JP2004138535A - Method and apparatus for inspecting seal, and method for diagnosing packing/filling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seal inspection method, a seal inspection device, and a diagnostic method for packing/filling machines which improve precision of an inspection result by the seal inspection device (method), can be used for condition management of a packing/filling machine, can discover a defective state of the filling-up machine caused by its variations with time at an early stage, grasp each operating condition at real time, enable the adjustment of parameters of the filling-up machine and estimation of time for its component exchanges, and prevent occurrence of defective units. <P>SOLUTION: Seal inspection and diagnosis of the packing/filling machine comprise loading a preknown pressure to the inside of a vessel obtained by sealing a web-like packing laminated material and applying a pressure to a sealed zone, performing seal inspection, comparing a result value of the seal inspection and a standard seal inspected value and diagnosing the packing/filling machine. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a seal inspection method for inspecting the quality of a paper container or the like filled with liquid food such as juice or milk, a seal inspection apparatus, and a diagnostic method for a packaging and filling machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In some paper containers filled with liquid foods such as juice and milk, a web-shaped packaging laminated material having a predetermined fold line is formed into a tube, and the tube is vertically sealed in a vertical direction, and the tube is formed. The food is filled in the packaging material, the tubular packaging material is pressed at predetermined intervals, sealed with a transverse seal in the transverse direction, cut in the middle of the transverse seal zone to obtain a pillow-like preform, and along the fold line The flap containing the transverse seal zone formed by folding is sealed to the container side wall and the container bottom surface to obtain a container having a final shape.
An outline of an example of the paper container filling and packaging machine is shown in FIG. In the filling machine shown in this example, the packaging material web 1 having a thermoplastic material layer in the inner and outer layers is unwound, and is rolled and conveyed through the filling machine, and the strip tape 2 is stripped by the strip tape applicator 3. The packaging material web is joined to one end of the packaging material web, sterilized by passing the packaging material web through the sterilizing agent tank 4, the sterilizing agent is removed by an air knife 5, and formed into a tube by a molding roller 6, and both ends of the packaging material are formed. The parts are overlapped to form an overlap, the overlap is vertically sealed by a vertical sealing element 8 in a tube longitudinal direction to form a vertical seal zone, and the tube is filled with liquid food from a filling pipe 7; The tube is clamped by the sealing jaw 10 and the opposing jaw 11 while being fed downward by a length corresponding to one packaging container, and the transverse sealing is performed in the transverse direction. To form two horizontal sealing zones, and simultaneously form the pillow-shaped preforms 12 continuously, and cut the middle of the sealed zone of the connected pillow-shaped preforms with a knife or the like to separate pillow-shaped preforms. The upper and lower flaps of the pillow-shaped preform separated in the final folder 15 are bent and formed into the packaging and filling container 14 in the final form.
[0003]
FIG. 2 shows a state in which the pillow-shaped preform 13 is folded by the final folder 15. The pillow-shaped preform 13 is sealed by two horizontal (horizontal) sealing zones 23 and a vertical sealing zone 26 and has side walls 22, 22b and 22a separated by fold lines. (See FIG. 2 (a))
As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the main body of the pillow-shaped preform is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape along the fold line, and a lateral seal zone 23 and flaps 24 and 25 are provided at the ends at the wall. It is formed to stand upright. The lateral sealing zone 23 stands upright from the bottom surface 22b and the top surface 22a, and the flaps 24, 25 communicate integrally with the container wall via the ridges 25a, 24a.
Next, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), after folding the horizontal sealing zone 23, the flap is rotated around the ridge, so that the container top side flap 24 is on the side wall 22, and the container bottom side flap 25 is It is folded into the bottom surface 22b.
FIG. 3 shows a cuboid liquid food-filled paper container according to the folding mode shown in FIG. 2 (FIG. 3A) and a liquid food-filled paper container according to a similar mode in which the center of the container body is an octagonal prism (FIG. 3). (B) shows an external perspective view. The container 14 has a folded horizontal seal zone 23, container walls 22 and 22a, a vertical seal zone 26 extending from the top wall 22a to the bottom through the back wall, and the flap folded through the ridge 24a. 24. Each container has a sealing hole 33 for a straw, a spout 32 and a sealing pull-tab 31.
