Bag opening device, method for controlling the bag opening device

Abstract

Even when opening different types of bags, the opening is formed while applying the necessary tension. [Solution] An opening device comprising a conveying section for conveying a bag containing powder, and a cutting section for cutting a portion of the first main surface of the bag conveyed by the conveying section and placed on a placement surface, wherein the device has a pushing section that pushes up a portion of the second main surface side of the bag, which is the side opposite to the first main surface of the bag and facing the placement surface described above, toward the first main surface side.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a bag opening device and a control method for the bag opening device.

Background Art

[0002] There is a bag opening machine that can open a bag containing powder or the like and take out the powder as the contents. Such a bag opening machine forms an opening by making a cut in a part of the bag body. When cutting a bag containing powder, if the cut surface is loose, it cannot be cut neatly. For example, in a bag made of a material containing paper, paper pieces or paper powder may be generated from the cut portion. If paper pieces or paper powder are generated, it will cause them to mix into the powder to be taken out. Therefore, it is necessary to apply tension to the cut surface. In order to apply tension to the cut surface, there is a bag opening device (see, for example, Patent Document 1) that places the bag on a table having a corrugated shape in advance to apply tension to the top of the bag having a corrugated shape and then cuts it. In addition, there is a bag opening device (see, for example, Patent Document 2) that presses a plate with an opening formed thereon against the bag to apply tension to the bag on the inner peripheral side of the opening and cut the bag to form an opening hole.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, Patent Document 1 states that if the filling rate of the powder contained in the bag differs depending on the variety, when the bag is placed on a table with a curved surface, the top of the bag may be too taut depending on the filling rate. If the bag is cut while the top is too taut, the contained powder may scatter. Also, if the bag is cut while the top is not taut, a cutting defect may occur.

[0005] On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, a plate with an opening is pressed against the bag, compressing the inside of the bag and increasing the internal pressure. If the bag is cut in this state, the compressed gas inside the bag is released from the cut, and depending on the properties of the powder contained, the powder may scatter.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a bag opening device and a method for controlling the bag opening device that can form an opening while applying the necessary tension, even when the type of object to be opened is different. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention is a bag opening device comprising a conveying unit for conveying a bag containing powder and a cutting unit for cutting a part of the first main surface of the bag conveyed by the conveying unit and placed on a placement surface, wherein the bag opening device has a push-up unit that pushes up a part of the second main surface side of the bag, which is the side opposite to the first main surface of the bag and facing the placement surface described above, toward the first main surface side.

[0008] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires bag information to identify the type of bag containing powder, a storage unit that stores the type of bag and a degree of push-up indicating the degree to which the push-up unit pushes up the bag in the thickness direction from the placement surface of the table on which the bag to be cut by the cutting unit is placed, a reading unit that reads the degree of push-up corresponding to the bag information acquired by the acquisition unit from the storage unit, and a control unit that pushes up the bag with the push-up unit based on the read degree of push-up, and cuts a part of the pushed-up portion to form an opening.

