Dispensing method and dispensing device

Abstract

To provide a delivery method and delivery device capable of preventing unnecessary folding of a corrugated cardboard sheet when a sheet stack made by folding a long corrugated cardboard sheet in an accordion-like shape is delivered to a downstream process. The method includes: arranging a sheet stack formed by repeating mountain folds and valley folds of a plurality of sheet segments so that the sheet segments of the sheet stack are aligned in a vertical direction; a feeding step of feeding sheet segments in order from the front, which is one horizontal end of the sheet stack. In the sending step, The sheet stack is preferably inclined from the front toward the rear, which is the other end in the horizontal direction, and the sheet segments are preferably fed while maintaining this inclined position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for unwrapping a long cardboard sheet folded in a bellows shape and feeding it out toward a downstream process.

Background Art

[0002] A cardboard box is manufactured by folding and assembling a box blank (hereinafter simply referred to as a blank) cut out from a cardboard sheet into a predetermined shape. The blank is usually cut out from a single cardboard sheet and is produced by making slits and ruled lines at necessary locations.

[0003] In recent years, there has been a high demand for manufacturing cardboard boxes of different dimensions to accommodate various shapes and sizes of packages, and on-demand multi-variety and small-lot packaging has been realized. In response to this, it has been proposed, for example, in Patent Document 1 to prepare a long cardboard sheet and feed out only the necessary length when necessary to cut out a blank of the desired dimension.

[0004] The feeding device disclosed in Patent Document 1 pulls out a cardboard sheet from a sheet laminate in which a long cardboard sheet is folded in a bellows shape and feeds it out toward a downstream process, such as a blank manufacturing device. This sheet laminate is formed into a bellows shape by repeatedly folding the plurality of sheet segments in a mountain fold and a valley fold. In the sheet laminate used in the device of Patent Document 1, the sheet segments are laminated in the vertical direction, and feeding is performed from the upper layer sheet segment. Patent Document 1 discloses that a rotating body having a triangular cross section supported at a position higher than the height of the sheet laminate rotates while contacting the back surface of the cardboard sheet, so that the sheet segment is fed out from the upper layer of the sheet laminate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] In Patent Document 1, the corrugated cardboard sheet is pulled from a high position where the rotating body is placed to a lower position where it is fed out. At this time, because the sheet segments are locked to the rotating body, when the tensile force required for feeding is applied, strong bending stress is generated in the sheet segments. Therefore, there is a risk that the sheet segments will fold in places other than the original folds. Corrugated cardboard boxes made from blanks containing such unnecessary folds cannot be handled as products.

[0007] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide a delivery method and delivery device that can prevent unnecessary bending of sheet segments when a sheet laminate, which is made by folding a long corrugated cardboard sheet in an accordion-like manner, is delivered to a downstream process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The transmission method relating to this disclosure is: The arrangement step involves arranging a sheet laminate, which is composed of multiple sheet segments that repeatedly undergo mountain and valley folds, so that the sheet segments are aligned in the vertical direction. The system includes a feeding step in which sheet segments are fed out sequentially from the front, which is one of the horizontal ends of the sheet stack.

[0009] The transmission device relating to this disclosure is A conveyor path through which a sheet stack, composed of multiple sheet segments repeatedly folded in mountain and valley folds, is transported from the upstream side to the downstream side, A support structure positioned downstream of the transport path, which supports the sheet stack so that the sheet segments are aligned vertically in the direction V, It is equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this disclosure, when a sheet segment is fed along the vertical direction, the bending stress generated in the sheet segment is small. Therefore, as long as the applied tensile force is not excessively large, it is possible to prevent the sheet segment from bending. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing a delivery device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing a delivery device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a six-view drawing showing the inverting buckets that constitute the delivery device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] These are a front view (FV), a side view (SV), and a top view (PV) showing the transport vehicle that constitutes the delivery device according to the embodiment, as well as a front view (FV) and a top view (PV) showing the transport vehicle with the pins removed. [Figure 5] This figure shows the procedure for a dispensing method using the dispensing device according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] Following Figure 5, this figure shows the procedure of the transmission method according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] Following Figure 6, this figure shows the procedure of the transmission method according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows the connection between the preceding sheet laminate and the subsequent sheet laminate according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows the process of sending out the goods according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] Following Figure 9, this figure shows the feeding process according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the transmission method relating to the first modified example. [Figure 12] This figure shows the second modified example of the dispensing method. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, a sheet sending method and a sending device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment, the sheet segments SS are sequentially sent out from a sheet laminate SL in which the sheet segments SS are arranged along the vertical direction V. Further, in the embodiment, by connecting a plurality of sheet laminates SL, continuous sheet segments SS can be sent out. In the present disclosure, the sheet laminate SL is formed by folding a long cardboard sheet in a bellows shape by repeating mountain folds and valley folds. That is, the cardboard sheet is positioned as an aggregate of a plurality of sheet segments SS. Further, "along" in the present disclosure has a meaning including the case of a general overview. For example, taking "along the vertical direction V" as an example, it is not limited to the case of being parallel to the vertical direction V, and even if it is inclined by about 15° with respect to the vertical direction V, it corresponds to "along" in the present disclosure. Hereinafter, after describing the sending device 1 that is preferable for performing the sending method of the present embodiment, the sending method will be described.

