Container conveying device, laser marking device and marking system

Abstract

To provide a container conveying device, a laser marking device and a marking system that further reliably divide container transport intervals, and improve versatility at a low-cost and space-saving manner.SOLUTION: A container conveying device 10 conveys plastic bottles P as an example of containers, along a conveying path. The container conveying device 10 is provided with a stopper 13 which is installed so as to be freely movable forward and backward on the conveying path at a position between a first belt conveyor 11 and a second belt conveyor 12 which are arranged in series along the conveying path, and which restricts the movement of the plastic bottles P, with which it comes into contact when it advances toward the downstream side, from the upstream side of the conveying path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container conveying device, a laser marking device, and a marking system. [Background technology]

[0002] When transporting containers such as PET bottles on a manufacturing line, if it is necessary to maintain a constant pitch between containers (pitching) for post-processing, there are methods for physically transferring the pitch, such as using a screw roller or rotating a disk (star wheel) with grooves at regular intervals.

[0003] In this method, containers may collide with each other in areas where they are densely packed during transport, and vibrations may occur, which can cause the containers to behave unstably. If the containers are pitched while their behavior is unstable, they may become pinched between the screw roller or star wheel and the guide when they are transferred to the screw roller or star wheel, causing damage to the container and even damage to the transport section, which could lead to a production line stoppage.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for preventing problems such as pinching during transport on a container manufacturing line by providing a curvature to the station conveyor of the transport path using screw rollers and by providing a speed difference between the two transport sections to ensure smooth transfer. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Both the screw roller system described in Patent Document 1 and the conventional star wheel system require a large space for the device. The size of the device limits the installation space for both systems. Furthermore, the conventional system requires large, high-precision components, making the device expensive.

[0006] Furthermore, since the conventional method is configured to use a fixed container size, if the container size is to be changed, the shape of the screw roller or star wheel member must be changed, and changing the container size cannot be easily done.

[0007] The present invention aims to improve versatility by more reliably dividing the intervals between containers at low cost and in a space-saving manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a container conveying device according to one aspect of the present invention is a container conveying device that conveys a container along a conveying path, and is installed so as to be freely movable forward and backward on the conveying path at a position between a first conveying section and a second conveying section that are arranged in series along the conveying path, and is equipped with a stopper that restricts the movement of the container that comes into contact with the stopper from the upstream side of the conveying path when advancing forward to the downstream side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] It is low cost and space-saving, and can more reliably allocate container transport intervals, improving versatility. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a container transport device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a first stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a view showing a second stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a view showing a third stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a view showing a fourth stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a view showing a fifth stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a sixth stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a seventh stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] Flowchart of equal pitch conveyance sequence according to the first embodiment [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a control unit. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a first modified example of the stopper; [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a second modified example of the stopper; [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the container transport device. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a laser marking device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a first state of an opening / closing pattern of a shielding door group according to a second embodiment; [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a second state of the opening and closing pattern of the shielding door group according to the second embodiment; [Figure 17] Block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the marking system DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in the drawings will be denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0012] In the following description, the X, Y, and Z directions are perpendicular to each other. The X and Y directions are horizontal, and the Z direction is vertical. The X direction is the conveying direction A of plastic bottles P, which are an example of containers, with the negative X direction being the upstream side of the conveying direction A and the positive X direction being the downstream side. The Y direction is the width direction of the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12, which is perpendicular to the conveying direction A. For ease of explanation, the positive Z direction may also be referred to as the upper side and the negative Z direction may also be referred to as the lower side.

[0013] [First embodiment] The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a container conveying device 10 according to a first embodiment. The container conveying device 10 is a device that conveys containers along a conveying path. In this embodiment, a configuration is illustrated in which a PET bottle P is conveyed as an example of a container along the conveying direction indicated by arrow A. Other examples of containers include preforms that can be laser-processed and are the prototype of a PET bottle, containers (for food, etc.) made of resin, glass products such as bottles, etc.

[0015] The container transport device 10 includes a first belt conveyor 11 (first transport section), a second belt conveyor 12 (second transport section), a stopper 13, a drive source 14, and a control section 15.

[0016] The first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12 are examples of a conveying unit that conveys objects along the conveying direction A. The first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12 are configured by a circular belt stretched between a pair of rollers, and by rotating the rollers, the belt wound around the rollers moves in a predetermined direction between the rollers. Through this operation, the upper surface of the belt located on the upper side of the conveyor serves as the conveying surface, and objects placed on the conveying surface are conveyed.

[0017] In this embodiment, the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12 are both installed so as to be able to convey plastic bottles P, which are an example of an object, along the conveying direction A. The first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12 are also installed in series so that their conveying paths are in a straight line along the conveying direction A. In other words, the first belt conveyor 11 is located upstream of the second belt conveyor 12 in the conveying direction A. The second belt conveyor 12 receives the plastic bottles P conveyed from the upstream side by the first belt conveyor 11 and conveys them further downstream.

