Kesa

Abstract

By automating the adjustment of the hot melt application position, this caser significantly reduces setup time before production starts, allows for adjustment of the application position even during production, and provides a caser that can adjust the application position with consistent accuracy regardless of the operator's skill level. [Solution] The nozzle 30 applies hot melt adhesive to the bonding area of ​​the case C, which is transported by the conveyor belt 11, and is freely movable up and down along the support column 32. The control unit controls the discharge operation of the hot melt adhesive by the nozzle 30 and the up and down movement of the nozzle 30 along the support column 32. The thermal camera captures the application position of the hot melt adhesive applied by the nozzle 30 as a thermal image. Based on the thermal image, the control unit calculates the amount of deviation of the application position from a predetermined reference position, and controls the up and down movement of the nozzle 30 according to the amount of deviation to adjust the application position of the hot melt adhesive.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a case in which, when forming a case by bending a sheet-like packaging material in a wrap-around case or the like, hot melt is applied to the adhesion portion of the folded flap.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a hot melt coating device for a case, the one described in Patent Document 1 is known. In this conventional device, the adhesion portion of the packaging material coated with hot melt is photographed with a thermo camera, and the coating state of the hot melt is determined using the thermal image obtained thereby.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such a device, regarding the deviation of the hot melt application position from the reference position at the start of production, visual confirmation and manual adjustment operations are performed. In this operation, there is a possibility that the application accuracy may vary depending on the skill level of the operator, and there is also a problem that the operation time for adjustment becomes long.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a hot melt coating device for a case that can significantly shorten the setup time at the start of production by automating the adjustment of the hot melt application position, can also adjust the application position during production, and can always adjust the application position with a constant accuracy without depending on the skill level of the operator.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The caser according to the present invention comprises a hot melt application means for applying hot melt to the bonding area of ​​packaging material conveyed by a conveying means, a moving means for moving the hot melt application means in a direction at least intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying means, an imaging means for capturing a thermal image of the application position of the hot melt applied by the hot melt application means, and a control means for controlling the hot melt discharge operation by the hot melt application means and the movement operation of the moving means, wherein the control means calculates the amount of deviation of the application position from a predetermined reference position based on the thermal image and adjusts the application position of the hot melt by the hot melt application means according to the amount of deviation.

[0007] The control means may adjust the amount of deviation in the transport direction by changing the coating timing in the discharge operation, and the amount of deviation in the direction intersecting the transport direction by moving the hot melt coating position in a direction intersecting the transport direction using a moving means.

[0008] The moving means may include a first moving means for moving the hot melt application means in a predetermined direction, and a second moving means for moving it in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

[0009] Preferably, the control means can adjust the hot melt application position during setup before production starts and at any time during production. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, by automating the adjustment of the hot melt application position, it is possible to obtain a hot melt application device for casings that can significantly reduce the working time and adjust the application position with a constant accuracy, regardless of the operator's skill level. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a wrap-around caseer applying one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]Figure 1 is a plan view showing the main parts of the wrap-around case. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a hot melt inspection area and a thermal image of the hot melt. [Figure 4] This is a side view showing the first hot melt coating apparatus. [Figure 5] This figure shows the application position of the hot melt adhesive by the first hot melt adhesive application device. [Figure 6] This figure shows the configuration for adjusting the amount of deviation in the hot melt application position in the control unit. [Figure 7] This is a side view showing the second hot melt coating apparatus. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of a wrap-around case 10 to which one embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the wrap-around case 10, a sheet-like packaging material S is continuously conveyed along arrow A by a conveyor (conveying means) 11, while being folded and formed into a case C, and a predetermined number of containers B are contained within it.

[0013] In Figure 1, at the uppermost (rightmost) end of the conveyor belt 11, the packaging material S is folded so that the front end in the direction of transport is perpendicular to the transport surface, forming a front body portion S1 and a top portion S2. A body flap S21 is formed on the side of the top portion S2 opposite to the front body portion S1 (upper end). The packaging material S is also folded so that the rear end in the direction of transport is perpendicular to the transport surface, forming a rear body portion S3. Inner flaps S11 are attached to both sides of the front body portion S1, and outer flaps S22 are attached to both sides of the top portion S2. Inner flaps S31 are attached to both sides of the rear body portion S3. Between the front body portion S1 and the rear body portion S3 is a bottom portion S4 that is in close contact with the conveyor belt 11, and outer flaps S41 are attached to both sides of the bottom portion S4.

