Automatic ribbon tape tying device

Abstract

To eliminate the trouble of the knot of a ribbon tape becoming deformed due to its wrinkles and torsions, thereby enhancing the quality and appearance while enabling easy and low-cost implementation thereof.SOLUTION: A correction rod part 2 with a predetermined length is provided, and when forming a knot C at the last stage of the knot formation process: the correction rod part 2 is inserted at least into a loop part Qr made by a tape part Rs that forms the knot C; the outer peripheral surface 2f on the correction rod part 2 is abutted to a back face Ci of the knot C on the loop part Qr; the correction rod part 2 is positioned in a follow-up displaceable manner for the formation of the knot C; and thereafter the correction rod part 2 is released from the loop part Qr just before the formation of the knot C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic ribbon tape tying device that automatically ties ribbon tapes together using one or more robot mechanisms. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, gift items in a wrapping box are often tied with ribbons. In this case, a ribbon tape is usually required to be wrapped around the wrapping box and tied, and manually tying the ribbon is troublesome and time-consuming, and there is a problem that the finished product is inconsistent. For this reason, a ribbon tying device that uses a robot system to tie the ribbon automatically has been proposed.

[0003] Conventionally, as this type of ribbon tying device, a ribbon hanging tying device described in Patent Document 1 and an automatic ribbon tying device described in Patent Document 2 are known. The ribbon tying device in Document 1 aims to provide a ribbon tying device that automatically ties a ribbon around a box body without relying on human labor, and forms a knot with a decorative aesthetic. Specifically, the ribbon tying device ties a ribbon around a box body to form a knot, and is equipped with a ribbon supply unit that supplies the ribbon, a first hand unit that holds the tip of the ribbon, a second hand unit, and a body unit around which the first hand unit temporarily winds the ribbon, and a third hand unit that transfers the tip of the ribbon from the second hand unit, and is configured such that the first hand unit holds the tip of the ribbon and ties it around the body unit of the third hand unit, the second hand unit passes the tip of the ribbon through a loop that is formed when the ribbon is ties around the box body and the body unit of the third hand unit in a pulled-out state, and the third hand unit passes the tip of the ribbon inside the loop after the ribbon is wound around the body unit, thereby forming a knot.

[0004] The automatic ribbon tying device in the same document 2 relates to a device which automatically ties ribbons, tapes, strings, etc. into bows, etc. Specifically, a ribbon winding support device consisting of a frame, support posts, guides, ribbon holding blocks, and tensioners which slides on a track plate installed under the base plate is engaged with a hook installed at the end of a square shaft to form the ribbon into a triangular loop, and then a square shaft with a plate cam installed on the top surface of the base plate, a forked clamp, and a hook plate are operated to cause each end of the hook plate to cross and enter into the triangular ribbon loop, and then the looper is used to hook a part of each end of the ribbon relatively to the hook at the end of the hook plate, and then the hook plate is retracted to tie the ribbon, and then the ribbon is cut by a cutting device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-52526 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-42951 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the above-mentioned conventional automatic ribbon tying device has the following problems.

[0007] That is, in the conventional ribbon tying device, ribbon hanging (ribbon tying) is realized by automating, and although the purpose in the functional part can be realized, there is a problem that it is not necessarily satisfactory from the viewpoint of the finished product because the production process proceeds simply functionally. In particular, in this type of ribbon hanging, how neatly the ribbon can be hung is an important element, but if the production process proceeds simply functionally, as shown in Figure 12, the knot Cr is likely to lose its shape due to wrinkles and twists, and this problem is more likely to occur the wider the width dimension of the ribbon. In Figure 12, W indicates the packaging box (work) to which the ribbon is to be hung, and R indicates the ribbon tape hung on the work W. Also, the type of knot Cr indicates a square knot As.

