Conveying device

Abstract

In a conveying device, processing is performed on a processing medium for three-dimensional objects with a simple configuration. [Solution] The transport device 1 comprises a plurality of turntables 11, 12, 13, and 14, and a circulation mechanism 20. The plurality of turntables 11 to 14 are each rotatable and on which a three-dimensional object, a cardboard box B (an example of a processing medium), is placed. The circulation mechanism 20 moves the plurality of turntables 11 to 14 in a circulation path R that includes a printing position P2 (an example of a processing position) where the cardboard box B faces the printing device 110 (an example of a processing device).

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying a processing medium that is a three-dimensional object.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a method is known in which, after performing printing such as an advertisement display section or a product display section on an advertising medium such as a paper container for liquid before assembly, the advertising medium is assembled (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also, as a method of performing printing on a printed medium after assembly, a method of ejecting droplets onto the side surface of a three-dimensional printed medium conveyed on a belt conveyor is known (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, when performing printing on the side surface of a printed medium such as a cardboard box, by performing printing on the printed medium in the state of a three-dimensional object after box making, variable printing such as advertisements and contents information can be performed according to the contents of the contained object contained in the printed medium. On the other hand, when performing variable printing on the printed medium in the unfolded state before box making, individual management of the printed medium becomes necessary until the corresponding contained object is contained thereafter.

[0006] Incidentally, when printing on the sides of a three-dimensional printing medium, multiple printing devices were required to print on multiple sides. Furthermore, this was not limited to printing; multiple processing devices were also necessary when performing other processes on the printing medium, such as labeling.

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to provide a conveying device that can process a three-dimensional object as a processing medium with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In one embodiment, the conveying device comprises a plurality of turntables on which a three-dimensional processing medium is placed and which are each rotatable, and a circulation mechanism that circulates the plurality of turntables along a circulation path that includes a processing position where the processing medium faces the processing device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the above embodiment, processing can be performed on a processing medium for a three-dimensional object with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a printing transport system equipped with a transport device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing a printing transport system equipped with a transport device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the control configuration of a transport device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a process diagram illustrating the flow of transporting and printing on corrugated cardboard boxes in one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, a transport device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Figures 1 and 2 are perspective and plan views, respectively, of a printing transport system 200 equipped with a transport device 1. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the transport device 1.

[0013] Note that the up / down, front / back, and left / right directions shown in Figures 1 and 2 are examples for the sake of explanation, but the up / down direction is the vertical direction, and the front / back and left / right directions are the horizontal directions.

[0014] The print transport system 200 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a print system 100 and an input-side conveyor 210 and an output-side conveyor 220, which are examples of transport routes. The print system 100 comprises a transport device 1 and a print device 110. As an example, the print transport system 200 is deployed in a logistics center that packages goods purchased from an e-commerce (EC) site.

[0015] Here, in this specification, "printing" is an example of "processing." Therefore, "printing" in this specification can be replaced with "processing." For example, "printing device" can be replaced with "processing device," "printing system" with "processing system," and "print transport system" with "processing transport system." Note that the processing is not limited to printing; it may also include other processes such as labeling.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the transport device 1 comprises a plurality of turntables 11, 12, 13, and 14, a circulation mechanism 20, and a mark reading unit 30. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the transport device 1 comprises an input mechanism 40, an output mechanism 50, a control unit 61, a storage unit 62, and an interface unit 63.

[0017] The turntables 11 to 14 have a rectangular flat plate shape that extends horizontally and are installed on the transport base 21 of the circulation mechanism 20 described later. Corrugated boxes B are placed on the turntables 11 to 14. Each of the turntables 11 to 14 incorporates an actuator such as a motor and has a rotation center axis extending in the vertical direction. Therefore, the turntables 11 to 14 can each rotate. The corrugated box B is an example of a three-dimensional printed medium (processing medium), and it is either after case making and before sealing, or after case making and after sealing. The corrugated box B before sealing may be either before or after the contents are accommodated.

