Item holder

Abstract

To accurately adjust a weight of each article holder into a prescribed range.SOLUTION: An article holder 1A holding an article 100 carried on a conveyor has a weight holding part 3 capable of holding one or more weights 20 for weight adjustment of the article holder 1A. A weight adjustment method of the article holder 1A makes the weight holding part 3 of each article holder 1A hold the one or more weights 20 for weight adjustment so that the weight of each article holder carried on the conveyor falls within a prescribed range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article holder. [Background technology]

[0002] In a production line where a predetermined amount of contents is filled into items such as bottle-shaped containers transported on a conveyor and caps are attached, an item holder that holds the item upright on the conveyor is used for each item. The item holder is also called a hakama, holder, or receiving stand (Patent Document 1).

[0003] The amount of contents filled in the articles held by the article holders is inspected by weighing the filled articles together with the article holders using a weight checker without stopping the transport flow. Therefore, in order to measure the amount of contents accurately, it is necessary to keep the weight of each article holder within a specified range, in other words, to suppress the variation in the weight of the article holders. In other words, if there is variation in the weight of the article holders, it will be impossible to measure the amount of contents accurately, and those that do not meet the specified amount of contents will be judged to be normal, which may result in the purpose of the inspection not being achieved.

[0004] One method for producing a plurality of article holders while suppressing variation in weight is to use cutting, but cutting is expensive.

[0005] Using a 3D printer, multiple item holders can be produced more cheaply than by cutting, but the weight of each item holder tends to vary widely. For example, an item holder that carries an item of about 50 to 1000 g generally weighs about 100 to 200 g, but if 100 to 300 such item holders are produced using a 3D printer, there will be a variation of about ±3 to 10 g.

[0006] If there is variation in the weight of the article holders, it is possible to reduce the variation in the weight of the article holders by performing additional processing such as individually grinding the article holders or drilling bolt holes in the article holders and attaching bolts as weights, etc. However, such additional processing requires a lot of time and effort.

[0007] Furthermore, as a method for improving the accuracy of the filling amount regardless of the variation in the weight of the article holder, there is a method in which each article is weighed before and after filling with the contents, the filling amount is measured by taking the difference, and the filling amount is appropriately corrected (Patent Document 2). However, weighing the articles transported one after another on the conveyor before and after filling and taking the difference is a complicated process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-131215 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2004-026177 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In contrast to the prior art described above, the present invention relates to precisely adjusting the weight of each item holder to within a specified range while suppressing variation, thereby enabling the amount of content filled into the item to be precisely measured through a simple weighing process.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention relates to easily achieving precise adjustment of the weight of an article holder without requiring additional machining or other laborious work on the article holder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The inventor conceived the idea that by providing an item holder with a weight holding portion and having the weight holding portion hold a weight adjustment weight, it would be possible to easily and accurately reduce the variation in the weight of the item holder without requiring additional processing, and thus completed the present invention.

[0012] That is, the present invention provides an article holder for holding an article transported on a conveyor, the article holder having a weight holding portion capable of holding a weight for adjusting the weight of the article holder.

[0013] The present invention also provides a weight adjustment method for an item holder that holds items transported on a conveyor, in which a weight adjustment weight is held in the weight holding portion of each item holder so that the weight of each item holder is within a predetermined range.

[0014] The present invention further provides a method for manufacturing a content-filled article, which includes filling an article held by an article holder on a conveyor with a content, the method comprising the steps of: The article holder has a weight holding portion capable of holding a weight for adjusting the weight of the article holder, a weight adjustment weight is held in the weight holding portion in advance so as to adjust the weight of the article holder within a predetermined range; Filling the contents into the article held by the weight-adjusted article holder; A method for manufacturing a filled article is provided in which the amount of the filled content is inspected by measuring the weight of the filled article together with the article holder once. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily and accurately adjust the weight of an article holder used to hold an article transported on a conveyor without requiring additional machining.