[0013] [Overall configuration of the sending device 1: Refer to FIGS. 1 and 2] The sending device 1 includes an inversion bucket 10 that inverts the posture of the sheet laminate SL in the receiving region RA, and a first transport unit 20 that transports the sheet laminate SL whose posture has been inverted by the inversion bucket 10 toward the downstream DS sending region DA. Further, the sending device 1 includes a second transport unit 30 that transports the sheet laminate SL from the receiving region RA toward the downstream DS, and a transport gantry 40 through which the sheet laminate SL is transported from the upstream US toward the downstream DS. A sending roller 61 for sending out the sheet laminate SL is provided downstream DS of the transport gantry 40, and the sheet segments SS of the sheet laminate SL are sent out toward the downstream DS while being sandwiched by the sending roller 61. Further, the sending device 1 includes a control unit 50 that controls the operations of the inversion bucket 10, the first transport unit 20, the second transport unit 30, and the sending roller 61.

[0014] In the delivery device 1, an upstream US, a downstream DS, and a conveyance direction TD from the upstream US toward the downstream DS are defined as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, in the delivery device 1, a longitudinal direction X, a width direction Y, and a height direction Z are defined as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The longitudinal direction X is parallel to the horizontal direction H, and the height direction Z is parallel to the vertical direction V.

[0015] [Inverting bucket 10: Refer to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5] The inverting bucket 10 receives the sheet laminate SL in the receiving area RA and rotates by approximately 90° together with the received sheet laminate SL to invert the posture of the sheet laminate SL. Note that the sheet segment SS in the sheet laminate SL when received by the inverting bucket 10 is along the horizontal direction H, and the sheet segment SS in the sheet laminate SL after the inverting bucket 10 has inverted is along the vertical direction V. Note that the inverting bucket 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2 shows the state after rotating by approximately 90°.

[0016] The inverting bucket 10 includes a bucket assembly 11 that supports the sheet laminate SL in the rotating direction, and a drive source 15 that rotates the bucket assembly 11. The drive source 15 selectively executes a forward rotation operation, a reverse rotation operation, and an operation stop according to an instruction from the control unit 50.

[0017] [Bucket assembly 11: Refer to FIGS. 2, 3, and 5] The bucket assembly 11 comprises a first support 11A, a second support 11B connected to the first support 11A at an obtuse angle, and a side body 11D provided on one side of the bucket assembly 11 in the width direction Y, straddling the space between the first support 11A and the second support 11B. The first support 11A and the second support 11B have a roughly L-shape when viewed from the side. Both the first support 11A and the second support 11B are flattened, but the second support 11B has a rectangular notch 11C formed in the center in the width direction Y. The notch 11C is provided to avoid interference between a part of the transport frame 40 and the second support 11B. The side body 11D closes one side of the bucket assembly 11 in the width direction Y. In the bucket assembly 11, the portion facing the side body 11D in the width direction Y is open. The sheet laminate SL is placed on the first support 11A through this open portion.

[0018] When the bucket assembly 11 receives the sheet stack SL, the first support 11A is positioned along the longitudinal direction X and the second support 11B along the height direction Z (Figure 5 S11). At this time, the sheet stack SL is resting on the first support 11A, but is abutted against the second support 11B at the rear R. At this time, the sheet stack SL is abutted against the side body 11D in the width direction Y. This positions the sheet stack SL in the longitudinal direction X and the width direction Y.

[0019] After receiving the sheet stack SL, the bucket assembly 11 is rotated so that the first support 11A is aligned with the vertical direction V and the second support 11B is aligned with the horizontal direction H (Figure 5 S12, S13). As a result, the sheet stack SL is supported from below in the height direction Z by the second support 11B and supported from the rear R in the longitudinal direction X by the first support 11A. Since the first support 11A and the second support 11B form an obtuse angle, for example 95°, the inverted sheet stack SL is tilted toward the rear R towards the first support 11A at an angle of 95° with respect to the horizontal direction H. This tilted posture of the sheet stack SL is called the rearward tilt posture, and the sheet segments SS are fed out from the sheet stack SL while this rearward tilt posture is maintained.

[0020] [Drive source 15] The drive source 15 has its drive shaft 16 connected to the side body 11D, and its rotational driving force is transmitted to the side body 11D. The position where the drive shaft 16 is connected to the side body 11D is arbitrary; for example, the drive shaft 16 can be placed at the intersection of the first support 11A and the second support 11B. However, since the part facing the side body 11D needs to be left open in order to place the sheet stack SL onto the bucket assembly 11, a cantilever structure is adopted to connect the drive shaft 16 to the side body 11D. By placing this drive shaft 16 near the center of the side body 11D, the turning radius of the bucket assembly 11 can be reduced, and thus the longitudinal dimension X of the delivery device 1 can be reduced.

