Lid supply system, robot system, and lid supply method

Abstract

To provide a lid supply system for supplying a lid to a lid closing device for performing lid closing work of a food container, which does not impair productivity of the lid closing device.SOLUTION: A lid supply system for supplying a plurality of lids 9 to an automatic machine that performs a lid closing operation, the lid supply system including a lid conveyor 40 that conveys the lids 9 to a placement surface PS on which the automatic machine holds the lids 9, and a plurality of lid supply devices 10 that supply the lids 9 to the lid conveyor 40 after inverting the lids 9, the plurality of lid supply devices 10 including a first lid supply device 11 and a second lid supply device 12, the timing at which the lid 9 supplied to the lid conveyor 40 by the first lid supply device 11 reaches the placement surface PS is different from the timing at which the lid 9 supplied to the lid conveyor 40 by the second lid supply device 12 reaches the placement surface PS.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lid supply system, a robot system, and a lid supply method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the introduction of robots has been considered in various production sites, and one example is a lid-closing device that closes the lid on box-shaped containers such as boxed lunches. For containers used in boxed lunches, a lid is generally placed over and fitted onto the opening of the container body.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a lid closing device that closes the opening of a container body by fitting a lid into the container body. This lid closing device includes a belt conveyor that transports multiple container bodies in sequence, a lid storage unit that stores multiple lids, a lid transport unit, and a frame that defines the position at which the lid is attached to the container body and performs lid closing. After the lid is transported from the lid storage unit to the frame by the lid transport unit, the frame presses the lid against the container body to close the lid. Generally, the container body is supplied to a lid closing position with the opening facing upward. Then, the lid is placed over the container body and fitted to the container body to close the lid. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-100424 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a lid supply system that supplies lids to a capping device that caps food containers, the orientation of the lids may be changed during transport. In this case, depending on the time required to change the orientation, the supply of lids to the capping device may be delayed, causing the capping device to wait. For this reason, a lid supply system that does not impair the productivity of the capping device is required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A lid supply system according to an application example of the present invention is a lid supply system that supplies multiple lids to an automatic machine that performs lid closing operations, and has a lid conveyor that transports the lids on a loading surface on which the automatic machine holds the lids, and multiple lid supply devices that invert the lids onto the lid conveyor before supplying them, and the multiple lid supply devices include a first lid supply device and a second lid supply device, and the lids supplied to the lid conveyor by the first lid supply device and the lids supplied to the lid conveyor by the second lid supply device arrive at the loading surface at different times.

[0007] A robot system according to an application example of the present invention is a robot system comprising the lid supply system and the automatic machine, characterized in that the automatic machine is a horizontal articulated robot having a hand that holds the lid and presses the lid toward the container body.

[0008] A lid supply method according to an application example of the present invention is a lid supply method in which an automatic machine that performs lid closing work supplies the lids to a loading surface on which the lids are held, wherein a first lid supply device removes the lids stored in the first lid supply device, inverts them, and then supplies them to a lid conveyor, and a second lid supply device removes the lids stored in the second lid supply device, inverts them, and then supplies them to the lid conveyor, and the lids supplied to the lid conveyor by the first lid supply device and the lids supplied to the lid conveyor by the second lid supply device arrive at the loading surface at different times. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view illustrating a configuration of a robot system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the shape of a container and a lid to be used in a lid-closing operation by the robot system of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the storage section shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the inversion device shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing details of a lid supply method. [Figure 6] 10 is a timing diagram showing the transport of lids in a lid supply method. FIG. [Figure 7] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating an operating state of the lid supply device in the lid supply method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the dimensions or scale of each part in the drawings may differ from the actual dimensions, and some parts are shown schematically to facilitate understanding. For ease of explanation, each drawing illustrates three mutually perpendicular axes: the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis. The direction along the X-axis is referred to as the "X-axis direction," the direction along the Y-axis is referred to as the "Y-axis direction," and the direction along the Z-axis is referred to as the "Z-axis direction." The arrow side of each axis is also referred to as the "plus side," and the opposite side as the "minus side." The positive side of the Z-axis is also referred to as the "upper," and the negative side of the Z-axis is also referred to as the "lower."

[0011] 1. Overview of the robot system and its components First, an overview of a robot system 1 according to an embodiment and each component of the robot system 1 will be described. Fig. 1 is a schematic top view showing a robot system 1 according to an embodiment. The robot system 1 includes a robot 3, a lid supply system 2, a container conveyor 4, and a control unit 5.

[0012] The robot 3 is a capping device that performs the task of capping lids 9 onto the container bodies 8 shown in Figure 1, and is an example of an automated machine that performs capping work. The multiple lids 9 used by the robot 3 for the capping work are supplied from the lid supply system 2, and the multiple container bodies 8 are supplied from the container conveyor 4. The robot 3 holds the supplied lids 9 and performs the capping work on the container conveyor 4.

[0013] The container body 8 is a box-shaped body that is open at the top and that contains, for example, food or prepared dishes. The lid 9 is a member that is placed over an opening 82 (see FIG. 2) of the container body 8 to close the opening 82.

[0014] The control unit 5 controls the overall operation of the robot system 1. The control unit 5 receives signals from sensors, cameras, etc. (not shown), and transmits operation signals to the robot 3, the lid supply system 2, and the container conveyor 4. The control unit 5 is connected to the robot 3, the lid supply system 2, and the container conveyor 4 by electrical wiring (not shown). The location where the control unit 5 is installed is not particularly limited, and may be any location that does not interfere with the operation of the robot system 1.

[0015] The robot 3, the lid supply system 2, and the container conveyor 4 may each have a separate control device separate from the control unit 5. Furthermore, the signal lines among the electrical wiring that transmit the operation signals are not limited to wired lines and may be wireless, or may be LAN lines or internet lines. Furthermore, the control unit 5 may be located on the cloud.

[0016] The robot 3 holds the lid 9 with a hand 310 attached to a robot arm 300 of the robot 3, and places the lid on the container body 8 to perform the lid closing operation. The method by which the hand 310 holds the lid 9 is not particularly limited, but for example, suction or fitting may be used. The hand 310 performs the lid closing operation while holding the lid 9, and releases its hold on the lid 9 after the lid closing operation is completed.

[0017] The lid supply system 2 has a lid conveyor 40 that supplies lids 9 to the robot 3, and a plurality of lid supply devices 10 that supply lids 9 to the lid conveyor 40. The lid conveyor 40 has a first conveyor 41 and a second conveyor 42. The plurality of lid supply devices 10 also has a first lid supply device 11, a second lid supply device 12, a fourth lid supply device 14, and a fifth lid supply device 15 that supply lids 9 to the first conveyor 41, and a third lid supply device 13 that supplies lids 9 to the second conveyor 42.

