Carrier, transport device, approaching and separation method, and transport method

Abstract

The present disclosure makes it possible to provide a carrier for transporting an article while gripping the article with a pair of grippers, the carrier comprising: an operation conversion mechanism that converts a first operation of an operation in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction into a second operation of a rotation operation; and an opening / closing mechanism that supports the pair of grippers and is configured to enable approaching and separation in association with the second operation, in which the pair of grippers are arrayed in an orientation intersecting a transport direction in which the article is transported, and can reduce a dimension in one direction.

Description

Carrier, conveying device, proximity or separation method, conveying method 【0006】 【0001】 The present disclosure relates to a carrier, a conveying device, a proximity or separation method, and a conveying method. 【0002】 For example, products in packages such as pouches (pouch packaging) and bags are manufactured through processes such as filling the contents, sealing the package, and inspecting by weighing while the package is being conveyed. In the production line of such packaged products, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a conveying device is employed that moves a plurality of movers with grippers for gripping the package along a circular orbit by electromagnetic action. The gripper for gripping the package opens the opening of the package by pushing both sides while gripping the package from both sides in order to fill the package with the contents. At this time, the two movers to which the grippers for gripping the package from both sides are attached move along the conveying path in a direction approaching each other. 【0003】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-68424 【0004】 The conveying distance of the package varies depending on the direction in which the package is conveyed. When the package is conveyed in the width direction of the package as in Patent Document 1, the conveying distance becomes longer than when it is conveyed in the thickness direction of the package. Here, when the dimension of the carrier in the thickness direction of the package of the carrier equipped with the gripper for gripping the package becomes large, the conveying distance becomes long. That is, when the dimension in one direction corresponding to the conveying direction of the carrier becomes large, the conveying distance cannot be shortened, and the effect of shortening the conveying distance by conveying in the thickness direction cannot be obtained. 【0005】 From the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a carrier whose dimension in one direction can be reduced. 【0006】 The carrier according to the present disclosure is a carrier that conveys an article while gripping the article with a pair of grippers, and includes an operation conversion mechanism that converts a first operation in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction into a second operation of a rotational operation, and an opening / closing mechanism that is configured to be able to approach and separate in association with the second operation and supports the pair of grippers. The pair of grippers are arranged in a direction intersecting the conveying direction for conveying the article. 【0007】 The method for bringing objects closer together or further apart according to this disclosure converts a first movement in the horizontal or vertical direction into a second movement in the rotational direction, and moves a gripping portion that grips an article closer together or further apart in conjunction with the second movement. 【0008】 The conveying method according to this disclosure is a conveying method for conveying an article while gripping it along a conveying path, wherein in the middle of conveying the article, a first movement in the horizontal or vertical direction is converted into a second movement in the rotational direction, and the gripping portion that grips the article is moved closer to or further away from the article in accordance with the second movement, thereby conveying the article in the thickness direction of the article. 【0009】 According to the carrier of this disclosure, by providing a motion conversion mechanism and an opening / closing mechanism, a pair of grippers arranged in a direction intersecting the conveying direction can be brought closer together and further apart. Therefore, the carrier of this disclosure can significantly reduce the dimensions in the conveying direction compared to conventional carriers that have a pair of grippers arranged in the conveying direction. 【0010】This figure shows a transport device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. This figure shows a pouch being transported by the transport device according to the present disclosure. This figure shows a front view of the carrier according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, where P02 shows the pouch opening in a closed state and P04 shows the pouch opening in an open state. This figure shows a top view of the carrier according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, where P02 shows the pouch opening in a closed state and P04 shows the pouch opening in an open / closed state. This figure shows the operation of the operation conversion mechanism of the carrier according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. This figure shows the cam and link after the carrier according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure has been changed, where P02 shows the pouch opening in a closed state and P04 shows the pouch opening in an open state. This figure shows a transport device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. This figure shows a front view of the carrier according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. This figure shows the internal structure of the carrier according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure when viewed from above. This figure shows a top view of the carrier according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, where P02 shows the pouch opening in a closed state and P04 shows the pouch opening in an open / closed state. This figure shows the operation of the cams and gears of the opening and closing mechanism of a pair of grippers and a pouch carrier according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. This figure shows the operation conversion mechanism of the carrier according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. This figure shows the operation of the operation conversion mechanism according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. This figure shows the change of carrier type according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. This figure shows the conveying device according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. This figure shows the operation associated with the change of type of the operation conversion mechanism according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. This figure shows the change of carrier type according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. 【0011】Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. This embodiment includes at least the first, second, and third embodiments. <First Embodiment: See Figures 1-4> The conveying device 1 according to this embodiment is, as an example, a conveying device that conveys packaging in the thickness direction T of the packaging. As shown in Figure 1, the conveying device 1 includes a conveying path 10 having a circular track, a plurality of carriers 100 that can move along the conveying path 10, and a control unit 400 that controls the travel operation of the carriers 100 and the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing mechanism 130 of the carriers 100. 【0012】 In this embodiment, a carrier 100 that grips the pouch 300 from both sides in the width direction W moves along the transport path 10 such that the thickness direction T of the pouch 300 as an item is parallel to the transport path 10. In other words, the width direction W of the pouch 300 gripped by the carrier 100 is perpendicular to the transport direction of the pouch 300. With the carrier 100, in the configuration in which the carrier 100 grips the pouch 300 from both sides in the width direction W, the length of the carrier 100 in the thickness direction T of the pouch 300 is shortened, so the transport distance over which the pouch 300 is transported in the thickness direction T can be shortened. By shortening the transport distance, the number of pouches 300 discharged per unit time by the transport device 1 can be increased. 【0013】 As shown in Figure 1, the X direction is defined as parallel to the horizontal direction, the Y direction is parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the X direction, and the Z direction is parallel to the vertical direction. 【0014】[Pouch 300: See Figure 2] Pouch 300 is a pouch packaging made from a flexible film or sheet material, formed into a bag-like shape into which contents such as beverages, food, or pharmaceuticals can be filled. As an example, as shown in Figure 2, pouch 300 is formed flat from overlapping film materials 301A and 301B. Before filling with contents, the edges of the overlapping film materials 301A and 301B are sealed by heat and pressure along three sides, leaving the opening 302 open. After filling, the opening 302 is also sealed by heat, thereby sealing pouch 300. In addition, pouch 300 may have a three-dimensional shape after filling, for example, by folding the bottom or both sides inward. Furthermore, in addition to the film material, pouch 300 may also be equipped with a cylindrical body called a spout that is inserted into the opening. 【0015】 As shown in Figure 2, in the pouch 300, the direction in which the film materials 301A and 301B are stacked is defined as the thickness direction T, the direction in which one side with the opening 302 and the side with the bottom that supports the contents from below extend is defined as the width direction W, and the direction in which both sides extend is defined as the height direction H. 