JP2007106489A - Packaging machine and corner-folding device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To exactly conduct folding treatment of an edge by a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: A packaging machine has: an upper part-pressing device 31 contacting an upper surface of a tip end side of a tubular film 13 end-sealed by an end-seal device 15 and urging it downward; and a fold-forming device 32 standing and folding an end-sealed edge 17a of the tip end of the tubular film which is prevented from moving by the upper part-pressing device. The fold-forming device 32 has: a forwardly backwardly rotatably mounted air cylinder 35; an edge-folding plate 36 connected to a cylinder rod of the cylinder; a fixed roller 37 contacting the edge-folding plate to regulate a locus of rise and fall movement of the edge-folding plate, accompanying reciprocative movement of the cylinder rod; and a spring 38 connected to a main body of the cylinder to urge the edge-folding plate to the rotary roller side. When the edge-folding plate rises, a pushing portion of the upper side of the edge-folding plate pushes the edge to an item 14 to be packaged by urging force of the spring. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a packaging machine and an ear folding device.

  The pillow wrapping machine has the following configuration. First, the strip-shaped film wound up by the raw fabric roll is continuously supplied to the bag making device, and when the bag making device is passed, the tubular film formed into a tubular shape is formed. In addition, an article transporting and supplying device is arranged on the upstream side of the bag making device, and an object to be packaged conveyed at predetermined intervals from the object to be packaged conveying and supplying device is supplied into the bag making device. Accordingly, when the article to be packaged passes through the bag making machine, the article to be packaged is stored at predetermined intervals in the cylindrical film, and the article to be packaged is conveyed together with the cylindrical film. A center seal device and an end seal device are arranged along the conveying direction. The center seal device seals the film polymerization end of the tubular film. The end seal device seals the tubular film in the lateral direction of travel (portion where the front and rear packages are not present) and cuts the portion of the tubular film in which the front package is stored. Is separated from the subsequent cylindrical film to produce a package.

  The end seal portion of the package is also referred to as an “ear part”, and there is a demand for bending the ear part. This is because the ear portion is in a state of protruding in the horizontal direction in a state where a normal packaging process is performed, so that the outer shape of the package is made substantially equal to the outer shape of the packaged object by bending the ear portion. This is because, for example, not only can the package (ear-folded) be easily packed when boxed, but also has a merit that it can be stored using a small-capacity box. . Further, by folding one ear part, the side where the ear part is bent may be a flat surface to be a bottom part, and the package may be able to stand up.

  In order to bend the ear part, the end part of the end seal device is bent independently of the end seal device or integrally with the end seal device, and the end portion is bent and separated from the tubular film. An ear fold device for processing is provided. As a packaging machine in which such an ear folding device is mounted, there are those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 in the past.

In each of these ear folding devices disclosed in these patent documents, air is blown against the end seal portion that is in a state of being easily deformed due to residual heat immediately after the end seal treatment. The structure is bent by pushing the part upward and cooled by the blown air so that the bent state is maintained.
JP 2004-331135 A JP 2004-338741 A

  In the conventional technology described above, the end seal portion (ear portion) is instantaneously cooled by air blowing, so that the bent state of the ear portion is maintained, but the temperature of the end sealer itself is lowered by the air. There is a risk that. When the temperature of the end sealer is lowered, there is a possibility that a sealing failure may occur due to the non-uniform end sealer temperature. Further, since the bending is performed by an uncertain element such as air pressure, it is difficult to perform the bending reliably every time. Furthermore, there is a possibility that a crease cannot be applied to a film material, particularly a firm film. Furthermore, when the product is light, the product floats due to the pressing force of the air, and there is a problem that the bending cannot be reliably performed.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine and an ear folding device that can reliably perform the process of bending the ear part (ear folding) with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a packaging machine according to the present invention is installed on the downstream side of an end seal device that seals and cuts in the width direction a packaging film that wraps an article to be packaged. An ear fold device, wherein the ear fold device is disposed on an upper surface of a package film that has been end-sealed by the end seal device or a package that has been end-sealed. An upper restraining device that contacts and urges downward, and a folding fold that erects and bends the end-sealed ear portion of the cylindrical film or the front end portion of the packaging body, the movement of which is restrained by the upper restraining device The folding device includes a cylinder that is rotatably installed in a forward and reverse direction, an ear folding plate that is connected to a cylinder rod of the cylinder, and A restricting member (in the embodiment, corresponding to “fixed roller 37”) that contacts the ear folding plate and regulates the trajectory of the vertical movement of the ear folding plate accompanying the reciprocating movement of the cylinder rod, and the main body of the cylinder And an urging means for urging the folded ear plate toward the regulating member. When the folded ear plate rises, the urging force of the urging means pushes the upper end side of the folded ear plate. The abutting part is configured to press the ear part against the packaged object side.

