Transport device, printing apparatus, and state acquisition device

Abstract

To provide a conveying device capable of conveying a plurality of articles while reliably holding (maintaining) the postures of the articles in the same state, a printing device, and a state acquisition device.SOLUTION: A transport device 100 includes a transport surface 116 on which an article XA1 is placed and transported, an article holding means 123 disposed above the transport surface 116, and a drive means 126 for causing the article holding means 123 to travel, wherein when the article XA1 is transported, a part of the article holding means 123 is configured to come into contact with at least an upper part of the article XA1 and to bend along a shape of the part by its own weight, and the drive means 126 causes the article holding means 123 to travel in the same direction as the transport surface 116 at the same speed as the transport surface in an article holding section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device, a printing device, and a status acquisition device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when conveying spherical or curved objects using conveying devices, efforts have been made to maintain the posture of the objects. In particular, when not only conveying the objects but also printing on the objects or understanding and checking their status (posture, printing results, etc.), it is required that the posture of the conveyed objects be maintained in the same state.

[0003] For example, when printing on a box with a bulging bottom while it is being transported, a device is known that lifts one side of the bottom of the box using a step and places it at an angle to eliminate shaking and prevent bleeding or other problems from occurring in the print (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6783074 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional configuration in which a flat step is provided on the placing surface, the posture of an article having a spherical, cylindrical or curved shape cannot be maintained sufficiently.

[0006] FIG. 10 shows an example of a conventional conveying device 500 for conveying an item XA1 having a curved portion C, with FIG. 10(A) being a front view of the item XA1 as seen from a direction intersecting the conveying direction T, and FIG. 10(B) being a plan view. The item XA1 is, for example, a pillow-shaped box. When a box with a bulging bottom (item XA1) is conveyed by lifting one side of the box's bottom with a step 501 and placing it at an angle to prevent rocking, as in the case of conventional conveying devices, the device cannot accommodate high-speed conveyance due to intermittent conveyance. Furthermore, it is difficult to convey the box while maintaining a predetermined posture.

[0007] As a result, when some processing, such as printing or inspecting the appearance, is to be performed on the articles being transported, the same processing or uniform processing cannot be performed on each article.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a conveying device, a printing device, and a status acquisition device that can reliably hold (maintain) the posture of multiple items in a similar state while conveying them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to a conveying device comprising a conveying surface on which articles are placed and conveyed, an article holding means arranged above the conveying surface, and a driving means for moving the article holding means, wherein, when the article is being conveyed, a portion of the article holding means is configured to come into contact with at least a portion of the upper part of the article and to bend along the shape of that portion due to its own weight, and the driving means moves the article holding means in the same direction and at the same speed as the conveying surface in the section where the article is held.

[0010] The present invention also relates to a printing device comprising the above-mentioned conveying device and a printing means.

[0011] The present invention also relates to a status acquisition device including the above-mentioned conveying device and a status acquisition means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a conveying device, a printing device, and a status acquisition device that can reliably hold (maintain) the postures of a plurality of articles in a similar state while conveying the articles. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing an outline of a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a package according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a perspective view, (B) is a plan view, and (C) is a front view. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an upper pressure conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a front view and (B) is a perspective view. [Figure 4] 1A to 1E are diagrams showing an article holding means according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a perspective view, (B) is a perspective view, (C) is a plan view, (D) is a plan view, and (E) is a perspective view. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are front views showing an article holding operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are front views showing an article holding operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are plan views showing an article holding operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a plan view and (B) is a front view of an article. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating a state acquisition device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional technique. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The following describes the configurations of a conveying device 100, a printing device 200, and a status acquisition device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that in this and subsequent figures, some components are omitted as appropriate to simplify the drawings. Furthermore, in this and subsequent figures, the size, shape, thickness, and other characteristics of components are exaggerated as appropriate. In addition, the various directions in this embodiment are defined as follows: a first direction in which an article XA1 moves in the conveying device 100 is referred to as a conveying direction T; a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in a horizontal plane is referred to as a conveying width direction W; and a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions is referred to as a conveying height direction H.