[0018] The stopper 13 is an element that is installed so as to be freely advanced onto the conveying path. When the stopper 13 advances onto the conveying path, the stopper 13 restricts the movement of the PET bottle P that it comes into contact with from the upstream side of the conveying path to the downstream side.

[0019] In this embodiment, the stopper 13 is a substantially rectangular plate-like member disposed between the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12. In other words, the first belt conveyor 11 is disposed upstream of the stopper 13 on the conveying path, and the second belt conveyor 12 is disposed downstream of the stopper 13 on the conveying path.

[0020] The stopper 13 is disposed so that the thickness direction of the plate is parallel to the conveying direction, and a pair of main surfaces 13A, 13B (see FIG. 12) face the upstream and downstream sides of the conveying direction A, respectively. In other words, the stopper 13 is disposed so that it has the thickness of a plate-shaped member along the conveying direction A. The stopper 13 is also formed so that its thickness is smaller than the dimension along the conveying direction A of the gap between the downstream end of the first belt conveyor 11 and the upstream end of the second belt conveyor 12. Furthermore, the stopper 13 is disposed so that its reference position is below the conveying surface, that is, so that the height position of its rectangular upper end surface 13C (see FIG. 12) is lower than the upper surfaces of the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12. With this configuration, the stopper 13 is positioned below the conveying surfaces of the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12 at the reference position, and by moving upward from the reference position, at least the portion including the rectangular upper end face can advance above the conveying surfaces. In other words, the stopper 13 can move up and down as shown by arrow B in Figure 1.

[0021] The driving source 14 outputs power for vertically moving the stopper 13. The driving source 14 includes, for example, a motor and a gear system.

[0022] The control unit 15 controls the movement of the stopper 13. In particular, in this embodiment, the control unit 15 controls the advancement of the stopper 13 onto the conveying path (i.e., movement upward from the reference position) and the withdrawal of the stopper 13 from the conveying path (i.e., movement downward to the reference position) at predetermined timings according to the conveying speed so that the plurality of PET bottles P conveyed on the conveying path are spaced equally apart. To achieve this control, the control unit 15 outputs a control command to, for example, the drive source 14.

[0023] The control unit 15 may also be configured to record the timing of the advancement and retreat of the stopper 13. This allows the recorded information on the operation timing of the stopper 13 to be used for other control purposes. For example, it can be used to count the number of passing PET bottles P, in which case the number of detection means such as bottle detection sensors can be reduced. It can also be used to calculate the interval between bottles.

[0024] The stopper 13 may be configured to be capable of switching between stopping and starting the advancing and retreating operations. If the retracting and retracting operation of the stopper 13 can be stopped at any timing and then resumed, it becomes possible to stop the transport of containers when the transport of PET bottles P is not required, to set an area where containers are not transported to separate lots, or to use the stopper as a divider for multiple containers, thereby further improving the convenience and versatility of the device.

[0025] 2 to 8, a description will be given of the control of the movement operation of the stopper 13 by the control unit 15 and the procedure for the pitch-splitting operation of the PET bottles P accompanying the movement of the stopper 13. Figs. 2 to 8 are side views of the container conveying device 10 as viewed from the Y positive side.

[0026] In the examples of Figures 2 to 8, as indicated by arrows C and D in each figure, the conveying speed C of the first belt conveyor 11 is set to be slower than the conveying speed D of the second belt conveyor 12. The specific speed difference needs to be adjusted depending on various conditions such as the container size, conveying speed, and conveying pitch, but it is preferable that the conveying speed C of the first belt conveyor 11 is about half the conveying speed D of the second belt conveyor 12.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the first stage of the pitch-allocation operation by the container conveying device 10 according to the first embodiment. In the first stage shown in FIG. 2, five PET bottles P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5 are placed on the conveying surface of the first belt conveyor 11 in this order along the conveying direction A and conveyed. Also, in the first stage, the stopper 13 has advanced above the conveying surface. Hereinafter, this position of the stopper 13 will be referred to as the regulating position. Note that it is not necessary to uniformly control the timing at which each PET bottle is introduced onto the first belt conveyor 11. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 2, the five PET bottles P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5 are arranged irregularly on the first belt conveyor 11.

[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates a second stage of the pitch-splitting operation by the container conveying device 10 according to the first embodiment. In the second stage shown in FIG. 3, two more PET bottles P6 and P7 are placed on the conveying surface of the first belt conveyor 11. Of the five PET bottles P1 to P5 already conveyed in the first stage, the most downstream PET bottle P1 strikes the stopper 13, restricting its downstream movement. Therefore, the other four PET bottles P2 to P5 are tightly packed together and are blocked by the stopper 13 at the bottom of the first belt conveyor 11, remaining stuck there. At this time, the five downstream PET bottles P1 to P5 are sliding relative to the belt surface of the first belt conveyor 11, thereby maintaining their positions along the conveying direction A. Meanwhile, the two upstream PET bottles P6 and P7 have not yet struck the downstream PET bottles, so they are placed on the belt surface of the first belt conveyor 11 and being conveyed downstream.

