Delivery method and delivery device

Abstract

To provide a sending-out method and a sending-out device capable of avoiding the occurrence of unnecessary folding in a corrugated fiberboard sheet, when sending out a sheet laminated body of folding the long corrugated fiberboard sheet in a bellows shape toward a downstream process.SOLUTION: A delivery method comprising: an arrangement step of arranging a sheet laminate such that sheet segments of the sheet laminate formed by repeating mountain folding and valley folding of a plurality of sheet segments extend along a vertical direction; and a delivery step of sequentially delivering the sheet segments from a front side of the sheet laminate, the front side being one end portion of the sheet laminate in a horizontal direction. Preferably, in the feeding step, the sheet stack is inclined from the front toward the rear, which is the other end in the horizontal direction, and the sheet segment is fed while maintaining the inclined posture.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for unfolding and delivering a length of accordion-folded corrugated cardboard sheet to a downstream process. [Background technology]

[0002] Corrugated cardboard boxes are manufactured by folding and assembling box blanks (hereinafter simply referred to as blanks) that have been cut into a specific shape from a cardboard sheet. Blanks are usually cut from a single cardboard sheet and then slit or score the required locations to create the blanks.

[0003] In recent years, there has been a strong demand for producing corrugated cardboard boxes of different sizes to accommodate a wide variety of shapes and sizes of packaged items, leading to the realization of on-demand small-lot packaging of a wide variety of items. In response to this, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes preparing long corrugated cardboard sheets, feeding out only the required length when needed, and cutting out blanks of the desired dimensions.

[0004] The feeding device disclosed in Patent Document 1 pulls out a corrugated cardboard sheet from a sheet stack in which a long corrugated cardboard sheet is folded in an accordion shape, and feeds it toward a downstream process, such as a blank manufacturing device. This sheet stack is formed into an accordion shape by repeatedly folding multiple sheet segments in a mountain and valley pattern. The sheet stack used in the device of Patent Document 1 has sheet segments stacked vertically, with the uppermost sheet segment being fed out first. In Patent Document 1, a rotating body with a triangular cross section supported at a position higher than the height of the sheet stack rotates while abutting against the back surface of the corrugated cardboard sheet, thereby feeding out the sheet segments from the upper layer of the sheet stack. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-169172 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In Patent Document 1, the cardboard sheet is pulled from a high position where a rotating body is placed to a low position where it is fed. Because the sheet segments are engaged with the rotating body, applying the tensile force required for feeding causes strong bending stress in the sheet segments. Therefore, there is a risk that the sheet segments may fold in places other than the original folds. Cardboard boxes made from blanks containing such unnecessary folds cannot be sold as products.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a delivery method and delivery device that can avoid unnecessary folding of sheet segments when delivering a sheet stack formed by folding long cardboard sheets accordion-shaped toward a downstream process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The sending method according to the present disclosure includes: an arrangement step of arranging a sheet stack formed by repeating mountain folds and valley folds of a plurality of sheet segments so that the sheet segments of the sheet stack are aligned in a vertical direction; and a feeding step of feeding out sheet segments in order from the front, which is one horizontal end of the sheet stack.

[0009] The delivery device according to the present disclosure comprises: a conveying path along which a stack of sheets formed by repeating mountain folds and valley folds of a plurality of sheet segments is conveyed from an upstream side to a downstream side; a support disposed downstream of the conveying path and supporting the sheet stack so that the sheet segments are aligned in a vertical direction V; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, when a sheet segment is fed in the vertical direction, the bending stress generated in the sheet segment is small, and therefore, the sheet segment can be prevented from bending unless the applied tensile force is greater than necessary. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the delivery device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a delivery device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] 3A to 3C are six-view diagrams illustrating an inverting bucket constituting the delivery device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are a front view (FV), a side view (SV), and a plan view (PV) showing a transport vehicle that constitutes a delivery device according to an embodiment, as well as a front view (FV) and a plan view (PV) showing a transport vehicle with the pins removed. [Figure 5] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a procedure of a sending method using a sending device according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 5, is a diagram showing the procedure of the transmission method according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 6, which is a diagram showing the procedure of the transmission method according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a state in which a preceding sheet stack and a succeeding sheet stack are connected to each other according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state of delivery according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] 9A to 9C are diagrams showing how the feeding is performed according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a transmission method according to a first modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a transmission method according to a second modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, a delivery method and a delivery device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment, the sheet segments SS are sequentially fed from a sheet stack SL in which the sheet segments SS are arranged along the vertical direction V. In addition, in the embodiment, by connecting a plurality of sheet stacks SL, continuous sheet segments SS can be fed. In this disclosure, the sheet stack SL is formed by folding a long cardboard sheet into an accordion-like shape by repeatedly folds in the mountain and valley directions. In other words, the cardboard sheet is considered to be an assembly of multiple sheet segments SS. In this disclosure, the term "along" has a general meaning. For example, when referring to "along the vertical direction V," this does not necessarily mean that the direction is parallel to the vertical direction V, but also means that the direction is tilted, for example, by about 15 degrees relative to the vertical direction V. Hereinafter, a delivery device 1 that is preferable for carrying out the delivery method of this embodiment will be described, and then the delivery method will be described.

