Folding carton supply device

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a folded carton supply device that reduces the burden on workers supplying folded cartons to the carton stacking section of a filling machine, allowing them to leave the supply area for extended periods. [Solution] A folding carton supply device 100 that supplies a stacked carton CL, which is a stack of multiple folding cartons C, to the carton stacking section A of a filling machine 200, comprising: a transport section 1 having transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D; a lifting section 2 having lifting platforms 21 that are positioned at both the left and right ends of the transport section 1 and can be raised and lowered; a carton supply section 4 that supplies the stacked carton CL to the carton stacking section A of the filling machine 200 via the transport means 1U; and a carton cassette 5 for accommodating the stacked carton CL that is moved by the transport section 1 and raised and lowered on the lifting platforms 21 of the lifting section 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a folding carton supply device. More specifically, there is a filling machine that forms a flat folding carton into a rectangular tube-shaped container and then fills the container with liquid. The present invention relates to a folding carton supply device for supplying an integrated carton in which a plurality of folding cartons are integrated to a carton integration unit where the folding cartons provided in this filling machine are accumulated.

Background Art

[0002] Filling machines for filling liquid such as milk into paper containers as disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2 are known. These filling machines are equipped with a carton integration unit. A flat paper container called a folding carton is supplied to this carton integration unit, and in the filling machine, the supplied folding carton is formed into a rectangular tube-shaped container, and then the container is filled with liquid such as milk.

[0003] FIG. 13 is an image of a supply operation in which an operator supplies an integrated carton CL in which folding cartons C are bundled to a carton integration unit A provided in an existing filling machine 200.

[0004] As shown in FIG. 13, the carton integration unit A of the existing filling machine 200 disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2 is formed by a plurality of guide rods AR with the supply side facing upward. In the supply operation by the operator, as shown in FIG. 13, the operator directly supplies, by hand, an integrated carton CL in which a plurality of flat folding cartons C are integrated and bundled to the carton integration unit A formed by the plurality of guide rods AR (see FIG. 13B). In this supply operation by the operator, it is necessary to lift the integrated carton CL carefully so that it does not fall apart, and since it is necessary to always perform the supply operation, it is difficult for the operator to leave the site, which is extremely laborious for the operator. Therefore, folding carton supply devices as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are also known.

[0005] The folding carton supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which a carton replenishment section B (approximately 150 cartons are replenished and accumulated as described in paragraph

[0031] ) is provided at the rear end of the carton accumulation section A, as shown in Figure 1 and paragraphs

[0029] to

[0035] of Patent Document 1. Furthermore, the folding carton (blank) supply device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a configuration that uses a magazine 13 for stacking and storing cartons. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-170912 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 2562000 Gazette [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] Ishizuka Oji Paper Packaging Co., Ltd. "Evergreen ESL Filling Machine: I-7 ESL Filling Machine" Search Date: January 7, 2025 <https: / / ishizuka-oji.com / jutenki / > [Non-Patent Document 2] Nippon Paper Group "NP-Pak Filling Machine: UPN-SEC Series" Search Date: January 7, 2025 <https: / / www.nipponpapergroup.com / products / paper_pak / nppak / nppak_jutenki.html> [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, the folding carton supply device described in Patent Document 1 only has a carton replenishment section B that can hold about 150 cartons, making it difficult for an operator to leave the supply area for an extended period (for example, about an hour).

[0009] Furthermore, the folding carton supply device described in Patent Document 2 also requires the operator to set the folding cartons into the magazine, making it difficult to leave the supply area for extended periods.

[0010] The present invention aims to provide a folded carton supply device that reduces the burden on workers supplying folded cartons to the carton stacking section of a filling machine, allowing them to leave the supply area for extended periods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a folding carton supply device that supplies a stack of folding cartons, which are stacks of a plurality of folding cartons, to a carton stacking section of a filling machine that fills a container with liquid after forming a rectangular tubular container from a flat-shaped folding carton, and is equipped with a lifting section where the folding cartons are stacked, comprising: a conveying section having a plurality of conveying means; a lifting section arranged at the end of the conveying section and having a lifting platform that can be raised and lowered; a carton supply section in the conveying means that supplies the stacked cartons to the carton stacking section of the filling machine; and a carton cassette for accommodating the stacked cartons that are moved by the conveying section and placed on the lifting platform of the lifting section and raised and lowered.

[0012] The folding carton supply device of the present invention has a transport section with multiple transport means and a lifting section at the end of the transport section, allowing carton cassettes containing stacked cartons to move between the transport section and the lifting section. As a result, carton cassettes containing stacked cartons can be kept waiting in the transport section, and the carton cassettes can be sequentially moved by the transport section and the lifting section to be guided to the carton supply section. By having many carton cassettes containing stacked cartons waiting in advance, workers can leave the supply work area for extended periods.

