Work alignment and transport device

Abstract

To provide a work-piece alignment conveyance device capable of: stably conveying even a work-piece that cannot stand on its own or is unstable while controlling its attitude; reducing the number of the processing steps and the number of conveyances from receiving to sending out the work-piece; and also reducing the risk of handling error.SOLUTION: A conveyance jig 21 has a pair of work-piece storage bodies 23 that can be freely opened and closed in a hinge stage, a storage part 24 is formed in each work-piece storage body 23, a jig-side opening / closing mechanism 31 is provided for switching between an open state in which the work-piece storage part 24 is directed upward and a closed state opposed, a conveyance path of a conveyance part 11 is provided with a standing position changing conveyance part 11c that changes an inverted state to an upright state when guiding the work-piece from a receiving position RP to a carry-out position COP, the conveyance part 11 is provided with a conveyance part-side opening / closing mechanism 51 that switches between the open and closed states of the work-piece storage body 23 depending on an engagement state with the jig-side opening / closing mechanism 31 at the receiving position RP and the carry-out position COP.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a workpiece aligning and conveying device that aligns workpieces supplied from a previous process in a predetermined orientation and conveys them to a next process, and more particularly to a workpiece aligning and conveying device that is suitable for aligning and conveying trigger caps. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, bottle containers filled with household detergents and the like have been commercialized with a cap (hereinafter referred to as a trigger cap) having a trigger pump type discharge mechanism attached thereto.

[0003] The trigger cap is composed of a cap body that is tightened onto the mouth of the bottle container, a pump unit that is attached horizontally and rotatably to the cap body, a nozzle that is attached toward the discharge side of the pump unit, a cap unit that has a trigger unit that is connected to the pump and onto which the fingers of a hand are hooked, and a suction tube that is attached so as to hang down from the cap unit to the liquid suction side of the pump unit.

[0004] The cap portion of a trigger cap is formed with rigidity that makes it difficult for it to deform during transport, but the suction tube is a flexible, non-rigid part that is easily deformed during transport and is formed to hang down from the cap portion. Therefore, it is necessary to devise a method for aligning and transporting the trigger cap in a predetermined position to the process of assembling it to the bottle container while avoiding damage such as deformation of the suction tube, and various methods of aligning and transporting and devices for this have been proposed in the past (see Patent Document 1).

[0005] For example, when transporting the aforementioned trigger caps to the subsequent cap seaming process, separate devices are provided for each process, such as the process of separating the individual trigger caps, the inverted inversion process of aligning them with the suction tubes facing upward, the process of aligning the nozzles in one direction, the upright inversion process of aligning them with the suction tubes facing downward, and the process of transporting the upright trigger caps to the seaming process, and the trigger caps are handed over between each device while being aligned in a certain direction for transport.

[0006] The cap direction alignment device of Patent Document 2 is a device that includes a pair of actuating belts that travel in the same direction along the work transport path, are positioned to sandwich the shaft of the work from both sides, and rotate the shaft at different travel speeds to rotate and transport the work, and a regulating member that extends along the transport path and engages the main body of the work rotated by the actuating belts, regulating and aligning the rotation of the work.The cap body of a trigger cap that has been transported in upside down is placed on the transport belt, the orientation of the trigger cap is aligned in one direction, and the device transports the work to the next process in the upside down state.

[0007] The workpiece alignment and delivery device of Patent Document 3 uses a device that performs a first process of changing the position of a trigger cap, which is transported by changing between the first to third transport conveyor sections, and a device that performs a second process of changing the position of the trigger cap, to deliver it to the next process in the desired position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-211740 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-139543 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-88362 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, the device described in Patent Document 2 is based on the premise that the workpiece can be initially placed in an inverted position, and cannot handle workpieces that cannot stand on their own in an inverted position. In addition, a means for preventing a workpiece that can stand on its own from tipping over is also required.

[0010] In the device of Patent Document 3, it is necessary to transfer the workpiece while changing its posture during transport, but it goes without saying that it is desirable to reduce the number of times this is done in order to prevent transfer errors from occurring.

[0011] Furthermore, if a pick-and-place device used as a posture-changing processing device requires the robot that performs the pick-and-place to make complex decisions and perform complex operations, the cost will naturally increase depending on the processing power, and there is also a risk that the entire system will become larger, as it will be necessary to secure space for the installation and operation of each robot.

[0012] Furthermore, the process of transporting workpieces supplied from a previous process to a next process while aligning them in a predetermined posture is not limited to when the workpieces are trigger caps.