[0015] <Conveyor equipment> Fig. 1 is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the conveying device 100. Fig. 2 shows an example of an article XA1 conveyed by the conveying device 100, (A) an external perspective view, (B) a plan view, and (C) a front view in a conveying state.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the conveying device 100 includes a conveying surface 116 on which an item XA1 is placed and conveyed, an item holding means 123 arranged above the conveying surface 116, a driving means 126 for driving the item holding means 123, and a control means (not shown) for controlling these in an integrated manner.

[0017] The conveying device 100 includes, for example, an article conveying conveyor 110. The article conveying conveyor 110 is, for example, a belt conveyor, and includes a drive pulley 111 and a driven pulley 112 arranged at a predetermined interval in front of and behind the conveying direction T of the article XA1, and an endless belt 113 stretched between the pulleys 111 and 112. The drive pulley 111 is connected to a first driving means (for example, a servo motor) 115 and rotates by receiving a rotational force from the first servo motor 115. As the drive pulley 111 rotates, the endless belt 113 circulates in a predetermined direction (counterclockwise in this example). Specifically, an upper surface region of the endless belt 113 located above the conveying height direction H (above the centers of the pulleys 111 and 112) runs from the drive pulley 111 located upstream toward the driven pulley 112 located downstream, and then turns back at the driven pulley 112. In the lower surface area located on the lower side of the conveying height direction H (below the center of the pulleys 111, 112), the belt runs from the driven pulley 112 toward the driving pulley 111, then turns around at the driving pulley 111 and runs again. In this case, the upper surface area of ​​the endless belt 113 that runs in a circular motion becomes the conveying surface 116 on which the article XA1 is placed. The moving direction of the conveying surface 116 (from right to left in FIG. 1) is the conveying direction T.

[0018] The conveying device 100 also includes an upper pressure conveyor 120. The upper pressure conveyor 120 includes a drive sprocket 121 and a driven sprocket 122, which are arranged at a predetermined interval in front and behind the conveying direction T, and an endless belt 123 (article holding means) wound around the sprockets 121 and 122. The drive sprocket 121 is connected to a second drive means (e.g., a servo motor) 126 and rotates by receiving the rotational force of the second servo motor 126. As the drive sprocket 121 rotates, the endless belt 123 circulates in a predetermined direction (clockwise in this example). Specifically, the upper surface area of ​​the endless belt 123, which is located above the conveying height direction H (above the centers of the sprockets 121 and 122), runs from the driven sprocket 122 located downstream toward the drive sprocket 121 located upstream and then turns back at the drive sprocket 121. In the lower surface area located on the lower side of the conveying height direction H (below the center of the sprockets 121, 122), the endless belt 123 runs from the driving sprocket 121 to the driven sprocket 122, then turns around at the driven sprocket 122 and runs again. A part of the lower surface area of ​​the endless belt 123 that runs in a circular motion in this manner faces the conveying surface 116, and is configured to be able to hold the article XA1 in this lower surface area. In other words, the endless belt 123 functions as an article holding means.

[0019] Each part of the conveying device 100 is comprehensively controlled by a control means (not shown). The control means is composed of a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and performs various controls. The CPU is a so-called central processing unit, and executes various programs to realize various functions. The RAM is used as a working area for the CPU. The ROM stores the basic OS and programs executed by the CPU.

[0020] An article XA1 to be conveyed in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The article XA1 has a curved surface at least in part of its outer shape. As an example, the article XA1 is a pillow-shaped box (pillow carton, pillow box).

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, article (pillow carton) XA1 has a body portion 152 that houses a product. Body portion 152 is a cylindrical body in which the long sides of a substantially rectangular first surface 153 and a second surface 154 are connected and the short sides are disconnected, and both surfaces are curved outwardly so that first surface 153 and second surface 154 are separated from each other. The short sides of first surface 153 and second surface 154 form an opening of the cylindrical body, and a flap portion 155 is provided to cover the opening. Flap portion 155 has, for example, a substantially elliptical shape, and is connected to the short side of first surface 153. The fold line that forms the boundary of the connection is curved in a plan view ( FIG. 3(B) ), and flap portion 155 forms a curved surface that is concave toward the contents of the box. This flap portion 155 closes the opening of body portion 152. The flap portion 155 may be a single piece, or may be provided with another flap portion similarly connected to the short side of the second surface 154, so that the two pieces overlap.

