Conveying means

Abstract

This invention provides a highly versatile conveying method that can deliver items in a stable position without tilting them, even when the width of the items is changed, during continuous conveying, during driving and stopping of intermittent conveying, or during handover at each process. [Solution] In a transport means including a delivery means and a movement resistance adding means 20, the delivery means is equipped with a pair of fingers 10 that are in contact with the left and right sides of the upstream rear surface of the article 201 and slide parallel to the downstream side to deliver the article, and the movement resistance adding means 20 is positioned between the pair of fingers 10 and does not sandwich the article from above or below, but adds central movement resistance only to the lower surface of the article, making the central movement resistance greater than the movement resistance generated on the left and right sides of the article, and stabilizing the posture during movement so that the article does not tilt from side to side even if the magnitude of the movement resistance generated on the left and right sides is different when the pair of fingers 10 are moving or stopped.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a highly versatile conveying means that can deliver an article in a stable posture without tilting it even when the width of the article to be conveyed is changed.

[0002] Specifically, it relates to a conveying means that delivers with a pair of fingers, and relates to a conveying means that can deliver articles with different widths in a stable posture without tilting left and right. The conveying means may be applied to either continuous conveying or intermittent conveying, and is not limited to a conveying line that conveys linearly, and may be a rotary conveyor that conveys in a vertical direction.

[0003] The article to be conveyed is preferably a sub-packaging sheet body that is likely to have a non-uniform thickness, or a PTP sheet that may generate twisting, or a PTP sheet made of easily damaged aluminum foil, but is not limited to a flat sheet body, and may be applied to a laminate, a stacked integrated body, a package, etc.

Background Art

[0004] For example, a sub-packaging sheet body in which granules are bagged does not necessarily have a uniform thickness due to the particle size of the granules. In addition, a PTP sheet in which tablets are arranged and stored is formed by inserting tablets into a tablet storage part and then heat-sealing the back sheet and then die-cutting, so twisting may occur due to heat distortion or die-cutting distortion.

[0005] The sheet body is shipped through a lamination process, a banding process, a pillow bag packaging process, a boxing process, etc. from upstream to downstream. In each of those processes, the sheet body or a laminate of the sheet body, etc. is pushed and delivered on the conveying line by a pair of left and right fingers, and is delivered to the downstream process through the delivery part of each process.

[0006] Furthermore, the conveying means for transporting the sheet body is equipped with guide walls that support both sides of the sheet body to prevent it from falling off to the side. If the width of the sheet body increases due to the amount and shape of its contents, the positions of the pair of fingers on the left and right sides remain unchanged, and only the positions of the guide walls on both sides that support the sheet body are widened to prevent the sheet body from falling off.

[0007] As a result, the distance from the finger to the lateral guide wall increases, making it easier for the sheet to rotate using the downwardly convex portion as a pivot point due to uneven thickness or twisting of the sheet, sometimes causing the sheet to be fed out tilted to the left or right. In particular, if the sheet tilted to the left or right at the transfer position when moving to the next process, it could cause jamming or damage to the sheet, sometimes requiring the conveyor line to be stopped to remove them, which was one of the factors that reduced production efficiency.

[0008] On the other hand, to protect the quality of the contents of the sheet, the application of PTP sheets with aluminum foil sheets that do not transmit ultraviolet light as the tablet storage area is also expanding. However, when both the front sheet and the back sheet, in which the tablet storage area is formed, are made of aluminum foil, there is a problem that the tablet storage area becomes dented and scratched during the transport process.

[0009] Patent Document 1 discloses a transport mechanism that prevents the PTP sheet from losing its posture due to the inertial force generated when intermittent transport stops, thereby enabling stable transport. Specifically, it describes providing an upper guide plate above the transport path and a push-up member equipped with a biasing means below the transport stop position, so that the PTP sheet is sandwiched between the upper guide plate and the push-up member at the transport stop position.

[0010] Even when transport stops during intermittent transport, the PTP sheet is held in place from above and below, so its posture is not disrupted by the inertial force associated with movement, allowing it to be sent to the downstream reversal device. However, with this technology, because the PTP sheet is slid while being held from above and below, there was a possibility of damaging the tablet storage section if the PTP sheet was made of aluminum foil.

[0011] Patent Document 2 discloses a packaging device technology in which the ability to apply or not apply a band is selectable. According to this technology, after the sheets are sent to the direction changing means downstream of the banding process, a top plate is provided as a guide aid, so that even PTP sheets that are not banded will not shift in their overlapping state.