[0014] In the conveyor belt 11, in the storage area located immediately downstream of the uppermost section, the inner flaps S11 and S31 located on the left side when facing downstream in the conveying direction are folded perpendicularly to the front body section S1 and the rear body section S3, respectively, so that their respective ends are close together. This closes the opening on the left side in the conveying direction. On the other hand, a supply conveyor (not shown) is provided parallel to the conveyor belt 11 on the right side in the conveying direction, and on this supply conveyor, a predetermined number (10 in the illustrated example) of containers B are transported in an aligned state (in the illustrated example, an aligned state of 5 containers x 2 rows). The predetermined number of containers B on the supply conveyor are pushed towards the conveyor belt 11 by the pusher 20 in the storage area, and are stored inside the packaging material S with the inner flaps S11 and S31 on the left side in the conveying direction folded. Once this storage operation is complete, the inner flaps S11 and S31 on the right side in the conveying direction are folded in the same way as the left side, and the opening on the right side is also closed. As the conveyor 11 continues to move, the top surface S2 is folded backward in the direction of transport, and the main body flap S21 is folded downward, forming the case C.

[0015] In the hot melt application area immediately downstream of the containment area, first hot melt application devices 21 are provided on both sides in the conveying direction, with the conveyor 11 in between. The first hot melt application devices 21 are positioned facing the surfaces of the inner flaps S11 and S31, and dispense hot melt to predetermined bonding locations. A second hot melt application device is also provided in the hot melt application area, which applies hot melt to bonding locations corresponding to the main body flap S21 of the rear main body section S3. After the hot melt is dispensed by the first and second hot melt application devices 21, the outer flap S22 is folded downward and the outer flap S41 is folded upward. Immediately downstream of the first hot melt coating device 21, the outer flaps S22 and S41 are pressed against the inner flaps S11 and S31 by an outer flap pressing device (not shown), and the main body flap S21 is pressed against the rear main body section S3 by a main body flap pressing device (not shown).

[0016] In the conveying conveyor 11, the immediate downstream of the hot melt coating area is an inspection area. In the inspection area, first case detection sensors 22 are provided on both sides in the conveying direction, and a first thermal camera 23 is provided immediately downstream of the first case detection sensor 22. The first case detection sensor 22 detects that the case C conveyed by the conveying conveyor 11 has passed. The first thermal camera 23 is activated when a predetermined time has elapsed since the first case detection sensor 22 detected the case C, and photographs the application position of the hot melt applied by the hot melt coating device 21 as a thermal image from the outside of the outer flaps S22, S41. Also, above the first case detection sensor 22, a second thermal camera (not shown) that photographs the application position of the hot melt as a thermal image from the outside of the main body flap S21 is provided.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, a second case detection sensor 24 for detecting the case C sent from the storage area is provided immediately upstream of the first hot melt coating device 21. The second case detection sensor 24, the first hot melt coating device 21, the first case detection sensor 22, and the first thermal camera 23 are controlled by a control unit (control means) 25. That is, when the second case detection sensor 24 detects that the packaging material S has been conveyed by the conveying conveyor 11, the hot melt is discharged toward the inner flaps S11, S31 of the packaging material S by the first hot melt coating device 21. Then, the outer flaps S22, S41 are adhered to the inner flaps S11, S31, and the main body flap S21 is adhered to the rear main body portion S3, and the case C is sealed.

[0018] When a sealed case C is detected by the first case detection sensor 22, the first thermal camera 23 is activated and a thermal image of the application position by the first hot melt application device 21 is captured. Simultaneously, a thermal image of the application position by the second hot melt application device is also captured by the second thermal camera. Furthermore, as will be described later, the control unit 25 performs calculations to adjust the application position of the hot melt by the first hot melt application device 21 and the second hot melt application device based on the thermal images obtained by the first thermal camera 23 and the second thermal camera. In other words, for subsequent cases C, the application position of the hot melt is adjusted based on the calculation results in the control unit 25.