[0013] Furthermore, since the conveying section of the folding carton supply device of the present invention has a configuration with multiple conveying means, it is taller in the vertical direction, which reduces the area occupied by the device on the floor where the supply work is performed.

[0014] Furthermore, the folding carton supply device of the present invention comprises an extrusion section that pushes the accumulated cartons from the carton cassette toward the filling machine, a holding section that holds the accumulated cartons pushed out by the extrusion section and is capable of tilting forward, and a support section that supports the accumulated cartons as they fall due to the tilting forward of the holding section and guides them toward the carton accumulation section of the filling machine, wherein the support section opens and closes when the accumulated cartons are supplied toward the carton accumulation section of the filling machine.

[0015] In the supply of accumulated cartons to the carton accumulation section of the filling machine in the carton supply section, it is possible to prevent the accumulated cartons from becoming separated. This configuration is particularly suitable for filling machines that are formed by multiple guide rods with the carton accumulation section A side of the filling machine 200 facing upwards, as described in Non-Patent Document 1, Non-Patent Document 2, and Figure 13. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] A is a front view showing the main part of the folding carton supply device of this embodiment, and B is a right side view of A. [Figure 2] A is a perspective view showing a sensor in the transport section of this embodiment that detects the presence or absence of stacked cartons, and B is a perspective view showing the first chain in the transport section. [Figure 3] A is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the locking mechanism of the transport unit in this embodiment, and B is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the lifting platform of the right lifting mechanism. [Figure 4] A is a perspective view showing the stacking carton set section of this embodiment, and B is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the carton supply section of this embodiment. [Figure 5]A is a right side cross-sectional view showing the carton supply unit of the present embodiment, and B is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the support unit of the carton supply unit. [Figure 6] A is a perspective view showing the extrusion unit, holding unit, and support unit of the carton supply unit of the present embodiment, and B is a perspective view showing the support unit. [Figure 7] A is an image of the carton cassette of the present embodiment, B is an image showing the bottom of this carton cassette, and C is an image showing the integrated carton housed in this carton cassette. [Figure 8] It is a conceptual diagram showing the middle of the conveyance example of the carton cassette by the folding carton supply device of the present embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a conceptual diagram showing the middle of the conveyance example of the carton cassette by the folding carton supply device of the present embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a conceptual diagram showing the middle of the conveyance example of the carton cassette by the folding carton supply device of the present embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a conceptual diagram showing the middle of the conveyance example of the carton cassette by the folding carton supply device of the present embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a process diagram of the extrusion operation in the extrusion unit of the carton supply unit performed by the upper-stage conveyance means of the present embodiment. [Figure 13] A and B are images of manually supplying the integrated carton to the carton integration unit of the existing filling machine.

[0017] Hereinafter, the embodiments for implementing the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiments and the drawings. However, the following embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to those described herein, and the present invention can be equally applied to those with various modifications without departing from the technical idea shown in the claims. In each of the drawings used for the description in this specification, in order to make each member recognizable on the drawing, the scale is made different for each member, and it is not necessarily shown in proportion to the actual dimensions.

[0018] [Embodiment] As mentioned earlier, Figures 13A and 13B are images of the supply operation in which an operator manually supplies stacked cartons CL to the carton stacking section A of the existing filling machine 200. These stacked cartons CL are made up of flattened, folded cartons C stacked one by one. The filling machine 200 then forms each of the folded cartons C in the carton stacking section A into a rectangular container, and then fills them with liquids such as milk. In contrast to the existing filling machine 200, the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment is a device that automatically performs the manual supply work shown in Figure 13. Since the existing filling machine 200 shown in Figure 13 is equipped with two carton stacking sections A, the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment is also configured to supply stacked cartons CL in two sections.

[0019] First, the configuration of the main parts of the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment will be explained using Figures 1 to 7. Figure 1A is a front view of the folding carton supply device 100, and Figure 1B is a right side view thereof. Figure 2A is a perspective view showing a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of stacked cartons CL in the conveying section 1, and Figure 2B is a perspective view showing the first chain C1 in the conveying section 1. Figure 3A is a cross-sectional perspective view showing each locking part in the conveying section 1, and Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the lifting platform 21 of the right lifting means 2R of the lifting section 2. Figure 4A is a perspective view showing the stacked carton setting section 3, and Figure 4B is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the carton supply section 4. Figure 5A is a right side cross-sectional view showing the carton supply section 4, and Figure 4B is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the support part 46 of the carton supply section 4. Figure 6A is a perspective view showing the extrusion section 41, holding section 42, and support part 46 of the carton supply section 4, and Figure 6B is a perspective view showing the support part 46. Figure 7A shows an image of the carton cassette 5, Figure 7B shows an image of the bottom of the carton cassette, and Figure 7C shows an image of the carton cassette 5 with two rows of stacked cartons CL stored inside.

