Tape changer

Abstract

To solve the problem that a conventional device that automatically performs operation of a roll tape used in a box making machine or the like by gluing the end of the roll tape to the beginning of the next roll tape every time the roll tape is used up is large and expensive for an auxiliary device and has a problem in tape cutting function.SOLUTION: A tape changer has a supply stack where the tapes set in holders are stacked and waiting, and a carry-out stack where used tapes are piled up, includes a transport mechanism for moving the holder from a position A directly below the former to a position B directly below the latter, when the remaining amount of the tape in use reaches a first predetermined value, the holder is transferred from the position A to the position B, supplying the next holder to the position A before the remaining amount of tape reaches a second predetermined value, and when the second predetermined value is reached, a cutting blade and a pressure roller are activated to bond a next tape start end part and cut the tape to perform a tape change. Also the holder equipped with an adhered rod that allows a stable tape cutting is proposed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tape changer that can change tapes one after another without interruption by automatically attaching the beginning of the next tape to the end of the previous tape, using roll tape of approximately 15 to 65 mm in width and 200 to 2,000 m in length. The tape is mainly what is called kraft tape, but is not limited to other types of tape such as paper or cloth, and can also be made of resin film or aluminum foil tape. Adhesive tape with an adhesive coated on the inside surface of the roll, or even uncoated tape as needed, can also be used. [Background technology]

[0002] In many logistics sites, a box-making machine for packing cardboard boxes is installed at the most upstream position of the process. A cardboard box sealing machine is also installed at the most downstream position. At these sites, a large amount of craft tape is consumed. What needs to be improved is to eliminate the waste of stopping the line to change the tape. Therefore, there is a need for a tape changer that can automatically change the tape, but conventional tape changers are large and expensive for auxiliary equipment. For example, the following is known as similar prior art. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-133635 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a compact, low-cost automated device. To achieve this, it is essential to develop a device with a rational configuration not found in conventional technology. Specifically, as is clear from the descriptions in Figures 15, 16, and 18 of the drawings in Patent Document 1, conventional devices require a floor area equivalent to at least four rolls of tape. A commonly used 500-m roll of tape has an outer diameter of approximately 300 mm, while a 1000-m roll has an outer diameter of approximately 430 mm, meaning that at least one dimension must be four times as long. Furthermore, the tape cutting means in such devices is a low-profile device that simply cuts the tape in a tensioned state, resulting in poor cutting performance. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to propose a novel structure that can reduce the size of the device, thereby achieving significant cost reduction and providing a tape changer that can be widely used. Also, to solve the problem of tape breakage, a structure that provides stable and excellent results is proposed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] That is, the tape changer of the present invention comprises a supply stack where roll tapes set in holders are piled up and on standby, and an output stack where used tapes are piled up, the former is equipped with a disassembly mechanism and the latter is equipped with a stacking mechanism, and a holder transport mechanism that moves the holder from position A directly below the supply stack to position B directly below the output stack on a table provided below both, and when the remaining amount of tape currently in use at position A reaches a first predetermined value, the transport mechanism transports the holder to position B, and further the currently in use tape at position B is transported. Before the remaining amount of tape reaches a second predetermined value, the disassembling mechanism is operated to supply the next holder to position A, and when the second predetermined value is reached, the pressure roll and cutting blade, which have been in a standby state, are moved forward toward the tape being stretched, the pressure roll presses the stretched tape onto the starting end of the roll tape at position A and then moves back, and the cutting blade cuts the stretched tape downstream of the crimping point and then moves back to change the tape, so that the stacking mechanism is operated to transport the used roll tape at position B to the output stack before the roll tape at position A reaches the first predetermined value.

[0006] In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the tape changer of the present invention is characterized in that the holder is provided with a mounting rod to which the tape comes into contact and adheres near the downstream side of the cutting blade when the tension tape is cut with the cutting blade.