[0009] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is a control method for a bag opening device executed by a computer, which includes transporting a bag containing powder so as to be placed on a placement surface, pushing up a portion of the main surface of the bag facing the placement surface in the thickness direction of the bag, and cutting a portion of the pushed-up area of ​​the main surface of the bag opposite to the main surface facing the placement surface. Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is a control method for a bag opening device executed by a computer, comprising: acquiring bag information that identifies the type of bag containing powder; reading the bag type and the degree of push-up, which indicates the degree to which the push-up unit pushes up the bag in the thickness direction from the placement surface of the table on which the bag to be cut by the cutting unit is placed, from a storage unit that stores the degree of push-up corresponding to the acquired bag information; pushing up the bag with the push-up unit based on the read degree of push-up; and cutting a part of the pushed-up portion to form an opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] As explained above, this invention makes it possible to form an opening while applying the necessary tension, even when the type of object to be opened differs. This reduces the scattering of contents during opening and prevents cutting defects. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] It is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of the bag opening device S. [Figure 2A] It is a schematic external view showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 2B] It is a schematic external view showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the table T and the pushing-up part 104 in the bag opening unit 1. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining the function of the conveying unit 2. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the conveying unit 2 to convey the bag body B. [Figure 6] It is a functional block diagram showing the schematic function of the bag opening unit 1. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing an example of the pushing-up distance data stored in the storage unit 102. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the bag opening unit 1. [Figure 9A] It is a schematic external view showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 9B] It is a schematic external view showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 10A] It is a schematic external view showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 10B] It is a schematic external view showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 11A] It is a schematic external view showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 11B] It is a schematic external view showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of this invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, the bag opening device S according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of the bag opening device S. The bag opening device S includes a bag opening unit 1 and a conveying unit 2. The bag opening unit 1 opens the bag body B conveyed by the conveying unit 2. The conveying unit 2 conveys the bag body B to be opened to the bag opening unit 1. The conveying unit 2 may convey the bag body B opened by the bag opening unit 1 to a position where the subsequent process can be carried out. The conveying unit 2 functions as a conveying unit.

[0013] The bag opening unit 1 and the conveying unit 2 will be further described. FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic external views showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 2A is a schematic external view of the bag opening unit 1 seen from the side, and FIG. 2B is a schematic external view of the bag opening unit 1 seen from the front. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the table T and the pushing-up portion 104 in the bag opening unit 1.

[0014] In the bag opening unit 1, the table T can place the bag body B. The bag body B is a container in which the contents are stored. The contents are, for example, a powdery substance (powder), and more specifically, any of flour, sugar, salt, etc., and may be any of foods, pharmaceuticals, industrial products, etc. The bag body B is composed of at least one of paper, cloth, chemical fiber, and other soft materials, and is composed of a flexible material. Also, the bag body B may be composed of a plurality of materials, such as a material in which a paper layer and an aluminum layer are laminated. Since the bag body B is composed of such a soft material, its shape can change flexibly.

[0015] The longitudinal direction of the table T corresponds to the left-right direction when the view of FIG. 2B is seen from the front. As shown in Figure 3, an opening Ta is provided approximately in the center of the longitudinal direction of the table T, and the push-up portion 104 is positioned at the location corresponding to this opening Ta. The push-up portion 104 is, for example, a plate-shaped member. The upper surface 104a of the push-up portion 104 is located at approximately the same height as the mounting surface of the table T in its initial state. The longitudinal direction of the upper surface 104a of the push-up portion 104 is formed to align with the width direction of the mounting surface of the table T, and the short direction is formed to align with the longitudinal direction of the mounting surface of the table T. The height direction of the push-up portion 104 is positioned to align with the vertical direction of the table T.

[0016] When the push-up section 104 is pushed up by the lifting mechanism 140, its upper surface 104a protrudes above the mounting surface of the table T. As the upper surface 104a of the push-up section 104 protrudes above the mounting surface of the table T, the portion of the bag body B corresponding to the push-up section 104 is pushed up above the mounting surface of the table T. This makes it possible for the upper surface 104a of the push-up section 104 to push up a portion of the bag body B across its width at approximately the center of the bag body B in the direction along the longitudinal direction of the table T. As a portion of the main surface (second main surface) of the bag body B facing the table T is pushed up from below (at the position of the mounting surface of the table T) by the push-up section 104, the upper surface Ba of the bag body B becomes taut. Here, the posture of the end of the bag body B in the longitudinal direction of the table T remains almost unchanged, but the upper surface Ba of the pushed-up portion of the bag body B becomes taut and taut as it is pushed up. When tension is applied to the part of bag B to be cut in this manner, the area around the tensioned part (the area corresponding to the ridge formed by being pushed up) is cut by the cutting part 105 along the width direction of bag B (along the ridge).

