Processing device and method for manufacturing bag-shaped member

Abstract

To provide a processing device and a method for manufacturing a bag-shaped member that can contribute to improving the efficiency of the processing step of sheet-shaped members by selectively performing different operations on each of a plurality of sheet-shaped members.SOLUTION: The processing apparatus according to the present invention is capable of selectively applying different operations to each of a plurality of sheet-shaped members to be processed, and is provided with: a holding section which holds a predetermined position of a sheet-shaped member and selectively applies operations to the held sheet-shaped member; a stage section on which a sheet-shaped member on which operations have been applied by the holding section is placed; and a positioning section which positions the sheet-shaped member in the stage section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology of the present disclosure relates to a processing apparatus and a method for manufacturing a bag-shaped member.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a plurality of sheet-like members (for example, flexible resin sheet-like members) are used as base materials, and products are manufactured by combining them. For example, a bag-shaped member may be manufactured by combining a plurality of sheet-like members. In the manufacturing process of such a bag-shaped member, operations such as folding, inverting, and laminating a plurality of sheet-like members are performed. By the way, bag-shaped members have various variations in shape and / or size depending on their use, and it is required to cope with the production of multiple varieties. In addition, when increasing the capacity of the bag-shaped member, the sheet-like member used as the base material for the bag-shaped member also becomes larger, making it difficult to perform production by manual work.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a sheet folding device that folds a sheet along a folding line and overlaps it doubly. The device includes a cylinder disposed on one side of the folding line, extending in the length direction of the sheet, and having one end reaching near one end of the sheet; a holding means provided at one end of the cylinder for holding the sheet near one end of the sheet; a rotating shaft disposed at a distance from the folding line near the other end of the cylinder and extending in the width direction of the sheet; a drive mechanism for inverting the cylinder around the rotating shaft; and a control device connected to the drive mechanism and the cylinder. After holding the sheet, the drive mechanism inverts the cylinder, and at the same time, the control device extends the cylinder with a set stroke. A sheet folding device is described, which is characterized in that the drive mechanism, the cylinder, and the holding means are used to fold the sheet.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes a bending and forming apparatus including a fixed-side jig having a receiving surface for holding a workpiece and a guiding surface for forming a bent corner between the receiving surfaces to bend the workpiece, a movable-side jig including a movable pressing member operatively connected to a driving means, the movable pressing member having a pressing surface capable of abutting against the receiving surface of the fixed-side jig and a bending process surface capable of forming a bent corner between the pressing surfaces and abutting against the guiding surface of the fixed-side jig, a receiving surface direction guide portion provided in the driving means for driving and guiding the movable pressing member so that the pressing surface of the movable pressing member abuts against the receiving surface of the fixed-side jig and a gap is provided between the bending process surface of the movable pressing member and the guiding surface of the fixed-side jig, a guiding surface direction guide portion provided in the driving means for driving and guiding the movable pressing member so that the bending process surface of the movable pressing member can abut against the guiding surface of the fixed-side jig from a state where the pressing surface of the movable pressing member abuts against the receiving surface of the fixed-side jig, and a heating means for heating a bent portion of the workpiece sandwiched between each surface of the fixed-side jig and each surface of the movable pressing member.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes a sheet passing mechanism of a folding device for folding a single-sheet, which allows a single-sheet to pass through without being folded. The single-sheet is discharged from a first nip roller and bypasses directly to a feed roller without passing through a second nip roller and passes through without being folded.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] Patent Document 1 describes a sheet folding device that folds a sheet 1 along a folding line and overlaps it doubly. Patent Document 2 describes a folding device that gives a folding shape at a desired angle to a flexible printed circuit board. Further, Patent Document 3 describes a sheet passing mechanism of a folding device. Thus, in Patent Documents 1 to 3, although a processing device that performs only a single operation on a sheet-like member is described, consideration is not given to selectively performing different operations on the sheet-like member. For this reason, when realizing different operations that were manually performed in the processing step for the sheet-like member, it was necessary to prepare separate devices according to each operation.

[0008] Therefore, the technology of the present disclosure provides a processing device and a method for manufacturing a bag-like container that can contribute to improving the efficiency of the processing step of a sheet-like member by selectively performing different operations (for example, operations such as folding, inverting, and / or laminating the sheet-like member) on each of a plurality of sheet-like members.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] A first aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a processing device capable of selectively performing different operations on each of a plurality of sheet-like members to be processed, the processing device including a holding unit that holds a predetermined position of the sheet-like member and selectively performs an operation on the held sheet-like member, a stage unit on which the sheet-like member on which the operation has been performed by the holding unit is placed, and a positioning unit for positioning the position on the stage unit where the sheet-like member is placed.

[0010] A second aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is the processing device according to the first aspect, wherein the operations include a folding operation of folding the sheet-like member, an inversion operation of inverting one surface and the other surface of the sheet-like member, and a lamination operation of laminating the sheet-like member on the stage unit, and any one or a combination of two or more of the folding operation, the inversion operation, and the lamination operation is selectively performed on the sheet-like member.

[0011] A third aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of sheet-like members, including a first sheet-like member, a second sheet-like member, a third sheet-like member, and a fourth sheet-like member. The operations include placing the first sheet-like member with one surface facing up on the stage portion; folding the second sheet-like member with one surface facing outward and laminating it on the first sheet-like member; folding the third sheet-like member with one surface facing outward and laminating it on the first sheet-like member; and inverting the fourth sheet-like member and laminating it with one surface facing down on the second sheet-like member and the third sheet-like member. This is a processing apparatus according to the first aspect.

[0012] A fourth aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the positioning portion is capable of suppressing movement of the sheet-like member placed on the stage portion relative to the stage portion when viewed in plan view of the stage portion.

[0013] A fifth aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the positioning portion includes a positioning member protruding from the placement surface of the stage portion, and holes are formed in the sheet-like member at predetermined positions. The sheet-like member is positioned on the stage portion by inserting the positioning member into the holes.

[0014] A sixth aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect, wherein the holes are formed in the sheet-like member at portions corresponding to the four corners of the sheet-like member.

[0015] A seventh aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect, wherein the holding portion holds the outer edge side of the sheet-like member rather than the holes in the sheet-like member.

[0016] An eighth aspect of the technology according to the present disclosure is a processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the holding portion includes an end effector portion capable of holding the sheet-like member and a main body portion supporting the end effector portion. The main body portion functions as an orthogonal robot capable of three-dimensionally sliding the end effector portion, and the end effector portion is rotatable relative to the main body portion.

[0017] The ninth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a processing apparatus according to the first aspect in which the holding unit holds the sheet-like member by adsorption.

[0018] The tenth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a processing apparatus according to the first aspect, further including a set portion on which the sheet-like member before the operation is placed, and the sheet-like member is positioned in the set portion.

[0019] The eleventh aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a processing apparatus according to the first aspect in which the holding unit performs an operation of inverting the sheet-like member while transporting the sheet-like member to the stage unit.

[0020] The twelfth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is that a plurality of sheet-like members are used as a raw material of a bag-like member, and the processing apparatus is used in a folding and laminating process of a bag-making process that is a manufacturing process of the bag-like member, which is a processing apparatus according to the first aspect.

[0021] The thirteenth aspect according to the technology of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a bag-like member using the processing apparatus according to the first aspect and using the sheet-like member as a raw material, including a step of selecting an operation to be performed on each of a plurality of sheet-like members by the holding unit, a step of performing the selected operation on the sheet-like member, and a step of placing the sheet-like member on which the operation has been performed by the holding unit at a position positioned by the positioning unit on the stage unit.

