Article supply device

Abstract

To provide an article supply device capable of easily attaching and detaching a push-sending member and easily coping with a change of an arrangement interval.SOLUTION: On a pair of endless belts 1010, a support part 11 provided with a receiving part side 11a opened outward crossing the circulating direction of the endless belts 1010 is provided side by side in the traveling direction. The pushing member 12, which is detachably supported by the support portion 1111, can be received by the receiving portions 11a, 11a of the support portion 1111, which are aligned in the widthwise direction of the pair of endless belts 1010,, from the outside in a direction intersecting the circulating direction, and can be detached in the direction intersecting the circulating direction. A regulating means 13 for regulating the separation of the push-sending member 12 from the receiving parts 11a and 11a of the supporting parts 1111 and is provided outside the circulating track of the endless belt 1010. The regulation means 13 is provided with a permission part 14 for permitting attachment / detachment of the push-sending member 12 to / from the receiving parts 11a, 11a of the support parts 1111,.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article supplying device that pushes articles using a pushing member that moves in a circular motion. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in packaging machines such as horizontal form-fill-seal machines, an article supplying device that supplies articles into a tubular film bag is configured by providing pusher members at predetermined intervals on an endless chain, and the circulating pusher members push articles from the rear side to supply the articles into the tubular film at regular intervals. When packaging articles with different lengths due to changes in packaging type, etc., it is necessary to change the interval between the pusher members relative to the endless chain. Patent Document 1 proposes a supplying device in which pusher members (pushing members) that push articles are detachably attached to attachment units attached to the endless chain at predetermined intervals by bolts, allowing the interval between the pusher members to be changed depending on the length of the articles. Patent Document 2 also proposes a conveyor chain in which pins on the endless chain are detachably engaged with engaging claws on the attachments, allowing the interval between the attachments to be changed relative to the endless chain. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 2012-224367 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-206014 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the pusher section is fixed to the endless chain with a bolt, so tools are required to change the spacing of the pusher section, and the removal and installation work takes time.In addition, in the conveyor chain disclosed in Patent Document 2, the engagement claws of the attachment engage with the pins of the endless chain, so when removing the attachment from the endless chain to change the spacing of the attachment, the engagement claws must be forcibly released from the engagement with the pins, which is a major burden on the worker.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an article supplying device in which pushing members can be easily attached and detached and which can easily accommodate changes in the placement intervals. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems and achieve the intended purpose, the first means is: An article supply device for transporting an article (15), endless cable bodies (10) arranged in parallel in a width direction intersecting the article conveying direction and running in a circular motion; a support portion (11) provided on the endless cord (10) in a running direction and having a receiving portion (11a) that opens outward and intersects with the circumferential direction of the endless cord (10); a pushing member (12) that is removably supported on the support portion (11) so as to be able to be received from the outside, intersecting the circumferential direction, by the receiving portions (11a) of the support portion (11) aligned in the width direction of the plurality of endless cords (10), and to be detachable in the direction intersecting the circumferential direction, and to move in accordance with the running of the endless cords (10); a first restricting portion (33) disposed along the circular path of the endless cable (10) and restricting the pushing member (12) from coming off upward from the receiving portion (11a) of the support portion (11) in the upper running path (M1) of the endless cable (10) along which the pushing member (12) moves in the article conveying direction to push the article (15); a second restricting portion (34) disposed along the circulating path of the endless cable (10) and restricting the pushing member (12) from falling off the receiving portion (11a) of the support portion (11) in a lower running path (M2) of the endless cable (10) opposite to the upper running path (M1); The first restricting portion (33) is characterized in that it is provided with a permitting portion (14) that permits the pushing member (12) to be attached to and detached from the receiving portion (11a) of the support portion (11). With this configuration, the pushing members can be easily attached and detached without using tools, so that the spacing between the pushing members and the endless rope can be easily changed, shortening the work time. Also, since the pushing members are supported on the support parts simply by being positioned so that they can be received in the receiving parts of the support parts, the burden on the worker when attaching and detaching the pushing members to and from the support parts can be reduced.

[0007] The second means is provided in the second regulating portion (34) extending along the lower traveling path (M2), and includes a drop opening (42) for allowing the pushing member (12) to drop from the support portion (11); an opening / closing member (43) movable to a closing position for closing the drop opening (42) and an opening position for opening the drop opening (42); and an operating means (44) for moving the opening / closing member (43) between a closed position and an open position, The actuating means (44) is configured to move the opening / closing member (43) to the open position, thereby causing the pushing member (12) that has arrived at the drop port (42) to drop from the support portion (11). According to this configuration, when removing the pushing member from the support part, it is only necessary to move the opening / closing member to the open position using the operating means without any manual intervention, thereby reducing the burden on the worker.

[0008] The third means is provided with an openable cover (41) that covers the upper portion of the upper running path (M1) of the endless cable body (10), and the first restricting portion (33) is provided with a void (14) as the allowing portion (14) at a position corresponding to the cover (41); The cover (41) is opened so that the pushing member (12) can be placed in the receiving portion (11a) of the support portion (11) through the cavity (14). According to this configuration, the space in the first restricting portion can be covered with an openable cover, so that it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the space during operation and causing malfunctions.

