JP2000335516A - Vacuum packaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent surrounding atmosphere from entering into a storing bag in a range from one time in which an inside part of the storing bag is set to be a vacuum state to the other time in which an air suction pipe is pulled out and sealed with thermal adhesion thereof. SOLUTION: Since a seal means 14 seals an entire region of an opening part Fa even if an air suction pipe 23 is inserted into an opening Fa of a storing bag F and even if the air suction pipe 23 is pulled out of it, the opening part Fa of the storing bag F is kept at the sealed state until the inner side of the storing bag F is kept in vacuum state, the air suction pipe 23 is pulled out of it and sealed with thermal adhesion. In addition, since the air suction pipe 23, the seal means 14 and a thermal adhering means 19 are cooperatively displaced under a predetermined order, all the steps ranging from the sealing to the thermal adhesion through the air suction stage can be performed positively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum packaging device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method of compactly storing textiles such as futons and clothes, the articles to be stored are stored in a thermoplastic resin storage bag, and the air in the storage bag is evacuated. 2. Description of the Related Art It has been practiced to compress an object and seal an opening of the storage bag in an airtight state by heat fusion while keeping the inside of the storage bag in a substantially vacuum state. As an apparatus for performing such vacuum packaging, there is an apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-29767. This is to put the object to be stored in the storage bag, leave the insertion part of the suction hose, partially seal the opening of the storage bag by heat welding, bleed the air in the storage bag through the suction hose, The suction hose is pulled out of the insertion portion, and finally, the insertion portion is sealed by heat fusion.

[0003]

In this conventional device,
From when the suction hose is removed to when the insertion part is heat-sealed
The insertion portion is not sealed. For this reason, there is a problem that the outside air enters the storage bag from the insertion portion, and the storage bag, which has been reduced in size, expands. The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and reliably prevents outside air from entering the storage bag during a period from the time when the inside of the storage bag is vacuumed to the time when the suction pipe is extracted and sealed by heat sealing. It is intended to be.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an object to be stored is housed in a storage bag made of a thermoplastic resin, and the storage bag is suctioned and substantially evacuated. Is a vacuum packaging device for sealing an opening of the storage bag in an airtight state by heat fusion, wherein the bag is connected to vacuum pressure generating means, and a suction position is inserted into an opening of the storage bag and a bag comes out of the opening. An intake pipe enabled to be displaced between the removal position,
Displacement between a seal position for nipping the opening of the storage bag and a release position for releasing from the nipping is enabled, and in the state where the opening of the storage bag is nipped at the sealing position, A sealing means for sealing the opening in an airtight state over the entire area in both the state where the intake pipe is inserted into the opening and the state where the intake pipe is pulled out, and the opening of the storage bag. Heat sealing means for sealing the opening in an airtight state by heat welding by heating an area different from the sealing area by the sealing means, and a cam mechanism for interlocking the displacement operation of the suction pipe and the sealing means. With this cam mechanism, the seal means is displaced from the release position to the seal position in a state where the intake pipe is at the intake position. The opening of the storage bag into which the air pipe is inserted is sealed, and in this sealed state, after the air in the storage bag is sucked by the air suction pipe, the air suction pipe is kept in a sealed state by the sealing means. Is displaced from the suction position to the bag removal position.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the heat welding means contacts and heats an area of the opening of the storage bag which is different from a sealing area by the sealing means. The displacement between the heat welding position and the standby position separated from the storage bag is enabled, and the displacement operation of the heat welding means is performed by the cam mechanism by the displacement operation of the suction pipe and the sealing means. After the suction pipe is displaced to the bag detaching position, the heat fusing means is displaced from the standby position to the heat fusing position while the sealing state of the sealing means is maintained. The opening of the storage bag is sealed.

[0006] The invention of claim 3 is claim 1 or claim 2.
In the invention of the present invention, there is provided a pair of widening members capable of being inserted into the opening of the storage bag, and at least one of the two widening members extends the opening of the storage bag laterally by separating from the other. And the narrowing position where the tension of the opening is released by approaching the other side, and the displacement operation of the widening member is performed by the cam mechanism. In conjunction with the displacement operation of the sealing means, the sealing means is displaced from the release position to the sealing position after the widening member is displaced to the widening position.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the pair of widening members pass through the sealing means and protrude toward the storage bag, so that the opening of the storage bag can be attached. Between the set position and the retracted position where the opening, which is in a tension state at the set position, is drawn into the sealing area by the sealing means, and the set position of the widening members is set. The displacement operation between the retracted position and the retracted position is interlocked with the displacement operation of the widening member between the widened position and the narrowed position by the cam mechanism, and the displacement operation of the sealing means. The member is displaced to the retracted position after being displaced from the narrow position to the widened position in the set position, and after the widened member is displaced to the retracted position, Serial sealing means is configured to be displaced to the sealing position from the release position.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a table on which the storage bag can be placed, wherein the suction pipe protrudes above the table across the sealing means at the suction position and at the bag removal position at the suction position. The pair of widening members are retracted from the table to the sealing means side, and the pair of widening members protrude above the table across the sealing means at the set position and retreat from the table to the sealing means side at the retracted position. Claim 4
In the vacuum packaging apparatus of (1), before the start of operation, the suction pipe and the pair of widening members are configured to stand by at the bag removal position and the retracted position, respectively.