[0012] Furthermore, with this technology, since the stack is inverted and transferred using a single inversion conveyor, if the item is a PTP sheet, the tablet storage portion will be handed over facing downwards. If the tablet storage portion is made of easily damaged aluminum foil, there is a problem that if it is transported downstream in this state, the downward-facing tablet storage portion will easily get scratched.

[0013] The applicant has implemented a transport means for transporting an aggregate by using two inverting transporters in succession. According to this technology, when the laminate received in the receiving section of the first inverting transporter and the aggregate strapped by the first inverting transporter are transferred from the second inverting transporter, they can be transported with the same orientation, thereby suppressing damage to the tablet storage section during the transport process.

[0014] According to this technology, first, PTP sheets are stacked in the upstream transport process to form a laminate. The laminate (hereinafter also referred to as the aggregate) received in the receiving section of the first reversing conveyor is then banded together in a gable-like manner in the first reversing conveyor to form a single aggregate, which is then transferred to the second reversing conveyor via the transfer section.

[0015] However, since one end of the PTP sheet along its long side is equipped with a tag indicating the drug name, ingredients, etc., even when the PTP sheets are assembled into a single unit, it is not perfectly symmetrical. Therefore, it occasionally tilts to the left or right during transfer downstream, and it was sometimes necessary to temporarily suspend transport to avoid detachment, jamming, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0016] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-74559 Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-187007 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0017] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a highly versatile conveying means that can deliver articles in a stable posture without tilting them, even when the width of the articles is changed, during continuous conveying, during driving and stopping of intermittent conveying, or during handover at each process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0018] The first aspect of the present invention relates to a conveying means for conveying articles of uneven thickness, comprising a delivery means and a movement resistance adding means, wherein the delivery means includes a pair of fingers that are in contact with the left and right sides of the upstream rear surface of the article and slide parallel to the downstream side to deliver the article, and the movement resistance adding means is positioned between the pair of fingers and applies central movement resistance only to the lower surface of the article without sandwiching the article from above or below, wherein the central movement resistance is greater than the movement resistance generated on the left and right sides of the article, and the posture during movement is stabilized so that the article does not tilt from side to side even if the magnitudes of the movement resistance generated on the left and right sides differ when the pair of fingers are moving or stopped.

[0019] Articles with uneven thickness are not limited to non-flat individual packaging sheets, twisted PTP sheets, or asymmetrical stacks, but may also include boxes whose center of gravity is not in the center due to uneven contents. The conveying means are not limited to linear conveying lines, but may also be applied to circular conveying machines or inverting conveying machines.

[0020] The means for adding movement resistance may be provided along the entire conveying line, or only at stopping positions for intermittent conveying, positions for transferring goods between processes, etc., and may add movement resistance by contacting the goods, or it may add movement resistance by applying negative pressure without contacting the goods. The top surface of the means for adding movement resistance may be flat, or the central part may be recessed.

[0021] A central movement resistance is added to the inside of a pair of fingers of the conveying mechanism, and is set to be greater than the movement resistance on the left and right sides outside the fingers. This prevents the article from being sent out tilted to the left or right, even if the movement resistance on the left and right sides outside the fingers differs during conveying, stopping, or article transfer.

[0022] According to the first invention, during continuous transport, intermittent transport (movement and stopping), or during the transfer of goods at each process, the goods can be transferred in a stable posture without being tilted from side to side, thereby achieving unprecedented advantages in that production efficiency can be maintained without delaying transport.

[0023] A second aspect of the present invention is a conveying means of the first invention, characterized in that the means for adding movement resistance includes a resin member, and the resin member is in contact with the lower surface of the article.

[0024] The material of the resin component can be any material that contacts the lower surface of the article and generates frictional resistance, and is not limited to polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, etc., as long as it does not soil the article and is durable. According to the second invention, the lower surface of the article is less likely to be soiled, and the maintenance of the conveying means is easy.

[0025] The third invention of the present invention is the conveying means of the second invention, wherein the width of the resin member is narrower than the interval between the pair of fingers, and the height of each of the left and right outer edges of the resin member is higher than the central portion of the resin member and the conveying reference surface.

[0026] The height of the conveying reference surface may be the height of the conveying surface outside the fingers. If the height of the left and right outer edges of the resin member is about 3 mm higher than the conveying reference surface, even if the PTP sheet forming the article is changed to a wide width and twisting occurs, the central movement resistance is likely to be effectively generated, which is preferable. If the upstream production process is a process in which twisting is unlikely to occur in the article, the height of the left and right outer edges is not limited.

