Fastening cord cutting device, processing device, and processing method

Abstract

To provide a fastening cord cutting device, a processing device, and a processing method capable of suppressing the occurrence of a cutting failure.SOLUTION: The fastening cord cutting device cuts a fastening cord for fastening an object to be fastened at a cutting position. The fastening cord cutting device comprises a base, a cutting blade, a fixing member and a step. The base includes an insertion tip, a first arrangement area, and a second arrangement area. The first and second arrangement areas are spaced apart from each other holding the cutting position therebetween in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction. The fastening cord is disposed in the first and second arrangement areas. The cutting blade moves between a start position and an end position spaced apart from each other holding the cutting position therebetween in the first direction. The fixing member moves between a fixing position for fixing the fastening cord to the first arrangement area in a state where the fastening cord is arranged in the first arrangement area and a releasing position for releasing the fixing of the fastening cord to the first arrangement area. The step is provided in the second arrangement area, and limits the movement of the fastening cord in the first direction in a state where the fastening cord is arranged in the second arrangement area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fastening string cutting device, a processing device, and a processing method used for cutting a fastening string of a fastened object fastened with a fastening string.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a bundle tab unloading and supply device that can automatically supply the bundled tabs on a pallet without relying on manual labor by gripping and unloading them, and supply them to a subsequent wrapping device or the like. In this bundle tab unloading and supply device, the transfer process of gripping and transferring the bundle tab and the cutting process of cutting are performed by separate devices. In the cutting process, the string scooping part moves in an arc to scoop the cross intersection part of the fastening string, and the vertical string and the horizontal string of the cross string are cut by a rotating blade that also moves in an arc.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the bundle tab unloading and supply device described in Cited Document 1, in the string cutting process, the string scooping part is configured to scoop the cross intersection part of the fastening string by an arc operation, but there are cases where the cross intersection part cannot be scooped. In this case, the string cannot be surely cut, and cutting failure of the string may occur.

[0005] The problem of the present invention relates to a fastening string cutting device, a processing device, and a processing method capable of suppressing the occurrence of cutting failure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A fastening string cutting device according to one aspect of the present invention can cut a fastening string that fastens a fastened object at a cutting position. The above-described fastening cord cutting device comprises a base, a cutting blade, a fixing member, and a stepped portion. The base portion described above has an insertion tip, a first placement area, and a second placement area. The insertion tip mentioned above is provided at one end, which is the end facing one direction along the first direction. The first and second arrangement areas are located on the upper surface of the base portion. More specifically, the first and second arrangement areas are provided at the other end, which is the end in the other direction along the first direction. The first and second arrangement areas are spaced apart along the second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction, with the cutting position in between. The base portion is inserted between the object to be fastened and the fastening string, starting from the insertion tip, so that the fastening string is positioned in the first and second placement areas. The cutting blade is oriented in one direction along the first direction and is movable between a starting position and an ending position, which are spaced apart in the first direction with respect to the cutting position. The fixing member described above is movable between a fixing position for fixing the fastening string to the first placement area when the fastening string is placed in the first placement area, and a release position for releasing the fastening string from the first placement area. The stepped portion is provided on the base portion and restricts the movement of the fastening cord in one direction along the first direction when the fastening cord is positioned in the second arrangement area.

[0007] A processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a fastening cord cutting device and a control unit that controls the movement of the fastening cord cutting device.

[0008] A method for processing objects fastened with a fastening cord according to one embodiment of the present invention is a processing method using the above-described processing apparatus. The method for processing objects fastened with the above-mentioned fastening cord comprises an insertion step, a gripping step, a transfer step, and a cutting step. The above insertion step is a step of inserting the fastening cord cutting device, which is inserted from the insertion tip between the object to be fastened and the fastening cord, and moves to position the fastening cord in the first and second placement areas. The gripping step described above involves moving the fixing member to the fixing position and fixing the fastening string to the first placement area with the fixing member to grip the fastening string. The above transfer process involves, while the fastening string is held by the fixing member, transferring the object fastened with the fastening string using the fastening string cutting device so that its position and orientation are changed. The above cutting process involves changing the position and orientation of the fastened object fastened with the fastening cord, and then moving the cutting blade while gripping the fastening cord with the fixing member to cut the fastening cord. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of failures in fastening cord breakage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a fastening cord cutting device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates an example of how the above-mentioned fastening cord cutting device can be used. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates the insertion process using the fastening cord cutting device described above, and shows how the fastening cord is inserted until it is scooped up and moved to the first and second placement areas. [Figure 4] (A) is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged portion of the fastening cord cutting device in which the fastening cord is arranged, (B) is a schematic plan view, and (C) is a partial perspective view including the insertion tip of the base portion that constitutes a part of the fastening cord cutting device. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates how the fastening cord is cut by the fastening cord cutting device described above. [Figure 6]It is a diagram of a processing system including a processing device having the above-mentioned fastening string cutting device. [Figure 7] It is a partial functional configuration block diagram of the above-mentioned processing device. [Figure 8] It is a processing step diagram in the above-mentioned processing device. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining the insertion process by the above-mentioned processing device, and is a diagram for explaining the state of insertion of the fastening string cutting device until the fastening string of the object to be processed fastened by two fastening strings is scooped up and moved to the first and second placement areas. [Figure 10] (A) is a schematic plan view of FIG. 9(C) viewed from above, and (B) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line XB-XB of FIG. 10(A). [Figure 11] It is a diagram for explaining the state of the transfer process by the above-mentioned processing device. [Figure 12] It is a diagram for explaining the state of the fastening string pulling-away process and the fastening string recovery process by the above-mentioned processing device. [Figure 13] (A) is a schematic plan view of the state of cutting the fastening string by the above-mentioned processing device, and (B) is a schematic plan view for explaining the state after cutting the fastening string. [Figure 14] It is a schematic plan view for explaining the state of detecting the position of the fastening string by the optical camera mounted on the above-mentioned processing device. [Figure 15] It is a diagram for explaining the positioning of the fastening string cutting device with respect to the object to be processed at the start of scooping up the fastening string by the above-mentioned processing device. [Figure 16] It is a diagram for explaining the positioning of the fastening string cutting device with respect to the object to be processed at the start of scooping up the fastening string by the above-mentioned processing device when the object to be processed is arranged obliquely. [Figure 17] It is a modified example of the claw portion of the above-mentioned fastening string cutting device. [Figure 18] It is a perspective view of a fastening string cutting device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [[ID=三十七]]

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, based on preferred embodiments thereof. Note that in the drawings, the device configuration may be simplified as appropriate for clarity.

[0012] <Fastening cord cutting device> As shown in Figure 1, a fastening cord cutting device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention has a first direction, a second direction and a third direction which are mutually orthogonal. The first direction corresponds to the extension direction of the fastening cord cutting device 1. The second direction corresponds to the width direction of the fastening cord cutting device 1. The third direction corresponds to the height direction of the fastening cord cutting device 1.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2, the fastening string cutting device 1 is configured to cut the fastening string 2 of the object to be processed 4. The object to be processed 4 is a laminate made up of multiple fastened objects 3, such as flattened corrugated cardboard sheets, which are fastened together with fastening string 2. The fastening cord cutting device 1 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 of the object to be processed 4 and the object to be fastened 3, and cuts the fastening cord 2.

[0014] In this specification, the side of the object to be processed 4 into which the fastening cord cutting device 1 is inserted is referred to as the first surface 4a. In the example shown in Figure 2, the first surface 4a is one surface of the uppermost fastened object 3 among the stacked fastened objects 3, and is a surface substantially perpendicular to the stacking direction of the stacked fastened objects 3. Furthermore, the surface of the object to be processed 4 substantially perpendicular to the first surface 4a is referred to as the side surface 4b. The side surface 4b is a surface substantially parallel to the stacking direction, and in the example shown in Figure 2, the object to be processed 4 has four side surfaces 4b. Furthermore, on the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4, which is roughly rectangular in plan view, a pair of opposing sides that are parallel or approximately parallel to the fastening string 2 are referred to as the first side portions 4c. The first side portions 4c and the fastening string 2 may not be perfectly parallel, and the fastening string 2 may be positioned at an angle. In this case, the first side portions 4c and the fastening string 2 will be positioned approximately parallel.

[0015] Typically, the fastening cord cutting device 1 is moved along a first direction and inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3. In this specification, the direction in which the fastening cord cutting device 1 moves when inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3 in the first direction is referred to as "one direction," and the opposite direction is referred to as "the other direction." Furthermore, in this specification, when the fastening cord cutting device 1 is positioned on the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 in the position at which the fastening cord 2 is cut, the side facing the first surface 4a from the perspective of the fastening cord cutting device 1 is referred to as "down," and the side moving away from the first surface 4a is referred to as "up." In this specification, viewing from above along the third direction (height direction) is referred to as a plan view. Furthermore, in this specification, "along the first direction (second or third direction)" includes not only directions parallel to the first direction (second or third direction), but also directions that include the component of the first direction (second or third direction).

[0016] In this specification, of the pair of side edges in the short direction (corresponding to the width direction of the fastening cord) of the fastening cord 2, the side edge on the side into which the fastening cord cutting device 1 is inserted, as viewed from the fastening cord 2, is referred to as the first side edge 2a, and the other side edge is referred to as the second side edge 2b.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fastening cord cutting device 1 includes a base portion 5, a pressing mechanism 75, a notched groove 6 as a stepped portion, a cutting mechanism 92, and a claw portion 8. The fastening cord cutting device 1 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 of the object to be processed 4 and the object to be fastened 3, and is capable of cutting the fastening cord 2 of the object to be processed 4 at the cutting position 20. The following describes each component.