[0018] Table marks 11m, 12m, 13m, and 14m that are read by the mark reading unit 30 described later are provided on the four side surfaces of each of the turntables 11 to 14. These table marks 11m to 14m are provided on the side surfaces of the turntables 11 to 14 by pasting, printing, etc. The table marks 11m to 14m are, for example, codes such as two-dimensional codes or barcodes, characters, symbols, patterns, etc. The table marks 11m to 14m may be irregularities or cutouts provided on the turntables 11 to 14. The table marks 11m to 14m represent the orientation of the turntables 11 to 14, and thus, ultimately, the orientation of the side surface (printing target surface) of the corrugated box B.

[0019] Incidentally, when the turntables 11 to 14 and the corrugated box B are rectangular in plan view, etc., the distances between the turntables 11 to 14 (corrugated box B) and the printing device 110, the loading mechanism 40, the unloading mechanism 50, etc. vary depending on the orientation of the turntables 11 to 14 (corrugated box B). Therefore, the turntables 11 to 14 may be installed on the transport base 21 via, for example, a slide table or rails not shown, so that they can move in the radial direction of the transport base 21 with the rotation center portion 21a of the transport base 21 as the rotation center axis. Alternatively, the printing device 110 (printing head 111), the loading mechanism 40, and the unloading mechanism 50 may be position-adjustable in the direction of approaching and separating from the corrugated box B.

[0020] The circulation mechanism 20 circulates the turntables 11 to 14 along a circulation path R (shown by a one-dot chain line). This circulation path R includes a loading position P1 where the cardboard boxes B are loaded onto the turntables 11 to 14, a printing position P2 where the cardboard boxes B face the printing device 110, and an unloading position P3 where the cardboard boxes B are unloaded from the turntables 11 to 14.

[0021] The circulation mechanism 20 has a transport base 21 and a base rotation drive unit 22.

[0022] The transport base 21 has a disk shape, and the turntables 11 to 14 are installed on the upper surface. The installation positions of the turntables 11 to 14 on the transport base 21 are preferably equally spaced in the rotation direction of the transport base 21 (clockwise in FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0023] On the side surface of the transport base 21, four base marks 21m (only one is shown in FIG. 1) to be read by a mark reading unit 30 described later are provided. The four base marks 21m are provided on the transport base 21 by pasting, printing, etc. The four base marks 21m are, for example, codes such as two-dimensional codes or barcodes, characters, symbols, patterns, concavities and convexities or cutouts provided on the transport base 21. The four base marks 21m are provided in the vicinity of the area where the turntables 11 to 14 are installed. The base marks 21m represent the positions of the turntables 11 to 14, and thus represent the printing order of the cardboard boxes B.

[0024] The base rotation drive unit 22 has an actuator such as a motor, and continuously rotates the transport base 21 with a rotation center portion 21a provided at the center in the plan view of the transport base 21 and extending in the vertical direction as the rotation center. Thereby, the base rotation drive unit 22 circulates the turntables 11 to 14 along a circular circulation path R.

[0025] The mark reading unit 30 includes a camera, code reader, etc., for reading the table marks 11m to 14m and the base mark 21m. The mark reading unit 30 is preferably positioned around the transport base 21 on the upstream side of the printing device 110 in the rotational direction of the transport base 21.

[0026] The loading mechanism 40 loads the cardboard boxes B onto turntables 11-14 (turntable 13 in Figures 1 and 2) located at loading position P1. The loading mechanism 40 is, for example, a robotic hand that transfers the cardboard boxes B from the loading-side conveyor 210 to turntables 11-14.

[0027] The unloading mechanism 50 unloads the corrugated cardboard boxes B from the turntables 11-14 (turntable 14 in Figures 1 and 2) located at the unloading position P3. The unloading mechanism 50 is, for example, a robotic hand, and it transfers the corrugated cardboard boxes B from the turntables 11-14 to the unloading conveyor 220. The unloading mechanism 50 unloads only the corrugated cardboard boxes B that have been printed on multiple sides by the printing device 110, from the turntables 11-14 at the unloading position P3. In other words, the corrugated cardboard boxes B that have not been printed on multiple sides by the printing device 110 (turntables 11-14) are transported again along the circulation path R.

[0028] The control unit 61 includes, for example, one or more processors (e.g., CPU: Central Processing Unit) that function as arithmetic processing units that control the operation of each part of the transport device 1. This processor controls the operation of each part of the transport device 1 by reading and executing a predetermined program, for example, from the storage unit 62 or from a storage medium (non-transient computer-readable recording medium) that can be attached to and removed from the transport device 1. In this way, the control unit 61 functions as a computer that executes programs.