【0016】To transport a pouch 300 that has been processed in one processing step to the next processing step in the width direction W, it is necessary to transport it a distance equal to at least the width direction W of the pouch 300. However, if the pouch 300 is transported in the thickness direction T, which is the smallest of the three dimensions of the pouch 300, it is sufficient to transport it a distance equal to the thickness direction T of the pouch 300. In this embodiment, it is sufficient to transport the pouch 300 by the distance in the thickness direction T when the opening 302 of the pouch 300 is open, or by the distance in the thickness direction T after the contents have been filled. In other words, transporting the pouch 300 in the thickness direction T shortens the transport distance between processing steps compared to transporting it in the width direction W or height direction H, for example, thus shortening the transport time of the pouch 300 and increasing the number of pouches 300 discharged per unit time by the transport device 1. The thickness direction T of the pouch 300 corresponds to the shorter side direction of the pouch 300 when viewed from the height direction H, and the width direction W of the pouch 300 corresponds to the longer side direction. 【0017】 [Conveyor path 10: See Figures 1 and 3] As shown in Figure 1, the conveyor path 10 has a circular track in the horizontal direction. The conveyor path 10 includes a guide rail 11 that supports and guides one side of the carrier 100, and a stator 13 that constitutes a linear motor between itself and the carrier 100. The arrows in Figure 1 indicate the direction in which the carrier 100 moves. Note that Figure 1 only shows the presence of the guide rail 11 and the stator 13 and does not reflect their positions. In this embodiment, the conveyor path 10 has a circular track in the horizontal direction, but it is not limited to this, and the conveyor path 10 may have a circular track in the vertical direction, or a circular track that is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. 【0018】 Multiple processing positions are provided in the circular track of the transport path 10, and the carrier 100 passes through each of these positions. The carrier 100 receives pouches 300 supplied from a pouch supply device (not shown) at position P02, and discharges the pouches 300 after they have been filled with contents at position P19. 【0019】The guide rail 11 maintains a constant position in the Z direction throughout the entire circular track. The guide rail 11 is provided with opposing straight sections 11AA and 11AB, a curved section 11BA connecting one end of the straight sections 11AA and 11AB, and a curved section 11BB connecting the other ends of the straight sections 11AA and 11AB. 【0020】 The stator 13, like the guide rail 11, is provided with two opposing straight sections, a curved section connecting one end of the two straight sections, and another curved section connecting the other end of the two straight sections. As shown in Figure 3, numerous electromagnetic coils 13A are embedded in the stator 13 along the circular track. 【0021】 The processing of the carrier 100 with respect to the pouch 300 at each position is as follows: P01: Waiting before receiving P02: Receiving P03: Waiting before opening the opening 302 P04: Opening the opening 302 P11: Waiting before filling P12: Waiting in conjunction with filling P13: Waiting before steam degassing and closing P14: Waiting in conjunction with steam degassing and closing the opening 302 P15: Waiting before the first sealing process P16: Waiting in conjunction with the first sealing process P17: Waiting in conjunction with the second sealing process P18: Waiting in conjunction with the cooling process P19: Discharge 【0022】 [Cam rail 12: See Figures 1 and 5] The cam rail 12 forms a cam mechanism with the carrier 100. While the guide rail 11 is at a constant position in the Z direction, the position of the cam rail 12 changes in the Z direction in a portion of the circular track. In this embodiment, the position of the first cam rail 12A in the Z direction from position P04 to position P14 is positioned higher than the position of the second cam rail 12B in the Z direction from position P14 to position P04. Note that Figure 1, like the guide rail 11 and stator 13, merely shows the presence of the cam rail 12 and does not reflect its position. 【0023】As shown in Figure 5, a cylinder 17 is provided as an actuator at positions P04 and P14, where the carrier 100 moves between the first cam rail 12A and the second cam rail 12B. A displacement cam 17A, located at the tip of the rod of the cylinder 17, reciprocates between a height corresponding to the first cam rail 12A and a height corresponding to the second cam rail 12B. 【0024】 Furthermore, the cam rail 12 is configured to allow its position in the Z direction to be changed over the entire circumference of the orbit. By changing the overall position of the cam rail 12 in the Z direction, the separation position SP and proximity position CP of the opening and closing mechanism 130 of the carrier 100 are changed when the width dimension W of the pouch 300, which will be described later, is changed. 【0025】 [Carrier 100: See Figures 3-5] The carrier 100 transports the pouch 300 horizontally while gripping it from both sides in the width direction W with a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2. As shown in Figure 3, the carrier 100 includes a frame 110 that supports a guide mechanism 120 and a plurality of opening / closing mechanisms 130, a guide mechanism 120 that guides the carrier 100 along a guide rail 11 while cantilevering it, a plurality of opening / closing mechanisms 130 that open and close the opening 302 of the pouch 300, a motion conversion mechanism 150 that converts motion in the Z direction parallel to the vertical direction into rotational motion, a connecting mechanism 160 that connects adjacent opening / closing mechanisms 130 to each other, and a restoring mechanism 170 that maintains the separated state of the opening / closing mechanisms 130. The multiple opening and closing mechanisms 130 are arranged continuously in the width direction W of the pouch 300 in the gripping position, which is the direction in which the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 are arranged. In this embodiment, the carrier 100 is provided with two opening and closing mechanisms 130, but it may be provided with one opening and closing mechanism 130, or with three or more. 【0026】The frame 110 comprises a first frame 111 on which the guide mechanism 120 is supported, and a second frame 112 connected to the first frame 111 on which a plurality of opening and closing mechanisms 130 are supported. A permanent magnet 113A is provided on the first frame 111 so as to face the electromagnetic coil 13A. The permanent magnet 113A, together with the electromagnetic coil 13A, constitutes a linear motor. 【0027】 The guide mechanism 120 includes a plurality of guide rollers 121. The plurality of guide rollers 121 clamp the guide rail 11 and guide the carrier 100 along the guide rail 11 while cantilevering the carrier 100. 【0028】 [Opening / Closing Mechanism 130: See Figure 3] The opening / closing mechanism 130 constitutes a link mechanism. As shown in Figure 3, the opening / closing mechanism 130 includes a pair of link arms 131-1, 131-2 that support grippers 132-1, 132-2 at their respective end ends, a pair of grippers 132-1, 132-2 that grip the pouch 300 from both sides in the width direction W, and an intermediate link 133 configured to swing the end ends of the pair of link arms 131-1, 131-2 toward or toward apart. The opening / closing mechanism 130 also includes a rotating shaft 135 and a rotating shaft 137 that are rotatably supported on the second frame 112. 【0029】 The pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 allow for the gripping and release of the pouch 300 by opening and closing each gripper. 【0030】 The intermediate link 133 includes a first intermediate link 133-1 that swings together with the link arm 131-1 around the rotation axis 135, a second intermediate link 133-2 that swings together with the link arm 131-2 around the rotation axis 137, and a connecting link 133-3 that connects the first intermediate link 133-1 and the second intermediate link 133-2. 【0031】 The rotating shaft 135 supports the base end of link arm 131-1. The rotating shaft 137 also supports the base end of link arm 131-2. 【0032】The link arm 131-1 and the first intermediate link 133-1 are fixed to the rotating shaft 135 by means of, for example, a key or a friction-type fastening member, and their rotation around the axis of the rotating shaft 135 is restricted. Therefore, for example, if the first intermediate link 133-1 swings around the rotating shaft 135, the link arm 131-1 will also swing around the rotating shaft 135. 【0033】 Similarly, the link arm 131-2 and the second intermediate link 133-2 are fixed to the rotation axis 137, and their rotation around the axis of the rotation axis 137 is restricted. If the second intermediate link 133-2 swings around the rotation axis 137, the link arm 131-2 also swings around the rotation axis 137. The connecting link 133-3 is provided with a first joint 133-3A for connecting to the first intermediate link 133-1, and a second joint 133-3B for connecting to the second intermediate link 133-2. The rotation of the first intermediate link 133-1 around the axis of the first joint 133-3A is not restricted. Similarly, the rotation of the second intermediate link 133-2 around the axis of the second joint 133-3B is not restricted. 【0034】 As link arm 131-1 and first intermediate link 133-1 swing around rotation axis 135, the phase of first joint 133-3A changes. Also, as connecting link 133-3 swings around first joint 133-3A, the phase of second joint 133-3B changes. As the phase of second joint 133-3B changes, second intermediate link 133-2 swings around second joint 133-3B, causing rotation axis 137. Rotation of rotation axis 137 causes link arm 131-2 to swing around rotation axis 137. In this way, a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2, supported on the tip sides of the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 of the opening / closing mechanism 130, are brought closer together or further apart. 