[0009] The fourth means is that the pushing member (12) has a pushing body (27) for pushing the article (15), a position maintaining means (40) for maintaining the pushing body (27) in a pushing position for pushing the article (15) on the upper running path (M1); The posture maintaining means (40) is characterized in that it is configured to maintain the pushing body (27) of the pushing member (12) moving along the turning path (M3) that transitions from the upper running path (M1) of the endless cable body (10) to the lower running path (M2) in the pushing posture. According to this configuration, when the pushing member moves along the turning path that transitions from the upper running path to the lower running path, the pushing body maintains the pushing posture, so the pushing body will not tilt and kick out the items, causing it to lose its posture.

[0010] The fifth means is characterized in that the first regulating portion (33) and the second regulating portion (34) are arranged on a machine frame (16) that supports the endless cable body (10) so that it can travel in a circular motion. According to this configuration, the positional relationship of the first restricting portion and the second restricting portion with respect to the endless cord can be made appropriate, and the pushing member arranged on the support portion can be properly restricted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, since the pushing member is not fixed to the endless rope by bolts or engaging means, the spacing of the pushing member relative to the endless rope can be changed easily and in a short time without placing a burden on the worker. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a main part of the article supply device, with a supply bed partially omitted. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic plan view of a main part of an article supply device, with the supply bed omitted; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional front view of a main part of an article supply device; [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional side view of the article supply device as seen from the upstream side in the article conveying direction. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing the relationship between a support portion and a pushing member. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing a cross section of a portion where a pushing member is dropped from a support portion on a lower running path. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic side view of a portion where a pushing member is dropped from a support portion on the lower running path, seen from the downstream side in the running direction of the endless belt on the lower running path. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the movement trajectory of the pushing member when transitioning from the upper running path to the downstream turning path. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Next, an article supplying device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Example]

[0014] 1, 2, and 3, the article supply device is arranged upstream in the article conveying direction of a bag making means that forms a strip-shaped film (strip-shaped packaging material) into a tubular shape in a horizontal bag making and filling machine (packaging machine), and conveys articles at predetermined intervals toward the tubular film (tubular packaging material) formed by the bag making means. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the article supply device includes a pair of endless belts (endless cords) 10, 10 that run in a circle in parallel and spaced apart in a width direction that intersects the article conveying direction, a plurality of support parts 11 that are arranged on the outer belt surface of the endless belt 10 in the running direction and have receiving parts 11a that open outward (on the side away from the outer belt surface of the endless belt 10) that intersect the circle direction of the endless belt 10, and a pair of support parts 11 that are arranged in a circle in the running direction of the endless belt 10 on the outer belt surface of the endless belt 10 and have receiving parts 11a that open outward (on the side away from the outer belt surface of the endless belt 10) that intersect the circle direction of the endless belt 10, and a pair of support parts 11 that are arranged in a circle in the width direction of the pair of endless belts 10 and have receiving parts 11a that open outward (on the side away from the outer belt surface of the endless belt 10) that intersect the circle direction of the endless belt 10. and a restricting means 13 disposed along the circumferential path of the endless belts 10,10 and outside the circumferential path of the endless belts 10,10, for restricting the pushing member 12 from being detached from the receiving portions 11a,11a of the support portions 11,11, and the restricting means 13 is provided with a permitting portion 14 for permitting the pushing member 12 to be detached from the receiving portions 11a,11a of the support portions 11,11. The article supply device conveys articles 15 toward the tubular film by pushing articles 15 placed on supply beds 24,24, which will be described later and which cover above the circumferential path of the endless belts 10,10, with the pushing member 12 protruding upward from a gap 24a between the supply beds 24,24. The circular path of the endless belts 10, 10 consists of an upper running path M1 along which the pushing members 12 move in the article conveying direction to push the articles 15, a lower running path M2 opposite to the upper running path M1, a downstream turning path (turning path) M3 that transitions from the upper running path M1 to the lower running path M2, and an upstream turning path M4 that returns from the lower running path M2 to the upper running path M1. Also, Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a state in which the pushing members 12 are arranged every other one in the article conveying direction on support portions 11, 11 arranged on the endless belts 10, 10.

[0015] 1, 2, and 3, the article supply device has a machine frame 16 that forms the device body. Between left and right side frame portions 16a, 16a that are spaced apart in the width direction, a pair of first driven pulleys 17, 17 are rotatably supported at an upper position downstream in the article conveying direction, and a pair of drive pulleys 18, 18 are rotatably supported at a lower position spaced apart in the width direction. Furthermore, between the left and right side frame portions 16a, 16a, a pair of second driven pulleys 19, 19 are rotatably supported at an upper position upstream in the article conveying direction, and a pair of third driven pulleys 20, 20 are rotatably supported at a lower position spaced apart in the width direction. The endless belt 10, which is a flat belt made of resin, is wound around the corresponding first to third driven pulleys 17, 19, 20 and drive pulley 18 on one and the other widthwise sides in the article conveying direction. A drive motor 21 such as a servo motor disposed on one of the side frame portions 16a is connected to a pair of drive pulleys 18, 18 by a transmission mechanism 22, and when the drive motor 21 rotates the drive pulleys 18, 18, two endless belts 10, 10 spaced apart in the width direction run in a circular motion. Note that, the machine frame 16 is provided with belt guides 23, 23 extending along the upper running path M1, and the endless belts 10, 10 run on the upper running path M1 while being guided by the upper surfaces of the belt guides 23, 23 (see FIG. 4).