[0027] Also, the height inside the resin member may be lower than the left and right outer edges, and the resin member may be formed in a concave shape with a lower center in the conveying direction, and is not limited to the height of the conveying reference surface. According to the third invention, even when the width of the article is changed and the central bottom of the article is twisted convex downward, the article can be brought into contact with the left and right outer edges of the resin member, and the central movement resistance can be effectively exerted.

[0028] The fourth invention of the present invention is the conveying means of the first invention, wherein the movement resistance adding means includes a flat plate-like body and a negative pressure generating means, the flat plate-like body faces the lower surface of the article, and the negative pressure generating means generates a negative pressure toward the lower surface of the article on the flat plate-like body to add the central movement resistance.

[0029] According to the fourth invention, a negative pressure is generated on the flat plate-like body, and the negative pressure attracts the article to generate a central movement resistance. Since the central movement resistance is added from the flat plate-like body toward the lower surface of the article, it is not necessary to increase the negative pressure, and even if the article is a PTP sheet made of aluminum foil, it is difficult to damage, does not scatter dust, and does not mix dust into the article.

[0030] The fifth invention of the present invention is a conveying means according to the first to fourth inventions, further comprising a pair of guide walls, wherein the pair of guide walls are arranged on the left and right sides of the article in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, and are symmetrically repositionable with respect to the pair of fingers. The guide walls do not need to be in contact with the article, but only need to be spaced apart from the article so as not to tilt the article.

[0031] According to the fifth invention, guide walls are provided to sandwich the article on both sides, preventing the article from falling off the transport path. Furthermore, since the guide walls can be repositioned symmetrically, the system can be applied to transporting articles of different widths simply by changing the position of the guide walls, thereby increasing the versatility of the transport system.

[0032] The sixth invention of the present invention is a first to fourth conveying means comprising a first inversion conveyor and a second inversion conveyor, wherein the article is an aggregate of PTP sheets, the first inversion conveyor and the second inversion conveyor are provided with a plurality of aggregate holding parts arranged radially around their respective rotation axes, and function as a transfer means for inverting the aggregate and transferring it, each of the aggregate holding parts is provided with a pair of holding claws that hold the left and right sides outside the center of the aggregate, in the first inversion conveyor, the rotation space between the pair of holding claws functions as a space for strapping the aggregate in a gable-like manner, and the means for adding movement resistance is provided inside the pair of holding claws in at least one of the first inversion conveyor or the second inversion conveyor at the transfer position from the first inversion conveyor to the second inversion conveyor.

[0033] At the transfer position from the first reversing conveyor to the second reversing conveyor, it is preferable that both the first and second reversing conveyors are equipped with means for adding central movement resistance, but the posture can be stabilized if at least one of the first or second reversing conveyor is equipped with means for adding central movement resistance. Furthermore, at the transfer position from the second reversing conveyor, the stack can be transported in the same orientation (up and down) as the stack at the receiving position of the first reversing conveyor.

[0034] According to the sixth invention, it is not necessary to clamp the aggregate from above and below with the aggregate holding part, which suppresses damage to the aggregate that is prone to being damaged when handed over to the downstream conveying line, and also has the effect of stabilizing the posture of the aggregate without changing its posture at the handover position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] According to the first invention of this invention, during continuous transport, intermittent transport during movement and stopping, or during the transfer of goods at each process, the goods can be transferred in a stable posture without tilting from side to side, thereby achieving unprecedented advantages in that production efficiency can be maintained without delaying transport. According to the second invention of the present invention, the lower surface of the article is less likely to be soiled, and the maintenance of the conveying means is easier. According to the third invention of this invention, even when the width of the article is changed and the central bottom of the article is twisted downwards in a convex shape, the article and the left and right outer edges of the resin member are brought into contact, and the central movement resistance is effectively applied.