[0013] [Overall configuration of the transmission device 1: see Figures 1 and 2] The sending device 1 includes an inverting bucket 10 that inverts the position of the sheet stack SL in the receiving area RA, and a first conveying unit 20 that conveys the sheet stack SL, the position of which has been inverted by the inverting bucket 10, toward a sending area DA on the downstream DS. The sending device 1 also includes a second conveying unit 30 that conveys the sheet stack SL from the receiving area RA toward the downstream DS, and a conveying platform 40 along which the sheet stack SL is conveyed from the upstream US toward the downstream DS. A conveying roller 61 for conveying the sheet stack SL is provided downstream DS of the conveying platform 40, and sheet segments SS of the sheet stack SL are sandwiched between the conveying roller 61 and sent toward the downstream DS. The sending device 1 also includes a control unit 50 that controls the operation of the inverting bucket 10, the first conveying unit 20, the second conveying unit 30, and the conveying roller 61.

[0014] In the delivery device 1, the upstream US and downstream DS, and the conveying direction TD from the upstream US to the downstream DS are defined as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In addition, in the delivery device 1, the longitudinal direction X, width direction Y, and height direction Z are defined as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The longitudinal direction X is parallel to the horizontal direction H, and the height direction Z is parallel to the vertical direction V.

[0015] [Inverting bucket 10: See Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5] The inverting bucket 10 receives the sheet stack SL in the receiving area RA and rotates approximately 90° together with the received sheet stack SL to invert the position of the sheet stack SL. Note that the sheet segments SS in the sheet stack SL when received by the inverting bucket 10 are aligned along the horizontal direction H, and the sheet segments SS in the sheet stack SL after the inverting bucket 10 inverts the sheet stack SL are aligned along the vertical direction V. Note that the inverting bucket 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2 shows the state after it has rotated approximately 90°.

[0016] The reversing bucket 10 includes a bucket assembly 11 that supports the sheet stack SL in a rotational direction, and a drive source 15 that rotates the bucket assembly 11. The drive source 15 selectively performs forward rotation, reverse rotation, and stops operation in accordance with instructions from a control unit 50.

[0017] [Bucket assembly 11: see Figures 2, 3, and 5] The bucket assembly 11 includes a first support 11A, a second support 11B connected to the first support 11A at an obtuse angle, and a side body 11D located on one side of the bucket assembly 11 in the width direction Y, spanning between the first support 11A and the second support 11B. The first support 11A and the second support 11B are generally L-shaped in side view. Both the first support 11A and the second support 11B are flat, but the second support 11B has a rectangular notch 11C formed in the center in the width direction Y. The notch 11C is provided to prevent interference between a portion of the transport platform 40 and the second support 11B. The side body 11D closes one side of the bucket assembly 11 in the width direction Y. The portion of the bucket assembly 11 facing the side body 11D in the width direction Y is open. The sheet stack SL is placed on the first support 11A through this open portion.

[0018] When receiving the sheet stack SL, the bucket assembly 11 is arranged so that the first support 11A is aligned along the longitudinal direction X and the second support 11B is aligned along the height direction Z (FIG. 5, S11). At this time, the sheet stack SL is placed on the first support 11A, but is abutted against the second support 11B at the rear R. At this time, the sheet stack SL abuts against the side body 11D in the width direction Y. This positions the sheet stack SL in the longitudinal direction X and the width direction Y.

[0019] After receiving the sheet stack SL, the bucket assembly 11 is rotated so that the first support 11A is aligned with the vertical direction V and the second support 11B is aligned with the horizontal direction H (FIG. 5, S12, S13). As a result, the sheet stack SL is supported from below in the height direction Z by the second support 11B, and is supported rearward R in the longitudinal direction X by the first support 11A. Because the first support 11A and the second support 11B form an obtuse angle, for example, 95°, the inverted sheet stack SL is tilted toward the rear R on the first support 11A at an angle of 95° with respect to the horizontal direction H. This tilted position of the sheet stack SL is called a rearward tilted position, and the sheet segments SS are fed from the sheet stack SL while this rearward tilted position is maintained.

[0020] [Drive source 15] The drive source 15 has a drive shaft 16 connected to the side body 11D, and the rotational drive force is transmitted to the side body 11D. The position at which the drive shaft 16 is connected to the side body 11D is arbitrary; for example, the drive shaft 16 can be provided at the intersection of the first support body 11A and the second support body 11B. However, since the portion facing the side body 11D needs to be left open so that the sheet stack SL can be placed on the bucket assembly 11, a cantilever structure is adopted for connecting the drive shaft 16 to the side body 11D. By providing this drive shaft 16 near the center of the side body 11D, the turning radius of the bucket assembly 11 can be reduced, and therefore the dimension of the delivery device 1 in the longitudinal direction X can be reduced.

