Sheet supply unit or device, sheet replacement method, and method for manufacturing sheet supply unit

Abstract

To supply sheets stably by reducing a work load at the time of model change regarding a magazine capable of accumulating the sheets.SOLUTION: A supply unit 20 accumulates a sheets 2 in a stacked state and supplies them to a predetermined take-out position P. The supply unit 20 is provided with a support part 24 capable of supporting the sheet 2 brought in from above from below and positioning the sheet at a take-out position P, and a guide 23 that extends upward of the take-out position P and accommodates the sheets 2 in an inner area 22 to maintain in a stacked state. The support part 24 is configured to be able to move vertically with the seat 2 supported from below.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a unit or apparatus for feeding sheet-like articles to a target, a sheet replacement method, and a method for manufacturing a sheet feeding unit. [Background technology]

[0002] A machine (caser) for forming sheets such as cardboard into a box shape and packaging, for example, bottles of beverage products, is equipped with a magazine that accumulates the sheets before forming into a stack and supplies them to a removal position (for example, Patent Document 1). The magazine is equipped with a guide that stands in the stacking direction of the sheets to prevent the stacked sheets from shifting. The sheets are removed one by one by a suction cup from the removal position at the bottom end of the magazine and formed into a box shape. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-323714 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the magazine described in Patent Document 1 is used, a stack of sheets is repeatedly fed from a sheet feed device to the magazine while the packing line is in steady-state operation. For example, when the sheet feed device supports the stack of sheets from below with a support part and moves to the position of the magazine, it releases the bottom surface of the stack from the support part and feeds the stack into the magazine from a predetermined position in the height direction. The steady-state operation of the packing line is performed with a predetermined amount of sheets stored in the magazine. When changing the products to be packed, the sheets remaining in the magazine must be manually collected. In this case, the guides arranged on all four sides of the sheets get in the way, making the sheet collection process less efficient.

[0005] When the magazine is emptied by collecting sheets, the distance that the sheets fall from the insertion position by the sheet input device during normal operation, that is, the distance from the insertion position to the support roller at the removal position at the bottom end of the magazine, is large. If a stack of sheets is input into the magazine using the sheet input device at this time, there is a risk that the stacked state of the sheets will be disturbed or that the sheets will tilt as they fall, passing the removal position where the support rollers are located and falling. To avoid this, a specified amount of sheets is manually placed on the support roller at the removal position.

[0006] In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a magazine (sheet supply unit) capable of accumulating sheets, which reduces the workload during type change and stably supplies sheets. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The sheet supply unit of the present disclosure is a unit that accumulates sheets in a stacked state and supplies them to a predetermined take-out position, and is equipped with a support section that can support from below the sheets brought in from above and position them at the take-out position, and a guide that extends above the take-out position and stores the sheets in an inner area to maintain them in a stacked state. The support portion is configured so as to be capable of both ascending and descending while supporting the seat from below.

[0008] A sheet feeding device according to the present disclosure includes the sheet feeding unit described above, and a take-out unit that takes out a sheet from the take-out position and supplies the sheet to forming.

[0009] The sheet replacement method according to the present disclosure relates to a supply unit including a support section configured to be capable of both raising and lowering and a drive section for driving the support section. The sheet replacement method includes an ascending step in which the support section ascends from below the take-out position while supporting the sheet, and a descending step in which the support section descends to at least the take-out position while supporting the sheet that is carried in from a predetermined height based on the take-out position.

[0010] The manufacturing method of a sheet supply unit according to the present disclosure is to add, to an existing sheet supply unit that includes a sheet receiver that supports from below the sheets brought in from above and can be positioned at a removal position, and a guide that extends above the removal position and stores the sheets in an inner area and maintains them in a stacked state, a support section that can support the sheets and a drive section that drives the support section in addition to the sheet receiver, and the drive section is configured to rise and fall while the support section supports the sheets from below. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present disclosure, by providing a liftable support section, when it is necessary to replace the sheet during, for example, a type change, the sheet remaining inside the guide of the supply unit can be raised to a position where it is easy to work while being supported by the support section, so that the sheet can be easily collected using a sheet carrying-in unit or the like without relying on human hands. When the sheet is collected and a sheet corresponding to the next product to be produced is supplied to the support section, the sheet can be lowered while being supported by the support section and stored inside the guide of the supply unit, and at this time the sheet is kept in an aligned state. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to realize automation of sheet replacement and stable supply of sheets. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a schematic diagram of a sheet feeding device according to the first embodiment in a steady-state operation state. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram corresponding to a cross section along line II shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram corresponding to a cross section taken along line III in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a liftable support section and a drive section shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 5] 13A to 13C are diagrams for explaining a step of lifting the sheet from the removal position by the support portion during type change. [Figure 6]13A to 13C are diagrams for explaining a step in which the support portion lowers the sheet to a removal position during type change. [Figure 7] 13 is a side view illustrating a sheet feeding device according to a second embodiment in a steady-state operation state. FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a schematic diagram corresponding to a cross section taken along line VIII in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 8 is a diagram showing a liftable support section and a drive section shown in FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is a diagram showing a support section and a drive section provided in a sheet feeding device according to a third embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] 13 is a side view illustrating a sheet feeding device according to a modified example in a steady-state operation state. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [First embodiment] (Overall composition) A sheet supplying device 1 shown in Fig. 1 supplies a sheet 2 to a process for packing products, such as bottled beverage products, into boxes. The sheet 2 removed from the sheet supplying device 1 is formed on a conveyor 3, such as a belt conveyor, and then packed into a box. That is, a product (not shown) is packed inside a box formed from the sheet 2. The sheet supplying device 1 constitutes a part of a boxing line. Each device on the boxing line operates under the control of a control device (not shown).