[0036] According to the fourth invention of this invention, even if the article is a PTP sheet made of aluminum foil, it is less likely to be damaged, and it does not scatter dust and does not allow dust to be mixed into the article. According to the fifth invention of this invention, by simply changing the position of the guide wall, it can be applied as a means of transporting articles of different widths, thereby increasing the versatility of the transport means. According to the sixth invention of the present invention, it is possible to suppress damage to the aggregate, which is prone to being damaged when transferred to a downstream conveying line, and to stabilize the posture of the aggregate at the transfer position without changing its posture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0037] [Figure 1] Diagram illustrating the manufacturing process of a pharmaceutical product (Example 1). [Figure 2] Diagram illustrating the change in the width of a PTP sheet (Example 1). [Figure 3] Diagram illustrating the transfer process using two reversing conveyors (Example 1). [Figure 4] Diagram illustrating the means for adding movement resistance using a negative pressure generating means (Example 2). [Figure 5] Diagram illustrating the stripping process using the first reversing conveyor (Example 3). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] Even if the width of a fragile item is changed, a resin member is provided between the pair of fingers, with its left and right outer edges higher than the central part and the transport reference surface, allowing for stable transport using the same transport line by simply changing some parts of the transport mechanism. This makes it a highly versatile transport mechanism that can transport an item without tilting it from side to side, even if the central part of the item is twisted convexly. [Examples]

[0039] In Example 1, a pharmaceutical manufacturing line 100 in which tablets are stored in PTP sheets and the PTP sheets are packaged and boxed as a collection, a conveying means 1 that can transport the goods in a stable position without tilting will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1(A) shows the process up to the point where the PTP sheets are made into a collection, and Figure 1(B) shows the process from banding the collection to changing its direction and packaging it in a pillow bag. Figure 1(C) shows a simplified view of the operation of the fingers that dispense the goods in the conveying line.

[0040] Figure 2(A) shows a plan view of a narrow PTP sheet being transported, Figure 2(B) shows a cross-sectional view at position B in Figure 2(A), and Figure 2(C) shows a vertical cross-sectional view of a wide PTP sheet that curves downwards. Figure 2(D) shows a plan view of a wide PTP sheet being transported.

[0041] Figure 2(E-1) shows a cross-sectional view during transport when a wide PTP sheet is curved downwards, and Figure 2(E-2) shows a cross-sectional view during transport when a wide PTP sheet is curved upwards. Figure 3(A) is an explanatory diagram of the means for adding movement resistance when transporting inverted using two inverting conveyors, and Figure 3(B) shows a cross-sectional view at position B in Figure 3(A).

[0042] First, in the pharmaceutical manufacturing line 100 (see Figure 1), the process proceeds from upstream: a tablet storage section molding machine 101 forms a tablet storage section on the surface sheet; a tablet dispenser 102 dispenses tablets into the tablet storage section; the back sheet supply machine 103 closes the tablet storage section with a back sheet supplied by the back sheet supply machine 103; and a welding machine 104 welds the surface sheet and the back sheet together.

[0043] Furthermore, the sheet cutting machine 105 punches and cuts the PTP sheets into the desired planar shape. Then, the stacking device 106 stacks the multiple PTP sheets in the desired stacking format to form an aggregate (see Figure 1(A)). The aggregate 200 is then transported to the first reversing conveyor 107 with its long side facing downstream. During the reversal of the first reversing conveyor 107, the aggregate 200 is subjected to banding, imaging inspection, etc., and then handed over to the second reversing conveyor 108. The aggregate transported from the second reversing conveyor is reoriented by the direction changing device 109 so that its short side faces downstream, and is transported further downstream to be bagged into pillow bags 110.

[0044] The PTP sheet may also be an aggregate with the tablet storage section attached between the sheet cutting machine 105 and the stacking device 106, and the stacking configuration is not limited, but for ease of understanding, the attachment process is omitted in the pharmaceutical manufacturing line 100. In Example 1, the article is described as a PTP sheet, but the article is not limited and may be a sachet sheet containing powdered medicine, paper sheets such as paper bundles, a flat packaging box, etc.

[0045] The transport method is often, but not limited to, continuous transport at a predetermined speed from the molding of the tablet storage section to the punching and cutting of the PTP sheet (see the thin black arrows in Figures 1(A) and 1(B)), and intermittent transport after the PTP sheet has been molded (see the white arrows in Figures 1(A) and 1(B)). In the stacking section 111 of the stacking device 106, PTP sheets that have been intermittently transported by fingers along the transport line are stacked on top of PTP sheets that have been lowered in sequence to form a predetermined number of stacks 200.

[0046] The stacking section 111, which has accumulated a predetermined number of stacks, is raised to the height of the original conveyor line, and the stacks are conveyed by fingers from the stacking section to the waiting area 112 of the first inverting conveyor. The stacks from the waiting area are transferred by fingers to the empty stacks holding sections of the first inverting conveyor 107, which has four stacks holding sections set at 90-degree intervals. The area from the waiting area to the empty stacks holding section is considered the stack transfer position.