【0035】As shown in Figure 3, a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 grip both sides of the pouch 300 and push from both sides until the width W1A of the pouch 300 becomes the width W1B, thereby opening the opening 302 of the pouch 300. At this time, if the distance from which the pouch 300 is pushed from both sides is short, the opening 302 may not open sufficiently, which may hinder the process of filling the contents. Therefore, in order to ensure that the opening 302 opens sufficiently, it is necessary to push from both sides of the pouch 300 for a predetermined distance to open the opening 302. 【0036】 The length of the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 from the pivot center determines the stroke of the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 during their approaching and separating movements. In other words, by using longer arms from the pivot axes 135 and 137, which are the pivot centers of the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2, the distance over which the pouch 300 is pushed from both sides can be increased. 【0037】 When the conveying direction of the pouch 300 is the thickness direction T of the pouch 300, if the link arms 131-1 and 131-2 extend in the thickness direction T of the pouch 300, the conveying distance of the pouch 300 increases by the length of the link arms 131-1 and 131-2. If the link arms 131-1 and 131-2 extend in the thickness direction T of the gripped pouch 300, the conveying distance increases and the conveying time of the pouch 300 increases. Consequently, the number of pouches 300 discharged per unit time by the conveying device 1 decreases, and productivity decreases. However, since the link arms 131-1 and 131-2 extend along the height direction H of the pouch 300, the number of pouches 300 discharged per unit time by the conveying device 1 increases, and productivity can be enhanced. 【0038】[Motion conversion mechanism 150: See Figures 3 and 5] As shown in Figure 3, the motion conversion mechanism 150 includes a first cam follower arm 151 that transmits a second rotational motion to the rotating shaft 135, a first cam follower 153 rotatably supported by the first cam follower arm 151, a second cam follower arm 155 (see Figure 5) supported by the second frame 112 and in contact with the first cam follower 153, and a second cam follower 157 rotatably supported by the second cam follower arm 155 and in contact with the cam rail 12. 【0039】 The first cam follower arm 151, together with the link arm 131-1 and the first intermediate link 133-1, is fixed to the rotating shaft 135, and its rotation around the axis of the rotating shaft 135 is restricted. 【0040】 When the position of the cam rail 12 in the Z direction, with which the second cam follower 157 contacts, changes, the second cam follower arm 155 swings around the support point supported by the second frame 112. In other words, the second cam follower arm 155 is given a first action in the Z direction by the displacement cam 17A. In response to the swing of the second cam follower arm 155, the phase of the first cam follower 153 changes, and the first cam follower arm 151 swings around the rotation axis 135. As the first cam follower arm 151 swings around the rotation axis 135, a second rotational action is transmitted to the rotation axis 135, and the link arm 131-1 and the first intermediate link 133-1, which are fixed to the rotation axis 135, also swing around the rotation axis 135. In this way, the first action in the Z direction generated from the Z-direction displacement of the displacement cam 17A is converted, and the second rotational action is transmitted to the opening / closing mechanism 130. 【0041】In this embodiment, as an example, the second cam follower arm 155 and the second cam follower 157 directly receive the displacement of the displacement cam 17A. Also, the first cam follower arm 151 and the first cam follower 153 indirectly receive the displacement of the displacement cam 17A from the rocking motion of the second cam follower arm 155. The operation conversion mechanism 150 converts the operation generated from the displacement of the displacement cam 17A by a two-stage configuration and transmits it to the opening / closing mechanism 130. Not limited to this, the operation generated from the displacement of the displacement cam 17A may be converted by a configuration with only one stage that directly receives the displacement of the displacement cam 17A and transmitted to the opening / closing mechanism 130, or two or more configurations that indirectly receive the displacement of the displacement cam 17A may be provided, and the operation generated from the displacement of the displacement cam 17A may be transmitted to the opening / closing mechanism 130 by a configuration with three or more stages. 【0042】 [Linking mechanism 160: Refer to FIG. 3] As shown in FIG. 3, the linking mechanism 160 includes a first linking link 163-1 supported by one rotation shaft 137 of an adjacent opening / closing mechanism 130 and rocking about the rotation shaft 137, a second linking link 163-2 supported by the other rotation shaft 135 of the adjacent opening / closing mechanism 130 and rocking about the rotation shaft 135, and a connecting link 163-3 connecting between the first linking link 163-1 and the second linking link 163-2. 【0043】 The first linking link 163-1 is fixed to the rotation shaft 137, for example, by a key or a friction-type fastening member, etc., and the rotation about the axis of the rotation shaft 137 is restricted. Therefore, for example, if the first linking link 163-1 rocks about the rotation shaft 137, the link arm 131-2 and the second intermediate link 133-2 also rock about the rotation shaft 137. 【0044】 Similarly, the second linking link 163-2 is fixed to the rotation shaft 135, and the rotation about the axis of the rotation shaft 135 is restricted. If the second linking link 163-2 rocks about the rotation shaft 135, the first intermediate link 133-1 also rocks about the rotation shaft 135. 【0045】The connecting link 163-3 is provided with a first joint 163-3A for connecting to the first connecting link 163-1, and a second joint 163-3B for connecting to the second connecting link 163-2. The rotation of the first connecting link 163-1 around the axis of the first joint 163-3A is not restricted. Similarly, the rotation of the second connecting link 163-2 around the axis of the second joint 163-3B is not restricted. 【0046】 The oscillation of the first connecting link 163-1 around the rotation axis 137 changes the phase of the first joint 163-3A, and the oscillation of the connecting link 163-3 around the first joint 163-3A changes the phase of the second joint 163-3B. As the phase of the second joint 163-3B changes, the second connecting link 163-2 oscillates around the second joint 163-3B, causing the rotation axis 135 to rotate. Rotation of the rotation axis 135 causes the link arm 131-1 to oscillate around the rotation axis 135. In this way, the operation of the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 of the opening / closing mechanism 130 is transmitted to the adjacent opening / closing mechanism 130. 【0047】 [Restoration mechanism 170: See Figure 3] The restoration mechanism 170 comprises a first mounting member 171 provided on the link arm 131-2 of one of the adjacent opening / closing mechanisms 130, a second mounting member 172 provided on the link arm 131-1 of the other opening / closing mechanism 130, and a connecting body 173 that connects the first mounting member 171 and the second mounting member 172 and has a tension spring inside. 【0048】By connecting the other link arm 131-1 and the one link arm 131-2 of the adjacent opening / closing mechanism 130 with the restoring mechanism 170, a force is generated in a direction in which the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 of each opening / closing mechanism 130 move apart from each other. Without the restoring mechanism 170, when the carrier 100 is moving on the conveyance path 10, the second cam follower 157 that is in contact with the cam rail 12 may separate due to some trigger. However, due to the force in the direction in which the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 move apart from each other by the restoring mechanism 170, a force that presses the second cam follower 157 against the cam rail 12 acts, so that it is possible to prevent the second cam follower 157 from separating from the cam rail 12. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 from approaching each other arbitrarily, and to prevent the opening 302 of the pouch 300 held by the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 from opening. Further, by applying a force to pull the pouch 300 in both sides in the width direction W by the restoring mechanism 170, the film materials 301A and 301B of the opening 302 become linear and contact without a gap in a plan view, so that it is possible to prevent the generation of wrinkles during the sealing process of the opening 302. 【0049】 [Control Unit 400] The control unit 400 controls the movement of the carrier 100 along the conveyance path 10 and the reciprocating movement of the cylinder 17. Further, the control unit 400 controls a filling machine, a steam replacement machine, a fusion sealing machine, etc. of the content whose illustration is omitted. The control unit 400 moves and stops the carrier 100 between each processing position, and causes each device to perform processing on the pouch 300 conveyed to each processing position. For example, when the carrier 100 reaches the position P04, the cylinder 17 is operated so that the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 of the opening / closing mechanism 130 approach each other. Also, when the carrier 100 reaches the position P14, the cylinder 17 is operated so that the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 of the opening / closing mechanism 130 move apart from each other. 【0050】[Approaching and separating movements of a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2: See Figures 3-5] The approaching movement of a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 will be explained from the operation of the motion conversion mechanism 150 and the opening / closing mechanism 130 in position P04. During the separating movement, the operation of the motion conversion mechanism 150 and the opening / closing mechanism 130 is in the opposite direction to the approaching movement. 