[0021] [First conveying section 20: see Figures 1, 2, and 4] Next, the first transport section 20 will be described. The first transport unit 20 is capable of reciprocating between the upstream US and the downstream DS along the longitudinal direction X of the transport platform 40. The first transport unit 20 transports the sheet stack SL placed in the receiving area RA toward the downstream DS. Note that movement from the upstream US toward the downstream DS is referred to as forward movement, and conversely, movement from the downstream DS toward the upstream US is referred to as backward movement.

[0022] The first conveying section 20 includes a first conveying vehicle 21 that pushes and conveys the sheet stack SL from the upstream US toward the downstream DS, a rail 26A along which the first conveying vehicle 21 travels when moving back and forth, and a drive mechanism 27 that moves the first conveying vehicle 21 back and forth.

[0023] [First transport vehicle 21: see Figure 4] The first transport vehicle 21 includes a frame 22, wheels 23 rotatably supported at the lower end of the frame 22, and a plurality of, for example, three pins 25A, 25B, and 25C detachably attached to the frame 22. The frame 22 includes a pair of vertical members 22A extending in the height direction Z and a horizontal member 22B connecting the pair of vertical members 22A at their lower ends. The frame 22 also includes a plurality of, for example, three support members 22C1, 22C2, and 22C3 connecting the pair of vertical members 22A above the horizontal member 22B. The support members 22C1, 22C2, and 22C3 are provided in symmetrical positions with support member 22C2 at the center.

[0024] Pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are detachably attached to the support members 22C1, 22C2, and 22C3, respectively. The pins 25A, 25B, and 25C support the sheet stack SL from the rear R when the first transport vehicle 21 transports the sheet stack SL. Because the sheet stack SL supported by the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C is tilted backward as described above, the line segment LN connecting the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C is tilted with respect to the height direction Z (vertical direction V). The tilt θ of the line segment LN with respect to the height direction Z is, for example, 5°. In this case, the angle of the rearward tilt of the sheet stack SL with respect to the horizontal direction H is 95°. 95° is merely a preferred example, and the tilt θ is individually set according to the specifications of the sheet stack SL, such as its dimensions. However, it is preferable to select the tilt θ from the range of more than 0° to less than 10°. In this case, the angle of the rearward tilt is more than 90° and less than 110°. The positional relationship in the height direction Z and the like described for the first transport vehicle 21 is when the first transport vehicle 21 is placed on the transport platform 40.

[0025] [Rail 26A: See Figure 1 and Figure 2] Rail 26A of first transport section 20 is provided on one side (LS) of transport platform 40 in a plan view, spanning substantially the entire length from upstream US to downstream DS in longitudinal direction X. First transport vehicle 21 moves forward from rear R to front F on rail 26A, or moves backward from front F to rear R.

[0026] [Drive mechanism 27: See Figure 2] The drive mechanism 27 applies a driving force to the first transport vehicle 21 to move it forward or backward, thereby causing it to travel. The specific structure of the drive mechanism 27 is arbitrary as long as it can perform this function. As an example, a belt 27A forming an endless track is fixed to the first transport vehicle 21. The belt 27A is looped around a pair of pulleys 27B (however, these are hidden in the upstream US). One of the pair of pulleys 27B is connected to a drive source (not shown), such as a rotating electric motor, and serves as a driven pulley, while the other is supported so as to be able to rotate freely and serves as a driven pulley. The drive source is controlled to move forward, backward, and stop moving in response to instructions from the control unit 50. In addition to a belt drive, a drive mechanism using, for example, a ball screw can also be used. The drive mechanism 27 is not shown in FIG. 2.

[0027] In the present embodiment, an example is described in which the drive mechanism 27 is provided separately from the first transport vehicle 21, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the first transport vehicle 21 may be provided with a drive source to rotate the wheels 23 to move the first transport vehicle 21 forward and backward. This first transport vehicle 21 can be said to be self-propelled.

[0028] [Second conveying section 30: see Figures 1, 2, and 4] The second conveying section 30 receives the sheet stack SL conveyed by the first conveying section 20 and conveys it toward the front F. In other words, since the second conveying section 30 and the first conveying section 20 operate in the same manner, the second conveying section 30 can also have the same basic configuration as the first conveying section 20. Therefore, the same components of the second conveying section 30 as those of the first conveying section 20 are given the same reference numerals as those of the first conveying section 20.

[0029] In the second transport section 30, the rail 26B is provided on the other side (RS) when the transport platform 40 is viewed from above, and has a shorter dimension in the longitudinal direction X than the rail 26A in the first transport section 20. This difference in dimension in the longitudinal direction X is based on the fact that the travel distance of the first transport vehicle 21 in the second transport section 30 is shorter than that of the first transport section 20.

