Boxing device

Abstract

To provide a boxing device capable of preventing contacts between fruits and vegetables during transfer and storing the fruits and vegetables compactly when boxed.SOLUTION: A boxing device 10 packs long-sized fruits and vegetables F into boxes. The boxing device includes a fruit and vegetable conveying device 110 that conveys a predetermined amount of fruits and vegetables F arranged in a row along a width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and a suction and transfer device 120 that suction-holds the fruits and vegetables F conveyed by the fruit and vegetable conveying device 110 and transfers them to a storage box B for boxing. The suction and transfer device 120 is capable of suction-holding the fruits and vegetables F in a zigzag arrangement in which the fruits and vegetables F in higher holding positions and the fruits and vegetables F in lower holding positions are alternately arranged along the width direction, and performs a storage preliminary operation for the fruits and vegetables F transferred in the zigzag arrangement. The storage preliminary operation includes a first operation of changing the arrangement interval in the width direction of the suction-held fruits and vegetables F.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a boxing device that boxes fruit vegetables such as cucumbers. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a transfer device that suction-holds and transfers a plurality of aligned and arranged articles all at once. The transfer device of Patent Document 1 is particularly suitable for use as a boxing device that transfers fruit and vegetable products such as eggplants and cucumbers from an alignment device while suction-holding them and places them in a predetermined box. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3004591 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the transfer device of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the articles picked up in multiple rows may interfere with (contact with) each other during transfer and fall. Furthermore, if the spacing between the articles is increased to prevent this interference, it becomes difficult to store the articles compactly when packing them into boxes.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a boxing device that can prevent contact between fruit and vegetable products during transport and can store fruit and vegetable products compactly when boxed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the packing device disclosed herein is a packing device for packing long-sized fruit and vegetable products into boxes, and includes a fruit and vegetable conveying device that conveys a predetermined number of fruit and vegetable products arranged in a row along a width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and an adsorption and transfer device that adsorbs and holds the fruit and vegetable products conveyed by the fruit and vegetable conveying device and transfers them to a storage box for packing.The adsorption and transfer device is capable of adsorbing and holding the fruit and vegetable products in a staggered arrangement in which fruit and vegetable products in high holding positions and fruit and vegetable products in low holding positions are arranged alternately along the width direction, and performs a preparatory storage operation for the fruit and vegetable products transferred in the staggered arrangement, and is characterized in that the preparatory storage operation includes a first operation that changes the arrangement spacing of the adsorbed and held fruit and vegetable products in the width direction.

[0007] According to the above configuration, the first operation enables the fruits and vegetables to be packed compactly into boxes. During the first operation, the fruits and vegetables are arranged in a staggered pattern, which reduces interference (contact) between adjacent fruits and vegetables and prevents them from falling due to interference between them.

[0008] In addition, in the above-mentioned boxing device, the fruit and vegetable conveying device can be configured to impart a staggered suction posture to the fruit and vegetable products before they are adsorbed by the suction and transfer device, and the suction and transfer device can be configured to perform an suction operation on the fruit and vegetable products in the staggered suction posture.

[0009] In addition, in the above-mentioned boxing device, the fruit and vegetable conveying device can be configured to impart a horizontally arranged suction posture to the fruit and vegetable products before they are adsorbed by the suction and transfer device, and the suction and transfer device can perform a suction operation on the fruit and vegetable products in the horizontally arranged suction posture and change the arrangement of the fruit and vegetable products after adsorption to a staggered pattern.

[0010] In addition, in the above-mentioned boxing device, the fruit and vegetable conveying device has a guide plate that gives the fruit and vegetable an adsorption posture when the fruit and vegetable is placed on it, and the guide plate can be configured to have a V-shaped notch on its upper edge for placing the fruit and vegetable on it.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the position of the fruit or vegetable product can be stabilized during the suction operation, and the workability of the suction operation can be improved.

