Centering Mechanism

Abstract

To compactly integrate mechanism performing centering into one and configure it to be operated by one drive, and to provide a centering mechanism that can solve the generation of deviation of centering of a workpiece, does not require mold change to workpieces with different diametrical dimensions, and has versatility.SOLUTION: In a cam mechanism, by advancing operation of a slide member 11 by the driving of a direct-acting driving source 4, a pair of side guide arms 6 and 6 is operated to close. Normally, a tip end side of a center guide block 7 energized to a rear end side of the pair of side guide arms 6 and 6 by an energizing member 10 is advanced into a space between the pair of side guide arms 6 and 6. A workpiece is gripped by the pair of side guide arms 6 and 6 and the center guide block 7. By retracting operation of the slide member 11, the pair of side guide arms 6 and 6 is operated to close. The tip end side of the center guide block 7 is retracted from the space between the pair of side guide arms 6 and 6 to release the gripping of the workpiece.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a centering mechanism that holds and centers (centers and adjusts the position of) workpieces such as bottle containers and caps, and in particular to a centering mechanism that can be used for workpieces with different diameters without the need for a change of type. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to reliably perform each task in a series of filling processes, such as when transferring bottle containers, when filling liquid into bottle containers, and when capping bottle containers, mechanisms are employed that grip and center workpieces such as bottle containers and caps (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-168047 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-183551 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] These mechanisms support a pair of clamp arms (grippers) with gripping portions that match the shape of the workpiece on a single shaft so that they can rotate forward and backward simultaneously.By rotating the single shaft with an air cylinder or cam mechanism in accordance with the supply of the workpiece, the pair of clamp arms are rotated in the closing direction, and the gripping portions come close to and abut on both sides of the gripped portion of the workpiece in an arcuate trajectory to grip it.

[0005] It is desirable to use a clamp arm whose gripping portion matches the cross-sectional shape of the workpiece's gripped portion so that centering is achieved by gripping the workpiece. However, this means that the clamp arm must be reshaped every time the cross-sectional shape of the workpiece's gripped portion, for example, the diameter dimension of the neck of a bottle container, changes.

[0006] Furthermore, in order to make clamp arms more versatile, clamp arms with a gripping portion shaped like an arrowhead are often used. However, in such cases, the contact between the workpiece and the clamp arm varies depending on the diameter of the gripped portion of the workpiece, so although approximate centering is possible, precise centering may not be possible.

[0007] Patent Document 2 discloses a mechanism in which, in addition to a pair of clamp arms, a positioning member is arranged to support the inner outer periphery of the gripped workpiece, and the gripped portion of the workpiece is supported by contact at three points between the pair of clamp arms and the positioning member.

[0008] The mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 2 comprises a rotatable rotating body, a pair of clamp arms arranged at equal circumferential intervals around the rotating body and configured to be openable and closable, for gripping and transporting containers, and an opening / closing position adjustment means for adjusting the opening / closing position of each clamp arm in the circumferential direction of the rotating body, so that containers are gripped by each clamp arm as the rotating body rotates.In this clamp-type container transport device, each clamp arm is provided with a positioning member that can move in the radial direction of the rotating body, and the outer periphery of the container gripped by each clamp arm toward the rotation center of the rotating body is engaged with the positioning member to radially position the container gripped by each clamp arm on the rotating body, and a support position adjustment means is provided for moving the positioning member in the radial direction of the rotating body independent of the opening and closing operation of each clamp arm, and the support position adjustment means further comprises a cam member rotatably mounted on the rotating body and linked to each positioning member, and a rotation drive means for rotating the cam member relative to the rotating body to move each positioning member in the radial direction of the rotating body (Claim 1).