The invention of claim 6 is the invention of claim 4 or claim 5.
And a storage bag detection sensor for detecting an opening of the storage bag drawn into the sealing area by the sealing means with movement of the pair of widening members to the retracted position. When the sensor for the opening of the storage bag is not detected, the cam mechanism is driven in reverse rotation before the sealing means is displaced to the sealing position, and the pair of widening members return to the set position. It is configured to return to the narrow position.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the opening of the storage bag is sealed by a sealing means from the time when the inside of the storage bag is vacuumed to the time when the suction pipe is pulled out and sealed by heat sealing. Since it continues, it is possible to reliably prevent the outside air from entering the storage bag. Further, since the intake pipe and the sealing means are displaced in conjunction with each other in a predetermined order by the cam mechanism, the opening can be sealed while the intake pipe is inserted into the opening, and the storage bag can be stored. The opening of the storage bag can be reliably maintained in a sealed state during and after the intake of air.

[Invention of claim 2] Since the suction pipe, the sealing means and the heat welding means are displaced in conjunction with each other in a predetermined order by the cam mechanism, heat welding is performed before the suction pipe is taken out of the storage bag. Is performed, or the sealed state by the sealing means is not released before the heat welding is completed, and the storage bag can be reliably vacuum-packaged. [Invention of Claim 3] When the opening of the storage bag is sealed in a wavy state, the wavy portion overlaps to leave a gap there, and outside air may enter the storage bag from there. In the invention of Item 3, since the opening of the storage bag is sealed in a state in which the opening is tightened by the pair of widening members, that is, in a state where there is no waving, there is no danger of the occurrence of a gap due to waving, and the airtight state is surely achieved. Can be obtained. Further, since the cam mechanism causes the tensioning operation of the opening by the widening member to be performed before the sealing operation by the sealing means, it is possible to reliably prevent the opening from being sealed in a wavy state. be able to.

When the widening member is inserted into the opening in the storage bag, the widening member passes through the sealing means and protrudes toward the storage bag, so that the opening is sealed by the sealing means. The work of pushing into is eliminated, and workability is excellent. In addition, the cam mechanism allows the sealing means to be displaced to the sealing position after the tensioned opening is drawn into the sealing region, so that the opening can be reliably sealed. [Invention of claim 5] In the state before the start of operation, neither the suction pipe nor the widening member protrudes above the table, so that, for example, the work of folding the storage object on the table or storing it in the storage bag is necessary. During the operation, the storage object or the storage bag is prevented from being torn or torn by being caught by the intake pipe or the widening member.

[0013] If the storage bag is not properly set on the widening member, the storage bag is not detected by the storage bag detection sensor when the widening member is moved to the retracted position. In this case, since the widening member is returned to the position where the storage bag can be set, that is, the set position and the narrow position, the subsequent process is prevented from proceeding with the setting failure.

[0014]

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The vacuum packaging apparatus according to the present embodiment is configured such that one edge is an opening Fa, and the opening Fa is used for storing a thermoplastic resin storage bag F containing a compressible deformable storage object P such as a futon or clothing. The inside of the storage bag F is made substantially vacuum, and then sealed in an airtight state to perform vacuum packaging. The apparatus body 10 and the top plate 1 of the support frame 11 of the apparatus body 10 are provided.
2 and a table 13 integrally extending rearward. The apparatus body 10 includes a sealing means 14, a heat welding means 1
9, intake pipe 23, widening members 29, 30, cam mechanism 3
8 and control means 46. In the following description, the upper right of FIG. 1 is referred to as the front.

[Sealing Means 14] At a position close to the table 13 on the top plate 12 of the support frame 11, a horizontally long fixed sealing member 15 having a thick rubber plate 15A adhered to the upper surface is provided.
Is attached. Further, the fixed sealing member 15
A movable seal member 16 having a rubber plate 16 </ b> A adhered to the lower surface is fixed above the lower surface of the elevating plate 17. The elevating plate 17 is connected to a cam mechanism 38 described later via a pair of guide bars 18 fixed to the lower surfaces on both left and right ends, and the movable seal member 16 is
The upper release position (see FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 9, and 10) that is largely spaced from the fixed seal member 15 and the lower seal position that closely contacts the fixed seal member 15 (see FIGS.
7) in a parallel posture. The length (dimension in the width direction) of both seal members 15 and 16 is determined by the storage bag F.
(The width when the opening Fa is maximally expanded laterally) is set to be larger.

[Heat welding means 19] On the lower surface of the elevating plate 17, a rubber plate 20 is provided on the lower surface at a position adjacent to the front of the movable seal member 16 (the side opposite to the table 13).
A horizontally long receiving member 20 to which A is attached is fixed.
On the other hand, below the receiving member 20, a horizontally long heater 21 is provided so as to penetrate the top plate 12. The heater 21 has a pair of guide bars 22 fixed to the lower surfaces of both ends thereof.
The heater 21 is connected to the upper heat-welding position (see FIG. 8) contacting the receiving member 20 by the cam mechanism 38, and is separated from the receiving member 20 by the cam mechanism 38. It is driven up and down in a parallel posture between a standby position (see FIGS. 6, 7, and 11) which is slightly lower than the standby position. The length in the width direction of the receiving member 20 and the heater 21 is set to be longer than the maximum opening width of the storage bag F. When the heater 21 moves up to the heat welding position,
Electricity is applied to a heating wire (not shown) wired at the upper end of the heater 21 to raise the temperature of the upper surface of the heater 21, and the heated heater 21 sandwiches the opening Fa of the storage bag F between the receiving member 20. While heating, the opening Fa of the storage bag F
Are hermetically sealed by heat fusion.

