JP2002255103A - Container sealing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently seal a container mouth with a lid without need of preparing the lid separately in advance and without need of positioning the lid for the container mouth. SOLUTION: The container sealing apparatus includes a cutter 15 for cutting a strip lid material F along a container mouth rim to cut the material F separately into the lid L and a remaining lid material, and a seal head 16 for sealing a periphery of the cut lid L with an internal surface of the container mouth rim. The cutter 15 is placed to surround the seal head 16. The seal head 16 is designed to seal after the cutting operation of the cutter 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sealing device for sealing the mouth of a cup-shaped container containing desserts or the like with a band-shaped lid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional apparatus of this kind includes a cutter for punching a lid material along a container rim so as to separate a belt-shaped lid material into a lid and the remaining lid material, and a punched lid. And a sealing head for sealing the peripheral portion of the container to the inner surface of the container rim.The punching step by the cutter and the sealing step by the seal head are not performed in a series of continuous steps, but both steps are performed. It is performed in a completely independent and separate process, and the lids that have been punched out in a required number in the punching process are sequentially supplied to the sealing process.

It is not efficient to perform the punching step and the sealing step in separate steps. In addition, it is necessary to accurately position the lid with respect to the edge of the container.However, it is not easy to position the lid, which has been punched out of the lid material and becomes a single unit, at the edge of the container. ,
This was a factor that reduced the efficiency of the sealing operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a container sealing device capable of performing a sealing operation efficiently.

[0004]

A container sealing device according to the present invention comprises a cutter for punching a lid material along an edge of a container so as to separate a band-shaped lid material into a lid and the remaining lid material. A sealing head that seals the peripheral edge of the punched lid to the inner surface of the container lip, wherein the cutter is arranged to surround the seal head, and after the punching operation of the cutter, the seal head is closed. It is characterized by performing a sealing operation.

[0005] In the container sealing apparatus according to the present invention, the lid is punched from the lid material by the cutter, and the punched lid is sealed as it is on the inner surface of the rim of the container by the seal head. Therefore, there is no need to separately prepare a lid in advance, and there is no need to position the lid with respect to the container mouth, and the container mouth can be efficiently sealed by the lid.

Further, if a lid suction hole is opened in the lower surface of the seal head, the lid punched by the cutter is suction-held by the seal head through the suction hole. Position shift can be prevented.

[0007] Further, if the lid presser is arranged so as to surround the cutter, and if the lid presser performs the pressing operation before the punching operation of the cutter, if the cutter punches the lid, Since the outside of the portion of the lid material that is to be the lid is pressed by the lid material presser, the lid material does not wrinkle, and the lid punching operation can be performed accurately and reliably.

In addition, the cutter is formed in a vertical cylindrical shape having a blade at a lower end, and is fixed to the elevating body so as to hang down. It is formed in a shape that can be pressed against the inner surface and is attached to the elevating body so that it can move up and down with respect to the elevating body,
With the upper limit when the blade is located at a level higher than the lid material, and with the lower limit when positioned at a level lower than the lid material, while the main elevating means for elevating the elevating body and the elevating body being lowered by the main elevating means A sub-elevating means for raising and lowering the seal head with respect to the elevating body, with the upper limit when the lower surface of the seal head is positioned above the blade and the lower limit when pressing the lower part of the seal head into the container edge. With the above, the lifting body is raised and lowered by the main lifting means,
By raising and lowering the seal head by the sub-raising / lowering means, the lid is punched from the lid material, and subsequently, the peripheral edge of the lid is sealed to the inner surface of the rim of the container.

Further, if the sub-elevating means is constituted by a fluid pressure cylinder having a vertically downward piston rod having a cylinder side fixed to the elevating body and a seal head attached thereto, the seal head can be arbitrarily attached to the elevating body. It can be raised and lowered at the timing.

In addition, the apparatus includes a container conveying means for conveying the container via the sealing station, and a lid material conveying means for conveying the band-shaped lid material so as to cover the edge of the container at the sealing station. However, if it is arrange | positioned so that it may be made to face a lid | cover material from a sealing station from above, a sealing operation | movement can be performed continuously.