[0004]
In the seal zone, a sufficient seal must be provided so that the liquid food contained in the container does not leak or come into contact with the outside air. However, for example, if the temperature and pressure of the horizontal line seal are not appropriate, the molten thermoplastic material of the packaging laminate material may protrude into the container filled with the contents. The molten material comes into direct contact with the liquid food or the like of the content, rapidly cools and becomes brittle, and the laminated material may be broken from the protruding portion. When sealing, it is necessary to obtain a horizontal line seal in which the melt does not protrude into the container.
Therefore, at the time of inspection, a liquid food container commercialized by a filling and packaging machine is periodically extracted by an operator of the machine, and air pressure close to the sealing limit pressure is pressed into the extracted container. Whether or not liquid or air is leaking from the seal portion is measured by a gauge (manometer) to judge the quality. In addition, non-defective products and defective products are determined based on the inspection results of the seal inspection device (method) for measuring the capacitance and the loss coefficient of the heat seal portion of the container and determining the quality of the seal based on the measured values.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the method of press-fitting the inside of the container up to the sealing limit pressure, it is difficult to determine the boundary of the quality of the seal by this method. Inspection results of a seal inspection device (method) for judging the quality of a seal based on the measured values of the capacitance and the loss coefficient are limited to judging good products and defective products. In other words, the inspection result of the seal inspection device (method) is only detection of defective products (non-defective products). The inspection result is inferior in accuracy.
In order to use the result of the above inspection for the state management (diagnosis) of the packaging and filling machine, the occurrence rate of defective products must be used as a guide. Therefore, it is necessary for the inspection apparatus to perform the inspection determination at a high sealing property level in consideration of safety. In the above-mentioned inspection, it is difficult to find an imperfect state of the filling machine at an early stage due to a temporal change due to a change or a change in the operation setting state of the filling machine.
Since it is difficult to diagnose the packaging and filling machine, it is impossible to grasp the operating state of the packaging machine in real time, adjust the parameters of the packaging machine, and predict the time for replacing parts. It is difficult to prevent the occurrence of defective products beforehand or to minimize them.
The present invention meets the above-mentioned needs and cravings, and enhances the accuracy of the inspection result of the conventional seal inspection device (method) which is limited only to the determination of a good product and a defective product. It can be used for state management (diagnosis), and it is possible to detect the imperfect state of the filling machine at an early stage due to the change over time due to the change or change of the operation setting state of the filling machine. To provide a seal inspection method, a seal inspection device, and a method of diagnosing a packaging and filling machine that can adjust the parameters of the filling machine and predict the time of component replacement, and prevent the occurrence of defective products. The purpose is to do.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve this problem, a seal inspection method, a seal inspection apparatus, and a diagnostic method for a packaging and filling machine according to the present invention provide a web-like packaging laminated material having a predetermined fold line, which is formed into a tube shape, and the packaging material is vertically stretched. A vertical sealing zone is formed to form a vertical sealing zone, the food is filled into the tubular packaging material, and the packaging material is pressed in a transverse direction at predetermined intervals, and sealed by a horizontal seal to form a horizontal sealing zone, A pillow-shaped preform is obtained by being cut in the middle of the horizontal sealing zone, and the flap formed by folding along the fold line is sealed to the container side wall and / or the container bottom surface. The inspection of the seal and the diagnosis of the packaging and filling machine, wherein a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure is preferably set in the container by a predictive pressure loading means. Applies a predictive pressure of 50 to 70% of the test pressure used in the leak test for a predetermined period of time to apply stress to the seal zone, and the seal inspecting unit applies a seal to the stressed seal zone. Inspection, and comparing the result value of the seal inspection with the standard seal inspection value of the packaging and filling machine to diagnose the packaging and filling machine.