[0008] In the end, conventional bow tying devices were unable to ensure sufficient quality and could not be used for luxury gift items in boxed wrapping. There was still room for further improvement, especially in terms of how to improve the quality of the knot to produce a beautiful finished product.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic ribbon tape tying device which solves the problems existing in the background art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the automatic ribbon tape tying device 1 according to the present invention is a tying device that automatically ties tape parts Rs, Rt together using one or more robot mechanisms M1... to create a predetermined knot C, and includes a straightening rod part 2 having a predetermined length, a rod support part 3 that supports the straightening rod part 2 so as to be elastically displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and a rod moving mechanism part 4 that supports the rod support part 3 so as to be movable, and when creating the final knot C in the knot creating process, at least the loop part Qr of the tape part Rs that creates the knot C is provided with a straightening rod part 2 having a predetermined length, a rod support part 3 that supports the straightening rod part 2 so as to be elastically displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and a rod moving mechanism part 4 that supports the rod support part 3 so as to be movable. The rod portion 2 is inserted, and the outer peripheral surface 2f of the straightening rod portion 2 is brought into contact with the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr. The straightening rod portion 2 is arranged so that it can be displaced to follow the loop portion Qr when the knot C is made. A knotting assistance mechanism portion 5 is provided having a function of detaching the straightening rod portion 2 from the loop portion Qr just before the completion of the making of the knot C. In the knot making process, the pulling direction Fp of the tape portion Rs when making the knot portion Cos just before making the final knot C is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm wrapped around the workpiece W.

[0011] In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the final knot C can include at least a knot related to a ribbon knot Ar or a square knot As.

[0012] On the other hand, when configuring the knotting assist mechanism 5, a rod support part 3 that rotatably supports the rear end 2b of the straightening rod part 2 by a rotating part 11 is provided, and a biasing means 12 that biases the tip end 2s side of the straightening rod part 2 upward is provided. In addition, the straightening rod part 2 can be configured so that at least the outer peripheral surface 2f that abuts against the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop part Qr is formed into a curved surface. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the automatic ribbon tape tying device 1 of the present invention, the following remarkable effects are obtained.

[0014] (1) The knot C can be adjusted to the proper shape by the knot assisting mechanism 5, which effectively solves the problem that occurs with conventional automatic knot tying devices, that is, the problem that the shape of the knot C is distorted due to wrinkles and twists that occur when making the final knot C with the ribbon tape R. This dramatically improves the quality of the knot C that is made, and further the finish, so that a beautiful knot C with a high-quality feel can be obtained, which is particularly suitable for use in high-end gift items that are packaged in a box.

[0015] (2) Since it is sufficient to add the knotting assistance mechanism 5 to an automatic knotting device having a basic knotting function, it can be implemented easily and at low cost. Moreover, since it can be implemented as an add-on to an existing automatic knotting device, it is possible to increase versatility and expandability from the viewpoint of implementing the automatic knotting device 1.

[0016] (3) In constructing the knot assist mechanism 5, the rod support 3 that supports the straightening rod 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in the direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and the rod movement mechanism 4 that movably supports the rod support 3 are provided, so that the straightening rod 2 can flexibly follow the movement of the loop part Qr. This ensures a stable and smooth straightening action.

[0017] (4) In the knot-making process, the pulling direction Fp of the tape part Rs when making the knot part Cos just before making the final knot C is selected to be perpendicular to the tape part Rm wrapped around the workpiece W, so the shape (cylindrical shape) of the loop part Qr for making the final knot C can be made more appropriate. This contributes to further improving the finish and quality of the final knot C.

[0018] (5) In a preferred embodiment, when constructing the knotting assist mechanism 5, a rod support part 3 is provided that supports the rear end 2b of the straightening rod part 2 so that it can be rotated freely by a rotating part 11, and a biasing means 12 is provided that biases the tip end 2s side of the straightening rod part 2 upward. This can be implemented with a relatively simple structure using a small number of parts, thereby improving cost benefits and ensuring stable and smooth operation.

