Cosmetic material filling system and cosmetic material filling method

Abstract

To provide a cosmetic filling system and a cosmetic filling method capable of safely fixing a container without damaging the container and coping with various containers having different shapes and sizes.SOLUTION: The cosmetic filling system 1 has a belt conveyor 2, a porous chuck 3, a cosmetic injector 4, and a heating device and / or a cooling device 5. The belt conveyor 2 is a device for placing the containers 100 on a conveyor belt 20 and conveying the containers 100 to a cosmetic filling position P2. The porous chuck 3 is a device for vacuum-sucking the container 100 to the conveyor belt 20, the cosmetic injection device 4 is a device for injecting the cosmetic S into the container 100, and the heating device and / or cooling device 5 is a device for heating or cooling the conveyor belt 20. Due to the air permeability of the conveyor belt 20 and the function of the heating device and / or cooling device 5, the cosmetic S can be quickly and uniformly filled into the container 100 before the cosmetic S is solidified.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cosmetic filling system and a cosmetic filling method for filling a container with a cosmetic. [Background technology]

[0002] In the process of filling cosmetic products into containers, the containers are generally positioned and fixed on the conveyor belt, and then the cosmetic product is filled into the fixed containers. A commonly used method for fixing the containers in this filling process is to use a container holder.

[0003] In this technology, a container is first placed against a guide, and the container is aligned with a container holder attached to a conveyor belt. Specifically, a recess for storing the container is formed in the container holder to match the shape and size of the container, and the container is guided to this recess by the guide. The container is then set in the recess of the container holder and held in place by a chuck mechanism or the like. This positions and fixes the container in a predetermined location by the container holder (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] In addition to the method of using a container holder as described above, other possible methods for fixing a container include, for example, fitting the container into a frame that corresponds to its outer shape and fixing it, directly clamping and fixing the container using a clamping mechanism, pressing down on the mouth of the container from above and fixing it using a pressing mechanism, and, in the case of filling the container with cosmetics while the container is being transported on a belt conveyor, temporarily blocking and fixing the container placed on the belt conveyor with a stopper. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-017854 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-006414 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-205393 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the above-mentioned conventional techniques, the container holder, chuck mechanism, or other fixing mechanism or jig directly clamps the container, which often results in mechanical contact or friction between the container and the container holder, chuck mechanism, etc., which creates a risk of damaging the container.

[0007] Furthermore, when fixing a container using a container holder, it is necessary to use a container holder with a recess for accommodating the container that corresponds to the shape and size of the container, so it is necessary to prepare and adjust guides and container holders that correspond to various containers of different shapes and sizes. Furthermore, even when fixing a container without using a container holder, it is necessary to prepare jigs that correspond to fixing various containers in the fixing mechanisms such as the clamping mechanism and pressing mechanism described above, and to make various settings.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a cosmetic filling system and a cosmetic filling method that can safely fix containers without damaging them and that can accommodate various containers of different shapes and sizes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the first invention is a cosmetic filling system comprising a belt conveyor for placing cosmetic containers on a conveyor belt and transporting them to a predetermined cosmetic filling position, and a vacuum suction device for vacuum-suctioning the containers together with the conveyor belt to an adsorption surface at the cosmetic filling position, wherein the conveyor belt is a porous flexible sheet, and the vacuum suction device is a porous chuck having a base, a porous plate arranged on the upper surface of the base with its surface, which is the adsorption surface, in contact with the back surface of the conveyor belt, and an air flow passage provided within the base, whose front opening communicates with the pores of the porous plate and whose rear opening is provided on the outer surface of the base.

[0010] With this configuration, cosmetic containers can be placed on the conveyor belt and transported to the cosmetic filling position by driving the belt conveyor. Then, using a suction pump or the like, air is sucked through the rear end opening of the air flow passage of the porous chuck, creating a negative pressure inside the air flow passage. At this time, the front end opening of the air flow passage communicates with the pores of the porous plate. The porous plate and the conveyor belt, which is a porous flexible sheet, are in surface contact. Therefore, a communication passage is formed between the air flow passage of the porous chuck, the pores of the porous plate, and the pores of the conveyor belt. The inside of this communication passage is also under negative pressure. As a result, the container is vacuum-adsorbed and fixed to the surface of the conveyor belt. In other words, according to the present invention, the conveyor belt is made of a porous flexible sheet, rather than a conventional material such as non-breathable rubber. Therefore, the container can be reliably adsorbed and fixed to the cosmetic filling position with the conveyor belt interposed between the porous chuck and the container.

[0011] Furthermore, since the container is suction-fixed by the porous chuck with only its bottom surface in contact with the surface of the conveyor belt, the external force applied to the container during suction fixation is only applied to the bottom surface of the container, and not to other parts. Therefore, the risk of damage to the container when fixing the container is extremely low. In other words, according to the present invention, the container can be safely fixed without being damaged.

[0012] In the fixed state as described above, cosmetics can be filled into the container at the cosmetic filling position.

[0013] In the second invention, the conveyor belt used in the belt conveyor has countless continuous pores with diameters of 0.1 μm to 5000 μm, and the porous plate used in the porous chuck has countless continuous pores with diameters of 0.1 μm to 1000 μm, each formed uniformly over the entire surface.

[0014] With this configuration, partial chucking, which cannot be achieved with so-called vacuum chucks that can chuck the entire chucking surface by blocking all of the holes provided on the chucking surface with the object to be chucked, i.e., chucking and fixing can be achieved by simply blocking a portion of the chucking surface with the object to be chucked (container). Therefore, according to the present invention, there is no need to prepare fixing guides or container holders to accommodate various containers of different shapes and sizes, and various containers can be handled.

[0015] A third invention is the cosmetic filling system according to the first invention, wherein the material of the conveyor belt is any one of paper, cloth, and nonwoven fabric.