[0022] In this embodiment, the article XA1 is conveyed with a portion (the most protruding portion) of the first surface 153 or the second surface 154 of the body portion 152, which is an outwardly convex curved surface, in contact with the conveying surface 116. As long as the portion in contact with the conveying surface 116 is an outwardly convex curved surface, the shape of the pillow carton XA1 is not limited to the above example. For example, the flap portion 155 may be rectangular and close a portion of the opening of the body portion 152. Furthermore, the flap portion 155 itself may be omitted. Furthermore, the article XA1 is not limited to a pillow carton, and may be any shape with a curved outer surface, such as a spherical, cylindrical, or elliptical shape.

[0023] 3A and 3B are schematic views showing the upper pressure conveyor 120, with FIG. 3A being a front view and FIG. 3B being a perspective view.

[0024] The endless belt 123 of the upper pressure conveyor 120 is configured so that a portion of its lower surface area faces the conveying surface 116 and can hold the article XA1 by abutting against it. In other words, the endless belt 123 functions as an article holding means. The endless belt 123 is wound around a driving sprocket 121 and a driven sprocket 122, but its lower surface area hangs down below the lower ends Dr of both sprockets 121, 122, and has a length that allows slack to occur.

[0025] Here, "slack occurs" means that not only is a portion of the lower surface area of ​​the endless belt 123 in contact with the article XA1, but also that there is an excess length of the endless belt 123 to the extent that a load is applied to the article XA1 by a portion of the endless belt 123. This will be described in detail later.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3(A), the endless belt 123 in this example has enough slack (excess) to contact the conveying surface 116 in a predetermined section. It moves in the same direction as the conveying surface 116, at least in the section where it is in contact with the conveying surface 116. In other words, it functions as an article holding means for holding the article XA1 in this section. This section is referred to as the article holding section HP. Here, as an example, the article holding section HP has a length equal to or greater than the length between the centers of the sprockets 121, 122.

[0027] Furthermore, the endless belt (article holding means) 123 is a belt-shaped member made of a material that can flex flexibly to fit the shape of the article XA1, and in this example is a belt-shaped member made by combining a plurality of link members. More specifically, the endless belt (article holding means) 123 is a plastic chain (plastic modular chain) made by combining link members made of resin (plastic) that are connected in the conveying width direction W and meshed in the conveying direction T.

[0028] Figure 4 shows a portion of the article holding means 123, with Figure 4(A) being a perspective view of one link member 130, Figure 4(B) being a perspective view of two link members 130 combined together, Figure 4(C) being a plan view of Figure 4(A), and Figure 4(D) being a plan view of Figure 4(B). Figure 4(E) is a perspective view of a portion of the article holding means 123 in which the link members 130 are connected in a strip shape. For ease of explanation, Figure 4 will be described in the direction in which the article holding means 123 is incorporated into the upper pressure conveyor 120.

[0029] The link member 130 is, for example, an elongated member whose longitudinal direction is the conveying width direction W, and has cylindrical protrusions 132 arranged in a staggered pattern at the front and rear of the link member 130 in the conveying direction T, with a center line C0 (see FIG. 4C) extending in the conveying width direction W between them. That is, the cylindrical protrusions 132 protrude forward in the conveying direction T of the link member 130, forming notches (recesses) between adjacent cylindrical protrusions 132 in the conveying width direction W, and the cylindrical protrusions 132 protrude backward in the conveying direction T of the link member 130, forming notches (recesses) between adjacent cylindrical protrusions 132 in the conveying width direction W. A rod-shaped shaft member 133 (shown by a dashed line) extending in the conveying width direction W is inserted inside the cylindrical protrusions 132. The inside of the cylindrical protrusion 132 is hollow (hole), and the central axis thereof is parallel to the center line C0.

[0030] The length of the link members 130 in the longitudinal direction (transport width direction W) is the length of the endless belt (article holding means) 123 in the transport width direction W, and the length of the endless belt 123 is determined by the number of link members 130 connected.