[0016] Therefore, by weighing the filled item once with the contents and held in the item holder using a weight checker, the amount of filled contents can be accurately measured, and the filling amount inspection process can be simplified. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article holder 1A of the embodiment and an article 100 held by the article holder 1A. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of article holder 1A holding article 100. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of the article holder 1A taken along line AA in the perspective view of FIG. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the article holder 1B. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a cutaway view of article holder 1B along the line AA in the perspective view of FIG. 4A. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the article holder 1C. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an article holder 1D. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a cutaway view of the article holder 1D along the line AA in the perspective view of FIG. 6A. [Figure 7A] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the article holder 1E. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a cutaway view of the article holder 1E along the line AA in the perspective view of FIG. 7A. [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the article holder 1F. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the article holder 1F. [Figure 8C] FIG. 8C is a cutaway view of a core of the article holder 1F. [Figure 9A] FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the article holder 1G with the lid of the weight-holding space closed. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the article holder 1G with the lid of the weight-holding space open. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10A is a perspective view of the article holder 1H. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a cutaway view of the vicinity of the lid of article holder 1H taken along line AA in the perspective view of FIG. 10A. [Figure 10C] FIG. 10C is a top view of the article holder 1H with the lid closed and a BB cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 10D] FIG. 10D is a top view of the article holder 1H with the lid open and a CC sectional view thereof. [Figure 11A] FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the article holder 1I. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of the article holder 1I taken along line AA. [Figure 11C] FIG. 11C is a bottom view of the core of the article holder 1I. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same or equivalent components.

[0019] (Overall composition) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article holder 1A according to one embodiment of the present invention and an article 100 held by the article holder 1A.

[0020] The article 100 held by the article holder 1A of this embodiment is a bottle container, and the article holder 1A is equipped with a holder main body 2 into which the bottle container 100 is inserted. The article holder 1A is equipped with a weight adjustment weight 20 for adjusting the weight of the article holder 1A itself, and inside the holder main body 2, a weight holding space 3a is formed as a weight holding section 3 capable of holding the weight adjustment weight 20.

[0021] By having the weight adjustment weight 20 held by the weight holding part 3 before the article holder 1A is used to hold articles on a production line, the weight of the article holder 1A, which is the combination of the weight adjustment weight 20 and the holder main body 2, can be easily adjusted to within a predetermined range, in other words, the weight variation can be adjusted to within a predetermined range. This range of variation is preferably within ±2% of the filling amount, and more preferably within ±1%. Therefore, it is possible to easily and accurately measure the amount of content filled into the article held by this article holder 1A simply by measuring it with a weight checker or the like.

[0022] In a production line for bottle-shaped products in which bottle containers are filled with contents, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, an empty container, item 100 (bottle container), is held in an upright position with its mouth 101 facing up by item holder 1A and transported on a conveyor. While being transported on the conveyor, item 100 is cleaned, filled with contents, capped, and weighed by a weight checker, and items 100 whose filled amount does not meet a specified value are removed from the line. Then, item 100 is removed from item holder 1A and is sent to a subsequent process such as boxing. Meanwhile, item holder 1A after item 100 has been removed is used again to hold empty container item 100, and is used repeatedly on the production line.

[0023] In addition, for transporting the item 100 or item holder 1A on the production line, for example, a belt conveyor, a roller conveyor, a top chain conveyor, an intermittent feed device, a device that individually grasps and transports the item holder, an inclined surface that utilizes gravity, etc. may be used.

[0024] (Goods) Although the article 100 held by the article holder 1A of this embodiment is a bottle container, there is no particular limitation on the article held by the article holder in the present invention. For example, the article may be a bottle container, a jar container, a pouch container, a tube container, etc.

[0025] Furthermore, in the present invention, the article held by the article holder is not limited to a container filled with a content, but may be an article other than a container, such as a molded lid, a discharge device, an applicator, etc. By transporting such articles using an article holder with an accurately adjusted weight, it is possible to select and remove articles that fall outside a predetermined weight range during transport, such as defective products due to an excess or shortage of resin, defective products due to an excess or shortage of parts in an assembly, etc.

[0026] (Weight adjustment weight) The article holder 1A of this embodiment is provided with a round bar-shaped weight adjustment weight 20, and the weight adjustment weight 20 can be held in the weight holding space 3a.