[0013] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a work alignment and transport device that can stably transport even work that cannot stand on its own or is unstable while performing posture control, and that can transport individual workpieces to the next process while minimizing the number of steps from receiving to sending out the workpiece for posture control and the number of times the workpiece is handed over, thereby reducing the risk of handling errors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the workpiece aligning and conveying device of the present invention is a workpiece aligning and conveying device that orients a plurality of workpieces in a predetermined direction, aligns them in an upright position, and sends them out continuously to the next process, and is equipped with a conveying jig configured to be able to hold and convey the workpieces one by one, and a conveying section having a conveying path along which the plurality of conveying jigs travel in a circular manner, the conveying jig has a pair of workpiece containers that can be opened and closed by a pivot shaft like a hinge, and each workpiece container is formed with a work container section that accommodates an inverted workpiece with the side that is to be placed at the top when being conveyed close to the pivot shaft, and is equipped with a jig-side opening and closing mechanism that switches between an open state in which the work container section is oriented upward so that a workpiece can be accommodated in either one of the two work containers formed in the pair of workpiece containers, and a closed state in which the workpiece can be gripped by the pair of work containers with each work container facing each other, and the conveying path of the conveying section The system is composed of an upper conveying section with a receiving position for receiving the workpiece in one of the workpiece containers of the conveying jig, which has its conveying surface directed upward and is in an open state; a lower conveying section with a conveying surface directed downward and an unloading position for releasing the workpiece in a position for sending it to the next process; an upright position changing conveying section that connects one end of the upper conveying section and the lower conveying section and changes the position of the workpiece from an inverted state to an upright state when guiding it from the receiving position to the unloading position; and a return conveying section that connects the other end of the lower conveying section and the upper conveying section, and is characterized in that the conveying section is provided with a conveying section side opening / closing mechanism that switches the open state and closed state of the workpiece container depending on the engagement state with the jig side opening / closing mechanism at the receiving position and the unloading position.

[0015] According to a workpiece aligning and conveying device having such a configuration, a conveying jig is caused to travel in a circular manner along the conveying path, and at the receiving position on the path, a workpiece is mechanically or manually placed in one of two workpiece storage sections formed in a pair of workpiece storage bodies of the conveying jig, which is in an open state, and then, while the upper conveying section is traveling, the pair of workpiece storage bodies are closed like a hinge about a pivot shaft to clip the workpiece in an inverted state, and the workpiece is placed upright through the upright position changing conveying section, and the lower conveying section conveys the workpiece to the discharge position, and by opening the pair of workpiece storage bodies, the workpiece can be released in an upright state at the discharge position. Thus, according to the present invention, even if a workpiece cannot stand on its own or is unstable, it can be clipped into the pair of workpiece storage bodies and stably conveyed while controlling its posture between upright and upright.

[0016] The work storage section is arranged on an axis perpendicular to the conveying surface of the conveying section, and a jig side direction change mechanism is provided on the axis, and the conveying section is provided with a conveying section side direction change mechanism that engages with the jig side direction change mechanism and rotates the work storage section.

[0017] Specifically, the transport path from the receiving position of the transport unit to the unloading position is provided with an unloading direction change mechanism that rotates the work storage unit around the axis and can change the orientation of the work to the desired direction for transporting it to the next process, and further, the path from the unloading position to the receiving position is provided with a receiving direction change mechanism that rotates the work storage unit around the axis and returns it to the orientation for receiving the next work.

[0018] With a workpiece aligning and conveying device having such a configuration, it is possible to not only turn the workpiece upside down or upright, but also align it so that it faces a fixed direction (attitude control) before being conveyed to the subsequent process. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the attitude control of the workpiece can be performed without transferring the workpiece between devices, which makes it possible to prevent handling errors from occurring.

[0019] The pair of workpiece containers are characterized by being changeable in shape to suit the shape of the workpiece to be transported.

[0020] A workpiece aligning and conveying device having such a configuration makes it possible to carry out a wide variety of workpieces while controlling their postures.

[0021] Furthermore, the receiving position is characterized by the fact that a detection means for detecting the posture of the work supplied for aligned transport and a pickup robot for holding the work based on the detection result of the detection means and storing the work in one of the two work storage sections formed in the pair of work storage bodies with the side that will be at the top when the work is transported close to the rotation axis are disposed.

[0022] With a work alignment and transport device having such a configuration, even if there are a large number of workpieces that have been randomly dumped into a box or the like, the pickup robot can pick up the workpieces based on the detection results of the detection means, and by aligning the orientation of the picked-up workpiece with one of the two workpiece storage sections formed in a pair of workpiece storage bodies, the orientation of the workpiece can be easily controlled for transport to the subsequent process.

[0023] Alternatively, a work supply conveyor is arranged at the receiving position, the detection means detects the posture of the work supplied in a sideways state onto the supply conveyor, and the pickup robot rotates the held work in a horizontal plane based on the detection result of the detection means, and stores the work in one of the two work storage sections formed in the pair of work storage bodies, with the side that will be at the top when the work is transported close to the rotation axis.

