JP7469604B2 - Packaging Equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging device that sandwiches an item between upper and lower sheets and seals the periphery.

There is a known packaging device that supplies products such as tablets or candy at a predetermined interval between two continuously conveyed upper and lower sheets, and packages the products by adhering the sheets together around the periphery of the products. For example, in packaging candy, a packaging device has been proposed in which the products conveyed at a predetermined interval are transferred onto a continuously conveyed lower sheet, and the upper sheet is rotated in synchronization with the product, and is wrapped around a rotating wheel (sealing device) that has sealing ribs extending in the width direction around it at the predetermined intervals, and the upper sheet is pressed against the lower sheet so that the product on the lower sheet is positioned between the sealing ribs, thereby adhering (sealing) the product (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-502754 A

However, with conventional configurations, the product being transported can become misaligned before the periphery of the product is sealed, resulting in poor sealing or defective products.

The objective of the present invention is to prevent misalignment of an object in a packaging device that sandwiches the object between upper and lower sheets that are continuously conveyed and seals the periphery.

The packaging device according to the first aspect of the present invention is a packaging device that includes a lower sheet conveying means for continuously conveying a lower sheet, an article supplying means for aligning and supplying articles onto the continuously conveyed lower sheet, an upper sheet conveying means for continuously conveying an upper sheet that covers the upper part of the lower sheet, and a sealing means for sealing the periphery of an article that is conveyed while being sandwiched between the upper sheet and the lower sheet, and is characterized in that the packaging device includes a positioning guide that is provided upstream of the position where the upper sheet covers the upper part of the lower sheet and can engage with an article, and a driving means for reciprocating the positioning guide up and down and along the conveying direction of the lower sheet, and that the positioning guide is engaged with an article supplied to the lower sheet, thereby restricting the article to the moving speed of the positioning guide, and then raising the positioning guide.

The packaging device according to the second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the positioning guide is positioned downstream of the articles fed to the lower sheet and moved in the conveying direction of the lower sheet at a slower speed than the lower sheet, thereby restricting the movement speed of the articles to the movement speed of the positioning guide.

The third invention of the present invention is a packaging device according to the second invention, characterized in that after restricting the movement speed of the article to the movement speed of the positioning guide, the positioning guide is moved in the conveying direction of the lower sheet at a higher speed than the lower sheet, and then the positioning guide is raised.

The present invention makes it possible to prevent misalignment of an object in a packaging device that sandwiches the object between upper and lower sheets that are continuously conveyed and seals the periphery.

1 is a side view of a packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the packaging device of FIG. 1 . 4 is a front view of a configuration of a positioning guide provided in the packaging device, viewed from the downstream side to the upstream side. FIG. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 11A to 11C are enlarged side views showing the movement of the positioning guide in time series.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Figs. 1 and 2 are a side view and a plan view of a packaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a front view of the configuration of a positioning guide provided in the packaging device, viewed from the downstream side to the upstream side, and Fig. 4 is a partially enlarged view of Fig. 1.

The packaging device 10 of this embodiment packages an item M, such as a tablet, by sandwiching the item M between two sheets and sealing the periphery. The item M is supplied from a hopper (not shown) via a chute 12, and a separation wheel 14 is disposed midway along the chute 12. The items M sliding down the chute 12 are separated at regular intervals by the separation wheel 14 and supplied to a bucket conveyor 16 located below the chute 12.

The bucket conveyor 16 is equipped with a number of bucket plates 20 stretched across a pair of endless chains 18, and each bucket plate 20 has recesses 20A at regular intervals in the width direction for individually accommodating items M. The bucket conveyor 16 is driven continuously at a constant speed, and items M supplied to the bucket conveyor 16 are transported in multiple rows (10 rows in Figures 2 and 3). In the bucket conveyor 16, the upper endless chain 18 is supported horizontally by chain guides 18A.

A camera 22 is placed downstream of the chute 12 and above the bucket conveyor 16 to inspect the presence and quality of the items M placed in each recess 20A. In addition, a lighting source 24 is placed above the bucket conveyor 16 to photograph the items M with the camera 22.

