JP2004083104A - Opening aid - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a crease on a film 4 so that an opening 2da of a container 2 consisting of two films 4 and 6 can be surely opened. <P>SOLUTION: An opening aid includes an opening member 14 having a pressing part 14a for pressing the upper surface of the film and an insert piece 14b provided higher by a single film than the pressing part. The opening member is advanced/retreated by a cylinder 12. A pressurizing member 16 is provided above a position where the opening member has advanced. The pressurizing member is raised/lowered by a cylinder 18. When the opening member is advanced, the pressing part holds the upper surface of the film, and in addition the insert piece is inserted between the two films. Thereafter, the pressurizing member is lowered to press positions located on both sides of the insert piece of the upper film. The crease is made on this part, and thereafter, the opening can be simply opened by vacuum pads or the like. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a container such as an infusion bag or a standing pouch by converting two films into a bag, and in particular, this opening is used to separate and open the openings of two superposed films. The present invention relates to an opening assisting device that imparts a folding habit to a portion in advance and facilitates opening.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the case of manufacturing a bag-shaped container by laminating two resin films, the periphery of the two laminated films is adhered, and a part of the film is left unsealed so that it can be opened, and later, The opening is widened to fill the liquid, or a plug for removing the liquid inside from the completed container is welded.
[0003]
In order to perform operations such as filling a liquid into a bag-shaped film formed by laminating two films as described above and welding a plug, an opening which is a part where the two films are not adhered to each other. You need to spread it. In such a case, conventionally, the two films are sucked from both sides by a pair of vacuum pads, and these vacuum pads are retracted and separated from each other, so that the opening of the bag-shaped film is widened. .
[0004]
However, two superimposed films used for containers such as infusion bags are in close contact with each other because there is no air inside (between the two films), and are relatively thick and rigid. Further, since the size of the opening portion is small with respect to the size of the entire container, it is difficult to spread the two films using only the vacuum pad. Therefore, an apparatus for opening a part of a bag-like film in which a part of the bag-like film is opened so that a plug or the like can be easily inserted has already been proposed (JP-A-2000-313076, JP-A-2000-293798).
[0005]
In the apparatus disclosed in the first publication (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-313076), a cutter cuts an edge on one side of the film as the film advances, and then a gap between mating surfaces of the film cut and opened by the cutter. An opening plate is inserted into the opening.
[0006]
Further, in the device described in the second publication (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-293798), the means for imparting a kinking (in this publication, the expanding behavior imparting means) has a pair of upper and lower forked claws. Are displaced so that the claw portion of the forked claw enters between the claw portions of the other forked nail. Then, after these forked claws are inserted into each other, the claws are closed and the films are grasped by each other.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the configuration of the invention described in the first publication, after the cutter is inserted into the end of the film, the film is opened by the opening member. However, the thickness of the film is about 0.2 mm, which is stable. It is difficult to insert a cutter between the films. Further, when a part of the film is cut into the film by the cutter and enters the film, there is a problem that foreign matter is mixed in the film, which is not preferable.
[0008]
Further, in the configuration of the invention described in the second publication, an opening / closing mechanism and a moving mechanism of the gripper (bifurcated nail) are required, and the mechanism is complicated. In addition, since the film itself is smooth and has a small coefficient of friction, there is a possibility that the film may not be able to be gripped by the claws, resulting in a lack of stability.
[0009]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and has as its object to provide an opening assist device that can reliably open a bag-like film with a simple configuration.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The opening assisting device according to the present invention preliminarily opens the opening of a bag-shaped container made of two films, and includes a holding portion for holding the surface of one of the films and a film which is lower than the bottom surface of the holding portion. An opening member having an insertion piece whose bottom surface is located below the sheet, a moving means for moving the opening member forward and backward toward the film, and a portion located near the insertion piece inserted between the two films. A pressing member for pressing, and an advancing / retracting means for advancing and retreating the pressing member, wherein the insertion member is moved forward while pressing the surface of one of the films by the pressing portion, so that the insertion piece is formed of two films. After being inserted in between, the pressing member is moved forward to press the vicinity of the insertion piece of the film, thereby imparting a folding habit.