[0016] 5, the support portions 11 provided on the endless belt 10 are provided with the receiving portions 11a, which are concave and open outward away from the endless belt 10, and are configured to receive a support shaft 26 (described later) of the pushing member 12 in the receiving portions 11a, 11a opening upward of the support portions 11, 11 aligned in the width direction on the upper running path M1, and support the pushing member 12 in a state where movement of the pushing member 12 in the forward and backward directions in the running direction relative to the endless belts 10, 10 is restricted. The support portion 11 is a block-shaped component made of synthetic resin whose length extends in the width direction of the endless belt 10, and the receiving portion 11a is formed over the entire length in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the support portions 11, 11 have a simple structure that does not include a configuration for restricting the support shaft 26 received and supported by the receiving portions 11a, 11a from coming off the opening, and the pushing member 12 is allowed to be freely attached to and detached from the support portions 11, 11.

[0017] 3 and 4, the machine frame 16 is provided with supply beds 24, 24 that cover the upper running path M1 of the endless belts 10, 10, and the articles 15 placed on the supply beds 24, 24 are pushed from the rear by a contact portion 31 (described later) of the pushing member 12 that protrudes upward from a gap 24a formed along the center of the conveying line of the supply beds 24, 24. In addition, the supply beds 24, 24 are provided with article guides 25, 25 that are spaced apart in the width direction and sandwich the gap 24a, and are configured to guide both the left and right sides in the width direction of the articles 15 pushed by the pushing member 12. The supply beds 24, 24 are rotatably supported with respect to the machine frame 16, and are configured so that the area above the endless belts 10, 10 can be entirely opened when performing maintenance on the endless belts 10, 10, etc.

[0018] 5, the pushing member 12 includes a support shaft 26 having a length that allows it to be installed between the receiving portions 11a, 11a of the pair of support portions 11, 11 aligned in the width direction, a pushing body 27 rotatably supported at the axial middle of the support shaft 26, and rollers 28, 28 supported on both sides of the pushing body 27 in the axial direction so as to freely rotate while their axial movement is restricted relative to the support shaft 26. In this embodiment, two rollers 28 are supported on each of the left and right sides of the pushing body 27. The pushing member 12 also includes positioning portions 29 that are positioned and fixed to the support shaft 26 on the opposite side of the pushing body 27 with each roller 28 sandwiched therebetween. The positioning portion 29 is composed of a circular large diameter portion 29a located on the roller side and a circular small diameter portion 29b protruding axially from the end face of the large diameter portion 29a facing away from the roller 28, and is configured so that when the shaft end portion protruding from the positioning portion 29 of the support shaft 26 is placed in the receiving portion 11a of the support portion 11, the small diameter portions 29b, 29b of the positioning portions 29, 29 abut against the ends of the support portions 11, 11, thereby regulating the axial (widthwise) displacement of the pushing member 12.

[0019] 5, the pushing body 27 is pivotally supported on the support shaft 26 and includes a main body 30 having a U-shaped recess 30a that opens downward (outward in the radial direction of the support shaft 26), and a contact portion 31 that protrudes from the main body 30 in the direction opposite to the opening direction of the recess 30a, protruding upward through the gap 24a between the supply beds 24, 24 and abutting against the rear side of the article 15. In addition, a weight 32 is provided on the main body 30 on the opposite side of the abutment portion 31 across the pivot portion at which the main body 30 is pivotally supported on the support shaft 26, and on the rear side in the article conveying direction when the pushing member 12 moves along the upper running path M1, such that the center of gravity of the pushing body 27 is on the opposite side of the pivot portion from the side where the contact portion 31 is provided. The weight 32 is configured to move along the guide surface 37b of the upper guide material 37 described later when the pushing member 12 moves along the upper running path M1, thereby maintaining the pushing body 27 in an upright pushing position in which the abutment portion 31 abuts against the item 15 and can push it.