[0016] The conveyor belt is made of a porous flexible sheet, and therefore has high breathability. Moreover, by forming the conveyor belt from paper, cloth, or nonwoven fabric, as in the present invention, breathability can be further improved. Therefore, by changing the thermal environment near the fixing position of the container or the cosmetic filling position, it is possible to easily transfer heat to the container through the conveyor belt, thereby achieving accurate cosmetic filling.

[0017] The fourth invention is a cosmetic filling system according to the first invention, in which a heating device capable of performing a heating process and / or a cooling device capable of performing a cooling process on the containers on the conveyor belt are arranged upstream and / or downstream of the cosmetic filling position on the belt conveyor.

[0018] With this configuration, by controlling the heating device and / or cooling device and adjusting the amount of heat transferred to the container through the conveyor belt, it is possible to prevent the cosmetics from solidifying, making it easier for the cosmetics to reach every corner of the container, and to promote the solidification of the cosmetics filled in the container, thereby enabling the filling operation to be carried out reliably and efficiently.

[0019] The fifth invention is a cosmetic filling system according to the first invention, in which a heating device capable of performing a heating process and / or a cooling device capable of performing a cooling process on the containers on the conveying belt are arranged above the front side and / or below the back side of the conveying belt.

[0020] This configuration, combined with the highly breathable nature of the conveyor belt formed from a porous flexible sheet, allows the filling operation to be carried out more reliably and efficiently.

[0021] The sixth invention is a cosmetic filling system according to the first invention, configured such that at the cosmetic filling position, a cosmetic injection device is positioned opposite the adsorption surface, with the conveyor belt interposed, at a position that coincides with the central axis of the porous plate.

[0022] The seventh invention is a cosmetic filling system according to the first invention, further comprising a container alignment mechanism for transporting the container toward the cosmetic filling position so that the position at which the cosmetic is injected from the cosmetic injection device is aligned with the desired position within the container.

[0023] The eighth invention is a cosmetic filling system according to the seventh invention, wherein the container alignment mechanism includes a guide that regulates misalignment of the container in the width direction of the conveyor belt as the container moves from the container loading position to the cosmetic filling position, and a stopper that blocks the container and releases the blocked state at a predetermined timing.

[0024] The configurations of the sixth to eighth inventions allow the container to be advanced toward the cosmetic filling position using a container alignment mechanism, and cosmetic (bulk) can be injected from a cosmetic injection device into the desired position (e.g., the center of the container) of a container that is placed on a conveying belt and vacuum-fixed on the suction surface of a porous chuck, thereby preventing filling defects.

[0025] A ninth aspect of the present invention is a cosmetic filling system according to the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising a vibration device that vibrates the porous chuck at a desired frequency.

[0026] With this configuration, when the vibration device is activated to inject cosmetic material into a container from the cosmetic injection device, the porous chuck can be vibrated, and this vibration is transmitted to the container through the porous chuck and the conveyor belt. At this time, the container is firmly suction-fixed to the conveyor belt by the porous chuck, so the vibration does not cause the container to shift position relative to the porous chuck and the conveyor belt. Therefore, the vibration from the vibration device is transmitted to the container accurately and uniformly as desired. Moreover, because only the bottom surface of the container is suction-fixed to the suction surface of the porous chuck via the conveyor belt, even if the vibration from the vibration device is transmitted, the container will not collide with other elements, such as the inner wall of a conventional container holder, and the container will not be damaged.

[0027] The tenth invention is a cosmetic filling method for filling cosmetic material into containers, the cosmetic filling method including a container placing step of placing a cosmetic material container at a container loading position on a transport belt that is a porous flexible sheet of a belt conveyor for transporting the cosmetic material container to a predetermined cosmetic filling position; a step of stopping the transport movement of the transport belt when the container has been transported to the cosmetic filling position, and a step of placing a base, a porous plate that is arranged on the upper surface of the base with its surface that is an adsorption surface in contact with the back surface of the transport belt, and a porous plate that is provided within the base and has a front opening that communicates with the pores of the porous plate and a rear opening that is provided on the outer surface of the base. The system is configured to include a container suction step of creating a negative pressure on the air flow passage side of a porous chuck having an air flow passage, and vacuum-sucking the container together with the conveyor belt to the suction surface; a cosmetic filling step of injecting the cosmetic into the container from a cosmetic injection device positioned opposite the suction surface of the porous chuck with the conveyor belt interposed therebetween, or simultaneously with the container suction step, and releasing the vacuum suction of the container by the porous chuck after the injection; and a container unloading step of transporting the container to a container unloading position on the conveyor belt of the belt conveyor and recovering it.

[0028] With this configuration, when the container suction step is performed, the container can be suction-fixed to the conveyor belt while it is still placed on the conveyor belt because the conveyor belt is made of a porous flexible sheet. Moreover, only the bottom surface of the container comes into contact with the surface of the conveyor belt, and the external force applied to the container during suction-fixing is only applied to the bottom surface of the container, and not to other parts. Therefore, the risk of damage to the container when fixing the container is extremely low. In other words, according to the present invention, since conventional guides or holders for fixing the container are not used, the container can be safely fixed without being damaged.

[0029] The 11th invention is a cosmetic filling method according to the 10th invention, which is configured to include a heating / cooling process in which a heating device capable of performing a heating process and / or a cooling device capable of performing a cooling process is used to perform a heating process and / or a cooling process on the containers on the conveyor belt upstream and / or downstream of the cosmetic filling position on the belt conveyor.

[0030] With this configuration, by controlling the heating device and / or cooling device and adjusting the amount of heat transferred to the container through the conveyor belt, it is possible to prevent the cosmetics from solidifying, making it easier for the cosmetics to reach every corner of the container, and to promote the solidification of the cosmetics filled in the container, thereby enabling the filling operation to be carried out reliably and efficiently.