[0024] With a work alignment and transport device having such a configuration, the work to be used for posture control when transported to the subsequent process is placed in a horizontal position on the supply conveyor in advance, so that the pickup robot picks up the work based on the detection result of the detection means, and when the orientation of the picked-up work is aligned with one of the two work storage sections formed in the pair of work storage bodies, the only operations of the pickup robot are to move the work from the pickup position to the receiving position and rotate it in the horizontal plane during this movement, so the pickup robot can be relatively inexpensive and can perform fewer operations, and moreover, it is possible to easily use the work for posture control when transported to the subsequent process.

[0025] The workpiece is characterized by being a trigger cap having a cap body that is tightened onto the mouth of a bottle container, a pump section that is attached horizontally and rotatably to the cap body, a nozzle that is attached toward the discharge side of the pump section, and a trigger section that is connected to the pump and onto which the fingers of a hand are hooked, and a suction tube that is attached so as to hang down from the cap section to the liquid suction side of the pump section.

[0026] Furthermore, the unloading position is provided with an unloading means which directs the trigger part to one side of the transport direction, receives the trigger cap in a position in which the suction tube is hanging from the pump part, aligns it, and sends it to the next process.

[0027] With a workpiece aligning and transporting device having such a configuration, even trigger caps that cannot stand on their own can be stably transported to the next process while controlling their posture. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] As described above, with the workpiece alignment and transport device of the present invention, even workpieces that cannot stand on their own or are unstable can be adjusted to the desired posture and transported stably to the next process. This minimizes the number of processes from receiving to sending out the workpiece for posture control, as well as the number of times the workpiece is handed over, and reduces the risk of handling errors while transporting individual workpieces to the next process. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of a workpiece aligning and conveying device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of a conveying jig in this embodiment; [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are explanatory views of the configuration of the transport jig in this embodiment, in which FIG. 1A shows a pair of workpiece containers in an open state, and FIG. 1B shows a pair of workpiece containers in a closed state. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the main part of the direction change mechanism according to the present embodiment; [Figure 5] 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the configuration of a swinging portion of a direction changing mechanism in this embodiment, where FIG. 4A shows an angle restricting means and FIG. 4B shows a swinging means. [Figure 6] An explanatory diagram of the main configuration and operation of the workpiece alignment and transport device of this embodiment, part 1 [Figure 7] 2. Main configuration and operation of the workpiece alignment and transport device of this embodiment [Figure 8] Main configuration and operation of the workpiece alignment and transport device of this embodiment, part 3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The workpiece alignment and conveying device 1 of this embodiment is configured as a whole as shown in Figure 1, and is a device for aligning and sending out trigger caps 2 as works one by one to the next process in an upright position with the nozzle 4 of the cap part 3, which is the upper side when being conveyed, directed to one side in the conveying direction, and with the suction tube 5 hanging from the pump part (not shown) of the cap part 3.

[0031] The workpiece aligning and conveying device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a conveying section 11 that forms an endless circulation path. The conveying section 11 has a driving chain wheel 12a and a driven chain wheel 12b that serve as a driving section, and the driving chain wheel 12a and the driven chain wheel 12b are arranged apart from each other on a main body frame 15 that is supported on legs 14 that are erected on a base 13, with their respective rotation axes (rotation centers) horizontal and parallel. Between the pair of chain wheels 12a, 12b, a roller chain 16 is stretched to run in a circular manner along a conveying path consisting of a linear upper conveying section 11a that orients the conveying surface upward and has a receiving position RP that receives the trigger caps 2 to be aligned and conveyed, a linear lower conveying section 11b that orients the conveying surface downward and runs in the opposite direction to the upper conveying section 11a and has a discharge position COP that opens the trigger caps 2 in a position to send them out to the next process, an arc-shaped upright position changing conveying section 11c that connects one end of the upper conveying section 11a and the lower conveying section 11b, and an arc-shaped return conveying section 11d that connects the other end of the lower conveying section 11b and the upper conveying section 11a.

[0032] Here, the roller chain 16 has a known configuration in which a single belt member 16c is formed in an endless shape by connecting a plurality of belt members 16c, each of which is formed integrally with a planar plate-shaped main body 16a and a chain portion 16b that meshes with teeth (not shown) formed on the outer periphery of a pair of chain wheels 12, with joint pins (not shown). In this embodiment, a plurality of conveying jigs 21 configured to hold and convey one trigger cap 2 each are disposed on the plate-shaped main body 16a at equal intervals along the conveying path. Note that in Figures 6, 7, etc., the arrangement of the plate-shaped main body 16a on which the conveying jigs 21 are mounted is partially omitted.