[0017] The lifting mechanism 140 changes the position (protruding height) of the upper surface 104a of the push-up section 104 in the direction perpendicular to the mounting surface of the table T by raising or lowering the push-up section 104. The lifting mechanism 140 may use any of the following: a hydraulic cylinder, an electric cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or a servo motor.

[0018] The cutting section 105 is located above the table T and opposite the push-up section 104. The cutting section 105 descends towards the mounting surface of the table T, is inserted into the first main surface of the bag body B (for example, the upper surface Ba), and moves along the width direction to cut at least a portion of the upper surface Ba, thereby forming an opening. The cutting section 105 can change its orientation by an extension / retraction mechanism. Furthermore, the height at which the cutting section 105 cuts can be adjusted to a height corresponding to the thickness of the bag B placed on the table T before cutting the bag B. The position of the cutting section 105 in the height direction when cutting the bag B may be controlled by the control unit 106 according to the type of bag B, etc.

[0019] The telescopic mechanism 150 changes the position of the cutting section 105 in the height direction by extending or retracting based on a control signal from the control unit 106. The moving mechanism 151 changes the position of the cutting section 105 in the width direction of the table T based on the control signal from the control unit 106.

[0020] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the function of the transport unit 2, and is a schematic side view taken from the side. The transport unit 2 transports the bag B contained within the transport unit 210 from the first end to the second end of the transport table 200 by having the mobile unit 210 reciprocate along the mounting surface of the transport table 200 via the mobile mechanism 220. The first end is the end that is far from the bag opening unit 1, and the second end is the end that is closer to the bag opening unit 1 than the first end. The mobile unit 210 is arranged such that the first unit 230 and the second unit 240 are aligned along the transport direction. The first unit 230 includes a flip-up gate 231 and a flip-up mechanism 232. The flip-up gate 231 and the flip-up mechanism 232 are connected by a connecting portion 233. A portion of the flip-up gate 231 is rotatably connected to a portion of the mobile unit 210 via a connecting portion 234, and the flip-up gate 231 can transition between a closed state and an open state (flipped up state) depending on the extension and retraction of the flip-up mechanism 232. The flip-up mechanism 232 is extendable and retractable. When the flip-up mechanism 232 is extended, the flip-up gate 231 closes, and the bag body B can come into contact with the main surface of the flip-up gate 231, allowing the bag body B to move relative to the moving unit 210 in the horizontal direction. When the flip-up mechanism 232 is retracted, the flip-up gate 231 flips up, and the bag body B does not come into contact with the main surface of the flip-up gate 231, restricting the bag body B from moving relative to the moving unit 210 in the horizontal direction.

[0021] The second unit 240 includes a liftgate 241 and a lift mechanism 242, and has the same function as the first unit 230. The swing gates 231 and 241 transition to either the open or closed state at the same time in response to the movement of the mobile unit 210.

[0022] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the transport unit 2 in transporting the bag B. In step S1, the mobile unit 210 is in its initial position. Bag B1 is contained in the first unit 230 of the mobile unit 210, and bag B2 is contained in the second unit 240. Both the swing gate 231 and the swing gate 241 are in the closed position. In step S2, the moving mechanism 220 moves the moving unit 210 horizontally. Here, the second unit 240 moves to the right in the view of Figure 5, and transports the bag B2 to position P while pushing it with the flip-up gate 241. Position P is, for example, the position where the bag opening unit 1 will open the bag. At the same time, the first unit 230 also moves to the right in the view of Figure 5, and transports the bag B1 while pushing it with the flip-up gate 231. The first unit 230 transports the bag B1 to the position where the second unit 240 was before it moved.