[0047] The handed-over stacks are intermittently rotated 1 / 4 turn clockwise, where they undergo banding, imaging inspection, etc., and then intermittently rotated another 1 / 4 turn clockwise to a stop at the handover point to the second inverting conveyor 108. The empty stack holder section of the second inverting conveyor is open facing this handover point. The area from this handover point to the empty stack holder section constitutes the handover point between the two inverting conveyors.

[0048] At the transfer point, the stack is transferred to the second reversing conveyor and rotated 1 / 2 turn clockwise until it is facing the direction changer 109, and then fed out by the finger. At the direction changer, the conveying direction is rotated 90 degrees (see the thick black arrow in Figure 1(B)), the short side is oriented downstream, and then fed out to the pillow bag 110 by the finger.

[0049] When transporting materials linearly over the same distance on a flat surface, the fingers can be extended from the endless belt, and the endless belt can be made to rotate intermittently. However, the distance and movement of the fingers differ depending on whether the materials are transported linearly along a conveyor line, transported from a conveyor line to a reversing conveyor, transported at a transfer point between two reversing conveyors, or transported downstream over a large distance after a change of direction (see the white arrows in Figures 1(A) and 1(B)).

[0050] If the finger's travel distance and movement are different, the finger 10 can be controlled by a cam, link, servo motor, etc., to repeatedly perform the following actions: a horizontal feeding movement to deliver an item, a downward movement and return horizontal movement to return to its original position, and an upward movement to prepare it for the next item to be delivered (see Figure 1(C)).

[0051] Here, we will explain in detail, with reference to Figure 2, the case where the width of the item is changed to a different width, specifically when the item to be transported changes from a narrow-width PTP sheet 201 to a wide-width PTP sheet 202. Figures 2(A) and 2(B) show the state of transporting a narrow-width PTP sheet 201. Figures 2(D), 2(E-1), and 2(E-2) show the state of transporting a wide-width PTP sheet 202.

[0052] The PTP sheet is pushed from the upstream rear side by a pair of fingers 10, 10 and delivered (see the white arrow in Figure 2(A)). A means 20 for adding movement resistance, made of a resin member, is placed between the pair of fingers. The resin member has a wide width that does not come into contact with the pair of fingers 10, 10, and its left and right outer edges 21 are higher than the central part 22, and it has a concave cross-sectional shape. The height difference (α) between the left and right outer edges 21 and the central part 22 is 3 mm. In addition, the height of the transport reference surface 30 of the transport rail outside the fingers is the same as the height of the central part 22.

[0053] Furthermore, a pair of L-shaped resin members, each forming a bottom portion 40 and a wall portion 41, are mounted symmetrically on the top surface of the transport rail, with the wall portion 41 slightly gapping to sandwich the narrow PTP sheet 201. Even if the central bottom portion 203 of the narrow PTP sheet is slightly curved downwards, the convex portion of the central bottom portion 203 is kept away from the central portion 22 of the recess of the resin member. Therefore, when the PTP sheet 201 is transported by the pair of fingers 10, 10, it does not rotate horizontally around the convex portion (see Figure 2(B)).

[0054] Now, when transporting a wide PTP sheet 202 on the same transport line, the pair of L-shaped resin members that sandwiched the PTP sheet from the left and right are replaced. The L-shaped resin members should be mounted so that their walls 51 sandwich the wide PTP sheet with a small gap between them, and their bottoms 50 are attached from the bottom surface of the transport rail so that they are symmetrical along the transport rail.

[0055] The wide PTP sheet 202 tends to have a larger difference in curvature height (β) than the narrow PTP sheet 201 due to residual stress from heat or punching, depending on its width, and can sometimes reach about 1 mm. In Example 1, the left and right outer edges 21 of the recess are provided with a height difference (α) of 3 mm from the central part 22 and the transport reference surface 30. Therefore, even if the bottom surface of the wide PTP sheet 202 is curved 1 mm convex downward or upward (see Figures 4(E-1) and 4(E-2)), the bottom surface of the PTP sheet does not come into contact with the transport path at a position outside the fingers 10, 10, and the PTP sheet is transported with central movement resistance generated only by the left and right outer edges 21 of the resin member that forms the means of adding movement resistance.

[0056] The pair of fingers ensures that the article is in contact with the transport rail only between the fingers, or in other words, that the article generates central movement resistance only between the fingers. Therefore, even articles prone to warping can be transported without tilting from side to side, allowing for stable transport.