[0021] [First transport unit 20: See Figures 1, 2, and 4] Next, the first transport unit 20 will be described. The first transport unit 20 is capable of reciprocating between the upstream US and the downstream DS along the longitudinal direction X of the transport frame 40. The first transport unit 20 transports the sheet laminate SL, which is placed in the receiving area RA, toward the downstream DS. Moving from the upstream US toward the downstream DS is referred to as forward movement, and moving from the downstream DS toward the upstream US is referred to as backward movement.

[0022] The first transport unit 20 includes a first transport vehicle 21 that pushes and transports the sheet stack SL from the upstream US to the downstream DS, a rail 26A on which the first transport vehicle 21 travels when moving back and forth, and a drive mechanism 27 that moves the first transport vehicle 21 back and forth.

[0023] [First transport vehicle 21: See Figure 4] The first transport vehicle 21 comprises a frame 22, wheels 23 rotatably supported at the lower end of the frame 22, and a plurality of pins 25A, 25B, and 25C, for example three pins, that are detachably attached to the frame 22. The frame 22 comprises a pair of vertical members 22A extending in the height direction Z, and a horizontal member 22B connecting the pair of vertical members 22A at their lower ends. Above the horizontal member 22B, the frame 22 includes a plurality of support members 22C1, 22C2, and 22C3 connecting the pair of vertical members 22A. The support members 22C1, 22C2, and 22C3 are positioned symmetrically with respect to support member 22C2 as the center.

[0024] Pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are detachably attached to each of the support members 22C1, 22C2, and 22C3, respectively. Pins 25A, 25B, and 25C support the sheet stack SL from the rear R when the first transport vehicle 21 transports the sheet stack SL. As mentioned above, the sheet stack SL supported by pins 25A, 25B, and 25C is in a rearward-tilting position, so the line segment LN connecting pins 25A, 25B, and 25C is inclined with respect to the height direction Z (vertical direction V). The inclination θ of the line segment LN with respect to the height direction Z is, for example, 5°. In this case, the angle of the rearward-tilting position of the sheet stack SL is 95° with respect to the horizontal direction H. 95° is merely a preferred example, and the inclination θ is set individually according to the specifications such as the dimensions of the sheet stack SL, but it is preferable to select from the range of greater than 0° and less than or equal to 10°. In this case, the angle of the rearward-tilting position is greater than 90° and less than or equal to 110°. The positional relationships, such as the height Z, described for the first transport vehicle 21 are those when the first transport vehicle 21 is placed on the transport frame 40.

[0025] [Rail 26A: See Figures 1 and 2] The rail 26A in the first transport section 20 is provided on one side (LS) of the transport frame 40 when viewed from above, extending almost the entire length from the upstream US to the downstream DS in the longitudinal direction X. The first transport vehicle 21 moves forward on this rail 26A from the rear R to the front F, or backward from the front F to the rear R.

[0026] [Drive mechanism 27: See Figure 2] The drive mechanism 27 moves the first transport vehicle 21 by applying forward or backward driving force to it. The specific structure of the drive mechanism 27 is arbitrary as long as it can perform this function, but as an example, a belt 27A forming an endless track is fixed to the first transport vehicle 21. The belt 27A is wrapped around a pair of pulleys 27B (however, these are hidden and not visible in the upstream US). One of the pair of pulleys 27B is connected to a drive source, such as a rotating electric machine (not shown), and constitutes the main pulley, while the other is supported so as to be able to rotate freely and constitutes the driven pulley. The drive source moves forward, backward, and stops moving according to the instructions of the control unit 50. In addition to belt drive, a drive mechanism using, for example, a ball screw can also be used. Note that the drive mechanism 27 is omitted in Figure 2.

[0027] In this embodiment, an example is described in which the drive mechanism 27 is provided separately from the first transport vehicle 21, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the first transport vehicle 21 may be provided with a drive source to rotate the wheels 23 and move forward and backward. This first transport vehicle 21 can be described as self-propelled.

[0028] [Second transport unit 30: See Figures 1, 2, and 4] The second transport unit 30 receives the sheet stack SL being transported by the first transport unit 20 and transports it forward F. In other words, since the second transport unit 30 and the first transport unit 20 operate in the same way, the basic configuration of the second transport unit 30 can also be the same as that of the first transport unit 20. Accordingly, for the second transport unit 30, the same components as those of the first transport unit 20 are denoted by reference numerals, following the example of the first transport unit 20.

[0029] In the second transport section 30, the rail 26B is provided on the other side (RS) when viewing the transport frame 40 from above, and its length in the longitudinal direction X is shorter than that of the rail 26A in the first transport section 20. This difference in length in the longitudinal direction X is based on the fact that the first transport vehicle 21 in the second transport section 30 travels a shorter distance than that in the first transport section 20.

[0030] Furthermore, the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C in the first transport section 20 protrude from one LS to the other RS, while the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C in the second transport section 30 protrude from the other RS ​​to the one LS. The positions of the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C in the first transport section 20 and the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C in the second transport section 30 are offset in the height direction Z so that the first transport vehicle 21 and the second transport vehicle 31 do not interfere with each other at the same position in the longitudinal direction X (Figure 6 S21).