[0033] The transport jig 21 is provided with a pair of workpiece storage bodies 23 that are arranged to be able to open and close freely like a hinge with a rotation shaft 22, and each workpiece storage body 23 has a concave workpiece storage section 24 that stores the side that is to be the upper side when the overturned trigger cap 2 is transported, i.e., the cap part 3, close to the rotation shaft 22, and is formed symmetrically about the rotation shaft 22. Note that the workpiece storage body 23 can be changed to one with a workpiece storage section 24 of an appropriate shape depending on the type and shape of the workpieces to be aligned and transported, and can be used.

[0034] The transport jig 21 also has a jig-side opening / closing mechanism 31 for switching between an open state in which the work storage sections 24 are oriented upward so that the cap section 3 of the trigger cap 2 can be stored in either one of the two work storage sections 24 formed in the pair of work storage bodies 23, and a closed state in which the trigger cap 2 can be clipped and gripped by the pair of work storage bodies 23 with each work storage section 24 facing each other.

[0035] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, this conveying jig 21 has a rod shaft 32 that passes through the plate-shaped body 16a of the roller chain 16 and is suspended from the conveying surface so that it can rotate freely using ball bearings or the like, and at the tip of this rod shaft 32 is connected a container unit 25, which is made up of a pair of work containers 23 assembled together in a hinged manner around the rotating shaft 22 so that it can be opened and closed freely, so as to support the longitudinal center of the rotating shaft 22.

[0036] The pair of workpiece containers 23 are configured to swing about the rotary shaft 22 and switch between an open and closed state when the jig-side opening and closing mechanism 31 engages with the transport section-side opening and closing mechanism 51 described later.

[0037] That is, in this embodiment, the jig-side opening / closing mechanism 31 has roller followers 33 that engage with the conveyor-side opening / closing mechanism 51 formed at symmetrical positions on the outer periphery and an elevation holder 34 that can be raised and lowered along the rod shaft 32. A shaft hole 35 is formed in the center of the elevation holder 34. The shaft hole 35 is formed in two stages, with a first hole 35a having a smaller diameter and a second hole 35b having a larger diameter, and the rod shaft 32 is inserted through the first hole 35a located on the plate-shaped main body 16a side. Furthermore, the tubular base 36a of the link holder 36 is inserted into the second hole 35b so as to be slidable and rotatable between the rod shaft 32 and the elevation holder 34.

[0038] The link holder 36 has a link connecting portion 36b that is connected to the upper end edge of the tubular base portion 36a, through which the rod shaft 32 is inserted, and that sits on the upper surface of the lifting holder 34 when the tubular base portion 36a is inserted into the second hole portion 35b. The link connecting portions 36b are provided at two locations facing each other across the rod shaft 32, and one end of a link bar 37 is connected to each link connecting portion 36b by a shaft member 38, and the other end of the link bar 37 is connected to a link connecting portion 26 formed in each of the corresponding work storage bodies 23 by the shaft member 38. In this embodiment, the link connecting portion 26 of the work storage body 24 is formed on a surface that is opposite to the surface on which the work storage portions 24 of the pair of work storage bodies 23 are formed.

[0039] The lifting holder 34 is formed with a cylindrical coil receiving portion 39 that protrudes downward to surround the rod shaft 32, and a coil spring 41 is interposed between the lifting holder 34 and a cylindrical coil receiving portion 40 that protrudes from the upper surface of the plate-shaped main body 16a to surround the rod shaft 32.

[0040] When this coil spring 41 is compressed and the lifting holder 34, along with the link holder 36, slides along the rod shaft 32 and reaches a low position, the distance between the container unit 25 and the lifting holder 34 increases, as shown in Figure 3(A), and the link mechanism consisting of the link connection part 36b of the link holder 36, the link bar 37, the link connection part 26 of each work container 23, and the shaft member 38 connecting them causes the pair of work containers 23 to open with their respective pivot shafts 22 so that the work container section 24 faces upward.

[0041] Furthermore, when the coil spring 41 expands and the lifting holder 34 slides along the rod axis along with the link holder 36 and is pushed to a higher position, the distance between the storage unit 25 and the lifting holder 34 becomes shorter as shown in Figure 3 (B), and the link mechanism causes the pair of work storage bodies 23 to enter a closed state with the work storage sections 24 facing each other with the pivot shafts 22 of the respective work storage bodies 23.

[0042] The transport section 11 is provided with a transport section side opening / closing mechanism 51 that switches the open / closed state of the pair of workpiece containers 23 depending on the engagement state with the jig side opening / closing mechanism 31 at the receiving position RP and the carrying-out position COP.