[0030] Furthermore, pins 25A, 25B, and 25C in first transport section 20 protrude from one side LS toward the other side RS, while pins 35A, 35B, and 35C in second transport section 30 protrude from the other side RS toward one side LS. The pins 25A, 25B, and 25C in first transport section 20 and the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C in second transport section 30 are shifted in position in the height direction Z so that the first transport vehicle 21 and the second transport vehicle 31 do not interfere with each other at the same position in the longitudinal direction X (FIG. 6, S21).

[0031] [Transport platform 40: see Figures 1 and 2] Next, the transport platform 40 will be described. The transport platform 40 includes a receiving area RA for receiving the sheet stack SL to be sent out, a sending area DA for sequentially sending out sheet segments SS from the sheet stack SL, and a transport area CA located between the receiving area RA and the sending area DA for transporting the sheet stack SL.

[0032] The transport platform 40 also holds the turnover bucket 10, the first transport unit 20, and the second transport unit 30. When the turnover bucket 10 receives the sheet stack SL in the receiving area RA, it reverses its position, thereby preparing to transport the sheet stack SL through the transport area CA. At this point, the first transport vehicle 21 is positioned so that the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C support the rear R side of the sheet stack SL, and the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached to the first transport vehicle 21. By moving the positioned first transport vehicle 21 forward, the sheet stack SL is transported forward F through the transport area CA. The multiple sheet segments SS that make up the sheet stack SL transported to the delivery area DA are sequentially sent out to the next process. In this way, a series of operations and tasks related to the delivery of the sheet segments SS from the sheet stack SL are performed on the transport platform 40.

[0033] [Control unit 50: see Figure 1] The control unit 50 automatically executes a series of operations related to the feeding of the sheet segments SS from the sheet stack SL by controlling the operation of the drive sources of the inverting bucket 10, the first conveying unit 20, and the second conveying unit 30. The control unit 50 is composed of a computer device. However, in the present disclosure, it is not necessarily required to provide a control unit 50 that automatically executes the operations. In other words, the reversing bucket 10, the first conveying unit 20, and the second conveying unit 30 may each be operated according to instructions from an operator involved in the delivery of the sheet stack SL or from another operator.

[0034] [Feed-out operation: see Figures 5 to 7] Next, a series of steps involved in feeding sheet segments SS from a sheet stack SL will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. The operation to be described includes the following first step (S1) to third step (S3). In the following, in order to distinguish between multiple sheet stacks SL, numbers indicating the order in which they appear will be added after the sheet stack SL. Note that in FIGS. 5 to 7, only the minimum elements of the feeding device 1 necessary for describing the operation are shown. For example, with respect to the first transport vehicle 21, there are cases in which the first transport vehicle 21 itself is omitted and only pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are shown (e.g., S13 in FIG. 5). The same applies to the second transport vehicle 31 (e.g., S21 in FIG. 6).

[0035] First step (FIG. 5): A stack of sheets SL1 to be newly sent is received in a receiving area RA and then conveyed to a sending area DA. The stack of sheets SL1 is an example of a preceding stack of sheets in the present disclosure. Second step (FIG. 6): While feeding sheet segments SS from sheet stack SL1, receive sheet stack SL2, which is to be fed next after sheet stack SL1. Sheet stack SL2 is an example of a succeeding sheet stack relative to sheet stack SL1 and an example of a preceding sheet stack relative to sheet stack SL3. Third step (FIG. 7): The next sheet stack SL3 to be sent is received and transported toward the sending area DA. The sheet stack SL3 is an example of a sheet stack following the sheet stack SL2.

[0036] [First step S1: see Figure 5] <s11>: The bucket assembly 11 of the inverting bucket 10 is in a receiving position with the first support 11A aligned along the horizontal direction H, waiting for the sheet stack SL1. The first transport vehicle 21 of the first conveying section 20 is waiting at point P1 in the receiving area RA, with pins 25A, 25B, and 25C removed. The second transport vehicle 31 of the second conveying section 30 is waiting at point P2 to receive the sheet stack SL1 transported by the first transport vehicle 21. The pins 35A, 35B, and 35C of the second transport vehicle 31 are also removed. <s12>: The sheet stack SL1 is placed on the first support 11A of the bucket assembly 11 in the receiving position. The sheet stack SL1 is stored on six blocks PL made of, for example, cardboard, and is transferred to the bucket assembly 11 together with the blocks PL by a forklift.

[0037] <s13>: After receiving the sheet stack SL1 together with the blocks PL, the inverting bucket 10 is inverted from the receiving position (S11, S12) to a sending position in which the second support 11B is aligned with the horizontal direction H. Because the first support 11A and the second support 11B form an obtuse angle, the inverted sheet stack SL1 assumes a backward tilted position corresponding to the inclination of the first support 11A with respect to the height direction Z. After the blocks PL are inverted, pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are inserted into the gaps between the blocks PL, and the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached to the first transport vehicle 21. The sheet stack SL1 is now supported by the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C. After the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached, the blocks PL are removed. The blocks PL are placed so as to avoid the attachment positions of the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C to the first transport vehicle 21. <s14>: After the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached, the first transport vehicle 21 is moved forward, whereby the sheet stack SL1 is transported forward F. During this time, the bucket assembly 11 is reversed from the sending position to the receiving position.