[0027] In the present invention, the shape of the weight adjustment weight 20 is not particularly limited, and in addition to a round bar shape, it can be, for example, a plate shape, annular shape, chip shape, etc. as described below, and the shape viewed from above can be a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, etc. In addition, an amorphous object such as a fluid or powder may be used as the weight adjustment weight 20. As the powder, beads with a particle size of about 1 to 2 mm are preferable.

[0028] From the viewpoint of enabling fine adjustment of the weight, the weight of each weight adjustment weight 20 is preferably 0.1 to 1.0 g, and more preferably 0.2 to 0.8 g.

[0029] There may be cases where multiple weight adjustment weights are used for one article holder. Even in such cases, it is preferable to suppress the variation in the weight of the weight adjustment weights in order to suppress the effect of the variation in the weight of the article holder. From this perspective, it is preferable to manufacture the weight adjustment weights by cutting or other methods that can suppress the variation in weight.

[0030] In addition, from the viewpoint of reducing the number of weight adjustment weights 20 used, when using multiple weight adjustment weights, in addition to using only one weight for the weight adjustment weights, heavy weight adjustment weights and light weight adjustment weights may be used in combination. In this case, it is preferable to perform rough weight adjustment with the heavy weight adjustment weight, and then perform fine adjustment with the light weight adjustment weight.

[0031] There is no particular limitation on the material of the weight adjustment weight, and the size of the weight adjustment weight may be adjusted by selecting the density of the material.

[0032] (Holder body) The holder body directly holds the article on the production line. In the article holder 1A of this embodiment, the holder body 2 has a generally rectangular columnar outer shape when viewed from above, and has a recess 4 of a shape and size that allows the bottle container to be inserted just right so that the bottle container can be held in an upright position on the production line. This recess 4 opens on the top surface of the holder body 2.

[0033] In addition, in the present invention, the article holder may be formed from a core into which an article is inserted and a frame body in which the core is attached, as described below, in which case a weight holding portion can be provided on the core or the frame body.

[0034] Furthermore, when the item 100 is an item other than a bottle container, such as a molded lid, a discharge device, an applicator, etc., the item holder does not necessarily need to have a recess of a shape and size that matches the item, and may be shaped to include a basket or the like in which the item 100 can be stored.

[0035] In adjusting the weight of the article holder 1A, it is preferable to set a target value so that the article holder 1A after weight adjustment falls within a predetermined weight range, prepare weight adjustment weights 20 so that the target value can be achieved, and perform weight adjustment using the weight adjustment weights 20. Therefore, when preparing the holder body 2 as the article holder 1A, it is preferable to prepare the holder body 2 by taking into account the weight variation of the weight adjustment weights themselves so that the weight of the weight adjustment weights 20 held by the weight holding portion 3 in the holder body 2 does not exceed the predetermined target value. If a holder body 2 is prepared that exceeds the target value, that holder body 2 may be excluded, or the weight adjustment may be performed using the one with the largest weight as the standard (target value). In this case, the standard holder body 2 does not need to be provided with the weight adjustment weights 20.

[0036] It is preferable to change the set value in the weight inspection of the article depending on the target value of the weight of the article holder, including the case where the target value is the weight of the maximum holder body.

[0037] (Weight holding part) 3, the article holder 1A has a weight holding space 3a capable of holding a round bar-shaped weight adjustment weight 20 in an upright position at a corner of the holder body 2 as a weight holding section 3. Also, a weight insertion hole 5 connected to the weight holding space 3a is formed in the upper surface of the holder body 2.

[0038] The weight holding space 3a is columnar, and its horizontal cross-sectional shape is the same as the opening shape of the weight insertion hole 5. The opening shape of the weight insertion hole 5 is circular and similar to the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the weight adjustment weight 20. The opening area of ​​the weight insertion hole 5 is preferably no more than twice the area of ​​the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the weight adjustment weight 20, and may be slightly larger than the area of ​​the cross-sectional area.