[0020] As shown in the front view of Figure 1A, the carton supply device 100 comprises a transport section 1 consisting of three transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D for the upper, middle, and lower levels; a lifting section 2 consisting of a right lifting means 2R and a left lifting means 2L, which are arranged at both the left and right ends of the transport section 1; and a stacking carton setting section 3 to the right of the right lifting means 2R. As shown in the right side view of Figure 1B, the carton supply device 100 is equipped with a carton supply unit 4 on the rear side (filling machine 200 side). Furthermore, the carton supply device 100 is equipped with multiple carton cassettes 5 that are moved by the transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D of the transport unit 1 and raised and lowered by the right lifting means 2R and left lifting means 2L of the lifting unit 2.

[0021] The carton cassette 5 is a component independent of the transport unit 1, the lifting unit 2, and the stacking carton set unit 3, and is intended to accommodate stacking cartons CL. As shown in Figure 7A, the carton cassette 5 is a metal box-shaped structure that can accommodate two rows of stacking cartons CL. One side (the back side in Figure 7A) is open to allow the stored stacking cartons CL to be pushed out of the carton cassette 5, while the other side (the front side in Figure 7A) is partially closed to prevent the stored stacking cartons CL from falling over. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7B, the back surface of the carton cassette is equipped with two roller contact plates 51 positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stacking cartons CL, and one locking contact plate 52 positioned between the two rows of stacking cartons CL and along the longitudinal direction of the stacking cartons CL.

[0022] In this embodiment, the carton cassette 5 is designed to hold stacked cartons CL, each consisting of approximately 250 to 300 folded cartons C, in a single row. Therefore, if, for example, each row of folded cartons C contains 300, the carton cassette 5 can hold 300 x 2 rows = 600 folded cartons C. Figure 7C shows the carton cassette 5 with two rows of stacked cartons CL stored inside.

[0023] In addition, the carton supply device 100 also includes a control unit that controls each part, and a display unit that shows the status. Next, we will describe in more detail some of the components of the carton supply device 100.

[0024] [Conveying Unit 1] The conveying unit 1 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the carton stacking unit A of the filling machine 200 and has three conveying means 1U, 1M, and 1D for the upper, middle, and lower levels. The three transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D in the upper, middle, and lower stages that make up the transport section 1 are configured as a so-called chain conveyor, with a first motor M1 positioned at the end of each stage and two first chains C1 that rotate and move by the first motor M1 arranged in parallel. The carton cassettes 5 for storing the stacked cartons CL are transported on the two parallel first chains C1.

[0025] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2B, the conveying means 1U of this embodiment is configured such that the first chain C1 is equipped with large-diameter rollers R, which are known as double-speed chains, and these rollers R protrude from the plate P. Therefore, as the first chain C1 rotates and the rollers R rotate, the carton cassette 5 placed on the rollers R can be conveyed faster than the rotational speed of the first chain C1. At this time, the rollers R make contact with the roller contact plate 51 of the carton cassette 5. Considering the frictional force between the carton cassette 5 and the first chain C1 during conveyance, the roller contact plate 51 is hardened by a heat treatment.

[0026] Furthermore, the upper transport means 1U of this embodiment is equipped with a first motor M1 only on the left end side, and is configured to transport only in the left direction, i.e., in only one direction. On the other hand, the middle transport means 1M and the lower transport means 1D are equipped with first motors M1 at both the left and right ends, and are configured to transport in both the left and right directions.

[0027] Furthermore, the upper, middle, and lower transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D are equipped with the first to sixth sensors S1 to S6, as shown in Figure 2A, and the seventh and eighth sensors S7 and S8, as shown in Figure 4B.

[0028] These first and second sensors S1 and S2 consist of, for example, reflective light sensors and are installed for the purpose of detecting whether or not a stacked carton CL is actually contained in the carton cassette 5 being transported. Similarly, the third to eighth sensors S3 to S8 consist of reflective light sensors, etc., and are installed for the purpose of detecting the presence or absence of the carton cassette 5.

[0029] The first and second sensors S1 and S2, and the seventh and eighth sensors S7 and S8 are located near the carton supply section 4 of the upper transport mechanism 1U. The third and fourth sensors S3 and S4 are located near both the left and right ends of the middle transport mechanism 1M, and the fifth and sixth sensors S5 and S6 are located near both the left and right ends of the lower transport mechanism 1D.