[0043] In this embodiment, the conveying section side opening / closing mechanism 51 is specifically formed as a rail section 53 supported by a stay 52 and extending from the main frame 15 to the conveying surface side along a conveying path having a cross-sectional track shape, on a route that covers approximately half a circumference from the discharge position COP of the conveying path, through the return conveying section 11d, and before reaching the upright position change conveying section 11c downstream of the receiving position RP.

[0044] The intermediate portion of the rail portion 53 is disposed at a height position where it engages with the roller followers 33 of the jig-side opening / closing mechanism 31 and holds the lifting holders 34 in a fixed position, thereby opening the pair of workpiece containers 23 of the transport jig 21. The open end of the rail portion 53 on the receiving position RP side is inclined in a direction away from the transport surface, so that the engagement position with the roller followers 33 of the jig-side opening / closing mechanism 31 gradually becomes a higher position on the rod shaft 32, and is formed so that the engagement with the roller followers 33 of the jig-side opening / closing mechanism 31 is released at a height position where the workpiece containers 23 are closed. Conversely, the open end of the rail portion 53 on the unloading position COP side is inclined in a direction approaching the transport surface, so that the engagement position with the roller followers 33 of the jig-side opening / closing mechanism 31 gradually becomes a lower position on the rod shaft 32.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to perform attitude control to orient the nozzle 4 in a fixed direction, a direction change mechanism 61 is provided that rotates the rod shaft 32 vertically installed relative to the conveying surface and rotates the workpiece accommodating section 24 together with the link holder 36 and the link mechanism, along with the accommodating body unit 25. In this embodiment, a jig-side direction change mechanism 61a is provided on the rod shaft 32, and a conveying section side direction change mechanism 61b is provided on the conveying section 11 that engages with the jig-side direction change mechanism 61a and rotates the workpiece accommodating section 24 together with the rod shaft 32.

[0046] More specifically, the jig side direction change mechanism 61a is composed of a lever 62 that extends horizontally from the side of an annular member 65 that is fitted onto the lower end of the rod shaft 32 and is connected to the back side of the plate-shaped main body 16a on which the rod shaft 32 is vertically installed, a pusher 63 that is arranged on the rod shaft 32 to regulate the rotation angle, and a stopper 64 that is arranged on the back side of the plate-shaped main body 16a and regulates the rotation angle by the pusher 63, which rotates together with the rod shaft 32, coming into contact with it at a predetermined angle.

[0047] The conveying section side direction change mechanism 61b includes a roller member as an unloading direction change mechanism 61ba that can change the orientation of the trigger cap 2 to the desired direction for conveying it to the next process on the conveying path from the receiving position RP of the conveying section 11 to the unloading position COP, and a roller member as a receiving direction change mechanism 61bb that returns the trigger cap 2 to an orientation for receiving it into one of the pair of work containers 23 on the path from the unloading position to the receiving position.

[0048] In this embodiment, the direction change mechanism 61 is a mechanism for changing the orientation of the storage unit 25 between two directions: an orientation along the conveying direction of the conveying section 11 (when receiving) and an orientation perpendicular to the conveying direction (when unloading), and therefore the change angle for each change is set to 90°.

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment, a coil spring 66 is arranged between the pusher 63 and the annular member 65, with the rod shaft 32 inserted therethrough. This coil spring presses against a friction plate 68 interposed between the pusher 63 and a base 67 formed on the back surface of the plate-shaped main body 16a, thereby maintaining the rotation angle for changing direction.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a supply conveyor 71 is disposed at the receiving position RP for the trigger caps 2, which transports the trigger caps 2 in a rolled-over state to the receiving position RP. Furthermore, a stand 72 adjacent to the supply conveyor 71 is provided with an imaging camera (not shown) as a detection means (not shown) for detecting the attitude of the trigger caps 2 supplied in a rolled-over state onto the supply conveyor 71, a base 74 having a suction pad (not shown) for suction-holding the trigger caps 2 placed on the supply conveyor 71, a vacuum (not shown) that turns suction on and off while the suction pad is in contact with the smooth surface of the cap portion 3 of the trigger cap 2, and a pickup robot 76 that can move the base 74 up and down and left and right and has an arm 75 that supports the base 74 so that it can rotate horizontally. The pickup robot 76 is configured to be driven and controlled by a control means (not shown) based on data received from the imaging camera and the timing at which the transport jig 21 reaches the receiving position RP.

[0051] It is also possible to provide a detection means such as an imaging camera that detects the state of the pair of workpiece containers 23 of the transport jig 21 at the receiving position RP, and to control the drive of the pickup robot by taking into consideration data from the detection means. It is also possible to determine the timing at which the transport jig 21 reaches the receiving position RP by detecting the transport jig 21 with a camera or sensor as a detection means that is provided on the transport path.