  More specifically, for example, the ear folding plate is a pressing portion whose tip extends in the vertical direction, and has a shape having an inclined portion continuous to the lower end of the pressing portion, and the cylinder rod extends in the extending direction. Along with the movement, the ear folding plate rises, and the portion that contacts the regulating member gradually moves to the lower side of the inclined portion during the upward movement, and the biasing force of the biasing means As the cylinder rotates in a predetermined direction, the pressing portion can be configured to gradually move toward the packaged object as it rises.

  Since the ear portion can be pressed by the ear folding plate, the ear folding can be reliably performed. Moreover, since the ear folding plate moves up and down by reciprocating movement by the cylinder and performs the ear folding process, it can be realized with a simple configuration. Furthermore, since air is not used to perform the ear folding as in the prior art, the temperature of the heater is not lowered, and there is no possibility that a sealing failure will occur.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the sealing surfaces of the pair of end sealers are formed so as to rise from the front and rear sides in the traveling direction toward the central portion. If it does in this way, the film site | part pinched | interposed by this end sealer will be shape | molded by the convex top shape (inverted V shape). Therefore, it is possible to fold the ears at both ends by cutting the central portion.

  Further, the ear folding device according to the present invention is an ear folding device that is installed downstream of the end seal device of the packaging machine and bends the end-sealed ear portion of the package body. An upper restraining device that is in contact with the upper surface of the processed packaging film or end-sealed packaging body and is biased downward, and the tubular film whose movement is restrained by the upper restraining device. A folding device that erects and bends the end-sealed ear portion of the front end portion of the package body, and the folding device includes a cylinder that is rotatably installed in a forward and reverse direction, and a cylinder rod of the cylinder And a regulating member that contacts the ear folding plate and regulates the trajectory of the vertical movement of the ear folding plate accompanying the reciprocating movement of the cylinder rod. Corresponding to the “fixed roller 37” in the form) and biasing means coupled to the cylinder main body and biasing the ear folding plate toward the regulating member, and when the ear folding plate rises, The pressing part on the upper end side of the ear folding plate is configured to press the ear part against the packaged object side by the biasing force by the biasing means.

  According to the present invention, since the ear folds are attached by the ear fold plate that is moved up and down by the cylinder, the ear fold (ear fold) can be reliably performed with a simple configuration.

  1 and 2 mainly show an end seal device and an ear fold device in a packaging machine, which are the main parts of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Although not shown in the drawings, generally, the pillow packaging machine is disposed on the upstream side of the packaging machine body 10, the film supply device that continuously supplies the belt-shaped packaging film to the packaging machine body 10, and the packaging machine body, A packaged article transport and supply device that supplies the packaged article 14 to the packaging machine main body at predetermined intervals is provided.

  Each device will be briefly described. The film supply device continuously draws out (sends) a belt-like film from a raw roll, and the belt-like film is passed over a roller to pass through a predetermined path to form the packaging machine body 10. Led to the bag making machine. The band-shaped film is sized into a cylindrical shape by passing through a bag making machine.

  The packaged article conveyance supply device conveys the packaged articles at predetermined intervals and sequentially supplies them to the bag making machine of the packaging machine body 10. Thereby, as mentioned above, since the belt-shaped film is supplied to the bag making machine and is passed through the bag-shaped film, the bag is packed into a cylindrical shape. After that, the article to be packaged 10 is conveyed through the packaging machine main body while being inserted into the tubular film 13.