[0009] In other words, since the positioning members are configured to be driven independently of the opening and closing operation of the clamp arms, it is necessary to individually adjust the opening and closing positions of each clamp arm, the radial stopping positions of the positioning members, and the drive timing of the clamp arms and positioning members that contribute to gripping the workpiece.In addition, the mechanisms for driving the clamp arms and positioning members are themselves large in scale.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a versatile centering mechanism that compactly organizes the mechanism that grips the gripped portion of the workpiece and performs centering, and configures each component to operate with the drive of a single drive source, thereby eliminating the occurrence of misalignment when centering the workpiece, and eliminating the need to change molds to accommodate workpieces with different diameter dimensions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the centering mechanism of the present invention is a centering mechanism that adjusts the position of a workpiece such as a bottle container or a cap to a centering position while gripping the workpiece, and includes a slide member that moves back and forth on a straight line toward the centering position, a linear drive source that moves a shaft back and forth, a pair of side guide arms that extend from a base plate and have arrow-string-shaped gripping portions that can grip a gripped portion of the workpiece on opposing surfaces at their tip ends, and are arranged so that the gripping portions can be opened and closed in an arc-shaped orbit using a rotation shaft, and a center guide block that is always biased toward the rear ends of the pair of side guide arms by a biasing member, and is arranged so that it can move back and forth outside the base plate between the pair of side guide arms in a plan view in accordance with the opening and closing movement of the pair of side guide arms, a slide guide disposed on the slide member for guiding the center guide block in forward and backward movement;The forward movement of the slide member closes the pair of side guide arms and moves the tip end of the center guide block forward outside the base plate, gripping the gripped portion of the workpiece between the pair of side guide arms and the center guide block, and the backward movement of the slide member opens the pair of side guide arms and moves the center guide block backward to release the grip of the workpiece.

[0012] More specifically, the rear end of the center guide block is formed in a mountain shape in a plan view with its center protruding, and the cam mechanism is , linear symmetry A pair of first cam pins are arranged in and linear symmetry a pair of opening and closing plates each having an inclined portion formed on the front-end opposing side thereof, the inclined portion extending from a top portion projecting toward the rear end side of the center guide block to both sides, the pair of opening and closing plates being capable of moving toward and away from each other horizontally, and the pair of opening and closing plates being in sliding contact with the inclined portion, the pair of opening and closing plates being formed with an inclined portion formed on the front-end opposing side thereof, the pair of opening and closing plates being in sliding contact with the inclined portion, the pair of opening and closing plates being inclined portions extending from a top portion projecting toward the rear end side of the center guide block, the pair of opening and closing plates being in arc-shaped first cam grooves, the pair of opening and closing plates being in arc-shaped first cam grooves, the pair of opening and closing plates being in arc-shaped first cam grooves, the pair of opening and closing plates being capable of moving toward and away from each other horizontally, the pair of opening and closing plates being capable of moving toward and away from each other horizontally, the pair of opening and closing plates being in arc-shaped first cam grooves ... , linear symmetry and a second cam mechanism consisting of a pair of second cam pins arranged on the pair of side guide arms and a pair of linear second cam grooves formed in the pair of side guide arms and into which the second cam pins respectively engage.

[0013] In the centering mechanism having such a configuration, when the slide member advances, the first cam pins of the first cam mechanism slide within the corresponding first cam grooves formed in the pair of opening and closing plates, moving one opening and closing plate in a direction to close the other. This horizontal movement of the opening and closing plates causes the front end of the center guide block, whose rear end slope, which is shaped like a mountain in plan view, slides against the slope formed on the opposing front edge of the opening and closing plate, to be pushed between the pair of side guide arms. At the same time, in the second cam mechanism, a pair of second cam pins slide within a pair of linear second cam grooves formed in the pair of side guide arms, moving each side guide arm in an arcuate orbit around the pivot shaft in a direction to close the other side guide arm. The pair of side guide arms and the center guide block then grip the workpiece.

[0014] The gripped portion of the workpiece is circular in plan view, and the cam mechanism is configured so that the distances from the contact points between the center guide block and the gripped portion of the workpiece and the contact points between the pair of side guide arms and the gripped portion of the workpiece to the centering position are equal.

[0015] In the cam mechanism configured in this manner, when the side guide arm rotates a large amount to grip a small-diameter workpiece, the center guide block also protrudes a large amount and abuts against the workpiece, and when the side guide arm rotates a small amount to grip a large-diameter workpiece, the center guide block also protrudes a small amount and abuts against the workpiece.