[0031] The 12th invention is a cosmetic filling method according to the 10th invention, which is configured to include a heating / cooling process in which a heating device capable of performing a heating process and / or a cooling device capable of performing a cooling process is arranged above the front side and / or below the back side of the conveyor belt to perform a heating process and / or a cooling process on the containers on the conveyor belt.

[0032] This configuration, combined with the highly breathable nature of the conveyor belt formed from a porous flexible sheet, allows the filling operation to be carried out more reliably and efficiently.

[0033] The 13th invention is a cosmetic filling method according to the 10th invention, which is configured to include a vibration process in which the porous chuck is vibrated at a desired vibration frequency by a vibration device, thereby vibrating the container that is adsorbed to the porous chuck together with the conveying belt.

[0034] With this configuration, when a cosmetic filling process in which cosmetic is injected into a container and a vibration process in which the porous chuck is vibrated are performed, the container into which the cosmetic has been injected can be vibrated, and the container will not shift position due to the vibration, will not collide with other elements, such as the inner walls of a conventional container holder, and will not be damaged.

[0035] A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is a cosmetic filling method according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein the vibration step is performed at least while the cosmetic filling step is being performed or after the cosmetic filling step has been performed.

[0036] With this configuration, the vibration process is carried out simultaneously with the cosmetic filling process, so that the cosmetic is injected into the container while the container is vibrated. For example, when filling a container with a solid cosmetic that melts when heated and can maintain its shape at room temperature, even if the heated, molten cosmetic (bulk) has a high viscosity, it can be filled evenly into the container before solidifying. [Effects of the Invention]

[0037] As described in detail above, the present invention has the excellent effect of being able to safely secure containers without damaging them and being able to accommodate a variety of containers of different shapes and sizes. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0038] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a cosmetic filling system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a cosmetic filling system of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a main part of a cosmetic filling system according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a porous chuck. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the function of a porous chuck. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating partial chucking by a porous chuck. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining the unique effects of a porous chuck. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of a heating device and / or a cooling device. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an overall configuration diagram showing a cosmetic filling system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a container alignment mechanism applied to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing modified examples of the restricting means applied to the third embodiment, where FIG. 10A shows a first modified example, and FIG. 10B shows a second modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a cosmetic filling system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the function of a vibrator. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view for explaining uniform filling of the cosmetic material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] Example 1 A cosmetic filling system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing the cosmetic filling system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the cosmetic filling system of the present invention, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the main parts of the cosmetic filling system of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a porous chuck.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 1, a cosmetic filling system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a belt conveyor 2, a porous chuck 3 as a vacuum suction device, a cosmetic injection tool 4 for injecting cosmetic material, and a heating device and / or a cooling device 5.

[0041] The belt conveyor 2 is a device for placing cosmetic containers 100 on a transport belt 20 and transporting them from a container loading position P1, via a cosmetic filling position P2, to a container unloading position P3. Specifically, the endless transport belt 20 is wound around a roller 21, and moves in the direction of the arrow as the roller 21 is driven to rotate.

[0042] The conveyor belt 20 is a porous flexible sheet. The material is arbitrary, but considering breathability and partial adsorption, it is preferable to use a material with countless fine pores with diameters of approximately 0.1 μm to 5000 μm uniformly formed over the entire surface, in particular paper, cloth, or nonwoven fabric. In this embodiment, the basis weight is 18 g / m. 3 The conveyor belt 20 used was made of paper with a thickness of about 0.1 mm and a pore size (opening) of about 2 μm to 0.5 mm in diameter.

[0043] The porous chuck 3 is a device for vacuum-adhering a cosmetic container 100 to the surface 20a (see Figure 5) of the conveyor belt 20, and is composed of a base 31, a porous plate 32, and a suction pump 35, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 4, the base 31 has an upwardly opening plate storage chamber 31a at its upper part, and an air flow passage 33 at its lower part.

[0045] The porous plate 32 is airtightly housed in the plate storage chamber 31a on the upper side of the base 31, and its surface serves as the adsorption surface 3a (see FIG. 3). The surface of the porous plate 32 is in contact with the back surface of the conveyor belt 20. The porous plate 32 has countless, continuous micron-sized pores formed uniformly over its entire surface. The material and pore diameter of the porous plate 32 can be selected from those used in known porous chucks. However, to enable partial adsorption, a material with countless, uniformly formed micron-sized pores with diameters of approximately 0.1 μm to 1000 μm is preferred. In this embodiment, porous ceramics with pores of 2 μm in diameter are used for the porous plate 32. However, other materials, such as alumina or stainless steel, sintered in a breathable state, may also be used.

[0046] The air flow passage 33 is disposed below the plate storage chamber 31a, with its leading end opening 33a communicating with the plate storage chamber 31a and its rear end opening 33b communicating with the outside at the side surface of the base 31.

[0047] The suction pump 35 is a device for sucking air from inside the base 31. Specifically, the tip of the suction pipe 34, indicated by the two-dot chain line, is airtightly connected to the rear end opening 33b of the air flow passage 33. That is, in this porous chuck 3, when the suction pump 35 is operated, an air suction passage is formed by the pores of the porous plate 32, the lower part of the plate storage chamber 31a, the air flow passage 33, and the suction pipe 34 of the suction pump 35, and the air sucked into this suction passage is discharged from the exhaust port 35a of the suction pump 35.

[0048] Here, the function of the porous chuck 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the function of the porous chuck, Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining partial suction by the porous chuck, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view for explaining the unique effect of the porous chuck.

[0049] 5, when the suction pump 35 of the porous chuck 3 is operated with the container 100 placed on the surface 20a of the conveyor belt 20, air A around the container 100 is sucked into the air flow passage 33 of the base 31 through the pores of the conveyor belt 20 and the pores of the porous plate 32. Then, the air A is discharged to the outside through the suction pipe 34 and the exhaust port 35a of the suction pump 35.

