed of the transfer turret is slower than that of the processing turret of the neck processing unit and is equal to or faster than that of the circulating conveyor, the bottomed tubular body can be reliably transferred from the high-speed processing turret to the low-speed circulating conveyor without causing any problems. In addition, since the circulating conveyor is slowed down, the speed at which the bottomed tubular body is introduced into the chute for resupplying it to the multi-stage neck processing section for the second round can be reduced, and as a result, deformation such as dents can be prevented from occurring in the bottomed tubular body when it is introduced into the chute.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the bottomed tubular body processing device of the present invention, when the bottomed tubular body is adsorbed to the conveying surface of the circulating conveyor and conveyed, the open end of the bottomed tubular body is in a reduced diameter state as a result of the first round of processing being sequentially performed in each processing turret of the multi-stage neck processing section. Therefore, since the rigidity of the bottomed tubular body is improved by the reduction in diameter, it is possible to reliably support the bottomed tubular body by adsorption to the circulating conveyor and to prevent the bottomed tubular body from being deformed, such as being dented or crushed, during conveyance by the circulating conveyor.

[0021] Furthermore, according to the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of the present invention, the chute that moves the bottomed tubular body downward from the rear end of the conveying path of the circulating conveyor to the upstream neck processing unit is equipped with an air mechanism that assists the movement of the bottomed tubular body, thereby preventing unintended deceleration in the conveying speed of the bottomed tubular body due to the bottomed tubular body getting caught in the chute, and stabilizing the conveying speed of the bottomed tubular body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a bottomed cylindrical body processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention from the front side; [Diagram 2] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of FIG. 1 from the back side. FIG. [Diagram 3] 2A and 2B are explanatory views showing an example of the configuration of a processing turret in the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of FIG. 1, in which (a) shows a state during processing of a high-height can, and (b) shows a state during processing of a low-height can. [Figure 4] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a delivery turret and a circulating conveyor in the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4, showing a state in which a high-height can is being transferred. [Figure 6] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4, showing the state during transfer of the low-height can. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The present invention will be described in detail below. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a bottomed tubular body processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front side (the side of the bottom B of the can body C) where an operator stands, and Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of Figure 1 as viewed from the back side (the side of the opening end T of the can body C). The processing apparatus 100 for processing a bottomed tubular body according to one embodiment of the present invention performs neck processing on an open end T of a can body C, which is a bottomed tubular body, multiple times while circulating the can body C along a conveying path. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus 100 comprises a multi-stage neck processing section 110 in which multiple (six in Figure 1) neck processing units are arranged in sequence along a conveying path, a re-supply mechanism 130 having a circulating conveyor 131 that re-supplies can bodies C discharged from a downstream neck processing unit provided downstream in the conveying direction of the multi-stage neck processing section 110 to an upstream neck processing unit provided upstream in the conveying direction of the multi-stage neck processing section 110, a transfer turret 140 for transferring can bodies C discharged from the downstream neck processing unit to the circulating conveyor 131, and a sorting turret 150 that is arranged between the downstream neck processing unit and the transfer turret 140 and sorts can bodies C that have undergone a first round of neck processing and should be transported to the circulating conveyor 131 and can bodies C that have undergone a second round of neck processing and should be transported to the discharge mechanism 170.