[0020] 3 and 4, the regulating means 13 is disposed on the machine frame 16 below the supply beds 24, 24, extending along the outer side of the circulating path of the endless belts 10, 10 so as to surround the circulating path except for a part of the circulating path (a region corresponding to a void 14, 14 to be described later). The regulating means 13 includes a first regulating portion 33 located above the upper running path M1 of the endless belts 10, 10 and extending along the upper running path M1, a second regulating portion 34 located below the lower running path M2 of the endless belts 10, 10 opposite to the upper running path M1 and extending along the lower running path M2, and a second regulating portion 34 located outside the downstream turning path M3 of the endless belts 10, 10 so as to connect the downstream end of the first regulating portion 33 and the upstream end of the second regulating portion 34. The endless belt 10 includes a downstream-side turning regulating portion 35 extending along the forward path M3, and an upstream-side turning regulating portion 36 located outside the upstream-side turning path M4 of the endless belts 10 and extending along the upstream-side turning path M4 to connect the downstream end of the second regulating portion 34 and the upstream end of the first regulating portion 33, and these regulating portions 33, 34, 35, 36 are configured to regulate the pushing member 12 from being separated from the support portions 11 of the circulating endless belts 10. The first regulating portion 33, the second regulating portion 34, the downstream-side turning regulating portion 35, and the upstream-side turning regulating portion 36 are arranged in two rows spaced apart in the width direction to correspond to the rollers 28, 28 located on both sides of the pushing body 27 of the pushing member 12 supported by the support portions 11. The rollers 28, 28 come into contact with the first restricting portions 33, 33, thereby restricting the pushing member 12 from coming off the support portions 11, 11 upward, and the rollers 28, 28 come into contact with and roll on the second restricting portions 34, 34, thereby restricting the pushing member 12 from falling off the support portions 11, 11. The rollers 28, 28 come into contact with and roll on the downstream-side turning restricting portion 35 or the upstream-side turning restricting portion 36, thereby restricting the pushing member 12 from coming off the support portions 11, 11 outward. The first restricting portion 33, the second restricting portion 34, the downstream-side turning restricting portion 35, and the upstream-side turning restricting portion 36 are arranged so that their positions can be adjusted relative to the machine frame 16, and are configured so that their positional relationship with the pushing member 12 moving along the orbit of the endless belts 10, 10 can be adjusted.Further, a guide member 47 extending along the upstream turning path M4 is provided at a position corresponding to the weight 32 of the pushing body 27 of the pushing member 12, and when the pushing member 12 moves along the upstream turning path M4, the weight 32 abuts against and is guided by the guide member 47, so that the pushing body 27 moves while maintaining a constant posture. Note that the guide member 47 is formed to a length and shape that does not interfere with the pushing member 12 and hinder its movement when the pushing member 12 moves from the lower running path M2 to the upstream turning path M4 and from the upstream turning path M4 to the upper running path M1.

[0021] 3 and 4, an upper guide member 37 located below the upper running path M1 and extending along the upper running path M1 and a lower guide member 38 located above the lower running path M2 and extending along the lower running path M2 are disposed inside the orbit of the endless belts 10, 10 on the machine frame 16, respectively, at the center in the width direction. An upper rail 37a protruding upward is provided on the upper guide member 37 below the gap 24a between the supply beds 24, 24 and extending along the upper running path M1. The upper rail 37a fits into the recess 30a of the pusher 27 of the pushing member 12, so that the rail 37a and the left and right walls defining the recess 30a guide the pusher 27 while restricting its displacement in the width direction. The upper guide member 37 is provided with a guide surface 37b extending along the upper running path M1 corresponding to the position of the weight 32 disposed on the pusher 27. When the weight 32 abuts against the guide surface 37b and moves, the pusher 27 of the pushing member 12 maintains the pushing position in which the abutment portion 31 is perpendicular to the article placement surface of the supply beds 24. The lower guide member 38 is provided with a lower rail 38a protruding downward and extending along the lower running path M2. When the lower rail 38a fits into the recess 30a of the pusher 27 of the pushing member 12, the pusher 27 moving along the lower running path M2 is guided while restricting its widthwise displacement. When the pushing member 12 moves along the lower running path M2, the pusher 27 moves while maintaining the position in which the weight 32 abuts against the second restricting portion 34.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3, the machine frame 16 is provided with a turning guide member 39 that is disposed on the downstream turning path M3 inside the circular orbit of the endless belts 10, 10. The turning guide member 39 is connected to the downstream end side of the guide surface 37b of the upper guide member 37 and is configured so that an outer surface 39a can guide the weight 32 that is spaced apart from the guide surface 37b of the upper guide member 37. As shown in Fig. 8, the outer surface 39a of the turning guide member 39 is formed into a shape that can maintain the pushing posture of the pushing body 27 in which the weight 32 moves from the guide surface 37b of the upper guide member 37 to the outer surface 39a over a predetermined region in which the pushing member 12 moves along the downstream turning path M3. Specifically, the specified area is an area where the contact portion 31 of the pusher 27, where the weight 32 is guided by the guide surface 37b, protrudes upward from the gap 24a between the supply beds 24, 24, and the pusher 27 is maintained in a pushing position in the area until the article 15 pushed by the contact portion 31 moves downstream away from the supply beds 24, 24.