[0023] In step S3, with the flip-up mechanisms 232 and 242 retracted, the flip-up gates 231 and 241 are flipped up to open them. Also, a new bag B3 is placed in the position where the first unit 230 was initially located by an operator or other device. In step S4, the moving mechanism 220 moves the moving unit 210 horizontally, and the moving unit 210 returns to its initial position. Here, since both the flip-up gate 231 and the flip-up gate 241 return to their initial positions while remaining open, neither the bag body B1 nor the bag body B2 is pushed back to the left in Figure 5 by the moving unit 210. As a result, both the bag body B1 and the bag body B2 are in the positions they were in after being moved in step S3. Furthermore, bag B2 is opened at position P by the opening unit 1.

[0024] In step S5, both the swing gate 231 and the swing gate 241 are closed. As a result, bag B3 is placed in the first unit 230 and bag B1 is placed in the second unit 240.

[0025] After step S5, the same operations as in step S1 and subsequent steps are performed. The bag B2, which was opened in step S4, is transported from position P to the next process by the transport unit 2. Alternatively, another transport unit 2 may be prepared separately, or a transport unit with a different configuration may be used. In this way, the bags B are transported sequentially and opened.

[0026] Figure 6 is a functional block diagram illustrating the general functions of the bag opening unit 1. The bag opening unit 1 includes an acquisition unit 101, a storage unit 102, a reading unit 103, a push-up unit 104, a cutting unit 105, a control unit 106, a lifting mechanism 140, an extension / retraction mechanism 150, and a moving mechanism 151. The acquisition unit 101 acquires bag information that identifies the type of bag B containing the powder. The acquisition unit 101 may acquire the results read by a reading device that optically reads bag information attached to the bag B to be cut. The reading device may be, for example, a barcode reader connected to the outside of the bag opening unit 1. Alternatively, the reading device may be, for example, a camera. The camera may capture an image of the bag B to be opened, extract characters, barcodes, etc. attached to the bag B from the captured image, and output the extraction result as bag information to the acquisition unit 101. This allows the acquisition unit 101 to acquire the bag information extracted from the image captured by the camera. The acquisition unit 101 may acquire bag information entered by the operator via an input unit such as a touch panel or control panel. The touch panel, control panel, etc. may be connected to the outside of the bag opening unit 1 or may be provided on the bag opening unit 1.

[0027] The memory unit 102 stores the push-up distance data. Figure 7 shows an example of the push-up distance data stored in the memory unit 102. The push-up distance data includes items such as barcode, contents, bag size, weight, fill rate, and push-up distance. The barcode refers to the barcode attached to bag B. One-dimensional barcodes and two-dimensional barcodes can be used. The barcode may be attached by being printed on the outer surface of bag B, or by a label with the barcode printed on it being affixed to the outer surface of bag B. The barcode may also represent data indicating the type of bag B. Furthermore, the barcode may be different depending on the type of contents contained in bag B, the size of the bag (e.g., dimensions of each side or volume), the amount of contents contained in bag B (e.g., weight), the filling rate, etc. The barcode may also be a code to identify the type of bag B, or it may be identification information such as a serial number that individually identifies bag B.

[0028] The contents refer to the substance contained in bag B. The bag size refers to the dimensions of bag B when it is filled with contents, and is expressed by its length, width, and thickness. For example, it may also refer to the volume of bag B. The weight represents the weight of bag B when it is filled with contents. The weight may also be the weight of the contents contained in bag B. The filling rate indicates the proportion of the bag B that is filled with contents, and may be expressed, for example, as the volume of the contents filled relative to the volume that the bag B can hold.

[0029] The push-up distance indicates the distance that the push-up section 104 pushes up the bag B, which is to be cut by the cutting section 105, in the thickness direction from the mounting surface of the table T on which the bag B is placed. In other words, the push-up distance represents the distance (height) that the push-up section 104 protrudes from the mounting surface of the table T. This type of push-up distance can be determined in advance through experiments or other means to determine the distance at which good tension can be applied for each type of bag B, and this distance may be stored as push-up distance data. Furthermore, the push-up distance is an example of the degree of push-up, which represents the degree to which the push-up section 104 protrudes from the mounting surface of the table T. Instead of using the push-up distance, the degree of push-up may be expressed using any of the following values: the pressure during push-up, the torque of the motor constituting the lifting mechanism 140, the level at which the push-up section 104 protrudes, or the time from the start to the end of the lift by the lifting mechanism 140.