[0018] The first lid supply device 11, the second lid supply device 12, the fourth lid supply device 14, and the fifth lid supply device 15, which supply lids 9 to the first conveyor 41, are lid supply devices 10 for the first conveyor. Also, the third lid supply device 13 is a lid supply device 10 for the second conveyor.

[0019] The first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 transport the lids 9 on their upper surfaces, that is, on the surfaces on the +Z direction side.

[0020] Between the robot 3 and the first conveyor 41, and between the robot 3 and the second conveyor 42, there is provided a loading table 30 having a loading surface PS on which the lids 9 transported from the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 are temporarily placed until they are held by the robot 3.

[0021] The first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 transport the lids 9 to the mounting surface PS. The first conveyor 41 is disposed adjacent to the mounting table 30 on the +X side, and the second conveyor 42 is disposed adjacent to the mounting table 30 on the +Y side. The direction in which the first conveyor 41 transports the lids 9 is the direction of arrow 410, i.e., the -X direction. The direction in which the second conveyor 42 transports the lids 9 is the direction of arrow 420, i.e., the -Y direction. In this way, the transport directions of the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 intersect, and in a preferred example, are perpendicular to each other.

[0022] With this configuration, the operating range of the robot 3 can be reduced compared to when the conveying directions of the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 are arranged in opposite directions, i.e., when the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 are arranged in a substantially straight line. When the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 are arranged in a straight line, the container conveyor 4 and the lid conveyor 40 consisting of the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 are likely to be aligned substantially parallel. In this case, the robot 3 is positioned between the container conveyor 4 and the lid conveyor 40. Therefore, the robot 3 needs to rotate up to 180 degrees to hold the lids 9 on the mounting table 30 and perform the lid closing operation on the container conveyor 4, which increases the operating range of the robot 3.

[0023] Furthermore, if the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 are arranged side by side so that their transport directions are the same, it is possible to use only one mounting table 30. However, if the transport directions are the same, the lids 9 from the two conveyors 41 and 42 enter the mounting table 30 in the same direction. Therefore, on the mounting surface PS, the position where the lids 9 supplied from the first conveyor 41 arrives is different from the position where the lids 9 supplied from the second conveyor 42 arrive. In this case, the mounting surface PS needs to be large enough to include these two positions. In other words, the mounting surface PS essentially requires an area equivalent in size to two positions, making it difficult to reduce the operating range of the robot 3.

[0024] In contrast, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the lids 9 enter the placement surface PS from the two conveyors 41, 42 in different directions, so that the positional deviation of the lids 9 supplied from each conveyor 41, 42 within the placement surface PS is reduced. In other words, the area of ​​the placement surface PS does not need to be large, and the operating range of the robot 3 can be reduced. A smaller operating range reduces the total amount of movement of the robot 3, which in turn reduces the power consumption of the robot 3.

[0025] The size of the placement surface PS is not particularly limited, but it need only be large enough to place one lid 9 on it. A sensor or camera (not shown) is provided around the placement surface PS to detect the position and posture of the lid 9 on the placement surface PS. Based on information from this sensor or camera, the robot 3 holds the lid 9 on the placement surface PS. If the robot 3 recognizes that there is no lid 9 on the placement surface PS, it will not perform the holding operation and will wait until it recognizes the lid 9.

[0026] The mounting table 30 may be included in the robot 3, the lid supply device 10, or may be included independently in the configuration of the robot system 1.

[0027] The lid supply devices 10 for the first conveyor, i.e., the first lid supply device 11, the second lid supply device 12, the fourth lid supply device 14, and the fifth lid supply device 15, each have a storage section 31 that stores a plurality of lids 9. Upon receiving a signal from the control section 5, the lid supply device 10 for the first conveyor removes lids 9 one by one from the storage section 31 and supplies the removed lids 9 to the upper surface of the first conveyor 41 via the inverting device 21, which will be described later.

[0028] The lid supply devices 10 for the first conveyor are arranged in a row along the transport direction of the first conveyor 41, and from the side closest to the mounting table 30, i.e., from the -X axis direction, they are in the order of the first lid supply device 11, the second lid supply device 12, the fourth lid supply device 14, and the fifth lid supply device 15. The lid supply devices 10 for the first conveyor may be arranged so that their main bodies are located on the +Y direction side of the first conveyor 41, and the distance from the mounting table 30 and the distance between the lid supply devices 10 in the transport direction is minimized. This shortens the cycle time for the lid supply system 2 to supply lids 9.

[0029] The lid supply device 10 for the first conveyor is disposed above the first conveyor 41 in plan view from the Y-axis direction. As will be described in detail later, this arrangement allows the lid supply device 10 for the first conveyor to supply the lids 9 to the first conveyor 41 by sliding them down the slope of the lid supply device 10.

[0030] The third lid supply device 13 has a storage section 31 that stores a plurality of lids 9. Upon receiving a signal from the control section 5, the third lid supply device 13 removes the lids 9 one by one from the storage section 31 and supplies the removed lids 9 to the upper surface of the second conveyor 42. The main body of the third lid supply device 13 is arranged on the -X direction side of the second conveyor 42.

[0031] The third lid supply device 13 is disposed above the second conveyor 42 in plan view from the X-axis direction. As will be described in detail later, this arrangement allows the third lid supply device 13 to supply the lids 9 to the second conveyor 42 so that the lids 9 slide down the slope of the third lid supply device 13.

[0032] The container conveyor 4 is adjacent to the mounting table 30 on the −Y direction side. The direction in which the container conveyor 4 transports the container bodies 8 is the direction of the arrow 400, that is, the −X direction.

[0033] The robot 3 is disposed on the -X side of the mounting table 30 and on the +Y side of the container conveyor 4, and is fixed to the floor or a housing installed on the floor. The robot 3 performs a capping operation on the container conveyor 4, using the lid 9 held on the mounting surface PS to cap the container body 8 transported on the container conveyor 4. After the capping operation, the container body 8 and lid 9 are transported in the -X direction by the container conveyor 4.

[0034] 2. Shape of the lid and container body Here, the shapes of the container body 8 and the lid 9 used in the lid closing operation by the robot system 1 according to this embodiment will be described as an example.

