Linear transport device

Abstract

To convey articles having different sizes and shapes by a common movable body.SOLUTION: A linear conveyance device includes: a first movable body 1 and a second movable body 2 arranged at a guide part 3 in a movable manner; and support parts 13, 23 for supporting a bottom part 53 of a box body 500. The first movable body 1 includes a first claw part 12. The second movable body 2 includes a second claw part 22. The first claw part 12 includes: an inside contact part 121 coming into contact with an inside surface in a conveyance direction of the box body; and a rear side contact part 122 coming into contact with a rear side surface in the conveyance direction of the box body. The second claw part 22 includes an inclined surface 221 extending backward of the conveyance direction Tr as it is separated from the guide part 3, and coming into contact with a corner part between the surface on the conveyance direction surface side and the outside surface of the box body. The support parts 13, 23 are arranged at least at one of the first movable body 1 and the second movable body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device that utilizes a linear motor. [Background technology]

[0002] JP 2015-525176 A discloses a linear conveying device using a linear motor as a device for conveying articles. This linear conveying device has a linear motor stator with an electromagnet arranged therein and a conveying member provided with a permanent magnet. The electromagnet and the permanent magnet form a linear motor system. The conveying member has a holder or a corresponding holder, and the holder and the corresponding holder are aligned in the conveying direction to sandwich the product, and the product is conveyed by moving the conveying member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special table 2015-525176 publication Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The linear transport device of Patent Document 1 requires a holder that matches the size and shape of the object to be transported, which reduces the versatility of the linear transport device.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a linear transport device that can transport objects of different sizes or shapes using a common moving body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above object, the linear transport device of the present invention holds a box body that is rectangular in plan view and moves it in a predetermined transport direction. The linear transport device includes a guide section that is loop-shaped in plan view, a first movable body and a second movable body that are arranged side by side on the guide section in the transport direction and are movable along the transport direction, a linear drive section that can independently control the first movable body and the second movable body, and a support section that supports the bottom of the box body. The second movable body is arranged forward of the first movable body in the transport direction. The first movable body has a first claw portion that protrudes on the side opposite the guide section. The second movable body has a second claw portion that protrudes on the side opposite the guide section. The first claw portion has an inner contact portion that extends in the transport direction and has a first contact surface that contacts an inner surface of the box body in the transport direction, and a rear contact portion that has a second contact surface that contacts a rear surface of the box body in the transport direction. The second claw portion has an inclined surface that extends rearward in the conveying direction as at least a portion of the rear surface in the conveying direction moves away from the guide portion and comes into contact with a connecting portion between the front surface and the outer surface of the box body in the conveying direction. The support portion is disposed on at least one of the first movable body and the second movable body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the linear transport device of the present invention, articles of different sizes or shapes can be transported by a common moving body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic layout diagram of a linear transport device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which a first moving body and a second moving body holding a box body are moving along a linear guide rail. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram showing the first moving body and the second moving body shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the outside. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a view of the first moving body as seen from the front side in the transport direction. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a view of the second moving body as seen from the rear side in the transport direction. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a linear drive unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the folded body before the box body is formed. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view showing the bottom assembly. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which a first moving body and a second moving body holding a box are moving along a curved guide rail. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which a large box body is held. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first processing section in the transport direction. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a view of the first processing section as seen from the rear side in the transport direction. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view showing an inclined surface of another example of the second moving body. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a linear transport device according to a second modified example. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view of a second claw portion of a second moving body of a linear transport device according to a second modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] <Linear conveyance device 100> FIG. 1 is a schematic layout diagram of a linear conveyance device 100 according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which a first moving body 1 and a second moving body 2 holding a box body 500 are moving along a linear guide rail 30. FIG. 3 is a view of the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 shown in FIG. 2 as seen from the outside. FIG. 4 is a view of the first moving body 1 as seen from the front side in the conveying direction. FIG. 5 is a view of the second moving body 2 as seen from the rear side in the conveying direction. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the box body 500 is shown by a dashed line.

[0011] 1, the linear conveying device 100 is formed in a loop shape with both ends of the guide section 3 connected together. In the following description, the loop-shaped guide section 3 is used as a reference, and the direction facing inward of the area surrounded by the guide section 3 may be referred to as "inward" and the direction facing outward as "outward."

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the linear conveyance device 100 is incorporated into a manufacturing process for a product (not shown), and conveys a box 500, which is an object to be conveyed, by using a linear motor.

[0013] The linear conveying device 100 receives a box 500 at the loading section InA. The box 500 has a square rectangular parallelepiped shape in a plan view, and has a lid 52 and a bottom 53. The shape of the object to be conveyed is not limited to that of the box 500. The object to be conveyed may be, for example, rectangular in a plan view. The box 500 maintains its square shape in a plan view by being held in the diagonal direction by the first claws 12 and the second claws 22. Details of how the box is held will be described later.

[0014] The linear conveyance device 100 then conveys the box 500 to the unloading section OutA. In the linear conveyance device 100 shown in FIG. 1, the conveyance direction is counterclockwise, and the area from the inlet section InA to the outlet section OutA is the conveyance area Ar1. A first processing section Sh1, a second processing section Sh2, and a third processing section Sh3 are arranged near the conveyance area Ar1. The layout of the linear conveyance device 100 can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the arrangement of the inlet section InA, the outlet section OutA, the first processing section Sh1, the second processing section Sh2, and the third processing section Sh3. Note that the linear conveyance device 100 of this embodiment has three processing sections near the conveyance area Ar1, but is not limited to this. The number of processing sections may be two or less, or four or more.

[0015] In the linear conveyance device 100, a first moving body 1 and a second moving body 2, which will be described later, hold a box body 500. The first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 move synchronously to convey the box body 500. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the linear conveyance device 100 has the first moving body 1, the second moving body 2, a guide unit 3, and a linear drive unit 4.

[0016] <Guide part 3> The guide unit 3 guides the movement of the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2. The guide unit 3 has a guide rail 30. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the guide rail 30 has a main rail 31, a grooved rail 32, and a flat rail 33.

[0017] The main rail 31 is a cylindrical body whose cross section cut along a plane perpendicular to the conveying direction Tr is rectangular. The cross-sectional shape of the main rail 31 is such that the longitudinal direction is in the up-down direction. A coil 41 of the linear drive unit 4 is disposed inside the main rail 31. The main rail 31 is made of a material that transmits the magnetic force from the coil 41 when the coil 41 is excited by passing a current through it. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, some stainless steels, aluminum, and alloys thereof.

[0018] The grooved rail 32 is fixed to the upper part of the main rail 31. The main rail 31 and the grooved rail 32 can be fixed together by welding, screws, or the like, but are not limited to these methods. The main rail 31 and the grooved rail 32 may be integrally formed. The grooved rail 32 has a rail portion 321 that is recessed from the outer surface in a direction intersecting the conveying direction Tr. The rail portion 321 is formed around the entire circumference of the guide unit 3. The grooved rail 32 has two rail portions 321. The two rail portions 321 are arranged vertically. The two rail portions 321 accommodate a roller protrusion 141 of an upper roller 14 (described later) of the first moving body 1 and a roller protrusion 241 of an upper roller 24 (described later) of the second moving body 2. The upper roller 14 and the upper roller 24 move along the rail portion 321.