[0030] Here, in the push-up distance data, the push-up distance may be stored as a different value depending on the filling rate of the powder packed into the bag B. For example, the storage unit 102 may store a value such that the push-up distance is longer when the filling rate is low (and shorter when the filling rate is high). When the bag B has a high filling rate, there is less room before the top surface of the bag B begins to tense, so the push-up distance is set to be short. When the bag B has a low filling rate, there is more room before the top surface of the bag B begins to tense, so the push-up distance is set to be long. Therefore, it is also possible to set the optimal push-up distance according to the properties of the bag B (the filling rate of the powder relative to the bag B).

[0031] The storage unit 102 is composed of a storage medium, such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access read / write Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), SSD (Solid State Drive), or any combination thereof. This storage unit 102 can, for example, use non-volatile memory.

[0032] The reading unit 103 reads the push-up distance corresponding to the bag information acquired by the acquisition unit 101 from the storage unit 102.

[0033] The control unit 106 controls the lifting mechanism 140, the telescopic mechanism 150, and the moving mechanism 151. The control unit 106 pushes up the bag B using the push-up unit 104 based on the push-up distance read from the read-up unit 103, and cuts a portion of the pushed-up part using the cutting unit 105 to form an opening. The control unit 106 may also control the transport operation performed by the transport unit 2.

[0034] The acquisition unit 101, the reading unit 103, and the control unit 106 may be composed of a processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a dedicated electronic circuit.

[0035] Next, we will explain the operation of the bag opening unit 1. Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the bag opening unit 1. The acquisition unit 101 acquires information about the bag body B that is the target of forming the opening (step S101). For example, the acquisition unit 101 acquires the reading result from a barcode reader when an operator reads the barcode printed on the outer surface of a bag B that is to form an opening, among the bags B that are loaded on a pallet and stored near the bag opening unit 1, using a barcode reader. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 101 may acquire bag information entered by the operator from a touch panel or control panel instead of a barcode reader. When bag information is entered from a touch panel or control panel, the operator can input a value corresponding to at least one of several items that make up the bag information. For example, at least one of the following may be entered by the operator and acquired by the acquisition unit 101: the filling rate of the bag B filled with powder, the type of contents contained in the bag B, the value indicating the barcode attached to the bag B, the volume of the bag B, or the weight of the powder contained in the bag B. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 101 may acquire the measurement results obtained by a measuring device that measures the shape or weight of the bag B as bag information. The result of measuring the shape of the bag B may be, for example, the result of measuring the size of the bag B, and may be, for example, the result of measuring the length in the vertical direction, the length in the horizontal direction, and the thickness of the bag B. Furthermore, the bag information may be any data that can identify the type or characteristics of bag B, and may be a combination of at least two items from among the barcode, contents, bag size, weight, and filling rate included in the push-up distance data.

[0036] Once the bag information is acquired, the transport unit 2, positioned near the bag opening unit 1, transports bag B from its storage location. The transport unit 2 then transports bag B to a position on the table T's mounting surface where it can be cut, and positions it so that the area of ​​bag B to be cut overlaps with the upper surface 104a of the push-up section 104. This section describes the case where bag information is acquired by the acquisition unit 101 and then bag B is transported to table T. However, the acquisition unit 101 may acquire bag information after bag B has been placed on table T.