[0024] Each of the neck processing units includes a processing turret 120 that performs neck processing on a can body C. As shown in Fig. 3, the processing turret 120 includes a rotatable bottom turret 124 having a plurality of pockets P, which are provided at approximately equal intervals around the periphery and which individually accommodate and transport the can bodies C, and which holds the can bodies C in the pockets P and has a bottom tool 125 that supports the bottom B of the can bodies C from the bottom side in the cylindrical axial direction, and a rotatable tool turret 126 (see Fig. 3) that is arranged on one axial side (the right side in Fig. 3) of the bottom turret 124 and has a processing tool 127 that performs neck processing on the can bodies C accommodated in the pockets P. In the multi-stage neck processing section 110, transport turrets 121 that transport can bodies C are alternately arranged between two adjacent processing turrets 120 and before and after them. The can bodies C accommodated in each pocket P of the processing turrets 120 are subjected to one stage of neck processing by a processing tool 127 of a tool turret 126 before being delivered to the transport turret 121 downstream in the transport direction. The pockets P of the processing turret 120 are alternately a first pocket held in the first round and a second pocket held in the second round, and the can bodies C held in the first pocket are subjected to the nth stage of necking in the first round, while the can bodies C held in the second pocket are subjected to the nth stage of necking in the second round (i.e., the n+xth stage in total), where n is the arrangement order of the necking units counted from the upstream side, and x is the total number of necking units. In addition, in the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus of Figure 3, the pocket P is shown as being provided in the bottom turret 124 and moving axially together with the bottom turret 124, but this configuration is not limited to this, and the pocket P may be provided in a turret separate from the bottom turret 124, and the turret including the pocket P may be configured not to move axially even when the pocket P is diverted (changed) for necking of a can body C of a relatively different height.

[0025] In the processing turret 120, each processing tool 127 of the tool turret 126 is disposed to face each pocket P of the corresponding processing turret 120, and the tool turret 126 rotates and moves in synchronization with the rotation of the bottom turret 124. The processing tool 127 includes, for example, an annular outer tool 128 that fits into the outer periphery of the opening end T of the can body C to reduce the diameter, and an inner tool 129 that is inserted into the opening end T of the can body C and has a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the opening end T of the can body C by about 1 to 2 mm. In the processing turret 120, the bottom tool 125 corresponding to each pocket P and the inner tool 129 of the processing tool 127 of the tool turret 126 are configured to be able to reciprocate in the axial direction of the processing turret 120 by a drive mechanism not shown, and the bottom tool 125 and the inner tool 129 are driven in an approaching direction, and further driven toward the outer tool 128, so that the opening end T of the can body C is inserted between the inner tool 129 and the outer tool 128, thereby performing one-stage neck processing on the opening end T of the can body C.

[0026] The conveying turrets 121 each have a plurality of pockets on their outer periphery that hold the can bodies C, and are rotatable turrets that receive the can bodies C that have been processed by the neck processing unit located adjacent to them on the upstream side and supply them to pockets P of the same phase (first or second) of the processing turret 120 located adjacent to them on the downstream side.

[0027] In the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, the processing turrets 120 of the neck processing units of the multi-stage neck processing section 110 are arranged in series so that they are aligned in one horizontal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1) with their respective central axes extending in the horizontal direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1), and the transport turrets 121 are also arranged in series so that they are aligned in one horizontal direction with their central axes extending in the same axial direction as the processing turret 120. By arranging them in this manner, it is possible to avoid the processing turrets 120 being arranged so as to overlap each other in the vertical direction (up-down direction in FIG. 1), thereby achieving excellent maintainability. In the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, on the transport path for the can bodies C, from when they are supplied to the multi-stage neck processing section 110 until they are transferred to the circulating conveyor 131, specifically in the transport turret 121, the processing turret 120, the sorting turret 150 and the delivery turret 140, the can bodies C are transported with the opening ends T of the can bodies C all at the same position in the cylindrical axial direction, that is, with the opening ends T aligned along a reference trim surface R perpendicular to the axial direction of each processing turret 120. Also, on the transport path, the can bodies C are transported with the cylindrical axial direction coinciding with the axial direction of the processing turret 120, and with the bottom B of the can bodies C facing the operator on the operator side of the reference trim surface R.