[0023] 1 and 3, a cover 41 that covers a predetermined area above the upper running path M1 of the endless belts 10 is supported on the machine frame 16 on the upstream side in the article conveying direction so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The supply beds 24 are not disposed in the area covered by the cover 41, and the endless belts 10 can be exposed upward by rotating the cover 41 from a closed position that covers the upper running path M1 to an open position. At positions of the first regulating parts 33 that correspond to the positions where the cover 41 opens the upper part, voids 14 are formed by cutting out the first regulating parts 33 by a predetermined length, and the voids 14 serve as permissive parts that allow the pushing members 12 to be attached to and detached from the support parts 11 of the endless belts 10 from above. That is, by opening the cover 41, the support portions 11, 11 are exposed through the spaces 14, 14, and the pushing member 12 can be placed through the spaces 14, 14.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 6 , the second restricting portions 34 have drop openings 42 formed by cutting out the second restricting portions 34 by a predetermined length, and the drop openings 42 can be opened and closed by opening / closing members 43. The opening / closing members 43 are rotatably supported at the upstream end of the lower running path M2 of the second restricting portions 34 that define the drop openings 42, and the downstream end of the opening / closing members 43 is configured to be movable up and down. As shown in FIG. 7 , the opening / closing members 43 supported by each second restricting portion 34 are connected to operating means 44 consisting of air cylinders disposed on the corresponding side frame portions 16 a in the width direction of the machine casing 16 via an operating mechanism 45 such as a link mechanism. The operating means 44 is configured to tilt the opening / closing members 43 between a horizontal closed position (solid line position in FIG. 3 ) where the upper surface is aligned with the upper surface of the second restricting portions 34, and an open position (double-dashed line position in FIG. 3 ) where the downstream end is tilted downward. The drop openings 42 are opened by tilting the opening / closing members 43 to the open position using the operating means 44, and the pushing member 12 that has arrived at the drop openings 42 and is supported by the support parts 11 with the receiving parts 11a facing downward is separated from the support parts 11 by its own weight and falls freely from the drop openings 42. A chute 46 is provided below the drop openings 42, and the fallen pushing member 12 is collected via the chute 46 into a collection container or the like (not shown).

[0025] 6, the upstream end of the opening / closing member 43 is provided with a first extending portion 43a that protrudes upstream at a position biased to one side in the width direction, and the upstream end of the second restricting portion 34 that defines the drop inlet 42 is provided with a first extending portion 34a that protrudes downstream at a position biased to the other side in the width direction, so that the first extending portions 34a, 43a overlap in the width direction when the opening / closing member 43 is in the closed position. The downstream end of the opening / closing member 43 is provided with a second extending portion 43b that protrudes downstream at a position biased to one side in the width direction, and the downstream end of the second restricting portion 34 that defines the drop inlet 42 is provided with a second extending portion 34b that protrudes upstream at a position biased to the other side in the width direction, so that the second extending portions 34b, 43b overlap in the width direction when the opening / closing member 43 is in the closed position. The second restricting portion 34 and the opening / closing member 43 are set to width dimensions that allow contact between the two rollers 28, 28 located between the pushing body 27 and the positioning portion 29 of the pushing member 12, and when the pushing member 12 passes through the connection portion between the opening / closing member 43 in the closed position and the second restricting portion 34, one roller 28 rests on one of the first extending portion 34a or second extending portion 34b, and the other roller 28 rests on the other first extending portion 43a or second extending portion 43b. In other words, when the opening / closing member 43 opens and closes, a predetermined gap is generated at the connection portion with the second restricting portion 34, but by configuring the two rollers 28, 28 to rest on the corresponding extending portions 34a, 34b, 43a, 43b, the pushing member 12 does not rattle when passing through the connection portion even if there is a gap.

[0026] Next, the operation of the article supply device according to the embodiment will be described. 3, opening the cover 41 partially exposes the upper portion of the upper running path M1 of the endless belts 10, 10, and exposes the positions of the support members 11, 11 of the endless belts 10, 10 upward through the gaps 14, 14 of the first regulating members 33, 33 arranged along the upper running path M1. An operator installs the support shafts 26 of the pushing members 12 from above into the receiving portions 11a, 11a of the support members 11, 11 aligned in the width direction of the endless belts 10, 10 exposed through the gaps 14, 14, whereby the pushing members 12 are installed so as to be movable integrally with the endless belts 10, 10 without shifting forward or backward in the running direction. Furthermore, the pushing members 12 already installed on the support members 11, 11 can be removed simply by lifting them from the support members 11, 11.

[0027] 4, the pushing member 12 installed on the support parts 11, 11 via the gaps 14, 14 moves stably in the article conveying direction as the endless belts 10, 10 travel, with displacement in the width direction restricted, as the upper rail 37a of the upper guide member 37 fits into the recess 30a of the pushing body 27 and the positioning parts 29, 29 abut against the opposing ends of both support parts 11, 11. Furthermore, as the weight 32 of the pushing body 27 abuts against the guide surface 37b of the upper guide member 37, the pushing body 27 maintains the pushing position, and can properly push the articles 15 placed on the supply beds 24, 24. In addition, when the contact portion 31 of the pusher 27 contacts the rear side of the article 15, the reaction force applied to the pusher 27 causes the pusher 27 to tilt backward, but this is regulated by the weight 32 and the guide surface 37b, and the pusher 27 pushes the article 15 while maintaining the pushing posture.