[0052] In addition, at the discharge position COP of the trigger cap 2, there is provided a discharge means 81 which receives the trigger cap 2 in an upright position with the nozzle 4 of the cap part 3 directed to one side in the conveying direction and the suction tube 5 hanging from the pump part, aligns it and sends it to the next process.

[0053] In this embodiment, the discharge means 81 extends in the conveying direction of the lower conveying section 11b below the discharge position COP and is provided with two long support wall sections 82 arranged opposite each other, which allow the suction tube 5 hanging down from the cap section 3 to pass through the opposing gap and support the underside of the cap section 3 of the trigger cap 2, which is opened at the discharge position COP, on both sides of the nozzle 4 and the trigger section.

[0054] Here, the two support walls 82 must have a mechanism that can send the trigger caps 2 that have been opened through posture control to the next process. For example, each support wall 82 can be configured as a belt conveyor wound around a pair of pulleys, and by driving this belt conveyor, the trigger caps 2 can be transported in the same direction as the lower transport section 11b.Furthermore, the upper surface of each support wall 82 can be arranged at an angle, and the trigger caps 2 that have been opened through posture control can slide down one by one under their own weight.

[0055] Next, the operation of the workpiece aligning and conveying device 1 of this embodiment will be described. Note that the conveying jig shown in Fig. 6 to Fig. 8 is for explaining in detail the orientation of the container unit and the open / closed state of the pair of workpiece containers, and the configuration of the conveying jig is partially omitted. Also, Fig. 6 does not show the rail portion.

[0056] When the trigger cap 2 to be transported is placed on the supply conveyor 71 in an overturned state and supplied to the receiving position RP, the pickup robot 76 is driven based on data regarding the position and orientation of the trigger cap 2 detected by the imaging camera.

[0057] That is, the pickup robot 76 uses an imaging camera to track the trigger cap 2 placed on the supply conveyor and being transported toward the receiving position RP, and then turns on the vacuum connected to the suction pad on the base to suck and hold the trigger cap 2. Next, in time with the timing when the transport jig 21 traveling along the transport path of the transport unit 11 reaches the receiving position RP, the pickup robot 76 rotates horizontally to accommodate the attracted trigger cap 2 in one of the two workpiece storage sections 24 formed in the pair of workpiece storage bodies 23 of the open transport jig 21, and then turns off the vacuum to release the trigger cap 2. After placing the trigger cap 2 in the predetermined workpiece storage section 24, the pickup robot 76 prepares to transport the next trigger cap 2. In this embodiment, the pickup robot 76 can place the trigger cap 2 in the workpiece storage section simply by moving up, down, left, and right and rotating horizontally, which is expected to improve work efficiency.

[0058] In this embodiment, the pair of workpiece containers 23 of the conveying jig 21 are positioned along the conveying direction of the conveying path as shown by arrow A in Figure 6 by driving the drive unit of the conveying section 11, and the upper part of the roller follower 33 is brought into sliding contact with the lower surface of the middle part of the rail section 53 of the conveying section side opening / closing mechanism 51, thereby holding the lifting holder 34 at a low position that opens the pair of workpiece containers 23 of the conveying jig 21, and the pair of workpiece containers 23 reach the receiving position RP in the open state.

[0059] Therefore, the pickup robot 76 selects one of the pair of workpiece containers 23 on which the picked-up trigger cap 2 can be placed by rotating it horizontally, and moves the base 74 up, down, left, and right to place the cap portion 3 of that trigger cap 2. Arrows B and C in Fig. 6 show a state in which the suction tube 5 is extended in different directions on both sides of the conveyance direction and the trigger cap 2 is placed.

[0060] Subsequently, while the upper transport section 11a is traveling, the pair of workpiece containers 23 are hingedly closed by the rotary shafts 22, and the trigger caps 2 are clipped in an upside-down state, as shown by arrow D in FIG.

[0061] At this time, in this embodiment, as shown by arrow D in Fig. 7, the rail portion 53 of the conveying section side opening / closing mechanism 51 reaches an open end portion that is formed at an angle in a direction away from the conveying surface on the receiving position RP side, and the compression of the coil spring 41 is released and the lifting holder 34 is extended, holding the lifting holder 34 at a high position that closes the pair of workpiece containers 23 of the conveying jig 21. This shortens the distance between the container unit 25 and the lifting holder 34, and the link mechanism causes the pair of workpiece containers 23 to face each other with the workpiece container sections 24 facing each other in a hinged manner about the rotation shafts 22, thereby entering a closed state.

[0062] As a result, even if the suction tube 5 is extended in different directions as shown by the arrows B and C above and placed on the workpiece storage body 23, the cap body will be in an inverted position facing the transport direction like the shaft member, i.e., with the nozzle 4 positioned forward in the transport direction (or it can be positioned backward depending on the shape of the storage section).