[0031] [Transport platform 40: See Figures 1 and 2] Next, we will explain the transport stand 40. The transport platform 40 includes a receiving area RA that receives the sheet stack SL to be transported, a delivery area DA that sequentially sends out sheet segments SS from the sheet stack SL, and a transport area CA provided between the receiving area RA and the delivery area DA where the sheet stack SL is transported.

[0032] Furthermore, the transport frame 40 holds the inversion bucket 10, the first transport section 20, and the second transport section 30. When the inversion bucket 10 receives the sheet stack SL in the receiving area RA, it inverts its orientation, preparing it for transport of the sheet stack SL by the transport area CA. At this point, the first transport cart 21 is positioned so that the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C support the rear R side of the sheet stack SL, and the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached to the first transport cart 21. By moving the positioned first transport cart 21 forward, the sheet stack SL is transported towards the front F of the transport area CA. The multiple sheet segments SS constituting the sheet stack SL that have been transported to the discharge area DA are sequentially discharged for the next process. In this way, a series of operations and tasks related to the discharge of sheet segments SS from the sheet stack SL are performed on the transport frame 40.

[0033] [Control unit 50: See Figure 1] The control unit 50 controls the operation of the drive sources for the inversion bucket 10, the first transport unit 20, and the second transport unit 30, thereby automatically executing a series of operations related to the delivery of sheet segments SS from the sheet stack SL. The control unit 50 is composed of a computer device. However, in this disclosure, it is not necessarily required to provide a control unit 50 that automatically executes the operation. In other words, the inversion bucket 10, the first transport unit 20, and the second transport unit 30 may be operated according to the instructions of the operator involved in feeding out the sheet stack SL, or another operator.

[0034] [Feed-out operation: See Figures 5-7] Next, a series of procedures related to the delivery of sheet segments SS from the sheet stack SL will be explained with reference to Figures 5 to 7. The operation described includes the following first step (S1) to third step (S3). In the following, to distinguish between the multiple sheet stacks SL that appear, a number indicating the order in which they appear will be added after the sheet stack SL. Note that in Figures 5 to 7, only the minimum elements necessary for explaining the operation of the delivery device 1 are shown. For example, in the case of the first transport cart 21, the illustration of the first transport cart 21 may be omitted, and only pins 25A, 25B, and 25C may be shown (e.g., Figure 5 S13). The same applies to the second transport cart 31 (e.g., Figure 6 S21).

[0035] Step 1 (Figure 5): The sheet laminate SL1 to be newly fed is received in the receiving area RA and then transported to the feeding area DA. Sheet laminate SL1 is an example of a prior sheet laminate in this disclosure. Step 2 (Figure 6): While feeding out sheet segments SS from sheet laminate SL1, the sheet laminate SL2, which will be fed out next after sheet laminate SL1, is received. Sheet laminate SL2 is an example of a subsequent sheet laminate for sheet laminate SL1, and an example of a preceding sheet laminate for sheet laminate SL3. Step 3 (Figure 7): The sheet laminate SL3, which will be the next to be fed, is received and transported towards the feeding area DA. Sheet laminate SL3 is an example of a subsequent sheet laminate to sheet laminate SL2.

[0036] [Step 1 S1: See Figure 5] <s11>: The bucket assembly 11 of the inverting bucket 10 awaits the sheet stack SL1 in a receiving position with the first support 11A aligned with the horizontal direction H. The first transport vehicle 21 of the first transport unit 20 is waiting at point P1 in the receiving area RA, but the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C have been removed. The second transport vehicle 31 of the second transport unit 30 is waiting at point P2 to receive the sheet stack SL1 being transported by the first transport vehicle 21. The pins 35A, 35B, and 35C have also been removed from the second transport vehicle 31. <s12>: The sheet stack SL1 is placed on the first support 11A of the bucket assembly 11 in the receiving position. The sheet stack SL1 is stored, for example, on six cardboard blocks PL, and is transported to the bucket assembly 11 together with the blocks PL by a forklift.

[0037] <s13>: After receiving the sheet stack SL1 along with the block PL, the inverting bucket 10 is inverted from the receiving position (S11, S12) to a delivery position where the second support 11B is aligned with the horizontal direction H. Because the first support 11A and the second support 11B form an obtuse angle, the inverted sheet stack SL1 takes a backward-tilted position corresponding to the inclination of the first support 11A with respect to the height direction Z. After inversion, pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are inserted into the gaps between the block PLs, and the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached to the first transport vehicle 21. The sheet laminate SL1 is then supported by the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C. After the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached, the block PLs are removed. The block PLs are positioned to avoid the attachment points of the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C to the first transport vehicle 21. <s14>: After pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached, the first transport vehicle 21 is moved forward, causing the sheet stack SL1 to be transported towards the front F. During this time, the bucket assembly 11 is reversed from the delivery position to the receiving position.