[0012] In addition, in the above-mentioned boxing device, the suction and transfer device suctions and transfers multiple rows of fruit and vegetable products in the conveying direction, and holds the fruit and vegetable products at an angle so that the heights of both ends of the suctioned products are different, and the preliminary storage operation can be configured to include a second operation of changing the spacing of the suctioned and held fruit and vegetable products in the conveying direction.

[0013] According to the above configuration, the second operation allows the fruits and vegetables to be packed compactly into boxes. During the second operation, the fruits and vegetables are held at an angle, which also reduces interference between the fruits and vegetables. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The boxing device of the present disclosure has the advantage of being able to prevent contact between fruit and vegetable products during transport and to store fruit and vegetable products compactly when boxed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a packing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the packing device. [Figure 3] 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a fruit and vegetable transport device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the lifting unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the suction unit and the attachment portion when performing a suction operation. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the suction unit and the attachment portion when performing a suction operation. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the suction unit and the attachment portion when performing a storage operation. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the suction unit and the attachment portion when performing a storage operation. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the state in which fruits and vegetables are stored in a storage box in a staggered arrangement. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which fruits and vegetables are stored in a storage box in a horizontal arrangement. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a suction unit and a lifting unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the suction unit in a state where the arrangement of fruits and vegetables has been changed to a staggered form. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a front view (viewed from the Y1 direction) showing a schematic configuration of a packing apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a side view (viewed from the X1 direction) showing a schematic configuration of the packing apparatus 10. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the packing apparatus 10 is generally configured to include a fruit or vegetable conveying device 110, a suction transfer device 120, and a box conveying device 130.

[0017] The fruit and vegetable conveying device 110 conveys the fruit and vegetable products F to be packed in boxes while aligning them. The suction transfer device 120 suction-holds and transfers the fruit and vegetable products F conveyed by the fruit and vegetable conveying device 110, and packs the fruit and vegetable products F into boxes. The box transfer device 130 transports the storage boxes B into which the fruit and vegetable products F are packed. Note that in this embodiment, cucumbers are used as an example of the fruit and vegetable products F, but the fruit and vegetable products F are not limited to cucumbers as long as they are long crops with a relatively elongated (longitudinal) shape, and may be, for example, eggplants, etc.

[0018] Fig. 3 is a front view (viewed from the Y1 direction) showing the schematic configuration of the fruit and vegetable conveying device 110. As shown in Fig. 3, the fruit and vegetable conveying device 110 includes a plurality of (six in this embodiment) belt conveyors 111a to 111f (sometimes referred to as belt conveyors 111 without distinguishing between them) as conveying sections that convey the fruit and vegetable products F to a suction position (conveyance end point), and a plurality of (four in this embodiment) lifting and lowering units 112a to 112d (sometimes referred to as lifting and lowering units 112 without distinguishing between them) as posture imparting sections that impart the pre-suction posture to the fruit and vegetable products F conveyed to the suction position.

[0019] The belt conveyors 111a to 111f are arranged along the conveying direction (the X1 direction in this embodiment) of the fruit and vegetable products F. That is, in the conveying section, the fruit and vegetable products F are sequentially conveyed in the X1 direction by the belt conveyors 111a to 111f. The conveying section can convey a predetermined number (nine in this embodiment) of fruit and vegetable products F lined up in the width direction (the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction: the Y-axis direction), and the fruit and vegetable products F are lined up on the conveying section with their longitudinal directions aligned with the conveying direction.

[0020] The lifting units 112a to 112d are arranged along the conveying direction of the fruit and vegetable products F (the X1 direction in this embodiment). The fruit and vegetable conveying device 110 of this embodiment is capable of simultaneously conveying multiple rows (two rows in this embodiment) of fruit and vegetable products F using the suction and transfer device 120, and accordingly, the positioning unit simultaneously imparts a suction position to two rows of fruit and vegetable products F. Specifically, the lifting units 112a to 112b impart a suction position to the row of fruit and vegetable products F on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the two rows of fruit and vegetable products F being transferred. The lifting units 112c to 112d impart a suction position to the row of fruit and vegetable products F on the downstream side in the conveying direction.