A transfer device 26 is disposed above the bucket conveyor 16 downstream of the position where the camera 22 photographs the item M. The transfer device 26 transfers the item M on the bucket conveyor 16 onto a lower sheet (including a film) S1 that is continuously transported horizontally in the same direction as the bucket conveyor 16, downstream of the bucket conveyor 16.

The bucket conveyor 16 is provided, for example, at the downstream end, and has a pair of sprockets 16A around which an endless chain 18 is wound as driving sprockets, and is driven by a bucket transport motor 16M. At the downstream end of the bucket conveyor 16, a guide 28 is provided along the outer periphery of the sprocket 16A, and items M that have not been transferred onto the lower sheet S1 by the transfer device 26 are transported along the guide 28 to the lower side of the bucket conveyor 16, where they fall into a collection box 30 and are collected.

The lower sheet S1 is supplied from below at a constant speed, made horizontal at the height of the conveying surface of the bucket conveyor 16 by a pulley 32 arranged adjacent to the downstream end of the bucket conveyor 16, and sent out in the same direction as the conveying direction of the bucket conveyor 16. The lower surface of the lower sheet S1, which runs horizontally, is supported by a horizontally arranged guide plate 33. The transfer device 26 picks up the items M transported on the bucket conveyor 16 in a specified row and column, and transfers them onto the lower sheet S1 running on the guide plate 33.

As described below, the items M transferred onto the lower sheet S1 are positioned at specified positions on the guide plate 33 by the positioning guides 34. The upper sheet (including film) S2 is fed from above toward the lower sheet S1 near the downstream end of the guide plate 33 at the same speed as the lower sheet S1. At this position, a pulley 36 is disposed above the guide plate 33, and the upper sheet S2 is deflected by the pulley 36 in a direction parallel to the lower sheet S1, covering the top of the lower sheet S1 so as to sandwich the items M between the upper sheet S2 and the lower sheet S1.

Downstream of the guide plate 33 and pulley 36, a vertical sealer 38 and a horizontal sealer 40 are arranged, for example, in this order from the upstream side. The vertical sealer 38 has a pair of vertical seal rollers 38A, 38B that sandwich the lower sheet S1 and the upper sheet S2, and the horizontal sealer 40 has a pair of horizontal seal rollers 40A, 40B that sandwich the lower sheet S1 and the upper sheet S2. The vertical seal rollers 38A, 38B and the horizontal seal rollers 40A, 40B are rotated in synchronization with the upper and lower sheets S1, S2, which are continuously running, respectively.

The lower sheet S1 sent from the guide plate 33 toward the vertical sealer 38 and the upper sheet S2 sent from the pulley 36 toward the vertical sealer 38 are pressed against each other along the conveying direction between the vertical seal rollers 38A and 38B to separate the items M into each row, thereby sealing the upper and lower sheets S1 and S2 vertically. Meanwhile, the upper and lower sheets S1 and S2 that have been vertically sealed in the vertical sealer 38 are pressed against each other along the width direction by the horizontal seal rollers 40A and 40B of the horizontal sealer 40 to separate the items M into each row, thereby sealing the upper and lower sheets S1 and S2 horizontally. That is, the upper and lower sheets S1 and S2 are sealed in a lattice shape so as to surround each item M, and each item M is individually packaged between the upper and lower sheets S1 and S2. The upper and lower sheets S1 and S2 sealed in a lattice shape can then be cut or perforated along the sealed portion, and for example, they may be cut or perforated individually or for each row, or for each predetermined row or column.

The transfer device 26 is equipped with multiple suction heads 26A, the number of which corresponds to the number of items M to be transferred at one time. For example, in the illustrated example, 40 suction heads 26A are provided so that 4 rows and 10 columns of items M can be transferred at one time. The suction heads 26A are positioned to match the spacing between the items M transported on the bucket conveyor 16, and are held together by support members 26B.

The support member 26B can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism 26C, and the lifting mechanism 26C can reciprocate along the conveying direction of the bucket conveyor 16 by a horizontal movement mechanism 26D. The lifting mechanism 26C is driven, for example, by a servo motor 27, and holds the support member 26B so that it can be raised and lowered. The horizontal movement mechanism 26D is driven, for example, by a servo motor 29B, and can move the lifting mechanism 26C along a pair of rails 29A that extend along the conveying direction.