[0050] At this time, since the pore diameter of the conveyor belt 20 is approximately 2 μm to 0.5 mm and the pore diameter of the porous plate 32 is a very small diameter of approximately 2 μm, as shown in FIG. 6 , air from pores located outside the region D directly below the container 100 does not flow into pores located within the region D, or does not easily flow into pores located within the region D. As a result, the pores located within the region D directly below the container 100 are in a vacuum state, and the container 100 is vacuum-attached to the surface 20a of the conveyor belt 20. In other words, the porous chuck 3 has the function of partially adsorbing onto the conveyor belt 20 a container 100 placed only on a partial region of the adsorption surface 3a of the porous plate 32, in other words, a container 100 having a smaller bottom surface than the porous plate 32.

[0051] Therefore, by using this porous chuck 3, various types of containers 100 with different shapes and sizes can be adsorbed and fixed. As a result, there is no need to prepare individual fixing guides or container holders corresponding to the shapes and sizes of the containers 100.

[0052] It is possible to suction-fix a single container 100, and also possible to suction-fix a plurality of containers 100 of the same or different types simultaneously on the conveyor belt 20, as shown in Fig. 7 as an example. Therefore, by simultaneously carrying out the cosmetic filling process described below on a plurality of containers 100 of the same or different types fixed by the porous chuck 3, it is possible to improve productivity.

[0053] 6, the container 100 is fixed by suction with only the bottom surface 101 of the container 100 in contact with the flat surface 20a of the conveyor belt 20. This eliminates the need to fix the side of the container 100 using a fixing guide or holder as in the past, thereby avoiding the risk of damage to the container 100 due to contact with the fixing guide or holder.

[0054] The cosmetic injection device 4 is a device for injecting the cosmetic S into the container 100, and is composed of a hopper (not shown) that dispenses a fixed amount of the cosmetic S that has been subjected to processes such as degassing, and a nozzle that is an outlet for the cosmetic S.

[0055] 1 and other figures, the cosmetic injection device 4 (particularly the nozzle) is disposed above the conveyor belt 20 at the cosmetic filling position P2, and, as an example, is disposed in a position aligned with the central axis M of the porous chuck 3 (particularly the porous plate 32) and facing the surface 20a of the conveyor belt 20. The cosmetic injection device 4 is also disposed facing the suction surface 3a of the porous chuck 3, with the conveyor belt 20 interposed therebetween.

[0056] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 and other figures, the cosmetic injection tool 4 and the container 100 are positioned such that the centers of the cosmetic injection tool 4 and the container 100 are aligned on the central axis M of the porous chuck 3. However, the arrangement of the container 100 is not limited to this. That is, the container 100 does not necessarily have to be positioned such that the nozzle of the cosmetic injection tool 4 faces the center of the container 100. For example, if the shape of the container 100 is circular, oval, square, or rectangular in plan view, filling accuracy is improved by positioning the cosmetic injection tool 4 relative to the center of the container 100 and filling the cosmetic S therein, as in this embodiment. However, when filling an irregularly shaped container 100, the cosmetic S may be more accurately filled into the container 100 if the nozzle of the cosmetic injection tool 4 is positioned at a position offset from the center of the container 100. Therefore, the positional relationship between the nozzle of the cosmetic injection tool 4 and the container 100 is arbitrary and can be set so as to allow the cosmetic S to be injected into the desired position in the container 100.

[0057] Next, the heating device and / or cooling device 5 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the heating device and / or cooling device.

[0058] The heating device and / or cooling device 5 is a device for heating and / or cooling the containers 100 placed on the conveyor belt 20 and the cosmetics S inside the containers 100, and is arranged near the cosmetic filling position P2, more specifically, upstream and / or downstream of the cosmetic filling position P2 on the belt conveyor 2.

[0059] Specific examples of such a heating device and / or cooling device 5 include an electric wire heater, a hot air generator, a plate with a built-in heater, etc. as a heating device, and a cold air generator, a blower, a plate with a circulating refrigerant, etc. as a cooling device.

[0060] The heating device and / or cooling device 5 may include at least either a heating device or a cooling device, and although one heating device and / or cooling device 5 is illustrated in Figure 1 etc., there is no particular limitation as to whether the heating device and the cooling device are configured as an integrated unit or separately.

[0061] 8, the heating device and / or cooling device 5 applied to this embodiment is disposed above the surface 20a side of the conveyor belt 20. The heating device and / or cooling device 5 has a cover 50 and has the function of performing a heating process and / or a cooling process while the container 100 is covered with the cover 50.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heating device and / or cooling device 5 is described as being disposed behind the cosmetic filling position P2 (on the left side of the figure, downstream side), but this is not limited to this. The heating device and / or cooling device 5 is disposed to appropriately manage the temperature (heating or cooling) of the cosmetic S before, during, and after filling, and therefore, depending on the properties of the cosmetic S and the shape of the container 100, it is possible to arbitrarily determine whether the heating device and / or cooling device 5 is disposed at the cosmetic filling position P2, or whether it is disposed in front of (upstream side) or behind (downstream side) the cosmetic filling position P2. That is, the heating device and / or cooling device 5 may be arranged on the belt conveyor 2 in any of the following ways, in addition to at the position of the cosmetic filling position P2: (1) a configuration in which both a heating device and a cooling device are arranged both upstream and downstream of the cosmetic filling position P2, or a configuration in which only one of a heating device or a cooling device is arranged, or (2) a configuration in which both a heating device and a cooling device are arranged only either upstream or downstream of the cosmetic filling position P2, or a configuration in which only one of a heating device or a cooling device is arranged. Note that, after adopting a configuration in which both a heating device and a cooling device are arranged both upstream and downstream of the cosmetic filling position P2, it may be possible to appropriately determine which heating device and cooling device to use depending on the properties of the cosmetic S, the shape of the container 100, etc.