[0014] The sheet supplying device 1 includes a supplying unit 20 that accumulates sheets 2 in a stacked state and supplies them to a predetermined take-out position P, an input unit 10 that inputs a stack 2S of sheets 2 into the supplying unit 20 from above, and a take-out unit 30 that takes out the sheets 2 from the take-out position P and subjects the sheets to molding.

[0015] The sheet 2 is made of, for example, a corrugated cardboard sheet material. The sheet 2 is formed into a box shape, and after the products are packed in the box, the opening is closed. The sheet 2 may be a folded sheet material. A unit number of sheets 2 supplied from a sheet supply source (not shown) are stacked in the thickness direction to form a laminate 2S.

[0016] During steady operation of the packing line, the stack 2S is intermittently supplied to the carry-in unit 10 from a conveyor or the like (not shown). The carry-in unit 10 releases the stack 2S from a predetermined height based on a take-out position P, which is the lower end of the supply unit 20, and carries it into the supply unit 20. The sheets 2 are pulled out one by one by the take-out unit 30 from the take-out position P of the supply unit 20, which accumulates the sheets 2, and immediately after being pulled out, they are folded into a box shape along the crease 2F by a forming mechanism (not shown). The amount of accumulated sheets 2 in the supply unit 20 is kept within a certain range by a sensor (not shown) detecting the position of the uppermost sheet 2 among the sheets 2 accumulated in the supply unit 20.

[0017] (Loading unit) 1 and 2 corresponding to a cross section of the carry-in unit 10, the carry-in unit 10 is configured to be rotatable about a shaft 11 while supporting the stack 2S. The carry-in unit 10 includes the shaft 11, a sheet receiving shutter 12 that supports the stack 2S and releases the stack 2S when rotated to the release position A2, a carry-in guide 13 that maintains the sheets 2 in a stacked state, and a frame 14 that supports the sheet receiving shutter 12 and the carry-in guide 13.

[0018] The frame 14 extends from the position of the shaft 11 installed above the conveyor 3 to the rear (upstream) side of the conveying direction D of the conveyor 3. The state where the frame 14 extends horizontally from the position of the shaft 11 is set as a start position A1 (reference position), and a line drawn to the start position A1 and a line drawn to the release position A2 form a predetermined angle (acute angle). In a plan view, the shaft 11 is set at a position that does not overlap with the sheet 2 arranged inside the carry-in guide 13. In this embodiment, the shaft 11 is set parallel to one side (here, the short side) of the rectangular or approximately rectangular sheet 2.

[0019] The sheet receiving shutter 12 supports the stack 2S from below at two or more spaced apart locations. In this embodiment, the sheet receiving shutter 12 is installed at a position corresponding to each of two opposing sides (long sides in this case) of the sheet 2. The sheet receiving shutter 12 includes a receiving portion 121 that supports an end of the lower surface 2B of the sheet 2. The receiving portion 121 may be divided into a plurality of portions 121A to 121C in the direction of the sides of the sheet 2.

[0020] The carry-in guides 13 are installed at locations facing at least a portion of each of the four sides of the sheet 2 supported by the sheet receiving shutter 12 from the side of the stack 2S. Note that some of the carry-in guides 13 are not shown in the figure. The carry-in guides 13 extend from the position of the sheet receiving shutter 12 to at least the height of the stack 2S. The carry-in guides 13 prevent the sheets 2 from becoming displaced and maintain their alignment even when the frame 14 is rotated.

[0021] The frame 14 of the carry-in unit 10 can rotate around the shaft 11 to the removal position A2 with respect to the start position A1. For example, when the frame 14 is at the horizontal start position A1, the sheet receiving shutter 12 receives the stack 2S from a conveyor (not shown) or the like. Thereafter, when the frame 14 is rotated around the shaft 11 to the removal position A2 by a drive mechanism (not shown), the sheet 2 is positioned with respect to the guide 23 of the supply unit 20. At that time, the receiving parts 121 on both sides of the sheet 2 are moved away from the sheet 2 in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the sheets 2 (the direction of the white arrow in FIG. 2) by a drive mechanism (not shown), for example, an air cylinder. Then, the stack 2S is removed from the sheet receiving shutter 12 and falls onto the sheets 2 accumulated in the supply unit 20. After the sheet receiving shutter 12 is opened on both sides of the sheet 2 to remove the sheet 2, the frame 14 rotates in the opposite direction to return to the start position A1 and waits for the next stack 2S.

[0022] (Supply unit) As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3, which corresponds to a cross-section of the supply unit 20 at the removal position P, the supply unit 20 includes a sheet receiver 21, a guide 23 that stores the sheet 2 in an inner area 22, a support portion 24 that can be raised and lowered, and a drive portion 25 that drives the support portion 24. 3 shows a state in which the support portion 24 is at the removal position P. The driving portion 25 is not shown in FIG.

[0023] To supply the sheet 2 forward (downstream) in the conveying direction D of the conveyor 3 onto the conveyor 3 where the sheet 2 is formed, the sheet 2 is taken out by the take-out unit 30 downward and forward from a take-out position P. For this reason, the supply unit 20 is installed at an overall incline with respect to the horizontally installed conveyor 3 such that the upstream end of the conveyor 3 is closer to the downstream end. The line drawn at the take-out position P forms a predetermined angle θ with the conveyor 3. The line drawn at the removal position A2 of the frame 14 is substantially the same.