[0028] The first restricting portions 33 extend along the upper running path M1 above the rollers 28 located on both sides of the pushing body 27 of the pushing member 12 that moves along the upper running path M1 as the endless belts 10 run, and the rollers 28 come into contact with the first restricting portions 33, thereby restricting the pushing member 12 from moving upwardly from the supports 11 (see FIG. 4). When the pushing member 12 moves from the downstream end of the upper running path M1 to the downstream-side turning path M3, the weight 32 is guided by the outer surface 39a of the turning guide member 39, and as shown in FIG. 8, the pushing body 27 maintains the pushing posture during the predetermined region where it moves along the downstream-side turning path M3. That is, while the pushing member 12 has moved to the downstream turning path M3 and the contact portion 31 of the pushing body 27 protrudes upward from the gap 24a between the supply beds 24, 24, the contact portion 31 of the pushing body 27 does not tilt with respect to the article 15 and maintains a pushing posture perpendicular to the article placing surface of the supply beds 24, 24, so that the article 15 is not kicked out by the contact portion 31 and the posture of the article 15 is not disturbed. In addition, the rollers 28, 28 of the pushing member 12 moving along the downstream turning path M3 roll while contacting the inner surfaces of the downstream turning restriction portions 35, 35, and the pushing member 12 is restricted from separating outward from the support portions 11, 11.

[0029] 3, the pushing member 12 that has passed the position where the turning guide member 39 is disposed rotates until the weight 32 abuts against the downstream-side turning restricting portion 35 as a result of a change in the posture of the pushing body 27, and thereafter the weight 32 is maintained in a posture in which it moves along the inner surface of the downstream-side turning restricting portion 35. Then, the pushing member 12 that moves from the downstream-side turning path M3 to the lower running path M2 is in a posture in which the receiving portion 11a opens downward, and the rollers 28, 28 abut against the second restricting portions 34, 34 from above and roll, so that the pushing member 12 moves downstream in a state in which falling of the pushing member 12 from the receiving portions 11a, 11a of the supporting portions 11, 11 is restricted. In addition, as the lower rail 38a of the lower guide material 38 enters the recess 30a of the pusher body 27, the weight 32 of the pusher body 27 moves against the upper surface of the second regulating portions 34, 34, restricting the displacement of the pusher member 12 in the width direction and preventing the pusher body 27 from rotating excessively and changing its posture.

[0030] 3, the pushing member 12 moving from the lower running path M2 to the upstream turning path M4 has rollers 28, 28 of the pushing member 12 abutting against the inner surface of the upstream turning restriction portion 36 and rolling, thereby restricting the pushing member 12 from separating outward from the support portions 11, 11. Furthermore, the pushing body 27 of the pushing member 12 moving along the upstream turning path M4 rotates counterclockwise due to the weight of the abutment portion 31 located on the upper side, but excessive rotation of the pushing body 27 is restricted by the weight 32 abutting against and being guided by the guide member 47, and the pushing body 27 moves toward the upper running path M1 in a constant posture. The pushing member 12 moving from the upstream turning path M4 to the upper running path M1 is restricted in its widthwise movement by the upper rail 37a of the upper guide material 37 entering the recess 30a of the pushing body 27, and the pushing posture of the pushing body 27 is maintained by the weight 32 moving along the guide surface 37b.

[0031] When the size of the article 15 to be conveyed is changed and the interval at which the pushing members 12 are disposed relative to the endless belts 10 is changed, the opening / closing members 43 are tilted from the closed position to the open position by the operating means 44 (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3). The drop openings 42 of the second restricting parts 34 are opened downward, and the pushing members 12 that arrive at the drop openings 42 while their fall on the lower running path M2 is restricted by the second restricting parts 34 fall freely from the drop openings 42 as they are no longer restricted by the second restricting parts 34, and are collected by the chute 46. After all the pushing members 12 have been collected, the opening and closing members 43, 43 are returned to the closed position to close the drop openings 42, 42, and then the cover 41 is opened and the pushing members 12 are placed on the support parts 11, 11 that match the size of the articles 15, thereby changing the spacing between the pushing members 12 on the endless belts 10, 10.

[0032] According to the article supply device of the embodiment, the support parts 11 arranged on the endless belt 10 have a simple configuration in which recessed receiving parts 11a capable of receiving the support shafts 26 of the pushing members 12 are provided, and the pushing members 12 can be attached to the endless belts 10 by simply opening the cover 41 and positioning the support shafts 26 of the pushing members 12 so that they can be received in the receiving parts 11a through the spaces 14 of the first restricting parts 33 exposed by opening the cover 41. In addition, the support shafts 26 can be removed from the receiving parts 11a of the support parts 11, 11, and the pushing members 12 can be removed from the endless belts 10 by simply lifting the pushing members 12. That is, since the pushing members 12 are not fixed to the support portions 11,11 of the endless belts 10,10 by fixing means or engaging means such as bolts, the pushing members 12 can be easily attached and detached to and from the endless belts 10,10 without using tools, etc., which makes it easy to change the spacing between the pushing members 12 and the endless belts 10,10 and reduces the work time. Also, since the pushing members 12 are not engaged with the support portions 11,11 by engaging means or the like, no force-required work of engaging and disengaging engaging means is required when attaching or detaching the pushing members 12 to and from the support portions 11,11, thereby reducing the burden on the worker. Also, since the pushing members 12 can be attached and detached simply by placing or lifting them on the support portions 11,11 arranged on the endless belts 10,10, the work can be completed in a short time regardless of the worker's level of skill.