Effects of the Invention

[0022] According to the technology of the present disclosure, a processing apparatus and a method for manufacturing a bag-like member are provided that can contribute to improving the efficiency of the processing step of the sheet-like member by selectively performing different operations (for example, operations such as folding, inverting, and / or laminating the sheet-like member) on each of a plurality of sheet-like members.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] An example of an embodiment of the processing apparatus 10 according to the technology of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] In the following description, for convenience of explanation, the front-rear direction (also referred to as the depth direction), width direction, and height direction of the processing apparatus 10 are indicated by three arrows X, Y, and Z. First, the height direction is indicated by arrow Z, the direction of arrow Z is defined as the upward direction of the processing apparatus 10, and the opposite direction is the downward direction. The width direction is indicated by arrow X orthogonal to arrow Z, the direction indicated by arrow X is defined as the right direction of the processing apparatus 10, and the opposite direction is the left direction. The front-rear direction is indicated by arrow Y orthogonal to arrow Z and arrow X, the direction indicated by arrow Y is defined as the front direction of the processing apparatus 10, and the opposite is the rear direction. Also, hereinafter, expressions using sides such as the upper side, lower side, left side, right side, front side, and rear side have the same meaning as expressions using directions.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the processing apparatus 10 is an apparatus for performing processing on a sheet-like member S (see FIG. 2). Specifically, the processing apparatus 10 is an apparatus capable of selectively performing different operations on each of a plurality of sheet-like members S to be processed. Here, the operations performed in the processing apparatus 10 include an operation of folding the sheet-like member S, an operation of inverting one surface (for example, the front surface) of the sheet-like member S to the other surface (for example, the back surface) (that is, an operation of turning the sheet-like member S over), and an operation of laminating the sheet-like members S. In the processing apparatus 10, such operations are selectively performed on the sheet-like member S. That is, in the processing apparatus 10, it is possible to switch the operation according to each of the plurality of sheet-like members S. Note that the operation content does not necessarily have to be always different for each of the plurality of sheet-like members S, and of course, the same operation may be included. The processing apparatus 10 is an example of the "processing apparatus" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The sheet-like member S is an example of the "sheet-like member" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0027] The processing device 10 includes a stage unit 12, a holding unit 20, and a positioning unit 30. The stage unit 12 is a pedestal-shaped part on which the sheet-like member S can be placed. The upper surface of the stage unit 12 is a placement surface 12A on which the sheet-like member S is placed. The sheet-like member S on which work has been performed by the holding unit 20 is placed on the stage unit 12. When the sheet-like member S is placed on the stage unit 12, it is positioned by the positioning unit 30. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the stage unit 12 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and the stage unit 12 is provided at the central portion in the left-right direction of the processing device 10 and on the rear side. The stage unit 12 is an example of the "stage unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure, the holding unit 20 is an example of the "holding unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure, and the positioning unit 30 is an example of the "positioning unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0028] The holding unit 20 holds a predetermined position of the sheet-like member S. The predetermined position can be appropriately set according to the ease of holding and the workability after holding, etc. Also, whether to set the predetermined position on one surface or the other surface of the sheet-like member S can also be appropriately set according to the ease of holding and the workability after holding, etc. Details of the position held by the holding unit 20 will be described later.

[0029] Further, the holding unit 20 can selectively perform work on the held sheet-like member S. That is, the holding unit 20 has a mechanism for realizing an operation of folding the sheet-like member S, an operation of inverting the sheet-like member S, and an operation of laminating the sheet-like member S. The operation of folding the sheet-like member S is hereinafter simply referred to as the "folding operation", the operation of inverting the sheet-like member S is hereinafter simply referred to as the "inverting operation", and the operation of laminating the sheet-like member S is hereinafter simply referred to as the "laminating operation". In the example shown in FIG. 1, the holding unit 20 includes a first holding unit 22, a second holding unit 24, a third holding unit 26, and a fourth holding unit 28. The first holding unit 22, the second holding unit 24, the third holding unit 26, and the fourth holding unit 28 are examples of the "holding unit" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0030] The first holding part 22 and the second holding part 24 are provided on the left side of the processing device 10. Also, the third holding part 26 and the fourth holding part 28 are provided on the right side of the processing device 10. That is, the first holding part 22 and the second holding part 24, and the third holding part 26 and the fourth holding part 28 are provided on opposite sides with the stage part 12 and the set part 16 interposed therebetween. Thereby, the sheet-like member S is held from both sides in the left-right direction by the first holding part 22 and the second holding part 24, and the third holding part 26 and the fourth holding part 28.

[0031] The first holding part 22 is provided on the left side of the stage part 12 in the processing device 10. The first holding part 22 is slidable along the direction in which the stage part 12 and the set part 16 are arranged (here, the front-rear direction). Specifically, the first holding part 22 is attached to the linear guide 42. The linear guide 42 is a guide mechanism extending along the front-rear direction. And the first holding part 22 is slidable along the linear guide 42. That is, the first holding part 22 is slidable along the front-rear direction.

[0032] The first holding part 22 has a main body part 22A and an end effector part 22B. The main body part 22A is a part that supports the end effector part 22B. The main body part 22A has a vertical part 22A1 which is a support member extending in the vertical direction, and a horizontal part 22A2 which is a support member extending along the horizontal direction. The lower end part of the vertical part 22A1 is attached to the linear guide 42, and the vertical part 22A1 is slidable in the front-rear direction along the linear guide 42. Specifically, the vertical part 22A1 receiving power from a drive mechanism (for example, an electric cylinder) not shown moves in the front-rear direction along the linear guide 42. The main body part 22A is an example of the "main body part" according to the technology of the present disclosure, and the end effector part 22B is an example of the "end effector part" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0033] The horizontal portion 22A2 is attached to the vertical portion 22A1 in a manner that intersects the vertical portion 22A1. The horizontal portion 22A2 extends from the vertical portion 22A1 toward the center in the left - right direction of the processing device 10. Also, the horizontal portion 22A2 is slidable along the vertical direction and the horizontal direction with respect to the vertical portion 22A1 by a drive mechanism (for example, an electric cylinder) not shown. In this way, the main body portion 22A is slidable along the front - rear direction by the linear guide 42. Also, in the main body portion 22A, the horizontal portion 22A2 is slidable in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction with respect to the vertical portion 22A1. That is, the main body portion 22A is slidable three - dimensionally.

[0034] The end - effector portion 22B is a part capable of holding the sheet - like member S. The end - effector portion 22B is attached to the tip side of the horizontal portion 22A2 (that is, the side opposite to the side attached to the vertical portion 22A1). The end - effector portion 22B is rotatable with respect to the horizontal portion 22A2 by a drive mechanism (for example, a stepping motor) not shown. For example, the end - effector portion 22B is attached to the horizontal portion 22A2 via a shaft member along the longitudinal direction of the horizontal portion 22A2, and is rotatable with respect to the horizontal portion 22A2 using the shaft member as a rotation axis.

[0035] The first holding part 22 holds the sheet-like member S by suction. An adsorption pad 22C is provided at a position facing the sheet-like member S on the end effector part 22B. The adsorption pad 22C is capable of being adsorbed to the sheet-like member S. The holding part 20 holds or releases the holding of the sheet-like member S via the adsorption pad 22C. Specifically, in a state where the adsorption pad 22C is in contact with the sheet-like member S, air in the space between the sheet-like member S and the adsorption pad 22C is sucked by a suction mechanism (not shown). Thereby, the adsorption pad 22C is adsorbed to the sheet-like member S, and the sheet-like member S is held by the end effector part 22B. More specifically, by using an ejector as the suction mechanism, the adsorption pad 22C can be adsorbed to or released from the sheet-like member S. A regulator may be connected to the ejector to enable adjustment of the suction flow rate. Here, a form example in which the sheet-like member S is held by adsorption accompanying suction of air has been described, but this is merely an example. For example, the sheet-like member S may be held by electrostatic adsorption.

[0036] As described above, the main body part 22A supports the end effector part 22B, and the main body part 22A is capable of three-dimensionally sliding and moving by receiving power from a drive mechanism (not shown). That is, the main body part 22A functions as an orthogonal robot capable of three-dimensionally sliding and moving the end effector part 22B. Further, the end effector part 22B is rotatable with respect to the main body part 22A. That is, the main body part 22A enables the end effector part 22B to perform a linear motion in three dimensions and further enables rotation of the end effector part 22B about an axis along the horizontal direction.

[0037] The second holding part 24 is provided on the left side of the stage part 12 in the processing apparatus 10. That is, the second holding part 24 is provided on the same side as the first holding part 22. The second holding part 24 is capable of sliding and moving along the direction in which the stage part 12 and the setting part 16 are arranged (here, the front-rear direction).

[0038] Specifically, the second holding part 24 is attached to the linear guide 44. The linear guide 44 is a guide mechanism extending along the front-rear direction. Also, the linear guide 44 is provided on the side closer to the stage part 12 (here, the right side) than the linear guide 42. And the second holding part 24 is slidable along the linear guide 44. That is, the second holding part 24 is slidable along the front-rear direction. Also, the second holding part 24 is movable along the front-rear direction while passing by the first holding part 22.