[0019] (6) In a preferred embodiment, when forming the corrective rod portion 2, by forming the outer peripheral surface 2f that abuts against the back surface Ci of the knot C in at least the loop portion Qr into a curved surface, the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the corrective rod portion 2 can be made to approximate the shape of the loop portion Qr, and therefore, this can be implemented as a more desirable form.

[0020] (7) In a preferred embodiment, the final knot C can include at least a knot related to the ribbon knot Ar or the square knot As, making it possible to accommodate various knotting methods, thereby increasing versatility and expandability from the perspective of knotting methods. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of an automatic tying device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the automatic tying device, including a ribbon supply unit; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the automatic tying device, including a knotting assistance mechanism; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the internal structure of the main part of the knotting assist mechanism; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the knotting assistance mechanism; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic process diagram seen from a plan view for explaining an automatic tying method using an automatic tying device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] Schematic process diagrams for explaining the automatic knotting method as viewed from a planar or side view; [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic process diagram illustrating the automatic knotting method as viewed from an oblique side view; [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a part of the process for explaining the automatic knotting method; [Figure 10] 1 is a plan view of a gift item in a packaging box with a perfect knot created by the automatic knot tying method; [Figure 11] 1 is a plan view of a gift product in a packaging box with a ribbon knot according to a modified example that can be made by the automatic knotting device; [Figure 12] A plan view of a gift item in a box with a ribbon tied around it, produced using a conventional technique; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0023] First, a schematic configuration of the entire automatic tying device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic knotting device 1 includes an integrated line unit U, an input line 21 in front of the line unit U, and an output line 22 behind the line unit U. As shown in FIG. 2, the line unit U includes a plurality of pallets P on which works W are set. The illustrated work W is a flat packaging box to be ribboned. Meanwhile, the pallet P moves according to the hatched arrow. That is, it moves from the start position Xs, which is the home position, to the ribbon-tying position Xm on the way by a conveying mechanism (not shown), and moves to the end position Xe when ribboning is completed. After this, it moves downward, backward, and upward, and is returned to the start position Xs. The pallets P are supplied with power by a wireless power supply function that is a non-contact method.

[0025] Specifically, a first robot mechanism M1 equipped with an orthogonal actuator having a hand unit H1, and a fourth robot mechanism M4 equipped with an orthogonal actuator having a pressing function and a guide function are disposed on the left side of the line unit U in the conveying direction (upper side in FIG. 1). In this case, the first robot mechanism M1 has an XYZ-axis movement function, and the fourth robot mechanism M4 has an X-axis oblique movement function and a Z-axis pressing movement function. In addition, a second robot mechanism M2 equipped with an orthogonal actuator having a hand unit H2, and a knotting assist mechanism 5 according to this embodiment are disposed on the right side of the line unit U in the conveying direction (lower side in FIG. 1). In this case, the second robot mechanism M2 has an XYZ-axis movement function and a hand rotation function, and the knotting assist mechanism 5 has an XYZ-axis movement function.

[0026] 2 and 3, above the line unit U, there is provided a ribbon supply unit 23 that supplies the ribbon tape R, and a third robot mechanism M3 that includes an orthogonal actuator having a hand unit H3. In this case, the ribbon supply unit 23 has an XZ axis movement function and a tape cutter function, and the third robot mechanism M3 has an XZ axis movement function. Reference numeral 25 denotes an apparatus controller that controls the sequence of the entire automatic tying device 1, and is also equipped with various controls, various data processing functions, setting functions, display functions, etc. The above is the basic configuration of the entire system of the automatic tying device 1.