[0033] According to the article supply device of the embodiment, the spaces 14, 14 that allow the pushing members 12 to be attached to and detached from the support parts 11, 11 of the endless belts 10, 10 can be covered with an openable cover 41, thereby preventing foreign matter from entering the spaces 14, 14 and causing malfunctions during operation of the device. Also, since the regulating means 13 (first regulating part 33, second regulating part 34) is disposed on the machine frame 16 that supports the endless belts 10, 10, the positional relationship of the first regulating part 33 and the second regulating part 34 with respect to the endless belts 10, 10 traveling on the upper running path M1 and the lower running path M2 can be properly set, and the pushing members 12 arranged on the support parts 11, 11 can be properly regulated. That is, in a configuration in which the supply beds 24, 24 on which the articles 15 are placed are rotatably supported relative to the machine frame 16 as in the embodiment, if the first regulating portion 33 is provided on the supply beds 24, 24, it becomes difficult to set a reference in the vertical direction for the first regulating portion 33 due to the influence of rattle or the like at the support portions of the supply beds 24, 24 relative to the machine frame 16, and it becomes difficult to adjust the endless belts 10, 10 relative to the support portions 11, 11. However, by providing the first regulating portion 33 on the immovable machine frame 16, it becomes easy to set a reference in the vertical direction and also to adjust the endless belts 10, 10 relative to the support portions 11, 11. Furthermore, the pushing member 12 moving on the upper running path M1 can properly push the articles 15 at the abutment portion 31 and convey them downstream because the pushing body 27 is maintained in a pushing position by the position maintaining means 40. Furthermore, in the region where the pushing member 12 moves from the upper running path M1 to the downstream turning path M3 and the abutment portion 31 of the pushing body 27 protrudes upward from the gap 24a between the supply beds 24, 24, the turning guide member 39 and the weight 32 are configured to maintain the pushing position of the pushing body 27, so that when the articles 15 are sent out from the article supply device, the pushing body 27 does not tilt, kick out the articles 15, and lose its position. Furthermore, the pushing member 12 moving on the lower running path M2 maintains a constant position with the pushing body 27 guided by the lower rail 38a of the lower guide member 38 and the weight 32 of the pushing body 27 guided by the second regulating portion 34, so that noise does not occur due to a change in the position of the pushing body 27.

[0034] According to the article supply device of the embodiment, simply by opening the drop openings 42, 42 using the opening / closing members 43, 43 arranged in the second restricting units 34, 34, the pushing members 12 can be freely dropped by their own weight from the support parts 11, 11 of the endless belts 10, 10 traveling on the lower running path M2 and collected. In other words, when changing the arrangement interval of the pushing members 12 to match the size of the articles 15, the pushing members 12 can be removed from the support parts 11, 11 simply by moving the opening / closing members 43, 43 to the open position using the operating means 44, 44 without manual intervention, thereby reducing the burden on the worker. In addition, because the opening / closing members 43, which drop the pushing members 12, are provided in the path along which the pushing members 12 move on the lower running path M2, no separate drop area is required. Furthermore, in a configuration in which drop openings 42 are opened and closed by opening-closing members 43, 43, extensions 34a, 34b, 43a, 43b that overlap in the width direction are provided at the opposing portions of opening-closing member 43 and second restrictor 34, and when pushing member 12 passes through the connection portion between opening-closing member 43 in the closed position and second restrictor 34, one of two rollers 28, 28 of pushing member 12 rests on one of first extensions 34a or second extensions 34b, and the other rests on the other of first extensions 43a or second extensions 43b, so that pushing member 12 does not rattle when passing through the connection portion. Therefore, pushing member 12 does not move up and down when passing through the connection portion, preventing pushing member 12 from colliding with second restrictor 34 or lower guide member 38 and preventing damage to components.

[0035] According to the article supply device of the embodiment, the pushing members 12 are supported by synthetic resin support parts 11 provided on the endless belt 10, so there is no generation of metal debris, which occurs in conventional devices in which pushing members are provided on a metal endless chain, and the intervals between cleaning and maintenance can be extended. Also, unnecessary pushing members 12 can be removed from the endless belts 10, 10, so by leaving pushing members 12 that are not pushing articles 15 attached, it is possible to prevent malfunctions caused by unexpected movement of the pushing members 12 and damage to the regulating means 13, etc.