[0007] Furthermore, in addition to the above-mentioned configuration, the tape changer of the present invention is characterized in that it is configured to have a sensor at point A that detects a first predetermined value of the remaining tape amount, and a sensor at point B that detects a second predetermined value of the remaining tape amount. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] A distinctive feature of the tape changer of the present invention is that the main part can be constructed with a surface area equivalent to two rolls of tape. This allows for a clearer size reduction compared to the conventional configuration with four rolls of tape. This provides a cost-saving advantage to the industry. Furthermore, by providing the holder with a tape attachment rod, it is possible to prevent the tape from slipping away when the cutting blade cuts the tape, greatly improving the reliability of the cut. Furthermore, the cut end of the tape remains attached to the attachment rod, or even if it becomes detached after attachment, it remains in a state close to that, so there is no problem with its subsequent transfer to the discharge stack. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a front cross-sectional view of the main part of the device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a plan view of the main part of the device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory perspective view mainly showing the roll tape in the device of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a perspective view of the holder and the roll tape set therein before use. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory perspective view of the holder and used roll tape. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram mainly illustrating the state of the roll tape in a perspective view. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the roll tape in a front view. [Figure 8] 6 and 7 are explanatory diagrams mainly showing the state of the roll tape in a plan view. The above-mentioned figures 6 and 7 show the same state as this figure from various angles. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram mainly illustrating the state of the roll tape in a perspective view. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the roll tape in a front view. [Figure 11] 9 and 10 are explanatory diagrams mainly showing the state of the roll tape in a plan view. The same state as this diagram is shown from multiple angles in Fig. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram mainly illustrating the state of the roll tape in a perspective view. [Figure 13]FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the roll tape in a front view. [Figure 14] 12 and 13 are explanatory diagrams mainly showing the state of the roll tape in a plan view. The same state as this diagram is shown in multiple views. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram mainly illustrating the state of the roll tape in a perspective view. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the roll tape in a front view. [Figure 17] 15 and 16 are explanatory diagrams mainly showing the state of the roll tape in a plan view. The above-mentioned figures 15 and 16 show the same state as this figure from various angles. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram mainly illustrating the state of the roll tape in a perspective view. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the roll tape in a front view. [Figure 20] 18 and 19 are explanatory diagrams mainly showing the state of the roll tape in a plan view. The same state as this diagram is shown in multiple views. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The tape changer of the present application is used in a field where a large amount of adhesive-coated craft tape is consumed. When corrugated cardboard materials are formed into boxes, the bottom and sides are taped, and when the boxes are sealed, the top is taped. In both cases, the main purpose is a box-making machine or a box-sealing machine, but the tape changer of the present application is used as an auxiliary device for such equipment. Therefore, large and expensive devices are not suitable. It can also be used as an auxiliary device for a banding machine that uses non-adhesive paper tape or film tape. [Example]

[0011] The tape changer according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. 1, 2, and 3, 1 denotes a roll tape and 2 denotes a holder. The roll tape 1 is set by fitting into a boss portion 2a of the holder 2, and is fitted so that it rotates slip-wise on the holder 2 around the boss portion 2a. By configuring the height of the boss portion 2a to be slightly higher than the width of the roll tape 1, the boss portion fits into a fitting hole 2e formed in the bottom of the holder 2, allowing the roll tape to be stacked neatly in multiple layers.

[0012] In Figure 1, one roll of tape 1 is stacked on the table 50, and three rolls of tape 1 are stacked above it to form a supply stack. To add more rolls of tape, the stack is increased by fitting the uppermost boss portion 2a into the fitting hole 2e. 34 denotes a pair of air cylinders, the rods of which are positioned on the protruding end side to support the three rolls of tape 1. Therefore, additions to the supply stack 20 can be made at any time.

[0013] Similarly, used roll tapes 10 remain set in the holder 2, forming an output stack 21 on the left side of the drawing. Although only one roll is shown in the figure, more will be added from the bottom up over time. As with the supply stack 20, the output stack 21 is supported from below by positioning the rod of the air cylinder 44 at the output end. Therefore, as needed, the topmost roll can be safely and easily removed by hand one by one.

[0014] In short, the illustrated embodiment device is located above table 50, with a supply stack on the right and an output stack on the left, allowing for easy addition of roll tape 1 and removal of used roll tape 10. In the figure, 1a indicates the roll tape at position A on table 50 directly below the supply stack, and 10a indicates the roll tape at position B on table 50 directly below the output stack.

[0015] Next, the de-stack mechanism 31 for the supply stack 20 will be described. In the figure, 33 denotes a plurality of lifting rods, with connecting rods 34 fixed to their lower parts. The lifting rods 33 are supported on the machine body via slide bushes 32 and can be raised and lowered. That is, the connecting rods 34 are raised by a linear actuator such as an air cylinder to lift the lowest holder 2 in the supply stack by an appropriate distance. During this time, the rods of the air cylinders 34 are positioned at their return ends, and the connecting rods 35 are lowered in this state. Then, when the lowest holder 2 has passed the appropriate distance, the air cylinders 34 are operated to return the rods to their outgoing end positions.