[0038] [Second step S2: see Figure 6] <s21>: The first transport vehicle 21 (only pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are shown) transports the sheet stack SL1 to point P2. Then, pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are attached to the second transport vehicle 31. The pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are painted black to make them easy to distinguish from the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C. Furthermore, when attached, the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C do not need to be in contact with the rear end R1 of the sheet stack SL1. On the other hand, since the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C have transported the sheet stack SL1 up to this point, they are in contact with the rear end R1. After this, the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are removed from the first transport vehicle 21.

[0039] <s22>: Sheet segments SS are sequentially fed out from the sheet stack SL supported by pins 35A, 35B, and 35C (second transport vehicle 31). As the sheet segments SS are fed out, the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C (second transport vehicle 31) move forward. After the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C have been removed, the first transport vehicle 21 retreats toward the point P1. <s23>: While the sheet segments SS continue to be fed out from the sheet stack SL1, the first transport vehicle 21 retreats to the point P1, and then the sheet stack SL2 is placed on the reversing bucket 10. <s24>: While the sheet segments SS continue to be fed out from the sheet stack SL1, the sheet stack SL2 is inverted together with the inverting bucket 10. The pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached to the first transport vehicle 21, thereby inserting the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C between the first support 11A and the rear end R1 of the sheet stack SL2.

[0040] [Third step S3: see Figure 7] <s31>: The sheet stack SL2 is advanced toward the sheet stack SL1 by the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C (first transport vehicle 21). When the rear end R1 of the sheet stack SL1 and the front end F2 of the sheet stack SL2 are spaced a predetermined distance apart, the rear sheet segment SS of the sheet stack SL1 is connected to the front sheet segment SS of the sheet stack SL2. The specific procedure for this connection will be described later. <s32>: When the connection between the sheet stack SL1 and the sheet stack SL2 is completed, the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are removed from the second transport vehicle 31, and the second transport vehicle 31 retreats to a position R behind the sheet stack SL2. The sheet stack SL3 to be sent out next after the sheet stack SL2 is placed on the reversing bucket 10 in the receiving position.

[0041] <s33>: When the second transport vehicle 31 retreats to the rear R of the sheet stack SL2, the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are attached to the second transport vehicle 31. This allows the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C (transport vehicle 31) to transport the sheet stack SL2 forward F. The sheet stack SL3 is turned over together with the bucket assembly 11 to assume the delivery position. <s34>: As the second transport vehicle 31 advances, the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C advance the sheet stack SL1 and the sheet stack SL2, while the sheet segments SS continue to be fed out from the sheet stack SL1. The sheet stack SL3 is pushed forward F by pins 25A, 25B, and 25C (first transport vehicle 21) and transported toward the sheet stack SL2. The sheet stack SL3 is transported forward F until it reaches a predetermined distance from the sheet stack SL2. Once it has been transported to the predetermined distance, the trailing sheet segment SS of the sheet stack SL2 is connected to the leading sheet segment SS of the sheet stack SL3. In this example, the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C (first transport vehicle 21) retreat upstream US to accommodate the following sheet stack SL3, but they can also push the sheet stack SL2 toward the sheet stack SL1 together with the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C.

[0042] Thereafter, the feeding of sheet segments SS from the sheet stack SL1, sheet stack SL2, . . . and the replenishment of sheet stacks SL4, . . . , sheet stack SLn to be newly fed are repeated in the same procedure as described above.

[0043] [Procedure for connecting sheet stack SL1 and sheet stack SL2: see Figure 8] Next, a procedure for connecting a preceding sheet stack SL1 and a succeeding sheet stack SL2 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Note that, although components of the delivery device 1 will be mentioned below, they are not shown in Fig. 8. <S41,S42> : When the sheet stack SL1 and the sheet stack SL2 are spaced apart to an appropriate distance for the joining operation, the rearmost sheet segment SS1 of the sheet stack SL1 and the frontmost sheet segment SS2 of the sheet stack SL2 are fed onto the conveying path 41 of the conveying platform 40 and aligned at the same position in the height direction Z. At this time, the sheet segment SS1 and the sheet segment SS2 are close enough to each other that they can be joined together with a joining member, for example, adhesive tape.

[0044] When the sheet segment SS1 is to be unwound from the sheet stack SL1, the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are removed from the second transport vehicle 31 so that they do not get in the way. After the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are removed, the sheet stack SL1 excluding the sheet segment SS1 may fall toward the rear R. Therefore, it is preferable to use a member that temporarily supports the end of the sheet stack SL1 toward the rear R after removing the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C.