[0030] Furthermore, the upper, middle, and lower transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D are each provided with first to eighth locking parts R1 to R8, as shown in Figure 3. The first to eighth locking parts R1 to R8 are equipped with transport stop plates 11 that move vertically by a first cylinder Y1 from between two parallel first chains C1. Then, when the transport stop plate 11 moves upward and comes into contact with the locking contact plate 52 on the back of the carton cassette 5 being transported on the rotating roller R, the transport of the carton cassette 5 will stop at that position. Furthermore, when the transport stop plate 11 moves downward from this stopped state, the contact with the locking contact plate 52 is released, and the transport of the carton cassette 5 will resume.

[0031] The first to fourth locking sections R1 to R4 are provided on the upper transport means 1U. More specifically, the second and third locking sections R2 and R3 are provided near the carton supply section 4, the first locking section R1 is provided approximately midway between the left lifting means 2L and the carton supply section 3, and the fourth locking section R4 is provided approximately midway between the right lifting means 2R and the carton supply section 3. Furthermore, the fifth and sixth locking parts R5 and R6 are provided near both the left and right ends of the middle transporting means 1M, and the seventh and eighth locking parts R7 and R8 are also provided near both the left and right ends of the lower transporting means 1D.

[0032] The carton cassette 5 is transported by this transport unit 1. In this embodiment, the carton supply device 100 is configured to transport the carton cassette 5 with the open side (right side in Figure 7A) facing the filling machine 200. Therefore, to prevent the folded carton C from falling out of the open side of the carton cassette 5 during transport, protective fences 12 made of rod material, as shown in Figure 5B, are provided on each transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D of the transport unit 1 to prevent the carton cassette 5 from falling, in line with the open position of the carton cassette 5. These protective fences 12 are also provided on the lifting unit 2, which will be described next.

[0033] [Lifting section 2] The lifting unit 2 has a right lifting mechanism 2R and a left lifting mechanism 2L, which are located at the left and right ends of the conveying unit 1, respectively. The right lifting mechanism 2R and the left lifting mechanism 2L, which constitute the lifting section 2, are equipped with a lifting platform 21 that moves up and down, as shown in Figures 1A, 3B, and 4A. This lifting platform 21 is composed of a second motor M2 and a second chain C2 that rotates and moves by the second motor M2. The second chain C2 is configured as two parallel chains, similar to the first chain C1 of the conveying section 1. The lifting and lowering operation of the lifting platform 21 is performed by a first belt B1 that rotates with a third motor M3, as shown in Figure 1A.

[0034] The right lifting mechanism 2R is used to move the carton cassette 5 between the transport mechanisms 1U, 1M, and 1D of the transport unit 1, and between the transport unit 1 and the stacked carton set unit 3. The left lifting mechanism 2L is also used to move the carton cassette 5 between the transport mechanisms 1U, 1M, and 1D of the transport unit 1.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3B, the right lifting mechanism 2R includes an L-shaped first stop plate 22 that moves vertically with respect to the second cylinder Y2, and an L-shaped second stop plate 23 that moves vertically with respect to the third cylinder Y3. The first stop plate 22 is for stopping the carton cassette 5, which is moving from the stacking carton set section 3 to the right lifting mechanism 2R, at a predetermined position on the lifting platform 21. The second stop plate 23 is for stopping the carton cassette 5, which is moving from the transport section 1 to the right lifting mechanism 2R, at a predetermined position on the lifting platform 21.

[0036] Although not shown in the figures, the lifting platform 21 in the lifting unit 2 of this embodiment is equipped with a sensor (for example, a reflective optical sensor) for detecting the presence or absence of a carton cassette 5, and a sensor (for example, a reflective optical sensor) for detecting whether or not a stacked carton CL is contained in the carton cassette 5 being transported. Therefore, the system is configured to detect whether or not a carton cassette 5 is placed on the lifting platform 21, and if a carton cassette 5 is placed on it, whether or not a stacked carton CL is contained in that carton cassette 5.

[0037] [Collection of cartons and sets 3] As shown in Figures 1A and 4A, the stacking carton set section 3 is a workbench located to the right of the right lifting mechanism 2R, and is the place where the work of storing two rows of stacking cartons CL in the carton cassette 5 placed on this workbench is performed.

[0038] Furthermore, the carton cassettes 5 placed on the stacking carton set section 3 can be brought by an operator from a location different from the carton supply device 100 and placed there, or they can be pulled out by an operator from the lifting platform 21 of the lifting section 2 and placed there. For this reason, as shown in Figure 4A, the stacking carton set section 3 is equipped with rotating rollers 31 to facilitate the movement of the carton cassettes 5. In addition, the size of the lifting section 2 and the stacking carton set section 3 in this embodiment is large enough to hold one carton cassette 5, but it may also be large enough to hold two to accommodate a double supply.