[0021] Fig. 4 is a side view (viewed from the X2 direction) showing the schematic configuration of the lifting unit 112. As shown in Fig. 4, each lifting unit 112 has a guide plate 1121, a compression spring 1122, a support portion 1123, and a lifting cylinder 1124. The number of guide plates 1121 is the same as the predetermined number of fruits and vegetables F in one row, and multiple guide plates 1121 are arranged along the width direction. At least one compression spring 1122 (two in the example of Fig. 4) is provided for each guide plate 1121.

[0022] The guide plate 1121 has a V-shaped notch 1121a on its upper edge, and by placing the edge of the fruit or vegetable F on the notch 1121a, the fruit or vegetable F is given a suction posture. The guide plate 1121 is preferably made of a low-friction resin material, and the placed fruit or vegetable F can be positioned by holding it at the bottom end of the V. If the position of the fruit or vegetable F is stable, the workability of the suction operation can be improved.

[0023] The compression spring 1122 is disposed between the guide plate 1121 and the support portion 1123, and provides a cushioning effect when the suction transfer device 120 performs the suction operation on the fruit or vegetable products F. This cushioning effect allows the suction transfer device 120 to perform a good suction operation on multiple fruit or vegetable products F, even if there is variation in thickness among the fruit or vegetable products F in the same row.

[0024] The support portion 1123 is an elongated member whose longitudinal direction is the width direction, and collectively supports the plurality of guide plates 1121. The lifting cylinder 1124 moves the plurality of guide plates 1121 up and down via the support portion 1123.

[0025] Lifting unit 112 is arranged so as not to overlap with the conveying unit (belt conveyor 111) in a plan view so as not to be interfered with by the conveying unit during its lifting operation. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, lifting unit 112d is arranged downstream of belt conveyor 111f, and lifting unit 112c is arranged between belt conveyors 111e and 111f.

[0026] While the fruit or vegetable product F is being conveyed by the conveying unit, the lifting unit 112 is lowered so that the upper end of the guide plate 1121 is below the conveying surface of the conveying unit. When the fruit or vegetable product F is conveyed to the suction position and the conveying unit stops, the lifting unit 112 is raised so that the upper end of the guide plate 1121 is above the conveying surface of the conveying unit. As the lifting unit 112 is raised, the fruit or vegetable product F rests on the notch 1121a of the guide plate 1121, and the fruit or vegetable product F is given a suction posture.

[0027] In the lifting unit 112 of this embodiment, the height of the fruit or vegetable F held on the guide plate 1121 varies depending on the position in the width direction. That is, the guide plate 1121 is provided with two types of notches 1121a, one with a shallow notch and one with a deep notch, and the guide plate 1121 with the shallow notch can hold the fruit or vegetable F at a higher position than the guide plate 1121 with the deep notch. Furthermore, the guide plates 1121 with the shallow notches and the guide plates 1121 with the deep notches are arranged alternately in the width direction.

[0028] With the above configuration, the lifting unit 112 can arrange the fruit and vegetable products F held in the suction position in a staggered arrangement (a staggered arrangement) in which the fruit and vegetable products F held in a high holding position and the fruit and vegetable products F held in a low holding position are alternately arranged along the width direction.

[0029] 4, the staggered arrangement of the fruits and vegetables F is achieved by varying the depth of the notches 1121a in the guide plate 1121, but the method for achieving the staggered arrangement is not limited to this and other methods may be used. For example, the staggered arrangement may be achieved by varying the size (height) of the guide plate 1121 itself. Alternatively, the staggered arrangement may be achieved by varying the mounting positions of the compression springs 1122 and the guide plate 1121 relative to the support portion 1123.