[0063] In this embodiment, the trigger cap 2 in this inverted position is further inverted by 90° to assume a position in which the nozzle 4 is positioned to one side in the conveying direction at the carry-out position COP. That is, the lever 62 disposed at the lower end of the rod shaft 32 of the traveling conveying jig 21 is brought into contact with the carry-out direction changing mechanism 61ba disposed on the conveying path from the receiving position RP of the conveying unit 11 to the carry-out position COP, and when the rod shaft 32 is rotated, the rotation angle is restricted to 90° by the pusher 63 and the stopper 64, and the orientation of the trigger cap 2 is rotated in the direction for conveying to the next process.

[0064] This allows the trigger cap 2 to be positioned to one side of the nozzle 4 in the conveying direction, as shown by arrow E in Figure 6 and arrow E in Figure 7, and the cap portion 3 to extend in the width direction of the conveying path.

[0065] Furthermore, the pair of workpiece containers 23 that clip the trigger caps 2 in an inverted state pass through the arc-shaped upright position changing conveying section 11c that connects one end of the upper conveying section 11a and the lower conveying section 11b by the drive of the conveying section 11, and reach the lower conveying section 11b. As shown by arrows F and G in Figure 7, by passing through the upright position changing conveying section 11c, the position of the workpiece containers 23 becomes upright.

[0066] In this state, the pair of workpiece containers 23 of the transport jig 21 travel along the lower transport section 11b by the drive of the transport section 11, and reach the unloading position COP. At the unloading position COP, as shown by arrow H in Fig. 8, the pair of workpiece containers 23 make the roller followers abut against the open ends of the rail sections 53 on the unloading position COP side, and slide against the inner surfaces of the rail sections 53, thereby gradually compressing the coil springs 41 as they travel. This increases the distance between the container unit 25 and the lifting holder 34, and the pair of workpiece containers 23 open about the respective pivot shafts 22 due to the link mechanism.

[0067] As a result, at the discharge position COP, the grip of the trigger caps 2 of the pair of workpiece containers 23 is released. The two long support wall portions 82 of the discharge means receive the underside of the container unit 25 and the underside of the cap portion 3 at positions on both sides of the suction tube 5, and direct the nozzle 4 of the cap portion 3 to one side in the conveying direction so that the suction tube 5 hanging down from the cap portion 3 passes through the opposing gap, and receive the upright-positioned trigger cap 2 with the suction tube 5 hanging down from the pump portion, align it, and send it to the next process.

[0068] At the discharge position COP, the nozzle 4 of the trigger cap 2 is directed in a predetermined direction, and the transport jig 21 is handed over to the transport means in an upright position. The receiving direction change mechanism 61bb, which is disposed on the path from the discharge position COP to the receiving position RP, slides against the lever 62, causing the rod shaft 32 to rotate the workpiece storage section 24 and return the jig to an orientation for receiving the next trigger cap 2. Then, by further driving the drive section of the transport section 11, the jig passes through a transport path consisting of the arc-shaped return transport section 11d, which connects the other end of the lower transport section 11b and the upper transport section 11a, and heads again toward the receiving position RP, where it is supplied for transporting the trigger cap 2.

[0069] In this way, with the workpiece aligning and conveying device of this embodiment, even workpieces that cannot stand on their own or are unstable can be stably conveyed to the next process while being aligned to the desired posture. Moreover, the process from receiving the workpiece for posture control to sending it out can be performed with just one clip, without using separate devices for each process, thereby reducing the risk of handling errors.

[0070] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without impairing the features of the present invention. It goes without saying that the workpiece is not limited to a trigger cap. In the present invention, the concept of inverted and upright positions is that the position at the discharge position COP is upright, and the position with the upside down is inverted. In other words, when the workpiece is discharged with its bottom facing upward, in the present invention, that position is the upright position, and the position with the top surface (upper part) of the workpiece itself facing upward is the inverted position.

[0071] Furthermore, the carrying-out means may be appropriately arranged depending on the shape of the workpiece, the work content in the next process, etc., and is not limited to the structure of the carrying-out means in this embodiment.