[0063] Here, the heat transfer function of the heating device and / or cooling device 5 and the conveyor belt 20 will be described.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 8 , for example, when hot air H is sent from the heating device and / or cooling device 5 above toward the containers 100, most of the hot air H hits the containers 100 and the conveyor belt 20. At this time, because the conveyor belt 20 is made of a porous flexible sheet and is highly breathable, the hot air H that hits the conveyor belt 20 quickly propagates along the conveyor belt 20 and heats the containers 100. Furthermore, the hot air H that reaches the underside of the conveyor belt 20 rises, passes through the conveyor belt 20, and heats the containers 100. As a result, a heating device and / or cooling device 5 arranged downstream of the cosmetic filling position P2 has the effect of reheating the cosmetic S in the containers 100 and smoothing its surface, while a heating device and / or cooling device 5 arranged upstream of the cosmetic filling position P2 can preheat the inside of the containers 100, preventing the cosmetic S from solidifying and allowing the cosmetic S to reach every corner of the container 100. Furthermore, when cold air H is sent toward the container 100 by a heating device and / or cooling device 5 arranged downstream of the cosmetic filling position P2, the same effect as described above is achieved, due to the highly breathable conveyor belt 20, of being able to quickly cool the container 100 and the cosmetic S inside the container 100.

[0065] In this embodiment, the heating device and / or cooling device 5 is disposed above the front surface 20a of the conveyor belt 20. However, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 8, the heating device and / or cooling device 5 may be disposed below the rear surface of the conveyor belt 20. By disposing the heating device and / or cooling device 5 below the conveyor belt 20 and blowing hot or cold air from below the conveyor belt 20, the containers 100 can be heated and / or cooled from the bottom side. In other words, the heating device and / or cooling device 5 may be disposed above or below the conveyor belt 20, or may be disposed on both sides. The cover 50 is optional, and is preferably attached to the heating device and / or cooling device 5 only when necessary in a work situation.

[0066] Next, the operation of the cosmetic filling system of this embodiment will be described. The operation of the cosmetic filling system 1 of this embodiment is also a method for specifically realizing the cosmetic filling method of the present invention.

[0067] As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1, when an empty container 100 is placed at the container loading position P1 on the conveyor belt 20 and the belt conveyor 2 is driven (the container placement process is executed), the container 100 is transported toward the cosmetic filling position P2.

[0068] 1, when the container 100 reaches the cosmetic filling position P2, the belt conveyor 2 is stopped and the container 100 is positioned at the cosmetic filling position P2. Then, the porous chuck 3 is driven, and the container 100 is vacuum-sucked together with the conveyor belt 20 onto the cosmetic filling position P2 of the conveyor belt 20 by the porous chuck 3 (execution of the container suction step).

[0069] In this state, the cosmetic injection tool 4 descends toward the container 100 and injects the cosmetic S into the container 100. Then, when a predetermined amount of cosmetic S has been injected into the container 100, the cosmetic injection tool 4 ascends and the vacuum suction by the porous chuck 3 is released. Then, the belt conveyor 2 is driven again, and the container 100 is transported toward the container discharge position P3 (execution of the cosmetic filling process).

[0070] In this embodiment, the belt conveyor 2 and the cosmetic injection device 4 are linked together. That is, when a container 100 is recognized by a sensor (not shown) installed near the cosmetic filling position P2, a control signal is sent from the belt conveyor 2 to the cosmetic injection device 4, which controls the cosmetic injection device 4 to inject the cosmetic S into the container 100.

[0071] When the container 100 filled with the cosmetic S approaches the heating device and / or cooling device 5, the container 100 is heated and / or cooled by the heating device and / or cooling device 5 while covered by the cover 50 of the heating device and / or cooling device 5 (execution of the heating / cooling process). This heating treatment heats (reheats) the cosmetic material S, smoothing the surface of the cosmetic material S. The cooling treatment promotes solidification of the cosmetic material S.

[0072] Thereafter, when the container 100 reaches the container carrying-out position P3, it is collected from the belt conveyor 2 by a collection mechanism (not shown) (container carrying-out step).

[0073] Example 2 Next, a cosmetic filling system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is an overall configuration diagram showing the cosmetic filling system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] As described above and as shown in Fig. 7, the porous chuck 3 can simultaneously suction and fix one or more containers 100 of the same type or of different shapes and sizes onto the conveyor belt 20. Therefore, this embodiment illustrates a cosmetic filling system that utilizes this characteristic to fill multiple containers 100 with cosmetic S at once.

[0075] 9, at container loading position P1, three identical containers 100 are placed side by side on conveyor belt 20. At cosmetic filling position P2, a filling device 40 equipped with three cosmetic injection devices 4 corresponding to the three containers 100 is lowered to simultaneously fill the three containers 100 with cosmetic S. At container unloading position P3, the three containers 100 filled with cosmetic S are removed upward, completing the filling operation for the three containers 100.

[0076] According to the cosmetic filling system of this embodiment, it is possible to improve productivity. The other configurations, actions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the description thereof will be omitted.

[0077] Example 3 Next, a cosmetic filling system according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a container alignment mechanism applied to the third embodiment.

[0078] The cosmetic filling system of this embodiment differs from the cosmetic filling systems of the first and second embodiments in that it has a container alignment mechanism.

[0079] The container positioning mechanism 6 is a mechanism for transporting the container 100 toward the cosmetic filling position P2 so that the position into which the cosmetic S is injected from the cosmetic injection tool 4 matches the desired position within the container 100.

[0080] The container positioning mechanism 6 is provided ahead (upstream) of the cosmetic filling position P2, and is provided on the belt conveyor 2 so as not to follow the moving conveyor belt 20. The container positioning mechanism 6 has a plurality of guides 61 and a stopper 62.

[0081] The guide 61 is a member that regulates the widthwise deviation of the conveyor belt 20 relative to the container moving from the container loading position P1 to the cosmetic filling position P2, and specifically, as shown in Figure 10, is a rail-like member that regulates both sides of the container 100.