[0028] The multi-stage neck processing section 110 is provided with a position adjustment mechanism that can move the bottom turret 124 in the axial direction in advance based on the axial height of the can body C to be necked. The position adjustment mechanism moves the bottom turret 124 to a position where the bottom tool 125 can hold the bottom B of the can body C when the opening end T of the can body C is located at the reference trim surface R. Specifically, when the can body C is a can body C with a high axial height (high-height can) as shown in Fig. 3(a) and a can body C with a lower height (low-height can) as shown in Fig. 3(b), an adjustment can be made to move the bottom turret 124 axially toward the tool turret 126 (to the right in Fig. 3) (see the arrow in Fig. 3). The position adjustment mechanism may move the multiple bottom turrets 124 individually or simultaneously. In addition, the specific configuration of the position adjustment mechanism for moving the bottom turrets 124 in the axial direction is not particularly limited. In addition, in the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the conveying turret 121 interposed between the processing turrets 120 is configured to hold the body portion of the can body C in each pocket by suction or magnetic force in the radially inward direction, so there is no need to move it axially based on the axial height of the can body C, but it may be moved according to the center of gravity position of the can body C.

[0029] The sorting turret 150 has multiple pockets P arranged in the circumferential direction, and can hold can bodies C by being attracted to each pocket P by suction or magnetic force, and can be transported to the delivery turret 140 or the discharge mechanism 170 by rotating. In the sorting turret 150, the suction of each of the multiple pockets P arranged circumferentially is controlled to be turned on / off, i.e., suction is turned off for can bodies C to be transported to the circulating conveyor 131 when they are transported to the transfer position for the transfer turret 140, and suction is turned off for can bodies C to be transported to the discharge mechanism 170 when they are transported to the transfer position for the discharge mechanism 170, thereby making it easy to sort the can bodies C.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the transfer turret 140 has multiple pockets P arranged circumferentially, and the pockets P are configured to rotate between a receiving position where the can body C discharged from the downstream neck processing unit is received via the conveying turret 121 and sorting turret 150 arranged at the most downstream side, and a transfer position for transfer opposite the circulating conveyor 131.

[0031] The delivery turret 140 is a deceleration turret that decelerates the transport speed of the can bodies C. The transport speed of the circulation conveyor 131 is set relatively slower than the transport speeds of each processing turret 120, and it is preferable that the transport speed of the delivery turret 140 is slower than the transport speeds of the processing turrets 120 and the sorting turret 150, and is equal to or faster than the transport speed of the circulation conveyor 131. Since the transport speed of the circulation conveyor 131 is relatively slower than the transport speed of the processing turret 120, the transport pitch of the can bodies C can be narrowed. As an example of the ratio of the transport speeds of the respective parts, the peripheral speed of the sorting turret 150: the peripheral speed of the delivery turret 140: the transport speed of the circulating conveyor 131 can be set to 10:6:4. The specific configuration of the delivery turret 140 is not limited to the above configuration as long as it can realize deceleration and delivery.

[0032] Furthermore, the method of slowing down the conveying speed of the can body C is not limited to a configuration in which the transfer turret 140 is a deceleration turret, and any method is acceptable as long as it is possible to make the conveying speed of the circulating conveyor 131 slower than the conveying speed of the processing turret 120.It is also possible to configure one or more of the turrets provided between the can body C discharged from the processing turret 120 and the circulating conveyor 131 as deceleration turrets, or to configure the conveying speed of each processing turret 120 and the transfer turret 140 to be the same, and only the conveying speed of the circulating conveyor 120 to be relatively slower than the conveying speed of each processing turret 120 and the transfer turret 140. Each of the turrets constituting the supply mechanism 160, the multi-stage neck processing section 110, the sorting turret 150 and the discharge mechanism 170 is rotated directly by an appropriate drive source or mechanically via a transmission mechanism, and their rotation speeds, i.e., the pocket movement speeds, and the interlocking timing of each pocket are designed to be adjustable so that the can bodies C can be smoothly transferred between each turret.