[0036] (Example of change) The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the examples, and can be modified as follows, for example: Furthermore, the configurations described in the examples are not limited to the following modifications, and various embodiments can be adopted within the scope of the gist of the present invention. (1) Although a flat belt has been used as the endless cable in the above description, a timing belt or an endless chain may also be used. (2) In the embodiment, one support portion 11 is disposed over the entire width of each endless belt 10, but the support portion 11 may be shorter than the width dimension of the endless belt 10, and a configuration in which multiple support portions 11 are disposed at intervals in the width direction may also be adopted. (3) In the embodiment, the widthwise movement of the pushing member 12 is restricted by the positioning portion 29 of the pushing member 12, the support portion 11, the main body 30 of the pushing member 12, and the upper and lower guide members 37, 38, but only one of these configurations may be adopted. (4) A drive motor can be used instead of an air cylinder as the operating means 44 that operates the opening / closing member 43. Also, for the operating mechanism 45 that connects the opening / closing member 43 and the operating means 44, various other mechanisms, such as a combination of gears and cams, can be used instead of a link mechanism. (5) In the embodiment, the opening and closing member 43 is configured to rotate vertically, but it may be configured to rotate horizontally or move horizontally to open and close the drop openings 42, 42. (6) In the embodiment, when the spacing between the pushing members 12 is changed, all of the pushing members 12 are dropped. However, if the spacing between the pushing members 12 installed on the endless belt 10 is monitored by a monitoring means, and the spacing is widened, a configuration can be adopted in which the operating means 44 is controlled to drop only the unnecessary pushing members 12. (7) In the embodiment, the first restricting portion 33 and the second restricting portion 34 are described as being configured only with portions extending parallel to the corresponding upper running path M1 and lower running path M2, but the downstream end of the first restricting portion 33 and the upstream end of the second restricting portion 34 may be connected to the downstream turning restricting portion 35 so as to be continuous therewith, and the upstream end of the first restricting portion 33 and the downstream end of the second restricting portion 34 may be connected to the upstream turning restricting portion 36 so as to be continuous therewith, so that the first restricting portion 33 includes a portion of the upper side of the downstream turning restricting portion 35 and the upstream turning restricting portion 36, and the second restricting portion 34 includes a portion of the lower side of the downstream turning restricting portion 35 and the upstream turning restricting portion 36. In other words, the first restricting portion 33 and the second restricting portion 34 may be configured to include a portion that restricts the pushing member 12 moving on the downstream and upstream turning paths M3 and M4 from separating from the support portions 11. (8) A configuration can be adopted in which a robot is provided to automatically install the pushing member 12 on the receiving portion 11a of the support portion 11. That is, a configuration can be adopted in which the dropped and recovered pushing member 12 is picked up by the robot's hand and installed on the support portion 11 via the exposed spaces 14, 14. The cover 41 can be opened and closed by the robot's hand, or automatically opened and closed by a separate device. And, a configuration in which the installation work of the pushing member 12 is performed by a robot enables unmanned operation and labor saving. (9) In the embodiment, the rollers 20 provided on the pushing member 12 are arranged to rotate freely relative to the support shaft 26, but a configuration in which the rollers 20 are arranged not to rotate relative to the support shaft 26 can also be adopted. (10) The spacing between the support portions 11 on the endless belt 10 in the running direction can be any spacing, and can be shorter than the spacing in the embodiment, or can be spaced apart almost without any gaps. (11) In the embodiment, the unnecessary pushing members 12 are removed from the endless belts 10, 10, but the pushing members 12 may remain attached to all the support portions 11, 11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10 endless belt (endless cord body), 11 support part, 11a receiving part, 12 pushing member 13 Control means, 14 Void (permissible portion), 15 Article, 16 Machine frame, 27 Pusher 33 first restricting portion, 34 second restricting portion, 40 attitude maintaining means, 41 cover 42 Drop opening, 43 Opening / closing member, 44 Operating means, M1 Upper running path, M2 Lower running path M3 downstream turning road (turning road)

Claims

1. An article supply device that conveys articles, endless cable members arranged in parallel in a width direction intersecting the article conveying direction and running in a circular motion; a support portion provided on the endless cord body in a running direction and having a receiving portion that opens outward and intersects with the circumferential direction of the endless cord body; a pushing member that can be received from the outside, intersecting the circumferential direction, by the receiving portions of the support portion aligned in the width direction of the plurality of endless cords, and is configured to be detachable in the direction intersecting the circumferential direction, and is detachably supported on the support portion so as to move in accordance with the running of the endless cords; a first restricting portion that is disposed along the circular path of the endless cable body and restricts the pushing member from coming off the receiving portion of the support portion upward in an upper running path of the endless cable body along which the pushing member moves in the article conveying direction to push the article; a second restricting portion that is disposed along the circulating path of the endless cable body and restricts the pushing member from falling from the receiving portion of the support portion in a lower running path opposite to the upper running path of the endless cable body, The first restricting portion is provided with an allowing portion that allows the pushing member to be attached to and detached from the receiving portion of the support portion. An article supply device characterized by:

2. a drop opening provided in the second restricting portion extending along the lower traveling path and allowing the pushing member to drop from the support portion; an opening / closing member that is movable to a closing position for closing the drop opening and an opening position for opening the drop opening; and an actuation means for moving the opening / closing member between a closed position and an open position, 2. The article supply device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating means moves the opening / closing member to an open position, thereby causing the pushing member that has reached the drop opening to drop from the support portion.

3. a cover that covers the upper part of the upper running path of the endless rope body and is provided so as to be able to open and close, and a void is provided as the allowing portion in the first restricting portion at a position corresponding to the cover, 2. The article supply device according to claim 1, wherein the pushing member can be placed in the receiving portion of the support portion through the space by opening the cover.

4. The pushing member includes a pushing body that pushes the article, a position maintaining means for maintaining the pushing body in a pushing position for pushing the article on the upper running path, The article supply device described in claim 1, characterized in that the posture maintaining means is configured to maintain the pushing body of the pushing member moving along a turning path that transitions from the upper running path of the endless cable body to the lower running path in the pushing posture.

5. 5. The article supply device according to claim 1, wherein the first regulating portion and the second regulating portion are arranged on a machine frame that supports the endless cable so that it can travel in a circular motion.

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