[0016] In other words, the lifting rod 33 lifts everything in the supply stack, while the air cylinder 34 is moved to its return end, and then everything in the stack is lowered, but once the bottom roll has passed, the air cylinder 34 is returned, resulting in one roll of tape 1 being transferred onto the table 50. This is one of the well-known methods of disassembling, and the disassembling mechanism is mainly made up of the air cylinder 34 and the lifting rod 33. Since supporting the underside of the holder 2 at three points provides the most stability, it is preferable to use three lifting rods 33. As for the air cylinder 34, as shown in Figure 2, if a wide bar, as indicated by the dashed line, is attached to the tip of the rod, a two-piece configuration will suffice.

[0017] As for the stacking mechanism for the output stack, a known technique can be applied, similar to the above-mentioned de-stacking mechanism. Specifically, multiple, preferably three, lifting rods 43 are configured to be able to move up and down via connecting rods 45 and slide bushes 42. The lifting rods 43 then lift the undersides of the holders 2 on the table 50, abutting them against the lowest holder in the output stack above. After the holders 2 have been lifted, for example, by about 10 mm, the air cylinder 44 is activated to return the rods to their return ends. This results in all holders 2 being supported by the lifting rods 43, and the holders continue to rise.

[0018] Then, when the air cylinder 44 reaches a position where the rod can be returned to the exit end, the air cylinder 44 is operated to return the cylinder rod to the exit end position. Thereafter, the lifting rod 43 is lowered to its original position, which results in a new holder 2 being added from below to the output stack 21. Note that while the illustrated example mainly illustrates a stacking mechanism consisting of the air cylinder 44 and the lifting rod 43, it is also possible to employ a stacking mechanism based on Figure 26 and related descriptions in Cited Document 1.

[0019] Next, a holder transfer mechanism that moves a holder from position A directly below the supply stack to position B directly below the carry-out stack will be described. 1, focusing on the roll tape 1a at position A, it can be seen that the tip of the rod of the air cylinder 53 installed below the table 50 is fitted into the transfer hole 2d formed in the center of the underside of the holder 2. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the air cylinder 53 is moved from position A to position B through the transfer elongated hole 52 formed in the table 50. That is, the tape is transferred using an appropriate linear actuator (not shown), and then the rod of the air cylinder 53 is returned to the return end at an appropriate timing to prepare for the next transfer.

[0020] As shown in Figure 4(c) when viewed from the bottom, the bottom of the holder 2 has a so-called two-sided cut shape, and the rotation of the holder 2 is restricted by a guide plate 51, shown by the dotted line in Figure 2. This prevents unnecessary rotational deviation during the transfer described above. Furthermore, the tip of the rod of the transfer cylinder 53 restricts unnecessary positional deviation of the holder 2 while it is engaged with the transfer hole 2d of the roll tape 1a or 10a on the table. In other words, the rod of the air cylinder 53 only needs to be returned from the extension end to the return end when necessary. To prevent such positional deviation, additional guide members or positioning members may be installed as needed.

[0021] 4(c), 8, 11, 14 and 17, a locking hole 2g is provided in the holder 2, and the tip of the rod of a locking air cylinder (not shown) installed below the table 50 is actuated and fitted into the locking hole 2g on the left side of the drawing when the holder 2 is in position B on the unloading side, and into the locking hole 2g on the right side when the holder 2 is in position A on the supply side, thereby preventing unnecessary movement of the holder 2. Of course, in addition to this configuration, it can also be used in combination with the configuration related to prevention of displacement by the transport air cylinder 53.

[0022] Next, the running state of the tape will be described with reference to FIGS. In the figure, reference numeral 62 denotes a tape guide roll, and the tape is pulled out from the roll tape 1a on the table in the direction indicated by the arrow and is in a tensioned state. Three roll tapes 1 are waiting in the supply stack, and only the one at position A on the table 50 is put into operation as the tape is consumed. One used roll tape 10 is stored in the output stack, and a used roll tape 10a is present at position B. In other words, this state shows the state immediately after a tape change, when a new roll tape is inserted, as will be described later.

[0023] Therefore, at position A, the air cylinder 53, which is the main part of the transfer mechanism, has its rod tip fitted into a transfer hole 2d formed in the holder 2 for the roll tape 1a on the table (not shown). The used roll tape 10a on the discharge side is waiting for the stacking mechanism to be activated. Also in the figure, 60 is a pressure roll and 61 is a cutting blade, and just before reaching the state shown in this figure, they perform the operations described below to cut the old tape and bond its rear end to the starting end of the new tape, completing the tape change and returning to their original standby positions.