[0016] In this case, the side guide arm may rotate in an arc orbit or the center guide block may move. Ku's The protrusion is based on the centering position where the center of the workpiece is located, and is configured so that the distance from the contact point between the center guide block and the workpiece and the contact point between the pair of side guide arms and the workpiece to the centering position is equal, making it possible to grip workpieces of different dimensions with the center of the workpiece always located in the same position.

[0017] When the shaft retracts, in the first cam mechanism, each of the first cam pins slides in the corresponding first cam groove formed in the pair of opening and closing plates, moving one of the opening and closing plates in the direction of opening the other. This horizontal movement of the opening and closing plates causes the center guide block, whose rear end side slope, which is mountain-shaped in plan view, to slide against the slope formed on the front end side opposing edge of the opening and closing plate, to move. Ku is , and are biased by the biasing member to be positioned toward the rear ends of the pair of side guide arms in a plan view. At the same time, in the second cam mechanism, a pair of second cam pins slide within a pair of linear second cam grooves formed in the pair of side guide arms, moving each side guide arm in an arcuate orbit about the pivot shaft in the opening direction. The pair of side guide arms and the center guide block then release the workpiece.

[0018] The slide member is characterized in that a slide guide is disposed on the slide member to guide the forward and backward movement of the center guide block.

[0019] By moving along this slide guide, the center guide block can slide stably by the opening and closing of the opening and closing plate in the second cam mechanism due to the advancement and retreat of the shaft and the biasing force of the biasing member.

[0020] Furthermore, the slide member is characterized in that the shaft is arranged parallel to the upper surface of the base plate and is fixed to an air cylinder that is capable of controlling the amount of advancement and retreat of the shaft.

[0021] By simply driving the air cylinder and moving the shaft back and forth by an amount corresponding to the diameter of the workpiece to be gripped, the workpiece can be centered and gripped while being supplied, eliminating the need to adjust the drive timing of the components that contribute to gripping the workpiece as in the past.

[0022] The workpiece is characterized in that it is a bottle container having a neck portion that is a gripped portion.

[0023] When the neck portion of a bottle container is used as the gripped part, the centering mechanism can be used in a filling device that fills a bottle container with a filling liquid, a capping device that applies a cap to the mouth of a bottle container, a device that transfers bottle containers during transport, etc., and it is possible to prevent problems that arise in each device due to poor centering of the bottle container, such as leakage of the filling liquid and poor capping. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] In this way, the centering mechanism of the present invention has a compact configuration and can be operated by a single drive source, preventing misalignment of the workpiece and providing versatility for workpieces with different diameters. By employing this centering mechanism in various devices, it is possible to reliably prevent problems caused by poor centering in each device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A front perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A perspective view of the rear side of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A is a plan view (transparent) illustrating the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment. [Figure 5] A partially omitted plan view (transparent) illustrating (A) the first cam mechanism and (B) the second cam mechanism when gripping a workpiece for centering. [Figure 6] A partially omitted plan view (transparent) explaining (A) the first cam mechanism and (B) the second cam mechanism when releasing the workpiece. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The configuration of one embodiment of a centering mechanism 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0027] The centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment is incorporated into a filling device to grip the neck portion, which is the gripped portion of the bottle container W supplied by a supply means not shown, to center the mouth portion of the bottle container W and align it with the filling nozzle of the filling liquid.

[0028] The centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment grips the neck portion of the bottle container W at three points by moving a slide member 11 (described later) back and forth in a straight line toward the centering position through the horizontal movement of a shaft 5 driven by an air cylinder 4 as a linear driving source fixed to the upper surface of a base plate 2 by a bracket 3, and also has a pair of side guide arms 6, 6 and a center guide block 7 that release the grip.

[0029] Each of the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 is disposed symmetrically in a plan view with respect to the straight line along which the slide member 11 moves toward the centering position, i.e., in this embodiment, as described below, the line of movement of the shaft 5 of the air cylinder 4. Each of the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 is a thin plate-like member, and an arrow-string-shaped gripping portion 6a is formed at the facing tip end portion so as to be able to grip the outer periphery of the neck portion of a bottle container W. The gripping portion 6a extends from one edge of the base plate 2 and is journaled through an axial hole 6b provided in the center of the longitudinal direction through a rotating shaft (shaft) 8 extending from the base plate 2, enabling the gripping portion 6a to open and close along an arcuate trajectory (hereinafter, the side direction of the base plate 2 along which the tip ends of the side guide arms 6, 6 are located is considered the "front" and the opposite direction is considered the "rear"). Furthermore, the facing portions of the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 rearward of the rotating shaft (shaft) 8 are notched to prevent interference during the opening operation. A second cam groove 55a that constitutes a second cam mechanism 55 (described later) is formed on the rear end side of the cutout so as to follow the cutout side.