[0019] The flat rail 33 is fixed to the bottom of the main rail 31. The main rail 31 and the flat rail 33 can be fixed together by welding, screws, etc., but are not limited to these. The main rail 31 and the flat rail 33 may be formed integrally. The flat rail 33 has a cross section cut along a plane intersecting the conveying direction Tr such that the outer side of the cross section is shaped along a vertical line (see FIG. 4, etc.). The outer surface of the flat rail 33 is in contact with a lower roller 15 of the first moving body 1, which will be described later, and a lower roller 25 of the second moving body 2, which will be described later. The lower roller 15 and the lower roller 25 rotate while in contact with the outer surface of the flat rail 33.

[0020] The guide section 3 is formed in a loop shape by connecting both ends of the guide rail 30. The guide section 3 includes a first straight section 301, a second straight section 302, a first curved section 303, and a second curved section 304, each of which is formed by the guide rail 30 (see FIG. 1).

[0021] The first straight portion 301 and the second straight portion 302 are both formed by a straight guide rail 30. The first straight portion 301 and the second straight portion 302 have the same length and are arranged parallel to each other in a plan view. In both the first straight portion 301 and the second straight portion 302, the rail portion 321 of the grooved rail 32 is arranged outward.

[0022] The first curved portion 303 includes a curved guide rail 30a. Note that a portion of the first curved portion 303 may be linear. The front end of the first straight portion 301 in the conveying direction is connected to the rear end of the second straight portion 302 in the conveying direction. The second curved portion 304 connects the front end of the second straight portion 302 in the conveying direction to the rear end of the first straight portion 301 in the conveying direction. As described above, the guide portion 3 is formed in a loop shape by sequentially connecting the first straight portion 301, the first curved portion 303, the second straight portion 302, and the second curved portion 304.

[0023] In the guide section 3 used in the linear conveyance device 100 of this embodiment, the first curved section 303 and the second curved section 304 are arc-shaped with the same radius of curvature, but are not limited to this. The first curved section 303 and the second curved section 304 may be formed in a curved shape such as a cycloid curve or a trochoid curve.

[0024] In the linear transport device 100, the guide section 3 is connected in a loop shape. The first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 are arranged outside the guide section 3 and move along the guide section 3. Therefore, the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 circulate along the guide section 3.

[0025] In the linear conveying device 100, the conveying area Ar1 is a portion along the first straight portion 301, the first curved portion 303, and the second straight portion 302 of the guide portion 3. That is, the loading portion InA, into which the box body 500 is loaded, is located at the rear end of the first straight portion 301 in the conveying direction Tr. The first processing portion Sh1 is located close to the first straight portion 301. The second processing portion Sh2 and the third processing portion Sh3 are located close to the second straight portion 302.

[0026] In the linear conveying device 100, the box 500 carried in from the carry-in unit InA is held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 at the carry-in unit InA and is conveyed through the conveying area Ar1. During the conveying, the box 500 is processed in the first processing unit Sh1, the second processing unit Sh2, and the third processing unit Sh3, respectively. Then, the box 500 held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 is conveyed out of the linear conveying device 100 from the conveying unit OutA. Details of the carry-in unit InA, the first processing unit Sh1, the second processing unit Sh2, the third processing unit Sh3, and the conveying unit OutA will be described later.

[0027] Next, a detailed description will be given of each part of the linear transport device 100. First, the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 will be described.

[0028] <First Mobile Unit 1> The first moving body 1 is disposed on the outer surface of the guide rail 30 and is movable along the guide portion 3. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the first moving body 1 has a first main body portion 11, a first claw portion 12, a first support portion 13, an upper roller 14, and a lower roller 15.

[0029] A magnet 42 (described later) of the linear drive unit 4 is disposed on the first main body 11. The first main body 11 is disposed outward of the guide rail 30 and facing the guide rail 30. In the first moving body 1 used in the linear conveyance device 100 of this embodiment, the magnet 42 is housed inside the first main body 11 and faces the coil 41 disposed on the main rail 31 in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction. A member mounting plate 110 is disposed on the outside of the first main body 11. The first claw portion 12 and the first support portion 13 are attached to the member mounting plate 110.

[0030] The first claw portion 12 has an inner contact portion 121 and a rear contact portion 122. The inner contact portion 121 has a first contact surface 123. The first contact surface 123 is a surface that is perpendicular to both the conveyance direction and the up-down direction. The first contact surface 123 comes into contact with an inner surface (third side surface portion 513) of the box body 500, which will be described later, and holds the third side surface portion 513. Therefore, the first contact surface 123 can be, but is not limited to, a vertical surface.

[0031] When the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 hold the box body 500, a configuration that can reliably hold the inner surface of the box body 500 can be widely adopted. In this embodiment, the configuration is such that the third side surface portion 513 faces the inner surface, but this is not limiting. In addition, the first claw portion 12 is formed of, for example, resin in order to reduce its weight. However, the first claw portion 12 is not limited to this and may be made of metal. Even in this case, it is preferable that the first claw portion 12 is as light as possible, and that it is made of a non-magnetic metal so as not to affect the linear drive.

[0032] The rear contact portion 122 has a second contact surface 124. The second contact surface 124 is a surface perpendicular to the conveyance direction and is formed facing forward in the conveyance direction. The second contact surface 124 comes into contact with a rear surface (second side surface portion 512) of the box body 500 in the conveyance direction, which will be described later, and holds the second side surface portion 512. Therefore, the first contact surface 123 can be a vertical surface, but is not limited to this. When the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 hold the box body 500, a configuration that can reliably hold the rear surface of the box body 500 can be widely adopted.

[0033] The second side surface portion 512 and the third side surface portion 513 of the box body 500 are held by the first claw portions 12. In other words, the box body 500 is held using the connecting portion 510 between the second side surface portion 512 and the third side surface portion 513 as a reference point.

[0034] The horizontal cross section of the box 500 is rectangular (square). Therefore, the first contact surface 123 and the second contact surface 124, which respectively contact adjacent surfaces of the box 500, are perpendicular to each other. However, this is not limiting, and the first contact surface 123 and the second contact surface 124 may be disposed so as to form an angle according to the shape of the horizontal cross section of the box 500. In either case, in order to facilitate the transport and processing of the box 500, it is preferable that the first contact surface 123 be configured to extend in the transport direction Tr.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first movable body 1 has two first claws 12 arranged vertically. The first contact surfaces 123 of the upper and lower first claws 12 come into contact with the third side surface portion 513 on the inside of the box body 500. The second contact surfaces 124 of the upper and lower second claws 22 come into contact with the second side surface portion 512 on the rear side of the box body 500 in the conveying direction. Therefore, the upper and lower first contact surfaces 123 are arranged in the same plane. The upper and lower second contact surfaces 124 are arranged in the same plane. In this manner, the upper and lower first claws 12 firmly hold the box body 500.