[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates the third stage of the pitch-dividing operation performed by the container conveying device 10 according to the first embodiment. In the third stage shown in FIG. 4, the stopper 13 descends to the lower reference position, as indicated by arrow B1. This releases the restriction on the movement of the PET bottles P1 to P5 on the first belt conveyor 11. Here, the conveying speed D of the second belt conveyor 12 is faster than the conveying speed of the first belt conveyor 11. Furthermore, when the most downstream PET bottle P1 moves downstream of the stopper 13 and transfers to the loading surface of the second belt conveyor 12, the adjacent PET bottle P2 on the upstream side is still on the loading surface of the first belt conveyor 11. This creates a speed difference between the PET bottles P1 and P2, creating a gap between them along the conveying direction A.

[0030] FIG. 5 illustrates the fourth stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device 10 according to the first embodiment. In the fourth stage shown in FIG. 5, the stopper 13 rises to an upper regulating position, as indicated by arrow B2. This rising operation is performed just before the PET bottle P2 is transferred to the second belt conveyor 12. As a result, the PET bottle P2, which is located furthest downstream on the first belt conveyor 11, hits the stopper 13 and is restricted from moving downstream. As a result, the other five PET bottles P3 to P7 on the upstream side are tightly packed together and are blocked by the stopper 13 at the bottom end of the first belt conveyor 11 and remain stuck there. At this time, the six PET bottles P2 to P7 placed on the first belt conveyor 11 slide along the belt surface of the first belt conveyor 11, thereby maintaining their positions along the conveying direction A. On the other hand, since the PET bottle P1 placed on the second belt conveyor 12 is moving without being restricted in the conveying direction, the distance between the PET bottle P1 and the PET bottle P2 is wider than in the third stage of Figure 4.

[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates the fifth stage of the pitch-dividing operation performed by the container conveying device 10 according to the first embodiment. In the fifth stage shown in FIG. 6, the stopper 13 descends to the lower reference position, as indicated by arrow B1. This releases the restriction on the movement of the PET bottles P2 to P7 on the first belt conveyor 11. Here, the conveying speed D of the second belt conveyor 12 is faster than the conveying speed of the first belt conveyor 11. Furthermore, when the PET bottle P2, which was located at the most downstream position on the first belt conveyor 11, moves downstream of the stopper 13 and transfers to the loading surface of the second belt conveyor 12, the PET bottle P3 adjacent to it on the upstream side is still on the loading surface of the first belt conveyor 11. Therefore, a speed difference occurs between the PET bottles P2 and P3, and a gap is created between them along the conveying direction A, similar to the case of the PET bottles P1 and P2 in the third stage of FIG. 4. On the other hand, since both the plastic bottle P1 and the plastic bottle P2 are placed on the second belt conveyor 12 and are being transported, the distance between them is maintained at the same distance as in the fourth stage of FIG.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the sixth stage of the pitch division operation by the container conveying device 10 according to the first embodiment. In the sixth stage shown in FIG. 7, the stopper 13 rises to an upper regulating position, as indicated by arrow B2. This rising operation is performed just before the PET bottle P3 is transferred to the second belt conveyor 12. As a result, the PET bottle P3, which is located furthest downstream on the first belt conveyor 11, hits the stopper 13 and is restricted from moving downstream, so the other four PET bottles P4 to P7 on the upstream side are tightly packed together and are blocked by the stopper 13 at the bottom end of the first belt conveyor 11 and remain stuck there. At this time, the five PET bottles P3 to P7 placed on the first belt conveyor 11 slide along the belt surface of the first belt conveyor 11, thereby maintaining their positions along the conveying direction A. On the other hand, since the PET bottles P1 and P2 placed on the second belt conveyor 12 are moving without being restricted in the conveying direction, the distance between the PET bottles P2 and P3 is wider than in the fifth stage of Figure 6.

[0033] 8 is a diagram showing the seventh stage of the pitch-splitting operation by the container conveying device 10 according to the first embodiment. The seventh stage shown in FIG. 8 shows the state after the stopper 13 has made two reciprocating up and down movements since the sixth stage. At this stage, four PET bottles P1 to P4 have been transferred to the second belt conveyor 12 and are being conveyed in the conveying direction A at a constant pitch. Meanwhile, PET bottle P5, which is the most downstream bottle on the first belt conveyor 11, hits the stopper 13 and is restricted from moving downstream, so the other two upstream PET bottles P6 to P7 are also tightly packed together and are blocked by the stopper 13 at the bottom of the first belt conveyor 11, causing them to stagnate.

[0034] By raising and lowering the stopper 13 at a predetermined timing in this way, multiple PET bottles P transported on the first belt conveyor 11 can be transported at a constant pitch after being transferred to the second belt conveyor 12. The pitch between PET bottles can be adjusted to any length by controlling the operation timing of the stopper 13 according to the transport speed D of the second belt conveyor 12. For example, if the transport speed D is 100 mm / sec, the pitch can be set to 100 mm by controlling the stopper 13 so that the period from raising to lowering is 1 second.