[0024] As the tape is consumed, the state changes to that shown in Figures 6 to 8. First, on the discharge side, the stacking mechanism is activated, and the used roll tape 10a on the table is transferred to the discharge stack 21, where it becomes the used roll tape 10. This stacking mechanism is activated at any time after the switch to the new tape is made and before the next holder 2 is transferred to position B. As the roll tape 1a on the table at position A is used, its diameter decreases. When the outer circumference reaches the sensor hole indicated by 2b, a sensor (not shown) projecting from below the table 50 emits a tape-out detection signal. This indicates that the remaining amount of tape has reached a first predetermined value.

[0025] This then leads to the next stage, the state shown in Figures 9 to 11. That is, the holder 2 that was in position A is moved to position B. The stacking and movement are detailed above, but with this movement, the reference numeral 1a of the roll tape on the table is changed to 10a in the illustration. Once this state is reached, the next roll tape 1 stored in the supply stack 20 can be moved to position A by activating the aforementioned unstacking mechanism.

[0026] Next, we will explain the state shown in Figures 12 to 15, which are the next transition diagrams. First, it is clear from the figures that one roll of tape 1 has been removed from the supply stack 20, and the next roll of tape 1a has been set at position A. Furthermore, if we look at position B, we can see that the remaining amount of roll of tape 10a on the table is also decreasing. Then, as the remaining amount decreases further from this state, the state shown in Figures 15 to 17 will be reached.

[0027] That is, a sensor (not shown) installed below the table 50 receives a tape-out detection signal through the sensor hole 2c shown in FIG. 17. In response to this signal, the standby cutting blade 61 and pressure roller 60 are moved forward to cut the tensioned tape and bond the trailing end of the cut tape to the leading end of the next rolled tape 1a. That is, from the forward movement state shown in the figure, the cutting blade 61 and pressure roller 62 are moved back and forth to return to their standby positions. They can also be configured to move back and forth integrally, or they can be operated by separate mechanisms. In either case, to initiate such a tape change, it is necessary to detect that the rolled tape 1 has reached the vicinity of the cardboard core. The aforementioned sensor hole 2c is used to detect when the remaining tape amount has reached a second predetermined value. The sensor that acquires information regarding the first predetermined value regarding the remaining tape amount is installed at position A, while the sensor that acquires information regarding the second predetermined value is installed at position B. It goes without saying that instead of an optical sensor or laser sensor that detects by passing through a sensor hole, known measuring devices such as a camera for measuring shape or a distance measuring device can be used.

[0028] Now, what is noteworthy here is the effect of the attachment rod 3 provided on the holder 2. As shown in Figure 5(a), when the cutting edge of the cutting blade 61 acts on the stretched tape, even if only temporarily the adhesive surface of the tape adheres to the attachment rod 3 shown in the figure. This reduces the tape's slippage, ultimately increasing the tape tension and significantly improving cutting performance. Therefore, the attachment rod 3 should be positioned to engage as strongly as possible, taking into account the path of the cutting blade 61, for example, so that the adhesive surface of the tape wraps around and adheres somewhat. Depending on the strength of the tape's adhesive strength, attachment rods 3 longer or shorter than the tape width should be selected. Since the ease of adhesion is particularly determined by the surface, the surface material should be selected according to the adhesive properties of the tape being used.

[0029] In Figure 17, the reference numeral 66 denotes a dancer roll. The two tape guide rolls 62 and 65 are fixed to the machine body and rotate following the tape flow, fulfilling their guide function. Between them, as shown by the dotted line, moves left and right like a biased moving pulley, forming a buffer mechanism against momentary stoppages that occur upstream. Such buffer mechanisms are also found in box-making and sealing machines installed downstream, but they can also be installed on this device as needed to mitigate momentary overloads that occur when changing tapes.

[0030] In addition, in Figure 17, it was explained that the tape is cut using the pressure-bonding roll 60 and the rear end of the cut tape is simultaneously bonded to the starting end of the next roll tape 1a. However, we will now explain the desirable preparatory steps to enable this process to be carried out more accurately and stably. The first step is to pre-align and set the start position of the next roll of tape 1, as shown in Figures 9, 12, and 15. Figure 1 shows how rolls of tape 1 are added manually, and each time a roll of tape 1 is added, the start position of the tape is kept roughly the same to form the supply stack 20. The holder 2 and roll of tape 1 are loosely fitted together, making alignment easy.

[0031] Next, as shown in Figures 4(b) and (c), auxiliary tape 4 is preferably applied to the beginning of the tape. A length of tape of, for example, 50 mm is sufficient, but it is best to use tape whose adhesive side can adhere strongly to the outer surface of the beginning of roll tape 1 and whose opposite side also has good adhesion. Ordinary craft tape has a release agent coated on the outer surface, so this is applied only partially to improve adhesion when changing tapes. Furthermore, if it is desired to detect the seam with a transmissive optical sensor in a later process, aluminum foil tape with high light-blocking properties can be used as auxiliary tape 4. Note that auxiliary tape may also be applied to the inner surface of the beginning of the tape.