[0039] In this embodiment, since the weight retaining space 3a is columnar as described above, the height of the weight retaining space 3a is preferably longer than the total longitudinal length of a plurality of stacked weight adjustment weights 20. That is, the height of the weight retaining space 3a is preferably at least twice the length of the weight adjustment weights 20, and more preferably at least three times. When a plurality of weight adjustment weights 20 are stacked, not a part of them is exposed to the weight retaining space 3a, so that the weight adjustment weights 20 inserted in the weight retaining space 3a can be prevented from jumping out of the weight insertion hole 5 even if an impact is applied to the item holder 1A during transport of the item.

[0040] In the present invention, the arrangement of the weight-holding portion 3 is not limited to a corner. Also, the number of weight-holding portions 3 is not limited to one, and a plurality of weight-holding portions may be provided.

[0041] (Method of adjusting the weight of the article holder) As described above, it is preferable to set a target value for adjusting the weight of the article holder 1A and perform the weight adjustment aiming at the target value. The weight adjustment method of the article holder 1A of this embodiment can be performed by inserting the weight adjustment weights 20 one by one into the weight holding space 3a so as to approach a specified weight (target value), or by removing the weight adjustment weights 20 once inserted into the holding space 3a, and when removing them, by turning the holder main body 2 with the weight adjustment weights 20 inserted upside down. In this way, by configuring the weight adjustment weights 20 to be removable from the weight holding space 3a, it becomes easy to adjust the weights of multiple article holders to within a predetermined range.

[0042] When inserting the weight adjustment weights 20 into the weight holding space 3a, if the height of the weight holding space 3a is longer than the total length of a plurality of stacked weight adjustment weights 20 as in the article holder 1A of this embodiment, the weight adjustment weights 20 may be stacked. In this case, it is preferable that the weight adjustment weights 20 are not exposed outside the weight holding space. This makes it possible to prevent the weight adjustment weights 20 inserted into the weight holding space 3a from jumping out of the weight insertion holes 5 even if an impact is applied to the article holder 1A during transport of the article.

[0043] (Manufacturing method of article holder) There are no particular limitations on the manufacturing method of holder body 2 constituting article holder 1A. It is possible to manufacture it by cutting, injection molding, casting, forging, etc., but it is preferable to manufacture it by a 3D printer from the standpoint of freedom in shape design, mass productivity, and cost.

[0044] In particular, from the viewpoint of enabling mass production of complex-shaped item holders 1A at low cost, it is preferable to manufacture them using a fused deposition model 3D printer or an inkjet model 3D printer, in which molten thermoplastic resin is extruded with a printer head and built up layer by layer to form the shape.

[0045] In the case of fused deposition modeling, resin materials that can be used include ABS resin (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene resin), ASA resin (Acrylonitrile-Styrene-Acrylate resin), PETG resin (Polyethylene terephthalate glycol resin), PLA resin (Polylactic acid resin), nylon-based resin, or resin materials that use these resins together with fiber materials such as carbon.

[0046] Inkjet type 3D printers can use the above-mentioned resins and acrylic resins, powder molding type 3D printers can use nylon-based powdered resins, PP (polypropylene)-based powdered resins, and PS (polystyrene)-based powdered resins, and powder sintering type 3D printers can use metal materials.

[0047] When manufacturing the article holder 1A using a 3D printer, it is preferable to use a honeycomb structure or a mesh structure in order to reduce the amount of resin while still providing strength. In such cases, the weight of the article holder varies greatly, making the present invention particularly effective.

[0048] (Transformation mode) The article holder of the present invention can take various forms. For example, the article holder 1B shown in Figures 4A and 4B is the above-mentioned article holder 1A, except that instead of the round bar-shaped weight adjustment weight 20, a tip-shaped weight adjustment weight 20b having a polygonal shape when viewed from above is used, and the holding space 3a inside the holder body is a polygonal column-shaped space capable of holding the weight adjustment weights 20b in a stacked state.