[0036] At least one of the first contact surface 123 and the second contact surface 124 may be curved with a central portion bulging outward to make line contact with the box body 500. Even with this configuration, contact occurs at two points, top and bottom, so the box body 500 can be stably held.

[0037] The first support portions 13 are elongated plate-like members extending in the conveying direction Tr, and two of them are arranged on the first movable body 1. The upper surface of the first support portions 13 is flat and supports the bottom portion 53 of the box body 500. The first support portions 13 are arranged below the second contact surfaces 124 of the lower first claw portions 12 and extend forward in the conveying direction Tr. In other words, they extend below the lower first claw portions 12 arranged below in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first claw portions 12 extend. The first support portions 13 are arranged side by side with a gap between them in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction Tr.

[0038] The first moving body 1 has two upper rollers 14. The two upper rollers 14 are rotatably supported by upper roller support parts 111 arranged on the upper part of the first main body part 11. More specifically, the upper rollers 14 are arranged to be rotatable around a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the conveying direction Tr and parallel to the outer surface of the guide rail 30. The two upper rollers 14 are spaced apart in the conveying direction and arranged at different positions in the up-down direction. In the first moving body 1 of this embodiment, the upper roller 14 on the front side in the conveying direction (see FIG. 3) is arranged so that it is on the lower side.

[0039] The outer peripheral surface of the upper roller 14 has a roller protrusion 141 that protrudes radially outward toward the center in the axial direction. The roller protrusion 141 fits into the rail portion 321 of the grooved rail 32. The upper roller 14 rotates while fitted into the rail portion 321. This prevents the first moving body 1 from shifting up and down when it moves along the guide rail 30. In other words, the first moving body 1 moves accurately along the guide portion 30.

[0040] The first moving body 1 has two lower rollers 15. The two lower rollers 15 are rotatably supported by a lower roller support portion 112 arranged at the bottom of the first main body portion 11. More specifically, the lower rollers 15 are arranged to be rotatable around a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the conveying direction Tr and parallel to the outer surface of the guide rail 30. The lower rollers 15 are cylindrical. The outer peripheral surface of the lower roller 15 contacts the outer surface of the flat rail 33. The two lower rollers 15 are spaced apart in the conveying direction and arranged at different positions in the vertical direction. In the first moving body 1 of this embodiment, the lower roller 15 (see FIG. 3) on the front side in the conveying direction is arranged on the upper side.

[0041] The first moving body 1 is attracted to the outer surface of the guide rail 30 by the magnetic force of a magnet 42 arranged inside. The guide rail 30 may be provided with an attracting portion made of a metal such as iron that attracts the magnet, or the first moving body 1 may be attracted by the magnetic force between the magnet 42 and an iron core provided in the coil 41. The first moving body 1 is movable along the guide rail 30 and may be attached to the guide rail 30 using a hook or the like so that it does not easily fall off the guide rail 30.

[0042] When the first moving body 1 is attached to the outer surface of the guide rail 30, the upper roller 14 and the lower roller 15 come into contact with the guide rail 30, and the first main body portion 11 is disposed at a fixed distance from the outer surface of the guide rail 30. When the first moving body 1 moves along the guide rail 30, the upper roller 14 and the lower roller 15 rotate while contacting the guide rail 30. In other words, the first moving body 1 is supported at the top and bottom by the upper roller 14 and the lower roller 15. Therefore, the first moving body 1 moves along the guide rail 30 while maintaining a fixed angle with respect to the guide rail 30.

[0043] Furthermore, the upper rollers 14 and lower rollers 15 of the first moving body 1 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical center line. Therefore, when the first moving body 1 moves along the guide rail 30, upward or downward force is unlikely to act on the first moving body 1. This also allows the first moving body 1 to move stably along the guide rail.

[0044] <Second Mobile Unit 2> The second moving body 2 is disposed on the outer surface of the guide rail 30 and is movable along the guide portion 3. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the second moving body 2 has a second main body portion 21, a second claw portion 22, a second support portion 23, an upper roller 24, and a lower roller 25.

[0045] A magnet 42 (described later) of the linear drive unit 4 is disposed on the second main body 21. The second main body 21 is disposed outside the guide rail 30, facing the guide rail 30. In the second moving body 2 used in the linear conveyance device 100 of this embodiment, the magnet 42 is housed inside the second main body 21, and faces the coil 41 disposed on the main rail 31 in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction. A member mounting plate 210 is disposed on the outside of the second main body 21. The second claws 22 and the second support members 23 are attached to the member mounting plate 210.

[0046] The second claw portion 22 protrudes outward from the second main body portion 21. When the second movable body 2 is attached to the guide rail 30, the second claw portion 22 forms a certain angle with respect to the conveying direction Tr. The second claw portion 22 is formed, for example, from resin in order to reduce its weight. However, the second claw portion 22 is not limited to this, and may be made of metal. Even in this case, it is preferable that the second claw portion 22 be as light as possible, and that it be made of a non-magnetic metal so as not to affect the linear drive.

[0047] 3 and 5, the second claw portion 22 has an inclined surface 221 facing rearward in the conveying direction Tr. The inclined surface 221 extends rearward in the conveying direction Tr as it moves outward. In other words, the inclined surface 221 extends rearward in the conveying direction Tr as it moves away from the guide portion 3.

[0048] The second moving body 2 is disposed forward of the first moving body 1 in the conveying direction Tr. Therefore, the second claw portion 22 of the second moving body 2 is aligned with the first claw portion 12 of the first moving body 1 in the conveying direction Tr. The inclined surface 221 comes into contact with a connecting portion 515 between the front surface (fourth side surface portion 514) and the outer surface (first side surface portion 511) of the box body 500 in the conveying direction Tr.

[0049] The second support portion 23 has a long plate shape extending in the conveying direction Tr, and one second support portion 23 is arranged on the second moving body 2. The upper surface of the second support portion 23 is flat and supports the bottom portion 53 of the box body 500. The second support portion 23 is arranged below the lower second claw portion 22 and extends rearward in the conveying direction Tr. In other words, the second support portion 23 extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second claw portion 22 extends from the second main body portion 21. When the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 hold the box body 500, the second support portion 23 is arranged so as to be located in the gap between the first support portions 13 arranged side by side.

[0050] The second moving body 2 has two upper rollers 24. The two upper rollers 24 are rotatably supported by the upper roller support portion 211 of the second main body portion 21. More specifically, the upper rollers 24 are arranged to be rotatable around a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the conveying direction Tr and parallel to the outer surface of the guide rail 30. The two upper rollers 14 are spaced apart in the conveying direction and arranged at different positions in the vertical direction. In the first moving body 1 of this embodiment, the upper roller 14 (see FIG. 2) on the front side in the conveying direction is arranged on the lower side.