【0051】 As shown in Figure 5, when the cam follower moves from the second cam rail 12B at position P03 to the first cam rail 12A containing position P11 via the displacement cam 17A at position P04, the displacement cam 17A imparts a first action that changes the position of the second cam follower 157 in the Z direction. As shown in Figure 3, the second cam follower 157 is displaced to a higher position, and the first cam follower 153 is also displaced. As the first cam follower 153 is displaced, the first cam follower arm 151 swings clockwise around the rotation axis 135 in the plane of Figure 3. As the first cam follower arm 151 swings, a second rotational action is transmitted to the rotation axis 135, and the tip of the link arm 131-1, which is supported by the rotation axis 135, swings around the rotation axis 135 in a direction that approaches the link arm 131-2. 【0052】 When the first cam follower arm 151 swings around the rotation axis 135, the swinging motion of the first intermediate link 133-1 is transmitted to the second intermediate link 133-2 via the connecting link 133-3, and the second intermediate link 133-2 swings counterclockwise around the rotation axis 137 in the plane of the paper shown in Figure 3. When the second intermediate link 133-2 swings around the rotation axis 137, the tip of the link arm 131-2 swings in a direction that approaches the link arm 131-1 around the rotation axis 137. 【0053】 As the tip ends of link arm 131-1 and link arm 131-2 move closer to each other, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 move closer to each other. 【0054】 As shown in Figure 4, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 move close to each other, pushing the pouch 300, which is being held by the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2, from both sides to open the opening 302. 【0055】 To move the tips of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 apart from their close proximity, the second cam follower 157 is displaced from the displacement cam 17A to the height of the second cam rail 12B, which is lower than the first cam rail 12A. As the tips of the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 are displaced in the opposite direction to the direction of proximity, the opening 302 is closed by pulling the pouch 300, which is held by the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2, to both sides. 【0056】 However, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the pair of link arms 131-1 and 131-2 extend in the Z direction, which is the same as the height direction H when the pouch 300 is being held. The link arms 131-1 and 131-2 extending in the Z direction shorten the transport distance of the pouch 300 being transported in the thickness direction T, and thus shorten the transport time of the pouch 300. Consequently, the number of pouches 300 discharged per unit time by the transport device 1 increases, and productivity can be improved. 【0057】 [Model change handling: See Figure 6] When the product manufactured on the production line changes, the width dimension W of the pouch 300 flowing through the production line may change. Changing the width dimension of the pouch 300 is called model change. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the width of the pouch 300 in Figure 3 is changed to a smaller width W2A than W1A. In this case, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 must grip the pouch 300 at a position closer to each other than in Figure 3, so it is necessary to change the spacing position SP when the pouch 300 is supplied and gripped. 【0058】For example, the position of the cam rail 12 is raised by the raising rail 12C. As the position of the cam rail 12 is changed to a higher position, the distance corresponding to the width W2A of the pouch 300 is reduced to the separated position SP of the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2. From the separated position SP, the second cam follower 157 is displaced by the displacement cam 17A, displacing the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 to the close position CP, thereby opening the opening 302 of the pouch 300. When the second cam follower 157 is displaced again by the displacement cam 17A, displacing the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 to the separated position SP, the opening 302 of the pouch 300 is closed. 【0059】 In other words, by changing the position of the cam rail 12 in the Z direction, it becomes possible to grip pouches 300 of various widths. Furthermore, in accordance with the change in the position of the cam rail 12, the position of the cylinder 17 in the Z direction is also changed. Additionally, by changing the distance in the Z direction between the first cam rail 12A and the second cam rail 12B, the stroke of the displacement cam 17A can be changed, thereby altering the stroke, which is the distance between the close position CP and the separated position SP of the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2. This allows the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 to accommodate the stroke required to obtain an appropriate opening area for the opening 302 of the pouch 300. 【0060】 [Effects] The conveying device 1 and carrier 100 according to this embodiment, as described above, have the following effects. [First effect] The carrier 100 is equipped with an operation conversion mechanism 150 and an opening / closing mechanism 130, which allows a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2, which are arranged in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, to be brought closer together and further apart. The length of the thickness direction T corresponding to the conveying direction of the pouch 300 can be shortened, and the conveying distance of the pouch 300 in the thickness direction T can be shortened. 【0061】[Second Effect] The carrier 100 can open and close the opening 302 of the pouch 300 using only the motion conversion mechanism 150 and the opening / closing mechanism 130, without using any electrical equipment. The conveying device 1 equipped with the carrier 100, which does not use any electrical equipment, can significantly reduce manufacturing costs and operating costs. 【0062】 [Third Effect] The conveying device 1 can change the stroke of the displacement cam 17A by changing the distance in the Z direction between the first cam rail 12A and the second cam rail 12B, thereby changing the stroke, which is the distance between the close position CP and the separated position SP of the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 of the carrier 100. As a result, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 can correspond to the stroke required to obtain an appropriate opening area for the opening 302 of the pouch 300. 【0063】 [Fourth Effect] The conveying device 1 uses the carrier 100 to convey the pouch 300 in the thickness direction T, which corresponds to the smallest dimension of the pouch 300's three dimensions, thereby shortening the conveying distance between each processing step of the pouch 300 compared to conveying the pouch 300 in the width direction W or height direction H. Since the conveying time between each processing step of the pouch 300 can be shortened, the amount of pouch 300 discharged per unit time can be increased. 【0064】 [Fifth Effect] The conveying device 1 comprises a conveying path 10 having a circular track in the horizontal direction, and a carrier 100 that conveys the pouch 300 along the conveying path 10. The conveying device 1 can convey the pouch 300 in the thickness direction T even on the curved paths 11BA and 11BB that extend in the horizontal direction, and the entire area of ​​the conveying path 10 can be used without waste for the processing of the pouch 300. 【0065】<Second Embodiment: Figures 7-14> Unlike the carrier 100 of the first embodiment, which achieves the movement of a pair of grippers moving closer together and further apart by the operation of a cam mechanism and a link mechanism, the carrier 200A of the conveying device 2 according to this embodiment achieves the movement of a pair of grippers moving closer together and further apart by combining a cam mechanism, a gear mechanism and a lead screw mechanism. In Figures 7-14, elements that are the same as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as in Figures 1-6, and their descriptions are omitted. In the conveying device 2 according to this embodiment as well, the conveying distance of the pouch 300 can be shortened, so the amount of pouch 300 discharged per unit time from the conveying device 2 can be increased. 【0066】 [Conveying device 2: See Figure 7] The conveying device 2 includes a plurality of carriers 200A that grip the pouch 300 from both sides and convey the pouch 300 in the thickness direction T. One side of the carrier 200A is supported by the guide rail 11 via the guide mechanism 120, and the other side is supported by the support rail 20. 【0067】 [Conveyor path 10: See Figures 7 and 8] As shown in Figure 7, the conveyor path 10 includes a guide rail 11 that supports one side of the carrier 200A, as well as a support rail 20 that supports the other side of the carrier 200A. The support rail 20 contacts the support roller 280 of the carrier 200A and, in addition to the guide mechanism 120 that cantilever-supports one side of the carrier 200A, supports the other side of the carrier 200A, thereby preventing the other side of the carrier 200A from sagging. 【0068】 [Cam rail 12: See Figures 7 and 13] As shown in Figure 7, the cam rail 12 comprises a first cam rail 12D in the range from position P04 to position P14, and a second cam rail 12E in the range from position P14 to position P04. As shown in Figure 13, the position of the first cam rail 12D in the Z direction is positioned higher than the position of the second cam rail 12E in the Z direction. 【0069】[Carrier 200A: See Figure 8-12] As shown in Figure 8, the carrier 200A includes a frame 210 on which a guide mechanism 120 and a plurality of opening / closing mechanisms 230 are provided, a guide mechanism 120 that supports one side of the carrier 200A and guides it along the guide rail 11, a plurality of opening / closing mechanisms 230 that open and close the opening 302 of the pouch 300, a motion conversion mechanism 250 that converts a first motion in the Z direction into a second motion in the rotation direction, a connecting member 260 that connects adjacent opening / closing mechanisms 230, and a support roller 280. The plurality of opening / closing mechanisms 230 are arranged continuously in the width direction W of the pouch 300 in the gripping position of the pouch 300, which is the direction in which a pair of grippers 132-1, 132-2 are arranged. In this embodiment, the carrier 200A has two opening / closing mechanisms 230, but it may have one opening / closing mechanism 230 or three or more. 