[0030] In this embodiment, two lifting and lowering units 112 are used to give one row of fruit and vegetable products F a suction posture. In this case, either one of the lifting and lowering units 112 may impart the above-mentioned staggered arrangement to one row of fruit and vegetable products F. For example, in the example of Fig. 3, the lifting and lowering units 112b and 112d holding the leading end (downstream side in the conveying direction) of the fruit and vegetable products F may impart the staggered arrangement, while the lifting and lowering units 112a and 112c holding the trailing end (upstream side in the conveying direction) of the fruit and vegetable products F may not impart the staggered arrangement. Of course, both lifting and lowering units 112 may impart the staggered arrangement to one row of fruit and vegetable products F.

[0031] Furthermore, the lifting unit 112 may hold the fruit or vegetable F in the suction position so that the longitudinal axis of the fruit or vegetable F is inclined with respect to the conveying direction (so that both ends of the fruit or vegetable F are at different heights). For example, in the example of Fig. 3, the fruit or vegetable F in the suction position is held so that the leading end of the fruit or vegetable F is higher than the trailing end. Alternatively, conversely, the fruit or vegetable F may be held so that the trailing end is higher than the leading end. Holding the fruit or vegetable F at an incline like this can be easily achieved by making the lifting positions of the lifting units 112b and 112d different from the lifting positions of the lifting units 112a and 112c.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the suction transfer device 120 includes a suction unit 121, a mounting portion 122, a Z-axis actuator 123, and an X-axis actuator .

[0033] The suction units 121 suction-hold the fruit and vegetable products F that are in a suction position on the conveying section, and in this embodiment, two suction units 121 are provided along the conveying direction. One suction unit 121 suction-holds one row of fruit and vegetable products F.

[0034] The two suction units 121 are attached to Z-axis actuators 123 via attachment parts 122, and the Z-axis actuators 123 are further attached to X-axis actuators 124. This allows the suction units 121 to be moved by the Z-axis actuators 123 and X-axis actuators 124. The suction transfer device 120 transfers the fruit or vegetable F by moving the attachment parts 122 while the fruit or vegetable F is suction-held by the suction units 121.

[0035] A specific example of the operation of transferring fruit or vegetable F by the suction transfer device 120 is as follows. First, the Z-axis actuator 123 and the X-axis actuator 124 move the suction unit 121 so that it is directly above the fruit or vegetable F at the suction position, while maintaining a vertical (Z-axis) distance therebetween. Then, the Z-axis actuator 123 lowers the mounting portion 122, bringing the suction pad 1212 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) of the suction unit 121 into contact with the fruit or vegetable F, causing the suction pad 1212 to suction and hold the fruit or vegetable F. The suction pad 1212 suctions and holds the fruit or vegetable F by vacuum suction, but the mechanisms required for vacuum suction (such as a suction hose and a suction pump) are not shown.

[0036] When the suction pad 1212 suction-holds the fruit or vegetable F, the Z-axis actuator 123 raises the suction unit 121, lifting up the suction-held fruit or vegetable F. Furthermore, the X-axis actuator 124 moves the suction unit 121 in the X1 direction, positioning the fruit or vegetable F directly above the storage box B. When the fruit or vegetable F is directly above the storage box B, the Z-axis actuator 123 lowers the suction unit 121, and once the fruit or vegetable F enters the storage box B, the suction pad 1212 releases the suction-holding of the fruit or vegetable F. By repeating the above movement operation a predetermined number of times, the fruit or vegetable F is packed into the storage box B.

[0037] During the above-mentioned transporting operation, the suction transporting device 120 also performs a preliminary storing operation for the fruit or vegetable product F being transported, which will be described later.

[0038] Fig. 5 is a front view (viewed from the Y1 direction) showing the suction unit 121 and the attachment portion 122 of the suction transfer device 120. Fig. 6 is a side view (viewed from the X1 direction) showing the suction unit 121 and the attachment portion 122 of the suction transfer device 120. Note that Figs. 5 and 6 show the state when the suction operation is performed on the fruit or vegetable F in the suction position.