[0049] The opening shape of the weight insertion hole 5 is a polygon similar to, but slightly larger than, the weight adjustment weight 20b when viewed from above. Therefore, in order to pass the weight adjustment weight 20b through the weight insertion hole 5 in this article holder 1B, it is necessary to align the weight adjustment weight 20b with the weight insertion hole 5. This article holder 1B also prevents the weight adjustment weight 20b from jumping out of the holding space 3a during article transport.

[0050] The chip-shaped weight adjustment weight 20b, which is polygonal when viewed from above, has a shorter longitudinal length than the round bar-shaped weight adjustment weight 20. If the areas of the two when viewed from above are approximately the same and they are made of the same material, the chip-shaped weight adjustment weight 20b, which is shorter in length and smaller in volume than the bar-shaped weight adjustment weight 20, allows for finer adjustment of the weight.

[0051] Note that such advantages depend on the volume of the weight adjustment weight if the material is the same. The shape in a top view and the length in the longitudinal direction of the weight adjustment weight may be appropriately selected depending on the material of the article holder, etc.

[0052] An article holder 1C shown in Fig. 5 is configured such that the weight adjustment weights in the article holder 1A shown in Fig. 1 are disk-shaped plate-shaped, and a plurality of recesses 3b for holding the plate-shaped weight adjustment weights 20c are provided on the upper surface of the holder main body 2 as the weight holding portion 3. The depth of the recesses 3b is greater than one time and less than two times the height of the weight adjustment weights 20c.

[0053] The article holder 1D shown in Figures 6A and 6B is the same as the article holder 1A shown in Figure 1, except that the weight adjustment weight is rod-shaped with a half-moon cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the opening shape of the weight insertion hole 5 is half-moon shaped to match the cross-sectional shape of the weight adjustment weight 20d. The weight holding space 3a is a hollowed-out cylinder capable of accommodating multiple weight adjustment weights 20d. Therefore, the area of ​​the bottom surface of the weight holding space 3a at the other end is larger than the opening area of ​​the weight insertion hole 5 at one end of the weight holding space 3a.

[0054] According to this article holder 1D, the weight adjustment weight 20d can be easily inserted into the holding space 3a through the weight insertion hole 5 only when the weight adjustment weight 20d is oriented in a specific direction relative to the weight insertion hole 5, i.e., when the half-moon shape of the weight adjustment weight 20d in a top view overlaps with the half-moon shape of the weight insertion hole 5. Similarly, this is the only case in which the weight adjustment weight 20d can be removed from the weight holding space 3a through the insertion hole 5. Therefore, the article holder 1D makes it easy to insert the weight adjustment weight 20d into the weight holding space 3a but difficult to remove it, and can more reliably prevent the weight adjustment weight 20d from jumping out of the holding space 3a when the article is transported.

[0055] The article holder 1E shown in Figures 7A and 7B is the article holder 1B shown in Figures 4A and 4B, in which the weight adjustment weight is a disk-shaped, plate-like weight adjustment weight 20c, and the weight insertion hole 5 on the surface of the article holder 1B is a slit-shaped hole so that the weight adjustment weight 20c can be passed through the weight insertion hole 5 only when the weight adjustment weight 20c is stood upright so that the radial direction of the weight adjustment weight 20c is in the vertical direction of the holder main body 2.

[0056] Furthermore, the weight holding space 3a is formed to a size that allows disk-shaped, plate-like weight adjustment weights 20c to be placed flat near the bottom of the holder body 2, and is formed as a flat space from the weight insertion hole 5 to the vicinity of the bottom of the holder body 2 through which the weight adjustment weights 20c can pass only when their radial direction is aligned with the up-down direction of the holder body 2. In this way, according to the article holder 1E, a plurality of weight adjustment weights can be held in the weight holding space 3a.

[0057] In this article holder 1E, weight adjustment weight 20c can pass through the portion extending from weight insertion hole 5 to the vicinity of the bottom of holder body 2 only when it is in a specific orientation. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent weight adjustment weight 20d from jumping out of holding space 3a when an article is transported.