Further, if the container lifting preventing suction member is arranged so as to be able to face the container from below and move up and down at the sealing station, when the seal head is lifted after the seal, the seal head is moved. Even if a lid is attached to the container and the container is to be lifted together with the container, this is prevented by the suction member.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the container C and the lid L manufactured by the container sealing device according to the present invention.
It is shown.

The container C is in the shape of a round cup made of paper, and has an upwardly expanding tapered body wall B. A curling portion K is provided at the opening edge of the upper end of the body wall B. The lid L is punched from a lid member F made of a thermoplastic plastic film, and is dropped into an upper end opening of the body wall B to form a rising edge R, and an outer peripheral surface thereof is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the upper end of the body wall B. It is heat-sealed. A knob T is provided so as to be continuous with a part of the outer periphery of the rising edge R.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container sealing device is provided with a plurality of container holders 11 (only one is shown) at equal intervals on a circumference separated from the center of rotation M by a predetermined distance. A horizontal turntable 12 intermittently driven so that the container holder 11 is sequentially stopped at the sealing station S.
And the container holder stopped at the sealing station S
A cover material transfer device 13 for supplying the cover material F to the sealing station S so that the band-shaped cover material F crosses over the upper part 11, an elevating body 14 disposed above the turntable 12 in the sealing station S, 14 is a vertical cylindrical cutter which is attached in a hanging manner and punches the cover material F along the edge of the container so as to separate the band-shaped cover material F into the cover L and the remaining cover material F.
And a seal head 16 for sealing the peripheral portion of the punched lid L disposed inside the cutter 15 to the inner surface of the container lip.
And a lid holder that is arranged so as to surround the cutter 15.
17 and the turntable 12 at the sealing station S
Container suction member 18 for container lifting prevention arranged below
And

The container holder 11 has a rectangular horizontal plate shape.
It has a vertically penetrating container holding hole 21. As shown in detail in FIG. 6, an upper flared seal receiving surface 22 corresponding to the taper formed by the body wall B is provided at the upper end of the inner peripheral surface of the container holding hole 21.
Are formed. The body wall B is fitted into the container holding hole 21, and the curling portion K is received at the upper end opening edge of the container holding hole 21 on the upper surface of the container holder 11. An annular cutter escape groove 23 is provided on the upper surface of the container holder 11 so as to surround the curling portion K.
Are formed. The container holding hole 21 is circular, while
The cutter escape groove 23 is generally annular, but has a wide portion 23a at a portion corresponding to the knob T. On the upper surface of the container holder 11, a container receiving surface 24 is formed inside the cutter escape groove 23, and a cover material receiving surface 25 is formed outside the container receiving surface 24. The cover material receiving surface 25 has a higher level than the container receiving surface 24. ing.

The elevating body 14 includes a horizontal plate-like top plate 33 which is raised and lowered by a first fluid pressure cylinder 32 mounted vertically downward on the support member 31, and a horizontal plate disposed below the top plate 33 with a space therebetween. -Shaped bottom plate 34, and vertical bar-shaped spacers 35 interposed at a plurality of outer peripheral edges of the top plate 33 and the bottom plate 34.
And a vertically downwardly mounted center of the upper surface of the top plate 33 and a first
A second hydraulic cylinder 36 connected to the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder 32.

A first guide rod 41 is attached to the first hydraulic cylinder 32 vertically downward. The first guide rod 41 is slidably penetrated through the top plate 33 near the spacer 35.

At the center of the top plate 33, a second hydraulic cylinder is provided.
A rod hole 42 through which the 36 piston rods are inserted is formed. A head hole 43 is formed in the center of the bottom plate 34.