[0039] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, each suction unit 121 has suction rods 1211, suction pads 1212, and a support base 1213. The number of suction rods 1211 is the same as the predetermined number of fruits and vegetables F in one row, and multiple suction rods 1211 are provided along the width direction. Two suction pads 1212 are provided at the tip (lower end) of each suction rod 1211. The heights of the suction surfaces at the lower ends of the two suction pads 1212 are different. This allows for good suction of fruits and vegetables F that are held at an angle, and allows the inclined position of the fruits and vegetables F to be maintained even after suction. It is preferable that the tip of the suction pad 1212 has a cushioning function such as bellows.

[0040] In the suction transfer device 120 of this embodiment, the height of the suction pads 1212 on the suction rods 1211 varies depending on the position in the width direction. That is, two types of suction rods 1211 are provided, one with a high suction pad 1212 and one with a low suction pad 1212, and these two types of suction rods 1211 are arranged alternately in the width direction. This allows the fruit and vegetable products F, which are arranged in a staggered pattern at the suction position, to be well suctioned, and the staggered pattern can be maintained for the fruit and vegetable products F after suction.

[0041] The support base 1213 is an elongated member whose longitudinal direction is the width direction, and collectively supports the plurality of suction rods 1211. Furthermore, as will be described in detail later, the support base 1213 has the function of changing the spacing between the suction rods 1211 in the width direction.

[0042] The mounting portion 122 has a rodless cylinder 1221, and one of the two suction units 121 (on the right side in FIG. 5) is mounted to the mounting portion 122 via the rodless cylinder 1221. The other suction unit 121 (on the left side in FIG. 5) is fixedly mounted to the mounting portion 122. That is, the mounting portion 122 can change the pitch between the two suction units 121 by moving the right suction unit 121 in the X-axis direction using the rodless cylinder 1221.

[0043] Furthermore, the mounting portion 122 may be provided with a stopper 1222 with a shock absorber, and when widening the pitch between the two suction units 121, the tip of the rodless cylinder 1221 can be brought into contact with the stopper 1222 to limit the pitch between the suction units 121 to the maximum pitch. If the position of the stopper 1222 relative to the mounting portion 122 can be changed, the length of the maximum pitch can also be changed.

[0044] Fig. 7 is a front view (viewed from the Y1 direction) showing the suction unit 121 and the attachment part 122 of the suction transfer device 120. Fig. 8 is a side view (viewed from the X1 direction) showing the suction unit 121 and the attachment part 122 of the suction transfer device 120. Note that Figs. 7 and 8 show the state when a storage operation is performed to store fruit and vegetable products F in a storage box B.

[0045] As described above, the suction transfer device 120 performs a storage preparatory operation in the process of transferring the fruit or vegetable product F from the suction position of the conveying section to the storage box B. This storage preparatory operation includes a first operation of changing the spacing between the suction rods 1211 in the width direction (i.e., changing the spacing between the suction-held fruit or vegetable product F in the width direction). That is, the first operation of the storage preparatory operation is an operation of changing the suction rods 1211 from the state shown in FIG. 6 to the state shown in FIG. 8.

[0046] The first operation of the storage preliminary operation can be realized, for example, by a pantograph 1213a and a cylinder 1213b provided on the support base 1213. That is, the suction rods 1211 are attached to the nodes of the pantograph 1213a, and the cylinders 1213b are attached to the ends of the pantograph 1213a, thereby expanding and contracting the pantograph 1213a. When the pantograph 1213a is expanded (the state shown in FIG. 6), the spacing between the suction rods 1211 increases, and when the pantograph 1213a is contracted (the state shown in FIG. 8), the spacing between the suction rods 1211 decreases.