[Intake Pipe 23] A guide rail 24 extending in the front-rear direction is provided on the top plate 12, and a slider 25 is fitted to the guide rail 24. Slider 25
Is fixed to the base end (front end) of the intake pipe 23. The intake pipe 23 has a flat cylindrical shape that is long in the horizontal direction, and a slit-shaped intake port (not shown) is opened toward the table 13 at the tip (rear end). The slider 25 is connected to a cam mechanism 38 via a link 26.
Is drawn through the space between the heater 21 and the receiving member 20 and between the movable seal member 16 and the fixed seal member 15 while maintaining the horizontal posture at a position slightly higher than the upper surface of the fixed seal member 15. Between the suction position (see FIGS. 1 to 7) where the mouth protrudes toward the table 13 and the bag removal position (see FIG. 8) in front of the heater 21 and the receiving member (on the side opposite to the table 13). Move with.

The front end of the suction pipe 23 is connected via a flexible suction hose (not shown) to a vacuum pump 27 below the support frame 11 (a vacuum pressure generating means which is a component of the present invention). )It is connected to the. This vacuum pump 2
7, the air is sucked into the intake pipe 23 from the intake port by the driving of the intake port 7. [Wide members 29, 30] Heater 21 on top plate 12
And the front of the receiving member 20 (the side opposite to the table 13).
Are provided with a pair of left and right narrow rod-shaped widening members 29, 30 extending rearward (toward the table 13) in a cantilever manner. The pair of widening members 29 and 30 are supported at their front ends by a longitudinally extending longitudinal supporting member 31 which is elongated in the width direction, and one of the widening members 29 and 30 is fixed to the longitudinally extending supporting member 31. , And the other movable widening member 30 is relatively movable in the width direction with respect to the front-rear moving support member 31 by the guide rail 32.
The front-back movement support member 31 is connected to a cam mechanism 38 via a link 33, and the front-back movement support member 31 is moved by the cam mechanism 38 in the front-rear direction while being guided by the guide rail 34 of the top plate 12. With the movement of the back-and-forth moving support member 31, the fixed widening member 29 and the movable widening member 30 are united to cross between the heater 21 and the receiving member 20 and between the movable seal member 16 and the fixed seal member 15. A set position (see FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 13) through which the rear end protrudes toward the table 13;
1 and the retracted position (see FIGS. 3 and 5) forward (opposite to the table 13) of the receiving member.

A cylindrical portion 35 is fitted to the movable widening member 30 which is relatively movable in the width direction with respect to the longitudinal movement supporting member 31, and the cylindrical portion 35 is connected to a plurality of links 36 in the vertical direction. It is connected to a cam mechanism 38 via a guide bar 37. Due to the cylindrical portion 35 and the cam mechanism 38, the movable widening member 30 can move the fixed widening member 2 regardless of whether the front-back movement support member 31 is between the set position and the retracted position.
9, a narrow position (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) and a wide position away from the fixed widening member 29 (see FIGS. 3 and 5).
And can be moved in the width direction. When the movable widening member 30 moves to the widening position, the opening Fa of the storage bag F is extended laterally and overlaps up and down, and is held in a tensioned state without waving (slack).

[Cam Mechanism 38] The cam mechanism 38 is provided below the top plate 12 in the support frame 11, and is fixed to a rotating shaft 39 so as to be integrally rotatable as shown in FIG.
Cam plates 40A to 40E and these cam plates 40A to 4E
The rollers 41A to 41E are in contact with 0E. The rotating shaft 39 has a pulley 4 at one end thereof.
The motor 2 is connected to a motor 44 via the belt 2 and the belt 43 and is driven to rotate. 10 to 1 show the shape of each of the cam plates 40A to 40E viewed from the right side in FIG. 9, in which the rotating shaft 39 and the cam plates 40A to 40E rotate clockwise, and these are intermittent. One cycle of vacuum packaging is completed during one complete rotation.

Of the seven cam plates 40A to 40E, a pair of cam plates 40A, 40A located at both ends are for driving the lifting plate 17 up and down, and as shown in FIG. Roller 41A abutting on outer periphery of 40A
Is supported by the lower end of the guide bar 18, and the upper end of the guide bar 18 is fixed to the lifting plate 17. Roller 41
When A comes into contact with the large-diameter region of the cam plate 40A, the elevating plate 17 rises to move the movable seal member 16 to the release position, and when it comes into contact with the small-diameter region, the elevating plate 17 descends to move the movable seal member 1.
6 is the sealing position. In the small-diameter region of the cam plate 40A, a separation restricting frame 45A for restricting the separation of the roller 41A from the cam plate 40A is provided.

The second cam plate 40B from the right and the second cam plate 40B from the left in FIG. 9 are used to drive the heater 21 up and down, and as shown in FIG. The contacted roller 41B is the guide bar 2
The guide bar 22 is fixed to the heater 21 at an upper end thereof. Roller 41B is cam plate 4
When the heater 21 comes into contact with the large-diameter region of 0B, the heater 21 rises to the heat welding position, and when it comes into contact with the small-diameter region, the heater 21 goes down to the standby position.