【0070】 The frame 210 comprises a first frame 211 that supports the guide mechanism 120, and a second frame 212 connected to the first frame 211 that supports a plurality of opening and closing mechanisms 230. A permanent magnet 113A is provided on the first frame 211 so as to face the electromagnetic coil 13A. The permanent magnet 113A, together with the electromagnetic coil 13A, constitutes a linear motor. 【0071】 [Opening / closing mechanism 230: See Figures 8, 10, and 11] The opening / closing mechanism 230 constitutes a feed screw mechanism. As shown in Figure 8, the opening / closing mechanism 230 includes a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 that grip the pouch 300 from both sides in the width direction W, and a feed screw mechanism 240 configured to displace the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 in a direction that brings them closer together or in a direction that separates them. 【0072】 The lead screw mechanism 240 includes a lead screw shaft 241 that is rotated by a second rotational motion transmitted from the motion conversion mechanism 250, two bearing units 242-1 and 242-2 that are supported by the second frame 212 and rotatably support the lead screw shaft 241, nuts 243-1 and 243-2 provided on the lead screw shaft 241, and gripper connecting members 245-1 and 245-2 that connect the nuts 243-1 and 243-2 to the grippers 132-1 and 132-2. 【0073】 The lead screw shaft 241 is fitted with a right-hand thread 241-1 and a left-hand thread 241-2. A nut 243-1 is attached to the right-hand thread 241-1, and a nut 243-2 is attached to the left-hand thread 241-2. Nut 243-1 is a so-called right-hand thread nut, and nut 243-2 is a so-called left-hand thread nut. When the carrier 200A is viewed from the left side, nuts 243-1 and 243-2 are displaced toward each other when the lead screw shaft 241 rotates counterclockwise, and conversely, when the lead screw shaft 241 rotates clockwise, they are displaced toward each other. 【0074】 The gripper connecting members 245-1 and 245-2 are attached to nuts 243-1 and 243-2, respectively, and support the grippers 132-1 and 132-2, respectively. 【0075】 By positioning the feed screw shaft 241 to extend in the width direction W of the pouch 300, the opening 302 can be opened and closed without increasing the transport distance of the pouch 300. 【0076】 As shown in Figure 10, the carrier 200A, for example at position P02, grips the pouch 300 supplied from the pouch supply device with a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2. Then, at position P04, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 are displaced to bring them closer together in order to open the opening 302 of the pouch 300. 【0077】 As shown in Figure 11, in order to obtain a sufficient opening area for filling the contents through the opening 302, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 displace the pouch 300, which has a width W3A in the width direction W, while gripping both sides of the pouch 300 until the width becomes W3B. 【0078】 Furthermore, even if the width W dimension of the pouch 300 increases, it is sufficient to simply replace the lead screw shaft 241 with one of a different length and the second frame 212 with one of a different length in the width W direction. Also, in the carrier 200A that uses the lead screw shaft 241, even if the width W dimension of the pouch 300 increases, there are fewer components that increase the weight of the carrier 200A, so the increase in the operating power of the linear motor can be kept small. 【0079】 By employing a feed screw mechanism that allows for a shorter height dimension H, even when the pouch 300 is gripped by a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2, a processing area can be secured in the lower part of the pouch 300 in the height direction H. 【0080】 The right-hand threads 241-1 and left-hand threads 241-2 applied to the lead screw shaft 241 are multi-start threads, such as double-start or triple-start threads. The amount of movement of the nuts 243-1 and 243-2 is larger than that of a single-start thread, for example, and a stroke sufficient to open and close the opening 302 of the pouch 300 can be secured with a small rotation angle of the lead screw shaft 241. 【0081】 [Motion conversion mechanism 250: See Figure 12] As shown in Figure 12, the motion conversion mechanism 250 includes a first gear 251 that transmits a second rotational motion to the lead screw shaft 241, a second gear 252 that meshes with the first gear 251, a third gear 253 that shares the rotation shaft 258 with the second gear 252, and a fourth gear 254 that meshes with the third gear 253. The motion conversion mechanism 250 also includes a cam follower arm 255 that shares the rotation shaft 259 with the fourth gear 254, and a cam follower 256 that is rotatably supported by the cam follower arm 255 and contacts the cam rail 12. The cam follower arm 255 corresponds to a driven link, the cam follower 256 corresponds to a follower, and the cam rail 12 and displacement cam 17A correspond to driving links, and together they constitute a linear cam mechanism. 【0082】The first gear 251 is fixed to the lead screw shaft 241 by, for example, a friction-type fastening member, and its rotation around the axis of the lead screw shaft 241 is restricted. In other words, the first gear 251 rotates around the lead screw shaft 241, and the lead screw shaft 241 also rotates. The second gear 252 and the third gear 253 are fixed to the rotating shaft 258, and their rotation around the axis of the rotating shaft 258 is restricted. In other words, the third gear 253 rotates around the rotating shaft 258, and the second gear 252 rotates around the rotating shaft 258. The fourth gear 254 and the cam follower arm 255 are fixed to the rotating shaft 259, and their rotation around the axis of the rotating shaft 259 is restricted. In other words, the cam follower arm 255 swings around the rotating shaft 259, and the fourth gear 254 rotates around the rotating shaft 259. 【0083】 When the position of the cam rail 12 in the Z direction, with which the cam follower 256 contacts, changes, the cam follower arm 255 swings around the rotation axis 259. In other words, the cam follower arm 255 is given a first movement in the Z direction by the displacement cam 17A. In response to the swing of the cam follower arm 255, a second rotational movement occurs in the rotation axis 259, causing the fourth gear 254 to rotate around the rotation axis 259, and the rotational force of the fourth gear 254 is transmitted to the lead screw shaft 241 via a plurality of gears 251, 252, and 253. The rotational force from the second rotational movement transmitted to the lead screw shaft 241 displaces the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 so as to move them closer together or further apart. 【0084】 [Connecting member 260: See Figure 8] As shown in Figure 8, the connecting member 260 connects the lead screw shafts 241 of adjacent opening / closing mechanisms 230. For example, a shaft coupling is used for the connecting member 260. The rotational force of the lead screw shaft 241 is transmitted to the lead screw shaft 241 of the adjacent opening / closing mechanism 230 by the second operation applied by the motion conversion mechanism 250 via the connecting member 260. 【0085】[Restoration mechanism 270: See Figure 9] As shown in Figure 9, the carrier 200A is equipped with a restoration mechanism 270 that generates a force in a direction that separates the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 of the opening and closing mechanism 230. The restoration mechanism 270 is equipped with spring mounting members 271-1 and 271-2 that are attached to nuts 243-1 and 243-2 respectively, and a compression spring 272 that is attached between the spring mounting members 271-1 and 271-2. 【0086】 The restoring mechanism 270 presses nuts 243-1 and 243-2 together, generating a force that causes nuts 243-1 and 243-2 to move away from each other. Without the restoring mechanism 270, the cam follower 256, which is in contact with the cam rail 12, may separate from the carrier 200A while it is moving along the transport path 10. However, the force exerted by the restoring mechanism 270 that causes nuts 243-1 and 243-2 to move away from each other exerts a force that pushes the cam follower 256 against the cam rail 12, thus preventing the cam follower 256 from separating from the cam rail 12. This prevents nuts 243-1 and 243-2 from moving closer to each other on their own, and prevents the opening 302 of the pouch 300, which is gripped by the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2, from opening. Furthermore, the restoration mechanism 270 applies a pulling force to the pouch 300 on both sides in the width direction W, so that the film materials 301A and 301B of the opening 302 become straight in a plan view and come into contact without gaps, thereby preventing wrinkles from forming when sealing the opening 302. 【0087】 [Approaching and separating movements of a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2: See Figure 13] The separating movement of a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 will be explained by describing the operation of the motion conversion mechanism 250 and the opening / closing mechanism 230 at position P14. During approaching movement, the operation of the motion conversion mechanism 250 and the opening / closing mechanism 230 is in the opposite direction to that of separating movement. 【0088】As shown in Figure 13, in the motion conversion mechanism 250, for example, at position P13, the cam follower 256 is in contact with the first cam rail 12D. When position P14 is reached, the displacement cam 17A of the cylinder 17 moves backward, causing the phase of the cam follower 256 to change from the position shown by the dashed line to the position shown by the solid line, and the cam follower arm 255 to swing around the rotation axis 259. 【0089】 In response to the oscillation of the cam follower arm 255, the fourth gear 254 rotates clockwise on the plane of the paper in Figure 13 around the rotation axis 259, and the third gear 253, which meshes with the fourth gear 254, rotates counterclockwise around the rotation axis 258. Along with the rotation of the third gear 253, the second gear 252 also rotates counterclockwise around the rotation axis 258, and the first gear 251, which meshes with the second gear 252, rotates clockwise around the lead screw shaft 241. 