[0051] The outer peripheral surface of the upper roller 24 has a roller protrusion 241 that protrudes radially outward toward the center in the axial direction. The roller protrusion 241 is fitted into the rail portion 321 of the grooved rail 32.

[0052] The upper roller 24 rotates while fitted in the rail portion 321. This prevents the second moving body 2 from shifting up and down when the second moving body 2 moves along the guide rail 30. In other words, the second moving body 2 moves accurately along the guide portion 3.

[0053] The first moving body 1 has two lower rollers 15. The two lower rollers 15 are rotatably supported by the lower roller support portion 212 of the second main body portion 21. More specifically, the lower rollers 25 are arranged to be rotatable around a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the conveying direction Tr and parallel to the outer surface of the guide rail 30. The lower rollers 25 are cylindrical. The outer peripheral surface of the lower roller 25 contacts the outer surface of the flat rail 33. The two lower rollers 25 are spaced apart in the conveying direction and arranged at different positions in the vertical direction. In the second moving body 2 of this embodiment, the lower roller 25 (see FIG. 3) on the front side in the conveying direction is arranged on the upper side.

[0054] The second moving body 2 is attracted to the outer surface of the guide rail 30 by the magnetic force of a magnet 42 arranged inside. The guide rail 30 may be provided with an attracting portion made of a metal such as iron that attracts the magnet, or the second moving body 2 may be attracted by the magnetic force between the magnet 42 and an iron core provided in the coil 41. The second moving body 2 is movable along the guide rail 30 and may be attached to the guide rail 30 using a hook or the like so that it does not easily fall off the guide rail 30.

[0055] When the second moving body 2 is attracted to the outer surface of the guide rail 30, the upper roller 24 and the lower roller 25 come into contact with the guide rail 30, and the second main body portion 21 is disposed at a fixed distance from the outer surface of the guide rail 30. When the second moving body 2 moves along the guide rail 30, the upper roller 24 and the lower roller 25 rotate while contacting the guide rail 30. In other words, the second moving body 2 is supported at the top and bottom by the upper roller 24 and the lower roller 25. Therefore, the second moving body 2 moves along the guide rail 30 while maintaining a fixed angle with respect to the guide rail 30.

[0056] Furthermore, the upper rollers 24 and the lower rollers 25 of the second moving body 2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical center line. Therefore, when the second moving body 2 moves along the guide rail 30, upward or downward force is unlikely to act on the second moving body 2. This also allows the second moving body 2 to move stably along the guide rail 30.

[0057] As described above, the two upper rollers 14 of the first moving body 1 and the two upper rollers 24 of the second moving body 2 are both arranged with their front sides in the conveying direction Tr downwards. Also, the two lower rollers 15 of the first moving body 1 and the two lower rollers 25 of the second moving body 2 are both arranged with their front sides in the conveying direction Tr upwards. Therefore, even if the second moving body 2 approaches the rear side of the first moving body 1 in the conveying direction Tr, contact between the upper roller 14 and the upper roller 24, and between the lower roller 15 and the lower roller 25 is suppressed.

[0058] When the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 are not holding the box body 500, the distance between them is shortened. Therefore, the area in which the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 that are not holding the box body 500 are kept waiting can be reduced. As a result, the installation area of ​​the linear conveyance device 100 can be reduced.

[0059] <Linear drive unit 4> The linear drive unit 4 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 6 is a functional block diagram of the linear drive unit 4. The linear drive unit 4 employs a linear motor mechanism. The linear drive unit 4 is capable of driving each of the first moving bodies 1 and each of the second moving bodies 2 independently.

[0060] 3 to 6, the linear drive unit 4 has a plurality of coils 41, a magnet 42, a control unit 43 (see FIG. 6), and a linear motor driver 44 (see FIG. 6). The plurality of coils 41 are arranged along a loop inside the guide rail 30, which is arranged in a loop. Power can be supplied to each of the plurality of coils 41 independently (see FIG. 6).

[0061] The magnet 42 is a permanent magnet and is arranged in the first body 11 of the first moving body 1. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the magnet 42 is arranged inside the first body 11. The first body 11 is made of a material that is not magnetic. Therefore, the magnetic force of the magnet 42 leaks to the outside of the first body 11. The magnet 42 is arranged so that it can mutually apply magnetic force to the coils 41. The magnet 42 arranged in the first body 11 of the first moving body 1 and the multiple coils 41 arranged inside the guide rail 30 form a linear motor.

[0062] The control unit 43 controls the operation of each unit of the linear drive unit 4. As shown in Fig. 6, the control unit 43 has a processing circuit 431 and a memory circuit 432. The processing circuit 431 is a circuit that processes various types of information and has arithmetic circuits such as a CPU and an MPU. Furthermore, the processing circuit 431 controls the driving of the linear motor described above based on the processing results.

[0063] The memory circuitry 432 is a circuit that includes or is connected to a semiconductor memory such as a ROM or RAM, a portable memory such as a flash memory, or a storage medium such as a hard disk. The linear motor may be controlled by causing the processing circuitry 431 to run a program corresponding to the processing selected from the programs stored in the memory circuitry 432.

[0064] The control unit 43 controls the operating states of the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2, for example, changing the speeds of the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2. A linear motor driver 44 is connected to the control unit 43. The linear motor driver 44 is connected to a power supply circuit (not shown). The linear motor driver 44 is a circuit that controls the power supplied to the coils 41, and includes circuits such as an arithmetic processing circuit and a power supply circuit that adjusts the voltage and current supplied to each coil 41. The linear motor driver 44 supplies an appropriate current to each coil 41 based on instructions from the control unit 43.

[0065] When a current is supplied to the coil 41, the coil 41 is excited. A magnetic force is generated between the excited coil 41 and a magnet 42 arranged in the first main body 11 of the first moving body 1. By sequentially switching the coil 41 to which a current is supplied, the first moving body 1 moves along the guide section 3 due to the attractive and repulsive forces between the coil 41 and the magnet 42. In addition, a magnetic force is generated between the coil 41 and a magnet 42 arranged in the second main body 21 of the second moving body 2. By sequentially switching the coil 41 to which a current is supplied, the second moving body 2 moves along the guide section 3 due to the attractive and repulsive forces between the coil 41 and the magnet 42. The control section 43 can independently control the movements of the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2.

[0066] <Box 500> Next, box 500, which is the transported object, will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of folded body 501 before box 500 is formed. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the assembly of lid portion 52. FIG. 9 is a perspective view seen from below showing the assembly of bottom portion 53. As shown in FIG. 7, box 500 has tubular portion 51, lid portion 52, and bottom portion 53. Box 500 is made of, for example, paper. However, the material making up box 500 is not limited to paper, and a wide variety of materials can be used that can be folded to make box 500.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the tubular portion 51 has a first side surface portion 511, a second side surface portion 512, a third side surface portion 513, and a fourth side surface portion 514. The first side surface portion 511, the second side surface portion 512, the third side surface portion 513, and the fourth side surface portion 514 are, for example, substantially congruent rectangular shapes. The first side surface portion 511, the second side surface portion 512, the third side surface portion 513, and the fourth side surface portion 514 are arranged in this order, and are formed into a tubular shape by bonding the first side surface portion 511 and the fourth side surface portion 514 together. In this case, the horizontal cross section of the tubular portion 51 is substantially square.