[0039] Also, the second holding part 24 has a main body part 24A and an end effector part 24B. Since the detailed configuration of the second holding part 24 is the same as that of the first holding part 22, a detailed description is omitted.

[0040] The third holding part 26 and the fourth holding part 28 are provided on the side opposite to the first holding part 22 and the second holding part 24 (here, the right side) with the stage part 12 and the set part 16 interposed therebetween. The third holding part 26 is provided at a position symmetric to the first holding part 22 in the left-right direction. That is, the third holding part 26 faces the first holding part 22 with the stage part 12 and the set part 16 interposed therebetween. Also, the third holding part 26 is slidable along the linear guide 48. Since the configuration of the third holding part 26 is the same as that of the first holding part 22, a detailed description is omitted.

[0041] The fourth holding part 28 is provided at a position symmetric to the second holding part 24 in the left-right direction. That is, the fourth holding part 28 faces the second holding part 24 with the stage part 12 and the set part 16 interposed therebetween. Also, the fourth holding part 28 is slidable along the linear guide 46. Since the configuration of the fourth holding part 28 is the same as that of the second holding part 24, a detailed description is omitted.

[0042] The third holding part 26 is capable of operating in synchronization with the first holding part 22. Also, the fourth holding part 28 is capable of operating in synchronization with the second holding part 24. That is, the first holding part 22 and the third holding part 26 can operate while maintaining a predetermined positional relationship with each other (for example, a positional relationship of facing each other with the stage part 12 interposed therebetween). Also, the second holding part 24 and the fourth holding part 28 can operate while maintaining a predetermined positional relationship with each other (for example, a positional relationship of facing each other with the stage part 12 interposed therebetween).

[0043] A positioning part 30 is provided on the stage part 12. The positioning part 30 positions the position on the stage part 12 where the sheet-like member S is placed. In the example shown in FIG. 1, positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 that protrude from the mounting surface 12A of the stage part 12 (that is, the surface on which the sheet-like member S is placed) are provided at the four corners of the stage part 12. Specifically, the positioning pin 32 is provided at the left rear corner of the stage part 12, and the positioning pin 34 is provided at the left front corner of the stage part 12. Also, the positioning pin 36 is provided at the right rear corner of the stage part 12, and the positioning pin 38 is provided at the right front corner of the stage part 12. Although details will be described later, holes H (see FIG. 3) are formed at predetermined positions in the sheet-like member S placed on the stage part 12. Then, the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 are respectively inserted into the holes H formed in the sheet-like member S, thereby positioning the sheet-like member S. The positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 are an example of the "positioning member" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0044] In addition, in a state where the sheet-like member S is positioned by the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38, the sheet-like member S is suppressed from moving in the horizontal direction with respect to the stage portion 12. Specifically, in the positioned state, the peripheral edge of the hole H formed in the sheet-like member S abuts against the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 respectively, so that the movement of the sheet-like member S is suppressed. Thus, when the stage portion 12 is viewed in plan, in the sheet-like member S placed on the stage portion 12, the movement with respect to the stage portion 12 is suppressed by the positioning portion 30.

[0045] The positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 are, for example, columnar members having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the hole H formed in the sheet-like member S. Further, the tip portions of the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 may be shaped such that the diameter becomes smaller toward the tip. That is, the tip portions of the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 may have a tapered shape. For example, the tip portions of the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 may be conical. Thereby, it becomes easy to insert the hole H formed in the sheet-like member S through the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38.

[0046] In addition, the processing apparatus 10 is provided with a setting portion 16. The setting portion 16 is a pedestal-like portion on which the sheet-like member S before the operation by the holding portion 20 is placed. The setting portion 16 is adjacent to the stage portion 12 in the processing apparatus 10, for example. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the setting portion 16 is located in front of the stage portion 12 in the processing apparatus 10. By providing the setting portion 16 in the processing apparatus 10, the distance required to convey the sheet-like member S from the setting portion 16 to the stage portion 12 is shortened, and the adhesion of contaminants during conveyance is suppressed.

[0047] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the setting portion 16 has a cross shape when viewed in plan (here, when viewed downward along the vertical direction). In other words, the setting portion 16 has a shape in which the four corners of the square are recessed toward the center when viewed in plan. The setting portion 16 is an example of the "setting portion" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0048] And positioning pins 18 are respectively provided at positions where the four corners of the setting portion 16 are recessed. The four positioning pins 18 are inserted into the holes H formed in the sheet-like member S described above. Thereby, the sheet-like member S placed on the setting portion 16 is positioned. The arrangement of the four positioning pins 18 is the same as the arrangement of the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 on the stage portion 12.

[0049]

[0048] Further, the processing device 10 operates under the control of the control device 40. Specifically, the control device 40 acquires the working conditions (for example, the working content or the number of times, etc.) input from the user, and controls the processing device 10 according to the acquired working conditions. The control device 40 is realized by, for example, a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage (for example, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory), and / or SSD (Solid State Drive), etc.), and a memory (for example, RAM (Random Access Memory)).

[0050] In the present embodiment, the control device 40 is realized by a computer, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the control device 40 may be realized by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and / or a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). Further, it may be realized by combining two or more of an ASIC, an FPGA, a PLC, and a computer. That is, the control device 40 may be realized by a combination of a hardware configuration and a software configuration.

[0051] Next, an operation example of the processing device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 9. As an example, as shown in FIG. 2, a sheet-like member S is placed on the setting portion 16. Specifically, the sheet-like member S is placed on the placement surface 16A of the setting portion 16, and further, a hole H formed in the sheet-like member S is inserted into the positioning pin 18. The installation of the sheet-like member S on the setting portion 16 may be performed by an operator or may be performed by a conveyance mechanism (for example, a conveyance robot arm) not shown in the figure.

[0052] Here, the sheet-like member S is, for example, a resin sheet-like member. Specifically, the sheet-like member S is made of, for example, PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), or EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer) resin. The sheet-like member S has, for example, a rectangular shape in a plan view. The dimensions of the sheet-like member S are, as an example, a total thickness of 300 μm and a size of 400 mm × 1100 mm.

[0053] More specifically, examples of the resin forming the sheet-like member S include, as PE, LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene), LLDPE (Linear Low Density Polyethylene), ULDPE (Ultra Low Density Polyethylene), and HDPE (High Density Polyethylene). Examples of PP include OPP (Oriented Polypropylene), CPP (Cast Polypropylene), and IPP (Inflation Polypropylene). Other examples of the resin forming the sheet-like member S include EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate), nylon, polyester, PO (polyolefin), PFA (perfluoroalkoxy alkane), and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). Specific examples of polyester include PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PEN (polyethylene naphthalate).

[0054] Further, the sheet-like member S may have a laminated structure in which a plurality of materials are laminated from the inside to the outside of the container. In this case, a plurality of resin layers made of the resin as described above may be laminated and configured. Of course, the laminated structure of the sheet-like member S may be configured to include materials other than resin. For example, the sheet-like member S may have a laminated structure having a metal layer or a paper layer. Specifically, the sheet-like member S may have a laminated structure having at least a resin layer on the inside and a metal layer (for example, an aluminum layer) on the outside. Also, the sheet-like member S may have a laminated structure having a resin layer on the inside and a paper layer on the outside.

[0055] Also, when the sheet-like member S is placed on the setting portion 16, the sheet-like member S is placed in a state where a predetermined surface in the thickness direction of the sheet-like member S faces the side opposite to the setting portion 16 (here, the upper side). Here, in the sheet-like member S, the surface where the adhesion of contaminants (for example, dirt and / or dust) is not allowed as compared with other surfaces is the predetermined surface. As an example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the sheet-like member S is used for manufacturing the bag-like member A, the surface that becomes the inside of the bag-like member A (that is, the side in contact with the contents) in the state of the bag-like member A is the predetermined surface. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the predetermined surface in the sheet-like member S is also referred to as the front surface F, and the opposite surface is also referred to as the back surface B. The front surface F is an example of "one surface" according to the technology of the present disclosure, and the back surface B is an example of "the other surface" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0056] Here, a rectangular sheet-like member S is shown, but this is merely an example, and it may be square, or other polygonal sheet-like members S, or a sheet-like member S including a curved outer edge such as having an R shape at the corners or being oval.

