Bag conveyance method and bag conveyance apparatus

Abstract

A bag conveyance method includes the steps of: causing a holding member to hold a bag bundle including a plurality of bags; delivering the bag bundle in a standing posture from the holding member to a delivery unit; rotating the delivery unit in such a manner that a posture of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit is changed from the standing posture to a lying posture; and conveying the bag bundle in the lying posture from the delivery unit to a supply unit.

1 . A bag conveyance method comprising the steps of:
 causing a holding member to hold a bag bundle including a plurality of bags;   delivering the bag bundle in a standing posture from the holding member to a delivery unit;   rotating the delivery unit in such a manner that a posture of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit is changed from the standing posture to a lying posture; and   conveying the bag bundle in the lying posture from the delivery unit to a supply unit.   
     
     
         2 . The bag conveyance method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the holding member
 approaches the delivery unit from above while holding the bag bundle,   releases the bag bundle to deliver the bag bundle to the delivery unit, and   after releasing the bag bundle, moves away from the delivery unit upward.   
     
     
         3 . A bag conveyance apparatus comprising:
 a stocker in which a bag bundle including a plurality of bags is accommodated;   a holding member which picks up and holds the bag bundle accommodated in the stocker;   a posture change mechanism which includes a delivery unit to which the bag bundle in a standing posture is delivered from the holding member, and a rotation mechanism which rotates the delivery unit to change a posture of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit from the standing posture to a lying posture; and   a conveyance unit which includes a push unit and a conveyance drive mechanism driving the push unit, and causes the conveyance drive mechanism to drive the push unit in such a manner that the push unit moves the bag bundle in the lying posture from the delivery unit toward a supply unit.   
     
     
         4 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the plurality of posture change mechanisms are provided, and   the plurality of conveyance units are provided and are assigned to the plurality of posture change mechanisms respectively.   
     
     
         5 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the delivery unit has an opening part, a first wall part which faces the opening part, and a second wall part which extends in a direction forming 90 degrees with respect to a direction in which the first wall part extends,   the holding member delivers the bag bundle to the delivery unit through the opening part,   the bag bundle in the standing posture delivered from the holding member is placed on the first wall part, and   the bag bundle in the lying posture held by the delivery unit is placed on the second wall part.   
     
     
         6 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 4 , wherein:
 the delivery unit has an opening part, a first wall part which faces the opening part, and a second wall part which extends in a direction forming 90 degrees with respect to a direction in which the first wall part extends,   the holding member delivers the bag bundle to the delivery unit through the opening part,   the bag bundle in the standing posture delivered from the holding member is placed on the first wall part, and   the bag bundle in the lying posture held by the delivery unit is placed on the second wall part.   
     
     
         7 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the delivery unit has a groove which extends toward the supply unit, and   the push unit is driven by the conveyance drive mechanism to travel in the groove to move the bag bundle from the delivery unit toward the supply unit.   
     
     
         8 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 4 , wherein:
 the delivery unit has a groove which extends toward the supply unit, and   the push unit is driven by the conveyance drive mechanism to travel in the groove to move the bag bundle from the delivery unit toward the supply unit.   
     
     
         9 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein:
 the delivery unit has a groove which extends toward the supply unit, and   the push unit is driven by the conveyance drive mechanism to travel in the groove to move the bag bundle from the delivery unit toward the supply unit.   
     
     
         10 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the delivery unit has a groove which extends toward the supply unit, and   the push unit is driven by the conveyance drive mechanism to travel in the groove to move the bag bundle from the delivery unit toward the supply unit.   
     
     
         11 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 3  comprising a guide member which is able to be placed in a regulation position for restricting a position of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit and in a retreat position for not restricting a position of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit, wherein,
 the delivery unit has a cutout portion, and 
 the guide member placed in the regulation position is located in the cutout portion, and the guide member placed in the retreat position is located outside the cutout portion. 
 
     
     
         12 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 4  comprising a guide member which is able to be placed in a regulation position for restricting a position of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit and in a retreat position for not restricting a position of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit, wherein,
 the delivery unit has a cutout portion, and 
 the guide member placed in the regulation position is located in the cutout portion, and the guide member placed in the retreat position is located outside the cutout portion. 
 
     
     
         13 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 5  comprising a guide member which is able to be placed in a regulation position for restricting a position of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit and in a retreat position for not restricting a position of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit, wherein,
 the delivery unit has a cutout portion, and 
 the guide member placed in the regulation position is located in the cutout portion, and the guide member placed in the retreat position is located outside the cutout portion. 
 
     
     
         14 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 6  comprising a guide member which is able to be placed in a regulation position for restricting a position of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit and in a retreat position for not restricting a position of the bag bundle held by the delivery unit, wherein,
 the delivery unit has a cutout portion, and 
 the guide member placed in the regulation position is located in the cutout portion, and the guide member placed in the retreat position is located outside the cutout portion. 
 
     
     
         15 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 3  comprising a detection unit, wherein,
 the push unit arranges the bag bundle in a supply position of the supply unit, 
 the detection unit detects presence or absence of a bag in the supply position, and 
 the conveyance drive mechanism drives the push unit according to detection result of the detection unit in such a manner that a new bag bundle is conveyed toward the supply position according to presence or absence of a bag in the supply position. 
 
     
     
         16 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 4  comprising a detection unit, wherein,
 the push unit arranges the bag bundle in a supply position of the supply unit, 
 the detection unit detects presence or absence of a bag in the supply position, and 
 the conveyance drive mechanism drives the push unit according to detection result of the detection unit in such a manner that a new bag bundle is conveyed toward the supply position according to presence or absence of a bag in the supply position. 
 
     
     
         17 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 5  comprising a detection unit, wherein,
 the push unit arranges the bag bundle in a supply position of the supply unit, 
 the detection unit detects presence or absence of a bag in the supply position, and 
 the conveyance drive mechanism drives the push unit according to detection result of the detection unit in such a manner that a new bag bundle is conveyed toward the supply position according to presence or absence of a bag in the supply position. 
 
     
     
         18 . The bag conveyance apparatus as defined in  claim 6  comprising a detection unit, wherein,
 the push unit arranges the bag bundle in a supply position of the supply unit, 
 the detection unit detects presence or absence of a bag in the supply position, and 
 the conveyance drive mechanism drives the push unit according to detection result of the detection unit in such a manner that a new bag bundle is conveyed toward the supply position according to presence or absence of a bag in the supply position.