[0024] The sheet receiver 21 supports, from below, the sheet 2 carried in from above by the carry-in unit 10, and positions the sheet 2 at the take-out position P. The sheet receiver 21 supports two or more spaced apart locations on the lower surface 2B of the sheet 2. The sheet receiver 21 of this embodiment includes rollers 21R corresponding to each of the four sides of the sheet 2, and comes into contact with the lower surface 2B of the sheet 2. The four rollers 21R are disposed on the same plane perpendicular to the stacking direction of the sheets 2 at the take-out position P. The axis of each roller 21R is parallel to the corresponding side. In the sheet receiver 21 of this embodiment, the rollers 21R stably support at least a part of each edge of the four sides of the lower surface 2B of the sheet 2 at four points.

[0025] In order to reduce pressure on the sheets 2 at the removal position P, it is preferable that the sheets 2 accumulated in the inner region 22 are divided into a first group G1 of sheets 2 stacked upward from the removal position P and a second group G2 having one end side closer to the axis 11 raised relative to the first group G1. Therefore, the supply unit 20 is provided with an intermediate receiver 26 that supports the upper end of the second group G2. When the carry-in unit 10 replenishes the second group G2 with sheets 2, some of the sheets 2 in the second group G2 climb over the intermediate receiver 26 and fall, becoming one with the first group G1. The remaining sheets 2 remain above the intermediate receiver 26 as the second group G2. The distance that the sheet 2, which has been released from the sheet receiving shutter 12 by the carry-in unit 10, falls corresponds to the distance ΔF1 from the release position A2 to the second group G2.

[0026] The guide 23 maintains the sheets 2 carried in by the carry-in unit 10 in a stacked state. The guide 23 is composed of first guide portions 231 corresponding to opposing sides (e.g., long sides) of the sheets 2, and second guide portions 232 corresponding to the remaining sides (e.g., short sides) of the sheets 2. The first guide portion 231 and the second guide portion 232 each extend upward from the take-out position P in at least a portion of the corresponding side. These guide portions 231, 232 preferably extend to the vicinity of the removal position A2.

[0027] The inner region 22 is a space inside the first guide portion 231 and the second guide portion 232. The stack 2S, which is input from the removal position A2 by the input unit 10, is placed on top of the sheets 2 already accumulated in the inner region 22 while being guided by the second guide portion 232 (232A) farther from the shaft 11. The first guide portion 231 and the second guide portion 232 surround the first group G1 and the second group G2 of the sheets 2 accumulated in the inner region 22, and maintain them in an orderly stacked state. It should be noted that the second guide portion 232A far from the shaft 11 and the second guide portion 232B close to the shaft 11 do not necessarily need to be arranged in parallel.

[0028] In order to more fully restrict misalignment of the sheet 2 while guiding the sheet 2 downward by the second guide portion 232A farther from the shaft 11, it is preferable that the pair of first guide portions 231 corresponding to the long sides of the sheet 2 are shifted away from the shaft 11 with respect to the center of the long sides. The sheet receivers 21 corresponding to the long sides of the sheet 2 are similarly positioned.

[0029] The first guide portion 231 and the second guide portion 232 may be attached to a frame (not shown) of the supply unit 20, or these guide portions 231, 232 may be integrated together to serve as a frame and support the sheet receiver 21, the support portion 24, the drive portion 25, etc. The intermediate receiver 26 is supported by the second guide portion 232B.

[0030] The support portion 24 is configured to be capable of both ascending and descending while supporting the seat 2 from below. As shown in Fig. 3, the support portion 24 preferably supports the seat 2 from below at two or more spaced apart locations in a plan view. In this embodiment, the support portion 24 supports the end of the lower surface 2B of the sheet 2 at the take-out position P in the same manner as the sheet receiver 21 arranged at the take-out position P, and is therefore arranged between the sheet receiver 21 and the guide 23 in a plan view at the take-out position P so as not to interfere with the sheet receiver 21 or the guide 23. In this embodiment, both sides of the longitudinal direction d1 of the sheet 2 are supported by two support portions 24 arranged on each side of the longitudinal direction d1 of the sheet 2 and spaced apart in the short direction d2. The second guide portion 232 and the sheet receiver 21 in the vicinity thereof are arranged between the pair of support portions 24 aligned in the short direction d2. It is preferable that a roller (not shown) that comes into contact with the sheet 2 is provided at the tip of each support portion 24 in order to reduce friction with the sheet 2 and prevent the sheet 2 from being scratched.

[0031] 4, the driving unit 25 includes a linear motion mechanism 251 that drives the support unit 24 in one direction to raise and lower it, and a cam rail 252 that determines the attitude of the support unit 24. The driving unit 25 is installed near each of the multiple support units 24. The linear motion mechanism 251 includes a male screw 251A, a nut 251B that engages with the male screw 251A, and a motor 251C that rotates the male screw 251A about its axis. The male screw 251A can be disposed parallel to the direction in which the adjacent second guide portion 232 stands.

[0032] Each support portion 24 includes a support portion main body 241 that supports an end portion of the lower surface 2B of the seat 2, a connecting portion 242 that is connected to the nut 251B so as to be rotatable about the shaft 24A, and an engaging portion 243 that engages with the cam rail 252. The support portion 24 is formed in an L-shape in a side view. The cam rail 252 is provided with a straight section 252A parallel to the male thread 251A and a curved cam section 252B.