[0037] The reading unit 103 reads the push-up distance corresponding to the bag information acquired by the acquisition unit 101 from the storage unit 102 (step S102). For example, if data indicating barcode "A" is acquired by the acquisition unit 101, the reading unit 103 reads the push-up distance "100 mm" corresponding to this barcode "A" by referring to the push-up distance data stored in the storage unit 102. Furthermore, for example, if the acquisition unit 101 acquires bag information including the contents "wheat flour" and the filling rate "80", the reading unit 103 reads out the push-up distance "120 mm" corresponding to the combination of contents "wheat flour" and filling rate "80" by referring to the push-up distance data stored in the storage unit 102. Furthermore, for example, if the acquisition unit 101 acquires data indicating barcode "B", the reading unit 103 reads out the bag size "40×50×10" corresponding to this barcode "B". In addition, the reading unit 103 reads out the push-up distance "70mm" corresponding to the acquired bag size "40×50×10" by referring to the push-up distance data stored in the storage unit 102.

[0038] When the push-up distance is read, the control unit 106 outputs a drive signal to the lifting mechanism 140 to cause the push-up section 104 to protrude from the mounting surface of the table T to a height corresponding to the push-up distance. As a result, the control unit 106 causes the push-up section 104 to protrude to a height corresponding to the push-up distance (step S103). When the push-up section 104 is extended, the control unit 106 drives the telescopic mechanism 150 and the moving mechanism 151 to cut the bag body B with the cutting section 105 (step S104). This creates an opening in the bag body B. For example, the opening is located approximately in the center of the bag body B in the direction along the longitudinal direction of the table T, and is formed by making a straight cut along the width direction of the bag body B.

[0039] Once the cutting by the cutting unit 105 is complete, the control unit 106 lowers the push-up unit 104 (step S105). As a result, the height of the upper surface 104a of the push-up unit 104 returns to approximately the same height as the mounting surface of the table T. After this, the transport unit 2 transports the bag B, which has an opening formed in it, from the mounting surface of the table T to the location where the next step is to be performed. The next step is, for example, a step in which a suction nozzle is inserted through the opening formed in the bag B and the powder contained in the bag B is sucked out.

[0040] The processes described in steps S101 to S105 above may be performed each time an opening formation process is performed on a bag B to be formed. In this case, if bags B of the same type are cut sequentially, once bag information can be obtained, the same bag information can be used for subsequent bags B. For example, a pallet on which many bags B of the same type are placed may be transported near the bag opening unit 1, and openings may be formed sequentially on the bags B placed on the pallet. In such a case, if bag information can be obtained when forming an opening on the first bag B, the same push-up distance value may be used to operate the push-up unit 104 for subsequent bags B. In this case, steps S101 and S102 may be omitted, and steps S103 to S105 may be repeated for the number of bags B to be cut.

[0041] Furthermore, when openings are formed in multiple bags B in succession, the control unit 106 stores the transport order of the multiple bags B input from the outside and the bag information of each bag B being transported in the storage unit 102. By using this information, the push-up distance of the push-up unit 104 can be output sequentially according to the transport order. It is also possible to acquire bag information in this manner in a consolidated manner.

[0042] Next, the operation of the bag opening unit 1 will be explained using Figures 2A, 2B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 11A, and 11B. Figures 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 11A, and 11B are schematic external views showing the configuration of the bag opening unit 1. More specifically, Figures 9A, 10A, and 11A are schematic external views of the bag opening unit 1 viewed from the side, and Figures 9B, 10B, and 11B are schematic external views of the bag opening unit 1 viewed from the front. In steps S101 and S102 described above, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the push-up portion 104 is in a position before it protrudes from the mounting surface of the table T, and the cutting portion 105 is also in a position (initial position) that does not come into contact with the bag B. When the process moves to step S103, as shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the push-up portion 104 protrudes from the mounting surface of the table T to a length La corresponding to the push-up distance. As a result, the portion of the upper surface Ba of the bag body B that is pushed up by the push-up portion 104 is pushed up by a height Lb.

[0043] When the process moves to step S104, as shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the expansion / contraction mechanism 150 is extended toward the bag body B towards one end in the width direction of the pushed-up upper surface Ba of the bag body B, and after the blade of the cutting section 105 is inserted, as shown in Figures 11A and 11B, the blade of the cutting section 105 is moved by the movement mechanism 151 along the ridge of the pushed-up upper surface Ba of the bag body B from one end to the other, thereby forming an opening. After this, the push-up section 104 returns to its state before protruding, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, and the cutting section 105 also returns to its initial position as shown in Figures 2A and 2B.