[0018] [Base section] As shown in Figure 1, the base portion 5 has an insertion tip portion 51, a placement base 50, and a side wall portion 52. The insertion tip portion 51, the placement base 50, and the side wall portion 52 are formed integrally, for example. The insertion tip portion 51 is provided on the side opposite to the side wall portion 52 along the first direction, with the placement base 50 in between. The base portion 5 has one end portion 5a, which is the end in one direction along the first direction, and the other end portion 5b, which is the end in the other direction along the first direction, with the insertion tip portion 51 provided at the one end portion 5a and the side wall portion 52 provided at the other end portion 5b. The base portion 5 is made of, for example, aluminum, stainless steel, or resin material.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the base portion 5 has a pair of opposing surfaces along the third direction. One of these surfaces is the one closer to the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 when the fastening cord is cut, and is referred to here as the lower surface 5c. The surface opposite the lower surface 5c along the third direction is referred to as the upper surface 5d. In the fastening cord cutting device 1 of this embodiment, the upper surface 5d includes the inclined surface 51a of the insertion tip portion 51 (see, for example, Figure 4(C)), the upper surface 50a of the placement base 50, and the upper surface of the side wall portion 52. On the other hand, the lower surface 5c is formed by the lower surface of the insertion tip portion 51, the lower surface of the placement base 50, and the lower surface of the side wall portion 52 being continuous on the same plane.

[0020] (Insertion tip) As shown in Figure 1, the insertion tip 51 is provided at one end 5a of the base portion 5. As shown in Figures 2 and 3(A) to (D), the fastening cord cutting device 1 is inserted from the insertion tip 51 side between the fastening cord 2 of the object to be processed 4 and the object to be fastened 3, with the first direction of the fastening cord cutting device 1 being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fastening cord 2, and the fastening cord 2 is scooped up by moving in one direction along the first direction. When the fastening cord 2 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3, the angle between the longitudinal direction of the fastening cord 2 and the first direction of the fastening cord cutting device 1, when the fastening cord cutting device 1 is projected onto the first surface 4a, is set to approximately 70° to 90°.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the insertion tip 51 has a shape with an inclined surface 51a, in which its thickness (dimension in the third direction) decreases in one direction along the first direction (from the other end 5b toward the one end 5a). The inclined surface 51a is a surface that is inclined with respect to the upper surface 50a of the placement base 50. By making the insertion tip 51 such that its thickness decreases in one direction, the fastening cord 2 can be picked up more reliably, and the occurrence of poor picking of the fastening cord 2 can be suppressed.

[0022] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of more reliably suppressing the occurrence of poor pick-up of the fastening cord 2, it is preferable that a claw portion 8 (details will be described later) is provided on the inclined surface 51a of the insertion tip portion 51, with a portion of the claw portion 8 protruding from the inclined surface 51a. In this configuration, the insertion tip 51 is inserted together with the claw portion 8 between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3. Therefore, if the thickness of the insertion tip 51 is too thick, it may not be possible to insert the insertion tip 51. In addition, the claw portion 8 is fixed to the insertion tip 51 by means of, for example, a countersunk screw, so as not to affect the insertion (scooping) process. Referring to Figure 4(C), from the viewpoint of ensuring the strength of the insertion tip 51 while more reliably inserting the insertion tip 51 between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3, it is preferable that the thickness d of the very tip (the thinnest part) of the insertion tip 51 be about 1 mm to 5 mm. Referring to Figure 4(C), from the viewpoint of enabling the fixing of the claw portion 8 by screw fastening, a certain thickness is required in the screw-machined portion of the insertion tip 51, and it is preferable that the thickness e of the thickest part of the insertion tip 51 be approximately 5 mm to 10 mm. The claw portion 8 may also be fixed with adhesive tape or the like, in which case the thickness e may be thinner compared to the case of screw fastening.

[0023] Refer to Figures 3 and 4(C). As shown in Figures 3(A) to 3(D), the fastening cord 2 picked up by the insertion tip 51 moves through the inclined surface 51a of the insertion tip 51 to the upper surface 50a of the placement base 50 as the fastening cord cutting device 1 moves in one direction along the first direction. At this time, the fastening cord 2 passes through the corner 5e of the base portion 5, which is the boundary between the inclined surface 51a of the insertion tip 51 and the upper surface 50a of the placement base 50, and also through the corner 5f (see Figure 4(C)) corresponding to the pair of sides that define the width of the upper surface 50a of the base portion 5. It is preferable to apply C-chamfering or R-chamfering to the corners 5e and 5f so that the fastening cord 2 does not get torn at these corners 5e and 5f.

[0024] (Placement stand) As shown in Figures 1, 4(A), and 4(B), the placement base 50 is connected to the insertion tip 51. The upper surface 50a of the placement base 50 is provided with a first placement area 21 and a second placement area 22. In the fastening cord cutting device 1 in the state when the fastening cord is cut, the fastening cord 2 is placed in the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22. The first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22 roughly correspond to the areas on the base portion 5 that overlap with the fastening cord 2 when the fastening cord cutting device 1 is viewed from above. The first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22 are spaced apart along the second direction, with the cutting position 20 in between. The first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22 are provided at the other end 5b of the base portion 5. In this embodiment, the first arrangement area 21 and the second arrangement area 22 are provided adjacent to the side wall portion 52 on the insertion tip portion 51 side, and are arranged so as viewed from the insertion tip portion 51, they are distributed to the left and right of the base portion 5, with the cutting position 20 in between.

[0025] As shown in Figures 3(A) to (E), on the placement stand 50, the fastening cord 2 is placed in the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22. Specifically, by moving the fastening cord cutting device 1 along the first direction, the fastening cord 2 moves through the inclined surface 51a of the insertion tip portion 51 to the upper surface 50a of the placement stand 50. Subsequently, the fastening cord 2 slides along the upper surface 50a in the other direction along the first direction to reach the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22 provided at the other end 5b of the base portion 5 in the first direction. The fastening cord 2 is cut while placed in the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1, 4(A), and (B), the mounting base 50 has a first arm portion 11, a second arm portion 12, and a connecting portion 13. The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 each extend in a first direction. The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are spaced apart along a second direction. As shown in Figure 4(B), the connecting portion 13 connects one end 11a of the first arm portion 11 along the first direction and one end 12a of the second arm portion 12 along the first direction. The connecting portion 13 extends in the second direction. The connecting portion 13 is connected to the insertion tip portion 51. The mounting base 50, which consists of a first arm 11, a second arm 12, and a connecting part 13, has a U-shape when viewed from above. The space enclosed by the first arm portion 11, the second arm portion 12, and the connecting portion 13 constitutes a part of the movement area 95 in which the cutting blade 9 and the cutting blade support base 17 supporting the cutting blade 9, which will be described later, move. In this embodiment, the space enclosed by the first arm portion 11, the second arm portion 12, and the connecting portion 13 is formed as a hole that penetrates along the third direction where there are no members of the base portion 5, but there may be a bottom, and the area enclosed by the bottom, the first arm portion 11, the second arm portion 12, and the connecting portion 13 may be used as the movement area.

[0027] A first placement area 21 is provided on the first arm portion 11. A second placement area 22 is provided on the second arm portion 12. In other words, the fastening cord 2 can be held on the base portion 5 at two spaced points along its longitudinal direction.

[0028] From the viewpoint of ensuring that the fastening cord 2 moves smoothly across the upper surface 50a without getting caught and reliably reaches the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22, it is preferable that the area of ​​the upper surface 50a other than the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22, which is the area on which the fastening cord 2 comes into contact and moves, be a flat surface. Note that a flat surface also includes, for example, a surface with fine irregularities that do not hinder the movement of the fastening cord 2.

[0029] In the fastening cord cutting device 1 of this embodiment, the first arrangement area 21 lies on the same plane as the area of ​​the upper surface 50a other than the second arrangement area 22. From the above viewpoint, it is preferable that the first arrangement area 21 is also a flat surface. In the fastening cord cutting device 1 of this embodiment, the second arrangement area 22 is provided with a notched groove 6 that is recessed downward in the third direction compared to the area of ​​the upper surface 50a other than the second arrangement area 22.

[0030] (Side wall section) As shown in Figure 1, the side wall portion 52 is provided at the other end 5b of the base portion 5. The side wall portion 52 is provided on the opposite side of the insertion tip portion 51 along the first direction, with the placement base 50 in between. The side wall portion 52 extends upward from the placement base 50.

[0031] The side wall portion 52 has a side surface 52a perpendicular to the upper surface 50a. The side surface 52a may be oblique to the upper surface 50a. The first arrangement area 21 and the second arrangement area 22 are adjacent to the side surface 52a.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3(A) to (E), during insertion, the base portion 5 of the fastening cord cutting device 1 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3 until the first side edge 2a of the fastening cord 2 contacts the side surface 52a. This guides the fastening cord 2 to the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22, and positions it in the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22. More specifically, in the second placement area 22, the fastening cord 2 is guided to be positioned in a notched groove 6 provided in the second placement area 22, which will be described later. In this way, the side wall portion 52 can be used to position the fastening cord 2 on the base portion 5.

[0033] [Pressing mechanism] As shown in Figure 1, the pressing mechanism 75 includes a pressing plate 7 as a fixing member and a first drive unit 72.

[0034] The retaining plate 7, acting as a fixing member, is configured to clamp the fastening string 2, which is positioned in the first placement area 21 of the base portion 5, together with the base portion 5, thereby fixing the fastening string 2 to the fastening string cutting device 1. The retaining plate 7 can be described as a holding means that fixes the fastening string 2 and maintains the position of the fastening string 2 in the first placement area 21.