【0090】 The rotational force transmitted by the first gear 251 rotating clockwise around the lead screw shaft 241 displaces the grippers 132-1 and 132-2 apart via nuts 243-1 and 243-2. ​​This closes the opening 302 of the pouch 300. After the opening 302 is closed, the phase of the cam follower 256 does not change until it reaches position P04, for example, via position P15, and the closed state of the opening 302 is maintained until the pouch 300 is discharged. 【0091】 As shown in Figure 13, when the carrier 200A reaches position P04 and the displacement cam 17A moves forward, contrary to the backward movement of the displacement cam 17A, the rotational force transmitted to the lead screw shaft 241 displaces the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 toward each other. This opens the opening 302 of the pouch 300 received at position P02. 【0092】[Mold change support: See Figure 14] As shown in Figure 14, the carrier 200A lowers the position of the cam rail 12 in the Z direction over the entire circumference of the orbit in order to accommodate the mold change of the pouch 300. The support members 14 that support the cam rail 12 before mold change are shown by dashed lines, and the support members 14 that support the cam rail 12 after mold change are shown by solid lines. When the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 are in close proximity position CP, the opening 302 is open, and when they are in separated position SP, the opening 302 is closed. Before and after mold change, the opening 302 of the pouch 300 gripped by the grippers 132-1 and 132-2 can be opened and closed by moving the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 closer and further apart. 【0093】 [Effects] In addition to the first to fifth effects described above, the conveying device 2 and carrier 200A according to this embodiment provide the following effects. [Sixth effect] The carrier 200A of the conveying device 2 employs a feed screw mechanism that can shorten the height dimension H, so that even when the pouch 300 is gripped by a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2, a processing area can be secured in the lower part of the pouch 300 in the height direction H. As a result, for example, even if the processing equipment is larger than the width dimension W of the pouch 300, processing can be performed on the pouch 300 from the thickness direction T. 【0094】 [Seventh Effect] Even if the width W dimension of the pouch 300 being transported increases, the carrier 200A of the transport device 2 only needs to be modified by changing the length of the lead screw shaft 241 to a longer one and changing the length of the second frame 212 to a longer one in the width W direction. In the carrier 200A that employs the lead screw shaft 241, even if the width W dimension of the pouch 300 increases, the number of components that increase the weight of the carrier 200A is small, so the increase in the operating power of the linear motor can be kept small. 【0095】<Third Embodiment: Figures 15-17> The conveying device 3 according to this embodiment includes an inner cam rail 12-1 and an outer cam rail 12-2 provided outside the inner cam rail 12-1. It differs from the conveying devices of the first and second embodiments in that it has two cam rails. Furthermore, a mold change position P20 is provided. In addition, to accommodate the two cam rails, the carrier 200B includes an inner cam follower arm 255A and an outer cam follower arm 255B, and an inner cam follower 256A and an outer cam follower 256B in the motion conversion mechanism 250. According to the conveying device 3, in order to accommodate mold changes, it is sufficient to perform a mold change process on the carrier 200B at the position of the mold change position P20. 【0096】 In Figures 15-17, elements identical to those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals as in Figures 1-14, and their descriptions are omitted. In the conveying device 3 according to this embodiment, the conveying distance of the pouch 300 can be shortened, thereby increasing the amount of pouch 300 discharged per unit time by the conveying device 3. 【0097】 [Cam rail 12: See Figures 15-17] As shown in Figure 15, the conveying device 3 includes an inner cam rail 12-1 that contacts the inner cam follower 256A of the carrier 200B, and an outer cam rail 12-2 that contacts the outer cam follower 256B of the carrier 200B. 【0098】 The position of the inner cam rail 12-1 in the Z direction is changed in a portion of the circular trajectory. In this embodiment, the position of the inner first cam rail 12D-1 in the Z direction in the range from position P04 to position P14 is positioned higher than the position of the inner second cam rail 12E-1 in the Z direction in the range from position P14 to position P04. 【0099】 Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, a cylinder 17 is provided at position P20. The cylinder 17 lowers the position in the Z direction of the inner cam follower 256A to a position beyond the stroke required to close the opening 302 in order to change the mold. 【0100】Similar to the inner cam rail 12-1, the outer cam rail 12-2 has its position in the Z direction changed in a portion of the circular trajectory. The position in the Z direction of the outer first cam rail 12D-2 in the range from position P04 to position P14 is positioned higher than the position in the Z direction of the outer second cam rail 12E-2 in the range from position P14 to position P04. 【0101】 Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, when the cylinder 17 lowers the inner cam follower 256A to a position in the Z direction beyond the stroke required to close the opening 302 for mold change, the outer cam follower 256B contacts the outer second cam rail 12E-2, and the displacement of the outer cam follower 256B opens and closes the opening 302 of the pouch 300. 【0102】 [Carrier 200B: See Figure 17] As shown in Figure 17, the motion conversion mechanism 250 of the carrier 200B includes an inner cam follower arm 255A fixed to the rotating shaft 259, and an inner cam follower 256A rotatably supported by the inner cam follower arm 255A. The inner cam follower 256A corresponds to the position of the inner cam rail 12-1. The motion conversion mechanism 250 of the carrier 200B also includes an outer cam follower arm 255B, which is located on the opposite side of the inner cam follower arm 255A and the fourth gear 254, and is fixed to the rotating shaft 259, and an outer cam follower 256B rotatably supported by the outer cam follower arm 255B. The inner cam follower arm 255A and the outer cam follower arm 255B share the rotating shaft 259. The outer cam follower 256B corresponds to the position of the outer cam rail 12-2. 【0103】[Type Change Response: See Figures 16 and 17] When the width dimension W of the pouch 300 supplied to the conveying device 3 is changed from the short dimension specification NT to the long dimension specification WT which is longer than the short dimension specification NT, the carrier 200B changes the type. As shown in Figure 16, when the carrier 200B reaches position P20, the displacement cam 17A moves backward and the position of the inner cam follower 256A in the Z direction is lowered. At this time, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 are displaced in a direction away from the position corresponding to the short dimension specification NT. In response to the oscillation of the inner cam follower arm 255A around the rotation axis 259, the outer cam follower arm 255B oscillates around the rotation axis 259. When the outer cam follower 256B comes into contact with the outer second cam rail 12E-2, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 reach the position corresponding to the long dimension specification WT. 【0104】 After the mold change, the outer cam follower 256B comes into contact with the outer first cam rail 12D-2 and the outer second cam rail 12E-2, and its position in the Z direction is displaced by the displacement cam 17A, thereby opening and closing the opening 302 of the pouch 300 of the long dimension specification WT. 【0105】 When the outer cam follower 256B is in contact with the outer cam rail 12-2, the inner cam follower 256A remains in a position lower than the position of the inner cam rail 12-1 in the Z direction, without contacting the inner cam rail 12-1. 【0106】When the width dimension W of the pouch 300 supplied to the conveying device 3 is changed from the long dimension specification WT to the short dimension specification NT, the carrier 200B changes the shape again. When changing from the short dimension specification NT to the long dimension specification WT, the displacement cam 17A moves backward, but conversely, when changing from the long dimension specification WT to the short dimension specification NT, it moves forward. When the carrier 200B reaches position P20, the displacement cam 17A moves forward, raising the position of the inner cam follower 256A in the Z direction to the position of the inner second cam rail 12E-1. In response to the oscillation of the inner cam follower arm 255A around the rotation axis 259, the outer cam follower arm 255B oscillates around the rotation axis 259, and the outer cam follower 256B moves away from the outer second cam rail 12E-2. 【0107】 After the mold change, the inner cam follower 256A contacts the inner first cam rail 12D-1 and the inner second cam rail 12E-1, opening and closing the opening 302 of the pouch 300 of the short-dimension NT specification. When the inner cam follower 256A is in contact with the inner cam rail 12-1, the outer cam follower 256B does not contact the outer cam rail 12-2 and remains at a position higher than the position of the outer cam rail 12-2 in the Z direction. 【0108】 [Effects] In addition to the first, second, third, and fifth-seventh effects described above, the conveying device 3 and carrier 200B according to this embodiment provide the following effects: [Eighth effect] At the mold change position P20, the conveying device 3 can easily handle mold changes by switching the cam rail that imparts the first movement in the Z direction to the movement conversion mechanism 250 of the carrier 200B between the inner cam rail 12-1 and the outer cam rail 12-2, without needing to change the position of the cam rail in the Z direction over the entire circumference. 