[0030] The centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment also includes a bracket-shaped spring support member 9 consisting of a leg portion 9b having an axial hole 9a formed therein that supports a rotating shaft 8 disposed in the axial holes 6b, 6b of the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 between the leg portion 9b and the base plate 2, and a wall portion 9c that bends from the leg portion 9b and extends above the tip edge of the base plate 2.

[0031] The center guide block 7 is always biased toward the rear ends of the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 by a spring 10 sandwiched between the wall surface portion 9c of the spring receiving member 9, and is arranged so that it can move back and forth outside the base plate 2 between the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 in accordance with the opening and closing movement of the pair of side guide arms 6, 6.

[0032] In detail, in this embodiment, the center guide block 7 is composed of a thick plate-shaped upper block 7a with the center of its rear end protruding rearward in a mountain shape, forming a pentagonal home base in a plan view, a rectangular thick plate-shaped lower block 7b, and a vertical plate-shaped connecting portion 7c that connects the front end surface of the upper block 7a to the rear end surface of the lower block 7b. The spring 10 is arranged between the upper block 7a and the wall portion 9c of the spring receiving member 9, and the lower block 7b is arranged below the spring receiving member 9 so as to face the outside of the base plate 2 when it moves back and forth between the pair of side guide arms 6, 6.

[0033] In the centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment, the forward movement of the shaft 5 of the air cylinder 4 closes the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 and moves the center guide block 7 forward, causing the tip side of the lower block 7b to extend outward from the base plate 2, and the neck portion of the bottle container W is gripped by the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 and the center guide block 7 with the distances from the abutment point between the center guide block 7 and the neck portion and the abutment point between the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 and the neck portion to the centering position being equal, and the backward movement of the shaft 5 moves the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 Opening actionThe cam mechanism 50 is provided to move the center guide block 7 forward and backward, and to release the grip on the neck portion of the bottle container W. More specifically, the cam mechanism 50 is made up of a first cam mechanism 51 for moving the center guide block 7 forward and backward, and a second cam mechanism 55 for opening and closing the pair of side guide arms 6, 6.

[0034] Before describing the cam mechanism 50, other components of the centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment will be described. A slide member 11 that moves back and forth as the shaft 5 moves back and forth is connected to the tip of the shaft 5 of the air cylinder 4 via a joint block 14. In this embodiment, the slide member 11 has a first plate 12 in the form of a rectangular thin plate and fixed at its longitudinal center via the joint block 14, perpendicular to the direction of movement of the shaft 5 (that is, in this embodiment, the shaft 5 moves back and forth on the straight line in which the slide member 11 moves toward the centering position), and a second plate 13 in the form of a substantially rectangular thin plate that is stacked on top of the first plate 12 and has a pair of sleeves 13a, 13a that protrude rearward from both corners on the rear end side.

[0035] The first plate 12 is formed with a pair of first pin holes 12a, 12a at close positions symmetrical with respect to the line of movement of the shaft 5 of the air cylinder 4, and also with a pair of second pin holes 12b, 12b spaced apart. The second plate 13 is formed with a pair of third pin holes 13b, 13b located coaxially corresponding to the first pin holes 12a, 12a of the first plate 12 at close positions symmetrical with respect to the line of movement of the shaft 5 of the air cylinder 4, and also with a pair of fourth pin holes 13c, 13c formed in the sleeve portions 13a, 13a.