[0033] The circulation conveyor 131 has a parallel path 131b extending in the space above the multi-stage neck processing section 110 in one direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1) that is the same as the installation direction of the multi-stage neck processing section 110, and is arranged so that the supported can body C moves in a direction (left direction in FIG. 1) opposite to the direction in which the can body C is conveyed in the multi-stage neck processing section 110 (right direction in FIG. 1). The circulation conveyor 131 extends with a bend so as to have an upward path 131a that moves the can body C transferred from the transfer turret 140 upward, and a parallel path 131b that moves the can body C in the circulation direction. The parallel path 131b and the upward path 131a are not limited to a configuration that extends linearly in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1, but may be configured to be disposed at a predetermined angle or to extend in a curved manner. Also, the parallel path 131b and the upward path 131a may be configured to extend in a curved manner without distinction between them. The circulation conveyor 131 has a vertical configuration for moving the can bodies C for resupply in the space above the multi-stage neck processing section 110, thereby making it possible to save planar space. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 133 denotes a support member that supports the circulating conveyor 131 to maintain the conveying path, and reference numeral 134 denotes a pier that supports the support member 133 in the space above the multi-stage neck processing section 110.

[0034] In the bottomed cylindrical body processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the circulating conveyor 131 is arranged on the anti-operator side of the reference trim surface R, with its conveying surface 132 facing the anti-operator side of the reference trim surface R at close range. Specifically, the circulating conveyor 131 is disposed so that the transport surface 132 coincides with a plane perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the can body C, and faces in the cylindrical axial direction the open end T of the can body C that has been transported to the transfer position by the transfer turret 140. Note that the transport surface 132 is not limited to being disposed so as to coincide with a plane completely perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the can body C, and may be disposed so as to form a slight angle with the plane perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the can body C, so long as the transport surface 132 faces the open end T of the can body C at the transfer position and can be transferred as desired.

[0035] The distance between the conveying surface 132 of the circulation conveyor 131 and the opening end T of the can body C, i.e., the distance (clearance) between the opening end T of the can body C and the conveying surface 132 of the circulation conveyor 131 when the pocket P holding the can body C in the transfer turret 140 is at the transfer position to the circulation conveyor 131, is preferably 15 mm or less, more preferably 11 mm or less, and particularly preferably 3 mm or less. If the clearance exceeds 15 mm, the can body C may not be reliably attracted only by the suction force of the circulation conveyor 131, and there is a risk of poor transfer to the circulation conveyor 131. In addition, the clearance between the opening end T of the can body C and the conveying surface 132 of the circulation conveyor 131 is preferably 1 mm or more. By having a clearance of 1 mm or more, there is no risk of collision between the can body C and the circulation conveyor 131 even if the can body C is slightly misaligned. The clearance between the conveying surface 132 of the circulating conveyor 131 and the open end T of the can body C does not need to be changed when the can body C is a high-height can (Figure 5) or a low-height can (Figure 6), and may be within the above range.

[0036] The circulation conveyor 131 is a so-called vacuum conveyor that conveys the open ends T of the can bodies C by suction onto a conveying surface 132. If the can bodies C are made of steel, a magnetic conveyor that attracts the can bodies C by magnetic force may be used.

[0037] The negative pressure for suction by the circulation conveyor 131 need only be large enough to suction the can bodies C without causing deformation, and is preferably in the range of -0.5 to -11 kPa. If the negative pressure for suction is smaller than -0.5 kPa, sufficient suction force against the conveying surface cannot be obtained, and there is a risk that the can bodies C may shift position during conveyance. On the other hand, if the negative pressure for suction is larger than -11 kPa, there is a risk that deformation such as dents or crushing of the can bodies C may occur. Note that a negative pressure larger / smaller than -X kPa means that the absolute value X is large / small.

[0038] The circulation conveyor 131 is preferably made of, for example, a plastic material, and a frictional cushioning material such as rubber is attached to the conveying surface 132. By attaching the frictional cushioning material to the conveying surface 132, the impact on the opening end T of the can body C when the opening end T is supported by suction on the conveying surface 132 is mitigated, making the can body C less susceptible to damage such as deformation. Also, the increased coefficient of friction can prevent the can body C from shifting position during conveyance.

[0039] The resupply mechanism 130 equipped with the circulating conveyor 131 is provided with a chute 135 that slides the can bodies C downward from the rear end of the transport path of the circulating conveyor 131 to the upstream neck processing unit. The chute 135 has an internal space that is suitable for a can body C that is tall in the axial direction (a high-height can), and whether the can is a high-height can or a can body C that is shorter than a high-height can (a low-height can), the open end T is moved downward with the open end T aligned with the reference trim surface R. The chute 135 is equipped with an air mechanism (not shown) that assists the downward movement of the can body C to prevent clogging of the flow of the can body C.