[0027] The above-mentioned knotting assist mechanism 5 is a component added by the present invention. The configuration and function of the knotting assist mechanism 5, which is a main part of the present invention, will be described below with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

[0028] The knotting assistance mechanism 5 basically comprises a straightening rod portion 2 having a predetermined length, a rod support portion 3 that supports the straightening rod portion 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in the direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and a rod moving mechanism portion 4 that supports the rod support portion 3 so that it can be moved.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the correction rod portion 2 is integrally formed or assembled from a metal material or a hard synthetic resin material so that the cross section is circular and the correction rod portion 2 is a straight rod. In this case, the tip of the correction rod portion 2 (rear side with respect to the conveying direction of the workpiece W) is formed in a hemispherical shape. Although the example shows a hemispherical shape, it is preferable to form it in a pointed shape or other shape so that it can be smoothly inserted into the loop portion Qr described later. As a result, at least the outer peripheral surface 2f of the correction rod portion 2 that abuts against the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr is formed into a curved surface. In this way, when forming the correction rod portion 2, if the outer peripheral surface 2f that abuts against the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr is formed into a curved surface, the shape of the outer peripheral surface of the correction rod portion 2 can be approximated to the shape of the loop portion Qr, and therefore it can be implemented as a more desirable form. A bearing portion 2c having an axis in the horizontal direction is integrally formed at the rear end 2b (front side in the conveying direction of the workpiece W) of the correction rod portion 2, and a stopper 2x is integrally formed rearward from this bearing portion 2c.

[0030] The rod support 3 also has a function of supporting the straightening rod 2. In the illustrated example, the rod support 3 is configured as a rectangular housing with the bottom and front parts removed, and the horizontal shaft 31 is fixed at a front position inside to rotatably support the bearing 2c of the straightening rod 2. The bearing 2c and the horizontal shaft 31 constitute the rotating part 11. A spring 12s constituting the biasing means 12 is compressed and interposed between the stopper 2x and the rod support 3. Note that 32 indicates a locking part fixed inside the rod support 3, which is locked to the stopper 2x to restrict the stopper 2x to a horizontal position. As a result, the straightening rod 2 is held in a horizontal position relative to the rod support 3, and the tip 2s side is supported so as to be elastically displaceable downward. In FIG. 4, the straightening rod 2 shown by the imaginary line shows a state in which it is displaced downward (rotationally displaced).

[0031] Furthermore, as described above, the rod moving mechanism 4 has the function of moving the correction rod 2 (rod support 3) in the X, Y and Z axis directions, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, it is equipped with a Y-direction moving mechanism 4y that moves the rod support 3 in the Y axis direction, an X-direction moving mechanism 4x that moves the Y-direction moving mechanism 4y in the X axis direction, and a Z-direction moving mechanism 4z that moves the X-direction moving mechanism 4x in the Z axis direction.

[0032] In this way, if the knotting assist mechanism 5 is configured with the rod support 3 that supports the straightening rod 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in the direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and the rod movement mechanism 4 that movably supports the rod support 3, the straightening rod 2 can be flexibly made to follow the movement of the loop part Qr, so that a stable and smooth straightening action can be ensured. In particular, if the rod support 3 that rotatably supports the rear end 2b of the straightening rod 2 by the rotating part 11 is provided, and the biasing means 12 that biases the tip 2s side of the straightening rod 2 upward is provided, it can be implemented with a relatively simple structure with a small number of parts, so that the cost merit can be increased and stable and smooth operation can be ensured.

[0033] Next, an automatic tying method, which is the operation of the automatic tying device 1 having the above-mentioned configuration, will be described with reference to Figs.

[0034] In addition, the embodiment of the automatic tying method will be exemplified by a method for tying a square knot As in FIG. 10, and the knot making process will be mainly described.

[0035] First, the work W carried in from the carry-in line 21 is set on the pallet P at the start position Xs shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this case, the pallet P is equipped with a chuck mechanism Pc at the left end position (the upper end position in Figure 1), and the left end position of the work W is gripped and fixed by this chuck mechanism Pc. Then, the set pallet P (work W) is sent to the ribbon hanging position Xm near the center of the line unit U.