[0068] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the lid portion 52 has a pair of inner lid plates 521, an outer lid plate 522, and an upper insertion portion 523. The pair of inner lid plates 521 are connected to the upper ends of the second side surface portion 512 and the fourth side surface portion 514, respectively. The pair of inner lid plates 521 are bent inward relative to the second side surface portion 512 and the fourth side surface portion 514, respectively, and cover a wide area of ​​the upper end of the tubular portion 51. Note that covering a wide area includes not only complete coverage, but also cases where there are uncovered portions and the uncovered portions are significantly smaller than the covered portions (for example, a few percent or less).

[0069] The outer cover plate 522 is connected to the upper end of the first side surface portion 511. The outer cover plate 522 has a square shape congruent with the horizontal cross section of the tubular portion 51. The outer cover plate 522 is bent toward the first side surface portion 511 and positioned outside the pair of inner cover plates 521. This closes the upper end of the tubular portion 51. An upper insertion portion 523 is connected to the side of the outer cover plate 522 opposite to the side connected to the first side surface portion 511. The upper insertion portion 523 is bent toward the outer cover plate 522 and inserted into the gap between the pair of inner cover plates 521 and the third side surface portion 513. This closes the lid portion 52.

[0070] 7 and 9, the bottom portion 53 has a pair of inner bottom plates 531, a bottom cover portion 532, and a lower insertion portion 533. The pair of inner bottom plates 531 are connected to the lower ends of the second side surface portion 512 and the fourth side surface portion 514, respectively. The pair of inner bottom plates 531 are bent inward with respect to the second side surface portion 512 and the fourth side surface portion 514, respectively, and cover a wide area of ​​the lower end of the tubular portion 51.

[0071] The bottom cover portion 532 is connected to the lower end of the third side surface portion 513. The bottom cover portion 532 has a square shape congruent with the horizontal cross section of the tubular portion 51. The bottom cover portion 532 is bent toward the third side surface portion 513 and disposed outside the pair of inner bottom plates 531. This closes the lower end of the tubular portion 51. A lower insertion portion 533 is connected to the side of the bottom cover portion 532 opposite to the side connected to the third side surface portion 513. The lower insertion portion 533 is bent toward the bottom cover portion 532 and inserted into the gap between the pair of inner bottom plates 531 and the first side surface portion 511. This closes the bottom portion 51.

[0072] The folded body 501 is formed into a flat plate shape by folding the connecting portion between the second side surface portion 512 and the third side surface portion 513 and the first side surface portion 511 and the fourth side surface portion 514. The tubular portion 51 can be formed by expanding each side surface portion. Specifically, the tubular portion 51 is formed by separating the first side surface portion 511 and the fourth side surface portion 514 and separating the second side surface portion 512 and the third side surface portion 513. In the following description, forming the tubular portion 51 is expressed as inflating the tubular portion 51.

[0073] It should be noted that box 500 is not limited to this configuration. For example, bottom 53 may be a so-called one-touch type that has a pair of folded triangular bottom plate portions connected to adjacent side portions. In the case of this one-touch type box 500, when box 500 is formed from folded body 501, the bottom plate portions are unfolded by moving the side portions, and the bottom plate portions engage with each other to form the bottom. In other words, the step of forming bottom 53 is omitted.

[0074] <Holding and transporting the box body 500> 2, in the linear conveying device 100, a box 500 is carried in through the carrying-in section InA. Then, the box 500 is carried along the guide section 3 while being held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2. In other words, the box 500 is delivered to the linear conveying device 100 at the carrying-in section InA.

[0075] The loading section InA is provided with a plurality of folded bodies 501. In the loading section InA, the folded bodies 501 are assembled to form a box body 500 with the bottom part 53 in a pre-folded state, and the box body 500 is delivered to the linear transport device 100.

[0076] In the loading section InA, first, the first side surface portion 511 and the fourth side surface portion 514 are separated, and then the second side surface portion 512 and the third side surface portion 513 are separated. This operation of separating the side surfaces can be performed, for example, by sucking each side surface portion with a suction cup (not shown), but is not limited to this. The operation of separating the side surfaces can also be performed, for example, by applying an inward force to the connecting portion between the first side surface portion 511 and the fourth side surface portion 514 and the connecting portion between the second side surface portion 512 and the third side surface portion 513. A wide variety of methods can be used to accurately open the four side surfaces that form the tube portion 51.

[0077] The pre-folding of the bottom portion 53 involves folding the pair of inner bottom plates 531 so that they are inside the tubular portion 51, and folding the bottom cover portion 532 so that it covers the outside of the inner bottom plate 531. At this time, the lower insertion portion 533 is not folded. The loading portion InA places the box body 500, with the bottom portion 53 in the pre-folded state, on the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 23.

[0078] 1 to 3, the box 500 is held by a first moving body 1 and a second moving body 2 and is conveyed along a guide section 3. In the linear conveyance device 100, in the carry-in section InA, the box 500 is held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 so that the fourth side surface 514 is the front surface in the conveyance direction Tr and the second side surface 512 is the rear surface in the conveyance direction Tr.

[0079] To explain further, the first contact surface 123 of the inner contact portion 121 of the first claw portion 12 of the first moving body 1 comes into contact with the third side surface portion 513, and the second contact surface 124 of the rear contact portion 122 comes into contact with the second side surface portion 512. Furthermore, the inclined surface 221 of the second claw portion 22 of the second moving body 2 comes into contact with the connecting portion 515 between the first side surface portion 511 and the fourth side surface portion 514 of the box body 500. In other words, the box body 500 held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 is pressed diagonally inward so that the tubular portion 51 opens. This holds the tubular portion 51 so that its horizontal cross section is approximately square.

[0080] Furthermore, since the first claw portions 12 are arranged in a vertical line and the second claw portions 22 are arranged in a vertical line, the tubular portion 51 of the box body 500 is maintained in an approximately uniform square shape over its entire length in the vertical direction.

[0081] 3, the inclined surface 221 of the second claw portion 22 presses the connecting portion 515 between the first side surface portion 511 and the fourth side surface portion 514 diagonally inward. Therefore, the box body 500 is pressed rearward in the conveyance direction Tr and also inward by the inclined surface 221. As a result, when the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 move, the outward movement of the box body 500 is restricted.

[0082] Next, a case will be described in which the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 holding the box body 500 move along a curved section. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the state in which the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 holding the box body 500 move along the curved guide rail 30a.