[0038] [Step 2 S2: See Figure 6] <s21>: The first transport vehicle 21 (only pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are shown) transports the sheet laminate SL1 to point P2. At this point, pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are attached to the second transport vehicle 31. Pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are painted black to make them easily distinguishable from pins 25A, 25B, and 25C. At the time of attachment, pins 35A, 35B, and 35C do not need to be in contact with the rear end R1 of the sheet laminate SL1. On the other hand, pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are in contact with the rear end R1 because they have transported the sheet laminate SL1 up to this point. After this, pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are removed from the first transport vehicle 21.

[0039] <s22>: Sheet segments SS are sequentially fed out from the sheet stack SL, which is supported by pins 35A, 35B, and 35C (second transport vehicle 31). As the sheet segments SS are fed out, pins 35A, 35B, and 35C (second transport vehicle 31) move forward. With pins 25A, 25B, and 25C removed, the first transport vehicle 21 moves backward towards point P1. <s23>: While the sheet segments SS continue to be fed from the sheet stack SL1, the first transport vehicle 21 reverses to point P1, after which the sheet stack SL2 is placed in the inverting bucket 10. <s24>: While the sheet segments SS continue to be fed from the sheet stack SL1, the sheet stack SL2 is inverted together with the inversion bucket 10. Pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are attached to the first transport vehicle 21, causing the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C to be inserted between the first support 11A and the rear end R1 of the sheet stack SL2.

[0040] [Step 3 S3: See Figure 7] <s31>: Pins 25A, 25B, and 25C (first transport vehicle 21) advance the sheet stack SL2 toward the sheet stack SL1. When the rear end R1 of sheet stack SL1 and the front end F2 of sheet stack SL2 are at a predetermined distance from each other, the rear sheet segment SS of sheet stack SL1 and the leading sheet segment SS of sheet stack SL2 are connected. The specific procedure for this connection will be described later. <s32>: Once the connection between sheet stack SL1 and sheet stack SL2 is complete, pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are removed from the second transport vehicle 31, and the second transport vehicle 31 moves backward to a position R behind sheet stack SL2. The sheet stack SL3, which will be sent out after the sheet stack SL2, is placed in the inverted bucket 10, which is positioned as the receiving bucket.

[0041] <s33>: When the second transport vehicle 31 moves backward R beyond the sheet stack SL2, the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C are attached to the second transport vehicle 31. This allows the pins 35A, 35B, and 35C (transport vehicle 31) to transport the sheet stack SL2 forward F. The sheet stack SL3 is inverted together with the bucket assembly 11 to assume the delivery position. <s34>: As the second transport vehicle 31 moves forward, pins 35A, 35B, and 35C advance the sheet stacks SL1 and SL2. During this time, the sheet segments SS continue to be fed out from the sheet stack SL1. The sheet stack SL3 is pushed forward F by pins 25A, 25B, 25C (first transport vehicle 21) and transported toward the sheet stack SL2. The sheet stack SL3 is transported forward F until it reaches a predetermined distance from the sheet stack SL2. Once it reaches the predetermined distance, the rear sheet segment SS of the sheet stack SL2 is connected to the leading sheet segment SS of the sheet stack SL3. Here, an example is shown in which pins 25A, 25B, 25C (first transport vehicle 21) retreat upstream US to accommodate the following sheet stack SL3, but it is also possible to push the sheet stack SL2 toward the sheet stack SL1 together with pins 35A, 35B, 35C.

[0042] Thereafter, the process of feeding out sheet segments SS from sheet stacks SL1, SL2, etc., and replenishing sheet stacks SL4, ..., and SLn, which are newly subject to feeding, is repeated in the same procedure as described above.

[0043] [Connection procedure for sheet stack SL1 and sheet stack SL2: See Figure 8] Next, with reference to Figure 8, the procedure for connecting the preceding sheet stack SL1 and the subsequent sheet stack SL2 will be explained. Note that the components of the delivery device 1 will be mentioned below, but their illustration in Figure 8 is omitted. <S41,S42> : When the sheet stacks SL1 and SL2 are spaced at a distance suitable for connection work, the rear sheet segment SS1 of sheet stack SL1 and the front sheet segment SS2 of sheet stack SL2 are unloaded onto the transport path 41 of the transport frame 40, aligning them at the same position in the height direction Z. At this point, sheet segments SS1 and SS2 are close enough to be joined together with a joining member, such as adhesive tape.

[0044] When unwinding the sheet segment SS1 from the sheet laminate SL1, the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are removed from the second transport vehicle 31 so as not to interfere with the process. However, after the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C are removed, the sheet laminate SL1, excluding the sheet segment SS1, may tip over towards the rear R. Therefore, it is preferable to use a member to temporarily support the rear R end of the sheet laminate SL1 after the pins 25A, 25B, and 25C have been removed.

[0045] <S43,S44> : If sheet segment SS1 and sheet segment SS2 are joined together, for example with adhesive tape TP, then sheet segment SS1 and sheet segment SS2 are lifted up to form a mountain shape. After sheet segment SS1 and sheet segment SS2 form a V-shape, the first transport vehicle 21 is advanced to narrow the gap between sheet stack SL2 and sheet stack SL1. Remove pins 35A, 35B, and 35C from the second transport vehicle 31, and move the second transport vehicle 31 back to the position of the first transport vehicle 21. Once the second transport vehicle 31 has moved back to the position of the first transport vehicle 21, attach pins 35A, 35B, and 35C to the second transport vehicle 31, and then remove pins 25A, 25B, and 25C from the first transport vehicle 21.