[0057] Here, we will explain the case where two reversing conveyors are used in succession to reverse and convey an aggregate, referring to Figure 3. Figure 3(A) is a side view, and Figure 3(B) is a cross-sectional view of position B in Figure 3(A). In Figure 3(A), the PTP sheet and fingers before transfer are shown with solid lines, and the PTP sheet and fingers after transfer are shown with thin dashed lines. The means for adding movement resistance is shown with a thick dashed line.

[0058] At each of the following transfer positions, a continuous movement resistance adding means 20 is provided: the first transfer position 113 from the upstream conveyor line to the receiving section of the first reversing conveyor; the second transfer position 114 from the receiving section of the first reversing conveyor to the receiving section of the second reversing conveyor; and the third transfer position 115 from the receiving section of the second reversing conveyor to the downstream conveyor line. The shape of the movement resistance adding means 20 is preferably a shape with a recess in the center, but if there is no warping in the integrated assembly, it may be a resin member with a flat top surface.

[0059] If the integrated assembly 200 is free from warping and is not prone to tilting at the handover position, the movement resistance adding means 20 may be provided only on either the upstream or downstream side of each of the first handover position 113 to the third handover position 115, and the configuration in which the movement resistance adding means 20 is provided should be determined according to the product accuracy of the articles being transported from upstream.

[0060] At the first transfer position 113, a means for adding movement resistance is provided inside the pair of left and right retaining claws that form the stacking body holding section of the first reversing conveyor. Each retaining claw consists of an upper retaining claw 120 and a lower retaining claw 121. At the first transfer position 113, the bottom surface of the PTP sheet forming the stacking body 200 is supported only by the means for adding movement resistance 20, and there is a slight gap between it and the upper retaining claw 120 that forms the stacking body holding section, so that the tablet storage section does not come into contact with the upper retaining claw 120. In addition, a shaft 123 that supports the stacking body is provided at the back of the stacking body holding section. It is preferable that the height of the means for adding movement resistance be higher than the height of the lower retaining claw.

[0061] After the stack is received in a stable position at the first handover position, the stack 200, supported by the shaft 123, the upper holding claw 120, and the lower holding claw 121, is rotated 1 / 4 turn clockwise by the first inversion conveyor 107, where banding, imaging inspection, etc., are performed. It is then rotated another 1 / 4 turn clockwise, inverting the top and bottom of the stack to reach the second handover position 114. At the second handover position 114, the tablet storage portion of the stack is facing downwards, but the band portion is in contact with the movement resistance adding means 20 (Figure 3(B)). At the second handover position 114, the stack 200 is delivered by the finger 10 to the receiving position of the second inversion conveyor.

[0062] When the second inverting conveyor 108 rotates clockwise by half a turn, the top and bottom of the stack 200 are inverted, and with the bottom surface of the PTP sheets forming the stack facing downwards, the stack can be conveyed downstream by the fingers 10 from the third delivery position 115, which is at the same height as the first delivery position. Since two inverting conveyors that are symmetrical with respect to the vertical center line of the second delivery position 114 are used in succession to invert the stack by one full turn, the heights of the first delivery position 113 and the third delivery position 115 can be made the same, which is preferable as it allows for a unified height of the pharmaceutical manufacturing line 100. [Examples]

[0063] In Example 2, with reference to Figure 4, the conveying means 2 that functions as a negative pressure generating means for adding movement resistance will be described. Figure 4(A) shows an explanatory diagram of the second transfer position 114 from the first reversing conveyor to the second reversing conveyor. Figure 4(B) shows an explanatory diagram illustrating the mechanism of the negative pressure generating means. In Examples 2 and below, the configurations other than the movement resistance adding means are the same as in Example 1, so the same reference numerals are used and their explanations are omitted.

[0064] In the conveying means 2, a negative pressure generating means that generates negative pressure toward the top surface of the downward-facing aggregate 200 constitutes a means for adding movement resistance (see Figure 4(A)). The negative pressure generating means consists of a flat plate-shaped body 60 that extends horizontally continuously in the conveying direction, a negative pressure generator 61 that generates negative pressure on the flat plate-shaped body, and a cylindrical body 62 that extends from the negative pressure generator to the flat plate-shaped body (see Figure 4(B)).

[0065] The flat plate-shaped body 60 is positioned at the second transfer position 114 so as to be sandwiched between a pair of left and right retaining claws 120, 121 (see Figure 3(B)), and is preferably positioned at a height slightly higher than the height of the retaining claws 121 located below on the left and right, and at a height that contacts the top surface of the downward-facing aggregate 200, thereby generating negative pressure limited to the area around which the strip is wound.