[0045] <S43,S44> : After the sheet segment SS1 and the sheet segment SS2 are stuck together with, for example, adhesive tape TP, the sheet segment SS1 and the sheet segment SS2 are lifted up so as to form a mountain shape. After the sheet segments SS1 and SS2 form a mountain shape, the first transport vehicle 21 is advanced to narrow the gap between the sheet stack SL2 and the sheet stack SL1. Pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are removed from second transport vehicle 31, and second transport vehicle 31 is moved back to the position of first transport vehicle 21. Once second transport vehicle 31 has moved back to the position of first transport vehicle 21, pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are attached to second transport vehicle 31, and then pins 25A, 25B, and 25C of first transport vehicle 21 are removed.

[0046] <s45>: The first transport vehicle 21 transports the sheet stack SL1 and the sheet stack SL2 in a forward direction F together. The second transport vehicle 31 prepares to receive the next sheet stack SL3.

[0047] [Sheet segment SS feeding operation: Figures 9 and 10] Next, the behavior of the sheet segments SS when they are fed from the sheet stack SL will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Here, an example (S51) will be described in which the feeding starts from the point where the leading edge of the leading sheet segment SS01 contacts the conveying path 41 of the conveying platform 40. In addition, in Figs. 9 and 10, sheet segments SS02 to SS04, which will be described later, are continuous with the sheet segment SS01, and the sheet stack SL is integrally formed by the segments following the sheet segment SS01.

[0048] <s52> When sheet segment SS01 is fed forward F, sheet segment SS02 is also fed out due to being pulled by sheet segment SS01. The position in the height direction Z of connection point CP1 between sheet segments SS01 and SS02 gradually decreases. At this time, bending stress BF occurs around the center of gravity G of sheet segment SS01. Connection point CP2 between sheet segment SS02 and sheet segment SS03 is in contact with conveying path 41, and friction force FF is generated at connection point CP2.

[0049] Here, the bending stress BF around the center of gravity G of the seat segment SS01 is caused by the tensile force TS and the frictional force FF generated at the opposite connection point CP2. However, the frictional force FF is caused by the weight of the seat segments SS01 and SS02 and is therefore slight, so the bending stress BF is also slight. Therefore, unless the tensile force TS is made unnecessarily large, the bending stress BF will not cause the seat segment SS01 to break.

[0050] <s53> As feeding continues, sheet segments SS01 and SS02 become parallel to the conveying path 41, i.e., nearly horizontal, and when the tensile force TS in the horizontal direction H of sheet segments SS01 and SS02 exceeds the friction force FF at the connection point CP2, the connection point CP2 of sheet segments SS02 and SS03 is pulled up.

[0051] <s54> When the sheet segments SS01 and SS02 are horizontally parallel, the tensile force TS reaches its maximum, and a rotational force is generated in the sheet segment SS03 in the counterclockwise direction around the connection point CP3 between the sheet segments SS03 and SS04. This can cause the connection point CP2 between the sheet segments SS02 and SS03 to lift up.

[0052] <s55> As the sheet segment SS03 continues to be fed, the tensile force TS in the horizontal direction H becomes greater than the rotational force of the sheet segment SS03, and the sheet segment SS03 is fed toward the downstream DS. Thereafter, by repeating the above-described procedure, the sheet segments SS in the sheet stack SL are sequentially fed downstream DS while the mountain folds and valley folds are released.

[0053] [Effects of the embodiment] The sheet stack SL to be fed has the following advantages, according to the feeding device 1 and the feeding method performed by the feeding device 1, in which the sheet segments SS constituting the sheet stack SL are arranged along the vertical direction V. [First effect: Prevents bending of seat segments SS] According to the delivery method of the present disclosure, the bending stress BF generated in the sheet segment SS is small when the sheet segment SS is delivered along the vertical direction V. Therefore, the sheet segment SS will not bend unless the tensile force TS is made larger than necessary.

[0054] [Second effect: Ease of connecting front and rear seat segments SS] According to the delivery method of the present disclosure, the sheet segments SS are aligned in the vertical direction V. As a result, by unfolding the sheet segments SS1 and SS2 of both the leading sheet stack SL1 and the trailing sheet stack SL2, they can be arranged adjacent to each other on the conveying path 41. Therefore, according to the feeding method of the present disclosure, the preceding and following sheet segments SS can be connected while the sheet stack SL1 and the sheet stack SL2 are left on the conveying path 41. This means that the following effects can be achieved. First, there is no need to raise or lower one of the sheet stack SL1 and the sheet stack SL2 as in Patent Document 1. Also, the conveying path 41 can be set at a relatively low position that makes work easier. Furthermore, because the sheet segment SS1 and the sheet segment SS2 can be directly connected, there is no need to provide a portion equivalent to the joint portion in Patent Document 1.