[0035] 2 shows the container body 8 and the lid 9 immediately before the lid 9 is placed on the container body 8 during the lid closing operation. The container body 8 and the lid 9 are closed by fitting the fitting portion 93 of the lid 9 into the fitting portion 84 of the container body 8.

[0036] The container body 8 has a concave shape that opens upward. The container body 8 has a bottom 81 located at the lower end, a side wall 83 connected to the outer edge of the bottom 81, and a fitted portion 84 connected to the upper end of the side wall 83. The side wall 83 surrounds the bottom 81 on the lower side. The bottom 81 and the side wall 83 define an internal space S of the container body 8. The internal space S is a space that contains the contents. An opening 82 located above the internal space S is defined by the fitted portion 84.

[0037] The fitted portion 84 is circular when viewed in plan from the Z-axis direction, and surrounds the bottom portion 81 and the side wall portion 83. That is, the fitted portion 84 surrounds the internal space S when viewed in plan from the Z-axis direction.

[0038] The material of the container body 8 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or expanded polystyrene.

[0039] The lid 9 has a base 91 , a side wall 92 connected to the outer edge of the base 91 , and a fitting portion 93 connected to the lower end of the side wall 92 .

[0040] The fitting portion 93 has a circular shape when viewed from above in the Z-axis direction, and surrounds the base portion 91 and the side wall portion 92. When viewed from above in the Z-axis direction, the fitting portion 93 fits onto the outside of the fitted portion 84. This fitting is sometimes referred to as external fitting.

[0041] The lid 9 has a first lid surface 901 and a second lid surface 902 that are opposite each other in the Z-axis direction. The first lid surface 901 is the surface on the +Z direction side in FIG. 2 and is located on the opposite side from the internal space S when the lid is closed on the container body 8. The first lid surface 901 includes a convex surface 903 that protrudes in the +Z direction. On the other hand, the second lid surface 902 is the surface on the -Z direction side and is located on the internal space S side when the lid is closed on the container body 8. The second lid surface 902 includes a concave surface 904 that is recessed in the +Z direction.

[0042] The material of the lid 9 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a thermoplastic resin such as polypropylene, filled polypropylene, high impact polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, biaxially oriented polystyrene, polyethylene, or amorphous polyethylene terephthalate.

[0043] The above describes an example of the container body 8 and the lid 9, but the planar shapes of the container body 8 and the lid 9 are not particularly limited and may be, for example, polygonal such as a square, hexagon, or octagon, or may be elliptical, oblong, etc.

[0044] The container body 8 and the lid 9 may be configured such that the fitting portion 93 fits inside the fitted portion 84 in a plan view from the Z-axis direction. This type of fitting may be referred to as internal fitting.

[0045] 3. Details of each part that makes up the robot system Next, each component of the robot system 1 according to the embodiment will be described in detail.

[0046] 3.1 Lid supply device As shown in FIG. 1, the first lid supply device 11, the second lid supply device 12, the third lid supply device 13, the fourth lid supply device 14, and the fifth lid supply device 15 each have a storage section 31 and an inverting device 21. The storage section 31 is located above the inverting device 21. The storage section 31 stores a plurality of lids 9 and cuts out the lids 9 one by one to be supplied to the lid conveyor 40. The inverting device 21 inverts the orientation of the lids 9 cut out by the storage section 31 and then supplies the lids 9 to the lid conveyor 40. Details of the inverting device 21 will be described later. The task of "cutting out a lid 9" refers to the task of removing one lid 9 from the storage section 31, or the task of separating one lid 9 from a plurality of lids 9.

[0047] 3.1.1 Reservoir The configuration of the storage section 31 will be described using Figures 1 and 3. Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the storage section 31 of the first lid supply device 11. Note that the configuration of the storage sections 31 of the second lid supply device 12, third lid supply device 13, fourth lid supply device 14 and fifth lid supply device 15 is the same as the configuration of the storage section 31 of the first lid supply device 11, so description thereof will be omitted.

[0048] As shown in Figure 1, the storage unit 31 is disposed above the first lid supply device 11. As shown in Figure 3, the storage unit 31 stores a plurality of lids 9 in a stacked state. The storage unit 31 is capable of storing a predetermined number of lids 9. The stacking direction is the vertical direction, with the first lid surface 901 facing downward.

[0049] The storage unit 31 is located above the first lid supply device 11, and is therefore away from the floor surface on which the robot system 1 is installed. Depending on the environment in which the robot system 1 is installed, fine dust and foreign matter accumulated on the floor surface may be stirred up into the air by the movement of workers or the passage of transport carts. By arranging the storage unit 31 in such a position, even if foreign matter or the like is stirred up into the air, the storage unit 31 is far from the floor surface, and therefore the possibility of the lid 9 being contaminated can be reduced.

[0050] The storage unit 31 has a pair of stoppers 301a, 301b and a pair of holders 302a, 302b. The pair of stoppers 301a, 301b move toward or away from each other as shown by arrows 220 in FIG. 3. When the pair of stoppers 301a, 301b move toward each other, they support a first lid surface 901 of the lid 9a that is located at the bottom of the multiple lids 9. This prevents the pair of stoppers 301a, 301b from dropping the lid 9a.

[0051] The pair of holders 302a, 302b hold the lids 9 except for the lowest lid 9a. When the lid 9a is removed, the lowest lid 9 among the lids 9 being held is released and is supported by the pair of stoppers 301a, 301b.

[0052] When the lid 9a is cut out, the pair of stoppers 301a, 301b move away from each other, causing the lid 9a supported by the pair of stoppers 301a, 301b to fall. As a result, one lid 9a is cut out from the stored plurality of lids 9 and supplied to the starting point SP (see FIG. 4).

[0053] The stored lids 9 have the first lid surface 901 facing downward. That is, the lids 9 are stacked with the convex surface 903 facing downward. By setting the stacking direction and the posture of the lids 9 when stacked in this way, the lids 9a can be smoothly cut out.

[0054] 3, stoppers 301a and 301b support first lid surface 901. When first lid surface 901, particularly convex surface 903, is supported, a relatively rigid portion can be supported compared to when second lid surface 902, particularly the peripheral edge of concave surface 904 of second lid surface 902, is supported. This suppresses deformation of lids 9 due to stacking and reduces unintended fitting of lids 9 together, facilitating cutting out of lid 9a.

[0055] Furthermore, with the stacking method described above, the lids 9 are stored with the first lid surface 901 exposed. Since the first lid surface 901 is the surface that does not face the contents stored in the container body 8, even if it is exposed during storage, it has little impact on food hygiene. For this reason, the stacking method described above is particularly useful when the contents are food. Note that the configuration of the storage unit 31 is not limited to the above configuration, as long as it is capable of supplying one lid 9 to the inverting device 21.