[0047] 6 and 8, the suction rod 1211 attached to the center of the pantograph 1213a is fixed to the support base 1213, and one cylinder 1213b is attached to each end of the pantograph 1213a. Stoppers 1213c with shock absorbers may be provided on both sides of the movement range of each cylinder 1213b, and the movement range of the stoppers 1213c may be limited by abutting the cylinders 1213b against the stoppers 1213c.

[0048] The first operation reduces the widthwise spacing of the fruit and vegetable products F stored in the storage box B, allowing for compact storage in the storage box B. In addition, in this embodiment, the fruit and vegetable products F adsorbed and held by the suction unit 121 are arranged in a staggered pattern, so that during the first operation, interference (contact) between adjacent fruit and vegetable products F in the horizontal direction is less likely to occur, making it possible to prevent the fruit and vegetable products F from falling due to interference between each other.

[0049] Furthermore, the staggered arrangement of fruit and vegetable products F has the advantage of improving the filling rate of fruit and vegetable products F in storage box B. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which staggered arrangement of fruit and vegetable products F is stored in storage box B. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing, for comparison, a state in which horizontally arranged fruit and vegetable products F are stored in storage box B. In the example of Fig. 10, the stored fruit and vegetable products F are stacked in a square lattice pattern, making it difficult to increase the filling rate. Furthermore, near the edges, fruit and vegetable products F tend to pile up, and if the flaps of storage box B are forcibly closed in this state, there is a risk that the fruit and vegetable products F near the edges will break.

[0050] In contrast, in the example of Fig. 9, the stored fruits and vegetables F are stacked in a triangular lattice pattern, resulting in a higher packing rate than the example of Fig. 10. In addition, the fruits and vegetables F are less likely to bulge near the edges.

[0051] The storage preliminary operation of the suction transfer device 120 further includes a second operation of changing the pitch between the two suction units 121 (i.e., changing the spacing in the conveying direction of the suction-held fruit and vegetable products F). That is, the second operation of the storage preliminary operation is an operation of changing the suction units 121 from the state shown in Fig. 5 to the state shown in Fig. 7. This second operation is performed by moving the suction unit 121 on the right side in the figure using the rodless cylinder 1221.

[0052] The second operation reduces the spacing in the conveying direction between the fruit and vegetable products F stored in the storage box B, allowing for compact storage in the storage box B. In addition, in this embodiment, since the fruit and vegetable products F that are sucked and held in the suction unit 121 are held at an angle, interference (contact) between the fruit and vegetable products F in the conveying direction is less likely to occur during the second operation (see FIG. 7).

[0053] 1, the box conveying device 130 includes a first roller conveyor 131, a second roller conveyor 132, and a third roller conveyor 133. The second roller conveyor 132 is also a lift conveyor that can be raised and lowered between an elevated position where its conveying surface is aligned with the first roller conveyor 131, and a lowered position where its conveying surface is aligned with the third roller conveyor 133.

[0054] The first roller conveyor 131 transports the empty storage box B to the second roller conveyor 132 (upper position). The storage box B receives the storing operation of the fruits and vegetables F on the second roller conveyor 132 in the upper position. When the storing operation of the fruits and vegetables F into the storage box B is completed, the second roller conveyor 132 descends to the lower position, and the storage box B containing the fruits and vegetables F is transported by the third roller conveyor 133.

[0055] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the fruit and vegetable products F before adsorption are arranged in a staggered pattern on the conveying section, and the adsorption and transfer device 120 performs an adsorption operation on the staggered arrangement of the fruit and vegetable products F. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the fruit and vegetable products F before adsorption are not arranged in a staggered pattern (they are arranged horizontally), and the adsorption and transfer device 120 performs an adsorption operation on the horizontally arranged fruit and vegetable products F, and then changes the arrangement to a staggered pattern.