A horizontal disk-shaped head mounting plate 44 is connected to the piston rod of the second hydraulic cylinder 36. A second guide rod 45 is provided at a plurality of peripheral portions on the upper surface of the head mounting plate 44.
Are provided upright. The second guide rod 45 is slidably penetrated by the top plate 33 between the second fluid pressure cylinder 36 and the first guide rod 41 and protrudes upward. A spring retainer 46 is provided at an upper protruding end of the second guide rod 45. Between the top plate 33 and the spring retainer 46,
A first compression coil spring 47 fitted on the upper protruding portion of the second guide rod 45 is interposed.

The cutter 15 has a blade 51 at its lower end, and is fixedly suspended from around the head hole 43 on the lower surface of the bottom plate 34 so that the blade 51 is located directly above the cutter escape groove 23.

The seal head 16 is vertically attached to the lower surface of the head mounting plate 44 and has a lower end portion inserted into the head hole 43. A vertical cylindrical heater 61 is mounted on the lower end surface of the heater 61 and is provided by the heater 61. And a ring-shaped seal member 62 to be heated.

A downwardly projecting annular portion 71 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the lower surface of the seal member 62. On the outer peripheral surface including the annular portion 71 of the seal member 62, there is provided a tapered seal pressing surface 72 having a tapered shape that matches the inner surface of the container body wall B (see FIG. 6).

At the center of the lower surface of the head mounting plate 44, a hanging rod 73 is provided in a hanging manner so as to extend along the axis of the seal head 16. At the lower end of the suspension rod 73, a lid suction member 74 is attached. The lid suction member 74 is of a horizontal disk shape, and has an outer peripheral portion thereof inserted into the inside of the annular portion 71. The lower surface of the lid suction member 74 is slightly,
It is projected downward from the lower surface of the annular portion 71 by about 5 mm.

A horizontal suction hole 75 with a bottom is formed from the outer peripheral surface of the head mounting plate 44 toward the center, and the vertical suction hole 76 extends downward from the bottom of the horizontal suction hole 75 to the axis of the hanging rod 73. Is running. The lower end of the vertical suction hole 76 is opened on the lower surface of the lid suction member 74.

The lid holder 17 has a lid receiving surface when viewed from a plane.
It is a horizontal plate with the same shape as 25. An elastic material 81 is coated on the entire lower surface of the lid member presser 17. Third guide rods 82 are provided upright at a plurality of locations on the upper surface of the lid holder 17. The upper end of the third guide rod 82 is slidably penetrated through the bottom plate 34. A stopper 83 is provided at the upper end of the third guide rod 82. A second compression coil spring 84 fitted on the third guide rod 82 is interposed between the bottom plate 34 and the lid member presser 17.

The operation of the first hydraulic cylinder 32 raises and lowers the elevating body 14, and the operation of the second hydraulic cylinder 36 raises and lowers the seal head 16 with respect to the elevating body 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the elevating body 14 is positioned at the upper limit of its elevating stroke,
16 is located at the upper limit of the lifting stroke,
The level is higher in the order of the lower surface of the lid member presser 17, the blade 51 of the cutter 15, and the lower surface of the seal member 62.

Next, the container sealing operation will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3A shows the same state as FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the lifting member 14 is lowered to a position where the lid holder 17 comes into contact with the lid member F.
As shown in FIG. 3 (c), the second compression coil spring 84 is compressed, so that the lid member presser 17 keeps the lid member F pressed by the spring force, and the cutter 15 Contact. Further, the lifting body 14 is lowered, and the lifting body
The cutter 15 punches the cover material F while the cover 14 moves down to the lower limit, and the cover L is obtained. As shown in FIG. 4D, when the elevating body 14 descends to the lower limit, the lower surface of the lid suction member 74 comes into contact with the punched lid L, and the lid suction member 74 suctions the lid L. When the lifting body 14 descends to the lower limit, this time, the seal head 16
Is lowered. Then, the seal member 62 enters the container body wall B while the lid suction member 74 is holding the lid L. At this time, the outer peripheral portion including the knob T of the lid L forms a rising edge R. The seal pressing surface 72 of the seal member 62 that has entered the container body wall B is pressed against the seal receiving surface 22 of the container holder 11 via the container body wall B and the rising edge R. Thus, heat sealing of the container body wall B and the rising edge R is performed. Thereafter, the seal head 16 is raised together with the elevating body 14, and during the heat sealing, the container suction member 18 is raised to suction the bottom surface of the container C. Then, the container C is not attached to the seal member 62 and lifted together with the seal member 62.