[0040] In the above-mentioned bottomed tubular body processing apparatus 100, first, the bottom turret 124 is adjusted in advance to an appropriate position by the position adjustment mechanism. Specifically, based on the axial height of the can body C to be necked, the bottom turret 124 is moved so that the opening end T of the can body C is located on the reference trim surface R when the bottom tool 125 holds the bottom B of the can body C. In this state, multiple necking processes are performed as follows. First, the unprocessed can body C supplied from the supply mechanism 160 to the multi-stage necking section 110 is transferred to the first pocket P of the processing turret 120 associated with the upstream necking unit via the most upstream conveying turret 121, and one stage of necking is performed by the processing tool 127 of the corresponding tool turret 126 until it is transferred to the adjacent conveying turret 121 on the downstream side in the conveying direction. Similarly, the first round of neck processing is carried out in stages in each first pocket P of the processing turret 120 of the neck processing unit adjacent to the downstream side via the transport turret 121, and the opening end T is brought into a semi-processed state with the diameter reduced. When the can body C with the reduced opening end T moves to the discharge position of the most downstream neck processing unit, it is transferred to the sorting turret 150 via the transport turret 121, and is transferred to the pocket P of the transfer turret 140 by the sorting turret 150 turning off suction at the transfer position to the transfer turret 140. When the pocket P holding the can body C moves to the transfer position at a reduced transfer speed with the rotation of the transfer turret 140, the suction force of the circulating conveyor 131 acts with the suction of the transfer turret 140 turned off, and the opening end T of the can body C is sucked to the transfer surface 132. As a result, the can body C with the reduced diameter opening end T is transferred from the delivery turret 140 to the circulating conveyor 131. The can bodies C attracted to the circulating conveyor 131 pass through the ascending path 131a and the parallel path 131b along the transport path, and are dropped into the chute 135 at the rear end of the parallel path 131b. The can bodies C dropped into the chute 135 are moved downward in the internal space so that the opening ends T are aligned with the reference trim surface R, and are supplied to the second pocket P of the processing turret 120 of the upstream neck processing unit via the re-supply turret group 136 and the most upstream transport turret 121. The can body C supplied to the second pocket P of the processing turret 120 of the upstream neck processing unit undergoes neck processing in the first stage of the second round (seventh stage overall) before being transferred to the adjacent transport turret 121 on the downstream side in the transport direction. Similarly, neck processing is performed multiple times (six times in this embodiment) of the second round in stages in each second pocket P of the adjacent neck processing units on the downstream side in sequence via the transport turret 121, and when the can body C moves to the discharge position of the downstream neck processing unit on the most downstream side, it is transferred to the discharge mechanism 170 via the most downstream transport turret 121 and the sorting turret 150, where other processing is performed as necessary, and the can body C is transported outside the bottomed tubular body processing apparatus 100 for the next process.

[0041] Although the apparatus 100 for processing a cylindrical body with a bottom according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the apparatus for processing a cylindrical body with a bottom according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the multi-stage neck processing section has six neck processing units, and the first and second rounds pass through all the neck processing units to perform neck processing 12 times, but as long as the transfer start point and transfer end point of the circulating conveyor are set on the downstream and upstream sides of the multi-stage neck processing section, respectively, the configuration is not limited to the above. For example, the first round may pass through up to the fifth processing unit and be resupplied to the first processing unit by the circulating conveyor, and the second round may pass through all six processing units, or the first round may start from the first processing unit, pass through up to the sixth processing unit, be resupplied to the second processing unit by the circulating conveyor, and pass through five processing units in the second round, or other configurations may be used. In the above embodiment, the neck processing unit performs all the neck processing, but other processes may be provided instead of neck processing. Examples of other processes include flanging to form a flange for tightening the can lid, a trimming process to cut off unnecessary parts such as ears at the opening end, a thread processing process to form a threaded portion for tightening the cap, and a curling process to round the opening end. Also, the cans may be transported without processing by simply passing through the processing turret 120. Furthermore, for example, the number of cycles is configured to be two, but the device can also be configured with a number of cycles of three or more.