As a result, the accuracy of the inspection results of the conventional seal inspection device (method), which is limited only to the determination of non-defective products and defective products, can be improved, and the results can be used for status management (diagnosis) of the packaging and filling machine. It is possible to quickly detect the incomplete state of the filling machine due to the change over time due to the change or change in the operation setting state of the filling machine, grasp the operating state of the filling machine in real time, adjust the parameters of the filling machine and adjust the parts It is possible to obtain a seal inspection method, a seal inspection device, and a method of diagnosing a packaging and filling machine which can predict a replacement time and prevent occurrence of defective products.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In the seal inspection method according to the first aspect of the present invention, a web-like packaging laminate material having a predetermined fold line is formed in a tube shape, and the packaging material is vertically sealed in a vertical direction to reduce a vertical sealing zone. Formed, the tubular packaging material is filled with food, the packaging material is pressed transversely at predetermined intervals, sealed by a horizontal seal to form a horizontal seal zone, and cut in the middle of the horizontal seal zone. A pillow-shaped preform is obtained, and a flap formed by folding along a fold line is sealed to a container side wall and / or a container bottom surface. So,
A predetermined pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure is applied to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply stress to the sealing zone,
Sealing the stressed seal zone.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seal inspection method, wherein a test gas is press-fitted into the container, and a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure is applied for a predetermined time to apply a stress to the seal zone. Is applied.
[0009]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seal inspection method, wherein the container vessel wall is pressed, and a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure is applied to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to the seal zone. It is characterized by applying stress.
[0010]
In the seal inspection device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a web-like packaging laminate material having a predetermined fold line is formed into a tube shape, and the packaging material is vertically sealed in a vertical direction to form a vertical sealing zone, The tubular packaging material is filled with food, the packaging material is pressed in the transverse direction at predetermined intervals, sealed by a horizontal seal to form a horizontal seal zone, cut in the middle of the horizontal seal zone, and cut into a pillow-like spare. A molded body is obtained, and a flap formed by folding along a fold line thereof is sealed on a container side wall and / or a container bottom surface.
Predictive pressure loading means for applying a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply stress to the seal zone;
A seal inspection means for inspecting the seal of the stressed seal zone.
[0011]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the seal inspection apparatus, the predictive pressure loading means is a gas injection spindle that is inserted into a container wall of the container and press-fits a test gas into the container in an airtight state. I do.
[0012]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for diagnosing a packaging and filling machine, comprising forming a web-shaped packaging laminate material having a predetermined fold line into a tube shape, and vertically sealing the packaging material in a vertical direction to form a vertical sealing zone. Forming, filling the tubular packaging material with food, pressing the packaging material at predetermined intervals in the transverse direction, sealing with a horizontal seal to form a horizontal seal zone, cutting in the middle of the horizontal seal zone This is a method for diagnosing a packaging and filling machine that obtains a pillow-shaped preform and folds the flap formed by folding along the fold line on a container side wall and / or a container bottom to obtain a sealed container having a final shape. hand,
A predetermined pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure is applied to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply stress to the sealing zone,
Performing a seal inspection on the stressed seal zone;
Diagnosing the packaging and filling machine by comparing the result of the seal inspection with the standard sealing inspection value of the packaging and filling machine.
[0013]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The target of the diagnosis in this mode is a packaging and filling machine as shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the packaging material web 1 wound in a roll shape having a predetermined fold line is unwound, formed into a tube shape by a forming roller 6, and both ends of the packaging material are overlapped to form an overlap. The wrap is vertically sealed by the vertical sealing element 8 in the vertical line direction, the food is filled from the filling pipe 7 into the tubular packaging material, and the tube is sealed while being fed downward by a length corresponding to one packaging container. The two pillow-shaped preforms are sandwiched between the jaws 10 and the opposing jaws 11 and laterally sealed to form two horizontal seal zones. The packaging and filling container 1 in the final form is cut into the preform 13 and the upper and lower flaps of the pillow-shaped preform separated in the final folder 15 are bent. It can be molded into. The inspection object in this form is a container obtained from this filling machine.