[0011]
In the opening assist device according to the invention, first, the upper surface of the two films is pressed by the pressing portion of the opening member, and then when the opening member is advanced, the insertion piece is positioned between the first and second films. Inserted. Since the bottom surface of the insertion piece is located at a position higher than the bottom surface of the holding portion by one film, the insertion piece is smoothly inserted between the first and second films. Thereafter, when the pressing member is lowered, the pressing member presses the films located on both sides of the insertion piece. Then, the insertion piece of the opening member and the pressing member form a folding habit on the upper film of the two films, and thereafter, when the opening is opened by an opening means such as a vacuum pad, extremely easily and reliably. It becomes possible to open.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an air passage is provided in the insertion piece, and the insertion piece is inserted into the film to eject air.
[0013]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the upper film is folded and the air is blown between the upper and lower films, so that the opening of the container made of these films is more easily and surely opened. It becomes possible.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of an opening assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, and FIGS. 3A to 3C are side views sequentially explaining the operation of the opening assist device. . This opening assist device is provided as a part of a manufacturing device such as an infusion bag for forming a bag-shaped container by superimposing two films and filling the inside with a liquid. After the opening of the container is preliminarily opened, a large opening is made by an opening means such as a vacuum pad, etc., to fill the liquid or to attach a stopper for taking out the liquid inside from the completed container.
[0015]
The two films 4 and 6 (see FIG. 3) are overlapped and the periphery thereof is welded to form a bag-shaped container 2. In this embodiment, as shown by reference numeral 2A in FIG. 2, the container 2 has three sides 2a, 2b, and 2c of a rectangular shape welded to each other with substantially the same width, and a side 2d having an opening 2da (see FIG. 2). (Lower side), both sides 2db are welded with a wide width, and the outside 2dc of the central opening 2da is welded with a narrow width.
The bag-shaped container 2 is placed on two parallel support rails 8 and 10, and moves from the position (first position P1) of the container (2A) before cutting to the next second position P2. Conveyed. At the second position P2, an opening assist device (indicated by reference numeral 1 as a whole) according to an embodiment of the present invention is arranged. The opening assist device 1 is installed on the opening 2da side (the lower side in FIG. 2) of the container 2 placed on the support rails 8, 10.
[0017]
The opening assist device 1 includes a horizontal cylinder (moving means) 12 and an opening member 14 fixed to a piston rod 12 a of the cylinder 12 and moving forward and backward in the direction of the opening 2 da of the container 2. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the opening member 14 has a holding portion 14a for holding the upper surfaces of the two films 4 and 6 forming the container 2 on the front side (the left side of the drawing, that is, the container 2 side). On the rear side, there is provided an insertion piece 14b inserted between the upper and lower two films 4 and 6 in the opening 2da of the container 2. The holding portion 14a is provided on the lower surface on the front side of the flat upper plate 14c, and the insertion piece 14b is fixed to the lower surface on the rear side of the upper plate 14c and extends in the direction of the holding portion 14a. A gap is formed between the rear surface of the holding portion 14a and the distal end surface 14ba of the insertion piece 14b.
[0018]
As described later, the holding portion 14a of the opening member 14 has an inclined surface 14aa formed on the upstream side so that the container 2 can smoothly enter the lower surface when the container 2 is conveyed. ing. A step is provided so that the bottom surface of the holding portion 14a (the lower surface of the lowest portion) is higher than the bottom surface of the insertion piece 14b by one thickness of the films 4 and 6. As shown in FIG. 2, the holding portion 14a has a wide width close to the width of the opening 2da of the container 2, while the insertion piece 14b has an extremely narrow width. The distal end surface 14ba of the insertion piece 14b has a smooth curved surface so as to be smoothly inserted between the upper and lower films 4 and 6. Further, a hole 14d penetrating vertically is formed in the upper plate 14c at a portion located above the insertion piece 14b (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 4).
[0019]
A pressing member 16 is provided above the opening member 14. The pressing member 16 is fixed to a piston rod 18a of a vertically arranged cylinder (elevating / lowering means) 18, and by the operation of the vertical cylinder 18, moves up and down toward the opening 2da of the container 2 stopped downward. I do. The pressing member 16 has a size that can pass through a through hole 14d formed in the upper plate 14c of the opening member 14. In addition, a recess 16a, which is slightly larger than the size of the insertion piece 14b, is formed on the lower end surface of the pressing member 16 so as not to interfere with the insertion piece 14b of the opening member 14 when descending (see FIG. 1).