The third cam plate 40C from the right in FIG.
Is for moving the intake pipe 23 back and forth. As shown in FIG. 12, a roller 41C abutting on the outer periphery of the cam plate 40C is supported by the lower end of the link 26, and the upper end of the link 26 Is connected to the slider 25 of the intake pipe 23. When the roller 41C contacts the large diameter area of the cam plate 40C, the intake pipe 23 is displaced to the intake position, and when the roller 41C contacts the small diameter area, the intake pipe 23
3. The bag is displaced to the opposite side to the bag removal position. The cam plate 4
0C is provided with a separation control frame 45C for restricting the separation of the roller 41C from the cam plate 40C over the entire peripheral area.

The fourth cam plate 40D from the right in FIG.
Are used to move the widening members 29 and 30 back and forth. As shown in FIG. 13, a roller 41D abutting on the outer periphery of the cam plate 40D is supported by the lower end of a link 33. Is connected to the front-back movement support member 31. When the roller 41D comes into contact with the large-diameter region of the cam plate 40D, the widening members 29, 30 are displaced to the set position. When the roller 41D comes into contact with the small-diameter region, the widening members 29, 30 are displaced to the opposite side of the table 13 and retracted. Position. still,
Rollers 41 are provided on the cam plate 40D over the entire peripheral area thereof.
A detachment restriction frame 45D for restricting the separation of D from the cam plate 40D is provided.

The fifth cam plate 40E from the right in FIG.
Is for widening the movable widening member 30. As shown in FIG. 14, a roller 41E abutting on the outer periphery of the cam plate 40E is supported by the lower end of a guide bar 37, The upper end of 37 is connected to the cylindrical portion 35 of the movable widening member 30 via a link 36. When the roller 41E abuts on the large-diameter region of the cam plate 40E, the movable widening member 30 is displaced to the widening position, and when the roller 41E abuts on the small-diameter region, the movable widening member 30 is displaced toward the fixed widening member 29 and becomes the narrow position. .

[Control means 46] The above-described cam mechanism 38 and each member and means driven by the cam mechanism 38 are automatically controlled by the control means 46 shown in FIG. This control means 46
The control unit 47 detects the rotation angle of the rotation shaft 39 of the cam mechanism 38 by outputting a signal indicating that a predetermined amount of coins have been inserted into a coin insertion unit (not shown) to the control unit 47. A rotation angle sensor 49 that outputs a detection signal indicating that the rotation has been performed to a predetermined angle to the control unit 47, detects a vacuum pressure on the suction pipe 23 side (in the storage bag F) of the vacuum pump 27, and sends the pressure value to the control unit 47. Output pressure sensor 5
0, a timer 5 that starts counting simultaneously with the activation of the vacuum pump 27 and detects a detection signal indicating that a predetermined time has elapsed.
1. A bag detection sensor 52 that detects whether the storage bag F is on the table 13 through an opening (not shown) provided in the table 13 and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 47. . From the control unit 47, a control signal for controlling the start and stop of the cam driving motor 44 for driving the rotating shaft 39 and the cam plates 40A to 40E, A control signal for controlling the operation of the heater energizing section 53 for energizing and a control signal for controlling driving and stopping of the vacuum pump 27 are output.

[Operation of Embodiment 1] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 15 showing the state of displacement of each member and each means driven by the cam plates 40A to 40E of the cam mechanism 38. And a flowchart shown in FIG. In the vacuum packaging apparatus before operation, the movable seal member 16 is in the release position, the heater 21 is in the standby position, the widening members 29 and 30 are in the set position, the movable widening member 30 is in the narrow position, and the suction pipe 23 is in the suction position. In this state, the widening members 29, 30 and the suction pipe 23 protrude rearward (toward the table 13) from the sealing members 15, 16 on the table 13, and the storage bag in which the storage object P is stored is provided. F is placed on the table 13 and the widening members 29 and 30 and the intake pipe 23 are inserted into the opening Fa. At this time, the opening Fa of the storage bag F does not need to be inserted between the seal members 15 and 16, and can be easily performed in a wide space on the table 13 in front of the seal members 15 and 16.

After setting the storage bag F in this way,
To what degree the air pressure in the storage bag F is reduced is selected by a pressure setting switch (not shown), and a coin is inserted into a coin insertion slot (not shown). Then, insertion of a coin is detected (step S101), the motor 44 is started (step S102), and the seven cam plates 40A to 40E start rotating integrally with the rotating shaft 39. Then, the movable widening member 30 is displaced from the narrow position to the widening position during the rotation of about 40 ° from the start (step S10).
3), the opening Fa of the storage bag F is flattened in the lateral direction, and is held in a tensioned state by the widening members 29 and 30. Thereafter, while the rotation angle reaches about 100 °, both widening members 29 and 30 are displaced from the set position to the retracted position (step S104), whereby the opening Fa of the storage bag F held in a tensioned state. Is drawn into the sealing area by the sealing means 14 (the area between the sealing members 15 and 16). At this time, the leading ends of the widening members 29 and 30 are located at positions retracted forward from the heater 21 (the side opposite to the table 13). In addition, when the rotation angle reaches about 80 ° during the retracting operation, the movable seal member 16 moves down from the release position to the seal position (step S105), and stops moving when it reaches about 140 °. Due to the lowering of the movable seal member 16, the opening Fa of the storage bag F is pinched between the two seal members 15, 16 in a state of being overlapped in a tension state, and the opening Fa is sealed in a substantially airtight state. You. At this time, the intake pipe 23 is still inserted into the opening Fa, but the rubber plates 15A, 16A of the two seal members 15, 16 elastically bend so as to conform to the outer shape of the intake pipe 23. The parts are also kept sealed. When the opening Fa is sealed by the seal members 15 and 16 at the rotation angle of about 140 °, the motor 44 is temporarily stopped by a signal from the rotation angle sensor 49 (step S10).
6).