【0109】[Ninth Effect] By arranging the carrier 200B's motion conversion mechanism 250 to receive the first motion separately from the two cam rails 12-1 and 12-2, the angle at which the feed screw shaft 241 rotates becomes larger than that of the carrier 200A in the second embodiment. As a result, the stroke of the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 becomes longer, enabling the changeover of pouches 300 with a wider dimensional range in the width direction W. 【0110】 In addition to the above, it is possible to select or discard the configurations listed in the above embodiments, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate. The carriers 100, 200A, and 200B minimize the transport distance between processing steps by gripping the pouch 300 so that its thickness direction T is parallel to the transport path 10, that is, so that its width direction W is perpendicular to the transport path 10. However, even if the width direction W of the pouch 300 intersects the transport path 10, the transport distance can be shortened compared to transporting the pouch 300 with its width direction W parallel to the transport path 10. In other words, the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 may be arranged in a direction that intersects the transport direction of the pouch 300. The angle between the transport direction of the pouch 300 and the direction in which the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 are arranged is, for example, in the range of 80 degrees or more and 90 degrees or less, when the angle described in each embodiment is set to 90 degrees. For example, if the angle between the conveying direction of the pouch 300 and the direction in which the pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 are arranged is 80 degrees, the Y-direction dimension of the conveying device can be reduced compared to when the angle is 90 degrees. Also, since the distance between adjacent pouches 300 in the Y-direction becomes smaller, the distance between processing equipment lined up in the Y-direction can also be reduced, allowing workers to perform maintenance without having to go to the back of the equipment. 【0111】 The surface of the cam rail 12 that contacts the cam follower is oriented horizontally, the displacement cam 17A is capable of moving forward and backward in the horizontal direction, and the motion conversion mechanisms 150 and 250 may convert the first horizontal motion into a second rotational motion. 【0112】A displacement cam 17A, which moves forward and backward in the Z direction, connects rails that are at different positions in the Z direction, allowing the cam follower to run. Alternatively, an inclined rail may be used to connect rails that are at different positions in the Z direction, allowing the cam follower to run. When the cam follower runs on an inclined rail, a pair of grippers 132-1 and 132-2 are brought closer together or further apart. 【0113】 [Note] The conveying device and carrier according to this disclosure can be understood as follows. [Note 1] The carrier (100, 200A, 200B) according to this disclosure is a carrier that conveys an article (300) while gripping the article with a pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2), and comprises: an action conversion mechanism (150, 250) that converts a first action of horizontal or vertical movement into a second action of rotation, and an opening and closing mechanism (130, 230) that is configured to move closer to and further apart in accordance with the second action and supports a pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2), and the pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2) are arranged in a direction intersecting the conveying direction for conveying the article (300). 【0114】 [Note 2] In Note 1, preferably, a plurality of opening and closing mechanisms (130, 230) are provided, arranged in a continuous manner in the direction in which a pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2) are arranged. 【0115】 [Note 3] In Note 1 or 2, preferably, the motion conversion mechanism (150) comprises a driven link (151) to which a first motion is given by a driving link (17A), and the opening / closing mechanism (130) comprises a pair of link arms (131-1, 131-2) which each support a pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2) at their tip ends and swing around a base end rotation axis (135, 137) that is rotated by a second motion, thereby enabling the pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2) to move closer together and further apart, and the link arms (131-1, 131-2) extend in a direction intersecting the transport direction and the direction in which the pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2) are arranged. 【0116】[Note 4] In Note 1 or 2, preferably, the motion conversion mechanism (250) comprises a driven link (255) to which a first motion is given by a driving link (17A), and the opening / closing mechanism (230) comprises a feed screw shaft extending in the direction in which a pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2) are arranged and supporting a pair of nuts (243-1, 243-2) and rotating in conjunction with a second motion, and a pair of nuts (243-1, 243-2) supporting a pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2). 【0117】 [Note 5] In Note 4, preferably, the motion conversion mechanism (250) comprises a plurality of driven links (255A, 255B), and the plurality of driven links (255A, 255B) share a rotating shaft (259) that converts the first motion to the second motion. 【0118】 [Note 6] The transport device (1, 2, 3) relating to this disclosure comprises a plurality of carriers (100, 200A, 200B) described in Notes 1 to 5 for transporting articles (300) along a transport path (10), and a transport path (10). 【0119】 [Note 7] In Note 6, preferably, the conveying path (10) is provided with a driving link (12) extending along the conveying direction, the driving path (10) is provided with a guide rail (11) supporting a guide mechanism (120), the driving link (12) is provided with a displacement cam (17A) that imparts a first action to the motion conversion mechanisms (150, 250), the carriers (100, 200A, 200B) are provided with a guide mechanism (120) that can cantilever support the carriers (100, 200A, 200B) and guide along the guide rail (11), and the motion conversion mechanisms (150, 250) are provided with a driven link (151) that travels along the driving link (12). 【0120】 [Note 8] In Note 7, preferably, the guide rail (11) has a pair of straight tracks (11AA, 11AB) arranged facing each other, and a pair of curved tracks (11BA, 11BB) connecting one end to the pair of straight tracks (11AA, 11AB) and the other end to the pair of straight tracks (11AA, 11AB), respectively. 【0121】 [Note 9] In Note 8, preferably, the curved roads (11BA, 11BB) extend in the horizontal direction. 【0122】 [Note 10] In Notes 1 to 9, preferably, the pair of grippers (132-1, 132-2) are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction for conveying the article (300). 【0123】 [Note 11] In Notes 6 to 10, preferably, the carrier (200A, 200B) is provided with a support roller (280) on the opposite side of the side supported by the guide mechanism (120), and the transport path (10) is provided with a support rail (20) that can support the support roller (280) from below. 【0124】 [Note 12] The method for approaching or separating according to this disclosure converts a first movement in the horizontal or vertical direction into a second movement in the rotational direction, and moves the gripping portion that grips the article closer or further away in conjunction with the second movement. 【0125】 [Note 13] The conveying method according to the present disclosure is a conveying method that conveys an article while gripping it along a conveying path, wherein in the middle of conveying the article, a first movement in the horizontal or vertical direction is converted into a second movement in the rotational direction, and the part that grips the article is moved closer to or further away from the article in accordance with the second movement, thereby conveying the article in the thickness direction of the article. 【0126】1, 2, 3 Conveyor device 10 Conveyor path 11 Guide rail 11AA, 11AB Straight path 11BA, 11BB Curved path 12 Cam rail 12-1 Inner cam rail 12-2 Outer cam rail 12A First cam rail 12B Second cam rail 12C Raising rail 12D First cam rail 12D-1 Inner first cam rail 12D-2 Outer first cam rail 12E Second cam rail 12E-1 Inner second cam rail 12E-2 Outer second cam rail 13 Stator 13A Electromagnetic coil 14 Support material 17 Cylinder 17A Displacement cam 20 Support rail 100, 200A, 200B Carrier 110 Frame 111 First frame 112 Second frame 113A Permanent magnet 120 Guide mechanism 121 Guide roller 130 Opening / closing mechanism 131-1 Link arm 131-2 Link arm 132-1 Gripper 132-2 Gripper 133 Intermediate link 133-1 First intermediate link 133-2 Second intermediate link 133-3 Connecting link 133-3A First joint 133-3B Second joint 135 Rotating shaft 137 Rotating shaft 150 Motion conversion mechanism 151 First cam follower arm 151 Driven link 153 First cam follower 155 Second cam follower arm 157 Second cam follower 160 Coupling mechanism 163-1 First connecting link 163-2 Second connecting link 163-3 Connecting link 163-3A First joint 163-3B Second joint 170 Restoration mechanism 171 First mounting member 172 Second mounting member 173 Connecting body 210 Frame 211 First frame 212 Second frame 230 Opening / closing mechanism 240 Lead screw mechanism 241 Lead screw shaft 242-1, 242-2 Bearing unit 243-1, 243-2 Nut 245-1,245-2 Gripper connecting member 250 Motion conversion mechanism 251 First gear 252 Second gear 253 Third gear 254 Fourth gear 255 Driven link 255 Cam follower arm 255A Inner cam follower arm 255B Outer cam follower arm 256 Cam follower 256A Inner cam follower 256B Outer cam follower 258, 259 Rotating shaft 260 Connecting member 270 Restoration mechanism 271-1, 271-2 Mounting member 280 Support roller 300 Pouch 301A Film material 301B Film material 302 Opening 400 Control unit CP Proximity position H Height direction NT Short dimension specification P01-P20 Position SP Separation position T Thickness direction W: Width direction; W1A, W1B, W2A, W3A, W3B: Width; WT: Length specification.