[0019] Figure 3 shows an example of the hot melt inspection area P, which is the region captured by the first thermal camera 23 in the inner flaps S11 and S31, and the thermal image Q of the hot melt applied by the first hot melt application device 21. The target area T is, for example, a rectangular area spanning the inner flaps S11 and S31, and the first hot melt application device 21 dispenses hot melt to the four corners of the target area T. In Figure 3, the upper left inspection area P1 corresponds to the area where the inner flap S11 and outer flap S22 overlap, the lower left inspection area P2 corresponds to the area where the inner flap S11 and outer flap 41 overlap, the upper right inspection area P3 corresponds to the area where the inner flap S31 and outer flap S22 overlap, and the lower right inspection area P4 corresponds to the area where the inner flap S31 and outer flap 41 overlap. The first thermal camera 23 captures images of four inspection areas P1, P2, P3, and P4 within the target region T, obtaining four thermal images Q.

[0020] FIG. 4 shows the first hot melt coating device 21, which is a side view seen from the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the conveyance conveyor 11. The hot melt coating device 21 has a nozzle (hot melt coating means) 30 for discharging hot melt, and the nozzle 30 discharges hot melt obliquely downward with respect to the surfaces of the inner flaps S11 and S31 (target area T (see FIG. 3)). The nozzle 30 is fixed to the first slider 31, and the first slider 31 is attached to a support column 32 extending in the vertical direction so as to be movable up and down. The first slider 31 and the support column 32 constitute moving means for moving the nozzle 30 in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction of the conveyance conveyor 11, and a drive motor (not shown) for moving the first slider 31 up and down along the support column 32 is controlled by the control unit 25. The second slider 33 provided at the lower end of the support column 32 is fixed to a flat base 34 installed in a horizontal state.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 5, the adjustment of the hot melt coating position by the first hot melt coating device 21 will be described. The inspection area P is a horizontally long rectangle, and the hot melt H has an elongated oval shape in the horizontal direction. Ideally, the hot melt H is applied at the center of the inspection area P, but it may be applied at a position shifted in the vertical or horizontal direction. Here, let the horizontal length of the hot melt H be X0, the vertical width be Y0, the distance from the left edge R1 of the inspection area P to the left end of the hot melt H be X1, the distance from the right edge R2 of the inspection area P to the right end of the hot melt H be X2, the distance from the upper edge R3 of the inspection area P to the upper end of the hot melt H be Y1, and the distance from the lower edge R4 of the inspection area P to the lower end of the hot melt H be Y2. The width Y0 of the hot melt H is adjusted in advance in the manufacturing process of the wrap-around caster and cannot be changed during the operation of the wrap-around caster. On the other hand, the length X0 of the hot melt H is determined by an electrical command signal for the nozzle 30 of the hot melt coating device 21 and can be corrected by adjusting the timing of turning on and off the nozzle 30 and the length of the on state. That is, the length X0 can be corrected, and this correction is automatically performed before the operation of the wrap-around caster.

[0022] During setup before production begins, the left spacing X1 and the right spacing X2 are adjusted to be equal to each other before the wrap-around caseer is in operation. The difference between the left spacing X1 and the right spacing X2 is the amount of deviation of the coating position relative to the conveying direction, i.e., the amount of deviation from a predetermined reference position, and this amount of deviation is adjusted by changing the coating timing in the hot melt discharge operation of the hot melt coating device 21. Similarly, the difference between the upper spacing Y1 and the lower spacing Y2 is the amount of deviation in the direction intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying conveyor 11, and this amount of deviation is adjusted by moving the hot melt coating position by the nozzle 30 in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, and this adjustment is performed by driving a drive motor (not shown) to raise and lower the first slider 31. During setup before production begins, the left spacing X1 and the right spacing X2 are adjusted to be equal to each other, and the upper spacing Y1 and the lower spacing Y2 are also adjusted to be equal to each other. However, these gaps may change during production due to changes in the conveying speed of the conveyor 11, displacement of case C, etc. This displacement can be adjusted even during production by moving the hot melt application position of the nozzle 30 in a direction intersecting the conveying direction.