[0031] When two link members 130 are connected, as shown in Figures 13B and 13D, in link member 130f arranged at the front in the conveying direction T, the cylindrical protrusion 132 protruding forward in the conveying direction T of link member 130b arranged at the rear in the conveying direction T is inserted between the cylindrical protrusions 132 protruding rearward in the conveying direction T and adjacent to each other in the conveying width direction W, so that the cylindrical protrusion 132 of link member 130f communicates with the hole of the cylindrical protrusion 132 of the rear link member 130b. A shaft member 133 (shown by a broken line) is inserted into the hole to connect the two link members 130f and 130b.

[0032] In other words, the multiple shaft members 133 lined up in the conveying direction T are connected by link members 130. In this state, the position of each shaft member 133 in the conveying height direction H relative to a reference surface (e.g., conveying surface 116) can be changed. In other words, each shaft member 133 can be moved to a height that follows the shape of article XA1.

[0033] The second servo motor 126 causes the article holding means 123 to circulate at the same speed as the conveying surface 116, which is circulated by the first servo motor 115. In other words, in the article holding section HP, the conveying surface 116 and the article holding means 123 travel at the same speed from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction T.

[0034] The holding operation of the article XA1 by the article holding means 123 will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a schematic front view illustrating the holding operation of the article in chronological order. In Figure 5, only the shaft member 133 of the article holding means 123 in the article holding section HP is shown, with the rest omitted (shown in solid lines), but a link member 130 is arranged around the shaft member 133. In addition, the entire circumference of the article holding means 123 is composed of the link member 130 and the shaft member 133 that connects them.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5(A), article XA1 is supplied from an upstream process to article transport conveyor 110. Article XA1 is supplied so that the longitudinal direction of body portion 152 is aligned with the transport width direction W of transport surface 116, and so that, for example, a portion of second surface 154, which is a curved surface (the lowest end in the transport height direction H), abuts against transport surface 116. Item holding means 123 has a predetermined amount of slack, and in this example, item holding means 123 abuts against transport surface 116 in item holding section HP.

[0036] As shown in Figure 5(B), when article XA1 reaches the upstream end of the article holding section HP, the downstream end of article XA1 enters the gap between article holding means 123 and conveying surface 116. The article holding means 123 and conveying surface 116 travel at the same speed and in the same direction in the article holding section HP, i.e., from upstream to downstream.

[0037] The article holding means 123 is configured so that the position in the conveying height direction H relative to the conveying surface 116 can be changed with each link member 130 connected by a shaft member 133. Therefore, as the article XA1 moves, the shaft members 133 move upward one by one in the conveying height direction H and sequentially climb onto the upper surface (first surface 153 in this example) of the article XA1 via the link members 130. When a predetermined number of shaft members 133 (link members 130) climb onto the first surface 153 of the article XA1, or when, in addition to these, there are link members 130 that move away from the conveying surface 116 before and after the article XA1 in the conveying direction T, the weight of those shaft members 133 and link members 130 is imparted (loaded) to the article XA1.

[0038] In this way, the item holding means 123 (a predetermined number of link members 130) abuts at least a portion of the upper part (in this example, the top surface) of the item XA1 moving through the item holding section HP, and the weight of the link members 130 and the shaft members 133 suppresses (holds) the item XA1.

[0039] In this embodiment, when the circularly running item holding means 123 moves to the lower surface area, a part of it (a predetermined number of link members 130) comes into contact with at least an upper part of the item XA1 being transported, and slack is provided so that the item holding means 123 can bend along the shape of the part of the item XA1 it is contacting due to its own weight.

[0040] The slack (amount) of article holding means 123 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a partial enlarged view of Fig. 5. Here again, illustration of link member 130 is omitted, but it is assumed that link member 130 is disposed around shaft member 133 (link member 130 abuts against article XA1).

[0041] As an example, the overall length of the article holding means 123 is a length in which a slack (excess) is set so that when a portion of the article holding means 123 comes into contact with the article XA1, another portion of the article holding means 123 is located below the uppermost portion (topmost portion) Tp of the article XA1 in the conveying height direction H. In particular, if the link member 130 that is in contact with the article XA1 and that is not in contact with the article XA1 at the front and / or rear of the link member 130 in the conveying direction T is referred to as the "closest non-contact link member 130x," the overall length of the article holding means 123 is a length in which a slack (excess) is set so that both the closest non-contact link members 130x at the front and rear of the conveying direction T (shown as shaft members 133f, 133b in FIG. 6) are located below the uppermost portion (topmost portion) Tp of the article XA1 in the conveying height direction H.