  The packaging machine main body 10 is a center seal device (not shown) that seals a bag making device (not shown) in order from the upstream side, and a film polymerization edge of a cylindrical film that encloses an article to be packaged that has passed through the bag making device. A transport conveyor 11 that transports the center-sealed tubular film, an upper restraint belt 12 that is disposed above the transport conveyor 11 and prevents the packaged article (tubular film) from being lifted, and an end seal device 15. An unloading conveyor 16 is provided for unloading the package 14 manufactured by end sealing.

  The upper restraining belt 12 is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the upstream side of the end seal device 15, and suppresses the article 14 in the tubular film 13 from being lifted upward so that it can be conveyed while maintaining a horizontal state. ing.

  The end seal device 15 seals and cuts the tubular film 13 in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction, that is, in a transverse direction. The film part to be sealed / cut is a predetermined position between the front and rear objects 14 to be packaged. Thereby, the head part of the cylindrical film 13 is isolate | separated from the succeeding by passing the end seal apparatus 15, and the package 17 is manufactured.

  The specific configuration of the end seal device 15 includes a pair of end sealers 21 and 22 that are vertically opposed to each other with the tubular film 13 interposed therebetween, and the seal surfaces 21a and 22a of the end sealers 21 and 22 are opposed to each other. Each of them is revolved along a predetermined trajectory while maintaining the state. As a mechanism for revolving the end sealers 21 and 22 along a predetermined locus, a known mechanism called a box motion can be used. In this box motion, when the end sealers 21 and 22 are engaged with each other and sandwich the tubular film 13 (see FIG. 2), the end sealers 21 and 22 move forward at the same speed as the tubular film 13. When it moves away from the tubular film 13, it is repeatedly moved backward along a predetermined trajectory. As a result, the tubular film 13 can be sandwiched between the end sealers 21 and 22 for a certain period and maintained in a pressurized and heated state, so that it can be reliably heat-sealed and the tubular film 13 can be moved continuously. Of course, when the cylindrical film 13 is moved intermittently, the end sealers 21 and 22 are only moved up and down, and when the cylindrical film is temporarily stopped, the end sealers 21 and 22 are moved up and down once and sealed.・ Can be cut. In the case of the box motion mechanism, the carry-out conveyor 16 and the transfer conveyor 11 may be moved in the front-rear direction in accordance with the forward and backward movement of the end sealers 21 and 22. For this technique, for example, a mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-286413 can be used.

  Here, in the present invention, the seal surfaces 21a and 22a of the pair of end sealers 21 and 22 are formed to rise from the front and rear sides in the traveling direction toward the central portion. More specifically, the sealing surface 21a of the upper end sealer 21 has a shape in which the central part is recessed (the position of the central part is on the top) and has a substantially valley shape as a whole. The seal surface 22a of the lower end sealer 22 protrudes upward as it goes to the central portion, and has a generally mountain shape as a whole. Both of the sealing surfaces 21a and 22a are inclined surfaces (sealing marks are formed), and the inclination angles of both the sealing surfaces 21a and 22a are coincident with each other.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when the pair of end sealers 21 and 22 are engaged to sandwich the tubular film 13, the positions of the front and rear side edges in the advancing direction are positioned at intermediate positions in the vertical direction of the tubular film 13. Set to do. As a result, the film portion sandwiched between the end sealers 21 and 22 is formed into a convex mountain shape (inverted V shape).

  Although not shown in the drawings, the center portions of the end sealers 21 and 22 are each provided with a cutter blade and a receiving blade, and the opposite portions of the tubular film 13 are cut by the blades. That is, the tip (vertex) portion sealed in a mountain shape is cut. As a result, the end-sealed seal part (ear part) is in a state of rising in an inclined direction upward, and thus the end-sealing process is performed and the ear is folded.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the article 14 to be packaged, which is subjected to the ear fold processing by the end seal device 15 described above, has a PTP package (used to store tablets) 14a. As shown in FIG. 3B, a plurality of stacked layers (four in the example in the figure) are used. Of course, the number of stacked layers is arbitrary, or a single product may be used. As shown in FIGS. 3B and 4, the packaging body 17 manufactured by the packaging machine according to the present embodiment takes a posture in which the ear portion 17 a end-sealed by the end seal device 15 rises upward. . Further, the one ear portion 17a bent by the end seal device 15 is more securely folded by the ear folding device 30 described later.