[0056] 3.1.2 Configuration of the inverting device The configuration of the reversing device 21 will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the reversing device 21 possessed by the first lid supply device 11. Note that the configuration of the reversing devices 21 possessed by the second lid supply device 12, third lid supply device 13, fourth lid supply device 14 and fifth lid supply device 15 is the same as the configuration of the reversing device 21 possessed by the first lid supply device 11, so explanation will be omitted.

[0057] The reversing device 21 has a first conveying section 201 and a second conveying section 202 that convey the lids 9. The first conveying section 201 has a first conveying surface 211, and the second conveying section 202 has a second conveying surface 212. The first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212 are surfaces parallel to the X-axis and inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. The first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212 are sliding surfaces on which the lids 9 are placed and slid.

[0058] The first conveying surface 211 is an inclined surface that extends in the first direction D1 from the starting point SP toward the second conveying surface 212. As a result, the lid 9 is conveyed in the first direction D1 from the starting point SP.

[0059] The second conveying surface 212 is disposed below the terminal end position 213 of the first conveying surface 211, and the second conveying surface 212 is spaced apart from the first conveying surface 211. The second conveying surface 212 is an inclined surface that extends in the second direction D2 toward the end point EP for the lids 9 conveyed by the first conveying surface 211. As a result, the second conveying surface 212 conveys the lids 9 conveyed by the first conveying surface 211 in the second direction D2 toward the end point EP.

[0060] By configuring the first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212 in this way, the lids 9 can be conveyed with less energy consumption, and therefore the configuration of the reversing device 21 can be simplified.

[0061] It should be noted that the first transport surface 211 and the second transport surface 212 are not limited to being flat, and may be, for example, curved surfaces or surfaces including small steps or irregularities.

[0062] The materials constituting the first transport surface 211 and the second transport surface 212 are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include metal materials such as stainless steel and aluminum alloys, ceramic materials, glass materials, and resin materials.

[0063] The first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212 may be grounded. This reduces the charge on the first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212, and reduces the generation of static electricity between the first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212 and the lid 9. The reduction in the generation of static electricity allows the lid 9 to slide smoothly down the first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212.

[0064] The first direction D1 and the second direction D2 each include a vertically downward component. In other words, the first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212 are inclined surfaces that allow the lids 9 to fall in the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 due to gravity, respectively. Therefore, the lids 9 placed on the first conveying surface 211 slide down in the first direction D1 due to their own weight. Similarly, the lids 9 placed on the second conveying surface 212 slide down in the second direction D2 due to their own weight.

[0065] The angles that the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 make with respect to the plane that includes the Z axis and the Y axis are acute angles or 0°.

[0066] The first direction D1 includes a component in the +Y direction, and the second direction D2 includes a component in the -Y direction. That is, when viewed vertically from above, the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 include components that are oriented in opposite directions.

[0067] As a result, when the lid 9 transported in the first direction D1 moves from the first transport surface 211 to the second transport surface 212, its position is changed around the X axis and it is transported in the second direction D2. At this time, a propulsive force is applied to the lid 9 that comes into contact with the second transport surface 212, causing the contacting portion to move downward. This allows the lid 9 to be turned upside down.

[0068] Note that "flipping the lid 9" is not limited to changing the orientation of the first lid surface 901 and the second lid surface 902 by 180 degrees. For example, it includes changing the orientation of the first lid surface 901 from downward to upward, or changing the orientation of the second lid surface 902 from upward to downward.

[0069] 3.1.3 Operation of the reversing device The operation of the reversing device 21 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. First, the lid 9a supplied from the storage section 31 to the starting point SP is transported by the first transport surface 211. In Fig. 4, the lid 9a is supplied to the starting point SP with the first lid surface 901 facing the first direction D1.

[0070] The lid 9a supplied to the starting point SP falls in the first direction D1 due to its own weight. Furthermore, because the first lid surface 901 of the lid 9a includes the convex surface 903 shown in FIG. 2, the center of gravity is likely to shift toward the first direction D1. For this reason, the lid 9a changes its posture as it falls so that the first lid surface 901 faces the first conveyance surface 211. As a result, the posture of the lid 9a changes to the posture of the lid 9b shown in FIG. 4.

[0071] As lid 9b falls further, first lid surface 901 changes to a position facing first conveyance surface 211. As a result, the position of lid 9b changes to the position of lid 9c shown in FIG. 4. Then, in this facing position, lid 9c slides down first conveyance surface 211 in first direction D1. As a result, lid 9c is conveyed in first direction D1.

[0072] As lid 9c slides down first conveying surface 211 and the center of gravity of lid 9c moves beyond terminal position 213, a rotational force is generated in lid 9c, causing the position of lid 9c to begin to change. Then, lid 9c falls while changing its position, and comes into contact with second conveying surface 212. As a result, the position of lid 9c changes to the position of lid 9d shown in FIG.

[0073] When lid 9d comes into contact with second conveyance surface 212, it receives a propulsive force that moves the contacted portion downward. This causes lid 9d to move away from first conveyance section 201. As a result, the position of lid 9d changes so that second lid surface 902 faces second conveyance surface 212, and it assumes the position of lid 9e shown in FIG.

[0074] Then, lid 9e is conveyed to the end point EP by second conveyance surface 212 with second lid surface 902 facing the second conveyance surface 212. When lid 9e is conveyed to the end point EP, it assumes the position of lid 9f, with first lid surface 901 facing upward.

[0075] In this way, the position of the lids 9 is reversed by being transported by the first transport section 201 and the second transport section 202. Then, the first lid supply device 11 can supply the lids 9f onto the first conveyor 41.

[0076] As described above, the lid supply device 10 comprises a first conveying section 201 having a first conveying surface 211 inclined with respect to a horizontal plane and conveying lids 9 in a first direction D1 including a vertically downward component, with the first lid surface 901 facing the first conveying surface 211, and a second conveying section 202 having a second conveying surface 212 inclined with respect to a horizontal plane and conveying lids 9 conveyed by the first conveying section 201 in a second direction D2 including a vertically downward component, with the second lid surface 902 facing the second conveying surface 212.When viewed from above vertically, the first and second directions include components that are opposite to each other, and the second conveying surface 212 is positioned vertically downward from the terminal position 213 of the first conveying surface 211, and the lids 9 are inverted as they are conveyed by the first conveying section 201 and the second conveying section 202.