[0029] The memory unit 62 includes, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), which is a read-only semiconductor memory on which a predetermined program is pre-recorded, and a RAM (Random Access Memory), which is a semiconductor memory that can be written to and read at any time and used as a working memory area as needed when the processor executes various programs.

[0030] The interface unit 63 exchanges various types of information with external devices such as the printing device 110.

[0031] The printing device 110 comprises a print head 111 and an ink circulation unit 112, and prints on the sides of the corrugated cardboard box B. The content printed by the printing device 110 is variable printing, such as information about the contents of the contents of the corrugated cardboard box B (e.g., product name, production information, expiration date, handling information) and advertisements. The printing device 110 may assign image data to each side of the corrugated cardboard box B. Furthermore, the printing device 110 may identify the printing order and the side to be printed on the corrugated cardboard box B based on the reading results of the table marks 11m to 14m and the base mark 21m of the mark reading unit 30, and then perform printing.

[0032] The print head 111 is positioned around the transport base 21 downstream of the mark reading unit 30 in the rotational direction of the transport base 21. Preferably, the print head 111 is positioned downstream of the loading position P1 in the rotational direction of the transport base 21 and upstream of the unloading position P3 in the rotational direction of the transport base 21. The print head 111 is, for example, a line-type inkjet head that ejects ink horizontally (an example of a direction different from the vertical direction), and the nozzles that eject ink of each color of the print head 111 are arranged in the vertical direction.

[0033] The ink circulation unit 112 circulates the ink ejected by the print head 111 and supplies it to the print head 111.

[0034] Furthermore, the printing device 110 may be further equipped with a printing control unit to control various parts of the printing device 110, a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the print head 111, and so on. Alternatively, instead of the control unit 61 and the printing control unit, a common printing system control unit for the transport device 1 and the printing device 110 may be located in the printing system 100.

[0035] The input-side conveyor 210 and the output-side conveyor 220 are, for example, roller conveyors and belt conveyors, and constitute the overall transport path of the printing transport system 200. For example, upstream of the transport device 1 (printing system 100) in this transport path, corrugated cardboard boxes B are made and their contents are inserted into the corrugated cardboard boxes B, while downstream of the transport device 1, corrugated cardboard boxes B are sealed and labeled.

[0036] Next, the process of transporting and printing on cardboard box B will be explained with reference to the process diagram shown in Figure 4.

[0037] Each process shown in Figure 4 is an example where printing is performed on two sides of each of the four corrugated cardboard boxes B, and the processes of the transport device 1, excluding printing, are performed by the control unit 61. Furthermore, the rotation angle of the transport base 21 when the first corrugated cardboard box B(1) is loaded onto the turntable 11 is taken as the initial angle (rotation angle 0°), and the processes up to the rotation angle of the transport base 21 when the fourth corrugated cardboard box B(4) is unloaded from the turntable 14 at 90° rotation angles of the transport base 21 are explained.

[0038] First, the control unit 61 controls the loading mechanism 40 to load the first cardboard box B(1) onto the turntable 11 at loading position P1 (step S1).

[0039] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 90°, the control unit 61 controls the loading mechanism 40 to load the second cardboard box B(2) onto the turntable 12 at loading position P1 (step S2).

[0040] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 180°, the printing device 110 prints (part 1) on the first side of the corrugated cardboard box B(1) placed on the turntable 11 at the printing position P2 (step S3). The control unit 61 also controls the loading mechanism 40 to load the third corrugated cardboard box B(3) onto the turntable 13 at the loading position P1 (step S3). The state of the process in step S3 is the state of the transport device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0041] Here, the turntables 11-14 on which the cardboard box B is placed rotate so that after printing on the first side of the cardboard box B, the second side (the surface to be printed) faces the printing device 110. Depending on the orientation of the cardboard box B when it is brought in, the turntables 11-14 may rotate between the arrival position P1 and the printing position P2 immediately after the cardboard box B is brought in. In order to ensure that the orientation of the cardboard box B when it is unloaded is specific, the turntables 11-14 may rotate between the printing position P2 and the unloading position P3 immediately before the cardboard box B is unloaded.