[0046] <s45>: The first transport vehicle 21 integrates sheet laminates SL1 and SL2 and transports them forward F. The second transport vehicle 31 prepares to receive the next sheet stack SL3.

[0047] [Feeding operation of sheet segment SS: Figures 9 and 10] Next, with reference to Figure 9, the behavior of the sheet segments SS when they are fed out of the sheet stack SL will be explained. Here, we will explain an example (S51) in which the process starts with the leading edge of the first sheet segment SS01 in contact with the transport path 41 of the transport frame 40. In Figures 9 and 10, sheet segments SS02 to SS04, which will be described later, are continuous with sheet segment SS01, and the sheet laminate SL is integrally formed by the segments from sheet segment SS01 onward.

[0048] <s52> When sheet segment SS01 is fed forward F, sheet segment SS02 is also fed, pulled by sheet segment SS01. The position of the connection point CP1 between sheet segment SS01 and sheet segment SS02 in the height direction Z gradually decreases. At this time, a bending stress BF is generated around the center of gravity G of sheet segment SS01. The connection point CP2 between sheet segment SS02 and sheet segment SS03 is in contact with the transport path 41, and a frictional force FF is generated at the connection point CP2.

[0049] Here, the factors that cause bending stress BF around the center of gravity G of sheet segment SS01 are the tensile force TS and the frictional force FF generated at the connection point CP2 in the opposite direction. However, the frictional force FF is due to the weight of sheet segments SS01 and SS02 and is minor, so the bending stress BF is also minor. Therefore, unless the tensile force TS is unnecessarily large, bending stress BF will not cause the sheet segment SS01 to break.

[0050] <s53> As the feed continues, when sheet segments SS01 and SS02 become parallel to the transport path 41, that is, nearly horizontal, and the tensile force TS in the horizontal direction H of sheet segments SS01 and SS02 exceeds the frictional force FF at the connection point CP2, the connection point CP2 of sheet segments SS02 and SS03 is pulled upward.

[0051] <s54> When sheet segments SS01 and SS02 are horizontally parallel, the tensile force TS is maximized, and a counterclockwise rotational force is generated in sheet segment SS03 around the connection point CP3 between sheet segments SS03 and SS04, as shown in the diagram. As a result, the connection point CP2 between sheet segments SS02 and SS03 may lift up.

[0052] <s55> As the feed continues, the tensile force TS in the horizontal direction H becomes greater than the rotational force of the sheet segment SS03, and the sheet segment SS03 is fed downstream DS. Thereafter, by repeating the procedure described above, the mountain folds and valley folds of the sheet segments SS in the sheet laminate SL are unfolded and sequentially sent down towards the downstream DS.

[0053] [Effects of the Embodiment] The sheet laminate SL to be fed out, when fed out using a feeding device 1 and a feeding method performed by the feeding device 1, in which the sheet segments SS constituting the sheet laminate SL are arranged along the vertical direction V, will have the following effects. [First effect: Prevents bending of sheet segment SS] According to the feeding method of this disclosure, when feeding out a sheet segment SS along the vertical direction V, the bending stress BF generated in the sheet segment SS is small. Therefore, unless the tensile force TS is made excessively large, the sheet segment SS will not bend.

[0054] [Second effect: Ease of connecting the front and rear seat segments SS] According to the transmission method of this disclosure, the sheet segment SS is aligned with the vertical direction V. As a result, when the sheet segments SS1 and SS2 of both the preceding sheet stack SL1 and the following sheet stack SL2 are unfolded, they can be placed side by side in close proximity to the transport path 41. Therefore, according to the delivery method of this disclosure, the sheet segments SS of the preceding and succeeding sheet stacks SL1 and SL2 can be connected while they remain in the transport path 41. This means that the following effects can be achieved. Firstly, unlike in Patent Document 1, there is no need to raise or lower either the sheet laminate SL1 or the sheet laminate SL2. Also, the transport path 41 can be set at a relatively low position for easier operation. Furthermore, since the sheet segment SS1 and the sheet segment SS2 can be directly connected, there is no need to provide a section corresponding to the joint section in Patent Document 1.

[0055] [Third effect: Leaning posture (95°)] According to the feeding method of this disclosure, sheet segments SS are fed from the sheet stack SL in a backward-tilting position. This allows sheet segments SS to be fed sequentially one by one from the sheet stack SL. For example, if the sheet segments SS are not in a backward-tilting position and are parallel to the vertical direction V, there is a risk of double feeding occurring as the leading sheet segment SS is fed, causing subsequent sheet segments SS to fall forward F. By adopting a backward-tilting position, double feeding can be prevented simply by providing a second transport vehicle 31 that is tilted. In this disclosure, it is preferable to position the sheet laminate SL in a rearward-tilting position. For example, even if the sheet segment SS is parallel to the vertical direction V, the double feeding of the sheet segment SS can be prevented by supporting the upper end of the sheet segment SS toward the rearward R.