[0044] According to the embodiments described above, even if the bags B are of different types and have different properties, the push-up distance can be adjusted to match the properties of the bag B, thereby obtaining a suitable tension state for cutting the part of the bag B to be cut. Furthermore, even if the material of bag B or the amount of contents it contains differs, the necessary tension can be applied to the part to be cut according to the properties of bag B, thereby suppressing the occurrence of cutting defects.

[0045] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the bag body B can be deformed in the vertical direction (thickness direction) by pushing it up with the push-up section 104. Therefore, even if the contents around the part being pushed up are compressed and compacted, the effect of loosening the contents can be expected. As a result, it is possible to suppress poor powder suction by the suction nozzle in the next process. For example, when multiple bag bodies B are stored stacked on a pallet, the bag bodies B located at the bottom of the stack may be compacted due to the weight of the bag bodies B stacked on top of them. Even in such cases, when pushed up with the push-up section 104, the effect of loosening the contents in the thickness direction can be expected.

[0046] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the bag body B is partially pushed up from the lower side during cutting, and tension can be generated and tension applied to the part to be cut with a simple configuration.

[0047] Furthermore, in the aforementioned Patent Document 1, when bag B is placed on a curved table, it becomes convex, and gravity acts on both of its hanging ends. As a result, the hanging ends of bag B are prone to compaction of the contents. When the contents are compacted, it becomes difficult to aspirate the contents in the next process after the bag is opened, which can lead to insufficient aspiration. In contrast, with the bag opening unit 1 described above, the ends of the bag B do not hang down below the horizontal plane, so the bag can be opened while avoiding the contents accumulating at the ends and becoming compacted during the opening process.

[0048] Furthermore, in the aforementioned Patent Document 2, since the bag is opened by pressing a plate-shaped member with an opening against the bag body B, the contents are compressed at the point where the plate-shaped member is pressed, which may lead to poor suction in the next step of removing the contents (for example, the suction step). Furthermore, in the aforementioned Patent Document 2, when the bag B is pressed down by a plate-like member and opened, the inside of the bag B is compressed by the plate-like member, increasing the overall internal pressure, and the bag is cut in that state. As a result, the powder inside the bag B is more likely to spill out when the bag is opened. In contrast, in this embodiment, tension can be applied by generating tension around the part to be cut, while tension can be avoided in the parts not to be cut by minimizing tension, and the internal pressure can also be kept from rising. Furthermore, since cutting can be performed in this state, the amount of powder ejected can be reduced, and thus the generation of dust can be suppressed.

[0049] Furthermore, with the bag opening unit 1 described above, since no plate-shaped member is pressed against the bag body B to apply pressure, it is possible to avoid the contents being solidified by being pressed against by the plate-shaped member. As a result, the contents are not solidified, and in subsequent processes, the contents can be smoothly sucked out of the bag body B. Furthermore, the above-described bag opening unit 1 can apply tension to the area to be cut, but does not apply tension to areas that are not to be cut. In Patent Document 2, tension can be applied to the area to be cut, but since the area other than the area to be cut is pressed against by the plate-like member, the area to which pressure is applied is wide. In the above-described bag opening unit 1, pressure is applied to the part of the bag body B that is in contact with the push-up part 104, but the area to which pressure is applied can be made smaller compared to Patent Document 2. In addition, in the above-described bag opening unit 1, the entire bag body B is not pressed against, so it is possible to suppress an increase in the internal pressure of the bag body B, and dust is less likely to be generated when cutting.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the acquisition unit 101, storage unit 102, reading unit 103, and control unit 106 of the bag opening unit 1 may be configured as a push-up control device, which is a separate device from the bag opening unit 1, and the push-up control device and the bag opening unit 1 may be connected in a way that enables communication. The push-up control device may then output a control signal representing the push-up distance to the bag opening unit 1, causing the push-up unit 1 to move up and down.