[0072] The conveying section is not limited to a chain conveyor. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1 Work alignment and transport device 2 trigger caps 3 Cap part 4 nozzles 5 Suction tube 11 Conveyor 11a Upper conveying section 11b Lower conveying section 11c Standing position change transport section 11d Return conveying section 12 Chainwheel 13 Foundation 14 Legs 15 Main frame 16 Roller Chain 16a Plate-shaped body 16b Chain section 16c Belt member 21 Transport jig 22 Rotating shaft 23 Work container 24 Work storage section 25 Containment Unit 26 Link connection 31 Jig side opening and closing mechanism 32 Rod shaft 33 Roller follower 34 Lifting holder 35 Shaft hole 35a 1st hole 35b 2nd hole 36 Link holder 36a tubular base 36b Link connection 37 Link Bar 38 Shaft member 39 Coil holder 40 Coil holder 41 Coil spring 51 Transport section side opening / closing mechanism 52 Stay 53 Rail section 61 Direction change mechanism 61a Jig side direction change mechanism 61b Conveyor side direction change mechanism 61ba Unloading direction change mechanism 61bb Receiving direction change mechanism 62 Lever 63 Pusher 64 Stopper 65 Annular member 66 coil spring 67 Base 68 Friction plate 71 Supply Conveyor 72 Mounting stand 74 base 75 Arm 76 Pickup Robot 81 Export means 82 Support wall RP receiving position COP unloading position

Claims

1. A work alignment and conveyance device that directs a plurality of workpieces in a predetermined direction, aligns them in an upright position, and sends them out continuously to the next process, a conveying jig configured to be able to hold and convey the workpieces one by one; a conveying unit having a conveying path along which a plurality of conveying jigs travel in a circular manner; The conveying jig is A pair of workpiece storage bodies are hingedly opened and closed by a rotation shaft, and each workpiece storage body has a workpiece storage section formed therein, with the side that is positioned at the top during transport being close to the rotation shaft, for storing the workpiece that has been turned over; a jig-side opening / closing mechanism that switches between an open state in which the work storage section is oriented upward so that a work can be stored in either one of two work storage sections formed in the pair of work storage bodies, and a closed state in which the work storage sections are opposed to each other so that the work can be gripped by the pair of work storage bodies, The transport path of the transport unit is as follows: an upper conveying section having a conveying surface directed upward and a receiving position provided for receiving a workpiece in one of the workpiece containers of the conveying jig in an open state; a lower conveying section having a conveying surface directed downward and a carry-out position for releasing the workpiece in a position for sending it to the next process; an upright position changing conveying unit that connects one end of the upper conveying unit and one end of the lower conveying unit and changes the posture of the workpiece from an inverted state to an upright state when guiding the workpiece from the receiving position to the carrying-out position; A return conveyance section that connects the other end of the lower conveyance section and the upper conveyance section. It consists of A work alignment and conveying device characterized in that the conveying section is provided with a conveying section side opening and closing mechanism that switches between the open and closed states of the work storage body depending on the engagement state with the jig side opening and closing mechanism at the receiving position and the unloading position.

2. 2. A work alignment and conveying device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the work storage section is arranged on an axis vertically installed on the conveying surface of the conveying section, the axis is provided with a jig side direction change mechanism, and the conveying section is provided with a conveying section side direction change mechanism that engages with the jig side direction change mechanism and rotates the work storage section.

3. 3. The work alignment and conveying device of claim 2, characterized in that as the conveying section side direction change mechanism, a conveying path from the receiving position of the conveying section to the unloading position is provided with a conveying direction change mechanism that rotates the work storage section around the axis to change the orientation of the work to the desired direction for conveying to the next process, and further, a receiving direction change mechanism that rotates the work storage section around the axis to return it to an orientation for receiving the next work is provided on the path from the unloading position to the receiving position.

4. 4. The workpiece aligning and conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of workpiece containers are changeable in shape to suit the shape of the workpieces to be conveyed.

5. 5. A workpiece aligning and conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving position is provided with a detection means for detecting the posture of the workpiece to be supplied for aligned conveyance, and a pickup robot for holding the workpiece based on the detection result of the detection means, and for accommodating the workpiece in one of two workpiece storage sections formed in a pair of workpiece storage bodies with the side of the workpiece that will be at the top when being transported close to the rotation axis.

6. The workpiece alignment and transport device of claim 5, wherein a workpiece supply conveyor is disposed at the receiving position, the detection means detects the posture of the workpiece supplied in a sideways state onto the supply conveyor, and the pickup robot rotates the held workpiece in a horizontal plane based on the detection result of the detection means, and stores the workpiece in one of two workpiece storage sections formed in a pair of workpiece storage bodies, with the side that will be at the top when the workpiece is transported being close to the rotation axis.

7. 7. The workpiece alignment and conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece is a trigger cap having a cap body that is tightened around the mouth of a bottle container, a pump unit that is attached horizontally and rotatably to the cap body, a nozzle that is attached toward the discharge side of the pump unit, and a trigger unit that is connected to the pump and on which a finger of a hand is hooked, and a suction tube that is attached so as to hang down from the cap unit to the liquid suction side of the pump unit.

8. 8. The workpiece aligning and conveying device according to claim 1, wherein a conveying means is disposed at the conveying position, which directs the nozzle to one side in the conveying direction, receives the trigger cap in a position where the suction tube is hanging from the pump section, aligns it, and sends it to the next process.

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