[0039] Then, in the stacking carton setting section 3, the carton cassette 5 containing the stacking cartons CL is returned to the lifting platform 21 of the lifting section 2 and moved to one of the transport means 1U, 1M, or 1D of the transport section 1. Although not shown in the figures, the stacking carton setting section 3 of this embodiment is equipped with a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the carton cassette 5.

[0040] [Carton Supply Department 4] As shown in Figure 1B, the carton supply unit 4 is located on the rear side of the folding carton supply device 100 (on the side of the carton accumulation section A of the filling machine 200), and removes the accumulated cartons CL from the upper transport means 1U from the carton cassette 5 and supplies them to the carton accumulation section A of the filling machine 200. In this embodiment, the supply of accumulated cartons CL is performed in a two-unit configuration to match the carton accumulation section A of the filling machine 200. However, in Figure 6, the two carton supply units 4 are shown operating in different units.

[0041] As shown in Figures 4B, 5, and 6, the carton supply unit 4 is composed of an extrusion unit 41, a holding unit 42, a guide rod 45, and a support unit 46. In this embodiment, the carton supply unit 4 is configured in a double-unit configuration so that one row of stacked cartons CL can be supplied from each of two adjacent carton cassettes 5.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4B, the extrusion unit 41 is a member that moves in the front-rear direction by the second belt B2 rotated by the fourth motor M4, and pushes the stacking carton CL from the open side of the carton cassette 5 to the holding unit 42 by moving in the rearward direction. As shown in Figure 5A, the extrusion unit 41 is a U-shaped member consisting of a wall member hanging down on the front side of the stacking carton CL (the open side of the carton cassette 5), a wall member hanging down on the rear side of the stacking carton CL (the partially closed side of the carton cassette 5), and a plate member connecting these. When the stacking carton CL is transported by the extrusion unit 41, the plate member on the front side supports the folded carton C on the front side, while the plate member on the rear side pushes the folded carton C on the rear side, causing the entire stacking carton CL to move.

[0043] As shown in Figures 5A and 6A, the holding section 42 is a box-shaped container for holding the stacking cartons CL, and is equipped with a movable claw 43 at its tip to prevent the discharge of the stacking cartons CL. This claw 43 is configured with a link mechanism that opens and closes using the first plunger P1. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5A, the holding portion 42 can be tilted (tilted forward) by the fourth cylinder Y4 around the pivot axis 44 on the tip side (the side in front of discharge).

[0044] As shown in Figure 6, the guide rod 45 consists of multiple rods, which are arranged to form a rectangular shape that surrounds the folded carton C. Furthermore, the guide rod 45 is inclined to match the angle of the carton stacking section A of the filling machine 200 (the angle of the guide rod AR in Figure 13).

[0045] Furthermore, the holding portion 42 can be tilted forward to the same angle θ as the guide rod 45 due to the inclination by the fourth cylinder Y4. The claws 43 remain closed when the accumulated carton CL is pushed out to the holding portion 42 by the extrusion portion 41, and until the holding portion 42 has finished tilting forward, preventing the accumulated carton CL from flowing out.

[0046] Then, when the holding part 42 finishes tilting forward, the claws 43 open, and the stacked carton CL falls towards the guide rod 45 due to its own weight. At this time, the support part 46 supports the leading end of the stacked carton CL to prevent it from falling unintentionally and the folded carton C from reaching the carton stacking section A of the filling machine 200 in pieces.

[0047] The support portion 46 is equipped with a support plate 47 made of a plate-like member with a portion cut out so that it can move inward without interfering with each rod of the guide rod 45. As shown in Figure 6B, this support plate 47 can slide by the second plunger P2 and move inward of the guide rod 45. Therefore, when the support plate 47 is moved inward of the guide rod 45, the support portion 46 supports the front side of the stacking carton CL, and when the support plate 47 is moved outward of the guide rod 45, it does not support the stacking carton CL.

[0048] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5B, the support portion 46 is capable of reciprocating along the extending direction of the guide rod 45 by a third belt B3, which is rotated by a motor (not shown). Therefore, the support portion 46 can guide the accumulated carton CL to a predetermined position within the guide rod 45 while supporting it, and slowly move the accumulated carton CL toward the carton accumulation section A of the filling machine 200.

[0049] Then, when a sensor (not shown) detects that the stacked carton CL has reached a predetermined position on the guide rod 45, the support unit 46 opens and closes the support plate 47 by sliding it laterally outwards from the guide rod 45. As a result, the stacked carton CL falls due to its own weight and is supplied to the carton stacking unit A of the filling machine 200.