[0020]
When the opening member 14 is advanced by the operation of the horizontal cylinder 12, the insertion member 14b advances to a position where the insertion piece 14b enters the opening 2da of the container 2 stopped at the second position P2 (see FIG. 3B). ). When the vertical cylinder 18 is extended, the pressing member 16 passes through the through hole 14d of the opening member 14 so that the concave portion 16a formed on the lower end surface is fitted into the insertion piece 14b of the opening member 14 from above. (See FIG. 3C).
[0021]
Below the opening assisting device 1, a cutting device 20 for cutting the end (the lower end in FIG. 2) of the portion of the container 2 where the opening 2da is provided is provided. An elevating cylinder 20b is fixed on a base 20a installed below the position where the opening assist device 1 is provided, and a rodless cylinder 20c is fixed on a rod 20ba of the elevating cylinder 20b. The cutter 20d for cutting the container 2 moves forward and backward along the support rails 8 and 10 by the rodless cylinder 20c.
[0022]
By the movement of the cutter 20d, the end of the container 2 on the side having the opening 2da is cut. Before the container 2 is sent to the second position P2 where the cutting device 20 is provided, the end 2dc on the side having the opening 2da is adhered and the inside of the container 2 is sealed (FIG. 2), after the end of the opening 2da side is cut by the cutter 20d, the inlet side of the opening 2da is in a state where it can be opened without being bonded (right side in FIG. 2). Container 2B).
[0023]
The operation of the opening assist device 1 according to the above configuration will be described. The bag-shaped container 2 composed of the two films 4 and 6 is conveyed from the first position P1 on the upstream side to the second position P2 and stopped, with all of the four sides 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d adhered. . The holding portion 14a of the opening member 1 has an inclined surface 14aa on the side on which the container 2 is conveyed (the left side surface in FIG. 2), and the end of the container 2 is smoothly placed on the lower surface of the holding portion 14a. You can get into it. The inclined surface 14aa may be formed not only on one side but also on both sides of the holding portion 14a.
[0024]
At the time when the container 2 is conveyed to the second position P2, the opening member 14 of the opening assisting device 1 has the holding portion 14a on the distal end side as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. It is located above the portion 2da. 2 and 3A show a state where the end of the container 2 on the side of the opening 2da has already been cut, but when the container 2 is transported to the second position P2, the container 2 As shown on the left side of FIG. 2 (see the container indicated by reference numeral 2A), the end 2dc side of the opening 2da is bonded and sealed.
[0025]
When the container 2 is transported to the second position P2 and stopped as described above, first, the cutting device 20 operates. At the time when the container 2 is carried into the second position P2, the elevating cylinder 20b of the cutting device 20 lowers the rodless cylinder 20c, and the cutter 20d is at a position where it does not contact the container 2; The cutter 20d has moved to the left side in FIG. When the container 2 is transported in this state, the cutter 20d is raised by the operation of the elevating cylinder 20b, and then moves from left to right in FIG. The end on the 2da side is cut off. The container 2 whose end on the side of the opening 2da is cut is changed from the state on the left (2A) to the state on the right (2B) in FIG. By cutting the adhesive portion 2dc at the tip of the container 2 on the side of the opening 2da, the opening 2da of the container 2 can be opened. During cutting by the cutter 20d, the upper surface of the container 2 is pressed by the pressing portion 14a of the opening assist device 1.
[0026]
Subsequently, the opening assist device 1 operates. The opening assist device 1 first advances the opening member 14 by operating the horizontal cylinder 12. The opening member 14 is located at a position where the bottom surface of the holding portion 14a that holds the top surface of the container 2 is higher than the bottom surface of the insertion piece 14b on the rear side (the right side in FIG. 3) by one film thickness. When the member 14 advances, the pressing portion 14a moves while pressing the upper surface of the upper film 4, and the insertion piece 14b has the lower surface at an intermediate height between the two films 4, 6, so that the two pieces 4 It is inserted between the films 4 and 6 (see FIG. 3B). At a position where the opening member 14 is stopped in a state where the insertion piece 14b is inserted between the upper and lower films 4 and 6, the through hole 14d formed in the upper plate 14c is located immediately below the pressing member 16. .