[0057] In particular, the bag-shaped member A may be used as a bag for use in the pharmaceutical field for adjusting and / or storing a culture medium, a buffer, or the like (so-called single-use bag). In this case, it is required to suppress the adhesion of contaminants (e.g., dirt and / or dust) or bacteria on the contact surface (i.e., the liquid contact surface) with the chemical solution or the like stored inside. Therefore, in the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A, it is desirable to avoid contact between the region that finally becomes the liquid contact surface on the sheet-shaped member S and the holding portion 20 or the like as much as possible.

[0058] Specifically, when the sheet-shaped member S is used as a raw material of the bag-shaped member A, in the folding and laminating process of the bag-making process, which is the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A, a plurality of sheet-shaped members S are folded and laminated. In this case, the plurality of sheet-shaped members S are laminated with the surface F of the sheet-shaped member S facing inward. Further, the portions C corresponding to the four corners of the laminated sheet-shaped member S are removed (i.e., trimmed). Then, the peripheral edges of the sheet-shaped member S after the portions C corresponding to the four corners are removed are welded to each other to form the bag-shaped member A. That is, since the portions C corresponding to the four corners are removed during the manufacturing process, even if they come into contact with the holding portion 20 or the like, the influence on the final product is small.

[0059] The portions C corresponding to the four corners of the sheet-shaped member S are within a predetermined range with respect to the size of the sheet-shaped member S. The portions C corresponding to the four corners are, for example, regions cut off at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to each side of the sheet-shaped member S. And in the width direction of the sheet-shaped member S, the length L between the portions C corresponding to the four corners is in a predetermined ratio with respect to the width W of the sheet-shaped member S. For example, when the width W of the sheet-shaped member S is 1000 mm, the length L is set between 10 and 100 mm. Also, when the width W of the sheet-shaped member S is 400 mm, the length L is 10 mm. Also, when the width W of the sheet-shaped member S is 270 mm, the length L is 10 mm.

[0060] In addition, holes H are formed in portions C corresponding to the four corners. Specifically, one hole H is formed in each of the portions C corresponding to the four corners. As described above, in the state where the sheet-like member S is placed on the stage portion 12, the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 are inserted into the holes H. Further, in the state where the sheet-like member S is placed on the setting portion 16, the four positioning pins 18 are respectively inserted into the holes H. Here, although a form example in which the holes H are circular has been described, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The holes H may have any shape through which the positioning pins can be inserted, and may be polygonal shapes such as quadrilaterals. The holes H are an example of the "holes" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0061] When the sheet-like member S is held by the holding portion 20, in the sheet-like member S, the portions C corresponding to the four corners are held. Specifically, in the portions C corresponding to the four corners, the portions on the outer edge side of the sheet-like member S rather than the holes H are held. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the portion D between the hole H and the outer edge along the width direction (i.e., the short side direction) is held. Note that this is merely an example, and the portion between the outer edge along the longitudinal direction and the hole H may be held. By the held position being on the outer edge side rather than the hole H, when the holding portion 20 places the sheet-like member S on the stage portion 12, a tensile force is generated in the sheet-like member S in the vicinity of the hole H. The component force of the tensile force serves as an auxiliary force when inserting the hole H through the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38, facilitating positioning.

[0062] As an example, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 4, the sheet-like member S is placed on the setting part 16. Then, the operation on the sheet-like member S by the holding part 20 is started. In the following description, a case where the processing device 10 is used in the folding and laminating processes of the bag-making process will be described as an example. Here, the plurality of sheet-like members S include a first sheet-like member S1, a second sheet-like member S2, a third sheet-like member S3, and a fourth sheet-like member S4, and these are folded or laminated. The first sheet-like member S1 is an example of the "first sheet-like member" according to the technology of the present disclosure, the second sheet-like member S2 is an example of the "second sheet-like member" according to the technology of the present disclosure, the third sheet-like member S3 is an example of the "third sheet-like member" according to the technology of the present disclosure, and the fourth sheet-like member S4 is an example of the "fourth sheet-like member" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0063] First, the operation on the first sheet-like member S1, which is the first sheet-like member among the sheet-like members, will be described. In the following description, the operations of the first holding part 22 and the second holding part 24 will be described, but the same operations are also performed on the third holding part 26 and the fourth holding part 28. That is, as described above, the third holding part 26 and the fourth holding part 28 operate in synchronization with the first holding part 22 and the second holding part 24, respectively.

[0064] As an example, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 4, in a state where the first sheet-like member S1 is placed on the setting portion 16, the end effector portion 22B of the first holding portion 22 and the end effector portion 24B of the second holding portion 24 approach the surface F of the first sheet-like member S1. Then, the suction pads 22C of the first holding portion 22 and the suction pads 24C of the second holding portion 24 adsorb to the surface F of the first sheet-like member S1. Specifically, in a state where the suction pads 22C and the suction pads 24C are in contact with the surface F of the first sheet-like member S1, an ejector (not shown) operates, and air is sucked, so that the suction pads 22C and the suction pads 24C adsorb to the surface F. Thereby, the first sheet-like member S1 is held by the first holding portion 22 and the second holding portion 24. In this case, the portions C corresponding to the four corners of the first sheet-like member S1 are held by the first holding portion 22 and the second holding portion 24. More specifically, in the portions C corresponding to the four corners, the portions D between the holes H and the outer edge are held (see FIG. 3).

[0065] While being held by the holding portion 20, the first sheet-like member S1 is moved upward above the setting portion 16, and then the first sheet-like member S1 is moved upward above the stage portion 12. Above the stage portion 12, after reaching a predetermined position, the first sheet-like member S1 is moved downward. Specifically, the first sheet-like member S1 is moved downward by the downward movement of the end effector portion 22B and the end effector portion 24B. Then, the first sheet-like member S1 is placed on the stage portion 12 in a state of being positioned by the positioning portion 30. In this way, an operation of placing the first sheet-like member S1 on the stage portion 12 with the surface F facing upward is performed.

[0066] After the operation on the first sheet-like member S1 is completed, the holding by the holding portion 20 is released. Then, the holding portion 20 returns to a predetermined position (for example, the initial position before the start of the operation).

[0067] Next, the operations on the second sheet-like member S2, which is the second sheet-like member S, will be described. As an example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the second sheet-like member S2 is placed on the setting portion 16. Then, the suction pad 22C of the end effector portion 22B adsorbs to the back surface B of the second sheet-like member S2. Specifically, the end effector portion 22B approaches the back surface B in a state of being rotated 180° by a drive mechanism (not shown). Then, with the suction pad 22C in contact with the back surface B of the second sheet-like member S2, an ejector (not shown) operates, and air is sucked, so that the suction pad 22C adsorbs to the back surface B. Also, similar to the case of the first sheet-like member S1, the suction pad 24C of the end effector portion 24B adsorbs to the front surface F of the second sheet-like member S2.

[0068] As an example, as shown in the second stage of FIG. 5, the second sheet-like member S2 is moved upward while being held by the holding portion 20. Then, as an example, as shown in the third and fourth stages of FIG. 5, in the second sheet-like member S2, the front surface F is set to the lower side and the back surface B is set to the upper side by the holding portion 20. That is, the second sheet-like member S2 is turned over by the holding portion 20.

[0069] In the example shown in FIG. 5, the end effector portion 22B moves upward while rotating 90° clockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper surface while holding the back surface B of the second sheet-like member S2. Also, the end effector portion 24B moves downward while rotating 90° clockwise while holding the front surface F of the second sheet-like member S2. In this case, in the second sheet-like member S2, the portion between the end effector portion 22B and the end effector portion 24B is bent in an S shape.

[0070] Then, the end effector unit 22B and the end effector unit 24B move in directions crossing each other in a state where they are displaced in the vertical direction. After that, the end effector unit 22B stops at a predetermined position and then rotates 90° clockwise when viewed from the front side of the paper surface. On the other hand, the end effector unit 24B also stops at a predetermined position and then rotates 90° clockwise when viewed from the front side of the paper surface. As a result, the second sheet-like member S2 is turned over.