[0050] The carton supply unit 4 in this embodiment is configured to perform this supply operation in two simultaneous and identical movements. However, Figure 6 illustrates different operations. In addition, there are two support plates 47 in the support unit 46 for each carton supply unit 4, and the two support plates 47 support the stacked carton CL. Therefore, compared to the case where there is only one support plate 47, it is possible to prevent the folded carton C from tilting and falling when the stacked carton CL falls due to the support plate 47 sliding outwards from the guide rod 45. Furthermore, the opening and closing movement of the support plate 47 in the support unit 46 may be by double-door opening rather than sliding as in this embodiment.

[0051] Furthermore, the supply operation of the filling machine 200 to the carton accumulation section A in the carton supply section 4 can be configured such as analyzing the remaining number of folded cartons C in the carton accumulation section A of the filling machine 200 using images and supplying them when the number is insufficient, or supplying them at predetermined intervals based on the processing time of the folded cartons C on the filling machine 200 side (the time from when the filling work is completed until they are discharged from the filling machine 200). However, there are also filling machines 200 equipped with sensors that detect the remaining amount of folded cartons C in the carton stacking section A. Therefore, in the folded carton supply device 100 of this embodiment, the output of the sensor in the carton stacking section A of the filling machine 200 is input to the folded carton supply device 100, and the supply operation in the carton supply section 4 is controlled based on the output from the filling machine 200. This configuration prevents excessive supply from the filling machine 200 to the carton stacking section A by the folded carton supply device 100, as well as a shortage of stacked cartons CL.

[0052] The folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment, having the above configuration, is equipped with a transport section 1 consisting of three transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D for the upper, middle, and lower levels, and a lifting section 2 consisting of a right lifting means 2R and a left lifting means 2L at both ends of the transport section 1, so that the carton cassette 5 that contains the stacked cartons CL can move between the transport section 1 and the lifting section 2.

[0053] Therefore, the carton cassettes 5 can be kept waiting in the transport unit 1, and the carton cassettes 5 can be sequentially moved by the transport unit 1 and the lifting unit 2 to guide them to the carton supply unit 4. By keeping many carton cassettes 5 containing stacked cartons CL waiting in the transport unit 1, the worker can leave the supply work area for an extended period of time.

[0054] In this embodiment of the folding carton supply device 100, seven carton cassettes 5 can be kept on standby in both the middle transport means 1M and the lower transport means 1D. Including the carton cassettes 5 in the upper transport means 1U where the carton supply unit 4 is located, it is possible to leave the supply work area for approximately 30 minutes.

[0055] Furthermore, when supplying the accumulated cartons CL to the carton accumulation section A of the filling machine 200 using the conventional manual method shown in Figures 13A and B, the worker had to insert the accumulated cartons CL into the guide rod AR of the carton accumulation section A by tilting them from horizontal to vertical while holding them with both hands to prevent them from falling apart. If the direction of the gripping force applied by both hands was incorrect during this tilting process, there was a risk that the folded cartons C would fall apart. In contrast, the folded carton supply device 100 of this embodiment does not require manual tilting, so the folded cartons C do not fall apart. In particular, when handling food, if the folded cartons C fall apart and fall to the floor, it can cause hygiene problems, so the folded carton supply device 100 of this embodiment is extremely beneficial.

[0056] Furthermore, the transport section 1 of the folding carton supply device 100 in this embodiment is composed of three transport means 1U, 1M, and 1D: upper, middle, and lower. As a result, the entire device is raised upwards, which reduces the area occupied by the device on the floor where the supply work is performed, making it very effective in sites with limited floor space, such as where a filling machine 200 is installed.

[0057] Furthermore, the carton supply unit 4 of the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment includes an extrusion unit 41 that pushes the accumulated carton CL from the carton cassette 5 toward the filling machine 200, a holding unit 42 that holds the accumulated carton CL pushed out by the extrusion unit 41 and is also capable of tilting forward, and a support unit 46 that supports the accumulated carton CL as it falls due to the tilting of the holding unit 42 and guides it to the carton accumulation unit A of the filling machine 200. The support unit 46 is configured to open and close when the accumulated carton CL is supplied to the carton accumulation unit A of the filling machine 200.

[0058] Therefore, when supplying the accumulated cartons CL to the carton accumulation section A of the filling machine 200 in the carton supply section 4, it is possible to prevent the accumulated cartons CL from becoming separated. This configuration is particularly suitable for filling machines formed with multiple guide rods with the supply side facing upwards, as described in Non-Patent Document 1, Non-Patent Document 2, and Figure 13.