[0042] A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but is not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Appendix 1) A processing device for a bottomed tubular body, which performs necking on an open end of a bottomed tubular body multiple times while conveying the bottomed tubular body along a conveying path, a multi-stage neck processing section in which a plurality of neck processing units are sequentially arranged along a conveying path; a circulating conveyor that re-supplies the bottomed tubular body discharged from a downstream neck processing unit provided downstream of the multi-stage neck processing section to an upstream neck processing unit provided upstream of the multi-stage neck processing section, the circulating conveyor has a transport surface, and is disposed so as to face an open end of the bottomed cylindrical body, and transports the open end of the bottomed cylindrical body by adsorbing it to the transport surface; the neck processing unit includes a processing turret that processes the neck of the bottomed cylindrical body, the machining turret has a bottom turret in which a plurality of pockets are arranged in a circumferential direction, the bottomed cylindrical body is held in the pockets, and a tool turret is arranged on one axial side of the machining turret and has a machining tool for performing neck machining on the bottomed cylindrical body; The bottom turret is configured to be movable axially by a position adjustment mechanism based on the axial height of the bottomed cylindrical body to be necked. (Appendix 2) the circulating conveyor conveys the bottomed cylindrical object by adsorbing the open end of the bottomed cylindrical object to the conveying surface by suction, 2. The apparatus for processing a bottomed cylindrical body according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure for adsorption is in the range of −0.5 to −11 kPa. (Appendix 3) 3. The apparatus for processing a bottomed tubular body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a transport speed in the circulating conveyor is slower than a transport speed in the processing turret of the neck processing unit. (Appendix 4) A deceleration turret is provided for decelerating the conveying speed of the bottomed cylindrical body, The apparatus for processing a bottomed tubular body described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 3, characterized in that one of the turrets for transporting the bottomed tubular body discharged from the downstream neck processing unit and provided between the downstream neck processing unit and the circulating conveyor is the reduction turret. (Appendix 5) a transfer turret that moves a bottomed tubular body discharged from a downstream neck processing unit provided downstream of the multi-stage neck processing section to a transfer position facing the circulating conveyor, The delivery turret has a plurality of pockets arranged in a circumferential direction, A bottomed cylindrical body processing apparatus as described in any of Appendix 1 to Appendix 4, characterized in that when the pocket holding the bottomed cylindrical body in the transfer turret is in a transfer position to the circulating conveyor, the clearance between the bottomed cylindrical body and the conveying surface of the circulating conveyor is within 15 mm. (Appendix 6) the delivery turret is a deceleration turret that decelerates the conveying speed of the bottomed cylindrical body, The bottomed cylindrical body processing apparatus described in Appendix 5, characterized in that the conveying speed in the transfer turret is slower than the conveying speed in the processing turret of the neck processing unit and is greater than or equal to the conveying speed in the circulating conveyor. (Appendix 7) The processing apparatus for a bottomed cylindrical body described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 6, characterized in that the open end of the bottomed cylindrical body that is adsorbed and transported on the transport surface of the circulating conveyor is in a reduced diameter state. (Appendix 8) The neck processing units of the multi-stage neck processing section are arranged in series in one horizontal direction, The circulating conveyor extends along the one direction above the multi-stage neck processing section, a chute is provided for moving the bottomed cylindrical body downward from the rear end of the conveying path of the circulating conveyor to the upstream neck processing unit; 8. The apparatus for processing a bottomed cylindrical body according to claim 1, wherein the chute is provided with an air mechanism for assisting the movement of the bottomed cylindrical body. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 100...Bottomed cylindrical body processing equipment 110 ··· Multi-stage neck processing section 120 ··· Processing turret 121 ··· Transfer turret 124 Bottom Turret 125 ··· Bottom tool 126 Tool Turret 127 Machining tools 128 ··· Outer Tool 129 ··· Inner tool 130... Resupply mechanism 131 Circulating conveyor 131a··· Ascending Path 131b...parallel road 132 ...Transport surface 133 Support member 134 Bridge Pier 135 Shoot 136 ... Resupply turret group 140 ··· Delivery Turret 150 ··· Distribution Turret 160 ... supply mechanism 170... Ejection mechanism B...Bottom C Can body P... Pocket T...Open end