[0082] The stopper 62 is a device for blocking the containers 100 transported from the container loading position P1 and releasing the blocked state at a predetermined timing. The specific configuration and operation of the stopper 62 are not limited as long as it can block the containers 100. In this embodiment, as an example, a configuration is adopted in which the stopper 62 operates like a door by opening and closing one side from the other side (see FIGS. 10 and 11). Other configurations may be adopted as appropriate, such as a configuration for raising and lowering the stopper 62 so that the stopper 62 can be moved closer to or farther away from the conveyor belt 20, or a configuration for inserting and removing the stopper 62 so that the stopper 62 can be inserted or removed from the side of the conveyor belt 20.

[0083] In the belt conveyor 2, the conveyor belt 20 is mechanically set to operate intermittently (repeatedly operating and stopping) at a fixed distance, and the moving distance, speed, and time of the conveyor belt 20 can be adjusted.

[0084] This configuration controls the timing of opening and closing the stopper 62 and the timing of driving the conveyor belt 20 by the belt conveyor 2, ensuring that the container 100 placed at the container loading position P1 in the container loading area A is reliably supplied to the cosmetic filling position P2 in the cosmetic filling area B.

[0085] By using the container positioning mechanism 6 to advance the container 100 toward the cosmetic filling position P2, it becomes possible to inject the cosmetic S (bulk) from the cosmetic injection device 4 into the desired position (e.g., the center of the container 100) of the container 100, which is on the conveyor belt 20 and placed and vacuum-fixed on the suction surface 3a of the porous chuck 3, thereby preventing improper filling.

[0086] Next, modified examples of the restricting means applied to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing modified examples of the restricting means applied to this embodiment, where (a) is a diagram showing a first modified example, and (b) is a diagram showing a second modified example.

[0087] In this embodiment, a plurality of guides 61 are positioned on both sides of the container 100 to restrict the container 100 from shifting in the width direction of the conveyor belt 20, but various other restricting means can be used. For example, as shown in Fig. 11(a), there is a restricting means for aligning the guide 61 to one side of the container 100, and as shown in Fig. 11(b), there is a restricting means for aligning only at the container loading position P1 using an L-shaped guide 63.

[0088] The other configurations, actions, and effects are the same as those of the first and second embodiments, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

[0089] Example 4 Next, a cosmetic filling system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the cosmetic filling system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The cosmetic filling system of this embodiment differs from the cosmetic filling systems of the first to third embodiments in that it has a vibrator 7 as a vibration device.

[0090] The vibrator 7 is a device for vibrating the container 100 vacuum-sucked onto the conveyor belt 20 by the porous chuck 3. The vibrator 7 used in this embodiment is an air or electric vibrator, and as an example, a vibrator having a piston 71 and a cylinder 72 will be described.

[0091] Specifically, the vibrator 7 is disposed directly below the porous chuck 3 and on the central axis M of the porous chuck 3 (particularly the porous plate 32) in an upward direction, and the piston 71 is fixed to the bottom surface (rear surface) of the porous chuck 3 by a connecting member 73. As a result, the reciprocating motion of the piston 71 applies stable vibrations of a desired frequency to the porous chuck 3.

[0092] In this embodiment, the vibrator 7 is configured to face upward and vibrate the porous chuck 3 in a direction perpendicular to the adsorption surface 3a. However, the configuration, location, and vibration direction of the vibrator are arbitrary. For example, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 12, the vibrator 7 can be configured to face horizontally and vibrate the porous chuck 3 in the planar direction of the adsorption surface 3a.

[0093] In addition, the vibrator 7 may directly contact the porous chuck 3 to apply vibration to the porous chuck 3, or may indirectly contact the porous chuck 3 through a separate member to apply vibration to the porous chuck 3.

[0094] Here, the function of the vibrator 7 will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining the function of the vibrator, and Figure 14 is a partially enlarged view for explaining the uniform filling of the cosmetic material.

[0095] Conventionally, a method of applying vibration to the container 100 has been adopted to distribute the cosmetic material (bulk) injected into the container 100 throughout the container 100, especially when filling a cosmetic material (bulk) with a high viscosity that creates sharp corners. This method typically involves preparing a holder with a storage compartment slightly larger than the outer shape of the container 100, and then applying vibration to the holder itself while the container 100 is stored in the storage compartment. However, with this method, when filling cosmetic material (bulk) into containers 100 of different shapes and sizes, it is necessary to prepare a holder that matches the shape and size of the container 100 each time. Furthermore, during the vibration, the outer wall of the container 100 may collide with the inner wall of the holder, which may prevent the intended vibration from being transmitted to the container 100, or it may be necessary to adjust the method of application of vibration so that the intended vibration is transmitted to the container 100 effectively. Furthermore, there is a risk that the container 100 may be damaged if the outer wall of the container 100 collide with the inner wall of the holder during the vibration. On the other hand, if vibration is applied to the mounting portion of the container 100 without fixing it using a guide or holder, the vibration will change the mounting position of the container 100, causing it to deviate from the position where the cosmetic injection device is positioned, making it impossible to inject the cosmetic into the intended position of the container 100 (for example, the center of the container 100), which can easily result in poor filling.

[0096] 13, the container 100 is fixed by suction on only the bottom surface of the container 100 via the conveyor belt 20 by the porous chuck 3 without using any guides or holders for fixing. When the vibrator 7 is operated in a state where the container 100 is suctioned to the porous chuck 3 via the conveyor belt 20, the porous chuck 3 vibrates, and the container 100 also vibrates integrally with the porous chuck 3, so that the container 100 does not become displaced relative to the porous chuck 3.