The suction by each suction head 26A can be controlled individually, and only those items M that are determined to be good through inspection using the camera 22 are picked up by the suction head 26A. Items M that are determined to be defective are left on the bucket conveyor 16 and collected in a collection box 30.

The suction head 26A moves back and forth between the bucket conveyor 16 and the guide plate 33 along the trajectory indicated by the dashed line T1 in Figures 1 and 4 by the lifting mechanism 26C and horizontal movement mechanism 26D, and transfers the item M on the bucket conveyor 16 onto the lower sheet S1 running on the guide plate 33.

The positioning guide 34 is a guide member for aligning the items M transferred to the lower sheet S1 at a predetermined position and interval. The positioning guide 34 simultaneously positions 4 rows and 10 columns of items M corresponding to the number of items M transferred at one time. For example, the positioning guide 34 in this embodiment has four plate members 42 that are hung horizontally across the width of the lower sheet S1 corresponding to each row of items M, and each plate member 42 has 10 cutout portions (engagement portions) 42A at a predetermined interval that engage with each of the 10 columns of items M.

In this embodiment, the cutout portion 42A is a V-shaped cutout provided on the upstream side (rear edge) of each plate member 42. The plate members 42 are arranged parallel to each other above the guide plate 33 and the lower sheet S1 that runs on the guide plate 33, and are supported integrally on both sides by support members 44. The support members 44 that support both ends of the plate members 42 are connected through the underside of the guide plate 33, as shown in FIG. 3.

The support member 44 is supported by a lifting mechanism 52 arranged below the support member 44 via a plurality of ball bushes 46 so that it can be raised and lowered. The lifting mechanism 52 includes a servo motor (driving means) 52B connected to the support member 44 via a crank mechanism 52A, and the support member 44 is moved up and down along the guide bar via the ball bushes 46 by driving the servo motor 52B. The support member 44 can also be moved back and forth in the sheet conveying direction by a horizontal movement mechanism 48. The horizontal movement mechanism 48 includes sliders 49 slidably engaged with a pair of rails 50 extending in the conveying direction, and a servo motor (driving means) 48B connected to the support member 44 via a crank mechanism 48A. The rails 50 are supported by a frame 33A that supports both sides of the guide plate 33, and the support member 44 can be moved back and forth in the sheet conveying direction along the rails 50 together with the lifting mechanism 52.

The reciprocating movement of the support member 44 along the rail 50 by the horizontal movement mechanism 48 is controlled by the drive of a servo motor 48B connected via a crank mechanism 48A, and the up-down movement of the support member 44 by the lifting mechanism 52 is controlled by the drive of a servo motor 52B connected via a crank mechanism 52A. That is, the positioning guide 34 reciprocates in the up-down direction and the conveying direction by the drive of the servo motors 48B and 52B, and is circulated along the trajectory indicated by the dashed line T2 in Figures 1, 4, and 5.

Next, referring to Figure 5, the positioning process of the object M using the positioning guide 34 of this embodiment will be described. Note that Figures 5(a) to (d) are enlarged side views showing the movement of the positioning guide 34 in time series with respect to the object M transferred onto the lower sheet S1 by one suction head 26A.

Figure 5 (a) shows the state in which the suction head 26A is lowered while moving in the conveying direction at the same speed V1 as the lower sheet S1, and the adsorbed item M is placed on the lower sheet S1. At this time, the item M held by the suction head 26A is moved over the lower sheet S1 at the same speed as the lower sheet S1, and when the suction of the suction head 26A is released, the item M is transferred onto the lower sheet S1. At this time, the positioning guide 34 is lowered to a height that leaves a small gap so that it does not come into contact with the lower sheet S1, and is moved in the sheet conveying direction at a speed V2 slower than the sheet conveying speed V1. The suction head 26A transfers the item M onto the lower sheet S1 a certain distance upstream of the positioning guide 34.