[0032] Furthermore, as a preliminary step, the holders 2 stored in the supply stack 20 are also aligned and set. In the illustrated embodiment, the boss portion 2a is designed to fit into the fitting hole 2e, so the central position is fixed. Therefore, it is preferable to align them in the rotational direction. For example, as shown in Figure 5(b), a positioning cutout portion 2h is formed in the holder 2, and the additional work is performed while engaging it with the positioning rod 27 installed in the stack.

[0033] Furthermore, when the bottom roll tape 1 stored in the supply stack 20 is transferred onto the table 50 by the above-mentioned step-down mechanism, it is positioned in the rotational direction by the engagement of the two-sided cut portion formed on the bottom of the holder 2 with the guide plate 51. As described above, the preparations that are preferable for operation can be summarized as follows: using the roll tape 1a and holder 2 at position A on the table 50 as a reference, set the roll tape 1 and holder 2 in the supply stack 20 so that they align with it.

[0034] Next, looking at the unloading stack 21, in the figure, 10a is a roll of tape on the table 50, and the cut part of the tape often remains attached to the tape attachment rod 3. Of course, this depends on the adhesive strength of the tape and its adhesion to the tape attachment rod 3, so it is not always the case that the tape will adhere, but this in itself ultimately has a desirable effect. In other words, since used tape does not accidentally stick here and there, the possibility of causing trouble in the surrounding area is eliminated.

[0035] Next, the state after the tape change will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The only difference is that the number of rolls of tape 1 in the supply stack 20 has changed from 3 to 2, and the number of used rolls of tape 10 in the output stack 21 has changed from 1 to 2. In other words, a series of processes has been completed, and the tape changer of the present invention operates continuously, repeating the processes described above. [Industrial Applicability]

[0036] The tape changer of the present invention is smaller than conventional devices, which makes it a cost-effective device and allows it to be used as an auxiliary device upstream of box making machines and sealing machines, which are widely used in the logistics field. In particular, it is certain to be adopted in many logistics sites as an excellent auxiliary device for eliminating downtime required for tape replacement and establishing a system for continuous operation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1··Roll tape, 1a··Roll tape on table, 2··Holder, 2a··Boss part, 2b··Sensor hole, 2c··Sensor hole, 2d··Transport hole, 2e··Mating hole, 2g··Latching hole, 2h··Positioning cut part, 3··Covering rod, 4··Auxiliary tape 10 Used roll tape, 10a Roll tape on table, 20 Supply stack, 21 Output stack, 31 Disassembly mechanism, 32 Slide bush, 33 Lifting rod, 34 Air cylinder, 35 Connecting rod, 41 Stacking mechanism, 42 Slide bush, 43 Lifting rod, 44 Air cylinder, 45 Connecting rod, 50 Table, 51 Guide plate, 52 Transfer slot, 53 Air cylinder, 60 Crimping roll, 61 Cutting blade, 62 Tape guide roll, 65 Tape guide roll, 66 Dancer roll

Claims

1. The system is provided with a supply stack on which roll tapes set in holders are piled up and on standby, and an output stack on which used tapes are piled up, the former with a disassembly mechanism and the latter with a stacking mechanism, and a holder transport mechanism that moves the holders from position A directly below the supply stack to position B directly below the output stack on a table provided below both, and when the remaining amount of tape currently in use at position A reaches a first predetermined value, the transport mechanism transports the holders to position B, and further, before the remaining amount of tape currently in use at position B reaches a second predetermined value, and when the second predetermined value is reached, the pressure roll and cutter blade, which have been in a standby state, are moved forward toward the tensioned tape, the pressure roll presses the tensioned tape onto the starting end of the roll tape at position A and then moves back, the cutter blade cuts the tensioned tape downstream of the pressure-contact point and then moves back to perform a tape change, and by the time the roll tape at position A reaches the first predetermined value, the stacking mechanism is operated to transport the used roll tape at position B to the output stack.

2. 2. The tape changer according to claim 1, wherein the holder is provided with a tape attachment rod that contacts and attaches the tape near the downstream side of the cutting blade when the tensioned tape is cut by the cutting blade.

3. 3. A tape changer according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor at point A for detecting a first predetermined value of the remaining amount of tape, and a sensor at point B for detecting a second predetermined value of the remaining amount of tape.

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