[0035] The retaining plate 7 is movable between a fixed position 71 and a released position 70. The fixing position 71 is the position where the fastening cord 2 is fixed to the first placement area 21 when the fastening cord 2 is placed in the first placement area 21. By fixing the fastening cord 2 with the retaining plate 7, the fastening cord 2 is gripped by the fastening cord cutting device 1. The release position 70 is the position where the fastening cord 2 is released from its fixation to the first placement area 21. In the example shown in Figure 1, the fixed position 71 is located below the release position 70, and the retaining plate 7 is configured to move up and down along the third direction. However, the retaining plate 7 is not limited to moving in the vertical direction; for example, the release position may be located diagonally above the fixed position. Furthermore, the shape of the fixing member is not limited to a plate shape like the retaining plate 7, but may be, for example, box-shaped, as long as it has a surface that holds down the fastening cord 2.

[0036] The first drive unit 72 controls the movement of the retaining plate 7 between the release position 70 and the fixed position 71. The first drive unit 72 is, for example, a linear actuator such as an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or a linear motor. In this embodiment, for example, an air cylinder having a piston rod 73 is used as the first drive unit 72 (see Figure 5). The retaining plate 7 is fixed to the piston rod 73 of the air cylinder (first drive unit 72) or to a plate provided at the tip of the rod. The retaining plate 7 can move between a released position 70 and a fixed position 71 (up and down movement in this embodiment) by the drive of the first drive unit 72.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 and 4(A), the retaining plate 7 has a guide portion 7a that curves upward at the end into which the fastening string 2 is inserted. The guide portion 7a can be formed by tapering or bending the end of the retaining plate 7. The guide portion 7a has a slope such that the distance from the upper surface 50a of the first arm portion 11 gradually decreases in the direction of the other direction along the first direction. With this shape, when the fastening cord 2 is moved on the upper surface 50a of the base portion 5, the fastening cord 2 is less likely to get caught on the retaining plate 7, and the fastening cord 2 can be guided between the base portion 5 and the retaining plate 7.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4(A) and 5(A), at the fixed position 71, the lower surface 7b of the retaining plate 7 is the surface that comes into contact with the fastening string 2. From the viewpoint of making it difficult for the fastening string 2 to shift position and fixing the fastening string 2 more securely to the first placement area 21, it is preferable that the lower surface 7b is configured to have a high coefficient of friction with the fastening string 2. For example, in order to increase the coefficient of friction, the lower surface 7b of the retaining plate 7 may be embossed, knurled, or sandblasted to create irregularities. Alternatively, in order to increase the coefficient of friction, a material such as rubber may be attached to the lower surface 7b of the retaining plate 7.

[0039] In the base portion 5, the first placement area 21 is the portion where the retaining plate 7 located at the fixed position 71 makes contact via the fastening string 2 when the fastening string is cut. As described above, the first placement area 21 is a flat surface.

[0040] [Notched groove (stepped section)] As shown in Figures 1, 4(A), and 4(B), the fastening cord cutting device 1 has a notched groove 6 as a stepped portion. The notched groove 6 is provided in the base portion 5. The notched groove 6 restricts the movement of the fastening cord 2, which is positioned in the second placement area 22 of the second arm portion 12, along the first direction. In this embodiment, the notched groove 6 is provided corresponding to the area of ​​the second placement area 22. The notched groove 6 is formed on the upper surface 50a of the placement stand 50, recessed compared to other areas of the upper surface 50a, forming a step. The notched groove 6 can be described as a holding means that positions the fastening cord 2 inside it, and holds the position of the fastening cord 2 in the second placement area 22 while allowing slight movement along the first direction.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3(D), 4(A), and (B), the notched groove 6 has a pair of inner surfaces facing each other along the first direction and a bottom surface 6b. In this embodiment, the bottom surface 6b is, for example, a flat surface and is parallel to the upper surface 50a of the placement stand 50. In the example shown in the figures, one of the pair of inner surfaces 6a is a surface perpendicular to the upper surface 50a and the bottom surface 6b, but it may also be a surface oblique to the upper surface 50a and the bottom surface 6b. The other inner surface of the pair is formed by the side surface 52a of the side wall portion 52, and the notched groove 6 is adjacent to the side wall portion 52. Furthermore, in order to increase the coefficient of friction with the fastening string 2, the bottom surface 6b may be embossed, knurled, or sandblasted to create an uneven bottom surface 6b. Alternatively, to increase the coefficient of friction, a material such as rubber may be attached to the bottom surface 6b.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3(E), 4(A), and 4(B), the fastening cord 2, which is placed in the notched groove 6, is positioned on the bottom surface 6b, with a first side edge 2a that can abut against the side surface 52a of the side wall portion 52, and a second side edge 2b that can abut against the other inner surface 6a. The notched groove 6 restricts the movement of the fastening cord 2 in the first direction when it is placed inside it. More specifically, the notched groove 6 restricts the movement of the fastening cord 2 placed inside the notched groove 6 in one direction along the first direction by one inner surface 6a, and restricts the movement of the fastening cord 2 placed inside the notched groove 6 in the other direction along the first direction by the side surface 52a.

[0043] The notched groove 6 has a rectangular shape in plan view. In plan view, the notched groove 6 is provided along the entire length of the second arm portion 12 in the second direction, and the length of the notched groove 6 in the second direction is the same as the length of the second arm portion 12 in the second direction. In addition, the length of the notched groove 6 in the first direction is the same as, or slightly longer than, the length of the fastening string 2 of the object to be processed in the short direction.

[0044] Refer to Figure 4(A). From the viewpoint of ensuring that the fastening cord 2 is securely positioned within the notched groove 6 and that the fastening cord 2 does not move excessively in its shorter direction when cut, thereby ensuring that the fastening cord 2 is securely cut, it is preferable that the length m of the bottom surface 6b of the notched groove 6 in the first direction is about 5 mm larger than the dimension of the fastening cord 2 in its shorter direction. From the viewpoint of securely positioning the fastening string 2 within the notched groove 6 and preventing the fastening string 2 from easily coming out of the notched groove 6, it is preferable that the groove depth n in the third direction of the notched groove 6 be about half of the dimension p in the third direction of the mounting base 50, or about 5 mm.

[0045] Furthermore, the angle between one inner surface 6a and the bottom surface 6b of the notch groove 6 is preferably within the range of 90°±10°, and more preferably 90°±5°. This ensures that the fastening cord 2 moving along the top surface 50a in the other direction along the first direction is reliably guided into the notch groove 6. In addition, from the viewpoint of making it even more difficult for the fastening cord 2 guided into the notch groove 6 to detach from the notch groove 6, it is particularly preferable to set the angle to 90°, which allows for more reliable cutting of the fastening cord 2.

[0046] [Cutting mechanism] As shown in Figure 1, the cutting mechanism 92 includes a cutting blade 9, a cutting blade support base 17 that supports the cutting blade 9, and a second drive unit 93 (see Figure 7, which will be described later).

[0047] The cutting blade 9 is supported on the cutting blade support base 17 with its tip facing in one direction along the first direction and the blade in an upright position (the width direction of the blade coincides with the third direction). The cutting blade 9 is replaceable with respect to the cutting blade support base 17 that supports it. In this embodiment, the tip of the blade is slightly angled so that its lower part reaches the cutting position 20 first.

[0048] In the fastening cord cutting device 1, with the fastening cords 2 positioned in the first arrangement area 21 and the second arrangement area 22 as shown in Figures 4(A) and (B), the cutting blade 9 is moved from the starting position 90 to the ending position 91 as shown in Figures 5(A) to (C), thereby cutting the fastening cords 2 at the cutting position 20. In the side view of Figure 5(C), the cut end of the fastening cord 2 is actually difficult to see from the side, but for convenience, the cut end is shown to make the cutting process of the fastening cord 2 easier to understand.

[0049] As shown in Figure 1, the cutting blade support base 17 has a shape in which its thickness decreases in one direction in the first direction. With this configuration, when moving the cutting blade support base 17 that supports the cutting blade 9 to cut the fastening cord 2, the cutting blade support base 17 is less likely to get caught on the fastening cord 2, and the fastening cord 2 can be cut more reliably.

[0050] The second drive unit 93 moves the cutting blade support base 17, on which the cutting blade 9 is supported, back and forth in a first direction. The second drive unit 93 is, for example, a linear actuator such as an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or a linear motor. As shown in Figures 1 and 5(A) to (C), the cutting blade 9 and the cutting blade support base 17 that supports it are movable between a starting position 90 and an ending position 91, which are spaced apart in the first direction with respect to the cutting position 20, by the drive of a second drive unit 93. By moving the cutting blade 9 from the starting position 90 to the ending position 91, the fastening cord 2 located at the cutting position 20 can be cut. The cutting blade support base 17, on which the cutting blade 9 is supported, moves within a movement area 95 that includes the area enclosed by the first arm portion 11, the second arm portion 12, and the connecting portion 13, which constitute part of the base portion 5. As shown in Figure 1, the fastening cord cutting device 1 has a cover portion 53. The cover portion 53 is provided so as to cover the cutting blade support base 17 on two sides and above when the cutting blade 9 is in the starting position 90. The cover portion 53 has a U-shaped cross section along the third direction. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fastening cord cutting device 1 has a regulating plate 54 that extends from the side of the cover portion 53 in a second direction. The lower surface of the regulating plate 54 is on the same plane as the lower surface 5c of the base portion 5 and the lower surface of the cover portion 53. The regulating plate 54 regulates the posture of the object to be processed 4 when the fastening cord 2 is grasped and transferred by the fastening cord cutting device 1.

[0051] The cutting position 20 is located between the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22. The cutting position 20 is where the cutting blade 9 passes through and cuts the fastening cord 2. As shown in Figures 1 and 4(B), it is preferable that the cutting position 20 be located in a position close to the first placement area 21 where the fastening cord 2 is fixed by the retaining plate 7. "The cutting position being close to the first placement area" means that the cutting position 20 is located in a region closer to the first placement area 21 along the second direction than a position halfway along the length of the space between the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22 (movement area 95) along the second direction.