[0071] As an example, as shown in the uppermost stage of FIG. 6, the second sheet-like member S2 is moved upward above the stage unit 12 while being held by the holding unit 20. After the second sheet-like member S2 reaches a predetermined position above the stage unit 12, the second sheet-like member S2 is folded with the surface F facing outward. Specifically, as shown in the second stage of FIG. 6, when the end effector unit 22B moves downward, the rear end side of the second sheet-like member S2 is moved downward. Then, the rear end side of the second sheet-like member S2 is placed on the surface F of the first sheet-like member S1 in a state of being positioned by the positioning unit 30 (here, the positioning pin 32). The holding by the end effector unit 22B is released, and the end effector unit 22B retracts to a position where it does not interfere with the end effector unit 24B.

[0072] Also, as shown in the third stage of FIG. 6, when the end effector unit 24B rotates 180°, the front end side of the second sheet-like member S2 is turned over. Then, the end effector unit 24B is moved above the second sheet-like member S2 that has already been placed, and further the end effector unit 24B is moved downward. As a result, the non-placed portion of the second sheet-like member S2 is placed on the placed portion of the second sheet-like member S2 in a state of being positioned by the positioning unit 30 (here, the positioning pin 32). As a result, as shown in the fourth stage of FIG. 6, the second sheet-like member S2 is folded with the surface F facing outward. The folded second sheet-like member S2 is located behind the stage unit 12. In this way, the second sheet-like member S2 is folded in half with the surface F facing outward and stacked on the first sheet-like member S1.

[0073] After the work on the second sheet-like member S2 is completed, the holding by the holding part 20 is released. Then, the holding part 20 returns to a predetermined position (for example, the initial position before the start of work).

[0074] Also, as shown in the lowermost part of FIG. 6 as an example, the same operations as those on the second sheet-like member S2 described above (for example, the operation of inverting the third sheet-like member S3 and the operation of folding the third sheet-like member S3) are performed on the third sheet-like member S3. However, the third sheet-like member S3 is folded at a position symmetric to the second sheet-like member S2 when viewed from the left-right direction of the stage part 12. That is, the third sheet-like member S3 is located in front of the stage part 12 in a folded state with the surface F facing outward. In this way, the operation of folding the third sheet-like member S3 in two with the surface F facing outward and laminating it on the first sheet-like member S1 is performed.

[0075] The operation on the third sheet-like member S3 is realized by an operation symmetric to the operation on the second sheet-like member S2. In other words, the operation on the third sheet-like member S3 is realized by a movement symmetric to the movements of the end effector part 22B and the end effector part 24B shown in FIG. 5 (that is, a movement line-symmetric with respect to the center line of the setting part 16 when viewed from the left-right direction of the setting part 16). Also, the operation on the third sheet-like member S3 is realized by a movement symmetric to the movements of the end effector part 22B and the end effector part 24B shown in FIG. 6 (that is, a movement line-symmetric with respect to the center line of the stage part 12 when viewed from the left-right direction of the stage part 12).

[0076] Next, the operation on the fourth sheet-like member S4, which is the fourth sheet-like member S, will be described. As shown in FIG. 7 as an example, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is placed on the setting part 16. Then, the suction pads 22C of the end effector part 22B and the suction pads 24C of the end effector part 24B adsorb to the back surface B of the fourth sheet-like member S4.

[0077] As shown in the second stage of FIG. 7 as an example, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is moved upward while being held by the holding portion 20. Thereafter, as shown in the third and fourth stages of FIG. 7 as an example, in the fourth sheet-like member S4, the surface F is set to the lower side and the back surface B is set to the upper side by the holding portion 20. That is, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is turned over by the holding portion 20.

[0078] In the example shown in FIG. 7, the end effector portion 22B moves upward while rotating 90° clockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper while holding the back surface B of the fourth sheet-like member S4. Further, the end effector portion 24B moves downward while rotating 90° clockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper while holding the back surface B of the fourth sheet-like member S4. In this case, in the fourth sheet-like member S4, the portion between the end effector portion 22B and the end effector portion 24B is bent in an S shape.

[0079] Then, the end effector portion 22B and the end effector portion 24B move in directions crossing each other in a state where they are displaced in the vertical direction. Thereafter, after the end effector portion 22B stops at a predetermined position, it rotates 90° clockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper. On the other hand, after the end effector portion 24B also stops at a predetermined position, it rotates 90° clockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper. As a result, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is turned over.

[0080] As an example, as shown in FIG. 8, while the fourth sheet-like member S4 is being held by the holding unit 20, it is moved upward above the stage unit 12. After reaching a predetermined position above the stage unit 12, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is moved downward. Specifically, when the end effector unit 22B and the end effector unit 24B move downward, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is moved downward. Then, with the fourth sheet-like member S4 being positioned by the positioning unit 30, it is placed on the folded second sheet-like member S2 and the folded third sheet-like member S3. That is, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is laminated on the second sheet-like member S2 and the third sheet-like member S3. In this way, an operation of inverting the fourth sheet-like member S4 and laminating it on the second sheet-like member S2 and the third sheet-like member S3 with the surface F facing downwards is performed.

[0081] As described above, in the processing apparatus 10, different operations are selectively performed on each of the plurality of sheet-like members S by the holding unit 20. Specifically, an operation of conveying the first sheet-like member S1 to the stage unit 12 is performed. Also, for the second sheet-like member S2 and the third sheet-like member S3, a combination of an operation of inverting, a folding operation, and a laminating operation is performed. Further, for the fourth sheet-like member S4, a combination of an operation of inverting and a laminating operation is performed.

[0082] As an example, as shown in FIG. 9, after the operations on the first sheet-like member S1, the second sheet-like member S2, the third sheet-like member S3, and the fourth sheet-like member S4 are completed, the first sheet-like member S1, the second sheet-like member S2, the third sheet-like member S3, and the fourth sheet-like member S4 are placed on the stage unit 12 in a laminated state. Then, the first sheet-like member S1, the second sheet-like member S2, the third sheet-like member S3, and the fourth sheet-like member S4 are conveyed to the next process while maintaining the laminated state. After that, the holding unit 20 returns to a predetermined position (for example, the initial position before the start of the operation). Then, in the processing apparatus 10, the operation on the first sheet-like member S1 is started.

[0083] Next, with reference to FIG. 10, the processing steps of the sheet-like member S according to the present embodiment will be described. The processing steps of the sheet-like member S are, for example, part of a bag-making process for manufacturing the bag-like member A using the sheet-like member S as a raw material. The flow of the processing steps of the sheet-like member S shown in FIG. 10 is an example of the "method for manufacturing a bag-like member" according to the technology of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the processing steps of the sheet-like member S will be simply referred to as the "processing steps".

[0084] As an example, as shown in FIG. 10, in the processing steps, first, in step ST12, the sheet-like member S is set in the processing apparatus 10. After the step of step ST12 is performed, the processing steps proceed to step ST14.

[0085] In step ST14, the operation to be performed on the sheet-like member S set in step ST12 is selected. Specifically, the operation to be performed on the sheet-like member S is selected by the control device 40. After the step of step ST14 is performed, the processing steps proceed to step ST16.

[0086] In step ST16, the operation selected in step ST12 is performed on the sheet-like member S. Specifically, under the control of the control device 40, the holding unit 20 operates to perform an operation on the sheet-like member S. After the step of step ST16 is performed, the processing steps proceed to step ST18.

[0087] In step ST18, the sheet-like member S on which the operation was performed in step ST16 is placed on the stage unit 12. The sheet-like member S is placed at a position positioned by the positioning unit 30 on the stage unit 12. After the step of step ST18 is performed, the processing steps proceed to step ST20.

[0088] In step ST20, it is determined whether or not the end condition of the processing step is satisfied. Here, examples of the end condition include that work has been performed on a predetermined number of sheet-like members S. If the end condition is not satisfied, the determination is negative and the processing step returns to step ST12 again. On the other hand, if the end condition is satisfied, the determination is affirmative and the processing step ends. It goes without saying that the processing step of the sheet-like member S according to the present embodiment may be used in addition to the manufacturing process of the bag-like member A.

[0089] As described above, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, different operations can be selectively performed on each of the plurality of sheet-like members S. The processing apparatus 10 includes a holding unit 20, a stage unit 12, and a positioning unit 30. The holding unit 20 holds a predetermined position of the sheet-like member S and selectively performs operations (for example, operations such as folding, inverting, and / or laminating the sheet-like member S) on the held sheet-like member S. Further, the sheet-like member S on which the operation has been performed is placed on the stage unit 12. Then, the positioning unit 30 positions the position on the stage unit 12 where the sheet-like member S is placed. As a result, operations are selectively performed on each of the plurality of sheet-like members S by the holding unit 20, and further, the sheet-like member S on which the operation has been performed is placed on the stage unit 12 in a positioned state. This contributes to an improvement in the efficiency of the processing step for the sheet-like member S as compared with the case of manual work.