[0036] A pair of open-close plates 15, 15 are disposed on the second plate 13. The open-close plates 15, 15 are symmetrically arranged and horizontally movable about the axis of movement of the shaft 5 of the air cylinder 4. The pair of open-close plates 15, 15 each have an inclined portion 15a, 15a formed on the opposing front-end edges thereof, which slide against the inclined portions 7d, 7d extending from the apex projecting toward the rear end of the upper block 7a of the center guide block 7. Each of the open-close plates 15, 15 also has a first cam groove 51a, which is arc-shaped and has a figure-eight shape in plan view and whose spacing increases from the rear toward the front. The pair of open-close plates 15, 15 are fixed to the bracket 16 at the rear of the base plate 2 with bolts 18 inserted from the rear into slide holes 16b, 17a opening in a wall portion 16a of the bracket 16 bridging above the air cylinder 4 and a guide plate 17 overlapping the wall portion 16a in the thickness direction of the bracket 16, thereby maintaining the plate horizontal. In this case, the width is determined using a collar 19, and the bracket 16 is supported so as to be slidable with a clearance therebetween.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a rectangular thin third plate 21 is disposed on the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15 and is perpendicular to the advancing and retreating direction of the shaft 5. A pair of fifth pin holes 21a, 21a is formed in the width direction at positions symmetrical with respect to the line of movement of the shaft 5 on the third plate 21. The fifth pin holes 21a, 21a are positioned coaxially in correspondence with the pair of fourth pin holes 13c, 13c.

[0038] The lengthwise dimension of the third plate 21 is longer than the widthwise dimension of the upper block 7a of the center guide block 7, and thin side plates 22 are connected to both longitudinal ends, extending toward the tip. A pair of guide plates 23 is fixed to both sides of the U-shaped space formed by the third plate 21 and the pair of side plates 22, 22, and slides against the upper side edges of the upper block 7a, which is shaped like a home plate in a plan view, to guide the sliding of the center guide block 7.

[0039] The first plate 12 of the slide member 11 supports a pair of second cam pins 55b, 55b that move within second cam grooves 55a, 55a formed in the pair of side guide arms 6, 6, between the second pin holes 12b, 12b and a thin fifth plate 25 arranged below the pair of side guide arms 6, 6.

[0040] In addition, fixed pins 26 are inserted into a pair of first pin holes 12a, 12a of the first plate 12 and the corresponding third pin holes 13b, 13b of the second plate 13, and the first plate 12 and the second plate 13 are integrally formed as a slide member 11, and the second plate 13 supports a pair of first cam pins 51b, 51b that move within first cam grooves 51a, 51a formed in the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15 between the fourth pin holes 13c, 13c and the fifth pin holes 21a, 21a of the third plate 21.

[0041] As described above, in the centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment, the first cam mechanism 51 is composed of a pair of first cam pins 51b, 51b disposed in the fourth pin holes 13c, 13c of the second plate 13, and a pair of arc-shaped first cam grooves 51a, 51a formed in the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15, with which the first cam pins 51b, 51b engage, respectively. The second cam mechanism 55 is composed of a pair of second cam pins 55b, 55b disposed in the second pin holes 12b, 12b of the first plate 12, and a pair of linear second cam grooves 55a, 55a formed in the pair of side guide arms 6, 6, with which the second cam pins 55b, 55b engage, respectively.

[0042] The centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment also includes a control unit (not shown), which controls the drive of the air cylinder 4 so that the shaft 5 is advanced by a predetermined amount of advancement and retraction depending on the diameter of the neck portion of the bottle container W that will be gripped, the state is maintained during the filling operation, and after filling, the shaft 5 is retracted by the same amount of advancement and retraction again. Note that the timing of advancing and retracting the shaft 5 will be explained below assuming that it is synchronized with the supply operation (timing) of a supply means for the bottle container W (not shown).

[0043] Next, the operation and function of the centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0044] In the centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment, when a bottle container W is placed at the lowered position of the filling nozzle of the filling device by a supply means (not shown), the shaft 5 of the air cylinder 4 is advanced at that timing. The amount of advancement of the shaft 5 is set to a predetermined amount taking into consideration the diameter of the neck portion of the bottle container W to be gripped.

[0045] When the shaft 5 moves forward under the control of the control unit, the slide member 11 including the first plate 12 and the second plate 13 also moves forward.