  The discharge conveyor 16 is configured by spanning endless belts 26 around a plurality of pulleys 25. It rotates by receiving power from a drive motor (not shown). Here, each pulley 25 is arranged so that a space portion 26b having a bottom on a part of the conveyance surface 26a of the carry-out conveyor 16 is formed. Since the length of the space portion 26b in the front-rear direction is shorter than the length of the package body 17, the package body 17 is conveyed as it is on the space portion 26b.

  The ear folding device 30 is disposed on the downstream side of the end seal device 15 and is in contact with the top surface of the tip end portion of the tubular film 13 that is end-sealed. And a folding device 32 for further standing and bending the ear portion 17a of the distal end portion of the tubular film 13 whose movement is suppressed by the upper restraining device 31.

  The upper restraining device 31 includes an air cylinder 33 and an upper restraining plate 34 connected to a cylinder rod 33 a of the air cylinder 33. The air cylinder 33 is installed downward, whereby the cylinder rod 33a reciprocates, so that the upper holding plate 34 connected thereto moves up and down. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper restraining plate 34 moves downward as the cylinder rod 33 a extends from the raised position where the cylinder rod 33 a is almost housed in the main body of the air cylinder 33. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper holding plate 34 is in contact with the upper surface of the distal end portion of the tubular film 13 located on the downstream side of the end seal device 15, and is to be packaged enclosed in the tubular film 13. It is urged downward together with the object 14. Then, since the front-end | tip part of the cylindrical film 13 is located on the carrying-out conveyor 16, it is pinched with predetermined pressure between the carrying-out conveyor 16 and the upper holding board 34, and a movement is suppressed. Thereby, the positioning of the tubular film (packaged object) is performed, and the lifting of the packaged article or the like at the time of the ear fold or the deviation in the left-right direction is prevented.

  The folding device 32 includes an air cylinder 35, an ear folding plate 36 connected to the cylinder rod 35a of the air cylinder 35, and the ear folding plate 36. A fixed roller 37 that regulates the trajectory of the up-and-down movement and a spring 38 connected to the main body of the air cylinder 35 are provided.

  The air cylinder 35 is erected upward in a slightly inclined shape (cylinder rod 35a is upward), and the lower part of the main body is connected to a rotating shaft 39 so as to be able to rotate forward and backward. The air cylinder 35 is urged in the counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the elastic restoring force (force to extend) of the spring 38. The ear folding plate 36 has a suitably bent shape (two places in the present embodiment), and as shown in the figure, a tip 36a is a pressing portion 36a extending in the vertical direction, and an inclined portion 36b is formed at the lower end of the pressing portion 36a. And the connecting portion 36c with the cylinder rod 35a continues to the lower end of the inclined portion 36b.

  In a state where the cylinder rod 35a is almost housed in the main body, as shown in FIG. 1, the pressing portion 36a of the ear folding plate 36 contacts the fixed roller 37, and the tip of the pressing portion 36 is at the end of the carry-out conveyor 16. Without projecting upward from the transport surface 16a, the packaging body 17 can move on the carry-out conveyor 16. Further, this state is the state where the air cylinder 35 stands up most, and the spring 38 is also compressed and deformed.

  On the other hand, when the air cylinder 35 is actuated and the cylinder rod 35a is extended, the ear folding plate 36 is also moved upward, the portion that contacts the fixed roller 37 is shifted to the inclined portion 36b, and the ear folding plate 36 is further lifted as it is. The part in contact with the fixed roller 37 gradually moves to the lower side of the inclined part 36b. Accordingly, the cylinder 35 is rotated counterclockwise by the biasing force of the spring 38. Accordingly, the pressing portion 36a of the ear folding plate 36 protrudes above the conveying surface 26a and moves toward the rear side in the conveying direction of the carry-out conveyor 16, that is, toward the front end side of the tubular film 13 while moving upward. To do. Thereby, the ear | edge part 17a of the front-end | tip of the cylindrical film 13 will be gradually pushed to the advancing direction back side by the pressing part 36a which moves upward, and a crease is added more strongly.