Claims

1. A carrier for transporting articles while gripping them with a pair of grippers, comprising: a motion conversion mechanism that converts a first motion, which is horizontal or vertical, into a second motion, which is rotational; and an opening / closing mechanism that is configured to move closer together and further apart in accordance with the second motion and supports the pair of grippers, wherein the pair of grippers are arranged in a direction intersecting the transport direction for transporting the articles.

2. The carrier according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of opening and closing mechanisms arranged in a continuous manner in the direction in which the pair of grippers are arranged.

3. The carrier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the motion conversion mechanism comprises a driven section to which the first motion is imparted by a driving section, and the opening and closing mechanism comprises a pair of link arms each supporting a pair of grippers at their tip ends and swinging about a rotation axis at the base end that is rotated by the second motion, thereby enabling the pair of grippers to move closer together and further apart, and the link arms extend in a direction intersecting the transport direction and the direction in which the pair of grippers are arranged.

4. The carrier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the motion conversion mechanism comprises a driven section to which the first motion is imparted by a driving section, and the opening and closing mechanism comprises a feed screw shaft extending in the direction in which the pair of grippers are arranged, supporting a pair of nuts and rotating in conjunction with the second motion, and a pair of nuts supporting the pair of grippers.

5. The carrier according to claim 4, wherein the motion conversion mechanism comprises a plurality of the driven links, and the plurality of the driven links share a rotation axis that converts the first motion to the second motion.

6. A conveying device comprising: a plurality of carriers according to claim 1 or 2 for conveying the articles along a conveying path; and the conveying path.

7. The conveying device according to claim 6, comprising a drive link extending along the conveying direction, the conveying path comprising a guide rail supporting a guide mechanism, the drive link comprising a displacement cam for imparting the first operation to the motion conversion mechanism, the carrier comprising a guide mechanism capable of cantilevering the carrier and guiding it along the guide rail, and the motion conversion mechanism comprising a driven link that travels along the drive link.

8. The conveying device according to claim 7, wherein the guide rail comprises a pair of straight tracks arranged opposite to each other, and a pair of curved tracks connecting one end of the pair of straight tracks to each other and the other end to each other, respectively.

9. The conveying device according to claim 8, wherein the curved path extends in the horizontal direction.

10. The conveying device according to claim 9, wherein the pair of grippers are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction for conveying the article.

11. The conveying device according to claim 7, wherein the carrier is provided with a support roller on the opposite side of the side supported by the guide mechanism, and the conveying path is provided with a support rail capable of supporting the support roller from below.

12. A method for moving an object closer to or further away from a gripping portion that grips an object, which is converted from a first horizontal or vertical movement to a second rotational movement, and which moves the gripping portion closer to or further away from the object in conjunction with the second movement.

13. A conveying method for conveying an article while gripping it along a conveying path, wherein, in the middle of conveying the article, a first movement in the horizontal or vertical direction is converted to a second movement in the rotational direction, and the gripping portion that grips the article is moved closer to or further away from the gripping portion in accordance with the second movement, thereby conveying the article in the thickness direction of the article.

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