[0077] With this configuration, the lids 9 can be dropped and transported by the first transport section 201 and the second transport section 202, thereby changing the position of the lids 9. This makes it possible to realize a lid supply device 10 with a simple configuration that turns the lids 9 upside down and then supplies them to the lid conveyor 40. Furthermore, since the lids are transported within the lid supply device 10 mainly by gravity, power consumption can be reduced.

[0078] 3.2 Robots In this embodiment, the robot 3 is a horizontal articulated robot, i.e., a SCARA robot. The robot 3 is equipped with a hand 310 at the tip of a robot arm 300. The hand 310 has a suction mechanism and a pressing part, not shown. The robot 3 holds the lid 9 using the suction mechanism of the hand 310. Furthermore, during the lid closing operation, the robot 3 presses the lid 9 toward the container body 8 using the pressing part of the hand 310.

[0079] This configuration makes it possible to realize an automated system that supplies lids 9 and performs the lid closing operation with a simple configuration, without using a dedicated lid closing machine. Furthermore, the horizontal articulated robot has fewer limitations on its range of motion compared to a dedicated lid closing machine. This increases the degree of freedom in the layout design of the robot system 1, and alleviates the constraints imposed by the size and layout of the installation location when introducing the robot system 1.

[0080] 3.3 Lid conveyor In this embodiment, the lid conveyor 40 is a belt conveyor. The conveying surface of the belt conveyor is a belt, and the conveying surface moves when a pulley is rotated by a motor. The lid conveyor 40 controls the movement and stopping of the belt by signals from the control unit 5.

[0081] The type of lid conveyor 40 is not particularly limited as long as it can transport the lids 9 to the placement surface PS. For example, it may be a chain conveyor driven by a chain. Another example is a driven roller conveyor in which the transport surface is made up of multiple rollers and the rollers are rotated by a motor to transport the lids.

[0082] The configuration of the lid conveyor 40 and lid supply device 10 in this embodiment allows for three or more lid supply devices 10. Compared to when the number of lid supply devices 10 is two or fewer, the time interval between replenishment of lids 9 in the storage section 31 can be longer. This reduces the number of times a worker must replenish lids 9, thereby reducing the burden on the worker and reducing manufacturing costs as labor costs. Furthermore, increasing the number of lid supply devices 10 distributes the number of processes per lid supply device 10, preventing the lid supply device 10 from becoming larger. This alleviates the constraints of the installation location and layout when introducing the device.

[0083] Furthermore, if the lid conveyor 40 were only the first conveyor 41, the timing at which the lids 9 would be supplied to the placement surface PS would not be in time for the cycle time of the lid closing operation performed by the robot 3, which could result in the robot 3 having to wait for the holding operation. According to this embodiment, the lids 9 supplied from the third lid supply device 13 to the second conveyor 42 are supplied to the placement surface PS at a timing that resolves this situation. This has the effect of preventing a loss of productivity in the lid closing operation of the robot system 1.

[0084] 3.4 Container conveyors In this embodiment, the container conveyor 4 is a belt conveyor, similar to the lid conveyor 40. The container conveyor 4 has its belt controlled to move and stop by signals from the control unit 5.

[0085] The capping operation is performed on the container conveyor 4. As described above, during the capping operation, the lids 9 are pressed against the container bodies 8, so it is desirable that the container bodies 8 do not slip on the conveyor's conveying surface during the capping operation. For this reason, the conveying surface of the container conveyor 4 is preferably made of rubber or resin with an anti-slip coating.

[0086] 4. Lid supply method Next, a lid supplying method according to an embodiment will be described. Fig. 5 is a part of a flowchart showing details of the lid supplying method according to an embodiment. Fig. 6 is a timing chart showing the transport of the lids 9.

[0087] 6, time T is represented as Tn, where n is zero or a positive integer. The interval of time T, i.e., the difference between Tn and Tn+1, is constant regardless of n. In this embodiment, the difference between Tn and Tn+1 is 1.5 seconds.

[0088] 6, positions P1, P2, and P3 correspond to P1, P2, and P3 indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1. That is, position P1 is the position on the first conveyor 41 where lids 9 are supplied from the first lid supply device 11. Position P2 is the position on the first conveyor 41 where lids 9 are supplied from the second lid supply device 12. Position P3 is the position on the second conveyor 42 where lids 9 are supplied from the third lid supply device 13.

[0089] In Figure 6, A is a lid 9 supplied from the first lid supply device 11 to the first conveyor 41, B is a lid 9 supplied from the second lid supply device 12 to the first conveyor 41, and C is a lid 9 supplied from the third lid supply device 13 to the second conveyor 42. The subscripts 1, 2, and 3 of A, B, and C indicate the order in which the lids 9 are supplied from each lid supply device 10. The solid and dashed arrows indicate the movement of each lid 9.

[0090] For ease of explanation, the following description will be given taking as an example a state in which some of the lid supply devices 10 are performing the operation of supplying lids 9. That is, the first lid supply device 11, the second lid supply device 12, and the third lid supply device 13 are performing the operation of supplying lids 9, while the fourth lid supply device 14 and the fifth lid supply device 15 are in a state in which their supply operation has been stopped. A lid supply method using the fourth lid supply device 14 and the fifth lid supply device 15 will be described later.

[0091] First, as a preparation task, a worker supplies a plurality of lids 9 to the storage section 31 of each lid supply device 10 to be supplied to the robot 3 that will perform the lid fastening task. The plurality of lids 9 include lids A1 to A3, lids B1 to B3, and lids C1 to C2. The plurality of lids 9 are stacked in the storage section 31, with the first lid surface 901, i.e., the convex surface 903, facing downward. Of the plurality of lids 9 stored in the first lid supply device 11, the lid 9 located at the lowest position is lid A1. Of the plurality of lids 9 stored in the second lid supply device 12, the lid 9 located at the lowest position is lid B1. Of the plurality of lids 9 stored in the third lid supply device 13, the lid 9 located at the lowest position is lid C1. Lid A1 is an example of a first lid, lid B1 is an example of a second lid, and lid C1 is an example of a third lid.

[0092] When the preparation work is completed, the control unit 5 causes the first lid supply device 11 to start cutting out the lid A1 and the second lid supply device 12 to start cutting out the lid B1 in step S101 shown in Fig. 5. The time T at which this cutting starts is T0 in Fig. 6.

[0093] Next, in step S201, the control unit 5 causes the third lid supply device 13 to start cutting out the lid C1. Step S201 may start simultaneously with the start of step S101.