Claims

1. A processing device for a bottomed tubular body, which performs necking on an open end of a bottomed tubular body multiple times while conveying the bottomed tubular body along a conveying path, a multi-stage neck processing section in which a plurality of neck processing units are sequentially arranged along a conveying path; a circulating conveyor that re-supplies the bottomed tubular body discharged from a downstream neck processing unit provided downstream of the multi-stage neck processing section to an upstream neck processing unit provided upstream of the multi-stage neck processing section, the circulating conveyor has a transport surface, and is disposed so as to face an open end of the bottomed cylindrical body, and transports the open end of the bottomed cylindrical body by adsorbing it to the transport surface; the neck processing unit includes a processing turret that processes the neck of the bottomed cylindrical body, the machining turret has a bottom turret in which a plurality of pockets are arranged in a circumferential direction, the bottomed cylindrical body is held in the pockets, and a tool turret is arranged on one axial side of the machining turret and has a machining tool for performing neck machining on the bottomed cylindrical body; The bottom turret is configured to be movable axially by a position adjustment mechanism based on the axial height of the bottomed cylindrical body to be necked.

2. the circulating conveyor conveys the bottomed cylindrical object by adsorbing the open end of the bottomed cylindrical object to the conveying surface by suction, 2. The apparatus for processing a cylindrical body with a bottom according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure for suction is in the range of -0.5 to -11 kPa.

3. a transfer turret that moves a bottomed tubular body discharged from a downstream neck processing unit provided downstream of the multi-stage neck processing section to a transfer position facing the circulating conveyor, The delivery turret has a plurality of pockets arranged in a circumferential direction, The processing apparatus for bottomed cylindrical bodies as described in claim 1, characterized in that when the pocket holding the bottomed cylindrical body in the transfer turret is in a transfer position to the circulating conveyor, the clearance between the bottomed cylindrical body and the conveying surface of the circulating conveyor is within 15 mm.

4. 2. The apparatus for processing a bottomed tubular body according to claim 1, wherein a transport speed in the circulating conveyor is slower than a transport speed in the processing turret of the neck processing unit.

5. A deceleration turret is provided for decelerating the conveying speed of the bottomed cylindrical body, The apparatus for processing a bottomed tubular body as described in claim 1, characterized in that one of the turrets that transport the bottomed tubular body discharged from the downstream neck processing unit and that are provided between the time the bottomed tubular body is transported to the circulating conveyor is the reduction turret.

6. the delivery turret is a deceleration turret that decelerates the conveying speed of the bottomed cylindrical body, 4. The apparatus for processing a bottomed tubular body according to claim 3, wherein a transport speed in the delivery turret is lower than a transport speed in the processing turret of the neck processing unit and is equal to or higher than a transport speed in the circulating conveyor.

7. 2. The apparatus for processing a cylindrical body with a bottom according to claim 1, wherein an open end of the cylindrical body with a bottom, which is attracted to and transported by the transport surface of the circulating conveyor, is in a reduced diameter state.

8. The neck processing units of the multi-stage neck processing section are arranged in series in one horizontal direction, The circulating conveyor extends along the one direction above the multi-stage neck processing section, a chute is provided for moving the bottomed cylindrical body downward from the rear end of the conveying path of the circulating conveyor to the upstream neck processing unit; 2. The apparatus for processing a cylindrical body with a bottom according to claim 1, wherein the chute is provided with an air mechanism for assisting the movement of the cylindrical body with a bottom.

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