[0052] [Nail area] As shown in Figure 1, the claw portion 8 is provided on the inclined surface 51a of the insertion tip portion 51. The claw portion 8 is fastened to the insertion tip portion 51, for example, with screws.

[0053] The claw portion 8 has a protruding portion 8a that protrudes downward from the insertion tip portion 51 of the base portion 5, and a fixing portion 8b that is fixed to the inclined surface 51a of the insertion tip portion 51. In the claw portion 8, the protruding portion 8a and the fixing portion 8b are connected and have an integrated structure, and the overall shape is a flat, thin plate. The protruding portion 8a protrudes downward from the insertion tip portion 51 along the inclination of the inclined surface 51a.

[0054] By providing a claw portion 8 having a protruding portion 8a that extends from the insertion tip portion 51 of the base portion 5, the fastening cord 2 can be picked up more reliably, the occurrence of poor picking of the fastening cord 2 can be further suppressed, and consequently the occurrence of poor cutting of the fastening cord can be suppressed.

[0055] From the viewpoint of more reliably gripping the fastening string 2 with the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8, it is preferable that the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 be thin and flexible, and that the claw portion 8 be an elastic material or have an elastically deformable shape, more specifically, a thin plate shape. For example, the claw portion 8 can be made of PP (polypropylene, flexural modulus 1350 MPa), PE-HDPE (high-density polyethylene, flexural modulus 880 MPa), SUS (elastic modulus 193000 MPa), spring steel (elastic modulus 206000 MPa), etc. By using an elastic material or an elastically deformable shape for the claw portion 8, the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 can be bent when inserting the claw portion 8 between the fastening string 2 and the object to be fastened 3, thereby more reliably gripping the fastening string 2.

[0056] From the viewpoint of more reliably gripping the fastening cord 2, the thickness of the claw portion 8 is preferably about 0.5 mm or less. From the same viewpoint, the width (dimension in the second direction) of the portion of the claw portion 8 that is first inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3 (the tip portion of the protruding portion 8a) is preferably about 10 mm or less. Furthermore, the width (dimension in the second direction) of the base portion 8a of the claw portion 8 (the boundary portion between the protruding portion 8a and the fixing portion 8b) is preferably the same as the width f of the base portion 5 (see Figure 4(C)).

[0057] The material used for the claw portion 8 may be appropriately determined depending on the material of the object to be fastened 3. For example, if the object to be fastened 3 is made of a material that is easily scratched, such as metal, paper sheet, transparent resin, or glass, it is preferable to use a plastic-based material for the claw portion 8. Also, if the object to be fastened 3 is corrugated cardboard, it is preferable to use a stainless steel plate (SUS) for the claw portion 8.

[0058] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of more reliably gripping the fastening string 2 with the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8, it is preferable that the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 has a shape in which, in a plan view, the dimension in the second direction (width dimension) decreases toward one direction in the first direction. In the example shown in Figure 1, the claw portion 8 has a shape that tapers toward one direction in the first direction, with a triangular protruding portion 8a and a rectangular fixed portion 8b connected in a plan view. The shape of the claw portion 8 is not limited to this shape. For example, it may be a triangular claw portion 8A as shown in Figure 17(A), a rectangular claw portion 8B as shown in Figure 17(B), an elliptical claw portion 8C as shown in Figure 17(C), a claw portion 8D which is more elongated than the above claw portion 8 as shown in Figure 17(D), a claw portion 8E which is a combination of a rectangle and a semi-ellipse as shown in Figure 17(E), a claw portion 8F which is a combination of a trapezoid and a rectangle as shown in Figure 17(F), etc.

[0059] <Method for cutting fastening cords using a fastening cord cutting device> Next, the operation of the fastening cord cutting device 1 will be explained using Figures 3 to 5.

[0060] As shown in Figures 2 and 3(A), the tip of the claw portion 8 is aligned with the first side edge 2a of the fastening cord 2 of the object to be processed 4 at the insertion start position 43, and the fastening cord cutting device 1 is moved such that when the fastening cord cutting device 1 is projected onto the first surface 4a, the first direction of the fastening cord cutting device 1 is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fastening cord 2.

[0061] Next, as shown in Figure 3(B), the fastening cord cutting device 1 is moved in one direction along the first direction. As a result, the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3, and the protruding portion 8a bends.

[0062] Furthermore, as the fastening cord cutting device 1 moves in one direction along the first direction, the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3, and then, as shown in Figure 3(C), the insertion tip portion 51 of the base portion 5 is inserted together with the claw portion 8 between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3. The lower surface 5c of the base portion 5 is in contact with the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4.

[0063] Furthermore, as the fastening cord cutting device 1 moves in one direction along the first direction, the fastening cord 2 moves along the inclined surface 51a with the claw portion 8 in between, and then moves on the upper surface 50a as shown in Figure 3(D). At this time, since the guide portion 7a of the retaining plate 7 located at the release position 70 has an upward curved shape, the fastening cord 2 is less likely to get caught on the retaining plate 7, and the fastening cord 2 is guided between the base portion 5 and the retaining plate 7.

[0064] Furthermore, as the fastening cord cutting device 1 moves in one direction along the first direction, the fastening cord 2 moves until its first side edge 2a contacts the side surface 52a of the side wall portion 52, as shown in Figures 3(E), 4(A), and 4(B), and reaches the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22. As a result, in the second placement area 22, the fastening cord 2 is placed within the notched groove 6.

[0065] As shown in Figures 4(A) and (B), the movement of the fastening cord 2 on the placement stand 50 when the fastening cord is inserted is restricted by the side surface 52a of the side wall portion 52. The first side edge 2a of the fastening cord 2 may come into contact with the side surface 52a.

[0066] The fastening cord 2, positioned in the first placement area 21 of the first arm portion 11, is located between the base portion 5 and the retaining plate 7. The retaining plate 7 is in the release position 70 until the fastening cord 2 reaches the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22.

[0067] When the fastening cord 2 is placed in the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22, as shown in Figure 5(A), the retaining plate 7 moves from the release position 70 to the fixed position 71 by the drive of the first drive unit 72. As a result, in the first placement area 21, the fastening cord 2 is sandwiched between the retaining plate 7 and the base portion 5, and its position is fixed and gripped relative to the base portion 5. In the second placement area 22 of the second arm portion 12, the fastening cord 2 is positioned within the notched groove 6, thereby restricting its movement in the first direction, or in other words, its movement in the short-side direction (width direction). Thus, the fastening cord 2 is configured such that its movement in the short direction is restricted at two points: the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22.

[0068] As shown in Figure 5(A), the cutting blade 9 is located at the starting position 90 until the fastening cord 2 is secured by the retaining plate 7 and the cutting blade 9 begins to move. Once the fastening cord 2 is secured by the retaining plate 7, the cutting blade 9 moves from the starting position 90 to the ending position 91 by the drive of the second drive unit 93 (not shown), as shown in Figures 5(B) and (C). As a result, the fastening cord 2 is cut at the cutting position 20, which is located between the starting position 90 and the ending position 91.

[0069] When the fastening cord 2 is cut by the cutting blade 9, the fastening cord 2 is easily subjected to force in the direction from the first side edge 2a to the second side edge 2b (one direction along the first direction) by the cutting blade 9. Therefore, when the fastening cord 2 is cut, it is easily moved in one direction along the first direction. In contrast, in this embodiment, in the first placement area 21, the fastening cord 2 is fixed by the retaining plate 7 and its movement is restricted, and in the second placement area 22, the movement of the fastening cord 2 in one direction along the first direction is restricted by one inner surface 6a of the notched groove 6.

[0070] <Effects and Effects> The effects and benefits of having the fastening cord cutting device 1 configured as described above will be explained.

[0071] As described above, in the fastening cord cutting device 1 of the present invention, when the fastening cord 2 is cut, the movement of the fastening cord 2 in the short direction is restricted at two points, the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22, which are spaced apart along the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, in the first placement area 21, the fastening cord 2 is fixed by a retaining plate 7, and its movement in the thickness direction is also restricted. In this configuration, the fastening cord 2 is cut at a cutting position 20 between the portion of the fastening cord 2 placed in the first placement area 21 and the portion of the fastening cord 2 placed in the second placement area 22. With this configuration, displacement of the fastening cord 2 during cutting is suppressed, the fastening cord 2 can be cut reliably, and the occurrence of cutting defects in the fastening cord 2 can be effectively suppressed.

[0072] In the fastening cord cutting device 1, it is preferable that the base portion 5 has a configuration in which the first arrangement area 21 and the second arrangement area 22 are adjacent to the side wall portion 52. With this configuration, when the fastening cord cutting device 1 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3, the presence of the side wall portion 52 allows the fastening cord 2 to be guided to be positioned more reliably in the first positioning area 21 and the second positioning area 22. This allows the fastening cord 2 to be positioned so that its longitudinal direction is approximately perpendicular to the direction of movement (first direction) of the cutting blade 9 during cutting. Therefore, the fastening cord 2 can be cut more reliably, and the occurrence of cutting defects is further suppressed.

[0073] In the fastening cord cutting device 1, it is preferable that the placement stand 50, which constitutes a part of the base portion 5, is configured to include a first arm portion 11 and a second arm portion 12. With this configuration, in a plan view, the first arrangement area 21 and the retaining plate 7, which are responsible for fixing the fastening cord 2 when the fastening cord is cut, and the notched groove 6 and the movement area 95 of the cutting blade 9 provided in the second arrangement area 22 can be arranged along the second direction, making the entire fastening cord cutting device 1 compact. This makes the fastening cord cutting device 1 highly versatile.