[0035] The container conveying device 10 of the first embodiment is installed so as to be able to freely advance onto the conveying path at a position between a first belt conveyor 11 and a second belt conveyor 12 which are arranged in series along the conveying path, and is equipped with a stopper 13 which restricts the movement of the PET bottle P which it comes into contact with from the upstream side of the conveying path to the downstream side when advancing, thereby enabling more reliable container conveyance pitching at low cost and in a space-saving manner, thereby improving versatility.

[0036] Here, it is preferable to use a low-friction belt for the belt of the first belt conveyor 11. In other words, it is preferable to use a material with lower friction for the belt of the first belt conveyor 11 than for the belt of the second belt conveyor 12. The friction coefficient of a typical conveyor belt is 0.4 to 1.0, but the friction coefficient of a sliding belt that conveys by sliding is 0.3 or less. Therefore, in this embodiment, "low friction" refers to a property with a friction coefficient of 0.3 or less.

[0037] Generally, conveyor belts are made of polyurethane, while low-friction sliding belts are made of polyester-impregnated woven fabric. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is preferable to use polyester-impregnated woven fabric for the belt of the first belt conveyor 11 and polyurethane for the belt of the second belt conveyor 12. Note that the belt of the first belt conveyor 11 may be made of a metal belt, such as a stainless steel belt, as long as it has a low coefficient of friction.

[0038] By using a low-friction belt for the first belt conveyor 11 in this way, even when the PET bottles on the first belt conveyor 11 hit the stopper 13 and are restricted from moving downstream in the second stage of Fig. 3, the fourth stage of Fig. 5, the sixth stage of Fig. 7, and the seventh stage of Fig. 8, the belt of the first belt conveyor 11 can easily slide over the PET bottles that are stuck there. This makes the belt of the first belt conveyor 11 less susceptible to the frictional force of the PET bottles that are stuck there, making the conveying operation of the first belt conveyor 11 smoother. This makes it easier for the stopper 13 to keep the PET bottles P in close contact with the downstream end of the first belt conveyor 11, making it easier for the leading PET bottle that was in direct contact with the stopper 13 to transfer to the second belt conveyor 12 when the restriction by the stopper 13 is released.

[0039] Fig. 9 is a flowchart of the equal-pitch conveying sequence performed by the container conveying device 10 according to the first embodiment. The equal-pitch conveying operation of the PET bottles P described with reference to Figs. 2 to 8 can be realized by carrying out the flowchart of Fig. 9. Each process of the flowchart of Fig. 9 is carried out by, for example, the control unit 15.

[0040] In step S1, the container transport interval (pitch) is input. The input information may be received from a higher-level device of the container transport device 10, may be referenced from preset data, or may be registered by an operator's input operation.

[0041] In step S2, the operation timing of the stopper 13 is calculated. The operation timing can be calculated based on, for example, the pitch information acquired in step S1, the conveying speed D of the second belt conveyor 12, the conveying speed C of the first belt conveyor 11, etc.

[0042] In step S3, it is determined whether or not the stopper 13 is in the container stopping position (the above-mentioned restricting position).

[0043] If the stopper 13 is at the container stopping position (YES in S3), the process proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, if the stopper 13 is not at the container stopping position (NO in S3), the stopper 13 is moved to the container stopping position in step S4, and then the process proceeds to step S5.

[0044] In step S5, the conveying operations of the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12 are started, and a plurality of PET bottles P are put onto the first belt conveyor 11 at any timing.

[0045] In step S6, the stopper 13 is moved to the release position (the reference position described above).

[0046] In step S7, one plastic bottle P passes over the stopper 13 and is transferred from the first belt conveyor 11 to the second belt conveyor 12, after which the stopper 13 is moved to the container stopping position.

[0047] In step S8, based on the calculation result of the stopper operation timing calculated in step S2, the operation of stopper 13 is awaited. That is, stopper 13 is maintained in the release position for the period of the stopper operation timing.

[0048] In step S9, after the stopper operation timing period in step S8 has elapsed, it is confirmed whether or not an operation completion command has been issued. The operation completion command is generated, for example, after a preset number of plastic bottles P have been transferred onto the second belt conveyor 12. As with the information on the container transport interval in step S1, the information on the set number can be received, for example, from a higher-level device of the container transport device 10, by referencing preset data, or by being registered by an input operation by an operator.

[0049] If the operation completion command has not been acquired (NO in S9), the process returns to step S6 and the operations of steps S6 to S8 are repeated. On the other hand, if the operation completion command has been acquired (YES in S9), the conveying operations of the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12 are stopped in step S10, and this control flow ends.