[0014]
Examples of the obtained container are a rectangular parallelepiped liquid food-filled paper container 14 as shown in FIG. 3 and a liquid food-filled paper container of a similar embodiment in which the center of the container main body is an octagonal prism. The container 14 has a folded horizontal seal zone 23, container walls 22 and 22a, a vertical seal zone 26 extending from the top wall 22a to the bottom through the back wall, and the flap 24 folded through the ridge 24a. Is provided.
In an embodiment of the present invention,
[0015]
In one embodiment of the present invention, a stress is applied to a horizontal seal zone and a vertical seal zone by applying a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure to a container to be inspected for a predetermined time. Due to this pressurization, stress is applied to the seal band of the inspection target in an incomplete seal state that causes a slow leak due to a small scratch (slow leak), a small scratch and a pinhole are enlarged, and a crack is generated due to poor melting. And accelerates to a poorer sealing condition.
The predicted pressure in one embodiment of the present invention can be changed as appropriate, but is preferably 50 to 70% of the inspection pressure used in the leak inspection.
[0016]
In one embodiment of the present invention, the predictive pressure loading means for applying a predictive pressure to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply a stress to the sealing zone is, in one embodiment of the present invention, inserted in the container wall in an airtight state and causing the inspection gas to flow inside the container. Is a gas injection spindle that is press-fitted into the cylinder.
FIG. 4 shows an example of the gas injection spindle. In this embodiment, the gas injection spindle 41 is composed of a vacuum pad 42 and a main body 43 which keep the gas injection airtight. The gas for pressurization inspection is supplied to the spindle 41 via the main body 43.
[0017]
The operation of the gas injection spindle 41 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a front view of the predictive pressure loading unit viewed from the bottom surface side of the container of the subject.
The container 14 of the subject is subjected to the predictive pressure loading means. The subject 14 is held and lifted by the vacuum cylinder 51. When the subject 14 is lifted, the inspection spindle 41 is inserted into the vessel wall of the subject 14. When the subject 14 reaches a certain position, the compressed air injection spindle 41 is tightly attached to the container wall by the vacuum pad 42 in an airtight state. The airtight portion of the compressed air injection spindle 41 is shut off by the airtightness of the compressed air injection spindle itself and the vacuum pressure of the vacuum pad. Next, the compressed air 52 is injected into the subject 14 through the main body at a predetermined pressure. When the set pressure is reached, the supply of compressed air is automatically stopped and maintained for a certain time.
[0018]
In another embodiment of the present invention, a means (method) different from the above-described embodiment can be adopted for the predictive pressure load. For example, it is also possible to apply a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure to the inside of the container for a predetermined time by pressing the container wall to apply a stress to the sealing zone.
[0019]
In one embodiment of the present invention, the seal inspection can be performed by various inspection items and seal inspection means. For example, there are a leak inspection by an inspection pressure, a method of press-fitting the inside of a container up to a sealing limit pressure, and a seal inspection device (method) for judging the quality of a seal based on measured values of capacitance and loss coefficient. It can be changed and selected as appropriate.
[0020]
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for diagnosing a packaging and filling machine is a method for diagnosing a packaging and filling machine. After applying a predetermined pressure to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply stress to the seal zone, the seal inspection is performed on the stressed seal zone. A feature of the present invention is to diagnose the packaging and filling machine by comparing the result of the seal inspection with the standard sealing inspection value of the packaging and filling machine.
By comparing the result of the seal inspection with the standard value, it can be used for state management (diagnosis) of the packaging and filling machine. In addition, it is possible to early detect an imperfect state of the filling machine due to a temporal change due to a change or change in the operation setting state of the filling machine. Further, the operating state of the filling machine can be grasped in real time, and the parameters of the filling machine can be adjusted and the time for replacement of parts can be predicted. As a result, defective products can be prevented from occurring.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the following advantageous effects can be obtained.