[0055] [Third effect: Leaning backward (95°)] According to the feeding method of the present disclosure, sheet segments SS are fed from the sheet stack SL in a backward tilted position. This allows the sheet segments SS to be fed one by one from the sheet stack SL. For example, if the sheet segments SS were parallel to the vertical direction V without adopting the backward tilted position, there is a risk of double feeding occurring, in which subsequent sheet segments SS also fall forward F as the leading sheet segment SS is fed. By adopting the backward tilted position, double feeding can be prevented simply by providing the second transport vehicle 31 in a tilted position. In the present disclosure, it is preferable to tilt the sheet stack SL backward, and even if the sheet segments SS are parallel to the vertical direction V, for example, by supporting the upper ends of the sheet segments SS toward the rear R, it is possible to prevent double feeding of the sheet segments SS.

[0056] [Fourth effect: Reversing bucket 10] According to the delivery method of the present disclosure, the sheet stack SL received by the inverting bucket 10 is inverted, whereby the posture of the sheet stack SL can be changed so that the sheet segments SS are aligned in the vertical direction V. Here, in the sheet stack SL in the manufactured state, the sheet segments SS are oriented parallel to the horizontal direction H and are stored in this orientation. Therefore, according to the delivery method of the present disclosure, even a sheet stack SL in the conventional storage orientation can be subjected to the delivery method of the present disclosure.

[0057] [Fifth Effect: First Transport Vehicle 21, Second Transport Vehicle 31] According to the delivery method and delivery device of the present disclosure, by providing two transport vehicles, a first transport vehicle 21 and a second transport vehicle 31, it is possible to replenish the following sheet stack SL while delivering sheet segments SS from the preceding sheet stack SL, thereby realizing continuous delivery of sheet segments SS.

[0058] In addition to the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C being insertable and removable in the first transport vehicle 21, the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are insertable and removable in the second transport vehicle 31. This allows the sheet stack SL to be transported while avoiding interference between the first transport vehicle 21 and the second transport vehicle 31, simply by inserting and removing the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C.

[0059] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and can be modified. An example is shown below. [First Modification: Figure 11] The above-described feeding device 1 sequentially performs the steps of inverting the orientation of the received sheet stack SL, transporting the sheet stack SL to the feeding position, and feeding out the segments SS from the sheet stack SL. However, the feeding method according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the sheet stack SL can be received and transported with the sheet segments SS aligned in the vertical direction V, and then fed out. Furthermore, although not shown, the present disclosure can also feed out the sheet segments SS when the sheet stack SL is received with the sheet segments SS aligned in the vertical direction V. In this modification, the transport vehicle 31 serves as a support for the feeding device of the present disclosure, and the first effect described above can be achieved in these modifications.

[0060] [Second Modification] The delivery device 1 described above connects a preceding sheet stack SL to a succeeding sheet stack SL on the conveying path 41. However, according to the delivery method of the present disclosure, as shown in Fig. 12, the sheet segment SS1 and the sheet segment SS2, both of which are aligned in the vertical direction V, can also be connected by, for example, an adhesive tape.

[0061] [Note] The above-disclosed delivery method and delivery device can be understood as follows. [Appendix 1] an arrangement step of arranging a sheet stack (SL) formed by repeating mountain folds and valley folds of a plurality of sheet segments (SS) so that the sheet segments (SS) of the sheet stack (SL) are aligned in a vertical direction (V); a feeding step of feeding out sheet segments (SS) in order from the front (F), which is one end of the sheet stack (SL) in the horizontal direction (H).

[0062] [Appendix 2] In the sending step in Appendix 1, The sheet stack (SL) is tilted from the front (F) toward the rear (R), which is the other end in the horizontal direction (H), and it is preferable that the sheet segments (SS) are fed out while maintaining this tilted position.

[0063] [Appendix 3] The inclination in Supplementary Note 2 is preferably greater than 90° and equal to or less than 110° with respect to the horizontal direction (H).

[0064] [Appendix 4] In the sending step in any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 3, It is preferable that the sheet segment (SS) is fed out while the mountain folds and valley folds are released.

[0065] [Appendix 5] In any of Supplementary Notes 1 to 4, a conveying step of conveying the sheet stack (SL) arranged in the arrangement step to a delivery area (DA) through a conveying path (41), In the placement step, The stack of sheets (SL) is placed in a receiving area (RA), In the transporting step, The stack of sheets (SL) is conveyed from the receiving area (RA) to the delivery area (DA), In the sending step, It is preferable that the sheet segments (SS) are sequentially delivered from the sheet stack (SL) conveyed to the delivery area (DA).

[0066] [Appendix 6] In Appendix 5: In the delivery area (DA), while a sheet segment (SS) is being delivered from a preceding sheet stack (SL1) being delivered in advance, A subsequent stack of sheets (SL2) to be sent following the preceding stack of sheets (SL1) is placed in the receiving area (RA), The succeeding sheet stack (SL2) is conveyed to the rear (R) of the preceding sheet stack (SL1), It is preferable that the trailing sheet segment (SS01) in the preceding stack of sheets (SL1) and the leading sheet segment (SS02) in the succeeding stack of sheets (SL2) are connected in the conveying path (41).