[0097] Therefore, if the container 100 is fixed by suction at a desired position (for example, the center) on the suction surface 3a of the porous chuck 3, the container 100 will not shift from its fixed position on the porous chuck 3 even if it is subjected to vibration by the vibrator 7 as described above. The cosmetic injection tool 4 (particularly the nozzle) for the cosmetic S (bulk) is disposed facing the suction surface 3a at a position aligned with the central axis M, so that the cosmetic S (bulk) can always be injected from the cosmetic injection tool 4 into the intended position on the container 100 (in this case, the center of the container 100), preventing filling defects.

[0098] Furthermore, since only the bottom surface of the container 100 is adsorbed and fixed to the porous chuck 3 (particularly the adsorption surface 3a) via the conveyor belt 20, even if vibration is applied to the container 100, it will not collide with the holder as in the conventional case, and the risk of damage to the container 100 can be avoided.

[0099] Furthermore, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 14 , when the cosmetic S is injected from the cosmetic injection tool 4 into the container 100, particularly if the viscosity of the cosmetic S is high, immediately after injection, the surface of the cosmetic S may become heaped (or angular) in the container 100 as shown by the dashed-dotted line, or the cosmetic S may not reach every corner of the container 100. After a certain amount of time has passed, the surface of the cosmetic S may naturally become uniform as shown by the dashed-dotted line, or the cosmetic S may reach every corner of the container 100. Here, by vibrating the container 100 using the vibrator 7, fast and reliable filling can be achieved, i.e., the surface of the cosmetic S in the container 100 can be made uniform and the cosmetic S can be spread to every corner of the container 100. The vibration by the vibrator 7 may be performed at least one of before the injection of the cosmetic S begins, during the injection of the cosmetic S, and after the injection of the cosmetic S is completed. In particular, by vibrating the container 100 at least at the start of pouring the cosmetic material S, it is possible to more quickly and reliably fill the cosmetic material S. Therefore, particularly when filling a highly viscous cosmetic material S that has a short solidification time, solidification will begin immediately after pouring, but by simultaneously pouring and vibrating as described above, the cosmetic material S can be filled into the container 100 quickly, uniformly, and reliably before it solidifies.

[0100] When carrying out the cosmetic filling method using the cosmetic filling system of this embodiment, it is determined whether or not a vibration process in which the vibrator 7 vibrates the container 100 adsorbed onto the conveyor belt 20 is to be carried out simultaneously with the cosmetic filling process. This judgment should be made mainly based on the properties of the cosmetic (bulk), but as an example, in the cosmetic filling method to which the cosmetic filling system of this embodiment is applied, the cosmetic filling process and the vibration process are described as being carried out simultaneously.

[0101] Note that executing the cosmetic filling process and the vibration process simultaneously includes cases where the cosmetic filling process and the vibration process are started at the same time, but it also includes cases where the vibration process is started before the cosmetic filling process is started, as long as the vibration process is executed while the cosmetic filling process is being executed.

[0102] In the cosmetic filling step, as shown in FIG. 13, the cosmetic S is poured into the container 100 from a cosmetic pouring tool 4 disposed directly above the container 100 and on the central axis M.

[0103] Various cosmetics can be used in accordance with the present invention, examples of which include lipstick, lip gloss, lip balm, concealer, foundation, eye color, and blush, as well as various solid cosmetics that are melted by heating and can maintain their shape at room temperature. When such solid cosmetics are used, in the cosmetic filling step, the cosmetic S, which is a bulk of solid cosmetic in a fluid state that has been heated to a predetermined temperature and melted, is placed in a hopper (not shown) after being subjected to a process such as degassing. This cosmetic S is then poured into the container 100 through the cosmetic pouring device 4 (particularly the nozzle) in fixed amounts, for example, in amounts corresponding to the capacity of the container 100. In order to maintain the fluid state of the cosmetic S, the hopper and the cosmetic pouring device 4 have heating means capable of heating the cosmetic S to a predetermined temperature.

[0104] In the vibration process, the vibrator 7 is operated to reciprocate the piston 71 fixed to the porous chuck 3, and stable vibrations of a desired frequency are transmitted to the container 100 through the porous chuck 3.

[0105] In particular, when filling a highly viscous cosmetic material S that has a short solidification time, solidification will begin immediately after filling. However, by simultaneously carrying out the cosmetic material filling process and the vibration process as described above, the cosmetic material S can be filled into the container 100 quickly, uniformly, and reliably before the cosmetic material S solidifies.

[0106] In addition, when the cosmetic S does not require or is not suitable for simultaneous execution of the cosmetic filling step and the vibration step, the vibration step may be executed after the cosmetic filling step, which also enables the cosmetic S to be filled into the container 100 quickly and reliably.

[0107] The vibration process is continued until the cosmetic material S is uniformly filled in the container 100. Specifically, the vibration process may be continued until a predetermined time has elapsed that is sufficient for the cosmetic material S to be uniformly filled in the container 100, the time being determined in advance depending on the properties of the cosmetic material S, such as viscosity, and the size and shape of the container 100.

[0108] When the cosmetic material S has been uniformly filled in the container 100, the vibration step is stopped and the cosmetic material filling method is completed.

[0109] Cosmetics according to the present invention are not limited to the solid cosmetics described above, but also include gel-, jelly-, and cream-like cosmetics. While such gel-like cosmetics often require heating to be avoided or only heated at low temperatures to prevent sensory changes and evaporation of cosmetic ingredients, the present invention can achieve the following effects without heating the cosmetics when filling them. For example, even when filling a rectangular container or a container with a shoulder where the container neck is smaller in diameter than the container body, the cosmetics can be distributed evenly to the corners and shoulders inside the container, preventing voids from forming. Furthermore, the vibration process can raise air bubbles generated by the injection of the cosmetics to the liquid surface and pop them, preventing air bubbles from being mixed in. Furthermore, even if the cosmetics dispensed from the nozzle of the injection device 4 become angular due to being pulled by the nozzle at the end of dispensing, the vibration process can smooth and even the surface of the cosmetics.