[0036] On the other hand, the ribbon supply unit 23 shown in Fig. 2 moves toward the carry-in side in the X-axis direction, that is, moves to the carry-in side relative to the pallet P at the ribbon winding position Xm, as shown in Fig. 6(a). In addition, the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to grip the tape portion Rs at the tip side of the ribbon tape R unwound from the ribbon supply unit 23 with the hand unit H2, and winds only one portion around the workpiece W while unwound from the ribbon supply unit 23. This state is the state shown in Fig. 6(a). The ribbon tape R on the ribbon supply unit 23 side in the vicinity of the ribbon supply unit 23 is referred to as the tape portion Rt.

[0037] Next, as shown in Fig. 6(b), the first robot mechanism M1 is driven and controlled to grip the tape portion Rs located near the hand portion H2 with the hand portion H1, and once gripped, the hand portion H2 is released from the tape portion Rs. Then, the hand portion H1, while gripping the tape portion Rs, is moved in the direction of the arrow F1 shown in Fig. 6(b). Note that, since the portion between the tape portions Rs and Rt is inclined at an angle when viewed from the side, and an opening is formed in a triangular shape, the tape portion Rs is wound around the tape portion Rt only once, as shown in Fig. 6(c), and thus the knotted portion Cos is created.

[0038] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to grip the tip of the tape portion Rs with the hand unit H2, and once gripped, the hand unit H1 of the first robot mechanism M1 is released from the tape portion Rs. This state is shown in FIG. 7(d). From this state, the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to pull the tip of the tape portion Rs with the hand unit H2. At this time, the pulling direction is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm wrapped around the workpiece W, as shown in FIG. 7(e). This makes it possible to create a knot Cos just before creating the final knot C, which will be described later.

[0039] In this way, in the knot-making process, if the tensile direction Fp of the tape portion Rs when making the knot Cos just before making the final knot C is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm hung on the workpiece W, the shape (cylindrical shape) of the loop portion Qr for making the final knot C can be made more appropriate, which contributes to further improving the finish and quality of the final knot C.

[0040] Next, as shown in FIG. 7(e), the fourth robot mechanism M4 is driven and controlled, and the fourth robot mechanism M4 uses its pressing function to press the knot Cos from above and fix its position. In this case, the fourth robot mechanism M4 has three pins V1, V2, and V3 at its tip, so that the pin V1 located at the bottom can press the knot Cos. In this state, the ribbon supply unit 23 is moved in the carry-out direction relative to the work W. In addition, the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to move the hand unit H2 in the carry-in direction relative to the work W. This state is shown in FIG. 7(f). Note that FIG. 7(f) shows the state when viewed from the side of the work W. At this time, since the fourth robot mechanism M4 is equipped with pins V2 and V3 having a guide function, the tape portion Rt paid out from the ribbon supply unit 23 is guided around the pin V2, and the tape portion Rs held by the hand portion H2 of the second robot mechanism M2 is guided around the pin V3. Then, in this state, as shown in Fig. 7(f), the first robot mechanism M1 is driven and controlled to hold the tape portion Rs located in the vicinity of the hand portion H2 with the hand portion H1, and once held, the hand portion H2 is released from the tape portion Rs.

[0041] Figures 7(f) and 8(g) show the same state, but are viewed from different angles from the side. This state is just before the final knot C is created by the tape portion Rs on one side and the tape portion Rt on the other side during the knot-making process, so the knot-making assist mechanism 5 is driven and controlled, and the correction rod portion 2 is inserted into the loop portion Qr of the tape portion Rs where the knot C is to be made. Figures 7(f) and 8(g) show this state. Also, a more specific state of this state, that is, the state viewed from the planar direction, is shown in Figure 9.

[0042] On the other hand, when the straightening rod part 2 is inserted into the loop part Qr, the outer peripheral surface 2f of the straightening rod part 2 is brought into contact with the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop part Qr. In addition, due to the structure of the knotting assistance mechanism part 5 shown in the embodiment, in this state, the straightening rod part 2 is elastically displaced downward with respect to the creation of the knot C, and displaces following the creation of the knot C. That is, when creating the final knot C in the knotting process, the straightening rod part 2 is inserted at least into the loop part Qr of the tape part Rs where the knot C is to be created, and the outer peripheral surface 2f of the straightening rod part 2 is brought into contact with the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop part Qr, and the straightening rod part 2 is arranged so as to be displaceable following the creation of the knot C.