[0067] [Appendix 7] In Appendix 6: The connection between the rear seat segment (SS01) and the front seat segment (SS02) is as follows: It is preferable that the mountain fold or valley fold is released so that the trailing sheet segment (SS01) and the leading sheet segment (SS02) are positioned along the conveying path (41).

[0068] [Appendix 8] A delivery device according to the present disclosure comprises: a conveying path (41) along which a sheet stack (SL) formed by repeating mountain folds and valley folds of a plurality of sheet segments (SS) is conveyed from an upstream side (US) to a downstream side (DS); The sheet stack (SL) is provided with a support (30) that is disposed on the downstream side (DS) of the conveying path (41) and supports the sheet stack (SL) so that the sheet segments (SS) are aligned in the vertical direction (V).

[0069] [Appendix 9] The sending device in Appendix 8 is The support (30) is preferably configured to be reciprocally movable between the upstream side (US) and the downstream side (DS).

[0070] [Appendix 10] The sending device in Appendix 9 is A transport vehicle (21) is provided to transport the sheet stack (SL) from the upstream side (US) to the downstream side (DS), The transport vehicle (21) is preferably capable of reciprocating between the upstream side (US) and the downstream side (DS).

[0071] The sending device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 8 to 10, It is preferable to provide an inverting bucket (10) provided on the upstream side (US) for inverting the position of the sheet stack (SL). [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 Delivery device 10 Inverting Bucket 11 Bucket assembly 11A 1st support 11B Second support 11D Lateral body 15 Power Source 16 drive shaft 20 First conveying section 21 First Transport Vehicle 22 frames 22A Vertical member 22B Cross member 22C1,22C2,22C3 Support material 23 wheels 25A, 25B, 25C pins 26A, 26B rails 27 Drive mechanism 27A Belt 27B, 27B pulley 30 Second conveying section 31 Second transport vehicle 35A, 35B, 35C pins 40 Transport stand 41 Transport path 50 control section 61 Delivery roller SL, SL1, SL2, SL3, SL4 sheet laminate SS seat segment SP Vertex SS, SS01, SS02, SS03, SS04 seat segments SS1, SS2 seat segments PL board G center of gravity CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4 connection part R1 Rear end F2 front end RA Receiving Area CA Transport Area DA sending area FF Friction force TS Tensile Force LN Line US Upstream DS downstream F forward R rear TD transport direction X Longitudinal direction Y width direction Z height direction V vertical direction H horizontal direction

Claims

1. an arrangement step of arranging a sheet stack formed by repeating mountain folds and valley folds of a plurality of sheet segments so that the sheet segments of the sheet stack are aligned in a vertical direction; and a feeding step of feeding the sheet segments sequentially from the front, which is one end of the sheet stack in the horizontal direction. Sending method.

2. In the sending step, The sheet stack is inclined from the front toward the rear, which is the other end in the horizontal direction, and the sheet segments are fed out while maintaining this inclined posture. The sending method according to claim 1 .

3. The inclination is greater than 90° and less than or equal to 110° with respect to the horizontal direction. The sending method according to claim 2 .

4. In the sending step, The sheet segment is fed out while the mountain folds and the valley folds are released. The sending method according to claim 1 .

5. a conveying step of conveying the sheet stack arranged in the arrangement step through a conveying path to a delivery area, In the placing step, The stack of sheets is placed in a receiving area; In the transporting step, The stack of sheets is transported from the receiving area to the delivery area; In the sending step, The sheet segments are sequentially fed from the sheet stack conveyed to the feeding region. The sending method according to claim 1 .

6. In the delivery region, while the sheet segment is being delivered from the preceding sheet stack, a subsequent stack of sheets to be fed following the preceding stack of sheets is placed in the receiving area; conveying the succeeding stack of sheets to the rear of the preceding stack of sheets; a trailing sheet segment in the preceding stack of sheets is connected to a leading sheet segment in the following stack of sheets in the conveying path; The sending method according to claim 5.

7. The connection between the rear seat segment and the front seat segment is The mountain fold or the valley fold is released, and the trailing sheet segment and the leading sheet segment are oriented along the conveying path. The sending method according to claim 6.

8. a conveying path along which a stack of sheets formed by repeating mountain folds and valley folds of a plurality of sheet segments is conveyed from an upstream side to a downstream side; a support member disposed on the downstream side of the conveying path and supporting the sheet stack so that the sheet segments are aligned in a vertical direction; A delivery device comprising:

9. The support is configured to be reciprocally movable between the upstream side and the downstream side. The delivery device of claim 8.

10. a transport vehicle that transports the sheet stack from the upstream side to the downstream side, The transport vehicle is capable of reciprocating between the upstream side and the downstream side. The delivery device of claim 9.

11. a reversing bucket provided on the upstream side and reversing the position of the sheet stack; The delivery device of claim 10.

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