[0033] Both the male thread 251A and the straight section 252A extend upward from the removal position P toward the removal position A2, and preferably extend all the way to the removal position A2. The cam rail 252 maintains the support body 241 in a position perpendicular to the male screw 251A in the straight section 252A. While the support body 241 supports the seat 2 over the range from the removal position P to the removal position A2 where the straight section 252A extends, the support 24 coupled to the nut 251B can be raised or lowered depending on the direction in which the motor 251C rotates the male screw 251A. Each of the multiple support parts 24 is driven at the same speed by the corresponding drive part 25 while moving between the removal position P and the removal position A2, so that the sheet 2 can be raised and lowered while being stably supported by the support parts 24 at multiple points on the sheet 2. In order to further stabilize the posture of the seat 2 during movement, the movement speed of each of the multiple support parts 24 may be individually and variably controlled.

[0034] Cam section 252B curves in a direction away from sheet 2 at take-out position P in the longitudinal direction d1 of sheet 2 as it moves from take-out position P toward the lower end of cam rail 252. Therefore, when support portion 24 is moved downward below take-out position P by linear motion mechanism 251, support portion 24 retreats from sheet 2 at take-out position P and sheet 2 taken out from take-out position P (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1). The respective shapes of the cam section 252B and the support portion 24 can be determined appropriately so that the support portion 24 can be retracted to the outside of the trajectory of the sheet 2 being taken out.

[0035] As described later, during type changeover, each support portion 24 rises above the take-out position P while supporting the sheets 2 accumulated in the inner region 22. When the sheets 2 lifted by the rise of the support portion 24 are collected from the support portion 24 and the inner region 22 becomes empty, the support portion 24 lowers while supporting another stack 2S of sheets 2 carried in by the carry-in unit 10. When the support portion 24 reaches the take-out position P, the sheet 2 is supported by the sheet receiver 21, so that the support portion 24 can be lowered below the take-out position P and the support portion 24 can be retracted from the sheets 2 at the take-out position P according to the shape of the cam section 252B. The support portion 24 is retracted near the lower end of the cam rail 252 while the sheet supply device 1 is in steady operation.

[0036] The support portion 24 is provided with the rigidity and contact area with the sheet 2 required to support the sheet 2 without causing it to fall off during a type change. In this embodiment, the length by which the support portion main body 241 protrudes in the in-plane direction of the sheet 2 from the edge 2A (FIG. 3) of the sheet 2 is set to be equal to the length by which the sheet receiver 21 protrudes from the edge 2A of the sheet 2, but is not limited to this. The support portion main body 241 may protrude to a position beyond the roller 21R of the sheet receiver 21.

[0037] When the support portion 24 is retracted from the sheet 2 at the removal position P and the sheet 2 to be removed, the support portion 24 does not interfere with the sheet 2, and the sheet 2 can be removed smoothly. However, depending on the size of the range in which the support portion 24 supports the sheet 2, the shape of the support portion 24, and the like, even if the support portion 24 remains in the removal position P, the sheet 2 can be pulled out from the sheet receiver 21 and the support portion 24. Therefore, the support portion 24 does not necessarily have to be retracted from the sheet 2. Note that, in order to avoid interference between the sheet 2 and the support portion 24 during removal, the support portion 24 may be detached from the nut 251B and the cam rail 252 during normal operation.

[0038] (Removal unit) The take-out unit 30 (FIG. 1) takes out the sheet 2 downward from the take-out position P of the supply unit 20. At this time, the support portion 24 is retracted from the sheet 2 to be taken out, so that the sheet 2 supported by the sheet receiver 21 can be smoothly taken out without the sheet 2 interfering with the support portion 24. At this time, the support portion 24 is retracted to a position where it does not interfere with the arm 31 of the take-out unit 30.

[0039] The take-out unit 30 includes an arm 31 that can swing around an axis (not shown) and one or more suction units 32 provided on the arm 31. The suction units 32 are attached to the underside 2B of the sheet 2 by reducing the pressure inside the cup 32A by suction and exhaust through a hose (not shown). When the arm 31 is swung in this state, the sheet 2 is deformed in the out-of-plane direction following the arm 31, and the edge of the sheet 2 climbs over the roller 21R of the sheet receiver 21 downward, so that the sheet 2 is released from the sheet receiver 21. When the sheet 2 thus taken out from the take-out position P is supported by an arm or the like of the sheet forming mechanism (not shown), the suction of the sheet 2 may be released by supplying air to the inside of the cup 32A. The sheet 2 is formed into a box shape by the forming mechanism, and is sent to an area where the sheet is packed by a conveyor or the like.

[0040] The take-out unit 30 is not limited to one that pulls out the sheet 2 by suction, but may be one that slides the sheet 2 at the take-out position P relative to the adjacent sheet 2 to take it out, for example.

[0041] [Manufacture of supply unit] The supply unit 20 of this embodiment can be newly manufactured by assembling the sheet receiver 21, the guide 23, the support portion 24, and the drive portion 25, or can be manufactured by adding the support portion 24 and the drive portion 25 to an existing supply unit that does not have the support portion 24. When manufacturing the supply unit 20 by such retrofitting, it is preferable to select an appropriate position that does not interfere with the sheet receiver 21, the guide 23, etc., based on the position and shape, etc., of the existing sheet receiver 21 and the guide 23, and arrange the support portion 24 and the drive portion 25. Since both the support portion 24 and the drive portion 25 extend around the sheet 2 in the plan view of the sheet 2, almost along the direction in which the guide 23 stands, the support portion 24 and the drive portion 25 can be arranged well in the planar narrow space between the sheet receiver 21 and the guide 23. The support portion 24 and the drive portion 25 can be easily assembled without assuming processing or part replacement of the existing guide 23, frame, etc. Therefore, a supply unit 20 equipped with a support unit 24 and a drive unit 25 can be manufactured inexpensively by utilizing an existing supply unit, and the operation of the support unit 24 during type change can significantly reduce the workload required to replace the sheets 2 and also contribute to a stable supply of the sheets 2.