[0050] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of control unit 15. As illustrated in FIG. 10, control unit 15 can be physically configured as a computer system including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 102 and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 103 as main storage devices, an input device 104 such as a keyboard and a mouse as input devices, an output device 105 such as a display, a communication module 106 as a data transmission / reception device such as a network card, an auxiliary storage device 107 such as a hard disk, etc. Each function of control unit 15 described above is realized by loading predetermined computer software onto hardware such as CPU 101 and RAM 102, thereby operating communication module 106, input device 104, and output device 105 under the control of CPU 101, and reading and writing data from and to RAM 102 and auxiliary storage device 107.

[0051] 11 is a perspective view showing a first modified example of the stopper. At least the portion of the surface of the main surface 13A of the stopper 13 on the upstream side in the conveying direction that comes into contact with the plastic bottle P may be configured to be made of a material with lower friction than the other portions of the stopper 13.

[0052] For example, as shown in Figure 11, a sheet material 16 made of a low-friction material is attached to the main surface 13A of the stopper 13. The "low friction" of the sheet material 16 may be the same as that of the low-friction belt of the first belt conveyor 11, for example, a friction coefficient of 0.3 or less. Examples of low-friction materials include fluororesin and nylon resin.

[0053] This configuration prevents the PET bottles P at the position where they come into direct contact with the stopper 13, i.e., at the downstream end of the first belt conveyor 11, from being damaged by contact with the stopper 13 when the stopper 13 moves up and down.

[0054] Fig. 12 is a side view showing a second modified example of the stopper. As shown in Fig. 12, the upstream and downstream corners in the conveying direction of end face 13C, which is the leading edge of stopper 13 when it advances onto the conveying path, may be chamfered. For example, a configuration in which R-chamfering is performed as in corner 13D shown in Fig. 12(A) or a configuration in which C-chamfering is performed as in corner 12E shown in Fig. 12(B) may be used.

[0055] These configurations prevent the corners of upper end surface 13C of stopper 13 from hitting PET bottle P when stopper 13 is raised, thereby preventing PET bottle P from being damaged by contact with stopper 13. Furthermore, even if a situation arises in which part of PET bottle P overlaps with stopper 13 as stopper 13 is raised, corners 13D and 13E allow stopper 13 to be raised while avoiding PET bottle P, preventing stopper 13 from getting caught on PET bottle P.

[0056] Fig. 13 shows a modified example of a container transfer device, in which Fig. 13(A) is a perspective view of a container transfer device 10A according to the modified example, and Fig. 13(B) is a side view of the container transfer device 10A as viewed from the Y positive side.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 13(A), a pair of transport position guides 19 may be provided on the transport surface of the first belt conveyor 11. The pair of transport position guides 19 extend along the transport direction A and are arranged opposite each other with a width dimension that allows the PET bottles P to enter in the width direction of the transport surface (direction Y in FIG. 13) that intersects with the transport direction A. The pair of transport position guides 19 are preferably formed so that the height position of their upper ends is between the transport surface of the first belt conveyor 11 and the upper ends of the PET bottles P placed on the transport surface. By providing such transport position guides 19, the posture of the multiple PET bottles P inserted into the first belt conveyor 11 can be stabilized.

[0058] It is also preferable that the width of the pair of conveying position guides 19 is adjustable. This configuration allows for compatibility with different sizes of plastic bottles P, improving versatility.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 13A, stopper 131 may be configured to include two sliding doors 17, 18 that are slidably disposed in a direction (Y direction) intersecting the conveyance direction and are arranged side by side in the sliding direction. In this case, the two doors 17, 18 of stopper 131 are both movable in the Y direction as shown by arrows E and F in FIG. 13A. They open by moving away from each other to allow PET bottle P to move downstream, and close by moving toward each other to restrict downstream movement of PET bottle P. By using such a sliding door-type stopper 131, the movement direction of doors 17, 18 can be set to a radial direction that is shorter than the height of PET bottle P, thereby reducing the amount of movement required to transition between the open and closed states and enabling quick opening and closing operations.

[0060] Furthermore, when the stopper 131 shown in Fig. 13(A) is used, a transfer guide 20 may be provided in the gap along the conveying direction A between the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12, as shown in Fig. 13(B). The transfer guide 20 is preferably positioned so that its height is aligned with the conveying surfaces of the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12. By providing such a transfer guide 20, the transfer of the plastic bottles P from the first belt conveyor 11 to the second belt conveyor 12 can be made smoother.

[0061] In the container conveying device 10, the first belt conveyor 11 may be configured to be installed at an incline so that the height of the conveying surface decreases as it moves downstream in the conveying direction. With this configuration, the weight of the PET bottles P can be used to convey them in the conveying direction A on the conveying surface of the first belt conveyor 11, thereby reducing the driving force of the first belt conveyor 11. Alternatively, if the first belt conveyor 11 is installed at an incline, it is possible to apply a configuration in which the PET bottles P slide on the conveying surface without driving the belt to the conveying section corresponding to the first belt conveyor 11. In this case, a drive source for the first belt conveyor 11 is not required, thereby reducing costs.

[0062] [Second embodiment] The second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14 to 16. Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a laser marking device 30 according to the second embodiment.