[0046] At this time, in the first cam mechanism 51, as shown in Figure 5(A), each of the first cam pins 51b, 51b slides forward within the first cam grooves 51a, 51a formed in the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15, causing the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15 to move in the closing direction.

[0047] At this time, due to the horizontal movement of the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15, the center guide block 7, which has the inclined portions 7d, 7d at the rear end side of the upper block 7a, which is mountain-shaped in plan view, sliding against the inclined portions 15a, 15a formed on the opposing edge portions at the tip side of each opening and closing plate 15, 15, moves along the guide plate 23 against the force of the spring 10 and is pushed forward, positioning the tip of the lower block 7b between the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 outside the base plate 2.

[0048] At the same time, in the second cam mechanism 55, as shown in Figure 5 (B), a pair of second cam pins 55b, 55b slide forward within a pair of linear second cam grooves 55a, 55a formed in a pair of side guide arms 6, 6, causing each side guide arm 6, 6 to rotate around the rotation axis (shaft) 8 in the direction of closing the arrow-shaped tip end in an arc orbit.

[0049] As a result, the neck portion of the bottle container W is gripped by the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 and the center guide block 7. At this time, the gripping portions 6a, 6a of the arrow-string shaped side guide arms 6, 6 contact two points on the front of the neck portion while following the shape of the circular neck portion, and the lower block 7b of the center guide block 7 contacts one point on the rear of the neck portion.

[0050] Furthermore, the centering mechanism 1 of this embodiment is configured so that the distance from the contact point between the center guide block 7 and the neck portion of the bottle container W and the contact point between the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 and the neck portion of the bottle container W to the centering position is equal using the cam mechanism 50, so that the bottle container W can be reliably centered when it is grasped.

[0051] In the cam mechanism of this embodiment, when gripping a small diameter neck portion, the side guide arms 6,6 rotate widely and the center guide block 7 also protrudes widely to abut against the neck portion, and when gripping a large diameter neck portion, the side guide arms 6,6 rotate widely and the center guide block 7 also protrudes widely to abut against the neck portion, so that even for bottle containers W with different diameters, the center of the neck portion as the gripped portion can be positioned at the centering position.

[0052] In other words, the diameter of the neck portion that can be centered with one setting of the centering mechanism 1 is not limited to one size, but can accommodate the neck portions of bottle containers W with a wide range of diameters. For example, even with a setting that assumes gripping of a neck portion with a diameter of 25 mm, it is possible to center bottle containers W having neck portions with diameters of 20 mm to 35 mm.

[0053] Then, when the filling operation is completed with the centering performed and the shaft 5 is moved backward under the control of the control unit, in the first cam mechanism 51, as shown in Figure 6 (A), each of the first cam pins 51b, 51b slides backward within the corresponding first cam grooves 51a, 51a formed in the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15, causing the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15 to move in the opening direction.

[0054] At this time, due to the horizontal movement of the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15, the center guide block 7, which has the inclined portion on the rear end side of the upper block 7a, which is mountain-shaped in plan view, in sliding contact with the inclined portion formed on the opposing edge portions on the tip side of the pair of opening and closing plates 15, 15, moves rearward along the guide plate 23 due to the force of the spring 10, and positions the tip of the lower block 7b rearward between the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 in plan view.

[0055] At the same time, in the second cam mechanism 55, as shown in Figure 6 (B), a pair of second cam pins 55b, 55b slide rearward within a pair of linear second cam grooves 55a, 55a formed in a pair of side guide arms 6, 6, causing each side guide arm 6, 6 to rotate in an arcuate orbit around the rotation axis (shaft) 8 in the direction of opening the tip side on which the gripping portion 6a is formed.

[0056] As a result, the gripping by the pair of side guide arms 6, 6 and the center guide block 7 is released, and the bottle container W can be opened.

[0057] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0058] For example, the mechanism for moving the slide member back and forth is not limited to an air cylinder and its shaft, and the number of air cylinders and the connection position between the shaft and slide member are not limited to the configuration of this embodiment as long as the slide member moves back and forth in a straight line toward the centering position.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the slide member is configured by connecting the first plate and the second plate, but it may also be formed as a single block body.