[0066] The flat plate-shaped body 60 has small holes 63 that are regularly arranged facing upward and transmit negative pressure from the cylindrical body (see Figure 4(B)). Each hole 63 is connected to the cylindrical body 62 via a connecting pipe 64. Arranging the holes 63 on the flat plate-shaped body within the range of the strip wound around the aggregate is preferable as it allows for efficient and effective transmission of negative pressure to the aggregate 200 without waste.

[0067] The shape of the hole 63 is not limited to a circular shape, and may also be a grooved slit, as long as it is a shape that can transmit negative pressure. The negative pressure generator 61 can be any known air pump and is not limited. The negative pressure generator 61, cylindrical body 62, and flat plate-shaped body 60 that constitute the negative pressure generating means should be arranged so as to maintain the function of the finger 10 that constitutes the delivery means.

[0068] The negative pressure generating means, which constitutes the means for adding movement resistance, generates negative pressure toward the top surface of the stack facing downward at the second transfer position 114, thereby adding central movement resistance to the stack between the pair of fingers 10, 10. Because a central movement resistance greater than the movement resistance generated to the left and right of the article by the holding claws is added, the stack 200 can be transferred without tilting it from side to side. [Examples]

[0069] In Example 3, with reference to Figure 5, a first reversing conveyor equipped with a means for attaching strapping and a means for adding movement resistance will be described. Figure 5(A) shows a cross-sectional view of the first reversing conveyor 107, and Figure 5(B) shows an explanatory diagram of a riveted strapping type. In the first reversing conveyor 107, the strapping means is positioned at a strapping position 130, where the aggregate holding part is rotated 1 / 4 turn clockwise from the first transfer position. The strapping means consists of a strapping supply means, a winding means, a folding means, a heat welding means, and a cutting means.

[0070] The supply means includes a supply roll 132 in which the strip 131 is wound into a roll shape, and a winding roll 133 for winding the strip. However, in the case of products that do not require banding, the supply roll 132 and winding roll 133 can be removed and the product can pass through this position without banding.

[0071] The strip 131 is supplied from the supply roll towards the winding roll and passed between the left and right holding claws 120, 121 of the first reversing conveyor. Therefore, when the stack 200 is reversed and conveyed to the strip-hanging position 130, the middle portion of the stretched strip 131 is wound on the downstream side of the stack. For the other three sides, the strip is wound onto the stack by lowering the folding means along the winding means.

[0072] In the gable-type fastening method, the strip 131 is wrapped around the central part of the stack, then the inner surfaces of the strips are overlapped and bonded together by heat welding, and the strip is cut at the heat-welded portion (see Figure 5(B)). As a result, part of the heat-welded portion of the strip is attached to the strip wrapped around the stack, and the remainder is attached to the strip that extends between the supply roll and the winding roll. The winding roll 133 winds up a predetermined length of strip each time the strip is fastened, so that multiple heat-welded portions are not attached to the strip that is wound around the next stack.

[0073] The winding mechanism consists of a first lifting plate 134 that presses the strip against the top of the stack and winds it, and a second lifting plate 135 that presses the strip against the bottom of the stack and winds it (see Figure 5(A)). The folding mechanism consists of a plate-like body 136 with a thickness corresponding to the heat-welding width of the strip, and a means for lifting it. Below the plate-like body are a heat sealer 137 that forms the heat-welding mechanism and a means for lifting it (see Figure 5(A)).

[0074] The heat sealers 137 are arranged adjacent to each other, with an upstream heat sealer and a downstream heat sealer spaced apart. A cutting blade 138, which protrudes slightly above the top surface of the heat sealer, is provided in the gap as a cutting means. The cutting blade 138 moves up and down together with the pair of heat sealers, dividing the heat-sealed portion of the strip 131 into a downstream side and an upstream side (see Figure 5(A)).

[0075] To heat-seal the strip, the plate-like body 136, which forms the folding mechanism, folds the strip extending from the supply roll downward along the stack (see Figure 5(A)). Then, at the lower corner ridge of the stack, the plate-like body of the folding mechanism and the heat sealer, which forms the heat-sealing mechanism, sandwich the overlapping strip and heat-seal them together, and the heat-sealed portion is cut by the cutting blade to complete the strip attachment to the stack (see Figure 5(B)).