[0094] The first lid supply device 11 inverts the cut-out lids A1 before supplying them to the first conveyor 41. The second lid supply device 12 inverts the cut-out lids B1 before supplying them to the first conveyor 41. Here, the inversion operation in which the first lid supply device 11 inverts the lids A1 and the inversion operation in which the second lid supply device 12 inverts the lids B1 are performed simultaneously. Note that being performed simultaneously does not necessarily mean that the start and end times of the two inversion operations are the same, but rather that each inversion operation is performed at a certain time. The third lid supply device 13 inverts the cut-out lids C1 before supplying them to the second conveyor 42.

[0095] Next, in step S102, the control unit 5 determines whether a lid 9 has been supplied onto the first conveyor 41. A sensor (not shown) is used for this determination, but the type of sensor is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a laser sensor or a camera. On the first conveyor 41, lids A1 and B1 are lined up in this order from the side closest to the placement surface PS. Lid C1 is placed on the second conveyor 42. That is, lid A1 is placed at position P1, lid B1 at position P2, and lid C1 at position P3. The time T at this time is T1 in FIG. 6.

[0096] In step S102, if the control unit 5 determines that the lid 9 is on the first conveyor 41, the control unit 5 executes the determination in step S103, which will be described next. Note that the determination in step S102 is continued until the control unit 5 determines that the lid 9 is on the first conveyor 41 in step S102.

[0097] In step S103, the control unit 5 determines whether or not any lids 9 remain on the placement surface PS, which is the position where the robot 3 holds the lids 9. A sensor or camera (not shown) is used for this determination. The type of sensor is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a laser sensor. If it is determined that no lids 9 remain on the placement surface PS, the control unit 5 causes the first conveyor 41 to transport the lid A1 to the placement surface PS in step S104. At the same time, the lid B1 is transported to position P1. The time T during which the lids A1 and B1 are transported is T2 in FIG. 6. The control unit 5 does not cause the first conveyor 41 to transport the lid 9 until it is determined that no lids 9 remain on the placement surface PS.

[0098] Although not shown, when the control unit 5 determines that the lid 9 has been transported to the placement surface PS, it causes the robot 3 to hold the lid A1 and perform the capping operation on the container body 8 transported from the container conveyor 4. In this way, the lid supply system 2 supplies the lid A1 to the robot 3 that performs the capping operation.

[0099] In parallel with the execution of the above-described lid closing operation using lid A1, in step S105, the control unit 5 determines whether lid 9 remains on the first conveyor 41. The determination method is the same as in step S102. At this point, lid B1 remains at position P1, so the control unit 5 determines that lid 9 remains. Then, returning to step S103, the control unit 5 determines whether lid 9 remains on the placement surface PS. If it is determined that lid B1 does not remain, in step S104, the control unit 5 causes the first conveyor 41 to transport lid B1 to the placement surface PS. The time T at which lid B1 arrives on the placement surface PS is T3 in FIG. 6. Lid B1 arrives on the placement surface PS later than lid A1. In this way, the timing at which lid A1 and lid B1 arrive on the placement surface PS is different from each other. Thereafter, the control unit 5 causes the robot 3 to hold the lid B1 and perform the capping operation on the container body 8 transported from the container conveyor 4. In this way, the lid supply system 2 supplies the lid B1 to the robot 3 that performs the capping operation.

[0100] In parallel with the execution of the above-described capping operation using cap B1, in step S105, the control unit 5 determines whether or not any caps 9 remain on the first conveyor 41. At this point, caps A1 and B1 have already been supplied to the robot 3, and no new caps 9 have been supplied to the first conveyor 41 from the first cap supply device 11 and the second cap supply device 12. Therefore, in step S105, the control unit 5 determines that no caps 9 remain on the first conveyor 41.

[0101] Then, in step S106, the control unit 5 causes the first lid supply device 11 to start cutting out lid A2, and causes the second lid supply device 12 to start cutting out lid B2. Lid A2 is the lid next to the first lid, and lid B2 is the lid next to the second lid.

[0102] Next, in step S202, the control unit 5 determines whether or not the lid 9 has been supplied onto the second conveyor 42. For this determination, a sensor or camera (not shown) is used. The type of sensor is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a laser sensor.

[0103] In step S202, if the control unit 5 determines that the lid 9 is on the second conveyor 42, the control unit 5 executes the determination in step S203, which will be described next. Note that the determination in step S202 is continued until the control unit 5 determines that the lid 9 is on the second conveyor 42 in step S202.

[0104] In step S203, similarly to step S103, the control unit 5 determines whether or not any lids 9 remain on the placement surface PS. If it is determined that no lids 9 remain, the control unit 5 causes the second conveyor 42 to transport the lids C1 to the placement surface PS, as step S204.

[0105] Then, while the judgment in step S203 and the transport of lid C1 to placement surface PS in step S204 are being made, lids A2 and B2 are supplied onto the first conveyor 41. The time T when lid C1 arrives at placement surface PS and lids A2 and B2 are supplied onto the first conveyor 41 is T4 in Figure 6. Lid C1 supplied to placement surface PS is held by robot 3 and closed.

[0106] Note that step S204 may be performed while the reversing operation started in step S106 is being performed, and the order of the steps is not limited to this. For example, step S204 and step S106 may be started simultaneously, or step S106 may be started while step S202 or step S203 is being performed. Desirably, lids A2 and B2 may be supplied onto the first conveyor 41 by the time the transport in step S204 is completed. Step S202 may be performed between step S201 and step S203.

[0107] In this embodiment, after lids A1 and B1 are held by robot 3, lid C1 supplied from third lid supply device 13 is transported to placement surface PS between the later of the time when lid A2 is supplied from first lid supply device 11 to first conveyor 41 and the time when lid B2 is supplied from second lid supply device 12 to first conveyor 41. Lid C1 arrives at placement surface PS later than lid B1. In this way, lid B1 and lid C1 arrive at placement surface PS at different times.

[0108] This configuration reduces the variation in the time intervals at which lids 9 are supplied to the placement surface PS while preventing lid A1 or lid B1 from overlapping with lid A2 or lid B2 on the first conveyor 41. That is, while lids 9 are being prepared on the first conveyor 41, lids 9 can be supplied from the second conveyor 42 to the placement surface PS. This reduces the amount of time that the robot 3 has to wait before holding the lid 9, thereby improving the productivity of the lid closing operation performed by the robot system 1.