After that, the vacuum pump 27 is activated, and at the same time, the timer 51 starts counting (step S107). The air in the storage bag F is sucked through the suction pipe 23, and the object P is stored in the storage bag F. It is compressed by external pressure. During this time, it waits until the inside of the storage bag F reaches the pressure value set by the pressure setting switch (not shown) before the operation (step S108). During the intake, the outer surfaces of the intake pipe 23 and the rubber plates 15A,
It is inevitable that a slight gap is left between the gap 16A.
However, since the intake pipe 23 has a thin and flat shape, the amount of outside air flowing into the storage bag F from this gap is far smaller than the amount of intake air from the vacuum pump 27, and the amount of outside air from this gap is small. The inflow is practically negligible. When the inside of the storage bag F is in a predetermined vacuum state, the pressure sensor 50
Output a signal to that effect.
7 stops (step S109).

It should be noted that the storage bag F is not properly sealed, or the storage bag F
In such a case, the pressure in the storage bag F does not decrease to the set value. When such a state continues for a predetermined time, the count of the timer 51 is eventually completed (step S110).
7 stops (step S109). In this case, the fact that the evacuation was not performed normally is notified by lighting of a lamp or the like.

Thereafter, the motor 44 is started again (step S111), and the cam plates 40A to 40E resume rotation. Then, while the rotation angle reaches about 200 °, the suction pipe 23 is displaced from the suction position to the bag removal position and is removed from the opening Fa of the storage bag F (step S11).
2). At this time, the suction pipe 2 at the opening Fa of the storage bag F
The portion from which 3 is removed is tightly sealed in an airtight state by the elastic restoration of the rubber plates 15A and 16A of the fixed seal member 15 and the movable seal member 16, and the opening Fa of the storage bag F is airtight over the entire area. It will be kept in a state. Further, the intake pipe 23 is located at a position retracted forward from the heater 21 (on the side opposite to the table 13).

Next, the rotation angle is changed from about 220 ° to about 230 °.
°, the heater 21 rises from the standby position to the heat welding position, elastically sandwiches the opening Fa of the storage bag F with the receiving member, and is supplied with electricity to the heater 21 (step S113). . Thus, the opening Fa of the storage bag F is heated and hermetically sealed by heat fusion.
At this time, since the widening members 29 and 30 keep the opening Fa in a tensioned state, the opening Fa is heat-sealed uniformly over the entire area thereof, and is heat-sealed in a partially overlapped state or heat-sealed. No gap is created without fusion. When the heat welding step is completed, the rotation angle reaches approximately 260 °, and thereafter, while the rotation angle reaches approximately 270 °, the heater 21 is lowered to the standby position and the power supply to the heater 21 is cut off (step S114). ).

Thereafter, while the rotation angle reaches about 310 °, the movable widening member 30 returns from the widening position for tightening the opening Fa to the narrow width position, and the movable widening member 30 is moved.
The movable seal member 16 starts moving upward from the seal position to the release position at the same time as the return movement of the movable member starts (step S115). When the movable widening member 30 reaches the narrow position and the rotation angle reaches about 310 °, the movable sealing member 1
5 is a state where the motor has not reached the release position.
4 and the cam plates 40A to 40E temporarily stop (step S116).

In this stopped state, it waits until a detection signal indicating whether or not the sealed storage bag F has been removed from the table 13 is output from the bag detection sensor 52 (step S11).
7). Then, when a detection signal indicating that the storage bag F has been removed is output from the bag detection sensor 52 to the control unit 47, the motor 44 is started again (step S118), and the movable seal member 16 is moved toward the release position. At the same time as the rise is resumed, the movement of the movable widening member 30 to the set position and the movement of the intake pipe 23 to the intake position start (step S).
119). When the movable seal member 16, the movable widening member 30, and the intake pipe 23 return to their respective positions, the motor 44 stops (step S120).
Thus, one cycle of the vacuum packaging process is completed.

[Effect of Embodiment 1] From the time when the inside of the storage bag F is evacuated and the suction pipe 23 is pulled out to the time when the opening Fa of the storage bag F is sealed by heat sealing, the opening Fa is kept Since the airtight state is maintained by the movable seal member 16 and the fixed seal member 15 over the entire area, it is possible to reliably prevent the outside air from entering the storage bag F. Since the opening Fa of the storage bag F is sealed and heat-sealed in a state where the opening Fa is tightened by the pair of widening members 29, that is, in a state where there is no waving, there is no possibility of generation of a gap due to waving, thereby ensuring reliability. Airtightness can be obtained.

In the present embodiment, the sealing member 1 is used.
If the same portion as the seal portion 5 or 16 is heat-sealed, the seal portion after the suction pipe 23 is pulled out may have undulations and wrinkles, which may cause poor heat-sealing. However, in the present embodiment, since the region to be heat-sealed is set at a position different from the position to be sealed, a wavy state due to the removal of the intake pipe 23 does not occur in the heat-sealed portion. In addition, since the heat-sealed portion is arranged outside the seal portion and kept in a tensioned state by the widening members 29, 30, it is possible to reliably prevent waving and to perform a good heat-sealing. Has become.