[0074] In the fastening cord cutting device 1, it is preferable that the placement stand 50, which constitutes part of the base 5, is composed of a first arm 11, a second arm 12, and a connecting part 13, and that the connecting part 13 is connected to the insertion tip 51. The placement stand 50 forms a U-shape in plan view. With this configuration, the fastening cord cutting device 1 is provided with two arms (first arm 11 and second arm 12) for each insertion tip 51, making it possible to reliably position the fastening cord 2 scooped up by the insertion tip 51 onto the two arms 11 and 12. This allows for more reliable cutting of the fastening cord 2 and further suppresses the occurrence of faulty fastening cord cutting. Furthermore, the base portion 5 may have an insertion tip provided on each of the two arm portions, that is, it may have a configuration with two insertion tips. However, in such a configuration, if one of the insertion tips fails to pick up the fastening cord 2, a failure to cut the fastening cord 2 may occur. For this reason, from the viewpoint of more reliably suppressing the occurrence of failures to cut the fastening cord 2, it is more preferable to have a configuration in which two arm portions (first arm portion 11 and second arm portion 12) are provided for one insertion tip portion 51, as in the fastening cord cutting device 1.

[0075] In the fastening cord cutting device 1, a notched groove (stepped portion) 6 is provided in the second placement area 22, and the fastening cord 2 is placed within the notched groove 6. This restricts the movement of the fastening cord 2 in one direction along the first direction, suppresses displacement of the fastening cord 2 during cutting, and allows for more reliable cutting of the fastening cord 2.

[0076] Another example of a stepped section is the fastening cord cutting device 1A shown in Figure 18, where a locking claw 26 may be provided instead of a notched groove. In Figure 18, components similar to those in the fastening cord cutting device 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The fastening cord cutting device 1A differs from the fastening cord cutting device 1 only in the configuration of the stepped section. The locking claw 26 is provided on the base portion 5. Part of the locking claw 26 is fixed to the upper surface of the second arm portion 12, while the other part is spaced apart from the upper surface and forms a plate-like surface with an inclination. On the upper surface of the second arm portion 12, the area from the base of the locking claw 26 to the side surface 52a of the side wall portion 52 becomes the second placement area 22. The locking claw 26 forms a step and restricts the movement of the fastening cord 2, which is placed in the second placement area 22, in one direction along the first direction. Similar to the case where a notched groove 6 is provided, the locking claw 26 can suppress displacement of the fastening cord 2 during cutting and suppress the occurrence of cutting defects of the fastening cord 2. In the fastening cord cutting device 1A shown in Figure 18, the second placement area 22 does not have a recessed shape like the notched groove 6, but is on the same plane as the area of ​​the upper surface 50a of the placement base 50 other than the second placement area 22. Alternatively, the notched groove 6 and the locking claw 26 may be combined to form a stepped section.

[0077] In the fastening cord cutting device 1, it is preferable that the base portion 5 has a claw portion 8 including a protruding portion 8a that protrudes downward from the insertion tip portion 51, which makes it easier to reliably pick up the fastening cord 2 and suppresses the occurrence of poor picking of the fastening cord 2.

[0078] Furthermore, the claw portion 8 is preferably made of an elastic material or a thin plate that can be elastically deformed. This makes the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 more flexible. As a result, when inserting the fastening cord cutting device 1 between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3, as shown in Figure 3(B), the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 bends, and the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 moves along the surface of the object to be fastened 3, allowing it to more reliably slip between the object to be fastened 3 and the fastening cord 2, making it easier to pick up the fastening cord 2 and suppressing the occurrence of poor picking of the fastening cord 2. In addition, because the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 is flexible, when inserting the fastening cord cutting device 1 between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3, excessive force is less likely to be applied locally to the surface of the object to be fastened 3, and damage to the object to be fastened 3 by the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 can be suppressed.

[0079] In the fastening cord cutting device 1, the insertion tip portion 51 has a shape having an inclined surface 51a that is inclined with respect to the upper surface 50a and whose thickness decreases in one direction along the first direction, and the claw portion 8 has a protruding portion 8a and a fixing portion 8b that is fixed to the inclined surface 51a, and it is preferable that the protruding portion 8a protrudes downward from the insertion tip portion 51 along the inclination of the inclined surface 51a. In this way, by making the insertion tip 51 a shape in which its thickness is reduced, it becomes easier to reliably pick up the fastening cord 2. Furthermore, by making the inclination angle of the protruding portion 8a of the claw portion 8 the same as the inclination angle of the fixing portion 8b, it becomes easier to reliably pick up the fastening cord 2 with the protruding portion 8a.

[0080] In the fastening cord cutting device 1, it is preferable that the cutting position 20 is located in a position close to the first arrangement area 21. In the first placement area 21, the fastening cord 2 is held down and fixed downward along the third direction by the retaining plate 7, so that the movement of the fastening cord 2 in the first, second, and third directions is restricted. On the other hand, in the second placement area 22, the movement of the fastening cord 2 in the first direction is restricted, but its movement in the third direction is not restricted. In this way, by setting the cutting position 20 closer to the first placement area 21, where movement in the third direction is also restricted, the fastening cord 2 can be cut more reliably.

[0081] <Processing System> Next, the processing system 100 will be described using Figure 6. The processing system 100 includes a processing device (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a processing robot) 10 having a robot arm 15 with the fastening cord cutting device 1 at its tip. In the following, the configuration and movement of the processing robot (processing device) 10 will be described in detail, and the movement of the fastening cord cutting device 1 will be described in more detail.

[0082] The fastening cord cutting device 1 described above can be used as the hand (end effector) of a robot arm, and the position and orientation of the fastening cord cutting device 1 located at the tip of the robot arm can be controlled by controlling the movement of the robot arm. In a processing robot 10 equipped with the fastening cord cutting device 1, it is possible to perform not only the fastening cord cutting described above, but also gripping, transferring, and retrieving fastening cords of the object to be processed, all with a single fastening cord cutting device 1, without changing the hand, making it highly versatile. A detailed explanation follows below.

[0083] As shown in Figure 6, the processing system 100 is a system for processing an object 4 which consists of multiple fastened objects 3 fastened together by fastening strings 2. In the processing system 100, after the fastening strings 2 of the object 4, which consists of multiple stacked fastened objects (e.g., corrugated cardboard sheets) that were folded flat, are cut and the fastening is released, the individual fastened objects 3 are processed into three-dimensional boxes.

[0084] The processing system 100 performs the cutting of the fastening strings 2 of the object to be processed 4, and the box-making process to process the object to be fastened 3 into a three-dimensional box. Furthermore, the processing system 100 may also perform the separation and collection of the fastening strings 2 after cutting, and may also perform the transfer process to move the object to be fastened 3 to a position suitable for the box-making process.

[0085] The processing system 100 comprises a processing robot 10 including the fastening string cutting device 1, and a box-making robot 142 that processes the object to be fastened 3 into a three-dimensional box. The processing robot 10 performs the cutting process described above. Furthermore, the processing robot 10 may also perform the separation and recovery process described above, as well as the transfer process described above. The box-making robot 142 performs the box-making process.

[0086] In describing the processing system 100, an object 4 to be processed, in which two fastening cords 2 are positioned parallel to each other, will be used as an example. Note that in the object 4 to be processed, there may be one fastening cord 2, or there may be three or more, and this will be determined appropriately depending on the size and shape of the object to be fastened 3. Furthermore, the object 4 to be processed is not limited to a configuration where multiple fastening cords 2 are positioned parallel to each other; the fastening cords 2 may also be arranged in a cross knot.

[0087] The processing system 100 includes a material transport area 110, a transfer area 120, a cutting, separation, and recovery area 130, a box-making area 140, and a control device 101 that comprehensively controls the movement of robots and the like in each area. The control device 101 may have, for example, operation buttons or an input display so that a user can input operations related to the operation of the system.

[0088] In the material transport process area 110, the incoming object to be processed 4 is transported to and placed at the transport destination 112 by the transport rollers 111. The first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 transported to the transport destination 112 is located at the top surface of the object to be processed 4 and is typically parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0089] In the transfer process area 120, the object to be processed 4 is grasped at the transport destination 112 by the processing robot 10, and then transferred from the transport destination 112 to the temporary storage table 141, where its position is changed. During this transfer, in addition to its position, the orientation of the object to be processed 4 is changed to an orientation suitable for the box-making process, and it is placed on the temporary storage table 141. The object to be processed 4 is placed upright on the temporary storage table 141 with one side 4b facing downwards and that side 4b being at an angle to the horizontal. As a result, the fastened objects 3, which are folded flat and are generally plate-shaped, are placed on the temporary storage table 141 in an upright orientation. In this way, in the transfer process area 120, the object to be processed 4 is changed to a position and orientation suitable for the subsequent box-making process. The processing robot 10 has the fastening cord cutting device 1 described above. Details of the processing robot 10 will be described later.

[0090] In the cutting, separation, and recovery process area 130, the processing robot 10 cuts the fastening cord 2 of the object to be processed 4, which is placed on a temporary stand 141 in an upright position. Furthermore, the processing robot 10 separates the fastening cord 2 from the object to be fastened 3. Subsequently, the fastening cord 2 that has been cut and separated from the object to be fastened 3 is recovered.

[0091] Thus, by using the fastening cord cutting device 1 described above, the processing robot 10 equipped with the fastening cord cutting device 1 can continuously perform not only the cutting process of the fastening cord, but also the separation and recovery process of the fastening cord. Furthermore, the processing robot 10 can continuously perform the transfer process, cutting process, separation and recovery process. Details will be described later.

[0092] In the box-making process area 140, the box-making robot 142 removes the fastening strings 2 that are placed on the temporary stand 141, and the box-making process is carried out for each of the fastened objects 3 whose fastenings to each other have been released.