[0090] In the conventionally known processing step of the sheet-like member S, work on the sheet-like member S was performed manually. However, in this case, when the size of the sheet-like member S becomes large (for example, the maximum length is 900 mm or more), it becomes difficult for a human to handle it, resulting in a decrease in efficiency in the processing step. Further, if a large amount of human work is included in the processing step, there is a possibility that human-derived contamination adheres to the sheet-like member S, and from the viewpoint of quality control, it is desirable to minimize the man-hours of the work as much as possible.

[0091] On the other hand, in a conventionally known processing apparatus, only the folding operation of the sheet-like member S is performed, and it is not possible to selectively perform operations on each of a plurality of sheet-like members S with a single apparatus. Therefore, in this configuration, in the processing apparatus 10, different operations are selectively performed on each of the plurality of sheet-like members S, and further, the sheet-like member S after the operation is placed in a state of being positioned on the stage portion 12. As a result, this contributes to an improvement in the efficiency of the processing step for the sheet-like member S as compared with the case of manual work.

[0092] Further, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the operations performed by the holding unit 20 include an operation of folding the sheet-like member S, an operation of inverting the front surface F and the back surface B of the sheet-like member S, and an operation of laminating the sheet-like members S on the stage portion 12. Then, any one or a combination of two or more of the folding operation, the inverting operation, and the laminating operation is selectively performed on the sheet-like member S. As a result, it becomes possible to selectively perform various operations on each of the plurality of sheet-like members S, which contributes to an improvement in the efficiency of the processing step for the sheet-like member S.

[0093] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the plurality of sheet-like members S to be worked on include a first sheet-like member S1, a second sheet-like member S2, a third sheet-like member S3, and a fourth sheet-like member S4. And the work performed by the holding unit 20 includes the work of placing the first sheet-like member S1 on the stage unit 12 with the surface F facing up. Further, the work performed by the holding unit 20 includes the work of folding the second sheet-like member S2 in half with the surface F facing outward and laminating it on the first sheet-like member S1. Also, the work performed by the holding unit 20 includes the work of folding the third sheet-like member S3 in half with the surface F facing outward and laminating it on the first sheet-like member S1. Furthermore, the work performed by the holding unit 20 includes the work of inverting the fourth sheet-like member S4 and laminating it on the second sheet-like member S2 and the third sheet-like member S3 with the surface F facing down. Thereby, various operations can be selectively performed on each of the plurality of sheet-like members S, contributing to the improvement of the efficiency of the processing steps for the sheet-like member S. Also, when the sheet-like member S is used for manufacturing the bag-like member A, by sequentially performing the above-described operations, it contributes to the improvement of the efficiency of the processing steps for the sheet-like member S in the manufacturing process of the bag-like member A.

[0094] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, when the stage unit 12 is viewed in a plan view, the positioning unit 30 is capable of suppressing the movement of the sheet-like member S placed on the stage unit 12 with respect to the stage unit 12. Thereby, the positioning unit 30 makes it difficult for the position of the sheet-like member S on the stage unit 12 to shift. That is, the positioning unit 30 has not only the positioning function of the sheet-like member S but also the function of suppressing the displacement of the sheet-like member S. For this reason, compared with the case where a structure for fixing the sheet-like member S positioned on the stage unit 12 is separately provided, the configuration of the processing apparatus 10 is simplified.

[0095] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the positioning unit 30 includes positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 that protrude from the mounting surface 12A of the stage unit 12. Four holes H are formed in the sheet-like member S at predetermined positions. By inserting the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 into each of the four holes H, the sheet-like member S is positioned on the stage unit 12. As a result, with a simple configuration of the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38, positioning can be achieved and displacement can also be suppressed. For example, compared with the case of providing a marker for positioning and a clip for fixing, the configuration of the processing apparatus 10 is simplified. In particular, with the configuration in which the pins are inserted into the holes, even when a plurality of sheet-like members S are stacked, the plurality of sheet-like members S can be positioned and displacement can be suppressed.

[0096] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the holes H are formed in the portions C corresponding to the four corners of the sheet-like member S. The holes H are used for positioning the sheet-like member S as described above. As a result, for example, the positioning accuracy is improved compared with the case where the holes H are provided only at one corner of the sheet-like member S. Further, for example, when the holes H are provided only at one corner of the sheet-like member S, the sheet-like member S may rotate on the stage unit 12. However, since the sheet-like member S is positioned by the holes H formed in the portions C corresponding to the four corners, the position of the sheet-like member S on the stage unit 12 is less likely to shift.

[0097] Further, when the sheet-like member S is used for manufacturing the bag-like member A, the portions C corresponding to the four corners are often removed. Therefore, even if the holes H are formed in the portions C corresponding to the four corners, the influence on the finished bag-like member A (for example, adhesion of contamination or generation of scratches due to the formation of the holes H) is small.

[0098] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the holding unit 20 holds the outer edge side of the sheet-like member S rather than the hole H in the sheet-like member S. As a result, compared with the case of holding the inner side of the hole H, the influence on the inner part of the sheet-like member S (for example, the part other than the part C corresponding to the four corners) (for example, adhesion of contamination due to holding or generation of scratches) is small.

[0099] Also, when the sheet-like member S is used for manufacturing the bag-like member A, the portion C corresponding to the four corners is often removed. Therefore, even if the portion C corresponding to the four corners is held, the influence on the finished bag-like member A (for example, adhesion of contamination due to holding or generation of scratches) is small.

[0100] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the holding unit 20 includes a first holding unit 22. The first holding unit 22 includes a main body unit 22A and an end effector unit 22B. The end effector unit 22B is capable of holding the sheet-like member S, and the main body unit 22A supports the end effector unit 22B. The main body unit 22A functions as an orthogonal robot capable of three-dimensionally sliding the end effector unit 22B, and the end effector unit 22B is rotatable with respect to the main body unit 22A. Also, the second holding unit 24, the third holding unit 26, and the fourth holding unit 28 have the same configuration as the first holding unit 22. As a result, the necessary movement of the holding unit 20 is realized by the movement of the orthogonal robot and the rotation of the end effector. Therefore, compared with the case where the holding unit 20 is a multi-joint arm, the necessary movement of the holding unit 20 is realized with a simple configuration.

[0101] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the holding unit 20 holds the sheet-like member S by suction. As a result, compared with holding by a gripper, the generation of scratches on the sheet-like member S or the generation of marks from holding is suppressed.

[0102] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, a set portion 16 on which the sheet-like member S before the operation by the holding portion 20 is placed is further provided. And in the set portion 16, the sheet-like member S is positioned by the positioning pins 18. Thereby, when holding the sheet-like member S from the set portion 16 in order to perform an operation, it becomes easy to hold it at a predetermined position.

[0103] In addition, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the plurality of sheet-like members S are used as a base material of the bag-shaped member A, and the processing apparatus 10 is used in the folding and laminating steps of the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A. The bag-shaped member A has various variations in shape and / or size according to its use, and it is required to cope with the production of many varieties. Further, when the capacity of the bag-shaped member A is increased, the sheet-like member used as the base material for the bag-shaped member also becomes larger, so that it becomes difficult to perform the production by manual work. In this configuration, since the processing apparatus 10 is used in the folding and laminating steps of the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A, it contributes to the improvement of the efficiency of the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A.

[0104] The folding and laminating steps in the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A are steps that are likely to affect variations for each product or the occurrence of defective products. Specifically, the folding position of the sheet-like member S or the laminated state of the sheet-like member S greatly affects the quality of the finished product. Therefore, by using the processing apparatus 10 in the folding and laminating steps of the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A, it contributes to the improvement of the quality of the bag-shaped member A.

[0105] Also, in the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A, if there is a lot of manual work involved, contaminants derived from humans may adhere to the sheet-like member S, and as a result, there is a possibility of mixing into the interior of the bag-shaped member A. Therefore, from the perspective of quality control of the bag-shaped member A, it is desirable to automate the work as much as possible. In addition, the bag-shaped member A may be used as a single-use bag. In this case, it is required to suppress the adhesion of contaminants or bacteria on the contact surface. In a conventionally known processing apparatus, since the contact surface of the sheet-like member S and the processing jig (for example, a roller or the like) are in direct contact, the possibility of adhesion of contaminants or bacteria increases. On the other hand, in this configuration, since the processing apparatus 10 is used in the manufacturing process of the bag-shaped member A, it contributes to the improvement of the quality of the bag-shaped member A.