FIG. 7 shows a container C having a different form from the container C shown in FIG. In this alternative form of container C, a step D that is one step lower than the upper end is provided near the upper end of the body wall B. On this step D, an annular portion E just inside the rising edge R of the lid L is sealed. A flange G is formed at the upper end of the body wall B instead of the curling portion K.

Referring to FIG. 7, which shows a sealing device corresponding to the container C of this alternative embodiment, the container holder 11 is formed so as to receive the step D on the container receiving surface 24. Therefore,
The container receiving surface 24 also serves as the seal receiving surface 22. Seal member
Sealing by 62 is performed on the lower surface of the annular portion 71. Therefore, the lower surface of the annular portion 71 forms the seal pressing surface 72. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface of the seal member 62 may be straight, not tapered. The annular portion 71 is preferably slightly wider than that of the sealing device shown in FIG.

In the above, an example is shown in which the container is transported by a turntable, but the container may be transported by a conveyor.

[0034]

According to the present invention, there is no need to separately prepare a lid in advance, and there is no need to position the lid with respect to the container mouth, and the container mouth can be efficiently sealed by the lid. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a sealing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a sealing operation.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the sealing operation continued from FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a container sealed by the sealing device.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a main part of the container together with a sealing device.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a main part of a container according to another embodiment together with a sealing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 14 Elevator 15 Cutter 16 Seal head 17 Lid holder 76 Suction hole L Lid F Lid

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Michio Ueda Inventor Michio Ueda, No. 10 Nishikawa, Taro Yasu, Kitajima-cho, Itano-gun, Tokushima Prefecture F-term in Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd. EB02 FA06 FA07 3E084 AA02 AA12 AA34 BA01 CA01 CB04 CC03 FA09 FD13 GA08 GB12 3E094 AA06 BA04 BA12 CA06 DA02 FA04 FA14 GA05 GA11 HA01 HA08

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A cutter for punching a lid material along a container rim so as to separate the band-shaped lid material into a lid and the remaining lid material, and a peripheral portion of the punched lid for a container rim. A sealing head that seals on the inner surface of the container, wherein the cutter is arranged to surround the sealing head,
A container sealing device characterized in that a sealing operation is performed by a seal head after a cutter punching operation. 2. The container sealing device according to claim 1, wherein a lid suction hole is opened on a lower surface of the seal head. 3. The container sealing device according to claim 1, wherein a lid material presser is arranged so as to surround the cutter, and the lid material presser performs the pressing operation before the punching operation of the cutter. apparatus. 4. A cutter is formed in a vertical cylindrical shape having a blade at a lower end, and is fixed in a hanging manner to an elevating body, and a seal head is fitted at least in a lower portion of the container at an edge thereof. It is formed in a shape that can be pressed against the inner surface and is attached to the elevating body so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the elevating body. The lower limit is the time, and the upper and lower means for raising and lowering the elevating body, and the upper limit when the lower surface of the seal head is located at a level higher than the blade while the elevating body is lowered by the main elevating means, The container sealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a sub-elevating means for elevating and lowering the seal head with respect to the elevating body, with a lower limit when the pressure is pressed into the container edge. 5. The container sealing device according to claim 4, wherein the sub-elevating means is constituted by a fluid pressure cylinder having a vertically downward piston rod to which a cylinder side is fixed to an elevating body and a seal head is mounted. 6. A container transporting means for transporting a container via a sealing station, and a lid material transporting means for transporting the band-shaped lid material so as to cover the edge of the container at the sealing station. The container sealing device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the container is arranged so as to face the lid member from above at the sealing station. 7. The container sealing device according to claim 6, wherein a container lifting prevention suction member is arranged so as to be able to face the container from below and move up and down at the sealing station.