[0083] As described above, the angle of the first claw portion 12 of the first moving body 1 with respect to the conveying direction Tr is fixed. Therefore, the angle of the first moving body 1 with respect to the first main body portion 11 of the box body 500 does not change. Furthermore, when the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 move along the curved guide rail 30a, the angle of the second moving body 2 with respect to the first moving body 1 is different from when they move on the straight guide rail 30. To explain further, the angle of the second claw portion 22 with respect to the first claw portion 12 of the first moving body 1 is wider when they move on the curved guide rail 30a than when they move on the straight guide rail 30.

[0084] The inclined surfaces 221 of the second claws 22 come into contact with the corners of the box body 500 at linear connecting portions 515 extending in the extension direction. Therefore, even if the angle of the first moving body 1 of the second moving body 2 changes and the angle of the second claws 22 relative to the first claws 12 changes, the inclined surfaces 221 come into contact with the box body 500 at the connecting portions 515. At this time, the inclined surfaces 221 push the box body 500 inward in the diagonal direction. As a result, even if the angle of the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 changes, the first claws 12 and the second claws 22 can hold the tubular portion 51 of the box body 500.

[0085] Furthermore, the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 23 are arranged with a gap therebetween in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction Tr. The first support portion 13 extends forward in the conveying direction Tr in a direction perpendicular to the first claw portion 12. The second support portion 23 extends backward in the conveying direction Tr in a direction perpendicular to the second claw portion 22. In other words, when the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 move on the linear guide rail 30, the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 23, which are arranged substantially parallel to each other, are arranged to form a certain angle.

[0086] Since the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 23 are arranged with a gap therebetween, the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 23 do not interfere with each other when the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 move along the curved guide rail 30a. The width of the gap between the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 23 may be appropriately determined based on the longitudinal lengths of the first support portion 13 and the second support portion 23 and the curvature of the curved guide rail 30a.

[0087] As described above, in the linear conveying device 100 of this embodiment, the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 can firmly hold the box body 500 whether they are moving on the straight guide rail 30 or the curved guide rail 30a.

[0088] In the linear conveyance device 100 according to this embodiment, the box 500 is held by the first claws 12 of the first moving body 1 and the second claws 22 of the second moving body 2 pressing diagonally. Therefore, box bodies 500 of different sizes can be held without changing the shapes of the first claws 12 and the second claws 22.

[0089] Next, a case where a box 600, which is larger in size in a plan view than the box 500, is held will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which the large box 600 is held. Note that Fig. 11 only shows the first claw portion 12 of the first moving body 1 and the second claw portion 22 of the second moving body 2, and does not show the respective main bodies, upper rollers, and lower rollers. For comparison, the box 500 is shown by a dashed line.

[0090] 11, the inner contact portion 121 and the rear contact portion 122 of the first claw portion 12 hold the third side surface portion 613 and the second side surface portion 612 of the box body 600. That is, the first claw portion 12 holds the connecting portion (610) of the rear surface (second side surface portion 612) and the inner surface (third side surface portion 613) of the box body in the conveyance direction Tr, regardless of the size of the box body. That is, when the first movable body 1 and the second movable body 2 hold the box body, the reference point is the same regardless of the size of the box body.

[0091] On the other hand, the inclined surfaces 221 of the second claws 22 of the second moving body 2 come into contact with the diagonal corners of the connecting portions held by the first claws 12 of the first moving body 1, thereby holding the box. The length of the diagonal of the box 600, which is larger in size in a plan view than the box 500, is longer. Therefore, by arranging the second moving body 2 away from the first moving body 1, the inclined surfaces 221 can come into contact with the connecting portions 615 of the first side surface portion 611 and the fourth side surface portion 614 of the box 600.

[0092] Similarly, when holding a box smaller than the box 500, the second moving body 2 is brought closer to the first moving body 1 than when holding the box 500. In this way, it is possible to hold a box smaller than the box 500.

[0093] In other words, in the linear conveying device 100 of this embodiment, by changing the position of the second moving body 2 relative to the first moving body 1, it is possible to hold box bodies of different sizes without changing the shapes of the first claw portion 12 and the second claw portion 22.

[0094] <About the processing section> The processing units will be described below using the state in which a box body 500 is being transported as an example. As shown in FIG. 1 and other figures, the linear transport device 100 has three processing units, a first processing unit Sh1, a second processing unit Sh2, and a third processing unit Sh3, arranged adjacent to the transport area Ar1. In the linear transport device 100 according to this embodiment, the first processing unit Sh1 assembles the bottom 53 of the box body 500. The second processing unit Sh2 accommodates cylindrical contents Bt in the box body 500. Furthermore, the third processing unit Sh3 assembles the lid 52 of the box body 500. In this example, the contents Bt are bottle-shaped items that contain liquid.

[0095] The first processing unit Sh1 will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the first processing unit Sh1 in the transport direction Tr. Fig. 13 is a view of the first processing unit Sh1 as seen from the rear side in the transport direction Tr.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 1, the first processing unit Sh1 is disposed adjacent to the first linear section 301. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the first processing unit Sh1 has a frame 70, holding suction cups 71, closing suction cups 72, bending guides 73, and an actuator 74. The first processing unit Sh1 is connected to the control unit 43 of the linear drive unit 4 (see FIG. 6). The actuator 74, which drives each component of the first processing unit Sh1, operates based on instructions from the control unit 43. In other words, the control unit 43 of the linear drive unit 4 also serves as a control unit that controls the operation of the first processing unit Sh1.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 12, holding suction cups 71 and blocking suction cups 72 are arranged on the frame 70. Then, in the first processing section Sh1, an actuator 74 moves the frame 70 in a direction away from the guide rail 30. The holding suction cups 71 are arranged vertically side by side. Then, the holding suction cups 71 are attached to the first side surface portion 511 of the box body 500. This allows the holding suction cups 71 to hold the box body 500. With the holding suction cups 71 holding the box body 500, the frame 70 is moved in a direction away from the guide rail 30.

[0098] The closing suction cups 72 are disposed on the frame 70 and below the holding suction cups 71. The holding suction cups 71 adsorb the pre-folded bottom lid portion 532. The holding suction cups 71 move so as to open and close the bottom lid portion 532. More specifically, the holding suction cups 71 are movable along an arc Cr (see FIG. 13) centered on a central axis parallel to the conveying direction Tr.

[0099] The bending guide 73 is disposed at the bottom of the frame 70. When the closing suction cup 72 holding the bottom cover portion 532 moves along the arc Cr, the bending guide 73 can bend the lower insertion portion 533 formed at the tip of the bottom cover portion 532. Then, with the lower insertion portion 533 bent, the closing suction cup 72 is moved along the arc Cr to its original position. At this time, the lower insertion portion 533 slides on the inner surface of the bending guide 73 and is inserted into the gap between the inner bottom plate 531 at the lower end of the tubular portion 51 and the first side surface portion 511. That is, the bending guide 73 bends the lower insertion portion 533 and guides the lower insertion portion 533 to an appropriate insertion position in the box body 500. In this way, the bottom portion 53 is formed.