[0059] Furthermore, the lifting platform 21 in the lifting section 2 of the folding carton supply device 100 in this embodiment is equipped with a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a carton cassette 5, and a sensor for detecting whether or not a stacked carton CL is contained in the carton cassette 5 being transported. Therefore, in the example of transporting carton cassettes 5 described later, it is possible to sort the destinations of the carton cassettes 5 in a mixed state of carton cassettes 5 with stacked cartons CL and carton cassettes 5 without stacked cartons 5. Furthermore, the installation of the sensors for detecting the presence or absence of carton cassette 5 and the sensors for detecting whether or not a stacked carton CL is contained in the transported carton cassette 5 is not limited to the lifting platform 21, but can also be installed on the transport unit 1. In this case, the third to sixth sensors S3 to S6 can be used for detecting the presence or absence of carton cassette 5.

[0060] Furthermore, the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment is equipped with a stacked carton setting section 3 for storing stacked cartons CL in the carton cassette 5. Therefore, the work of storing stacked cartons CL in the carton cassette 5 is very easy and efficient. Accordingly, the position of the stacked carton setting section 3 may be changed to suit the height of the worker, etc.

[0061] [Example of transporting carton cassette 5] Next, using Figures 8 to 11, we will briefly explain an example of how the carton cassette 5 is transported in the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment. Note that this is just one example of how the transport can be transported, and other transport examples can also be realized with the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment. Furthermore, the folding carton supply device 100 is shown in a simplified form below, and is presented as a simple conceptual diagram that appropriately shows only the elements necessary for explanation. First, Figure 8(1) shows the concept of the basic transport route in this transport example. The carton cassette 5 containing the accumulated carton CL in the accumulated carton set section 3 is transported via the lifting platform 21 of the right lifting means 2R of the lifting section 2 to the lower transport means 1D, as indicated by the arrows, then transported via the lifting platform 21 of the left lifting means 2L to the middle transport means 1M, and finally transported from the transport means 1M to the upper transport means 1U via the lifting platform 21 of the right lifting means 2R.

[0062] As previously mentioned, the upper transport means 1U in this embodiment is equipped with a first motor M1 only on its left end, and is configured to transport only to the left. The middle transport means 1M and the lower transport means 1D are equipped with first motors M1 at both the left and right ends, and are configured to transport in both directions. However, in this transport example, the lower transport means 1D transports only to the left, and the middle transport means 1M transports only to the right. By transporting along such a one-way transport path, it is possible to easily realize transport that supplies the accumulated cartons CL placed inside the device to the carton accumulation section A of the filling machine 200 in order. In particular, when lot management is performed by printing on the folded cartons C, it is possible to easily supply in lot order.

[0063] Figures 8(2) to 11 show the process of a worker replenishing the stacked cartons CL into the carton cassette 5. The carton cassette 5 containing the stacked cartons CL in the stacked carton setting section 3 is placed on the lifting platform 21 of the right lifting means 2R. At this time, if there are no carton cassettes 5 in the upper transport means 1U as shown in Figure 8(2), the lifting platform 21 moves to the upper transport means 1U as shown in Figure 8(3) and transport is performed by the upper transport means 1U. Then, as shown in Figure 9(1), when a certain number of carton cassettes 5 containing stacked cartons CL are assembled in the upper transport means 1U, the lifting platform 21 moves to the lower transport means 1D. This point will also be explained later in the section on the extrusion operation in the upper transport means 1U. Then, the cartons are transported to the lower transport means 1D, where the carton cassettes 5 containing the stacked cartons CL are accumulated. The carton cassettes 5 accumulated in this lower transport means 1D are then transported from the leftmost carton cassette 5 to the middle transport means 1M by the lifting platform 21 of the left lifting means 2L, as shown in Figures 9(2) to 9(3).

[0064] Then, the carton cassettes 5 accumulated in the middle transport means 1M are transported from the rightmost carton cassette 5 to the upper transport means 1U by the lifting platform 21 of the right lifting means 2R, as shown in Figure 10(1). As this transport continues, in the upper transport means 1U, carton cassettes 5 from which the supply of accumulated cartons CL from the carton supply unit 4 has finished are transported to the middle transport means 1M by the lifting platform 21 of the left lifting means 2L, as shown in Figure 10(2). In this transport example, empty carton cassettes 5 that do not contain accumulated cartons CL are not transported to the lower transport means 1D. As this transport continues, as shown in Figure 10(3), the middle transport means 1M will contain a mix of empty carton cassettes 5 and carton cassettes 5 containing stacked cartons CL. A sensor installed on the lifting platform 21 determines whether or not a stacked carton CL is contained in a carton cassette 5 on the lifting platform 21. Carton cassettes 5 containing stacked cartons CL are transported to the upper transport means 1U, and empty carton cassettes 5 are transported to the lower transport means 1D.