[0042] Incidentally, when manufacturing a new supply unit 20, the sheet receiver 21 is not necessarily required. That is, as in the supply unit 20X shown in FIG. 11, it is possible to provide only the support portion 24 as a member that supports the sheet 2 and can be positioned at the take-out position P. In this case, the support portion 24 also serves as the sheet receiver 21, and is located at the take-out position P during normal operation. Therefore, the drive portion 25 does not need to have a mechanism for retracting the support portion 24 from the sheet 2.

[0043] (Change of model) When the product being manufactured on a production line, such as a boxing line, is switched, the product dimensions and the packaging used also change. The work associated with the product switch, such as changing the width of the guides of conveyors or switching the packaging used to match the next product, is called "changeover." According to the sheet supplying device 1 equipped with the supply unit 20 of this embodiment, when changing the type, the normal operation mode is switched to the type change mode, and the support part 24 is raised by the drive part 25 and then lowered, so that the sheets 2 accumulated in the supply unit 20 can be easily replaced when changing the product.

[0044] An example of a procedure for replacing sheets in the supply unit 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, the steady operation ends, and the sheet supplying device 1 transitions from the steady operation mode to the type change mode. At this time, the motor 251C rotates the male screw 251A based on a control command issued by a control device (not shown), so that the nut 251B and the support part 24 rise from the retracted position at the lower end of the cam rail 252 relative to the male screw 251A (step S01). When the support part main body 241 passes the take-out position P, the sheet 2 leaves the sheet receiver 21 and is supported by the support part 24. The support part 24 rises to the removal position A2 while supporting the sheet 2 from below (step S02).

[0045] As the support part 24 rises, the stacked sheets 2 move upward out of the inner region 22, so that the sheets 2 remaining in the inner region 22 at the end of normal operation can be easily collected from above the support part 24. At this time, when the support part 24 is raised to the removal position A2, the entire stack of accumulated sheets 2 is exposed above the guide 23, so that the work of collecting the sheets 2 can be performed more easily.

[0046] Unlike when attempting to collect sheets 2 from the inner area 22 surrounded by guides 23, there is no need to perform an operation such as pulling up sheets 2 from the gap between guides 23 and sheet receivers 21. Because carry-in unit 10 cannot enter inside guide 23 due to interference from other members, carry-in unit 10 cannot collect sheets 2. The operation of putting one's hand into inner area 22 to collect sheets 2 is complicated because it is hindered by guides 23.

[0047] In addition, it is also cumbersome to manually pull the remaining sheets 2 downward from the take-out position P to collect them, or to use the take-out unit 30 to take out and collect the sheets 2 one by one. If a boxing line is operated to collect the sheets 2, the sheets 2 taken out of the supply unit 20 by the take-out unit 30 will be formed into a box shape, and it will be impossible to collect the unformed sheets 2. According to this embodiment, during mold change, the sheet 2 can be transported upward from the removal position P by the support portion 24, so that the remaining sheet 2 can be easily collected upward from the supply unit 20 in an unformed state.

[0048] The sheet 2 raised to the detachment position A2 by the support section 24 can also be collected by the carry-in unit 10. In this embodiment, the support section 24 is disposed at a position that does not interfere with the sheet receiving shutter 12 in a plan view of the sheet 2 at the detachment position A2. Therefore, the sheet 2 can be returned from the support section 24 to the sheet receiving shutter 12 at the detachment position A2. The sheet receiving shutter 12 is opened outward in the short-side direction d2 of the sheet 2 at the detachment position A2 so as not to interfere with the sheet 2 carried by the support section 24. By closing the sheet receiving shutter 12 inward in the short-side direction d2, the sheet 2 can be transferred from the support section 24 that has reached the detachment position A2 to the sheet receiving shutter 12. Thereafter, the frame 14 is rotated to the start position A1, and further transferred to a conveyor via an appropriate transfer device, and the sheet 2 can be transported to a collection location.

[0049] The sheets 2 are removed from the inner region 22 through the ascending steps S01 and S02, leaving the inner region 22 empty. In order to stably supply the sheets 2 to the molding and boxing processes after the type change, a certain number or more of sheets 2 corresponding to the next product to be manufactured are carried into the supply unit 20. Before carrying them in, the position of the guide 23 is changed as necessary to provide the inner region 22 with a size suitable for the sheets 2 of the next product.

[0050] Assume that the supply unit 20 does not include the support portion 24. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, when the inner region 22 is empty and the carry-in unit 10 carries in a certain number or more of stacked sheets 2, the distance that the sheets 2 fall increases to ΔF2, which is larger than ΔF1 during normal operation. The fall distance ΔF2 corresponds to the distance from the release position A2 to the take-out position P. To prevent the sheets 2 from being separated and stacked out of place while the sheets 2 fall by the fall distance ΔF2, from being damaged by the impact of falling onto the rollers 21R, or from being tilted inside the guide 23 while falling and falling through the insides of the four rollers 21R, a manual operation is required to put the sheets 2 deep inside the inner region 22 and place them at the take-out position P.