[0042] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 270°, the printing device 110 prints (part 1) on the first side of the corrugated cardboard box B(2) placed on the turntable 12 at the printing position P2 (step S4). The control unit 61 also controls the loading mechanism 40 to load the fourth corrugated cardboard box B(4) onto the turntable 14 at the loading position P1 (step S4).

[0043] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 360°, the printing device 110 performs printing (part 1) on the first side of the corrugated cardboard box B(3) placed on the turntable 13 at the printing position P2 (step S5).

[0044] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 450°, the printing device 110 performs printing (part 1) on the first side of the corrugated cardboard box B(4) placed on the turntable 14 at the printing position P2 (step S6).

[0045] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 540°, the printing device 110 performs printing (part 2) on the second side of the corrugated cardboard box B(1) placed on the turntable 11 at the printing position P2 (step S7).

[0046] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 630°, the printing device 110 prints (the second) on the second side of the corrugated cardboard box B(2) placed on the turntable 12 at the printing position P2 (step S8). The control unit 61 also controls the unloading mechanism 50 to unload the first corrugated cardboard box B(1) from the turntable 11 at the unloading position P3 (step S8).

[0047] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 720°, the printing device 110 prints (the second) on the second side of the corrugated cardboard box B(3) placed on the turntable 13 at the printing position P2 (step S9). The control unit 61 also controls the unloading mechanism 50 to unload the second corrugated cardboard box B(2) from the turntable 12 at the unloading position P3 (step S9).

[0048] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 810°, the printing device 110 prints (the second) on the second side of the corrugated cardboard box B(4) placed on the turntable 14 at the printing position P2 (step S10). The control unit 61 also controls the unloading mechanism 50 to unload the third corrugated cardboard box B(3) from the turntable 13 at the unloading position P3 (step S10).

[0049] When the transport base 21 rotates continuously up to 900°, the control unit 61 controls the unloading mechanism 50 to unload the fourth cardboard box B(4) from the turntable 14 at the unloading position P3 (step S11).

[0050] The process shown in Figure 4 is completed as described above. However, for example, when printing the 5th to 8th corrugated cardboard boxes B, the loading mechanism 40 should be controlled so that the 5th corrugated cardboard box B(5) is loaded into the turntable 11 from which the 1st corrugated cardboard box B(1) was unloaded in the previous process, when the transport base 21 has rotated continuously up to 720° (step S9). Then, the 6th corrugated cardboard box B(6) is loaded when the transport base 21 rotates at an angle of 810° (corresponding to the rotation angle of 90° mentioned above), and the 5th corrugated cardboard box B(5) is printed and the 7th corrugated cardboard box B(7) is loaded when the transport base 21 rotates at an angle of 900° (corresponding to the rotation angle of 180° mentioned above), and the process should be carried out similarly thereafter.

[0051] Furthermore, if printing is to be performed on three or more sides of cardboard box B, the unloading of cardboard box B should be delayed by one rotation (360°) of the transport base 21 for each additional surface to be printed, during which time printing should be performed. If the number of surfaces to be printed differs for each cardboard box B, all cardboard boxes B should be transported to the printing position P2 the same number of times as the number of surfaces to be printed among the cardboard boxes B being transported simultaneously by the transport device 1. However, if a change in the order of transport of cardboard boxes B is permitted, cardboard boxes B that have finished printing earlier may be unloaded first at the unloading position P3 without being transported to the printing position P2 the same number of times as the other cardboard boxes B.

[0052] In the embodiment described above, the transport device 1 comprises a plurality of turntables 11 to 14 and a circulation mechanism 20. Each of the turntables 11 to 14 is rotatable and on which a cardboard box B (an example of a processing medium that is a three-dimensional object) is placed. The circulation mechanism 20 moves the plurality of turntables 11 to 14 in a circulation path R that includes a printing position P2 (an example of a processing position) where the cardboard box B faces the printing device 110 (an example of a processing device).