[0056] Fig. 11 is a side view showing the suction unit 121 and the lifting unit 112 according to this embodiment. Fig. 12 is a side view showing the suction unit 121 in a state where the arrangement of the fruits and vegetables F has been changed to a staggered arrangement.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 11, in this embodiment, some of the suction rods 1211 in the suction unit 121 are provided with cylinders 1211a that can change the rod length. Specifically, the suction rods 1211 provided with cylinders 1211a and the suction rods 1211 without cylinders 1211 are arranged alternately. The fruit and vegetable products F in the suction position are arranged horizontally rather than in a staggered arrangement. Before suction is performed in the suction unit 121, the lengths of all the suction rods 1211 are the same and the heights of the suction pads 1212 are the same.

[0058] After the suction unit 121 has adsorbed the fruits and vegetables F, the suction rod 1211 to which the cylinder 1211a is attached is shortened. This creates a difference in height between the suction pads 1212, resulting in a staggered arrangement of the fruits and vegetables F. After the fruits and vegetables F have been arranged in a staggered arrangement, a preliminary storage operation similar to that of the first embodiment is performed, followed by the storage operation into the storage box B.

[0059] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be limiting. Therefore, the technical scope of the present disclosure should not be interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments, but should be determined based on the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10. Packing equipment 110 Fruit and vegetable conveying equipment 111, 111a~111f conveyor belt 112, 112a~112d Lifting unit 1121 Guide plate 1121a Notch 1122 compression spring 1123 Support part 1124 Lifting cylinder 120 Adsorption transfer device 121 Adsorption unit 1211 Suction Rod 1211a Cylinder 1212 Suction pad 1213 Support Base 1213a Pantograph 1213b Cylinder 1213c Stopper 122 Mounting part 1221 Rodless Cylinder 1222 Stopper 123 Z-axis actuator 124 X-axis actuator 130 Box conveying device 131 First Roller Conveyor 132 Second Roller Conveyor 133 Third Roller Conveyor F Fruits and vegetables B Storage Box

Claims

1. A boxing device for boxing long-sized fruit and vegetable crops, a fruit and vegetable conveying device that conveys a predetermined number of fruit and vegetable products arranged in a row along a width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction; a suction and transfer device that suctions and holds the fruit and vegetable products transported by the fruit and vegetable transport device, and transfers them to a storage box and packs them into the box; The suction and transfer device is capable of suction-holding fruit and vegetable products in a staggered arrangement in which fruit and vegetable products in high positions and fruit and vegetable products in low positions are alternately arranged in the width direction, and performs a preparatory operation for storing fruit and vegetable products transferred in the staggered arrangement, The packing device is characterized in that the preliminary storage operation includes a first operation of changing the arrangement interval in the width direction of the suction-held fruit and vegetable products.

2. 2. The packing device according to claim 1, The fruit and vegetable conveying device imparts a staggered suction posture to the fruit and vegetable before being suctioned by the suction transfer device, The packing device is characterized in that the suction and transfer device performs a suction operation on fruit and vegetable products that are in a staggered arrangement.

3. 2. The packing device according to claim 1, The fruit and vegetable conveying device imparts a horizontally arranged suction posture to the fruit and vegetable before being suctioned by the suction transfer device, The packing device is characterized in that the suction and transfer device performs a suction operation on fruits and vegetables that are in a horizontally arranged suction position, and then changes the arrangement of the fruits and vegetables after suction to a staggered arrangement.

4. 2. The packing device according to claim 1, The fruit and vegetable conveying device has a guide plate that gives the fruit and vegetable an adsorption posture when the fruit and vegetable is placed on it, The boxing device is characterized in that the guide plate has a V-shaped notch on its upper edge for placing fruit or vegetable products thereon.

5. 2. The packing device according to claim 1, The suction and transfer device suctions and transfers a plurality of rows of fruit and vegetable products in the conveying direction, and holds the fruit and vegetable products at an inclination such that the heights of both ends of the suctioned fruit and vegetable products are different, The packing device is characterized in that the preliminary storage operation includes a second operation of changing the spacing between the suction-held fruit and vegetable products in the conveying direction.

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