[0051] Since the supply unit 20 is provided with the support portion 24, the support portion 24 can be disposed above the take-out position P, thereby reducing the falling distance of the sheet 2 carried in from above. Therefore, even during type change, the sheet 2 can be carried in by the carry-in unit 10 to the inner area 22 without incurring the workload of carrying in the sheet 2 manually.

[0052] When the support portion 24 reaches the removal position A2, the support portion 24 and the sheet receiving shutter 12 are disposed flush with each other at the removal position A2, so that even if the sheet receiving shutter 12 opens, the stack of sheets 2 does not fall but is supported by the support portion 24. Even if the upper limit of the movement of the support portion 24 remains below the removal position A2, the fall distance is shorter than ΔF2. Therefore, the sheets 2 are disposed on the support portion 24 in the same state as the stacked sheets 2 were when they were accommodated inside the carry-in guide 13 of the carry-in unit 10.

[0053] Once the sheet 2 is supported by the support section 24, the motor 251C rotates the male screw 251A in the opposite direction to that when the sheet 2 is raised based on a control command issued by a control device (not shown), thereby lowering the support section 24 together with the nut 251B (step S03). The sheet 2 is stably supported by the support section 24 and transported to the take-out position P, so that the sheet 2 is arranged in an orderly stacked state on the sheet receiver 21. When the support section main body 241 passes the take-out position P downward, the sheet 2 leaves the support section 24 and is supported by the sheet receiver 21, and the support section main body 241 retreats from the sheet 2 (step S04), so that the mode change mode may be switched to the normal operation mode. The sheets 2 neatly stacked in the supply unit 20 are taken out one by one from the take-out position P by the take-out unit 30, and the sheets 2 can be stably supplied to the molding and boxing processes.

[0054] Second Embodiment Next, a sheet feeding device 1-2 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 9. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. Below, differences from the first embodiment will be described. 7 shows the loading unit 10 in a simpler manner than in the first embodiment, and the removal unit 30 is omitted in FIG.

[0055] The position of a support portion 44 provided in a supply unit 20-2 in the second embodiment is different from the position of the support portion 24 in the first embodiment. Also, the mechanism of a drive portion 45 in the second embodiment is different from the mechanism of the drive portion 25 in the first embodiment.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, two support portions 44 are disposed on each of the opposing long sides of the sheet 2, and support the sheet 2 from both sides in the short-side direction d2 of the sheet 2. As shown in FIG. 9, the support portion 44 includes a support portion main body 441 that supports the seat 2, and a fixing portion 442 that is fixed to a chain 451.

[0057] The driving unit 45 includes a chain 451, and a driving sprocket 452 and a driven sprocket 453 around which the chain 451 is wound. The chain 451 is disposed generally parallel to the direction in which the second guide units 232A and 232B stand. In order to stably drive the chain 451, it is preferable that the driving sprocket 452 is disposed above the driven sprocket 453. The straight section 451A of the chain 451 extends upward from the take-out position P toward the detachment position A2, and preferably extends all the way to the detachment position A2.

[0058] The chains 451 corresponding to the four support parts 44 are arranged parallel to each other. The two drive sprockets 452 arranged on the same side in the short-side direction d2 may be driven individually, but in this embodiment, they are driven by torque transmitted from the same motor 45M via the drive shaft 450. The chain 451 is driven by the rotation of the drive sprocket 452. As shown in FIG. 8, the drive shaft 450 is arranged parallel to the long side of the sheet 2 in a plan view of the take-out position P. When the chain 451 is raised or lowered according to the direction of the torque output by the motor 45M, the support parts 44 are raised or lowered following the chain 451.

[0059] 9, the driving unit 45 of the second embodiment can also raise and lower the support portion 44 between the take-out position P and the removal position A2 while the sheet 2 is supported by the support portion 44. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment, the sheet 2 can be stably supplied downstream from the supply unit 20-2 while reducing the labor required for replacing the sheet 2 during type change. In addition, by moving the support portion 44 to the driven sprocket 453 located below the removal position P, the support portion 44 can be retracted from the sheet 2, so that the sheet 2 can be smoothly removed from the removal position P.

[0060] Third Embodiment The third embodiment is obtained by adding a function of moving the support portion 44 forward and backward with respect to the seat 2 to the second embodiment. 10, the driving unit 55 includes a chain 451, a driving sprocket 452, and a driven sprocket 453, as well as a cylinder 551 fixed to the chain 451. The cylinder 551 is, for example, an air cylinder. The support part 44 is fixed to a piston rod 551A of a cylinder 551. The piston rod 551A extends in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the sheets 2. The piston rod 551A can be advanced and retreated by switching between supplying compressed air to the cylinder 551 and exhausting it from the cylinder 551. Following the advance and retreat of the piston rod 551A, the support part 44 advances and retreats between a first position p1 and a second position p2.

[0061] The cylinder 551 may be an electric cylinder in which the piston rod 551A can be moved to any position within a predetermined stroke range. In this case, the dimension by which the support part 44 following the piston rod 551A protrudes in the in-plane direction of the sheet 2 from the edge 2A of the sheet 2 can be adjusted to an appropriate length.

[0062] When the sheet 2 is supported by the support portion 44, the support portion 44 is advanced to a first position p1 by the cylinder 551. The second position p2 is used when the sheet 2 is present at the removal position P. When the support portion 44 is retreated to the second position p2, the support portion 44 is positioned outside the sheet 2 in a plan view. Therefore, the support portion 44 can be moved to the space 27 above the sheets 2 present in the inner region 22 without interfering with the sheets 2.