[0063] The laser marking device 30 is a device that uses a laser beam L to mark the surface of a PET bottle P being transported along a transport path. The laser marking device 30 marks the surface of the PET bottle P by processing a concave-convex shape, but other processing methods may also be used. The processing may be any processing that changes the properties of the base material, and includes, for example, melting, evaporating, crystallizing, or foaming the base material. Depending on the target, a through hole may also be used. The processing location may be the interior (inside) of the PET bottle P.

[0064] The laser marking device 30 includes, as elements for transporting the PET bottles P along the transport direction A, a first belt conveyor 11 and a second belt conveyor 12 similar to those of the container transport device 10 of the first embodiment.

[0065] The laser marking device 30 includes a laser irradiation unit 33. For example, as shown in Figure 14, the laser irradiation unit 33 is disposed at a position in the conveying direction A where the second belt conveyor 12 is located, and at a position on the Y positive side of the conveying surface of the second belt conveyor 12, and is installed so as to irradiate laser light L in the Y negative direction. As a result, when a plastic bottle P conveyed on the second belt conveyor 12 reaches a marking position that intersects with the irradiation direction of the laser light L in the Y direction, the laser irradiation unit 33 can mark the surface of the plastic bottle P1 at this marking position.

[0066] Furthermore, the laser marking device 30 is provided with a shielding door group having a plurality of shielding doors arranged at different positions along the conveying direction A, upstream of the laser irradiation unit 33 on the conveying path. The shielding door arranged at the most upstream side of the shielding door group corresponds to the stopper 13 of the container conveying device 10 described above. Note that the shielding door is not limited to one that completely blocks light, and includes one that can sufficiently absorb and reduce the amount of light (brightness) to the extent that it does not affect the outside.

[0067] 14 illustrates a configuration in which the shielding door group has two shielding doors 31, 32, and one of the shielding doors 31 on the upstream side functions as a stopper 13. In other words, one of the shielding doors 31 is installed so as to be able to freely advance onto the conveying path, and functions as a stopper that restricts the movement of the PET bottle P that it comes into contact with from the upstream side of the conveying path to the downstream side when it advances.

[0068] Therefore, one of the shielding doors 31 on the upstream side is disposed at the boundary between the first belt conveyor 11 and the second belt conveyor 12. Similar to the stopper 131 according to the modified example of the first embodiment, one of the shielding doors 31 is disposed slidably in a direction intersecting the conveying direction (Y direction) and has two sliding doors 31A, 31B disposed side by side in the sliding direction. In this case, the two doors 31A, 31B are both movable in the Y direction as shown by arrows E and F. When they move away from each other, they open to allow the PET bottles P to move downstream, and when they move toward each other, they close to restrict the PET bottles P from moving downstream.

[0069] Similarly, the other shielding door 32 is also arranged to be slidable in a direction (Y direction) intersecting the conveying direction, and has two sliding doors 32A, 32B arranged side by side in the sliding direction. In this case, the two doors 32A, 32B are also movable in the Y direction as shown by arrows E and F. When they move away from each other, they open, allowing the PET bottles P to move downstream, and when they move toward each other, they close, restricting the PET bottles P from moving downstream.

[0070] The operation of the laser marking device 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0071] Fig. 15 is a diagram showing a first state of the opening / closing pattern of the shielding door group of the laser marking device 30 according to the second embodiment. In the first state shown in Fig. 15, one shielding door 31 on the upstream side of the shielding door group is closed, and the other shielding door 32 on the downstream side is open.

[0072] In the first state, the doors 31A and 31B of one of the shielding doors 31 extend onto the conveying path from both sides in the Y direction. At this time, the shielding door 31 can restrict the movement of the PET bottles P3 that contact it from the upstream side of the conveying path to the downstream side. In other words, in the first state shown in Figure 15, similar to the second stage in Figure 3, the fourth stage in Figure 5, the sixth stage in Figure 7, and the seventh stage in Figure 8 in the first embodiment, multiple PET bottles P3 are blocked by the shielding door 31 and remain at the bottom end of the first belt conveyor 11.

[0073] In addition, in the first state, the downstream shielding door 32 is open, so that the PET bottle P2 placed on the second belt conveyor 12 and located between the shielding door 31 and the shielding door 32 can be moved downstream from the shielding door 32.

[0074] Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a second state of the opening / closing pattern of the shielding door group of the laser marking device 30 according to the second embodiment. In the second state shown in Fig. 16, one shielding door 31 on the upstream side of the shielding door group is open, and the other shielding door 32 on the downstream side is closed. In the second state, because the upstream shielding door 31 is open, the restriction on the movement of the plastic bottle P3 on the first belt conveyor 11 is released, and the plastic bottle P3 can be transferred to the second belt conveyor 12.

[0075] In addition, in the second state, the downstream shielding door 32 is closed, so that the PET bottle P2 placed on the second belt conveyor 12 and located between the shielding door 31 and the shielding door 32 is restricted from moving downstream of the shielding door 32.