[0058] An article holder 1F shown in Figs. 8A, 8B, and 8C includes, as a holder body 2, a core 6 into which an article 100 is inserted, and a frame 7 into which the core 6 is attached. A protrusion 6a is formed at the bottom of the core 6, which abuts against the side wall of the frame 7. The frame 7 is roughly rectangular in top view, and the tip of the protrusion 6a of the core 6 is pressed by a ball plunger 8 attached to the side wall of the frame 7, so that the core 6 is fixed in a mounted state within the frame 7. In this case, the core 6 is replaceable with respect to the frame 7. The core 6 and the frame 7 may be fixed by a sliding stopper, double-sided tape, screws, or the like, or by pressing the core 6 into the frame 7.

[0059] The article holder 1F also includes a ring-shaped, plate-like weight adjustment weight 20e, and a weight holding portion 3 is formed in the core 6. More specifically, a weight holding space 3a for holding the weight adjustment weight 20e is formed inside the protruding portion 6a of the core 6. The weight holding space 3a is formed wide enough to allow the plate-like weight adjustment weight 20e to be placed flat near the bottom of the core 6, but the weight insertion hole 5 is a slit-like hole through which the plate-like weight adjustment weight 20e can pass only when the radial direction of the plate-like weight adjustment weight 20e faces the vertical direction of the core 6. Therefore, the article holder 1F can also reliably prevent the weight adjustment weight 20e from jumping out of the weight holding space 3a when the article is transported.

[0060] (Manufacturing method of filled articles) The article holder 1F, which has a core 6 and a frame 7, holds articles such as bottle containers on a conveyor, and when filling the article 100 with contents to produce a filled article, the core 6 can be replaced depending on the shape of the article to be held, so it is preferably used in production lines for filled articles.

[0061] In a production line for bottle-shaped products filled with contents, whether it is article holder 1F using core 6 or article holders 1A-1E not using a core as described above, the weight of the article holder is adjusted in advance by holding a weight adjustment weight in the weight holding section so that the weight of the article holder is within a predetermined range, the article held by the weight-adjusted article holder is filled with contents, and the amount of filled content is inspected by measuring the weight of the article filled with contents together with the article holder. This measurement is performed using a weight checker or the like, and since it is sufficient to measure each filled article only once, it becomes possible to easily manufacture each filled article.

[0062] When the holder body is formed from the core 6 and the frame 7, the core 6 is preferably formed by a 3D printer in the same manner as the holder body 2 of the article holder 1A shown in Figure 1, while the frame 7 is preferably formed by cutting to increase its strength against impacts in the transport direction.

[0063] An article holder 1G shown in Figures 9A and 9B is configured by providing a lid 9 for opening and closing the weight holding space 3a in the article holder 1E shown in Figures 7A and 7B. This makes it possible to easily remove the weight adjustment weight 20c inserted in the weight holding space 3a from the weight insertion hole 5.

[0064] There is no particular limitation on the shape of the lid 9. It may be approximately circular as in this embodiment, approximately elliptical, or polygonal.

[0065] In this embodiment, the mechanism for opening and closing the lid is such that the lid 9 has a male screw and the outlet 10 corresponding to the lid 9 has a female screw.

[0066] The article holder 1H shown in FIG. 10A is provided with a sliding lid 11 that moves as shown by an arrow relative to the slit-shaped weight insertion hole 5. FIG. 10B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lid 11 and its vicinity of the article holder 1H. The lid 11 moves along a groove 12 with an inverted T-shaped cross section formed in the holder body 2, and when the lid 11 is closed, the lid 11 blocks the slit-shaped weight insertion hole 5 so as to cross it (FIG. 10C), and when the lid 11 is open, the lid 11 does not block the weight insertion hole 5 and takes a position adjacent to the weight insertion hole 5 (FIG. 10D). By appropriately tightening the fit between the lid 11 and the groove 12, the position of the lid 11 is fixed when the lid 11 is closed or open, and the lid 11 can be prevented from opening even when subjected to vibration or impact during transport of the article.

[0067] As another method for fixing the sliding lid 11, the groove 12 may be a tapered groove that narrows in the direction in which the lid 11 is closed, and the lid 11 may be lightly pressed into the holding body 2 when the lid is closed, or screws or adhesives may be used.