[0051] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment described the case where the push-up portion 104 is a plate-shaped member, it may be composed of multiple rod-shaped members arranged in a straight line adjacent to each other, rather than a plate-shaped member, as long as the bag body B can be pushed up along the width direction or length direction.

[0052] The electronic device (for example, the push-up control device described above) including the acquisition unit 101, reading unit 103, and control unit 106 of the bag opening unit 1 in the above-described embodiment may be implemented using a computer. In that case, the program for implementing this function may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on this recording medium may be loaded into a computer system and executed. Here, "computer system" includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into a computer system. Moreover, "computer-readable recording medium" may also include those that dynamically hold programs for a short period of time, such as communication lines used when transmitting programs via networks such as the Internet or communication lines such as telephone lines, and those that hold programs for a certain period of time, such as volatile memory inside a computer system that acts as a server or client in such a case. Furthermore, the above-mentioned program may be for implementing a part of the above-mentioned function, or it may be a program that can implement the above-mentioned function in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system, or it may be implemented using a programmable logic device such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0053] While embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the spirit of this invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1. Opening unit 2 Conveyor Units 101 Acquisition Department 102 Storage section 103 Reading section 104 Push-up section 104a Top side 105 Cutting section 106 Control Unit 140 Lifting mechanism 150 Telescopic mechanism 151 Moving mechanism 200 transport platform 210 Mobile Units 230 Unit 1 231 Swing gate 232 Flip-up mechanism 233,234 Connecting part B,B1,B2,B3 Bag body Ba Top surface T Table Ta opening S bag opening device

Claims

1. A conveying unit that transports bags containing powder, A cutting section cuts a portion of the first main surface of the bag body that is transported by the transport section and placed on the mounting surface. A bag opening device comprising: A push-up portion pushes up a part of the second main surface of the bag, which is the opposite side of the first main surface of the bag and faces the aforementioned placement surface, toward the first main surface. A bag opening device having the following features.

2. An acquisition unit that acquires bag information to identify the type of bag containing the powder, A storage unit that stores the degree of pushing up, which indicates the degree to which the bag body to be cut by the cutting unit is pushed up by the pushing unit, A reading unit reads from the storage unit the degree of push-up corresponding to the bag information acquired by the acquisition unit, A control unit pushes up the bag body with the pushing-up part based on the read-out degree of pushing up, and cuts a part of the pushed-up portion with the cutting part to form an opening. The bag opening device according to claim 1, having the following features.

3. The acquisition unit is, Obtain the results obtained by reading the bag information attached to the bag to be cut using an optical reading device, or by obtaining the results obtained by measuring the shape or weight of the bag using a measuring device. The bag opening device according to claim 2.

4. The acquisition unit is, The bag information is acquired by the operator via the input unit. The bag opening device according to claim 2.

5. The aforementioned storage unit is The system stores different degrees of uplift depending on the filling ratio of the powder packed into the bag. The bag opening device according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. The degree of upward push-up is the distance that is pushed up by the upward push-up part. The aforementioned storage unit is The system stores a value such that the lower the filling rate, the longer the distance the material is pushed up. The bag opening device according to claim 5.

7. The aforementioned bag information is, At least one of the following: the filling ratio of the bag to which the powder is filled, the type of powder contained in the bag, the barcode attached to the bag, the volume of the bag, and the weight of the powder contained in the bag. The bag opening device according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

8. A method for controlling a bag-opening device performed by a computer, The bag containing the powder is transported so that it is placed on the mounting surface. A portion of the main surface of the bag facing the mounting surface is pushed up in the thickness direction of the bag. In the bag, a portion of the main surface opposite to the main surface facing the aforementioned surface is cut off. A method for controlling a bag opening device, including the following.

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