[0027]
As described above, when the opening member 14 is advanced by the operation of the horizontal cylinder 12 and the insertion piece 14b is inserted between the two films 4 and 6, the upper vertical cylinder 18 is subsequently operated to press the pressing member. 16 is lowered. The tip (lower end) of the pressing member 16 passes through a through hole 14d formed in the upper plate 14c of the opening member 14, and is pressed against the opening 2da of the container 2 located below (FIG. 3). (C)). A concave portion 16a is formed in the lower end surface of the pressing member 16, and the concave portion 16a is fitted on the outside of the insertion piece 14b to press both sides of the portion of the film 4 where the insertion piece 14b is inserted. By pressing both sides of the insertion piece 14b of the upper film 4 by the pressing member 16 in this manner, it is possible to impart a folding habit to the upper film 4 along the insertion piece 14b of the opening member 14. Therefore, a gap is formed between the upper film 4 and the lower film 6, which are crooked, when the opening is opened by an opening means (not shown) such as a vacuum pad. In addition, the openings can be reliably formed.
[0028]
FIG. 5 is a view showing another example of the opening member of the opening assist device 1. The opening member 114 has the same basic shape as the opening member 14 of the first embodiment. In the example, an air passage 114bb is formed inside the insertion piece 114b, and the air passage 114bb is open to the distal end surface 114ba of the insertion piece 114b. Similarly to the opening member 14 of the embodiment, the opening member 114 is advanced by the operation of the horizontal cylinder 12 so that the tip of the insertion piece 114b is inserted between the two films 4 and 6 of the container 2. be able to.
[0029]
Then, with the insertion piece 114b inserted between the two films 4 and 6, air is supplied from the air passage 114bb. The air blown out from the air passage 114bb enters the gap between the upper and lower films 4, 6 and pushes the two films 4, 6 from the inside, so that the opening 2da of the container 2 can be more reliably opened. it can.
[0030]
In the above-described embodiment, the opening member 14 is moved in the horizontal direction, the insertion piece 14b is inserted from the side of the films 4 and 6, and then the pressing member 16 is pressed from above. The moving direction of the member 14 and the pressing member 16 is not limited to the above direction. For example, the opening assist device is arranged upside down as in the above embodiment, and the pressing member is raised from below to press the film. Alternatively, the opening assist device may be arranged vertically and inserted into a film conveyed in an upright state.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in the opening assist device that preliminarily opens the opening of the bag-shaped container made of two films, the holding unit that holds the surface of one of the films and the bottom surface of the holding unit An opening member having an insertion piece whose bottom face is positioned below by one film, moving means for moving the opening member forward and backward toward the film, and an insertion member located near the insertion piece inserted between the two films A pressing member for pressing the portion, an advancing / retracting means for advancing and retreating the pressing member, and by pushing the opening member forward while pressing the surface of one of the films by the pressing portion, the insertion piece is turned into two films. After being inserted in between, the pressing member is advanced to press the vicinity of the insertion piece of the film so as to impart a habit, so that a bag-shaped bag made of two films is formed. The opening of the vessel, with a simple structure, can be easily and reliably opened.
[0032]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, an air passage is provided in the insertion piece, and the insertion piece is inserted into the film so as to jet air, so that the opening of the container can be more easily and reliably. Can be opened.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of an opening assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the opening assist device.
FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams for sequentially explaining the operation of the opening assist device.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view showing an opening member of the opening assist device.
FIG. 5 is a side view showing another example of the opening member.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Container 2da Container opening 4 Film (upper film)
6 film (lower film)
12 Moving means (horizontal cylinder)
14 Opening member 14a Pressing part 14b Insert 16 Pressing member 18 Elevating means (vertical cylinder)
114 Opening member 114bb Air passage

Claims (2)

In an opening assist device that pre-opens an opening of a bag-shaped container made of two films,
An opening member having a holding portion for holding the surface of one of the films and an insertion piece whose bottom surface is located one film below the bottom surface of the holding portion, and a moving means for moving the opening member toward and away from the film, A pressing member for pressing a portion located in the vicinity of the insertion piece inserted between the two films, and an advancing / retracting unit for advancing and retreating the pressing member,
By pushing the opening member forward while holding down the surface of one of the films by the holding portion, after inserting the insertion piece between the two films, the pressing member is advanced to press the vicinity of the insertion piece of the film. An opening assisting device characterized in that a folding habit is provided by using. The opening assist device according to claim 1, wherein an air passage is provided in the insertion piece, and the insertion piece is inserted into the film to eject air.

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