[0063] When the support portion 24 is returned to the first position p1 in the space 27 above the sheet 2, the support portion 44 can support the sheet 2. Then, for example, the support portion 44 can be raised by the drive of the chain 451 to the detachment position A2 to receive the sheet 2 from the supply unit 20, and the sheet 2 can be lowered while being supported by the support portion 44 without dropping. Once the support portion 24 has been lowered to a position according to the amount of accumulated sheets 2 in the inner region 22, the support portion 24 can be retracted by the cylinder 551 to the second position p2 to detach the support portion 24 from between the stacked sheets 2.

[0064] According to the third embodiment, even if sheets 2 are present in the inner region 22 during normal operation, the sheets 2 can be replenished in a timely manner while maintaining the sheets 2 aligned in the inner region 22. Regardless of the number of sheets 2 stacked in the inner region 22, the sheets 2 can be replenished in the inner region 22 by performing the following steps, for example.

[0065] Step s01: The support portion 44 is disposed at or below the removal position P. At this time, the support portion 44 is moved above the sheet 2 by driving the chain 451 while being retreated to the second position p2 relative to the sheet 2. It is preferable to raise the support portion to the removal position A2. Step s02: The support portion 44 is advanced to a first position p1 by the cylinder 551, and the sheet 2 carried in from above is supported on the support portion 44. Step s03: By driving the chain 451, the support portion 44 is lowered from the take-out position P to the position of the uppermost sheet 2 among the stacked sheets 2. Step s04: When the support portion 44 is moved backward to the second position p2 by the cylinder 551, the support portion 44 is removed from between the seats 2. Step s05: In order to prevent the seat 2 from interfering with the support part 44, the support part 44 is driven by the chain 451 to move away from the seat 2 until the support part 44, which has been retreated to the second position p2, passes downward over the seat 2 and moves to the lower end of the driven sprocket 453.

[0066] In addition, because the support portion 24 can move forward and backward, it is possible to collect the sheets 2 in multiple batches, for example when the total weight of the sheets 2 to be lifted by the support portion 24 from the removal position P is excessive for the output of the motor, etc. In other words, by repeatedly moving the support portion 44 forward from the second position p2 to the first position p1 to insert it between the sheets 2 and lifting only the sheets 2 above the support portion 24, it is possible to collect all of the sheets 2 from the inner region 22.

[0067] In addition to the above, it is possible to select and discard the configurations given in the above embodiment, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate. The support portion is not limited to a portion that supports the vicinity of the edge of the sheet 2. When a sheet receiver is provided in addition to the support portion, for example, the support portion may support only the central region of the lower surface 2B of the sheet 2. In this case, after the replacement of the sheet 2 during the type change is completed, the support portion may be moved to a position retracted from the sheet 2 by the drive portion.

[0068] [Additional Notes] The above-described sheet supply unit, sheet supply device, type changing method, and manufacturing method of the sheet supply unit can be understood as follows. [1] The unit 20, 20-2, which accumulates the sheets 2 in a stacked state and supplies them to a predetermined take-out position P, includes a support section 24, 44 that can support from below the sheets 2 carried in from above and position them at the take-out position P, and a guide 23 that extends above the take-out position P and stores the sheets 2 in the inner area 22 to maintain the stacked state. The support section 24, 44 is configured to be able to both rise and fall while supporting the sheets 2 from below. [2] The sheet supply unit 20, 20-2 includes, in addition to the support portion 24, 44, a sheet receiver 21 capable of supporting the sheet 2 from below and positioning it at the take-out position P. [3] The sheet supply unit 20, 20-2 includes a drive unit 25, 45, 55 that drives the support unit 24, 44. The drive unit 25, 45, 55 is configured to be able to retract the support unit 24, 44 relative to the sheet 2 at the take-out position P and the sheet 2 taken out from the take-out position P. [4] The sheet supply unit 20, 20-2 includes a drive unit 25, 45, 55 that drives the support unit 24, 44. The drive unit 25, 45, 55 is configured to be able to raise and lower the support unit 24, 44 and to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the sheet 2. [5] The support portions 24, 44 support the lower surface 2B of the seat 2 at two or more locations spaced apart from each other. [6] The sheet supplying device 1 includes sheet supplying units 20, 20-2, and 20X, and a take-out unit 30 that takes out the sheet 2 from a take-out position P and supplies the sheet 2 to forming. [7] The supply unit 20, 20-2, 20X includes a sheet loading unit 10 that loads a stack 2S of sheets 2 from above into the inner region 22. The sheet loading unit 10 is configured to be rotatable to a predetermined removal position A2 with respect to a reference position, and to be able to remove the sheets 2 when rotated to the removal position A2. [8] The support parts 24, 44 are configured to be able to rise to the removal position A2. [9] A method for replacing sheets in a supply device 20, 20-2, 20X that accumulates sheets 2 to be packed in a stacked state and supplies them to a predetermined take-out position P relates to a supply unit 20, 20-2, 20X that includes support parts 24, 44 that are configured to be able to rise and fall and drive parts 25, 45, 55 that drive the support parts 24, 44. The type changing method includes an ascending step in which the support parts 24, 44 rise from below the take-out position P while supporting the sheets 2 by the drive parts 25, 45, 55, and a descending step in which the support parts 24, 44 support the sheets 2 that are brought in from a predetermined height based on the take-out position P and descend to at least the take-out position P.

[10] The supply device 20, 20-2, 20X includes a carry-in unit 10 that carries in a stack 2S of sheets 2 from above into the supply unit 20, 20-2, 20X. In this case, after the support parts 24, 44 rise in the ascending steps S01, S02, the sheets 2 that have been detached from the carry-in unit 10 are lowered while being supported by the support parts 24, 44 in the descending steps S03, S04 after the sheets 2 are collected from the support parts 24, 44.