  Further, in this embodiment, a gusset forming mechanism is mounted on the end seal device 15, and when the end sealers 21 and 22 are engaged with each other, as shown in FIG. (Refer to FIG. 4, FIG. 5, etc. of Patent Document 2) is inserted to fold the film, and the package 14 approaches and contacts the end sealers 21, 22 by pressing the ear folding plate 36a. To prevent appearance defects due to the heat of the end sealer.

  In addition, when the dimension etc. of the package 17 are changed, it can respond by adjusting the installation position (position before and behind in the conveyance direction) of the folding apparatus 32. FIG. Further, in the present embodiment, the sealing surfaces 21a and 22a of the end sealers 21 and 22 are inclined surfaces, so that ears are formed on both sides of the packaging body 17 and the front side in the traveling direction is further creased. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the sealing surface of the end sealer may be a horizontal flat surface as in the prior art. In this case, the ear part of the package is formed only on one side.

  In the present embodiment, the ear fold process is performed while the top sealers are in contact with each other. However, the ear fold process is performed after the top sealer is separated and the package 17 is manufactured. Anyway, of course.

It is a front view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining an example of a to-be-packaged object. It is a figure which shows a package body.

Explanation of symbols

10 Packaging machine body 13 Tubular film (wrapping film)
14 Package 15 End seal device 17 Package 17a Ear parts 21, 22 End sealers 21a, 22a Seal surface 30 Bending device 31 Upper restraining device 32 Folding device 35 Air cylinder 35a Cylinder rod 36 Ear folding plate 36a Pressing portion 36b Inclined part 37 Fixed roller (regulating member)
38 Spring (biasing means)
39 Rotating shaft

Claims (4)

A packaging machine including an end seal device that seals and cuts a packaging film that encloses an article to be packaged in the width direction, and an ear fold device that is installed on the downstream side of the end seal device,
The ear fold device includes an upper restraining device that contacts an upper surface of a packaging film that has been end-sealed by the end-sealing device or a packaging body that has been end-sealed and is biased downward, and an upper portion thereof. A folding device that erects and bends the end-sealed ear portion of the distal end portion of the tubular film or the package body, the movement of which is suppressed by a restraining device,
The folding device includes a cylinder rotatably installed in forward and reverse directions, an ear fold plate connected to a cylinder rod of the cylinder, and the ear fold plate in contact with the reciprocating movement of the cylinder rod. A regulation member that regulates the trajectory of the upward and downward movement of the ear folding plate, and a biasing means that is coupled to the cylinder body and biases the ear folding plate toward the regulation member.
When the ear folding plate is raised, the pressing portion on the upper end side of the ear folding plate is configured to press the ear portion against the packaged object side by the biasing force of the biasing means. Packaging machine. The ear folding plate is a pressing part whose tip extends in the vertical direction, and has a shape having an inclined part continuously to the lower end of the pressing part,
As the cylinder rod moves in the direction in which the cylinder rod extends, the ear folding plate rises, and when the ascending movement, the part that contacts the regulating member gradually moves below the inclined portion, 2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein when the cylinder is rotated in a predetermined direction by the urging force of the urging means, the pressing portion is configured to gradually move toward the package object as it rises. Packaging machine.   The packaging machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seal surfaces of the pair of end sealers are formed so as to rise from the front and rear sides in the traveling direction toward the central portion. An ear folding device that is installed on the downstream side of the end seal device of the packaging machine and bends the end-sealed ear portion of the package,
The upper restraint device that contacts the upper surface of the packaging film that has been end-sealed by the end-sealing device or the package that has been end-sealed and that is biased downward, and the upper restraining device restrains movement. A folding device that erects and folds the end-sealed ear of the cylindrical film or the tip of the package,
The folding device includes a cylinder rotatably installed in forward and reverse directions, an ear fold plate connected to a cylinder rod of the cylinder, and the ear fold plate in contact with the reciprocating movement of the cylinder rod. A regulating member (fixed roller 37) that regulates the trajectory of the upward and downward movement of the ear folding plate, and an urging means that is coupled to the main body of the cylinder and urges the ear folding plate toward the regulating member.
When the ear folding plate is raised, the pressing portion on the upper end side of the ear folding plate is configured to press the ear portion against the packaged object side by the biasing force of the biasing means. Ear fold device.

Images