[0110] The other configurations, actions and effects are the same as those of the first to third embodiments, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

[0111] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

[0112] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was given of partially adsorbing a container 100 that is smaller than the diameter of the porous plate 32 of the porous chuck 3 and filling the cosmetic material S into this container 100, but it is of course also possible to adsorb (completely adsorb) a container 100 that has a bottom surface equal to or larger than the porous plate 32 and fill the cosmetic material S into this larger container 100.

[0113] In the second embodiment described above, an example is shown in which multiple containers 100 of the same shape and size are filled at once, but it goes without saying that multiple containers 100 of different shapes and sizes can also be filled at once. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 1...Cosmetic filling system 2...Conveyor belt 3...Porous chuck 3a…Adsorption surface 4...Cosmetic injection tool 5...Heating device and / or cooling device 6...Container alignment mechanism 7...Vibrator 20...Conveyor belt 20a…Surface 21...Roller 31...Foundation 31a...Plate storage room 32...Porous plate 33...Air flow passage 33a…Tip opening 33b…Rear end opening 34...Suction hose 35...Suction pump 35a...Exhaust port 40...Filling equipment 50...Cover 61,63...Guide 62...Stopper 71...Piston 72...Cylinder 73...Connecting member 100...container 101...Bottom A...Air D…Area H...Hot air (or cold air) P1: Container loading position P2: Cosmetic filling position P3…Container unloading position S: Cosmetics

Claims

1. a belt conveyor for placing the cosmetic containers on a conveyor belt and transporting them to a predetermined cosmetic filling position; a vacuum suction device for vacuum-sucking the container together with the conveyor belt onto a suction surface at the cosmetic filling position; A cosmetic filling system comprising: the conveyor belt is a porous flexible sheet, The vacuum suction device is The base and a porous plate disposed on the upper surface side of the base with the surface serving as the adsorption surface in contact with the rear surface of the conveyor belt; an air flow passage provided in the base, the air flow passage having a leading end opening communicating with the pores of the porous plate and a trailing end opening provided on the outer surface of the base; It is a porous chuck having A cosmetic filling system characterized by:

2. The cosmetic filling system according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying belt used in the belt conveyor has continuous pores with a diameter of 0.1 μm to 5000 μm, and the porous plate used in the porous chuck has continuous pores with a diameter of 0.1 μm to 1000 μm, each formed uniformly and innumerably over its entire surface.

3. 2. The cosmetic filling system according to claim 1, wherein the material of the conveyor belt is any one of paper, cloth, and nonwoven fabric.

4. The cosmetic filling system according to claim 1, characterized in that a heating device capable of performing a heating process and / or a cooling device capable of performing a cooling process on the containers on the conveyor belt are arranged upstream and / or downstream of the cosmetic filling position on the belt conveyor.

5. The cosmetic filling system described in claim 1, characterized in that a heating device capable of performing a heating process and / or a cooling device capable of performing a cooling process on the containers on the conveying belt are arranged above the front side and / or below the back side of the conveying belt.

6. The cosmetic filling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, at the cosmetic filling position, a cosmetic injection device is disposed opposite the adsorption surface with the conveyor belt interposed therebetween, at a position aligned with the central axis of the porous plate.

7. The cosmetic filling system according to claim 1, further comprising a container alignment mechanism for transporting the container toward the cosmetic filling position so that the position at which the cosmetic is injected from the cosmetic injection device matches a desired position within the container.

8. The cosmetic filling system described in claim 7, characterized in that the container alignment mechanism includes a guide that regulates misalignment of the container in the width direction of the conveyor belt as it moves from the container loading position to the cosmetic filling position, and a stopper that blocks the container and releases the blocked state at a predetermined timing.

9. 2. The cosmetic filling system according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration device for vibrating the porous chuck at a desired frequency.

10. a container placement step of placing a cosmetic container at a container loading position on a conveyor belt, which is a porous flexible sheet, of a belt conveyor for transporting the cosmetic container to a predetermined cosmetic filling position; a container suction step of stopping the conveying movement of the conveyor belt when the container has been conveyed to the cosmetic filling position, and applying negative pressure to the air flow passage side of a porous chuck having a base, a porous plate arranged on the upper surface of the base with its surface serving as an adsorption surface in contact with the back surface of the conveyor belt, and an air flow passage provided within the base, the front opening of which communicates with the pores of the porous plate and the rear end opening of which is provided on the outer surface of the base, thereby vacuum-adsorbing the container together with the conveyor belt to the adsorption surface; a cosmetic filling step of injecting the cosmetic into the container from a cosmetic injection device disposed opposite the suction surface of the porous chuck via the conveyor belt, simultaneously with or after the container suction step, and releasing the vacuum suction of the container by the porous chuck after the injection; a container carrying-out step of transporting the container to a container carrying-out position on the conveyor belt of the belt conveyor and collecting the container; A cosmetic filling method comprising:

11. The cosmetic filling method according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes a heating / cooling process in which the containers on the conveyor belt are subjected to a heating treatment and / or a cooling treatment using a heating device capable of performing a heating treatment and / or a cooling device capable of performing a cooling treatment, upstream and / or downstream of the cosmetic filling position on the belt conveyor.

12. The cosmetic filling method described in claim 10, characterized in that it includes a heating / cooling process in which a heating device capable of heating and / or a cooling device capable of cooling are used to perform heating and / or cooling treatments on the containers on the conveying belt, the heating device being arranged above the front side and / or below the back side of the conveying belt.

13. The cosmetic filling method according to claim 10, characterized in that a vibration process is provided in which the porous chuck is vibrated at a desired vibration frequency by a vibration device, thereby vibrating the container adsorbed to the porous chuck together with the conveying belt.

14. The cosmetic filling method according to claim 13, wherein the vibration step is performed at least during the cosmetic filling step or after the cosmetic filling step is performed.

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