[0060] In the above-described embodiment, the centering mechanism is incorporated into a filling device that fills a bottle container as a workpiece with a filling liquid. However, the centering mechanism of the present invention can also be used in a capping device that applies a cap to the mouth of a bottle container W, a device for transferring bottle containers during transport, and the like. In such cases, problems that arise in each device due to poor centering of the bottle container, such as leakage of the filling liquid or poor capping, can be prevented.

[0061] As mentioned above, the timing of moving the shaft back and forth may not be synchronized with the bottle container supply operation (timing) of the bottle container supply means (not shown), but the air cylinder may be driven according to the timing when the sensor arranged at the centering position detects the bottle container. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1 Centering mechanism 2 base plates 3 Bracket 4 Air Cylinders 5 shaft 6 Side guide arm 6a Gripping part 6b Shaft hole 7 Center guide block 7a Upper Block 7b Lower Block 7c Connecting part 7d Slope 8 Rotating shaft 9 Spring support member 9a shaft hole 9b Legs 9c Wall section 10 Spring 11 Slide member 12 Plate 1 12a First pinhole 12b Second pin hole 13 Second Plate 13a sleeve part 13b 3rd pin hole 13c 4th pin hole 14 Joint Block 15 Opening and closing plate 15a Slope 16 Bracket 16a Wall 16b Slide hole 17 Guide plate 17a Slide hole 18 volts 19 colors 21 Third Plate 21a 5th pin hole 22 Side plate 23 Guide plate 25 5th Plate 26 Fixing pin 50 Cam mechanism 51 First cam mechanism 51a First cam groove 51b First Cam Pin 55 Second cam mechanism 55a Second cam groove 55b Second Cam Pin W Bottle container (work)

Claims

1. A centering mechanism that adjusts the position of a workpiece such as a bottle container or a cap to a centering position while gripping the workpiece, a slide member that moves back and forth along a straight line toward the centering position; a linear drive source that moves the shaft back and forth; A pair of side guide arms are provided with arrow-string-shaped gripping portions that can grip a gripped portion of a workpiece on opposing surfaces at the tip ends of the side guide arms that extend from the base plate, and are arranged so that the gripping portions can be opened and closed along an arcuate path using a rotation shaft; a center guide block that is normally biased toward the rear ends of the pair of side guide arms by a biasing member and is disposed outside the base plate between the pair of side guide arms in a plan view so as to be able to advance and retreat in accordance with the opening and closing operations of the pair of side guide arms; a slide guide disposed on the slide member for guiding the center guide block in forward and backward movement; The forward movement of the slide member closes the pair of side guide arms and moves the tip end side of the center guide block forward outside the base plate, so that the gripped portion of the workpiece is gripped by the pair of side guide arms and the center guide block. a cam mechanism that causes the pair of side guide arms to open and the center guide block to retract when the slide member retracts, thereby releasing the grip of the workpiece; A centering mechanism comprising:

2. The rear end side of the center guide block is formed in a mountain shape in a plan view with its center protruding, The cam mechanism a pair of first cam pins arranged linearly symmetrically on the slide member; a first cam mechanism comprising a pair of opening and closing plates that are linearly symmetrical and horizontally movable toward and away from each other, each having an inclined portion formed on its leading edge facing edge that slides against an inclined portion extending from a peak protruding toward the rear end of the center guide block, and a pair of arc-shaped first cam grooves with which the first cam pins are engaged; and, a pair of second cam pins arranged linearly symmetrically on the slide member; a second cam mechanism including a pair of linear second cam grooves formed in the pair of side guide arms and engaging with the second cam pins, respectively; 2. The centering mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the centering mechanism is configured as follows:

3. 3. The centering mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the gripped portion of the workpiece is circular in plan view, and the cam mechanism is configured so that the distances from the contact points between the center guide block and the gripped portion of the workpiece and the contact points between the pair of side guide arms and the gripped portion of the workpiece to the centering position are equal.

4. 4. The centering mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the slide member has a shaft arranged parallel to the upper surface of the base plate and is fixed to an air cylinder capable of controlling the amount of forward and backward movement of the shaft.

5. 5. The centering mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece is a bottle container having a neck portion that is a gripped portion.

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