[0076] The laser marking device 30 is covered with a cover other than the group of shielding doors, thereby preventing leakage of the laser light L from areas other than the group of shielding doors.

[0077] In the laser marking device 30 of the second embodiment, only one of the two shielding doors 31, 32 upstream of the laser irradiation unit 33 in the conveying direction A is open, and the other is kept closed at all times, allowing the plastic bottles P to be conveyed along the conveying direction A. With this configuration, of the laser light L output from the laser irradiation unit 33, the laser light traveling upstream in the conveying direction A is reliably blocked by the two shielding doors 31, 32 of the shielding door group. This makes it possible to prevent the laser light L from leaking upstream in the conveying direction A.

[0078] Therefore, in the laser marking device 30 of the second embodiment, the shielding door 31 has the same function as the stopper 13, so that it is possible to space out the multiple plastic bottles P being conveyed along the conveying path, and at the same time, it is possible to significantly reduce leakage of the laser light L upstream in the conveying direction. In addition, a configuration similar to the upstream group of shielding doors may be provided downstream in the conveying direction A from the laser irradiation unit 33. This makes it possible to reduce leakage of the laser light L both upstream and downstream in the conveying direction.

[0079] Fig. 17 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a marking system 40. As shown in Fig. 17, the marking system 40 includes a container conveying device 10 of the first embodiment and a laser marking device 30 of the second embodiment as separate devices. The container conveying device 10 is disposed upstream of the laser marking device 30 in the conveying direction. As a result, the stopper 13 provided on the container conveying device 10 is installed so as to be able to freely advance onto the conveying path at a position upstream of the marking position where marking is performed by the laser marking device 30, and when advanced, can restrict the movement of the PET bottle P that comes into contact with the stopper from the upstream side of the conveying path to the downstream side.

[0080] Therefore, the marking system 40 shown in FIG. 17 can also perform pitch division of the plurality of PET bottles P conveyed along the conveying path, similar to the container conveying device 10 of the first embodiment and the laser marking device 30 of the second embodiment.

[0081] The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Design modifications to these specific examples made by a person skilled in the art as appropriate are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they comprise the features of the present disclosure. The elements of the above-described specific examples, as well as their arrangement, conditions, shape, etc., are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate. The elements of the above-described specific examples can be combined in various ways as appropriate, as long as no technical contradictions arise.

[0082] For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows. <1> A container conveying device that conveys a container along a conveying path, a stopper that is installed so as to be freely advanced onto the conveying path at a position between a first conveying unit and a second conveying unit that are arranged in series along the conveying path, and that restricts the movement of the container that comes into contact with the stopper from the upstream side of the conveying path toward the downstream side when the stopper is advanced; Container transport device. <2> a control unit for controlling the operation of the stopper, the control unit controls the stopper to advance onto the conveying path and retract from the conveying path at predetermined timings according to a conveying speed so that the plurality of containers conveyed on the conveying path are spaced equally apart. The aforementioned <1> The container transport device according to claim 1. <3> The control unit records timings of the advancing operation and the retreating operation of the stopper. The aforementioned <2> The container transport device according to claim 1. <4> The control unit is capable of switching between stopping and performing the advancing operation and the retreating operation of the stopper. The aforementioned <2> or <3> The container transport device according to claim 1. <5> the stopper is a plate-like member having a thickness along the conveying direction of the conveying path, At least a portion of the surface of the upstream main surface of the stopper in the conveying direction that comes into contact with the container is formed of a material having lower friction than other portions of the stopper. The aforementioned <1> ~ <4> 10. The container conveying device according to claim 9, wherein: <6> the stopper is a plate-like member having a thickness along the conveying direction of the conveying path, corners on the upstream side and the downstream side in the conveying direction of an end face of the stopper, which is a leading end of the stopper when the stopper advances onto the conveying path, are chamfered; The aforementioned <1> ~ <5> 10. The container conveying device according to claim 9, wherein: <7> the first conveying unit is disposed upstream of the stopper on the conveying path, the second conveying unit is disposed downstream of the stopper on the conveying path, The conveying speed of the first conveying unit is set to be slower than the conveying speed of the second conveying unit. The aforementioned <1> ~ <6> 10. The container conveying device according to claim 9, wherein: <8> the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit are belt conveyors that rotate rollers to move belts wound around the rollers in the conveying direction of the conveying path, and the containers are placed and conveyed using a surface of the belt arranged on the upper side of the belt conveyor as a conveying surface; The belt of the first conveying unit is made of a material having lower friction than the belt of the second conveying unit. The aforementioned <7> The container transport device according to claim 1. <9> a pair of conveying position guides provided on the conveying surface of the first conveying unit, extending along the conveying direction of the conveying path, and arranged opposite to each other with a width dimension that allows the container to enter in a width direction of the conveying surface that intersects with the conveying direction; The aforementioned <7> or <8> The container transport device according to claim 1. <10> The pair of conveying position guides are adjustable in width. The aforementioned <9> The container transport device according to claim 1. <11> The first conveying section is installed at an incline such that the height position of the conveying surface decreases as it proceeds downstream in the conveying direction. The aforementioned <7> ~ <10> 10. The container conveying device according to claim 9, wherein: <12> the stopper is arranged to be slidable in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying path, and includes two sliding doors arranged side by side in the sliding direction, The two doors move away from each other to open and allow the container to move downstream, and move toward each other to close and restrict the container from moving downstream, a transfer guide disposed in a gap along the conveying direction between the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit so as to be aligned in height with conveying surfaces of the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit; The aforementioned <7> ~ <11> 10. The container conveying device according to claim 9, wherein: <13> A laser marking device that marks the surface of a container conveyed along a conveying path with a laser beam, a stopper that is installed on the conveying path so as to be freely advanced and that restricts the movement of the container from the upstream side of the conveying path to the downstream side when the stopper is advanced; Laser marking device. <14> a laser marking device that marks the surface of a container conveyed along a conveying path with a laser beam; a stopper that is freely installed on the conveying path at a position upstream of a marking position where marking is performed by the laser marking device, and that restricts movement of the container that comes into contact with the stopper from the upstream side of the conveying path toward the downstream side when the stopper is advanced; A marking system comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 10 Container transport device 11 First belt conveyor (first conveying section) 12 Second belt conveyor (first conveying section) 13, 131 Stopper 15 Control Unit 19 Transport position guide 20 Transit Guide 30 Laser marking device 40 Marking System P PET bottle (container) A Conveying direction [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0084] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6362961