By the method of diagnosing a packaging and filling machine according to the present invention, the accuracy of the inspection result of the conventional seal inspection apparatus (method) that is limited to only the determination of a good product and a defective product is improved.
The method for diagnosing a packaging and filling machine according to the present invention can be used for state management (diagnosis) of the packaging and filling machine, and early detection of an incomplete state of the packaging and filling machine due to a change over time due to a change or change in the operation setting state of the filling and filling machine. It is possible to do.
According to the method for diagnosing a packaging and filling machine of the present invention, the operating state of the filling machine can be grasped in real time, the parameters of the filling machine can be adjusted and the time for replacing parts can be predicted, thereby preventing the occurrence of defective products. Can be.
According to the seal inspection method and the seal inspection apparatus of the present invention, the accuracy of the inspection result of the conventional seal inspection apparatus (method) that is limited to only the determination of a good product and a defective product is improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a packaging and filling machine for paper packaging containers. FIG. 2 is an external view illustrating a form in which a preform is formed into a paper packaging container having a final shape. FIG. 3 is an external view of an example of a paper packaging container. FIG. 4 is a front view of a gas injection spindle according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view of predictive pressure loading means according to one embodiment of the present invention.
14 ... container 41 ... gas injection spindle

Claims (6)

A web-like packaging laminate material having a predetermined fold line is formed into a tube shape, the packaging material is vertically sealed in a vertical line direction to form a vertical sealing zone, and the tubular packaging material is filled with food, At each interval, the packaging material is pressed transversely and sealed by a transverse seal to form a transverse seal zone, cut in the middle of the transverse seal zone to obtain a pillow preform and folded along the fold line A method for inspecting the seal with respect to a sealed container having a final shape obtained by sealing a flap formed thereby on a container side wall and / or a container bottom surface,
A predetermined pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure is applied to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply stress to the sealing zone,
A seal inspection method comprising performing a seal inspection on the stressed seal zone. 2. The seal according to claim 1, wherein a gas for inspection is press-fitted into the container, and a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure is applied for a predetermined time to apply a stress to the sealing zone. Inspection methods. 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container wall is pressed to apply a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply a stress to the sealing zone. Seal inspection method. A web-like packaging laminate material having a predetermined fold line is formed into a tube shape, the packaging material is vertically sealed in a vertical line direction to form a vertical sealing zone, and the tubular packaging material is filled with food, At each interval, the packaging material is pressed transversely and sealed by a transverse seal to form a transverse seal zone, cut in the middle of the transverse seal zone to obtain a pillow preform and folded along the fold line An apparatus for inspecting the seal of a final shape of the sealed container obtained by sealing the flap formed by sealing the container side wall and / or the container bottom surface,
Predictive pressure loading means for applying a predictive pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply stress to the seal zone;
A seal inspection device having seal inspection means for inspecting a seal of the stressed seal zone. 5. The seal inspection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said predictive pressure loading means is a gas injection spindle which is inserted into said container wall in a hermetically sealed state and press-fits an inspection gas into said container. A web-shaped packaging laminate material having a predetermined fold line is formed into a tube shape, the packaging material is vertically sealed in a vertical line direction to form a vertical sealing zone, and the tubular packaging material is filled with food, and Pressing the packaging material in the transverse direction at intervals, sealing with a horizontal seal to form a horizontal seal zone, cutting in the middle of the horizontal seal zone to obtain a pillow-shaped preform, and folding along the fold line A method for diagnosing a packaging and filling machine that obtains a sealed container having a final shape by sealing the flap formed by the method on the container side wall and / or the container bottom surface,
A predetermined pressure of 30 to 80% of a predetermined sealing limit pressure is applied to the inside of the container for a predetermined time to apply stress to the sealing zone,
Performing a seal inspection on the stressed seal zone;
A method for diagnosing a packaging and filling machine, comprising diagnosing a packaging and filling machine by comparing a result value of the seal inspection with a standard sealing inspection value of the packaging and filling machine.

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