[0053] Therefore, by changing the orientation of the corrugated cardboard box B using the turntables 11-14 that circulate in the circulation path R, printing can be performed on multiple sides of the corrugated cardboard box B using a single printing device 110. Thus, according to this embodiment, printing (processing) can be performed on the corrugated cardboard box B (a processing medium for three-dimensional objects) with a simple configuration.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the circulation mechanism 20 includes a transport base 21 on which a plurality of turntables 11 to 14 are installed, and a base rotation drive unit 22 that rotates the transport base 21 to move the plurality of turntables 11 to 14 in a circular circulation path R.

[0055] This makes it possible to reduce the installation area of ​​the circulation mechanism 20 and simplify the structure of the circulation mechanism 20 for the circulating movement of the turntables 11-14, compared to a configuration in which the turntables 11-14 circulate along a circulation path R by other circulation mechanisms 20 such as a conveyor.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each of the multiple turntables 11 to 14 is provided with table marks 11m to 14m indicating the orientation of the turntable 11 to 14, and the transport device 1 further includes a mark reading unit 30 that reads the table marks 11m to 14m.

[0057] This allows the orientation of the side surface (printing surface) of the corrugated cardboard box B to be identified by using the mark reading unit 30 to identify the rotation state of the turntables 11-14. Furthermore, even if the corrugated cardboard box B itself is not marked, the orientation of the printing surface can be identified based on the orientation of the corrugated cardboard box B (turntables 11-14) at the time of delivery and the rotation state of the turntables 11-14, thus eliminating the need to mark the corrugated cardboard box B.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the circulation path R further includes an unloading position P3 from which the corrugated cardboard boxes B are unloaded from the turntables 11 to 14, and the conveying device 1 further includes an unloading mechanism 50 that unloads the corrugated cardboard boxes B from the turntables 11 to 14 at the unloading position P3. This unloading mechanism 50 unloads only the corrugated cardboard boxes B that have been printed, out of the corrugated cardboard boxes B that have not been processed on multiple sides by the printing device 110 and the corrugated cardboard boxes B that have been printed.

[0059] This allows the corrugated cardboard box B to be transported multiple times to a position facing the printing device 110 (printing position P2 on turntables 11-14) in the circulation path R. Therefore, printing on other corrugated cardboard boxes B can be performed while the turntables 11-14 themselves are rotating to change the orientation of one of the boxes B. Consequently, printing efficiency (processing efficiency such as productivity) is improved.

[0060] In the above description, the turntables 11-14 have a rectangular flat plate shape that extends horizontally, but they may also have other shapes such as a disc shape. Also, in the above description, there are four turntables 11-14, but the number of turntables 11-14 can be any number of two or more.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above explanation, the orientation of the side (printing surface) of the corrugated cardboard box B can be identified by providing table marks 11m to 14m on the turntables 11 to 14. However, instead of table marks 11m to 14m, marks may be placed on each side of the corrugated cardboard box B. Also, if information to identify each of the turntables 11 to 14 is added to the table marks 11m to 14m, the printing order of the corrugated cardboard box B can be identified, in which case the base mark 21m on the transport base 21 may be omitted.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above description, the turntables 11-14 move in a circular path R by the rotation of the transport base 21, but the turntables 11-14 may also be moved in a circular path R by a conveyor (roller conveyor or belt conveyor).

[0063] Furthermore, although the above description describes the transport base 21 as rotating continuously, the transport base 21 may rotate intermittently, for example, by stopping every 90° to perform loading, printing, and unloading. Also, for example, if printing is not performed on the corrugated cardboard box B, or if only two corrugated cardboard boxes B are being transported within the transport device 1, the transport base 21 may rotate in the reverse direction. This allows the corrugated cardboard box B to be transported directly from the loading position P1 to the unloading position P3 without passing through the printing position P2 if printing is not performed on the corrugated cardboard box B. Also, in the case where only two corrugated cardboard boxes B are being transported, the transport base 21 can be reversed after printing on the first side of the second corrugated cardboard box B, without completing a full rotation of the circulation path R after printing on the first side of the first corrugated cardboard box B, allowing printing to be performed immediately on the second side of the first corrugated cardboard box B.

[0064] Furthermore, while the above description cited a robot hand as an example of the loading mechanism 40 and the unloading mechanism 50, if the turntables 11-14 themselves are composed of conveyors (roller conveyors or belt conveyors), the turntables 11-14 can function as the loading mechanism 40 and the unloading mechanism 50. Also, the loading position P1 and the unloading position P3 of the turntables 11-14 may be the same position.