[0093] [Processing robot (processing device)]

[0094] (External structure of the processing robot) As shown in Figure 6, the processing robot 10 is a dual-arm robot having two robot arms 15R and 15L. However, the number of robot arms in a processing robot is not limited to two.

[0095] The processing robot 10 includes a head 16, a torso 18, a right robot arm 15R, a left robot arm 15L, a right fastening cord cutting device 1R, and a left fastening cord cutting device 1L.

[0096] The right fastening cord cutting device 1R is located at the tip of the right robot arm 15R. The left fastening cord cutting device 1L is located at the tip of the left robot arm 15L. The right fastening cord cutting device 1R and the left fastening cord cutting device 1L both have the same basic structure as the fastening cord cutting device 1, and are capable of cutting the fastening cord 2 while inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3. Hereafter, unless there is a need to distinguish between left and right, the terms will be referred to as the robot arm 15 and the fastening cord cutting device 1.

[0097] In the processing robot 10, the right fastening cord cutting device 1R can grasp and cut one of the two fastening cords 2 of the object to be processed 4. The left fastening cord cutting device 1L can grasp and cut the other fastening cord 2. Hereinafter, the fastening cord 2 positioned by the right fastening cord cutting device 1R will be called fastening cord 2R, and the fastening cord 2 positioned by the left fastening cord cutting device 1L will be called fastening cord 2L, and unless there is a need to distinguish between them, they will simply be called fastening cord 2. Furthermore, the side edge of fastening cord 2R on the side into which the right fastening cord cutting device 1R is inserted will be called the first side edge 2Ra, and the side edge of fastening cord 2L on the side into which the left fastening cord cutting device 1L is inserted will be called the first side edge 2La, and unless there is a need to distinguish between them, they will simply be called the first side edge 2a.

[0098] As shown in Figures 9 and 10(A), the right fastening cord cutting device 1R is inserted from the first side edge 2Ra of the fastening cord 2R. The left fastening cord cutting device 1L is inserted from the first side edge 2La of the fastening cord 2L. As shown in Figure 10(A), the right fastening cord cutting device 1R and the left fastening cord cutting device 1L are configured with their claw portions 8 facing each other, with the pressing plate 7 located on the upper side and the notched groove 6 located on the lower side in the diagram. As shown in Figure 10(B), the object to be processed 4 is moved upright with each fastening cord cutting device 1 inserted and gripped. During transfer, the object to be processed 4 is gripped and lifted at a single point fixed by the retaining plate 7 of each fastening cord cutting device 1, making it prone to swaying in the stacking direction of the fastened objects 3 with this point as the fulcrum. In contrast, the fastening cord cutting device 1 of the present invention is provided with a regulating plate 54, which suppresses swaying during transfer and regulates the posture of the object to be processed 4 during transfer.

[0099] As shown in Figures 6, 11, and 12, the processing robot 10 is mounted on a base 19 and supported by the base 19. The base 19 may be configured to be able to move up and down according to the height of the object to be processed 4 being transported to the transport destination 112, and the height of the entire processing robot 10 may change vertically as the base 19 moves up and down. With this configuration, even if the heights of the multiple objects to be transported 4 are different, the processing robot 10 can be moved to a height appropriate for gripping the fastening strings 2 of the objects to be processed 4 placed at the transport destination 112, according to the height of the objects to be processed 4. In addition to raising and lowering the base 19, the transport destination 112 on which the object to be processed 4 is placed may also be configured to rise and lower.

[0100] The head 16 is attached to the upper end of the torso 18. Right robot arms 15R and left robot arms 15L are provided on both the left and right sides of the torso 18. The torso 18 is configured to rotate horizontally relative to the base 19. The robot arms 15 are operated by the arm drive unit 35 (see Figure 7), and the position and orientation of the fastening cord cutting device 1 provided at their tips can be changed in three dimensions.

[0101] Furthermore, a height detection sensor 42R for the right hand and a height detection sensor 42L for the left hand may be mounted on the tip side (near the insertion tip 51) of the second drive unit 93 or the base portion 5 that moves the cutting blades 9 of the right fastening cord cutting device 1R and the left fastening cord cutting device 1L, respectively (see Figures 7, 16(A) and (B)). Note that if there is no particular need to distinguish between left and right, the sensor is referred to as the height detection sensor 42.

[0102] (Functional configuration of the processing robot) Next, we will explain some of the functional configurations of the processing robot 10, which has the fastening cord cutting device 1 shown in Figure 7, using a block diagram of the processing robot 10's functional configuration. As shown in Figure 7, the processing robot 10 includes a sensor unit 40, a control unit 30, a right robot arm 15R, a left robot arm 15L, a first drive unit 72, and a second drive unit 93.

[0103] ((Sensor Unit)) The sensor unit 40 senses the position information of the object to be processed 4, etc. The sensor unit 40 includes an optical camera 41, a height detection sensor 42R for the right hand, and a height detection sensor 42L for the left hand.

[0104] As shown in Figure 14, the optical camera 41 is mounted, for example, on the head 16 of the processing robot 10. The optical camera 41 detects the position of the fastening string 2 on the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 placed at the transport destination 112. Image data captured by the optical camera 41 is processed by image recognition in the control unit 30, making it possible to detect the two-dimensional position of the fastening cord 2 on the first surface 4a. Furthermore, by using the image data for image recognition processing, it is possible to confirm whether or not the claw portion 8 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3. Additionally, by using the image data for image recognition processing, the contour of the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 can be detected, and the positions of a pair of first side portions 4c that are parallel or approximately parallel to the two fastening cords 2 on the roughly rectangular first surface 4a in plan view can be detected.

[0105] Using the right-hand height detection sensor 42R and the left-hand height detection sensor 42L, positional information in the height direction of each of the pair of first side portions 4c on the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 can be obtained. A proximity sensor or a distance sensor can be used as the height detection sensor 42.

[0106] With this configuration, for example, even if the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 is tilted at an angle with respect to the horizontal plane, the tilt of the first surface 4a can be calculated using the sensing results of the height detection sensor 42. Then, by using the tilt information of the first surface 4a and the image recognition processing results using the image data from the optical camera 41, the three-dimensional position information of each of the two fastening cords 2 can be obtained.

[0107] By using the three-dimensional positional information of each of the two fastening cords 2, the insertion start position of the fastening cord cutting device 1 and the orientation of the base portion 5 relative to the first surface 4a can be controlled. This suppresses the occurrence of faulty fastening cord pick-up and ensures reliable cutting of the fastening cords.

[0108] Height detection using the height detection sensor 42 can be performed, for example, as follows. As shown in Figure 16(A), the fastening cord cutting device 1, which has a height detection sensor 42 at its tip on the base portion 5, is lowered until the height detection sensor 42 detects each of the pair of first side portions 4c. Next, as shown in Figure 16(B), the height position information of each fastening cord cutting device 1 is obtained when each height detection sensor 42 detects the first side portion 4c. From this position information, the height position information of the pair of first side portions 4c of the object to be processed 4 can be obtained.

[0109] Using the height position information of the pair of first side portions 4c obtained in this way, and the lateral dimension of the object to be fastened 3 (corresponding to the distance between the pair of first side portions 4c), the control unit 30 can obtain inclination information of the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 by utilizing the principle of triangulation.

[0110] Then, using the inclination information of the first surface 4a and the position information related to the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 detected using the sensing results (image data) of the optical camera 41, the insertion start position 43 when the tip of the claw portion 8 of each fastening cord cutting device 1 is inserted and the orientation of the fastening cord cutting device 1 at the time of insertion can be calculated. The orientation of the fastening cord cutting device 1 during insertion is, for example, the orientation in which, when the fastening cord cutting device 1 is projected onto the first surface 4a, the first direction of the fastening cord cutting device 1 is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fastening cord 2, and the claw portion 8 and the first surface 4a are at a predetermined angle (for example, 5° to 30°).

[0111] The movement of each robot arm 15 is controlled so that the tip of the claw portion 8 of the fastening cord cutting device 1 aligns with the calculated insertion start position and assumes the calculated posture. The robot arms 15 are operated by the arm drive unit 35, which is driven based on the control signal generated by the control unit 30.

[0112] In this embodiment, the three-dimensional position of the fastening cord 2 and the pair of first side portions 4c is detected using the sensing results of the optical camera 41, the height detection sensor 42R for the right hand, and the height detection sensor 42L for the left hand, but the embodiment is not limited to this.

[0113] For example, a stereo camera may be used as the optical camera 41, and three-dimensional positional information relating to the first surface 4a, including distance information between the camera and the first surface 4a, may be acquired using the image data acquired by the camera. In this case, it is not necessary to install the height detection sensor 42R for the right hand and the height detection sensor 42L for the left hand. This simplifies the structure of the fastening cord cutting device and avoids problems such as damage to the object to be processed 4 or damage to the height detection sensor 42 caused by collision between the object to be processed 4 and the height detection sensor 42 when the fastening cord cutting device is moving.

[0114] Furthermore, if the object to be processed 4 is placed on the transport destination 112 such that the first surface 4a is horizontal, the dimensions of the object to be processed 4 can be determined by measuring them in advance, so it is not necessarily required to provide a height detection sensor 42. In this case, various positional information related to the object to be processed 4 may be detected using only the image data from the optical camera 41.

[0115] ((Control Unit)) As shown in Figure 7, the control unit 30 includes a robot arm control unit 31, a holding mechanism control unit 32, and a cutting mechanism control unit 33.

[0116] The robot arm control unit 31 controls the movement of each robot arm 15. This allows control of the position, orientation, and movement of the fastening cord cutting device 1, which is provided as a hand at the tip of the robot arm 15. The robot arm control unit 31 uses the sensing results from the sensor unit 40 to generate control signals for controlling the right arm drive unit 35R of the right robot arm 15R and the left arm drive unit 35L of the left robot arm 15L, and outputs them to the right arm drive unit 35R and the left arm drive unit 35L.