[0056] [Fourth effect: Inverted bucket 10] According to the delivery method of this disclosure, the orientation of the sheet stack SL can be changed so that the sheet segments SS are aligned in the vertical direction V by inverting the sheet stack SL received by the inverting bucket 10. In this case, the sheet laminate SL in its manufactured state has sheet segments SS in a position parallel to the horizontal direction H, and is stored in this position. Therefore, according to the delivery method of this disclosure, even sheet laminates SL in conventional storage positions can be subject to the delivery method of this disclosure.

[0057] [Fifth effect: First transport vehicle 21, second transport vehicle 31] According to the delivery method and delivery device of this disclosure, by providing two first transport vehicles 21 and second transport vehicles 31, it is possible to deliver sheet segments SS from a preceding sheet stack SL while simultaneously replenishing subsequent sheet stacks SL. This enables continuous delivery of sheet segments SS.

[0058] In addition to the ability to insert and remove pins 25A, 25B, and 25C in the first transport vehicle 21, the ability to insert and remove pins 35A, 35B, and 35C in the second transport vehicle 31. As a result, by simply inserting and removing pins 25A, 25B, and 25C, the sheet laminate SL can be transported while avoiding interference between the first transport vehicle 21 and the second transport vehicle 31 and the sheet laminate SL.

[0059] While preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments and can be modified. An example is shown below. [First modified example: Figure 11] The delivery device 1 described above sequentially performs the following steps: inverting the orientation of the received sheet laminate SL, transporting the sheet laminate SL to the delivery position, and delivering the segment SS from the sheet laminate SL. However, the delivery method according to this disclosure is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in Figure 11, the sheet laminate SL can be received and transported with the sheet segment SS aligned with the vertical direction V before delivery can be performed. Although not shown in the figures, this disclosure can also deliver the sheet segment SS at the same time as the sheet laminate SL is received with the sheet segment SS aligned with the vertical direction V. In these modified examples, the transport vehicle 31 can enjoy the first effect described above by using the support of the delivery device of this disclosure.

[0060] [Second variation] The delivery device 1 described above connects the preceding sheet stack SL and the subsequent sheet stack SL in the transport path 41. However, according to the delivery method of this disclosure, as shown in Figure 12, sheet segments SS1 and SS2, both aligned in the vertical direction V, can also be connected, for example, with adhesive tape.

[0061] [Note] The transmission method and transmission apparatus disclosed above can be understood as follows. [Note 1] A sheet laminate (SL) is composed of multiple sheet segments (SS) that are repeatedly folded in mountain and valley directions, and the sheet laminate (SL) is arranged such that the sheet segments (SS) are aligned in the vertical direction (V), A feeding method comprising a feeding step of feeding out sheet segments (SS) sequentially from the front (F), which is one end of the sheet stack (SL) in the horizontal direction (H).

[0062] [Note 2] In the transmission step in Appendix 1, The sheet laminate (SL) is inclined from the front (F) towards the rear (R), which is the other end in the horizontal direction (H), and it is preferable that the sheet segments (SS) are fed out while maintaining this inclined posture.

[0063] [Note 3] In Appendix 2, the inclination is preferably greater than 90° and less than or equal to 110° with respect to the horizontal direction (H).

[0064] [Note 4] In the transmission step in any of the appendices 1 to 3, It is preferable that the sheet segments (SS) are fed out while the mountain folds and valley folds are unfolded.

[0065] [Note 5] In any of the appendices 1 to 4, The system includes a transport step in which the sheet stack (SL) placed in the placement step is transported through a transport path (41) to the delivery area (DA), In the placement step, The sheet laminate (SL) is placed in the receiving area (RA). In the transport step, The sheet stack (SL) is transported from the receiving area (RA) to the sending area (DA). In the sending step, It is preferable that sheet segments (SS) are sequentially fed out from the sheet laminate (SL) that has been transported to the delivery area (DA).

[0066] [Note 6] In Appendix 5, In the delivery area (DA), while a sheet segment (SS) is being delivered from the preceding sheet stack (SL1), Following the preceding sheet stack (SL1), the subsequent sheet stack (SL2) to be fed is placed in the receiving area (RA). The subsequent sheet stack (SL2) is transported to the rear (R) of the preceding sheet stack (SL1), It is preferable to connect the trailing sheet segment (SS01) in the preceding sheet stack (SL1) and the leading sheet segment (SS02) in the succeeding sheet stack (SL2) in the transport path (41).

[0067] [Note 7] In Appendix 6, The connection between the rear seat segment (SS01) and the front seat segment (SS02) is as follows: Preferably, the process is carried out with the rear sheet segment (SS01) and the front sheet segment (SS02) in an orientation aligned with the transport path (41) by unfolding the mountain fold or valley fold.