[0043] After that, as shown in FIG. 8(g), the first robot mechanism M1 is driven and controlled to move the tape portion Rs held by the hand unit H1 in the direction of the arrow F2. As a result, the state of FIG. 8(h) is reached, where the tape portion Rs on one side is wound around the tape portion Rt on the other side only once. Then, as shown in FIG. 8(h), the second robot mechanism M2 is driven and controlled to hold the leading end of the tape portion Rs with the hand unit H2, and once held, the hand unit H1 of the first robot mechanism M1 is released from the tape portion Rs. Next, the second robot mechanism M2 and the ribbon supply unit 23 are each moved to a preset position. In this case, they are moved in directions away from each other at a moving speed set to an appropriate speed. As a result, the diameter of the loop portion Qr gradually becomes smaller, so that the pins V2 and V3 are retracted at an appropriate timing along the way to release the loop portion Qr (see FIG. 8(i)). Furthermore, when the loop portion Qr becomes smaller, the correction rod portion 2 follows and gradually elastically displaces downward as shown in Fig. 8(i). This state is shown in Fig. 8(i). Then, when the loop portion Qr becomes smaller and the knot C is about to be completed, the correction rod portion 2 is released from the loop portion Qr.

[0044] This makes it possible to obtain the ribbon-tied workpiece W shown in Fig. 10. The example workpiece W is a gift item in a wrapping box, and a beautiful knot C without wrinkles or twists, that is, the knot C made with a square knot As, can be created.

[0045] An example of the method for making the knot C using the square knot As has been described above, but the automatic tying device 1 according to this embodiment can also make the ribbon knot Ar shown in FIG. 11. In this case, the third robot mechanism M3, which is not used in the case of the square knot As, can be combined to perform the same operation. In this way, the final knot C can include at least a knot related to the ribbon knot Ar or the square knot As, and the automatic ribbon tape tying method according to this embodiment can be adapted to various tying methods, thereby enhancing versatility and expandability from the viewpoint of tying methods. In FIG. 11, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 to FIG. 9 are given the same reference numerals to clarify the configuration, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0046] Therefore, according to the automatic ribbon tape tying device 1 of this embodiment, as a basic method, when configuring a tying device that automatically ties tape parts Rs, Rt together using one or more robot mechanisms M1... to create a predetermined knot C, the tying device is provided with a correction rod part 2 having a predetermined length, a rod support part 3 that supports the correction rod part 2 so that it can be elastically displaced in a direction perpendicular to the axis Fs, and a rod moving mechanism part 4 that supports the rod support part 3 so that it can be moved, and when creating the final knot C in the knot creating process, the correction rod part 2 is inserted at least into the loop part Qr of the tape part Rs that creates the knot C, In addition, the outer peripheral surface 2f of the straightening rod portion 2 is abutted against the back surface Ci of the knot C in the loop portion Qr, and the straightening rod portion 2 is arranged so that it can be displaced relative to the loop portion Qr when the knot C is made. A knotting assist mechanism portion 5 is provided that has the function of detaching the straightening rod portion 2 from the loop portion Qr just before the knot C is made. In the knot making process, the pulling direction Fp of the tape portion Rs when making the knot portion Cos just before making the final knot C is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion Rm hung on the work W, so that the knot C can be corrected to an appropriate shape by the knotting assist mechanism portion 5.

[0047] This effectively solves the problem that occurs with the conventional automatic knot tying device, that is, the problem that the shape of the knot C is distorted due to wrinkles and twists that occur when making the final knot C with the ribbon tape R. This dramatically improves the quality of the knot C to be made, and also the finish, so that a beautiful knot C with a high-quality feel can be obtained, which is especially suitable for use in high-end gift items packed in a packaging box. Moreover, since it is only necessary to add the knot assisting mechanism 5 to an automatic knot tying device having basic making functions, it can be easily and inexpensively implemented. Moreover, since it can be implemented on existing automatic knot tying devices, it can increase versatility and expandability from the viewpoint of implementing the automatic knot tying device 1.