[0117] The robot arm control unit 31 includes a sensing result acquisition unit 310, a position detection unit 311, and a control signal generation unit 312.

[0118] The sensing result acquisition unit 310 acquires the sensing results obtained by the sensor unit 40. Specifically, the sensing result acquisition unit 310 acquires, as sensing results, image data captured by the optical camera 41 and the height position information of each fastening cord cutting device 1 when the first side portion 4c is detected by the right-hand height detection sensor 42R and the left-hand height detection sensor 42L. In other words, the height position information of the fastening cord cutting device 1 is the height position information of the pair of first side portions 4c of the object to be processed 4.

[0119] The position detection unit 311 detects the two-dimensional position of the fastening cord 2 on the first surface 4a by performing image recognition processing on image data captured by the optical camera 41. The position detection unit 311 also detects the two-dimensional positions of a pair of first sides 4c of the object to be processed 4 by performing image recognition processing on the image data. Furthermore, the position detection unit 311 can recognize the positional relationship between the first side edge 2a of the fastening cord 2 and the tip of the claw portion 8 by performing image recognition processing on the image data. Based on this recognition result, it is possible to confirm whether or not the claw portion 8 is inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3.

[0120] The position detection unit 311 uses the position information in the height direction of each of the pair of first sides 4c of the object to be processed 4 detected by the right-hand height detection sensor 42R and the left-hand height detection sensor 42L, respectively, and the lateral dimension of the fastened object 3 (corresponding to the distance between the pair of first sides 4c), and calculates the inclination of the first surface 4a of the object to be processed 4 using the principle of triangulation.

[0121] The position detection unit 311 obtains three-dimensional position information of the first side edge 2a of the fastening cord 2 using two-dimensional position information of the fastening cord 2 and a pair of first side portions 4c based on image data from the optical camera 41, and inclination information of the first surface 4a based on the sensing results of the height detection sensor 42. The three-dimensional position information of the first side edge 2a of the fastening cord 2 and the position information of the pair of first side portions 4c obtained by the position detection unit 311 are output to the control signal generation unit 312.

[0122] The control signal generation unit 312 generates control signals to control the movement of the torso 18 and each robot arm 15. The generated control signals are output to the arm drive unit 35 of each robot arm 15 and to the torso drive unit (not shown) that drives the torso 18. The torso 18 and robot arms 15 of the processing robot 10 operate based on these control signals.

[0123] The control signal generation unit 312 uses the three-dimensional position information of the first side edge 2a of the fastening cord 2 and the position information of the pair of first side parts 4c obtained by the position detection unit 311 to generate control signals that control the movement of each robot arm 15 and the torso 18.

[0124] The control signal generation unit 312 uses the above position information to generate control signals for the arm drive units 35 of each robot arm 15 to control the movement of each fastening cord cutting device 1 when it is inserted between the object to be fastened 3 and the fastening cord 2. Specifically, the insertion starting position 43 of each fastening cord cutting device 1 between the object to be fastened 3 and the fastening cord 2, and the orientation of the fastening cord cutting device 1 at the time of insertion are calculated, and a control signal is generated so that each fastening cord cutting device 1 moves to the calculated position and orientation. Furthermore, after the tip of the claw portion 8 of each fastening cord cutting device 1 is positioned at the insertion start position 43, a control signal is generated to move each fastening cord cutting device 1 so that the fastening cord 2 scooped up by the claw portion 8 moves to the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22 of the base portion 5.

[0125] As shown in Figure 15(A), the control signal generation unit 312 may generate control signals for the arm drive unit 35 of each robot arm 15 so that the tip of the claw portion 8 of the fastening cord cutting device 1 first moves to the contact start position 44, and then moves along the first surface 4a while maintaining contact with the first surface 4a to reach the insertion start position 43. This can more reliably suppress the occurrence of poor picking of the fastening cord 2.

[0126] Furthermore, the control signal generation unit 312 generates control signals to control the movement of the torso 18 and each robot arm 15 so that each fastening string cutting device 1, while gripping the fastening string 2, changes the orientation of the object to be processed 4 and transfers it from the transport destination 112 to the temporary storage table 141. Specifically, as shown in Figures 11(A) to (D), the fastening cord cutting device 1, which is gripping the fastening cord 2, generates control signals for the torso 18 and each robot arm 15 to change the orientation of the object to be processed 4 from a state where the first surface 4a is horizontal to an upright state, and to change the position of the object to be processed 4 from the transport destination 112 to the temporary storage table 141.

[0127] Furthermore, the control signal generation unit 312 generates control signals to control the movement of each robot arm 15 so as to separate and retrieve the fastening strings 2 of the object to be processed 4 after they have been transferred to the temporary storage table 141 and the fastening strings 2 of the object to be processed have been cut. Specifically, as shown in Figures 12(A) to (D), control signals are generated for each robot arm 15 to move the fastening cord cutting device 1, which is gripping the fastening cord 2, upward to separate the cut fastening cord 2 from the fastened object 3 and remove it, and then move the separated fastening cord 2 to a handover position 23 to hand it over to the cord retrieval unit 38.

[0128] The retaining mechanism control unit 32 generates a control signal for controlling the first drive unit 72 of the retaining mechanism 75. The movement of the retaining plate 7 of the retaining mechanism 75 between the fixed position 71 and the released position 70 is controlled by the driving of the first drive unit 72 based on the control signal.

[0129] When fastening strings 2 are placed in the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22, the retaining mechanism control unit 32 controls the retaining mechanism 75 so that the retaining plate 7 moves from the release position 70 to the fixed position 71. Furthermore, after the fastening string 2 is grasped by the pressing plate 7 in the first placement area 21, the pressing mechanism control unit 32 controls the pressing mechanism 75 so that the pressing plate 7 is in the fixed position 71 until the transfer of the object to be processed 4, the cutting of the fastening string 2, the separation of the fastening string 2 from the object to be fastened 3, and the movement to the handover position 23 are completed. Then, when retrieving the fastening cord 2, the retaining mechanism control unit 32 controls the retaining mechanism 75 so that the retaining plate 7 moves from the fixed position 71 to the released position 70.

[0130] The movement of the retaining plate 7 from the release position 70 to the fixed position 71, and from the fixed position 71 to the release position 70, may be performed, for example, based on an input operation instruction from the control device 101 by the user. Alternatively, control signals for the holding mechanism 75 may be generated using image data from the optical camera 41 or movement information from the fastening cord cutting device 1.

[0131] The cutting mechanism control unit 33 generates a control signal to control the second drive unit 93 of the cutting mechanism 92. The movement of the cutting blade of the cutting mechanism 92 between the starting position 90 and the ending position 91 is controlled by the driving of the second drive unit 93 based on the control signal. The cutting blade 9 is located at the starting position 90 except when cutting a fastening cord. When cutting a fastening cord, the cutting blade 9 moves from the starting position 90 to the ending position 91. After cutting the fastening cord, it returns from the ending position 91 to the starting position 90.

[0132] The movement of the cutting blade 9 from the starting position 90 to the ending position 91, and from the ending position 91 to the starting position 90, may be performed, for example, based on user input instructions from the control device 101. Alternatively, control signals for the cutting mechanism 92 may be generated using image data from the optical camera 41 or movement information of the retaining plate 7.

[0133] <Method for processing objects fastened with fastening cords using a processing robot (processing device)> The processing method for objects to be processed, which are fastened with fastening cords using the processing robot 10, will be explained according to the processing steps in Figure 8. Figure 8 will mainly explain the processing related to the processing robot 10.

[0134] As shown in Figure 14, the processing robot 10 faces the transport destination 112 directly. When the object to be processed 4 is transported to the transport destination 112, imaging by the optical camera 41 and sensing by the height detection sensor 42 are started, and the sensing results are acquired by the control unit 30 of the processing robot 10 (S1).

[0135] Next, the control unit 30 uses the sensing results to detect positional information related to the object to be processed 4 (fastening string 2 and object to be fastened 3) (S2), and uses this positional information to generate control signals for each robot arm 15 and the torso 18 (S3).

[0136] The generated control signals are output to the arm drive units 35 of each robot arm 15 and the body drive unit of the body section 18, and each robot arm 15 and body section 18 operates based on the control signals. This allows the processes S4 to S9 described later to be carried out.

[0137] Following the flow shown in Figures 9(A) and (B), the fastening cord cutting device 1 moves and is inserted between the fastening cord 2 and the object to be fastened 3, and the fastening cord 2 is positioned in the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22 (S4, insertion step). At this time, the pressing plate 7 of the pressing mechanism 75 is in the release position 70.

[0138] When the fastening cord 2 is placed in the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22, as shown in Figure 9(C), the pressing plate 7 of the pressing mechanism 75 moves to the fixed position 71, and in the first placement area 21, the fastening cord 2 is sandwiched and fixed between the pressing plate 7 and the base portion 5, and the fastening cord 2 is gripped (S5, gripping step).

[0139] Next, as shown in Figure 11(A), the processing robot 10, with each of the two fastening strings 2 gripped by the pressing plates 7 of the right fastening string cutting device 1R and the left fastening string cutting device 1L, lifts the object to be processed 4 and changes the orientation of the object to be processed 4 so that the first surface 4a, which was horizontal, is upright, as shown in Figure 11(B). With the processing robot 10 gripping the object to be processed 4 in its changed orientation, the body 18 rotates 90° horizontally so that the processing robot 10 faces the temporary stand 141, as shown in Figure 11(C). Next, as shown in Figure 11(D), the processing robot 10 places the object to be processed 4, which is now upright, onto the temporary stand 141 while maintaining that orientation to the greatest extent possible. In this way, the processing robot 10 transfers the object to be processed 4 (S6, transfer process).