[0109] Thereafter, the control unit 5 causes the robot 3 to hold the lid C1 and perform the capping operation on the container body 8 being transported on the container conveyor 4. In this way, the lid supply system 2 supplies the lid C1 to the robot 3 that performs the capping operation.

[0110] In this embodiment, the control unit 5 determines in step S205 whether to continue supplying lids 9 from the lid supply system 2 to the robot 3. Although not shown, the control unit 5 determines whether to supply lids 9 by detecting the presence or absence of container bodies 8 being transported on the container conveyor 4. However, the method of determination is not particularly limited to this, and for example, the end may be determined when the number of supplied lids 9 reaches a preset number, or the end may be determined when the control unit 5 receives a signal such as a button pressed by an operator. The determination of whether to end lid supply is not limited to step S205, and may be set as appropriate after any step in this embodiment.

[0111] If it is determined in step S205 that the lid supply should be continued, the process returns to step S201, and the control unit 5 causes the third lid supply device 13 to start cutting out the lids C2. Thereafter, the control unit 5 performs control to repeat the above steps. Note that the description of the transport of the lids 9 when the time T is after T5 in FIG. 6 will be omitted.

[0112] In this embodiment, the storage unit 31 does not start dispensing lids 9 while lids 9 remain on the lid conveyor 40. In other words, the control unit 5 causes the storage unit 31 to start supplying lids 9 to the first conveying surface 211 when there are no lids 9 on the lid conveyor 40, which receives the supply of lids 9 from the lid supply device 10. Therefore, the first lid supply device 11 and the second lid supply device 12 start supplying lids 9 to the first conveying surface 211 when there are no lids 9 on the first conveyor 41.

[0113] This configuration prevents the lid closing and transport operations from being performed with multiple lids 9 stacked on top of each other. As described above, the lid inversion method according to this embodiment involves dropping the lids 9. However, even for lids 9 of the same specifications, variations in the time required for inversion may occur. Causes for this include, for example, the material, thickness, and shape of the lids 9, or the presence of static electricity due to charging the first transport surface 211 or the second transport surface 212 of the lid supply device 10. In particular, in recent years, there has been a demand for lower costs for lids 9, and as a result, the thickness of lids 9 has become smaller and their weight has become lighter, which has resulted in a significant variation in the time required for inversion.

[0114] If a lid 9 that has taken longer than expected to be turned over remains on the lid conveyor 40 and the cutting of the next lid 9 begins, there is a risk that the two lids 9 will overlap on the lid conveyor 40. If the lids 9 in this state are transported to the placement surface PS, the robot 3 may attempt to close the lids using the overlapping lids 9, or problems may occur in the holding and transporting operations.

[0115] When such a malfunction occurs, it is difficult for the robot system 1 to recover by itself, and the robot system 1 must wait for an operator to arrive, significantly reducing the productivity of the lid closing work. Therefore, the configuration of this embodiment makes it possible to prevent the lid closing work and transport work from being performed when the lids 9 are stacked. As a result, it is possible to prevent a significant decrease in the productivity of the lid closing work performed by the robot system 1.

[0116] Next, a lid supply method using the fourth lid supply device 14 and the fifth lid supply device 15 will be described. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the operating state of the lid supply device 10 in the lid supply method according to the embodiment. In FIG. 7, time T is represented as Tn or Tm, where n is zero or a positive integer, and m is an integer greater than n+1. The interval of time T is constant, as in FIG. 6.

[0117] As shown in Figure 7, when time T is from T0 to Tn, the first lid supply device 11, second lid supply device 12, and third lid supply device 13 are performing supply operations. The transport state of the lids 9 at this time is as described above using Figure 6, with the first lid supply device 11 and second lid supply device 12 supplying lids 9 to the first conveyor 41, and the third lid supply device 13 supplying lids 9 to the second conveyor 42. During this time, the fourth lid supply device 14 and fifth lid supply device 15 have stopped their supply operations.

[0118] When time T is from Tn+1 to Tm, the fourth lid supply device 14, the fifth lid supply device 15, and the third lid supply device 13 are performing supply operations. At this time, the fourth lid supply device 14 and the fifth lid supply device 15 supply lids 9 to the first conveyor 41, similar to the first lid supply device 11 and the second lid supply device 12 when time T is from T0 to Tn. During this time, the first lid supply device 11 and the second lid supply device 12 stop their supply operations.

[0119] Then, when time T reaches Tm+1, the first lid supply device 11, the second lid supply device 12 and the third lid supply device 13 start to perform their supply operations, just as they did when time T was from T0 to Tn, and the fourth lid supply device 14 and the fifth lid supply device 15 stop their supply operations.

[0120] That is, when the first lid supply device 11 and the second lid supply device 12 are performing a supply operation, the fourth lid supply device 14 and the fifth lid supply device 15 stop their supply operation, and when the first lid supply device 11 and the second lid supply device 12 are stopping their supply operation, the fourth lid supply device 14 and the fifth lid supply device 15 perform their supply operation.

[0121] This type of control allows lids 9 to be replenished in the storage section 31 without stopping the supply operation of the lid supply system 2. In other words, while one of the first lid supply device 11 and the second lid supply device 12 and the fourth lid supply device 14 and the fifth lid supply device 15 is supplying lids 9 to the first conveyor 41, the other can stop its supply operation. Since the other can receive lids 9 from an operator while its supply operation is stopped, there is no need to stop the operation of the lid supply system 2. This makes it possible to improve the productivity of the lid fastening work.

[0122] As described above, in the lid supply system 2 and lid supply method of this embodiment, the lids 9 supplied from the first lid supply device 11 to the first conveyor 41, the lids 9 supplied from the second lid supply device 12 to the first conveyor 41, and the lids 9 supplied from the third lid supply device 13 to the second conveyor 42 arrive at the placing surface PS at different times. Similarly, the lids 9 supplied from the fourth lid supply device 14 to the first conveyor 41, the lids 9 supplied from the fifth lid supply device 15 to the first conveyor 41, and the lids 9 supplied from the third lid supply device 13 to the second conveyor 42 arrive at the placing surface PS at different times. In other words, the lids 9 supplied to the lid conveyor 40 by one of the two lid supply devices 10 and the lids 9 supplied to the lid conveyor 40 by the other of the two lid supply devices 10 arrive at the placing surface PS at different times.

[0123] In this way, the arrival times of the multiple lids 9 supplied to the robot 3 performing the lid closing work are different from each other, so that the lids 9 can be supplied to the placement surface PS at time intervals that are shorter than the time from when the lid supply device 10 starts to cut out the lids 9 from the storage section 31 to when the lids 9 are supplied to the lid conveyor 40. This reduces loss of productivity of the lid closing device.