[0100] The actuator 74 includes, for example, a motor, a cylinder, etc. The actuator 74 operates based on instructions from the control unit 43. The actuator 74 may be provided with a drive circuit for driving the actuator 74. The drive circuit may include, for example, a configuration including a power supply circuit that supplies power to the actuator 74.

[0101] In the linear conveying device 100, the first processing unit Sh1 receives the box 500 from the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2. To explain in more detail, when the box 500 held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 is conveyed to a position where it can be processed by the first processing unit Sh1, the control unit 43 controls the linear driving unit 4 to stop the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2.

[0102] Then, as the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 stop, the box body 500 also stops. In other words, the transportation of the box body 500 is interrupted. In this state, the control unit 43 controls the actuator 74 to move the frame 70 and bring the suction surfaces of the two holding suction cups 71 into contact with the first side surface portion 511 of the box body 500. Then, the control unit 43 causes the holding suction cups 71 to suction the first side surface portion 511. Then, at least one of the movement of the first moving body 1 backward in the transportation direction Tr and the movement of the second moving body 2 forward in the transportation direction Tr is executed. As a result, the box body 500 switches from being held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 to being held by the holding suction cups 71.

[0103] Then, the control unit 43 operates the actuator 74 to move the frame 70. As a result, the box body 500 is moved to a position away from the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2. Thereafter, the bottom 53 of the box body 500 is completed by performing the above-mentioned operations.

[0104] After the bottom 53 is completed, the control unit 43 operates the actuator 74 to move the frame 70. As a result, the box 500 is positioned between the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 in the conveying direction Tr. Furthermore, the control unit 43 operates the linear drive unit 4 to hold the box 500 with the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2. Thereafter, the holding suction cups 71 finish holding the box 500. Then, the frame 70 is moved to move the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 in the conveying direction Tr, and conveyance of the box 500 is resumed.

[0105] That is, in the linear conveying device 100, the first processing unit Sh1 temporarily suspends the conveyance of the box body 500, moves the box body 500 from the conveying area Ar1, and then completes the assembly of the bottom part 53. Then, the box body 500 is handed over to the first movable body 1 and the second movable body 2, and the conveyance is resumed.

[0106] In the linear transport device 100, the second processing section Sh2 and the third processing section Sh3 are disposed adjacent to the second straight section 302.

[0107] Also, in the second processing section Sh2, similarly to the first processing section Sh1, the conveyance of the box body 500 is stopped, and the contents Bt are accommodated in the box body 500. Thereafter, the box body 500 with the contents Bt accommodated therein is held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2, and conveyance is resumed.

[0108] Furthermore, in the third processing section Sh3, as in the first processing section Sh1 and the second processing section Sh2, the transportation of the box body 500 is stopped, and the lid portion 52 of the box body 500 is assembled. To assemble the lid portion 52, the pair of inner lid plates 521 are each folded inward, and then the upper insertion portion 523 is folded, and then the outer lid plate 522 is folded. At this time, the upper insertion portion 523 is inserted between the pair of inner lid plates 521 at the upper end of the tubular portion 51 and the third side surface portion 513. In this way, the lid portion 52 is assembled. Thereafter, sealing tape is affixed to the lid portion 52 and the bottom portion 53, the box body 500 is held by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2, and transportation is resumed.

[0109] Then, the box 500 held and transported by the first moving body 1 and the second moving body 2 is carried out from the carrying-out section OutA to the outside.

[0110] In this way, by using the linear conveying device 100 to move the box 500, it is possible to temporarily stop the box 500 during conveyance and then perform processing. This allows processing that requires precise operations, such as assembling the bottom 53 and the lid 52, to be performed during conveyance.

[0111] In the linear transport device 100, by distributing multiple processes along the transport area, the configuration of the processing unit that performs each process can be made smaller. Therefore, compared to a configuration with processing units that perform multiple processes collectively, the linear transport device 100 can be simplified and the area of ​​the contact area can be made smaller. Furthermore, by distributing the processes, processing wait times can be reduced and the total processing time can be shortened.

[0112] <First Modification> In this embodiment, the inclined surface 221 of the second claw portion 22 of the second movable body 2 is formed as a linear plane in a plan view, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be a concave shape with a recessed center or a convex shape with a bulged center. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 14, the inclined surface 221 may have a shape in which a plurality of V-shaped grooves 222 are arranged side by side. With this configuration, the connecting portions 515 of the first side surface portion 511 and the fourth side surface portion 514 can be engaged with the V-shaped grooves 222. This makes it possible to hold the box body 500 more firmly.

[0113] <Second Modification> Further modifications of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 15 is a plan view of a linear conveying device 100a of a second modification. FIG. 16 is an enlarged plan view of the second claw portion 22a of the second moving body 2a of the linear conveying device 100a of the second modification. The second moving body 2a of the linear conveying device 100a of the second modification differs from the second claw portion 22 of the linear conveying device 100 shown in FIG. 2 and other figures in that the second claw portion 22a has a contact portion 26. In all other respects, the linear conveying device 100a has the same configuration as the linear conveying device 100. Therefore, parts of the linear conveying device 100a that are substantially the same as those of the linear conveying device 100 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0114] 15 and 16, the linear transport device 100a has a second moving body 2a. The second moving body 2a has a second claw portion 22a. The second claw portion 22a has an abutment portion 26 arranged on an inclined surface 221.

[0115] A vertically extending recess 223 is formed on the inclined surface 221 of the second claw 22a. The recess 223 is formed in a portion that abuts against the connecting portion 515 of the box 500 when holding the box 500. As described above, the second movable body 2a has a constant length on the inclined surface 221 so that it can hold box bodies 500 of different sizes.

[0116] The abutment portion 26 is disposed in the recess 223. A holder insertion portion 224 that penetrates into the recess 223 is formed on the surface of the second claw portion 22a opposite to the recess 223. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 , a holder 263 (described later) of the abutment portion 26 is inserted into the holder insertion portion 224. The abutment portion 26 is held by the holder 263 that penetrates the holder insertion portion 224.

[0117] The abutting portion 26 has a shape and size that allows it to be inserted into the recess 223. The abutting portion 26 has a base 261, a buffer 262, and a holder 263. The base 261 is in the shape of a substantially rectangular plate. The base 261 is formed, for example, from the same material as the second claw portion 22a. Note that the base 261 only needs to have sufficient rigidity to firmly hold the abutting portion 26, and may be formed from a material different from that of the second claw portion 22a.

[0118] The buffer 262 is fixed to the base 261. The buffer 262 is configured to be fixed to the base 261, and has a rectangular shape that is approximately congruent with the base 261 when viewed in the thickness direction of the base 261. A holder 263 is fixed to one surface of the base 261. The buffer 262 is fixed to the surface of the base 261 opposite to the surface to which the holder 263 is fixed. The buffer 262 can be fixed by, but is not limited to, adhesion, welding, fitting, or the like. For example, the buffer 262 may be fixed to the base 261 via the holder 263.