[0106] (Modification example) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the folding operation or the reversing operation of the sheet-like member S is performed by the end effector portion 22B of the first holding portion 22 and the end effector portion 24B of the second holding portion 24 performing a passing-by operation with respect to each other, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In this modification example, with the end effector portion 24B as the rotation center, the end effector portion 22B follows an arc-shaped locus, whereby the folding operation or the reversing operation of the sheet-like member S is performed.

[0107] As shown in FIG. 11 as an example, the second sheet-like member S2 is moved upward above the setting portion 16 while being held by the holding portion 20. Thereafter, in the second sheet-like member S2, the surface F is set to the lower side and the back surface B is set to the upper side by the holding portion 20. That is, the second sheet-like member S2 is turned over by the holding portion 20.

[0108] In the example shown in FIG. 11, while holding the back surface B of the second sheet-like member S2, the end effector portion 22B moves along an arc-shaped trajectory while rotating 180° clockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper surface. Further, while holding the front surface F of the second sheet-like member S2, the end effector portion 24B rotates 180° clockwise at the same position as viewed from the front side of the paper surface. That is, with the end effector portion 24B as the rotation center, the end effector portion 22B follows an arc-shaped trajectory. As a result, the second sheet-like member S2 is turned inside out. When the second sheet-like member S2 is turned inside out, the second sheet-like member S2 is positioned above the stage portion 12. That is, it can be said that an inversion operation is performed on the second sheet-like member S2 while the second sheet-like member S2 is being conveyed to the stage portion 12.

[0109] After the second sheet-like member S2 reaches a predetermined position above the stage portion 12, the second sheet-like member S2 is folded with the front surface F facing outward. Specifically, as shown in the second row of FIG. 12, the rear end side of the second sheet-like member S2 is placed on the front surface F of the first sheet-like member S1 in a state of being positioned by the positioning portion 30 (here, the positioning pin 32).

[0110] Further, as shown in the third row of FIG. 12, while the end effector portion 24B rotates 180° as viewed from the front side of the paper surface, it moves above the already placed second sheet-like member S2. As a result, the front end side of the second sheet-like member S2 is turned inside out. Then, the non-placed portion of the second sheet-like member S2 is placed on the already placed portion of the second sheet-like member S2 in a state of being positioned by the positioning portion 30 (here, the positioning pin 32). As a result, as shown in the fourth row of FIG. 12, the second sheet-like member S2 is folded with the front surface F facing outward.

[0111] Also, as an example, as shown in the bottom row of FIG. 12, the same operation as the operation on the second sheet-like member S2 described above is performed on the third sheet-like member S3. As a result, the third sheet-like member S3 is folded at a position symmetric to the second sheet-like member S2 when viewed from the left-right direction of the stage portion 12.

[0112] As an example, as shown in FIG. 13, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is moved upward above the set portion 16 while being held by the holding portion 20. After that, the surface F is turned downward and the back surface B is turned upward by the holding portion 20. That is, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is turned over by the holding portion 20.

[0113] In the example shown in FIG. 13, the end effector portion 22B moves along an arc-shaped locus while rotating 180° clockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper while holding the back surface B of the fourth sheet-like member S4. Further, the end effector portion 24B rotates 180° clockwise as viewed from the front side of the paper at the same position while holding the back surface B of the fourth sheet-like member S4. That is, starting from the end effector portion 24B, the end effector portion 22B follows an arc-shaped locus. As a result, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is turned over. When the fourth sheet-like member S4 is turned over, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is located above the stage portion 12. That is, it can be said that an inversion operation is performed on the fourth sheet-like member S4 while the fourth sheet-like member S4 is being conveyed to the stage portion 12.

[0114] After the fourth sheet-like member S4 reaches a predetermined position above the stage portion 12, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is moved downward. Then, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is placed on the two-folded second sheet-like member S2 and the two-folded third sheet-like member S3 in a state of being positioned by the positioning portion 30. That is, the fourth sheet-like member S4 is laminated on the second sheet-like member S2 and the third sheet-like member S3.

[0115] As described above, in the processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the holding portion 20 performs an inversion operation on the sheet-like member S while conveying the sheet-like member S from the set portion 16 to the stage portion 12. Thereby, the processing step of the sheet-like member S is simplified as compared with the case where the sheet-like member S is inverted and then conveyed to the stage portion 12.

[0116] In the above-described embodiment, a form example in which a combination of an inversion operation, a folding operation, and a stacking operation is performed on the second sheet-like member S2 and the third sheet-like member S3, and a combination of an inversion operation and a stacking operation is performed on the fourth sheet-like member S4 has been described. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The combination of operations can of course be freely set according to the processing steps of the sheet-like member S. Further, for example, any one of a folding operation, an inversion operation, and a stacking operation may be selectively performed on the sheet-like member S.

[0117] Also, in the above-described embodiment, a form example in which operations are performed on four sheet-like members S in the processing apparatus 10 has been described. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The number of sheet-like members S may be three or less, or may be five or more. Further, the sheet-like members S to be processed do not have to be all of the same size or shape, and may have different sizes or shapes. In this case, the holding portion 20 can change the holding position of the sheet-like member S according to the different sizes or shapes. Thereby, it is possible to correspond to various sheet-like members S, and mass production of multiple product types by the processing apparatus 10 is realized.

[0118] Also, in the above-described embodiment, a form example in which the sheet-like member S is folded in half has been described as the folding operation. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the sheet-like member S may be folded multiple times (for example, three or more times) as the folding operation. In this case, a bellows may be formed in the gusset portion of the bag-like member A manufactured using the sheet-like member S as a raw material by folding multiple times.

[0119] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the setting unit 16 is provided in the processing device 10 has been described. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the setting unit 16 may not be provided in the processing device 10, and the sheet-like member S may be directly transported from the device used in the previous process (for example, a device that cuts the sheet-like member S into a predetermined size) to the stage unit 12 of the processing device 10. Further, the sheet-like member S may be picked up from the shelf in which the sheet-like member S is stored and transported to the stage unit 12 of the processing device 10.

[0120] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the sheet-like member S is positioned by the positioning pins 32, 34, 36, and 38 has been described. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, it may be a mode in which the sheet-like member S is positioned by a protrusion (for example, a conical protrusion or a hemispherical protrusion) protruding from the placement surface 12A.

[0121] Further, for example, in the stage unit 12, the sheet-like member S may be positioned by being clamped by a clip or adsorbed by a suction pad at a predetermined position. Further, it may be a mode in which the sheet-like member S is positioned by an outer frame provided in the stage unit 12 (for example, an L-shaped frame corresponding to the corner portion of the sheet-like member S).

[0122] Further, the positioning may be performed by executing an image recognition process on the image obtained by imaging the sheet-like member S, detecting a characteristic portion (for example, a marker or a corner portion) of the sheet-like member S, and controlling the operation of the holding unit 20 based on the detection result.

[0123] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the holding unit 20 includes the first holding unit 20, the second holding unit 24, the third holding unit 26, and the fourth holding unit 28 has been described. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The holding unit 20 may be composed of three or less or five or more holding units.

[0124] In the above-described embodiment, the holding unit 20 was described by way of an example of holding the sheet-like member S by adsorption. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the sheet-like member S may be held by a gripping mechanism such as a gripper or a robot hand.

[0125] In the above-described embodiment, the main body portions 22A, 24A, 26A, and 28A of the holding unit 20 were described by way of an example of functioning as an orthogonal robot. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the operation of the holding unit 20 may be realized by a multi-joint robot arm.

[0126] In the above-described embodiment, the bag-like member A was described by way of an example of a bag-like container with a gusset (i.e., a margin). However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the bag-like member A may be a bag-like container obtained by welding two sheet-like members S along their peripheral edges. In this case, in the manufacturing process of the bag-like member A, in the processing process of the sheet-like member S, an operation of inverting the sheet-like member S and an operation of laminating are performed.