[0124] The lid supply system 2, robot system 1, and lid supply method have been described above based on the illustrated embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these. For example, the lid supply system 2 and robot system 1 according to this embodiment may be configured such that each component of the embodiment is replaced with any component having the same function, or any component is added to the embodiment. Furthermore, the lid supply method according to this embodiment may be configured such that any desired process is added to the embodiment.

[0125] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first conveyor 41 is disposed so that it transports the lids 9 in the -X direction, the second conveyor 42 is disposed so that it transports the lids 9 in the -Y direction, and the robot 3 is disposed in the -X direction of the placement surface PS, but the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42 may also transport the lids 9 in the -Y direction, and the robot 3 may be disposed between the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42. Even in this case, it is possible to control the arrival timing of multiple lids 9 supplied to the robot 3 that performs the lid closing work so that they arrive at different times.

[0126] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reversing device 21 of the lid supply device 10 reverses the lids 9 using the first conveying surface 211 and the second conveying surface 212, but the reversing device 21 is not limited to this. For example, a vertical articulated robot such as a six-axis robot may remove the lids 9 from the storage section 31 and then reverse the lids 9. Furthermore, one robot that reverses the lids 9 may be assigned to each of the multiple storage sections 31, or one robot may be assigned to multiple storage sections 31.

[0127] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the robot 3 is not particularly limited to a SCARA robot, but may be, for example, a vertical articulated robot such as a six-axis robot, a parallel link robot, or the like.

[0128] In this embodiment, the automatic machine that performs the lid closing operation is not particularly limited to the robot 3, and may be, for example, a single-axis robot or a device using an electric slider. Furthermore, the automatic machine that holds the lid 9 on the mounting table 30 and the automatic machine that performs the lid closing operation may be separate devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1...Robot system, 2...Lid supply system, 3...Robot, 4...Container conveyor, 5...Control unit, 8...Container body, 9, 9a to 9f...Lids, 10...Lid supply device, 11...First lid supply device, 12...Second lid supply device, 13...Third lid supply device, 14...Fourth lid supply device, 15...Fifth lid supply device, 21...Inverting device, 30...Placement table, 31...Storage section, 40...Lid conveyor, 41...First conveyor, 42...Second conveyor, 81...Bottom, 82...Opening, 83...Side wall, 84...Fitted section, 91...Base, 92...Side wall, 93...Fitment section, 201...First conveyor Conveyor section, 202...second conveyor section, 211...first conveying surface, 212...second conveying surface, 213...terminal position, 220...arrow, 300...robot arm, 301a, 301b...stopper, 302a, 302b...holder, 310...hand, 400, 410, 420...arrow, 901...first lid surface, 902...second lid surface, 903...convex surface, 904...concave surface, A1 to A3...lid, B1 to B3...lid, C1, C2...lid, D1...first direction, D2...second direction, P1, P2, P3...position, T...time, S101 to S106...step, S201 to S205...step

Claims

1. A lid supply system that supplies lids to an automatic machine that performs lid closing work, a lid conveyor that transports the lids to a placement surface where the automated machine holds the lids; a plurality of lid supply devices that invert the lids and then supply them to the lid conveyor; the plurality of lid supply devices include a first lid supply device and a second lid supply device; A lid supply system characterized in that the lids supplied to the lid conveyor by the first lid supply device and the lids supplied to the lid conveyor by the second lid supply device arrive at the placement surface at different times.

2. The lid has a first lid surface and a second lid surface that are opposite each other, The lid supply device is a first conveying unit having a first conveying surface inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, and conveying the lid in a first direction including a vertically downward component with the first lid surface facing the first conveying surface; a second conveying unit having a second conveying surface inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, and conveying the lid conveyed by the first conveying unit in a second direction including a vertically downward component with the second lid surface facing the second conveying surface; When viewed vertically from above, the first direction and the second direction include components that are opposite to each other, the second conveying surface is disposed vertically below and spaced apart from the terminal end position of the first conveying surface, The lid supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the lids are inverted as they are transported by the first transport section and the second transport section.

3. the lid conveyor includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor; the plurality of lid supply devices include a third lid supply device, the first lid supply device and the second lid supply device supply the lids to the first conveyor; The lid supply system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the third lid supply device supplies the lids to the second conveyor.

4. The lid supply system according to claim 3 , wherein the conveying direction of the first conveyor and the conveying direction of the second conveyor intersect.

5. the lid supply device has a storage section that stacks and stores the lids and supplies the lids to the first conveying surface, The lid supply system according to claim 3 , wherein the storage unit starts supplying the lids to the first conveying surface when the lids are not present on the lid conveyor that receives the lids from the lid supply device.

6. the plurality of lids include a first lid, a second lid, and a third lid; The inversion operation in which the first lid supply device inverts the first lid and the inversion operation in which the second lid supply device inverts the second lid are performed simultaneously, The lid supply system described in claim 5, wherein after the first lid and the second lid are held by the automatic machine, the third lid supplied from the third lid supply device is transported to the placement surface until the later of the time when the next lid after the first lid is supplied to the first conveyor from the first lid supply device and the time when the next lid after the second lid is supplied to the first conveyor from the second lid supply device.

7. the plurality of lid supply devices include a fourth lid supply device and a fifth lid supply device, the fourth lid supply device and the fifth lid supply device supply the lids to the first conveyor; When the first lid supply device and the second lid supply device are performing a supply operation, the fourth lid supply device and the fifth lid supply device stop their supply operations; The lid supply system according to claim 3 , wherein when the first lid supply device and the second lid supply device stop supplying operations, the fourth lid supply device and the fifth lid supply device perform supplying operations.

8. The lid supply system of claim 1; A robot system comprising the automatic machine, A robot system characterized in that the automatic machine is a horizontal articulated robot having a hand that holds the lid and presses the lid toward the container body.

9. A lid supplying method in which an automatic machine that performs a lid closing operation supplies the lids to a placement surface on which the lids are held, comprising: a first lid supply device that takes out the lids stored in the first lid supply device, inverts them, and then supplies them to a lid conveyor; a second lid supply device that takes out the lids stored in the second lid supply device, inverts them, and then supplies them to the lid conveyor; A lid supply method characterized in that the lids supplied to the lid conveyor by the first lid supply device and the lids supplied to the lid conveyor by the second lid supply device arrive at the placement surface at different times.

Images