[0065] At this time, if the empty carton cassette 5 is not stored (replenished) by the accumulated carton set unit 3 with accumulated carton CL, then, as shown in Figure 11(1), the empty carton cassette 5 will eventually circulate, and if this continues, only empty carton cassette 5 will remain. Therefore, for example, if it is determined that there are many empty carton cassettes 5 through visual inspection by an operator or replenishment requests from the device (via display, light emission, sound, etc.), the empty carton cassettes 5 are pulled out from the transport table 21 of the right lifting means 2R to the accumulated carton set section 3, as shown in Figure 11(2), to replenish the accumulated cartons CL. Such transport is performed by the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment. However, as mentioned earlier, the transport example is merely one example. Furthermore, the illustrated transport example is a diagram illustrating a scene in actual transport for illustrative purposes.

[0066] [Extrusion operation by the upper transport means 1U] Next, using Figure 12, the extrusion operation in the extrusion section 41 of the carton supply section 4, which is performed by the upper transport means 1U of this embodiment, will be explained. As shown in step 1 (S1 in Figure 12), when the first carton cassette 5 containing the stacked carton CL is reached, the transport stop plate 11 of the fourth locking part R4 of the upper transport means 1U moves upward, and transport is stopped at this position. Then, when the next carton cassette 5 arrives, the lock at the fourth locking part R4 is released, and transport resumes. Then, as shown in step 2, the transport of the leading carton cassette 5 is stopped at the third locking section R3.

[0067] Next, as shown in step 3, the extrusion unit 41 of the carton supply unit 4 operates, extruding the accumulated cartons CL located in the left column of each carton cassette 5. These accumulated cartons CL are then pushed out to the holding unit 42 of the carton supply unit 4 and supplied to the carton accumulation unit A of the filling machine 200. Next, as shown in step 4, the lock of the third locking part R3 is released, and the cartons are transported to the second locking part R2 and stop. At this position, the extrusion part 41 of the carton supply part 4 operates again, and the accumulated cartons CL located in the right column of each carton cassette 5 are extruded and supplied to the carton accumulation part A of the filling machine 200.

[0068] Next, as shown in step 5, the two empty carton cassettes 5 are transported again and stop at the first locking section R1. Then, as shown in step 6, the first empty carton cassette 5 is moved to the lifting platform 21 of the left lifting means 2L and then transported to the middle transport means 1M (situation shown in Figure 10(2)). After that, as shown in step 7, the next empty carton cassette 5 is transported to the middle transport means 1M by the lifting platform 21. Meanwhile, on the right side of the upper transport means 1U, preparation of the carton cassette 5 containing the stacked cartons CL as shown in step 1 is proceeding simultaneously.

[0069] Thus, the folding carton supply device 100 of this embodiment can realize the above-described example of transporting the carton cassette 5 and the extrusion operation of the upper transport means 1U. In this embodiment, the folding carton supply device 100 was configured with the lifting units 2 positioned at both the left and right ends of the transport unit 1 in order to transport efficiently. However, a configuration consisting of only the right lifting means 2R can also be adopted. Furthermore, although the transport unit 1 was composed of three stages: an upper transport means 1U, a middle transport means 1M, and a lower transport means 1D, it can also be configured with transport means of two stages, four stages, or other configurations to match the size of the filling machine 200. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 100-fold carton supply device 1…Conveyor unit 12…Protective fence 1U…Upper transport means 1M...Mid-level conveying means 1D...Lower conveying means S1~S8... Sensors 1 to 8 R1~R8…1st to 8th Rock Sections 2… Lifting section 2R...Right lifting mechanism 2L…Left lifting means 21... Elevator 3…Collection carton set section 4…Carton Supply Department 41…Extrusion section 42...Holding part 45… Guide Rod 46...Support part 47...Support plate 5...Carton Cassette 200...Filling machine A...Carton stacking area CL...Collection of cartons C...Folding carton

Claims

1. A folding carton supply device that supplies a stack of multiple folding cartons to a carton stacking section of a filling machine that collects the folding cartons, after the flattened folding cartons have been formed into rectangular containers and then filled into the containers with liquid, A conveying unit having multiple stages of conveying means, A lifting unit is located at the end of the transport unit and has a lifting platform that can be raised and lowered, The conveying means includes a carton supply unit that supplies the accumulated cartons to the carton accumulation unit of the filling machine, A carton cassette for housing the stacked cartons, which are moved by the transport unit and placed on the lifting platform of the lifting unit and move up and down, A folding carton supply device characterized by comprising the following components.

2. The carton supply unit is, An extrusion unit that pushes the stacked cartons out of the carton cassette toward the filling machine, A holding section that holds the stacked cartons extruded by the extrusion section and is also capable of tilting forward, A support part that supports the falling stacked cartons due to the forward tilt of the holding part and guides them to the carton stacking section of the filling machine, It is equipped with, The folding carton supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support part opens and closes when the stacked cartons are supplied to the carton stacking section of the filling machine.

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