[0119] As a result, when the box body 500 is sandwiched and held between the first claw portion 12 and the second claw portion 22a, the connecting portion 515 of the box body 500 that comes into contact comes into contact with the buffer 262 of the abutment portion 26. The buffer 262 is formed of a flexible material such as urethane or silicone rubber. More specifically, the buffer 262 has lower strength than the box body 500 held by the first claw portion 12 and the second claw portion 22a. Therefore, when the box body 500 is held by the first claw portion 12 and the second claw portion 22a, the buffer 262 deforms. This suppresses deformation of the box body 500 (mainly the connecting portion 515). Note that "strength" may be, for example, elastic modulus, but is not limited to this.

[0120] As described above, the holder 263 is inserted into the holder insertion portion 224. Then, the portion that penetrates the holder insertion portion 224 and into the recess 223 is fixed to the base 261 of the abutment portion 26. By fixing the holder 263 to the base 261, the abutment portion 26 arranged in the recess 223 is held by the second claw portion 22a. Note that an example of the holder 263 is a screw. In this case, the base 261 has a female thread into which the holder 263 is screwed.

[0121] In this way, by using a screw as the retainer 263, the abutment portion 26 becomes detachable. As a result, when the buffer 262 deteriorates, the abutment portion 26 can be easily replaced. Also, it is possible to replace the abutment portion 26 with one having a buffer 262 with an optimum strength to match the strength of the box body 500. Note that the retainer 263 is not limited to a screw. For example, the retainer 263 may be a retainer such as a rivet. The retainer may also be an adhesive, adhesive tape, or the like. A wide variety of methods can be used for the retainer 263, as long as it can be firmly fixed inside the recess 223.

[0122] The above-described configuration of the contact portion 26 is an example and is not limited to this configuration. For example, the buffer body may be directly fixed to the inclined surface 221 of the second claw portion. A wide variety of methods can be used to attach the contact portion and the second claw portion 22 to the contact portion arranged so that the connecting portion 515 of the box body 500 comes into contact with the buffer body. Furthermore, the portion of the second claw portion including the inclined surface 221 may be formed from a flexible material. In this case, the entire second claw portion may be formed from a flexible material.

[0123] The processing sections arranged in the linear conveying device 100 according to this embodiment include, but are not limited to, a first processing section Sh1 that forms the bottom 53 of the box 500, a second processing section Sh2 that accommodates the contents Bt, and a third processing section Sh3 that forms the lid 52. For example, a wide range of processes can be employed, including a process in which the box 500 is held by a robot arm and rotated around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction, a process in which the date of manufacture or the like is printed on the box, a process in which the appearance of the box 500 is checked, a process in which the box is sealed, and the like. Furthermore, a wide range of processes other than these that are performed on the transported items can be employed.

[0124] Furthermore, the linear conveying device 100 according to the present embodiment is configured to hold the box 500 that is substantially square in plan view, but is not limited thereto. For example, the box may be substantially rectangular in plan view. A wide variety of shapes can be adopted that can be held by pressing the rear and inner sides and the front and outer sides inward in the conveying direction.

[0125] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these. Furthermore, various modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 100 Linear transport device 1. First Mobile Unit 11 Main body 111 Upper roller support part 112 Lower roller support part 12 1st claw part 121 Inner contact part 122 Rear contact part 123 1st contact surface 124 Second contact surface 13 First support part 14 Upper roller 141 Roller protrusion 15 Lower Roller 2. Second Mobile Unit 21 Main body 211 Upper roller support part 212 Lower roller support part 22 2nd claw part 221 Slope 222 Groove 23 Second support part 24 Upper roller 241 Roller protrusion 25 Lower Roller 2a 2nd moving body 22a 2nd claw part 223 recess 224 Retainer insertion part 26 Contact part 261 Base 262 Buffer 263 Holder 3 Guide section 30 guide rail 301 1st straight section 302 2nd straight section 31 Main Rail 32 grooved rail 321 Rail section 33 Flat Rail 30a guide rail 303 1st curve section 304 Second curve section 4 Linear drive unit 41 Coil 42 Magnet 43 Control Unit 431 Processing Circuit 432 Memory circuit 44 Linear motor driver 70 frames 71 Holding sucker 72 Occlusion sucker 73 Guide 74 Actuator 500 box body 501 Folding body 51 Cylinder part 511 First side part 512 Second side part 513 Third side part 514 4th side part 515 Connection part 52 Lid 521 Inner cover plate 522 Outer cover plate 523 Upper insertion part 53 Bottom 531 Inner bottom plate 532 Bottom cover part 533 Lower insertion part 600 box body 611 First side part 612 Second side part 613 Third side part 614 4th side part

Claims

1. A linear conveying device that holds a box body that is rectangular in plan view and moves it in a predetermined conveying direction, a guide portion formed in a loop shape in a plan view; a first movable body and a second movable body arranged side by side in the conveying direction on the guide portion and movable along the conveying direction; a linear drive unit capable of independently controlling the first moving body and the second moving body; a support portion that supports the bottom of the box body, the second moving body is disposed forward of the first moving body in the transport direction, the first movable body has a first claw portion that protrudes on the opposite side to the guide portion, the second movable body has a second claw portion that protrudes on the opposite side to the guide portion, The first claw portion is an inner contact portion having a first contact surface that extends in the conveying direction and comes into contact with an inner surface of the box body in the conveying direction; a rear contact portion having a second contact surface that comes into contact with a rear surface of the box body in the conveyance direction, The second claw portion is At least a part of the rear surface in the conveying direction extends rearward in the conveying direction as it moves away from the guide portion, and has an inclined surface that comes into contact with a connecting portion between the front surface in the conveying direction and the outer surface of the box body, The support portion is a linear transport device disposed on at least one of the first moving body and the second moving body.

2. The linear transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the first moving body has a plurality of the first claws arranged vertically.

3. 3. The linear transport device according to claim 1, wherein the second moving body has a plurality of the second claws arranged vertically.

4. The support portion is a first support portion disposed on the first movable body and extending forward in the conveying direction; a second support portion disposed on the second movable body and extending rearward in the conveying direction, 4. The linear transport device according to claim 1, wherein the first support portion and the second support portion are arranged with a gap therebetween in a direction intersecting the transport direction.

5. The linear transport device according to claim 4 , wherein the first support portion is attached to the first claw portion, and the second support portion is attached to the second claw portion.

6. a contact portion that contacts the connecting portion of the box body is disposed on the inclined surface of the second claw portion; 6. The linear transport device according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion has a strength lower than that of the box body.

7. The box body is a box body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a processing unit disposed near a conveying area through which the box body is conveyed and performing a predetermined process on the box body; 7. The linear transport device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined process performed by the processing section is a process for forming a bottom portion of the box body.

8. the processing unit operates in synchronization with the linear drive unit; The linear conveying device according to claim 7, wherein the processing unit receives the box body from the first moving body and the second moving body that have been stopped by the linear drive unit, performs a predetermined processing, and then hands it over to the first moving body and the second moving body.

Images