[0140] Next, the processing robot 10 cuts the fastening cord 2 by moving the cutting blade 9, as shown in Figures 12(A) and 13(A) (S7, cutting process). This cutting is the same as the operation flow of the fastening cord cutting device 1 used in Figures 5(B) and (C) described above. As shown in Figure 13(B), once the fastening cord 2 is cut, the grip of the fastening cord 2 by the retaining plate 7 is maintained in the first placement area 21, while the fastening cord 2 is separated from the second placement area 22 in the second placement area 22.

[0141] Next, as shown in Figure 12(B), the fastening cord cutting device 1 moves upward while maintaining grip of the fastening cord 2 by the retaining plate 7 in the first placement area 21, and pulls the fastening cord 2 away from the object to be fastened 3 (S8, pulling step).

[0142] Next, the fastening cord cutting device 1 moves upward to the transfer position 23 as shown in Figure 12(C), while maintaining the grip of the fastening cord 2 by the retaining plate 7 in the first placement area 21. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 12(D), it moves to the transfer position 23, where the grip of the fastening cord 2 by the retaining plate 7 in the first placement area 21 is released, and the fastening cord 2 is recovered by the cord recovery mechanism 39 (S9, recovery step). The cord recovery mechanism 39 includes a cord recovery section 38 for accommodating the cut fastening cord and a vacuum device (not shown) for sucking up the cut fastening cord 2 and accommodating it into the cord recovery section 38. Note that a vacuum device is not required; for example, only a box-shaped or bag-shaped cord recovery section for accommodating the fastening cord may be provided, and the grip of the fastening cord may be released above the cord recovery section, allowing the fastening cord to be recovered by free fall. However, from the viewpoint of more reliably recovering the fastening cord 2 into the cord recovery section 38, it is preferable to use a vacuum device for suction recovery.

[0143] <Effects and Effects> The effects and benefits of configuring the processing robot 10 as described above will be explained.

[0144] By using the fastening cord cutting device 1 on the processing robot 10, the processing robot 10 equipped with the fastening cord cutting device 1 can continuously perform not only the cutting process but also the separation and recovery processes.

[0145] In other words, when cutting the fastening cord, the fastening cord 2 is fixed by the retaining plate 7 in the first placement area 21 and its movement in the first direction is restricted by the notched groove 6 in the second placement area 22, thereby suppressing the occurrence of misalignment of the fastening cord 2 during cutting. Cutting is performed at the cutting position 20 between the first placement area 21 and the second placement area 22, which allows the fastening cord 2 to be cut more reliably and suppresses the occurrence of defective fastening cords 2. After the fastening cord 2 is cut, the restriction on the movement of the fastening cord 2 by the notched groove 6 is released, and the fastening cord 2 is fixed at one point by the retaining plate 7. Then, after cutting the fastening cord 2, while maintaining its fixation, the fastening cord 2 is pulled away from the object to be fastened 3, and a series of movements can be performed continuously until the pulled-away fastening cord 2 is moved to the handover position 23. Furthermore, the fastening cord can be recovered by releasing the fixation by the retaining plate 7 at the handover position 23. In this way, the processing robot 10 can perform the cutting, pulling away, and recovery of the fastening cord 2 in a continuous process.

[0146] Here, for example, one could consider a configuration in which the fastening cord is secured using two retaining plates. However, in this configuration, after the fastening cord is cut, the fixation by each of the two retaining plates remains. Therefore, when separating the fastening cord 2 from the object to be fastened 3, it becomes necessary to release the fixation by one of the retaining plates. In this case, for example, it becomes necessary to provide two retaining mechanisms so that the two retaining plates can be driven separately, which complicates the device configuration and makes it difficult to perform the cutting, separation, and retrieval processes continuously and quickly.

[0147] In contrast, in this embodiment, one of the two locations (first placement area and second placement area) for fixing the fastening cord during cutting is a notched groove (stepped section). With this configuration, the process of releasing the fixing of one of the pressing plates when separating the fastening cord, as in the case where two pressing plates are used as described above, becomes unnecessary, and the cutting, separation, and collection processes can be performed continuously and quickly, improving work efficiency.

[0148] Furthermore, in the processing system 100 described above, the fastening strings 2 are cut while the object to be processed 4 is in a position and orientation suitable for the box-making process. As a result, the object to be fastened 3, from which the fastening strings 2 have been removed from the temporary placement stand 141, is transported to the box-making process area 140 in a state suitable for the next process, the box-making process. This allows the cutting, separation, and recovery of the fastening strings 2, as well as the box-making process, to be carried out continuously and quickly, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, the transfer process to the temporary storage table 141 can also be performed by the processing robot 10 that performs the cutting, separating, and recovery processes. A single processing robot 10 can perform the transfer, cutting, separating, and recovery processes continuously, improving work efficiency.

[0149] <Other> Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0150] For example, in the processing system 100 described above, we explained using an object 4 to be processed as an example where two fastening strings 2 are positioned parallel to each other, but the system is not limited to this. Depending on the size of the object to be processed, there may be only one fastening string. In this case, the transfer process of the object to be processed by the fastening string cutting device 1 may be performed with one fastening string being gripped at one point by one fastening string cutting device 1.

[0151] In addition, the two fastening cords 2 may be tied in a cross knot on the object being processed. In this case, the transfer process of the object to be processed by the fastening cord cutting device 1 may be performed with one fastening cord cutting device 1 gripping one of the vertical or horizontal fastening cords at one point. In this case, after transfer, the grip on one fastening cord may be maintained, and the cutting, detachment, and retrieval of that fastening cord may be performed continuously. After that, the other fastening cord may be gripped using the same fastening cord cutting device 1, and the cutting, detachment, and retrieval may be performed continuously. Alternatively, the vertical and horizontal strings may be gripped by each of the two fastening string cutting devices 1. In the processing robot 10 described above, the position and orientation of the fastening string cutting devices 1 can be freely changed, so the position and orientation of each of the two fastening string cutting devices 1 can be set so that the first direction of the fastening string cutting device 1 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fastening string 2 to be scooped up. In this case, after transfer, each fastening string cutting device 1 may continuously cut, detach, and recover the fastening string while maintaining its grip on the fastening string.

[0152] In the processing system 100 described above, the destination for transferring the object to be processed 4 is shown to be a temporary storage table 141, but it could also be a transfer device such as equipment for the next process or a conveyor. Furthermore, the process after cutting is not limited to the box-making process. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0153] 1, 1A... Fastening cord cutting device 2… Fastening cord 3…Object to be fastened 4. Objects to be processed (objects fastened with fastening cords) 5...Base section 5a...One end 5b...Other end 5d... Top surface of the base 6… Notched groove (stepped section) 7…Pressing plate (fixing component) 9…Cutting blade 10… Processing robot (processing device) 20…Cutting position 21…First deployment area 22…Second deployment area 30…Control Unit 51…Insertion tip 70…Release position 71…Fixed position 90... Starting point 91...Terminal position

Claims

1. A fastening cord cutting device capable of cutting a fastening cord used to fasten an object at the cutting position, An insertion tip portion is provided at one end, which is the end in one direction along the first direction, A first arrangement area and a second arrangement area are provided on the upper surface of the other end, which is the end in the other direction along the first direction, and are spaced apart along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, with the cutting position in between. It has, The fastening cord is inserted between the object to be fastened and the fastening cord, starting from the insertion tip, so that the fastening cord is positioned in the first and second placement areas. The base part, A cutting blade oriented in one direction along the first direction and movable between a starting position and an ending position spaced apart in the first direction with respect to the cutting position, A fixing member that is movable between a fixing position for fixing the fastening cord to the first placement area when the fastening cord is placed in the first placement area, and a release position for releasing the fastening cord from the first placement area, A stepped portion provided on the base portion, which restricts the movement of the fastening cord in one direction along the first direction when the fastening cord is positioned in the second arrangement area, A fastening cord cutting device equipped with the following:

2. The base portion is The aforementioned insertion tip portion, A platform having the first placement area and the second placement area, A side wall portion is provided on the opposite side of the insertion tip portion along the first direction, with the aforementioned mounting base in between, and extends upward from the mounting base. It has, The side wall portion is adjacent to the first arrangement area and the second arrangement area. The fastening cord cutting device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned placement stand includes a first arm having the first placement area and a second arm having the second placement area. The first arm and the second arm are spaced apart along the second direction. The fastening cord cutting device according to claim 2.

4. The mounting base further includes a connecting portion that connects one end of the first arm along the first direction with one end of the second arm along the first direction. The connecting portion is connected to the insertion tip portion. The fastening cord cutting device according to claim 3.

5. A fastening cord cutting device according to claim 1 or 2, A control unit that controls the movement of the fastening cord cutting device and A processing apparatus comprising the following:

6. It is further equipped with a robotic arm, The fastening cord cutting device is attached to the tip of the robot arm. The apparatus according to claim 5.

7. A method for processing objects fastened with fastening cords, using the processing apparatus described in claim 5, Insertion step of inserting the fastening cord cutting device, which is inserted from the insertion tip between the object to be fastened and the fastening cord, and moves to position the fastening cord in the first and second placement areas, A gripping step in which the fixing member is moved to the fixing position, the fastening string is fixed to the first placement area with the fixing member and the fastening string is gripped, With the fastening string being held by the fixing member, a transfer step is performed in which the object fastened with the fastening string is moved by the fastening string cutting device so that its position and orientation are changed. After changing the position and orientation of the object fastened with the fastening cord, the cutting blade is moved while the fastening cord is held in place by the fixing member to cut the fastening cord. A method for handling objects fastened with a fastening cord equipped with the following features.

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