[11] In the ascending steps S01, S02, when the support parts 24, 44 ascend to the position A2 where the carry-in unit 10 releases the sheet 2, the sheet 2 is returned to the carry-in unit 10 from the supply units 20, 20-2, 20X.

[12] A method of manufacturing a unit 20, 20-2, 20X that accumulates sheets 2 in a stacked state and supplies them to a predetermined take-out position P is to add, to an existing supply unit that includes a sheet receiver 21 that supports from below the sheets 2 brought in from above and can be positioned at the take-out position P, and a guide 23 that extends above the take-out position P and stores the sheets 2 in the inner area 22 and maintains them in a stacked state, support parts 24, 44 that can support the sheets 2 and drive parts 25, 45, 55 that drive the support parts 24, 44, in addition to the sheet receiver 21, and the drive parts 25, 45, 55 are configured to rise and fall while the support parts 24, 44 support the sheets 2 from below. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1 Sheet Feeder 2 seats 2A edge 2B Bottom side 2F crease 2S laminate 3 Conveyor 10 Loading unit 11 Axis 12 Sheet receiving shutter 13. Loading Guide 14 Frame 20,20-2 Supply unit 21 Sheet holder 21R Lola 22 Inner area 23 Guide 24 Support part 24A axis 25 Drive unit 26 Intermediate receiver 27 Space 30 Ejection unit 31 Arm 32 Adsorption part 32A Cup 44 Support part 45 Drive unit 45M motor 55 Drive unit 121 Receiving part 231 First guide section 232, 232A, 232B Second guide section 241 Support body 242 Joint 243 Engagement part 251 Linear motion mechanism 251A Male Thread 251B Nut 251C Motor 252 Cam rail 252A Straight Section 252B Cam section 441 Support body 442 Fixed part 450 Driveshaft 451 Chain 451A Straight section 452 Drive sprocket 453 driven sprocket 551 Cylinder 551A Piston rod A1 starting position A2 Detachment position D Conveying direction d1 Longitudinal direction d2 Lateral direction G1 Group 1 G2 2nd group P Eject position p1 1st position p2 2nd position S01, S02 steps (rising steps) S03, S04 steps (descending steps) s01~s05 Steps 1~5 ΔF1,ΔF2 Falling distance θ angle

Claims

1. A sheet supplying device comprising: a sheet supplying unit that accumulates sheets in a stacked state and supplies them to a predetermined take-out position; a take-out unit that takes the sheets from the take-out position and supplies the sheets to forming; and a sheet carrying-in unit that carries a stack of the sheets from above into an inner area of ​​the sheet supplying unit, The sheet supply unit includes: a support section configured to support the sheet carried in from above from below and position the sheet at the removal position, and to be capable of both ascending and descending while supporting the sheet from below; a guide extending above the removal position to receive and maintain the sheets in a stacked state within the inner region; The sheet carrying-in unit includes: A sheet supplying device configured to be rotatable to a predetermined removal position with respect to a reference position, and to be able to remove the sheet when rotated to the removal position.

2. The sheet supply unit comprises: a sheet receiver capable of supporting the sheet from below and positioning the sheet at the removal position, separate from the support portion; The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 1 .

3. The sheet supply unit comprises: A drive unit that drives the support unit, The drive unit is configured to be able to retract the support unit relative to the sheet at the removal position and the sheet to be removed from the removal position. The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 2 .

4. The sheet supply unit comprises: A drive unit that drives the support unit, The drive unit is configured to be capable of raising and lowering the support unit and to be capable of moving the support unit toward and away from the seat. The sheet feeding apparatus of claim 2 .

5. The support portion supports two or more points spaced apart from each other on the lower surface of the seat. The sheet feeding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The support portion is configured to be able to rise to the removal position. The sheet feeding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. 1. A method for replacing sheets in a supply unit which accumulates sheets to be packed in a stack and supplies the sheets to a predetermined removal position, comprising the steps of: the supply unit includes a support portion configured to be capable of both raising and lowering, and a drive portion configured to drive the support portion; a carry-in unit that rotates to a predetermined detachment position and then detaches the sheets from the supply unit, and the stack of sheets is carried in from above the supply unit by the carry-in unit; The drive unit a rising step in which the support portion rises while supporting the sheet from below the removal position; a lowering step in which the support section supports the sheet, which is brought in from a predetermined height with respect to the removal position, and lowers the sheet to at least the removal position.

8. After the support part rises in the ascending step, in the descending step after the sheet is collected from the support part, the support part descends while supporting the sheet that has detached from the carry-in unit. The sheet replacement method according to claim 7.

9. 9. The sheet replacement method according to claim 8, wherein, in the raising step, when the support portion rises to a position where the carry-in unit releases the sheet, the sheet is returned from the supply unit to the carry-in unit.

10. 1. A method for manufacturing a unit for accumulating sheets in a stack and feeding them to a predetermined removal position, comprising the steps of: The present invention provides an existing sheet supply unit that includes a sheet receiver that supports the sheets conveyed from above from below and is positionable at the take-out position, and a guide that extends above the take-out position and stores the sheets in an inner region and maintains them in a stacked state. In addition to the sheet receiver, a support section that can support the sheets and a drive section that drives the support section are added to the existing sheet supply unit, The method for manufacturing a sheet supply unit, wherein the drive section is configured to raise and lower the sheet while the support section supports the sheet from below.

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