[0042] When the link member 130 of the article XA1 held by the article holding means 123 is not in contact with the article XA1 in the front and rear of the conveying direction T, it is positioned below the uppermost part (top) of the article XA1 in the conveying height direction H, and thus the weight of the link member 130 and the shaft member 133 that are in contact with the article XA1 above is added to the article XA1, thereby maintaining (maintaining) the posture of the article XA1. In other words, the amount of slack (excess) is set to an extent that a predetermined amount of the weight of the link member 130 and the shaft member 133 can be applied to the article XA1 (to an extent that these loads are applied).

[0043] Note that, if the amount of slack (excess) is set so that the nearest non-contact link member is positioned below the uppermost (top) part Tp of the article XA1 in the conveying height direction H, the article holding means 123 and the conveying surface 116 of the article conveyor 110 may be non-contact, as shown in Figure 6(B). Although Figure 6(B) shows a state in which the article XA1 is being held, the article holding means 123 and the conveying surface 116 of the article conveyor 110 may also be non-contact when the article XA1 is not being held.

[0044] 6(C), multiple articles XA1 may be held in the article holding section HP, but if the supply speed (supply timing) of the articles XA1 is fast, the nearest non-contact link member 130x may be at the same height as the top of the article XA1, which may result in insufficient holding force for the article XA1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the supply speed of the articles XA1 is also set to ensure a predetermined distance between the articles XA1, and the nearest non-contact link members 130x at the front and rear of the article XA1 in the conveying direction T are both positioned below the top of the article XA1, as shown in FIG.

[0045] Although not shown in the drawings, the article holding section HP may be a section that is smaller than the distance between the centers of the driving sprocket 121 and the driven sprocket 122.

[0046] For example, the weight of the two link members 130 and the single shaft member 133 connecting them does not hinder the transport of item XA1, while the total weight of the link members 130 and shaft member 133 that abut against and hold down item XA1 is set to a weight that is sufficient to maintain the posture of item XA1.

[0047] 7, it is also preferable that the length L1 of the article holding means 123 in the conveying width direction W is at least half (equal in this example) the length L2 of the article XA1 in the longitudinal direction. By doing so, even if the posture of the article XA1 (long side of the body portion 152) is inclined with respect to the conveying width direction W before it reaches the article holding section HP, as shown in FIG. 7(A), when the article slips under the article holding means 123, the long side of the body portion 152 is easily corrected to a direction parallel to the conveying width direction W by the link member 130 that bends around the shaft member 133 extending in the conveying width direction W (FIGS. 7(B) and 7(C)).

[0048] <Printing device> 8A and 8B are schematic diagrams showing an example of a printing device 200 according to this embodiment, in which Fig. 8A is a plan view and Fig. 8B is a front view of an article XA1 downstream of the printing device 200. The printing device 200 includes the above-described conveying device 100 and a printing means 201.

[0049] 8(B), the printing means 201 is a means for printing (for example, laser printing, etc.) characters or a design on a part of the article (pillow carton) XA1, for example, on a predetermined position on the flap portion 155. The printing means 201 prints on the flap portion 155 while the article XA1 is being transported (without stopping it).

[0050] When printing on the outer surface of an item XA1, if there is variation in the posture of the multiple items XA1 to be printed and the resulting variation in the distance between the items XA1, the printing cannot be performed at the specified position. According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8(A), the upper pressure conveyor 120 maintains the posture of the multiple items XA1, and the resulting distance between the items XA1 can also be maintained at a specified distance. Therefore, variation in the printing position can be avoided, enabling good printing.

[0051] <Status acquisition device> 9 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a status acquisition device 300 according to this embodiment. The status acquisition device 300 includes the above-described transport device 100 and status acquisition means 301.

[0052] The status acquisition means 301 is a means for acquiring the status of the item XA1 and / or information attached to the outer surface of the item XA1. The status acquisition means 301 is, for example, a detection device (e.g., various sensors) that detects the posture, temperature, etc. of the item XA1, a detection device (e.g., a scanner, etc.) that detects the status of printing attached to the outer surface of the item XA1, or an information reading device that reads information (e.g., a two-dimensional code, etc.) attached to the outer surface of the item XA1.