[0065] Furthermore, the conveying device 1 described above may further include a pressing unit that presses the cardboard boxes B placed on the turntables 11-14 toward the printing device 110 (for example, a stopper plate not shown). This pressing unit may be positioned above the conveying base 21 and not rotate together with the conveying base 21, or it may be positioned on the conveying base 21 for each of the turntables 11-14 and rotate together with the conveying base 21.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above description, printing is performed on the corrugated cardboard box B at printing position P2, which is an example of a processing position. However, other processing such as labeling may be performed instead of printing. Alternatively, both printing on the corrugated cardboard box B and other processing such as labeling may be performed in the circulation path R of the conveying device 1. The labels may include, for example, care marks indicating handling information or shipping labels. Printing and labeling may also be performed on the flap (which can be considered as the side of the corrugated cardboard box B) that is raised before sealing and becomes the top surface of the corrugated cardboard box B after sealing. In addition, other processing media such as boxes or containers other than the corrugated cardboard box B may be used as the processing medium.

[0067] Furthermore, although the above description states that the printing device 110 performs printing using an inkjet method, the printing device 110 may also perform printing using other printing methods such as flexographic printing or thermal printing.

[0068] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and the components can be modified and implemented in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the embodiments described above. For example, all the components shown in the embodiments may be combined as appropriate. It goes without saying that various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Some of the inventions described in the specification and drawings of this application are listed below.

[0069] [Note 1] A processing medium, which is a three-dimensional object, is placed on multiple turntables, each of which is rotatable, A circulation mechanism that moves the plurality of turntables in a circulation path that includes a processing position where the processing medium faces the processing device. A conveying device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

[0070] [Note 2] The circulation mechanism includes a transport base on which the plurality of turntables are installed, and a base rotation drive unit that rotates the transport base to move the plurality of turntables in a circular circulation path. The conveying device described in Appendix 1, characterized by the features described herein.

[0071] [Note 3] Each of the aforementioned turntables is provided with a table mark indicating the orientation of the turntable. The conveying device further comprises a mark reading unit for reading the table marks. A conveying device as described in Appendix 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

[0072] [Note 4] The circulation path further includes an outlet position where the processing medium is discharged from the turntable, The transport device further comprises a discharge mechanism for discharging the processing medium from the turntable at the discharge position, The discharge mechanism discharges only the processed media that has been processed, from the turntable at the discharge position, out of the processed media that has not been processed on multiple sides by the processing apparatus and the processed media that has been processed. A conveying device characterized by any one of the appendices 1 to 3. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 1. Conveying device 11, 12, 13, 14 Turntable 11m, 12m, 13m, 14m TableMark 20 Circulation mechanism 21 Transport base 21a Center of rotation 21m base mark 22 Base Rotation Drive Unit 30 Mark reading section 40 Loading mechanism 50 Unloading mechanism 61 Control Unit 62 Memory section 63 Interface section 100 Printing Systems (Processing Systems) 110 Printing device (processing device) 111 Printhead 112 Ink circulation unit 200 Printing and transport systems (processing and transport systems) 210 Inbound conveyor 220 Discharge side conveyor B. Cardboard box (processing medium) P1 Delivery location P2 Print position (processing position) P3 Export position R Circulation Pathway

Claims

1. A processing medium, which is a three-dimensional object, is placed on multiple turntables, each of which is rotatable, A circulation mechanism that moves the plurality of turntables in a circulation path that includes a processing position where the processing medium faces the processing device. A conveying device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

2. The circulation mechanism includes a transport base on which the plurality of turntables are installed, and a base rotation drive unit that rotates the transport base to move the plurality of turntables in a circular circulation path. The conveying device according to claim 1.

3. Each of the aforementioned turntables is provided with a table mark indicating the orientation of the turntable. The conveying device further comprises a mark reading unit for reading the table marks. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

4. The circulation path further includes an outlet position where the processing medium is discharged from the turntable, The transport device further comprises a discharge mechanism for discharging the processing medium from the turntable at the discharge position, The discharge mechanism discharges only the processed media that has been processed by the processing apparatus, from the turntable at the discharge position, out of the processed media that has been processed and the processed media that has been processed. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

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