[0127] The description content and the illustrated content shown above are detailed descriptions of the part related to the technology of the present disclosure and are merely examples of the technology of the present disclosure. For example, the description regarding the above-described configuration, function, action, and effect is an example of the description regarding the configuration, function, action, and effect of the part related to the technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, it goes without saying that within the scope not departing from the gist of the technology of the present disclosure, the above-described description content and illustrated content may be deleted of unnecessary parts, new elements may be added, or replacements may be made. Further, in order to avoid complication and facilitate the understanding of the part related to the technology of the present disclosure, in the above-described description content and illustrated content, the description regarding common technical knowledge and the like that does not particularly require explanation for enabling the implementation of the technology of the present disclosure is omitted.

[0128] In this specification, "A and / or B" is synonymous with "at least one of A and B". That is, "A and / or B" means that it may be only A, only B, or a combination of A and B. Also, in this specification, when expressing three or more matters connected by "and / or", the same concept as "A and / or B" is applied.

[0129] All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described in this specification are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually stated to be incorporated by reference.

[0130] Regarding the above embodiments, the following is further disclosed. <Appendix 1> A processing apparatus capable of selectively performing different operations on each of a plurality of sheet-like members to be processed, a holding unit that holds a predetermined position of the sheet-like member and selectively performs the operation on the held sheet-like member, a stage unit on which the sheet-like member on which the operation has been performed by the holding unit is placed, a positioning unit for positioning the position on the stage unit where the sheet-like member is placed, and a processing apparatus comprising the same. <Appendix 2> The above operations include a folding operation of folding the sheet-like member, a reversing operation of reversing one surface and the other surface of the sheet-like member, and a stacking operation of stacking the sheet-like members on the stage unit, and any one or a combination of two or more of the folding operation, the reversing operation, and the stacking operation is selectively performed on the sheet-like member. The processing apparatus according to Appendix 1. <Appendix 3> The above plurality of sheet-like members include a first sheet-like member, a second sheet-like member, a third sheet-like member, and a fourth sheet-like member, and the above operations include Placing the first sheet-like member with one of its surfaces facing up on the stage portion, and folding the second sheet-like member with the one surface facing outward and laminating it on the first sheet-like member, and folding the third sheet-like member with the one surface facing outward and laminating it on the first sheet-like member, and inverting the fourth sheet-like member and laminating it with the one surface facing down on the second sheet-like member and the third sheet-like member are included. The processing apparatus according to appended claim 1 or appended claim 2. <Appended claim 4> The positioning portion is capable of suppressing the movement of the sheet-like member placed on the stage portion with respect to the stage portion when the stage portion is viewed in a plan view. The processing apparatus according to any one of appended claims 1 to appended claim 3. <Appended claim 5> The positioning portion includes a positioning member protruding from the placement surface of the stage portion. Holes are formed in the sheet-like member at predetermined positions. By inserting the positioning member into the holes, the sheet-like member is positioned on the stage portion. The processing apparatus according to any one of appended claims 1 to appended claim 4. <Appended claim 6> The holes are formed in the sheet-like member at portions corresponding to the four corners of the sheet-like member. The processing apparatus according to appended claim 5. <Appended claim 7> The holding portion holds the outer edge side of the sheet-like member rather than the holes in the sheet-like member. The processing apparatus according to appended claim 5 or appended claim 6. <Appended claim 8> The holding portion has an end effector portion capable of holding the sheet-like member and a main body portion supporting the end effector portion. The main body portion functions as an orthogonal robot capable of three-dimensionally sliding the end effector portion. The end effector part is rotatable with respect to the main body part. The processing device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 7. <Appendix 9> The holding part holds the sheet-like member by suction. The processing device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 8. <Appendix 10> The processing device further includes a set part on which the sheet-like member is placed before the operation is performed, The sheet-like member is positioned in the set part. The processing device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 9. <Appendix 11> The holding part performs an operation of inverting the sheet-like member while transporting the sheet-like member to the stage part. The processing device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 10. <Appendix 12> The plurality of sheet-like members are used as a raw material of a bag-like member, The processing device is used in the folding and laminating processes of the bag-making process, which is the manufacturing process of the bag-like member. The processing device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 11. <Appendix 13> A method of manufacturing a bag-like member using the processing device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 12 and using the sheet-like member as a raw material, A step of selecting an operation performed on each of the plurality of sheet-like members by the holding part, A step of performing the selected operation on the sheet-like member, and, A step of placing the sheet-like member on which the operation has been performed by the holding part at a position positioned by the positioning part on the stage part. A method of manufacturing a bag-like member including the above steps.

Description of reference numerals

[0131] 10 Processing device 12 Stage part Placement surfaces for 12A and 16A 16-set part Positioning pins 18, 32, 34, 36, 38 Holding part 20 First holding part 22 Body parts 22A, 24A, 26A, 28A Vertical parts 22A1, 24A1, 26A1, 28A1 Horizontal parts 22A2, 24A2, 26A2, 28A2 End effector parts 22B, 24B, 26B, 28B Suction pads 22C, 24C, 26C, 28C Second holding part 24 Third holding part 26 Fourth holding part 28 Positioning part 30 Control device 40 Linear guides 42, 44, 46, 48 Bag-shaped member A Back surface B Front surface F Hole H Sheet-shaped member S First sheet-shaped member S1 Second sheet-shaped member S2 Third sheet-shaped member S3 Fourth sheet-shaped member S4

Claims

1. A processing apparatus capable of selectively performing different operations on each of a plurality of sheet-like members to be processed, comprising: a holding unit that holds a predetermined position of the sheet-like member and selectively performs the operation on the held sheet-like member; a stage unit on which the sheet-like member on which the operation has been performed by the holding unit is placed; a positioning unit for positioning the position on the stage unit where the sheet-like member is placed; A processing apparatus comprising the above.

2. The operations include a folding operation of folding the sheet-like member, an inversion operation of inverting one surface and the other surface of the sheet-like member, and a stacking operation of stacking the sheet-like members on the stage unit. Any one or a combination of two or more of the folding operation, the inversion operation, and the stacking operation is selectively performed on the sheet-like member. The processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. The plurality of sheet-like members include a first sheet-like member, a second sheet-like member, a third sheet-like member, and a fourth sheet-like member. The operations include: an operation of placing the first sheet-like member on the stage unit with one surface facing up; an operation of folding the second sheet-like member with the one surface facing outward and stacking it on the first sheet-like member; an operation of folding the third sheet-like member with the one surface facing outward and stacking it on the first sheet-like member; an operation of inverting the fourth sheet-like member and stacking it on the second sheet-like member and the third sheet-like member with the one surface facing down. The processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

4. The positioning unit is capable of suppressing the movement of the sheet-like member placed on the stage unit with respect to the stage unit when the stage unit is viewed in a plan view. The processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

5. The positioning unit includes a positioning member protruding from the placement surface of the stage unit. Holes are formed in the sheet-like member at predetermined positions. The sheet-like member is positioned on the stage unit by inserting the positioning member into the holes. The processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

6. The holes are formed in the sheet-like member at portions corresponding to the four corners of the sheet-like member. The processing apparatus according to Claim 5.

7. The holding unit holds the outer edge side of the sheet-like member with respect to the holes in the sheet-like member. The processing apparatus according to claim 5.

8. The holding part has an end effector part capable of holding the sheet-like member, and a main body part that supports the end effector part. The main body part functions as an orthogonal robot capable of three-dimensionally sliding and moving the end effector part. The end effector part is rotatable with respect to the main body part. The processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The holding part holds the sheet-like member by suction. The processing apparatus according to claim 1.

10. The processing apparatus further includes a set part on which the sheet-like member before the operation is performed is placed, and the sheet-like member is positioned in the set part. The processing apparatus according to claim 1.

11. The holding part performs an operation of inverting the sheet-like member while transporting the sheet-like member to the stage part. The processing apparatus according to claim 1.

12. The plurality of sheet-like members are used as a base material for a bag-like member. The processing apparatus is used in the folding and laminating steps of the bag-making step, which is the manufacturing process of the bag-like member. The processing apparatus according to claim 1.

13. A method for manufacturing a bag-like member using the processing apparatus according to claim 1 and using the sheet-like member as a base material, the method including a step of selecting an operation to be performed on each of the plurality of sheet-like members by the holding part, a step of performing the selected operation on the sheet-like member, and a step of placing the sheet-like member on which the operation has been performed by the holding part at a position positioned by the positioning part on the stage part. The method for manufacturing a bag-like member includes the above steps.

Images