Figure 5(b) shows the state in which an item M transferred onto the lower sheet S1, which is moving at a speed V1, catches up with and comes into contact with the downstream positioning guide 34, which is moving at a speed V2. At this time, each item M is pushed into a V-shaped notch (engagement portion) 42A. This restricts the moving speed of the positioning guide 34 to V2, and the items M are positioned at predetermined positions and at predetermined intervals on the lower sheet S1. At this time, the suction head 26A is slightly raised along the dashed line T1 and moved in the opposite direction to the sheet transport direction, and is moved below the next item M on the bucket conveyor 16.

When item M is positioned in FIG. 5(b), positioning guide 34 is moved in the sheet transport direction at V3, which is faster than sheet speed V1, and as a result, a gap is formed between positioning guide 34 and item M, as shown in FIG. 5(c). Then, positioning guide 34 is raised to a certain height (V4) along dashed line T2 while moving in the transport direction, as shown in FIG. 5(d).

The positioning guide 34 is then moved along the dashed line T2 in the opposite direction to the sheet conveying direction. When the positioning guide 34 is returned to a position upstream of the position where the suction head 26A descends onto the lower sheet S1, it is reversed again to the sheet conveying direction and lowered to a height that leaves a small gap from the lower sheet S1. The positioning guide 34, which has been lowered to a height that leaves a small gap from the lower sheet S1, is moved in the sheet conveying direction along the lower sheet S1 at a speed V2. When the positioning guide 34 reaches a position downstream of the transfer position of the item M, the suction head 26A holding the item M transfers the next item M onto the lower sheet S1 as shown in FIG. 5(a).

As described above, according to this embodiment, in a packaging device in which an object is transferred onto a continuously conveyed lower sheet and an upper sheet is placed on top of it to seal the periphery of the object, the positioning guide moves in the conveying direction of the lower sheet at a slower speed than the lower sheet, so that the object can be positioned by engaging with a notch provided on the rear edge of the positioning guide.

In this embodiment, an engagement portion is provided on the rear edge of the positioning guide, and the positioning guide is moved at a slower speed than the lower sheet (i.e., the article) to restrict the article to the engagement portion and adjust its position. Conversely, an engagement portion such as a notch may be provided on the front edge (downstream edge) of the positioning guide, the positioning guide is positioned upstream of the article supplied to the lower sheet, and the positioning guide may be moved at a faster speed than the lower sheet (i.e., the article), thereby restricting the article downstream of the positioning guide to the engagement portion and positioning the article.

In this embodiment, the objects are transported in multiple rows, but the present invention can also be applied to transporting objects in a single row. In this embodiment, flat lower and upper sheets are used as packaging films, but one or both of the upper and lower sheets may be sheets with projections and recesses that match the shape of the objects.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Packaging device 16 Bucket conveyor 22 Camera 26 Transfer device 26A Suction head 29A Rail 30 Collection box 33 Guide plate 34 Positioning guide 38 Vertical sealer 40 Horizontal sealer 42A Cutout portion (engagement portion)
44 Support member 48 Horizontal moving part 48A, 52A Crank mechanism 48B, 52B Servo motor (driving means)
49: slider 50: rail M: article S1: lower sheet S2: upper sheet

Claims (3)

A packaging device comprising: a lower sheet conveying means for continuously conveying a lower sheet; an article supplying means for aligning and supplying articles onto the continuously conveyed lower sheet; an upper sheet conveying means for continuously conveying an upper sheet covering the upper part of the lower sheet; and a sealing means for sealing the periphery of an article being conveyed while being sandwiched between the upper sheet and the lower sheet,
a positioning guide provided upstream of a position where the upper sheet covers the upper part of the lower sheet and capable of engaging with an article;
a driving means for reciprocating the positioning guide along the conveying direction of the upper and lower sheets,
a packaging device which raises the positioning guide after engaging the positioning guide with an article supplied to a lower sheet to restrict the article to a moving speed of the positioning guide. The packaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning guide is positioned downstream of the articles fed to the lower sheet and moved in the conveying direction of the lower sheet at a slower speed than the lower sheet, thereby restricting the movement speed of the articles to the positioning guide. The packaging device according to claim 2, characterized in that after restricting the movement speed of the article to the speed of the positioning guide, the positioning guide is moved in the conveying direction of the lower sheet at a higher speed than the lower sheet, and then the positioning guide is raised.

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