[0076] The movement resistance adding means 140 positioned at the first transfer position 113 contacts the bottom surface of the unbanded stack 200 held between the left and right retaining claws 120 and 121, receiving the stack at the first transfer position without tilting it. The movement resistance adding means 141 positioned at the second transfer position 114 also hands over the banded stack held between the left and right retaining claws to the second reversing conveyor 108 without tilting it, thereby preventing the stack from falling off or becoming defective in downstream processes.

[0077] (others) In each embodiment, for the sake of ease of understanding, the first reversing conveyor 107 and the second reversing conveyor 108 are given the same shape, and the guide walls 41 and 51 provided on the sides of the article are briefly described, but of course, the shape of the guide walls is not limited. Although different forms of movement resistance adding means were described in Example 1 and Example 2, a movement resistance adding means suitable for the application location should be appropriately selected and applied. In Example 1, for ease of understanding, a curved PTP sheet was used as the article, and an example was described in which the sides of the PTP sheet do not come into contact with the transport rail. However, even if the article is in contact with the transport rail, it is sufficient if the central movement resistance added by the movement resistance adding means is greater than the movement resistance on both sides. The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not limited to the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 1... means of transport, 2... means of transport, 10...Fingers, 20...Means for adding movement resistance, 21...Left and right outer edges, 22...Center, 30...Conveying reference surface, 40...Bottom, 41...Wall part, 50...Bottom part, 51...Wall part, 60...flat plate, 61...negative pressure generator, 62...cylindrical body, 63...hole, 64...communicating pipe, 100...Pharmaceutical manufacturing line, 101...Tablet storage unit molding machine, 102...Tablet dispensing machine, 103... Back sheet feeding machine, 104... Welding machine, 105... Sheet cutting machine, 106...Collection device, 107...First reversing conveyor, 108...Second reversing conveyor, 109... Direction changer, 110... Pillow bag body, 111... Lamination section, 112... Standby area, 113...First handover location, 114...Second handover location, 115...Third handover location, 120...Upper holding claw, 121...Downward holding claw, 123...Shaft body, 130...Banding position, 131...Band body, 132...Supply roll, 133... Winding roll, 134... First lifting plate, 135... Second lifting plate, 136...plate-like body, 137...heat sealer, 138...cutting blade, 140...Means for adding movement resistance, 141...Means for adding movement resistance 200...integrated material, 201...narrow PTP sheet, 202...Wide PTP sheet, 203...Center bottom

Claims

1. In a conveying means for transporting articles of uneven thickness, It includes a dispensing means and a means for adding movement resistance, The delivery means comprises a pair of fingers that are in contact with the left and right sides of the upstream rear of the transported article and slide downstream, The aforementioned resistance-adding means is positioned between the pair of fingers, and applies central resistance only to the bottom surface of the article. The central movement resistance is greater than the movement resistance occurring on the left and right sides of the article. When the pair of fingers are moving or stopped, even if the magnitude of the movement resistance generated on the left and right sides is different, the posture of the article is stabilized so that it does not tilt from side to side. A conveying means characterized by the following:

2. The aforementioned means for adding movement resistance includes a resin member, The resin member is in contact with the bottom surface. The conveying means according to feature 1.

3. The width of the resin member is narrower than the distance between the pair of fingers. The height of each of the left and right outer edges of the resin member is higher than the central part of the resin member and the transport reference surface. The conveying means according to feature 2.

4. The aforementioned means for adding movement resistance includes a flat plate-shaped body and a means for generating negative pressure. The flat plate-like body faces the bottom surface of the article, The negative pressure generating means generates negative pressure directed toward the bottom surface of the flat plate-like body, thereby adding resistance to the central movement. The conveying means according to feature 1.

5. Furthermore, it includes a pair of guide walls, The pair of guide walls are positioned on the left and right sides of the article in a direction intersecting the transport direction, and are symmetrically repositionable, sandwiching the pair of fingers. The conveying means according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Including a first reversing conveyor and a second reversing conveyor, The aforementioned article is an aggregate formed by accumulating PTP sheets, The first inverting conveyor and the second inverting conveyor are each equipped with multiple stacking unit holding units arranged radially around their respective rotation axes, and function as a transfer means for inverting the stacks and transferring them. Each of the aforementioned aggregate holding portions is provided with a pair of holding claws that hold the left and right sides of the aggregate outward from the central part, In the first reversing conveyor, the rotational space between the pair of holding claws functions as a space for tying the assembled object in a gable-like manner. The aforementioned movement resistance adding means is provided inside the pair of retaining claws on at least one of the first or second reversing conveyor at the transfer position from the first reversing conveyor to the second reversing conveyor. The conveying means according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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