[0068] [Note 8] The transmission device described herein is A conveying path (41) through which a sheet laminate (SL), composed of multiple sheet segments (SS) repeatedly folded in mountain and valley folds, is transported from the upstream side (US) to the downstream side (DS), The system includes a support (30) positioned downstream (DS) of the transport path (41) and supporting the sheet laminate (SL) such that the sheet segments (SS) are aligned in the vertical direction V.

[0069] [Note 9] The transmission device in Appendix 8 is The support (30) is preferably configured to be able to move back and forth between the upstream side (US) and the downstream side (DS).

[0070] [Note 10] The transmission device in Appendix 9 is The system includes a transport vehicle (21) that transports the sheet stack (SL) from the upstream side (US) to the downstream side (DS), Preferably, the transport vehicle (21) is capable of moving back and forth between the upstream side (US) and the downstream side (DS).

[0071] Any of the sending devices described in Appendix 8 to Appendix 10 are: It is preferable to have an inversion bucket (10) provided on the upstream side (US) for reversing the orientation of the sheet stack (SL). [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 Delivery device 10 Inverting Buckets 11 Bucket Assembly 11A 1st support 11B Second support 11D Lateral body 15 Power source 16 drive shafts 20. First Conveyor Unit 21. First transport vehicle 22 frames 22A Vertical member 22B Cross member 22C1,22C2,22C3 Support material 23 wheels 25A, 25B, 25C pins 26A, 26B rails 27 Drive mechanism 27A belt 27B, 27B pulley 30 Second Conveyor Unit 31. Second transport vehicle 35A, 35B, 35C pins 40 Transport stand 41 Conveyor path 50 Control Unit 61 Feed roller SL, SL1, SL2, SL3, SL4 Sheet Laminate SS Seat Segment SP vertex SS, SS01, SS02, SS03, SS04 Sheet Segments SS1, SS2 sheet segments PL board G center of gravity CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4 connection section R1 Rear end F2 front end RA receiving area CA transport area DA sending area FF Friction force TS tensile force LN line segment US Upstream DS downstream F forward R rear TD Conveying Direction X Longitudinal direction Y width direction Z (height direction) V Vertical direction H horizontal direction

Claims

1. Arrangement step of arranging a sheet laminate, which is composed of multiple sheet segments that repeatedly undergo mountain and valley folds, such that the sheet segments are aligned in the vertical direction, The system includes a delivery step of sequentially sending the sheet segments onto a transport path, starting from the front, which is one end of the sheet stack in the horizontal direction, The aforementioned transport path is parallel to the horizontal direction. The sheet stack is inclined from the front towards the rear, which is the other end in the horizontal direction, and the sheet stack is transported parallel to the horizontal direction in a delivery method.

2. In the aforementioned sending step, The sheet laminate is inclined from the front towards the rear, which is the other end in the horizontal direction, and the sheet segments are fed out while maintaining this inclined posture. The method of sending out according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned inclination is greater than 90° and less than or equal to 110° with respect to the horizontal direction. The method of sending out according to claim 2.

4. In the aforementioned sending step, The feeding method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet segment is fed out while the mountain fold and valley fold are unfolded.

5. The system includes a transport step in which the sheet stack placed in the placement step is transported through the transport path to the delivery area. In the aforementioned arrangement step, The sheet laminate is placed in the receiving area. In the aforementioned transport step, The sheet laminate is transported from the receiving area to the sending area. In the aforementioned sending step, The sheet segments are sequentially fed out from the sheet stack that has been transported to the aforementioned feeding area. The method of sending according to claim 1.

6. In the aforementioned delivery area, while the sheet segment is being delivered from the preceding sheet laminate that is being delivered first, The subsequent sheet stack to be fed after the preceding sheet stack is placed in the receiving area. The subsequent sheet stack is transported to the rear of the preceding sheet stack. The rear sheet segment of the preceding sheet stack and the leading sheet segment of the succeeding sheet stack are connected in the transport path. The method of sending according to claim 5.

7. The connection between the rear seat segment and the front seat segment is as follows: The process is carried out with the rear sheet segment and the front sheet segment in an orientation aligned with the transport path, as the aforementioned mountain fold or valley fold is unfolded. The method of sending out according to claim 6.

8. A conveying path through which a sheet stack, composed of multiple sheet segments repeatedly folded in mountain and valley directions, is transported from the front, which is one end in the horizontal direction, toward the downstream side, The system comprises a support positioned downstream of the transport path and supporting the sheet laminate such that the sheet segments are aligned vertically, The aforementioned transport path is parallel to the horizontal direction. The sheet stack is inclined from the front towards the rear, which is the other end in the horizontal direction, and the sheet stack is conveyed in a delivery device parallel to the horizontal direction.

9. The support is configured to be able to move back and forth between the upstream side and the downstream side. The dispensing device according to claim 8.

10. The vehicle is equipped with a transport vehicle for transporting the sheet stack from the upstream side to the downstream side. The transport vehicle is capable of moving back and forth between the upstream side and the downstream side. The dispensing device according to claim 9.

11. The upstream side is provided with a reversing bucket for reversing the orientation of the sheet stack, The dispensing device according to claim 10.

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