Claims

1. A container conveying device that conveys a container along a conveying path, a stopper that is installed so as to be freely advanced onto the conveying path at a position between a first conveying unit and a second conveying unit that are arranged in series along the conveying path, and that restricts the movement of the container that comes into contact with the stopper from the upstream side of the conveying path toward the downstream side when the stopper is advanced; Container transport device.

2. a control unit for controlling the operation of the stopper, the control unit controls the stopper to advance onto the conveying path and retract from the conveying path at predetermined timings according to a conveying speed so that the plurality of containers conveyed on the conveying path are spaced equally apart. The container transport device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit records timings of the advancing operation and the retreating operation of the stopper. The container transport device according to claim 2 .

4. The control unit is capable of switching between stopping and performing the advancing operation and the retreating operation of the stopper. The container transport device according to claim 2 .

5. the stopper is a plate-like member having a thickness along the conveying direction of the conveying path, At least a portion of the surface of the upstream main surface of the stopper in the conveying direction that comes into contact with the container is formed of a material having lower friction than other portions of the stopper. The container transport device according to claim 1 .

6. the stopper is a plate-like member having a thickness along the conveying direction of the conveying path, corners on the upstream side and the downstream side in the conveying direction of an end face of the stopper, which is a leading end of the stopper when the stopper advances onto the conveying path, are chamfered; The container transport device according to claim 1 .

7. the first conveying unit is disposed upstream of the stopper on the conveying path, the second conveying unit is disposed downstream of the stopper on the conveying path, a conveying speed of the first conveying unit is set to be slower than a conveying speed of the second conveying unit; The container transport device according to claim 1 .

8. the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit are belt conveyors that rotate rollers to move belts wound around the rollers in the conveying direction of the conveying path, and the containers are placed and conveyed using a surface of the belt arranged on the upper side of the belt conveyor as a conveying surface; The belt of the first conveying unit is made of a material having lower friction than the belt of the second conveying unit.

8. The container transport device according to claim 7.

9. a pair of conveying position guides provided on a conveying surface of the first conveying section, extending along a conveying direction of the conveying path, and arranged opposite to each other with a width dimension that allows the container to enter in a width direction of the conveying surface that intersects with the conveying direction; 8. The container transport device according to claim 7.

10. The pair of conveying position guides are adjustable in width. The container transport device according to claim 9.

11. the first conveying section is installed at an incline such that the height position of the conveying surface decreases toward the downstream side in the conveying direction; 8. The container transport device according to claim 7.

12. the stopper is arranged to be slidable in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying path and includes two sliding doors arranged side by side in the sliding direction, The two doors move away from each other to open and allow the container to move downstream, and move toward each other to close and restrict the container from moving downstream, a transfer guide disposed in a gap along the conveying direction between the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit so as to be aligned in height with conveying surfaces of the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit; 8. The container transport device according to claim 7.

13. A laser marking device that marks the surface of a container conveyed along a conveying path with a laser beam, a stopper that is installed on the conveying path so as to be freely advanced and that restricts the movement of the container from the upstream side of the conveying path to the downstream side when the stopper is advanced; Laser marking device.

14. a laser marking device that marks the surface of a container conveyed along a conveying path with a laser beam; a stopper that is freely installed on the conveying path at a position upstream of a marking position where marking is performed by the laser marking device, and that restricts movement of the container that comes into contact with the stopper from the upstream side of the conveying path toward the downstream side when the stopper is advanced; A marking system comprising:

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