[0048] Although the above describes in detail preferred embodiments including modified examples, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and the detailed configuration, shape, material, quantity, numerical values, etc. can be freely changed, added, or deleted without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0049] For example, the embodiment has been exemplified as an automatic tying device 1 having four robot mechanisms M1, M2, M3, and M4, but the robot mechanism may be one high-performance robot mechanism, or any number of robot mechanisms of two or more may be combined. In addition, the knot C may include at least a knot C related to a ribbon knot Ar or a square knot As, but various tying methods having a similar knot C can be applied. On the other hand, in the knot making process, it is desirable to select the pulling direction Fp of the tape part Rs when making the knot part Cos just before making the final knot C to be perpendicular to the tape part Rm wrapped around the work W, but this is not an essential component. In addition, it is desirable to form the outer peripheral surface 2f of the correction rod part 2, which contacts the back surface Ci of the part of the knot C in at least the loop part Qr, into a curved surface, but this is not an essential component. Furthermore, in constructing the knotting assist mechanism 5, a case has been shown in which the rod support part 3 is provided to support the rear end 2b of the straightening rod part 2 so that it can be rotated freely by the rotating part 11, but this can be replaced with another structure having a similar function and operating in a similar manner, such as the straightening rod part 2 moving downward in parallel while remaining in a horizontal position. [Industrial Applicability]

[0050] The automatic ribbon tape tying device according to the present invention can be used to automatically tie ribbons in various tying methods on various boxed products using a robot mechanism. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1: automatic tying device, 2: straightening rod part, 2f: outer surface of straightening rod part, 2b: rear end of straightening rod part, 2s: tip of straightening rod part, 2f: outer surface of straightening rod part, 3: rod support part, 4: rod moving mechanism part, 5: knotting assistance mechanism part, 11: rotating part, 12: biasing means, Rs: tape part, Rt: tape part, Rm: tape part, M1: robot mechanism, M2: robot mechanism, M3...: robot mechanism, C: knot, Ci: back surface of knot part in loop part, Cos: knot part, Fs: perpendicular direction, Fp: tensile direction, Qr: loop part, Ar: ribbon knot, As: true knot, W: work

Claims

1. An automatic ribbon tape tying device that uses one or more robot mechanisms to automatically tie tape portions together to create a predetermined knot, the automatic ribbon tape tying device comprises: a straightening rod portion having a predetermined length; a rod support portion that supports the straightening rod portion so that it can be elastically displaced in a direction perpendicular to an axis; and a rod moving mechanism portion that movably supports the rod support portion, wherein, when creating a final knot in a knotting process, the straightening rod portion is inserted into at least a loop portion of the tape portion where the knot is to be created, and an outer peripheral surface of the straightening rod portion is abutted against a back surface of the knot portion in the loop portion, and the straightening rod portion is arranged so that it can be displaced following the loop portion when the knot is created, and a knotting assistant mechanism portion is provided that has a function of detaching the straightening rod portion from the loop portion just before the knot is created, and in the knotting process, a pulling direction of the tape portion when creating the knot just before the final knot is created is selected to be perpendicular to the tape portion hung on the work.

2. The automatic ribbon tape tying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the knotting assistance mechanism includes a rod support portion that rotatably supports the rear end of the correction rod portion by a rotating portion, and a biasing means that biases the tip side of the correction rod portion upward.

3. 2. The automatic ribbon tape tying device according to claim 1, wherein the correction rod portion has an outer circumferential surface that is in contact with the rear surface of the knot in at least the loop portion and is formed into a curved surface.

4. 2. The automatic ribbon tape tying device according to claim 1, wherein the final knot includes at least a knot related to a ribbon knot or a square knot.

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