[0053] When acquiring the state of the item XA1 or information attached to its outer surface, if there is variation in the position of the item XA1 and the resulting variation in the distance between the items XA1, it is impossible to accurately acquire the state of the item XA1 or its information. According to this embodiment, the conveying device 100 maintains the position of multiple items XA1 using the upper pressure conveyor 120, and also maintains the distance between the items XA1 at a predetermined distance. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine (acquire information about) the state of the item XA1.

[0054] Although not shown, the printing means 201 may be provided upstream of the article holding section HP, and a status acquisition means 301 for detecting the printing status may be provided downstream thereof.

[0055] Furthermore, for example, the printing means 201 is not limited to a configuration that prints on the flap portion 155, but may also be configured to print on, for example, the top surface (first surface 153) of the article XA1 being conveyed. In this case, the length L1 of the article holding means 123 in the conveying width direction W is made shorter than the length (long side L2) of the article XA1 in the conveying width direction W, thereby exposing the portion to be printed. The same applies to the status acquisition means 301.

[0056] Furthermore, although the above example illustrates a case where the upper pressure conveyor 120 has one article holding means 123 (one piece), it may be divided into multiple means (multiple pieces) in the conveying width direction W. For example, two article holding means 123 may be used to hold down article XA1. In this case, it is advisable to align the positions of the shaft members 133 of all of the multiple article holding means 123 in the conveying direction T.

[0057] Furthermore, the article holding means 123 may be any material that abuts against at least a portion of the upper part of the article XA1, bends along the shape of that portion of the article XA1, and bends to an extent that other portions (corresponding to the nearest non-contact link member 130x) that are not in contact with the article XA1 before and after the conveying direction T of the article XA1 are positioned lower than the top of the article XA1 in the conveying height direction H, and moves in the same direction and at the same speed as the conveying surface 116 in the article holding section HP, and is not limited to a plastic chain, but may also be a sheet-like material (silicon or other resin, cloth, etc.). Alternatively, it may be a roller conveyor in which multiple rotatable rollers are arranged at predetermined intervals between a pair of endless chains.

[0058] In addition, in the above embodiment, the first drive means 115 that drives the article transport conveyor 110 and the second drive means 126 that drives the upper pressure conveyor 120 are separate drive means, but both may also be driven by a single drive means. Furthermore, the article holding means 123 may be used as a position changing device.

[0059] As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the spirit and technical concept of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 100 conveying device 110 Goods transport conveyor 111 Drive pulley 112 Driven pulley 113 Endless Belt 115 First driving means (first servo motor) 116 Conveying surface 120 Upper pressure conveyor 121 Drive sprocket 122 driven sprocket 123 Endless belt (item holding means) 126 second driving means (second servo motor) 130 Link member 130x Nearest non-contact link members 132 Cylindrical protrusion 133 Shaft member 152 Torso 155 Flap section 200 Printing device 201 Printing means 300 Status acquisition device 301 Status Acquisition Method

Claims

1. a conveying surface on which an article is placed and conveyed; an article holding means disposed above the conveying surface; a driving means for moving the article holding means, a part of the article holding means is configured to contact at least an upper part of the article and to bend along the shape of the part due to its own weight when the article is transported; the driving means causes the article holding means to travel in the same direction as the conveying surface at the same speed in the section where the article is held; A conveying device characterized by:

2. when a part of the article holding means comes into contact with the article, other parts of the article holding means that are not in contact with the article in front of and behind the article in the conveying direction are located below the top of the article in the conveying height direction.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1.

3. The article holding means is a belt-shaped member formed by combining link members.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1.

4. The link members are connected by a connecting member, and the connecting member extends in the conveyance width direction.

4. The conveying device according to claim 3.

5. The object has a curved contact surface with the conveying surface.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1.

6. the article is a pillow-shaped box having a curved surface, The curved surface is brought into contact with the conveying surface, and the article is conveyed such that the longitudinal direction of the article is aligned with the conveying width direction of the conveying surface.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1.

7. In the conveying width direction, the length of the article holding means is at least half the length of the article.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1.

8. A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and a printing means for printing on the article. A printing device characterized by:

9. A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; a status acquisition means for acquiring information on the status and / or outer surface of the article; A status acquisition device characterized by:

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