[0023] Referring to Figure 6, the configuration for adjusting the amount of displacement of the hot melt H application position in the control unit 25 will be explained. As shown in this figure, the control unit 25 has an image input unit 40, an image processing unit 41, a displacement amount calculation unit 42, and an application timing / movement amount calculation unit 43. The image input unit 40 receives a thermal image of the application position obtained by the first thermal camera 23. In the image processing unit 41, predetermined image processing is performed on each pixel constituting the thermal image to determine the left spacing X1, the right spacing X2, the upper spacing Y1, and the lower spacing Y2. In the displacement amount calculation unit 42, the amount of displacement in the left-right direction of the application position is calculated based on the left spacing X1 and the right spacing X2, and the amount of displacement in the up-down direction of the application position is calculated based on the upper spacing Y1 and the lower spacing Y2. In the application timing / movement amount calculation unit 43, the application timing of the first hot melt application device 21 and the amount of up-down movement of the nozzle 30 are calculated based on the amount of displacement determined in the displacement amount calculation unit 42.

[0024] Figure 7(a) shows the second hot melt application device 26, and is a side view taken from a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor 11. The second hot melt application device 26 is installed above the path through which the cases C pass so as not to interfere with the cases C being conveyed by the conveyor 11. The nozzle (hot melt application means) 50 of the second hot melt application device 26 discharges hot melt diagonally downward from the upstream side in the conveying direction onto the surface of the upper end of the rear main body S3. The nozzle 50 is fixed to the first slider 51, and the first slider 51 is mounted on a vertically extending support column 52 so as to be able to move up and down. The second slider 53, provided at the upper end of the support column 52, is slidably supported on a flat base 54 and is displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper).

[0025] In Figure 5, the adjustment of the upper spacing Y1 and the lower spacing Y2 (adjustment of the amount of misalignment in the vertical direction) is performed by moving the nozzle 50 along the support column 52 in the vertical direction (a predetermined direction), and the adjustment of the left spacing X1 and the right spacing X2 (adjustment of the amount of misalignment in the horizontal direction) is performed by moving the nozzle 50 in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction. In other words, the first slider 51 and the support column 52 constitute the first moving means, and the support column 52 and the second slider 53 constitute the second moving means.

[0026] Figure 7(b) shows an example in case C where a body flap S32 is attached to the upper end of the rear body section S3, and the top surface section S2 is bonded to this body flap S32. In other words, the configuration of the second hot melt application device 26 is the same as in Figure 7(a), but the difference is that the nozzle 50 applies hot melt to the surface of the body flap S32 of the rear body section S3.

[0027] The application position of the hot melt H is automatically adjusted by the control unit 25 during setup before production begins. Furthermore, automatic adjustment can be performed at any time during production. In this automatic adjustment, the positions of nozzles 30 and 50 are corrected only if the amount of deviation of the application position of the hot melt H in case C from the reference position exceeds the adjustment range and is less than the defect judgment value, before the next case C faces the nozzles 30 and 50. On the other hand, if the amount of deviation is less than or equal to the adjustment range, no adjustment is performed, and if it is greater than or equal to the defect judgment value, it is judged as a defective product.

[0028] As described above, according to this embodiment, the application position of the hot melt H is automatically adjusted, so the work time is greatly reduced, and the adjustment of the application position of the hot melt H is always performed with a constant precision, greatly improving the efficiency of the adjustment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 11 Conveying means 23. First thermal camera 25 Control Unit (Control Means) 30, 50 nozzles (hot melt application means) 31. First slider (means of movement) 32 Support (transportation means) C Case H Hot Melt S packaging material

Claims

1. A case that packages articles by placing them in packaging material that is transported by a transport means, A hot melt application means for applying hot melt to the bonding area of ​​the packaging material, A moving means for moving the hot melt application means in a direction at least intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying means, A photographing means for capturing a thermal image of the application position of the hot melt applied by the hot melt application means, The system includes control means for controlling the hot melt discharge operation by the hot melt application means and the movement operation of the moving means, The control means is characterized by calculating the amount of deviation of the coating position from a predetermined reference position based on the thermal image, and adjusting the application position of the hot melt by the hot melt coating means according to the amount of deviation.

2. The caser according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means adjusts the amount of deviation in the transport direction by changing the coating timing in the discharge operation, and adjusts the amount of deviation in the direction intersecting the transport direction by moving the hot melt coating position in the direction intersecting the transport direction using the moving means.

3. The moving means includes a first moving means for moving the hot melt application means in a predetermined direction, The hot melt coating apparatus for a case according to claim 1, further comprising a second moving means for moving in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

4. The case maker according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control means can adjust the application position of the hot melt during setup before the start of production and at any timing during production.

Images