In the storage bag F, the widening member 29 in the opening Fa,
When inserting 30, the widening members 29, 30 project through the sealing means 14 toward the storage bag F, so that the labor of pushing the opening Fa into the space between the sealing members 15, 16 is omitted, and workability is improved. Excellent. The intake pipe 23 and the sealing means 14 are
And the heat welding means 19 are displaced in conjunction with each other in a predetermined order, so that the opening Fa of the storage bag F is
Is prevented from being inserted, the heat sealing is performed before the suction pipe 23 is removed from the storage bag F, and the sealing state by the sealing means 14 is prevented from being released before the heat welding is completed. In addition, the storage bag F can be securely vacuum-packaged.

The widening members 29, 3 are formed by the cam mechanism 38.
Since the tensioning operation of the opening Fa by 0 is performed before the sealing operation by the sealing means 14, it is possible to reliably prevent the opening Fa from being sealed in a wavy state. The cam mechanism 38 allows the sealing means 14 to be displaced to the sealing position after the tensioned opening Fa is drawn into the sealing area, so that the opening Fa can be reliably sealed.

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the second embodiment, the standby positions of the intake pipe 23 and the widening members 29 and 30 before and after the start of the operation are different from those of the first embodiment, and the storage bag F is not properly set in the widening members 29 and 30. Is to be prevented. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and description of the structures, operations, and effects will be omitted.

[Setting of Standby Position of Intake Pipe 23 and Widening Members 29 and 30] As described in the first embodiment, the intake pipe 23 crosses the space between the fixed seal member 15 and the movable seal member 16 and An intake position where an intake port (not shown) is projected upward, and both sealing members 15 and 16
On the opposite side of the table 13
The widening members 29 and 30 are moved between the bag removing position retracted from above, and the widening members 29 and 30 are set over the table 13 so as to cross the space between the two sealing members 15 and 16, and the two sealing members 15 and , 16 on the opposite side of the table 13 and the retracted position retracted from the table 13. In the first embodiment, before the start of the operation and after the end of the operation, the intake pipe 23 and the widening members 29 and 30 are waiting at the intake position and the set position, respectively. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the intake pipe 23 and the widening members 29 and 30 stand by at the bag removal position and the retracted position, respectively. In this standby state, the movable widening member 30 waits at the narrow position.

The intake pipe 2 in the cam mechanism 38
3C and the cam plate 4 for the widening members 29 and 30
The outer shape of OD is partially different from that of the first embodiment, whereby the intake pipe 23 and the widening members 29, 3
0 moves in a manner described later.
Note that the specific shape of the outer periphery of the cam plates 40C and 40D is merely obtained by a normal cam design in which the manner of changing the outer diameter dimension in the circumferential direction is appropriately set. Omitted.

When the widening members 29 and 30 are made to stand by at the retracted position as described above, the widening member 2
Widening members 29, 30 (cam mechanism 38) for setting storage bag F when 9, 9 are moved to the set position.
Must be paused. Therefore, in the control means 60 of the second embodiment, the cam rotation angle sensor 4
9, the intake pipe 23 and the widening member 29,
The control unit 61 outputs a stop signal to the cam motor 44 when the vehicle 30 has advanced to the intake position and the set position, respectively. Further, a start switch 64 that is manually operated by a user is provided to restart the cam motor 44 after the setting of the storage bag F is completed.

[Means for Preventing Defective Setting of Storage Bag] Top Plate 12
Is provided with a storage bag detection sensor 62 located near the seal members 15 and 16 and on the opposite side to the table 13. When the opening Fa of the storage bag F set in the widening members 29, 30 is drawn into the sealing area by the sealing members 15, 16 with the movement of the widening members 29, 30 to the retracted position, the storage bag F is If the storage bag F is set normally, the presence of the opening Fa of the storage bag F is detected by the storage bag detection sensor 62. In addition, the setting method of the user is incomplete, or the widening members 29, 3
If the storage bag F comes off with the movement of 0, the detection by the storage bag detection sensor 62 is not performed. In this case, the control unit 61 outputs a signal for driving the cam motor 44 to rotate in the reverse direction. Reversed motor 44
Is such that the widening members 29 and 30 return to the set position and stop once the movable widening member 30 returns to the narrow position.

[Operation of Second Embodiment] Next, the operation of the apparatus of the second embodiment will be described. Before the start of operation, the movable seal member 1
6 is the release position, the heater 21 is the standby position, and both widening members 2
Reference numerals 9 and 30 are the retracted positions retracted from the table 13, the movable widening member 30 is in the narrow position, and the intake pipe 23 is in the bag removal position retracted from the table 13. In this state, since neither the intake pipe 23 nor the widening members 29, 30 are exposed on the table 13, for example, an operation of folding the storage object P such as a blanket on the table 13 or storing it in the storage bag F The storage object P or the storage bag F
Is prevented from being caught by the intake pipe 23 and the widening members 29 and 30 and torn or torn.