[0068] Lid 11 of article holder 1H of this embodiment is provided so as to protrude from the upper surface of holder body 2, and lid 11 has a circular hole 13. By inserting a rod-shaped member such as a pin into hole 13, lid 11 can be easily slid.

[0069] The lid 11 and groove 12 can be created at the same time as the holder body 2 is manufactured using a 3D printer. In general, when multiple parts are combined to form an item, the weight variation of each part accumulates, which tends to increase the weight variation of the item. However, by manufacturing the item all at once using a 3D printer, the accumulation of weight variation of parts can be suppressed even if the item has a complex mechanism such as a sliding lid or groove, and the effect of suppressing the weight variation of the holder body 2 can be expected.

[0070] 11A and 11B has a core 6 and a frame 7, and is similar to the article holder 1F shown in Figures 8A and 8B in that a weight-retaining space 3a is formed inside the core 6, but a weight insertion hole 5 opens on the bottom surface of the core 6, and a sliding lid 11 is provided for the weight insertion hole 5. In Figure 11C, the lid 11 on the right side of the page is shown in a closed state, and the lid 11 on the left side of the page is shown in an open state.

[0071] By providing the weight insertion hole 5 on the bottom surface of the core 6, the lid 11 can be more reliably prevented from opening when an article is being transported.

[0072] The present invention can take on various other aspects, and the modifications of the above-described embodiments can be combined as appropriate. EXAMPLES

[0073] Example 1 The holder body 2 of the article holder 1E shown in Figures 7A and 7B was manufactured using a 3D printer. In this case, PLA resin was used as the resin material. In addition, a 0.5g weight for adjusting the weight was made of stainless steel (SUS).

[0074] The target weight of the item holder was set at 300.5g, the maximum weight of the holder body created using the 3D printer. The weight of the item holder was adjusted by attaching weight adjustment weights to the holder body made with a 3D printer, bringing it closer to the target weight.

[0075] Table 1 shows the weight of the holder body, the number of weight adjustment weights used, and the weight of the article holder after weight adjustment.

[0076] [Table 1]

[0077] From Table 1, it can be seen that the maximum weight variation of the article holder before weight adjustment was 7.8 g, but after weight adjustment it was possible to suppress it to 0.5 g.

[0078] Example 2 The article holder 1I shown in Figures 11A and 11B was manufactured using a 3D printer. In this case, PLA resin was used as the resin material. In addition, a 0.5g weight for adjusting the weight was made of SUS.

[0079] The target weight of the item holder was set at 285.4g, the maximum weight of the combined weight of the frame and core created by the 3D printer.

[0080] The weight of the item holder was adjusted by attaching weight adjustment weights to a core made with a 3D printer, bringing it closer to the target weight.

[0081] The weight of the frame, the weight of the core, the number of weight adjustment weights used, and the weight of the article holder after weight adjustment are shown in Table 2.

[0082] [Table 2]

[0083] From Table 2, it can be seen that the maximum weight variation of the article holder before weight adjustment was 4.1 g, but after weight adjustment it was possible to suppress it to 0.3 g. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I Article holder 2. Holder body 3 Weight holder 3a Weight holding space 3b Dent 4. Depression 5 Weight insertion hole 6 Core 6a Protrusion 7 Frame 8 Ball Plunger 9 Lid 10. Removal port 11 Lid 12 grooves 13 holes 20, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e Weight adjustment weights 100 Articles, bottle containers 101 Mouth

Claims

1. An article holder for holding articles transported on a conveyor, the article holder having a weight holding section inside it capable of holding a plurality of weights for adjusting the weight of the article holder, the weight adjustment weights adjusting the weight of each article holder including the weight adjustment weights within a predetermined range, the weight holding section having a weight insertion hole on the surface of the article holder, the weight insertion hole allowing the insertion of only weight adjustment weights oriented in a specific direction relative to the weight insertion hole.

2. 2. An article holder according to claim 1, comprising: a core into which an article is inserted; and a frame body in which the core is attached, the core having a weight holding portion.

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