At the start of the operation, the coin slot 8
When a coin is inserted into No. 3, the insertion of the coin is detected (step S150), and a set lamp (not shown) blinks. Then, when the user pushes the set button (not shown) to turn on the set switch 63 (step S151), the cam motor 44 is activated (step S152), and the cam plates 40A to 40D rotate. Start, the widening members 29, 30 and the suction pipe 23 advance to the set position and the suction position on the table 13 (step S15).
3), the cam motor 44 stops (step S15)
Along with 4), a start button display lamp (not shown) of the start button is turned on.

In this state, the opening Fa of the storage bag F on the table 13 in which the storage object P is stored is connected to both wide members 2.
9 and 30, and the suction pipe 23 is inserted into the holding member F. At this time, since the widening members 29 and 30 are exposed on the table 13, it is not necessary to perform a groping operation by inserting a hand between the sealing members 15 and 16, and it is easy to use the large space on the table 13. And it can be set reliably.

When the storage bag F is set in this way,
The flashing start button is pressed and operated (step S155). Then, the cam motor 44 is activated, and the movable widening member 30 is displaced from the narrow position to the widening position (step S156), and the opening Fa of the storage bag F is extended flattened in the horizontal direction, and the two widening members 29 are extended. , 30 are held in a state of tension, and while maintaining this state of tension, both widening members 29,
30 is retracted to the retracted position (step S157), and the opening Fa of the storage bag F is retracted into the sealing area by the sealing means 14.

At this time, if the opening Fa of the storage bag F is normally retracted, this is detected by the storage bag detection sensor 62 (step S158), and the detection signal indicates that the movable seal member 16 at the release position is in the released position. Starts descending (step S159), and when the movable seal member 16 reaches the sealing position, the cam motor 44 stops (step S1).
60), the movable seal member 16 is held at the seal position. Then, the opening Fa of the storage bag F is moved to the widening member 29,3.
It is sealed in a substantially airtight state while maintaining the tension state by zero. At this time, the intake pipe 23 remains inserted into the opening Fa.

Thereafter, the timer 51 starts counting at the same time as the vacuum pump 27 is activated (step S160), and the air in the storage bag F is sucked through the suction pipe 23. During this time, the storage bag F
Before the operation, it waits until the pressure value set by a pressure setting switch (not shown) is reached (step S161). When the inside of the storage bag F is in a predetermined vacuum state, a signal to that effect is output from the pressure sensor 50, whereby the vacuum pump 27 is stopped (step S162). If the state in which the pressure in the storage bag F does not decrease to the set value continues for a predetermined time, the counting of the timer 51 is completed (step S163), and the vacuum pump 27 is stopped and the motor 44 is started again by the completion of the counting. (Step S162), the cam plates 40A to 40E resume rotation.

After that, the suction pipe 23 moves to the position for removing the bag and is taken out of the holding member F, and the opening Fa of the holding member F is hermetically sealed by heat welding while keeping the sealing state. The steps (S164 to S169) until it is detected that the holding member F has been removed from the widening members 29 and 30 and removed from the table 13 are the same as the steps (S112 to S117) in the first embodiment. Therefore, the description is omitted.

When a detection signal indicating that the storage bag F has been removed from the bag detection sensor 52 is output to the control unit 62,
The motor 44 is started again (step S170), and the upward movement of the movable seal member 16 toward the release position is restarted (step S171). When the movable seal member 16 returns to the release position, the motor 44 stops ( Step S17
2) Thus, one cycle of the vacuum packaging process is completed. When the operation is completed, the widening members 29 and 30 are at the retracted position retracted from the table 13 and
The intake pipe 23 is also at the bag removal position retracted from the table 13 and has returned to the state before the start of operation.

The above is the operation mode when the holding member F is set well, but when the holding member F is improperly set, the operation mode is as follows. That is, when the opening Fa of the storage bag F is set on the widening members 29 and 30 and is retracted to the retracted position, the setting of the user is incomplete or the movable widening member 30 moves. If the storage bag F has come off from the widening members 29, 30, the storage bag detection sensor 62 does not detect the holding member F (step S158). In this case, the cam motor 44 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction (step S173), and the widening members 29 and 30 return to the set position (step S1).
74), the movable widening member 30 returns to the narrow position (step S175), and the motor 44 stops (step S154). Thereby, the storage bag F is moved to the widening member 29,
It returns to a state where it can be set to 30 again, and the start button display lamp (not shown) of the start button blinks. After that, set the storage bag F,
When the setting is completed, if the start button is pressed again, the process returns to the step S155.

[Effect of Embodiment 2] Normally (before the start of operation and after the end of operation), the widening member 2
9 and 30 and the intake pipe 23 are waiting at the position retracted from the table 13, so that the storage bag F
When performing the work of expanding the storage object P or storing the storage object P in the storage bag F, the storage bag F or the storage bag F may be caught by the widening members 29 and 30 and the suction pipe 23. You don't have to. If the setting of the storage bag F is incomplete when the widening members 29, 30 are moved to the retracted position, the storage bag F is detected by the storage bag detection sensor 62 so as to return to a settable state. Therefore, the subsequent process does not proceed with the setting failure.

[Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above with reference to the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the displacement operations of the suction pipe, the sealing means, the heat welding means, and the widening member are interlocked with each other. However, according to the present invention, the displacement actions of the suction pipe and the sealing means are always linked. Regarding the displacement operation of other means, it is possible to arbitrarily select interlocking / non-interlocking.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a storage bag is set.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which an opening of the storage bag is sealed.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged plan view showing a state before a storage bag is set.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged plan view showing a state where a storage bag is set.

FIG. 6 is a partial side view showing a state before a storage bag is set.

FIG. 7 is a partial side view showing a state in which a storage bag is set.

FIG. 8 is a partial side view showing a state where the storage bag is drawn into the sealing area.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a cam mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing a sealing means and its cam mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing the heat fusing means and its cam mechanism.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing an intake pipe and its cam mechanism.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing a widening member and a cam mechanism for the widening operation.

FIG. 14 is a side view showing a widening member and a cam mechanism for a retracting operation thereof.

FIG. 15 is a timing chart showing a state of displacement of each member and each means.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing control means.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the operation of each member and each means.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a timing chart showing a state of displacement of each member and each means of the second embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the operation of each member and each means.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing the operation of each member and each means.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing control means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 F: storage bag Fa: opening P: object to be stored 14: sealing means 19: heat fusing means 23: suction pipe 27: vacuum pump (vacuum pressure generating means) 29: fixed widening member 30 ... movable widening member 38: cam Mechanism 62: Storage bag detection sensor

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Keiichi Shibata 5-116 Nomicho, Toyota-shi, Aichi Prefecture Shibaura Steel Works F-term (reference) 3E053 AA06 BA09 CA01 CA07 FA01 GA01 JA02 JA04

Claims (6)

[Claims] An object to be stored is stored in a storage bag made of a thermoplastic resin.
A vacuum packaging device for sealing an opening of the storage bag in an airtight state by heat sealing, wherein the suction position is connected to a vacuum pressure generating means and inserted into the opening of the storage bag, and the opening. A suction pipe capable of being displaced between a bag detaching position that comes out of the storage bag, and a displaceable position between a seal position for clamping the opening of the storage bag and a release position for releasing from the clamping. In the state where the opening of the storage bag is sandwiched at the sealing position, the opening is entirely covered in both the state where the intake pipe is inserted into the opening and the state where the intake pipe is removed. A sealing means for sealing in an airtight state over the area, and heating an area of the opening of the storage bag different from a sealing area by the sealing means to seal the opening in an airtight state by heat welding. Heat welding means, and a cam mechanism for interlocking the displacement operation of the suction pipe and the sealing means, wherein the cam mechanism moves the sealing means from the release position in a state where the suction pipe is at the suction position. By displacing to the sealing position, the opening of the storage bag into which the suction pipe is inserted is sealed. After the air in the storage bag is suctioned by the suction pipe in this sealed state, the air is removed by the sealing means. A vacuum packaging apparatus characterized in that the suction pipe is displaced from the suction position to the bag removal position while a sealed state is maintained. 2. The heat welding means comprises: a heat welding position for contacting and heating an area of the opening of the storage bag which is different from a sealing area by the sealing means; and a standby position for separating from the storage bag. And the displacement operation of the heat welding means is interlocked with the displacement operation of the suction pipe and the sealing means by the cam mechanism, and the suction pipe is connected to the bag. After being displaced to the removal position, the heat fusing means is displaced from the standby position to the heat fusing position while the sealing state of the sealing means is maintained, whereby the opening of the storage bag is sealed. The vacuum packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum packaging apparatus is configured. 3. A pair of widening members capable of being inserted into the opening of the storage bag, wherein at least one of the widening members is separated from the other so that the opening of the storage bag extends laterally. The displacement between the widening position where the stretching is performed and the narrowing position where the tension of the opening is released by approaching the other side is enabled, and the displacement operation of the widening member is performed by the cam mechanism. 2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the sealing means is displaced from the release position to the sealing position after the widening member is displaced to the widening position, in conjunction with a displacement operation of the sealing means. The vacuum packaging device according to claim 2. 4. A set position in which the pair of widening members pass through the sealing means and protrude toward the storage bag, thereby enabling an opening of the storage bag to be attached, and a tensioned state in the set position. The opening between the retracted position and the retracted position where the opening is retracted into the sealing area by the sealing means is enabled, and the displacement operation between the set position and the retracted position of the widening members is The cam mechanism is interlocked with the displacement operation of the widening member between the widening position and the narrow width position and the displacement operation of the sealing means, and the widening member is in the set position in the narrowed state. After being displaced from the width position to the widening position and then displaced to the retracted position, and after the widening member is displaced to the retracted position, the sealing means is moved from the release position to the sealing position. Vacuum packaging apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that where the structure is displaced to the position. 5. A table on which the storage bag can be placed, wherein the suction pipe protrudes over the table across the sealing means at the suction position and the seal is removed from the table at the bag removal position. The pair of widening members are configured to retreat to the device side, protrude above the table across the seal device at the set position, and retreat from the table to the seal device side at the retracted position. Item 4. The vacuum packaging device according to Item 4, wherein the suction pipe and the pair of widening members are on standby at the bag removal position and the retraction position, respectively, before starting operation. 6. A storage bag detecting sensor for detecting an opening of the storage bag drawn into a sealing area by the sealing means in accordance with movement of the pair of widening members to the retracted position, When the opening of the storage bag is not detected by the detection sensor, the cam mechanism is driven to rotate in the reverse direction before the sealing means is displaced to the sealing position, and the pair of widening members return to the set position. 5. A structure for returning to said narrow position together with said width.
Or the vacuum packaging device according to claim 5.