JP2011051617A - Packaging and filling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a packaging and filling apparatus that directly removes and washes away liquid food residue from the cut face of the lateral seal of a packaging container before the cut face is covered with a fin or flap. <P>SOLUTION: The packaging and filling apparatus molds a web-like packaging material into a tubular shape, and fills a liquid food into the tube to a liquid surface level from a filling pipe. Using a sealing jaw and a counter jaw, the apparatus then laterally seals the tube in the direction of crossing the tube below the liquid surface, and preliminarily forms the tube with a forming flap between them. The apparatus obtains a preliminarily formed container 13 by cutting a laterally sealed zone with a knife and folds the laterally sealed zone, thus manufacturing a packaging container in the final shape. The packaging and filling apparatus includes a washing nozzle 23 for jetting a stream of coherent washing water toward the cut face of the preliminary formed container before the folding step and a drying nozzle for jetting drying air toward the cut face of the preliminarily formed container before the folding step but after the washing step. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging and filling apparatus for filling beverages and the like and packaging them in containers.

When manufacturing packaging containers that contain liquid foods such as milk, mineral water, tea, juice, soup, alcohol, etc., web-like (band-like) packaging laminate materials are used, and the packaging laminate materials are continuously heat sealed, By being sealed with an ultrasonic seal or the like, a packaging container is formed. For example, in a packaging filling device, a packaging laminate material is formed into a tube shape, sealed in the longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction) by a vertical sealing device, and then filled with liquid food in the tube, and then a horizontal sealing device under the liquid level To form a pillow-shaped original container, and further shape the original container into a predetermined shape to complete a packaging container.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a packaging and filling apparatus. The web-shaped packaging laminate material 1 is loaded into a packaging and filling apparatus in a reel state. The packaging laminate material 1 includes a paper base material and a flexible laminate in which polyethylene resin is laminated on both sides of the paper base material, and an aluminum foil or gas barrier is provided between the paper base material and the film as necessary. A barrier layer made of an adhesive resin or the like is formed, and exterior printing is performed in advance on a portion corresponding to the surface of the packaging container 14.

The fed packaging laminate material 1 is continuously conveyed by a feeding device of a conveying means, is sent to a strip joining device via a bending roller, a damper roller, and the like, and is fed to one edge of the packaging laminate material 1 by the strip joining device. The strips are joined continuously along the seam with the next strip.

As for the packaging laminated material 1, the pull tab is joined by the pull tab joining apparatus as needed. The packaging laminated material 1 is sent to the sterilization tank 4 and sterilized with a sterilization liquid such as hydrogen peroxide in the sterilization tank 4. The packaging laminate material 1 is sent to an air knife, dried by the air knife, and then sent to the interior of a sterilization chamber that ensures that the liquid food is filled in a sterile atmosphere in the tubular packaging material. The packaging laminated material 1 is gradually deformed by the molding ring 6 and other molding rings to form a tube shape.

The tubular packaging laminate material 1 is preheated by hot air from the preheating means 8 of the vertical sealing device and sealed in the vertical direction, and fluid food is filled into the tubular packaging laminate material 1 from the lower end of the filling pipe. .
Liquid food is filled into the tubular packaging material from the filling pipe to a predetermined liquid level.
As shown in FIG. 4, the tubular packaging laminate material 1 is guided downward, sent to a lateral sealing device, sandwiched and sealed laterally, and molded into a container shape and laterally sealed. The material is cut with a knife or the like to form a pillow-shaped preformed container 13.

FIG. 5 shows a detailed partial cross-sectional view of the horizontal sealing device. In this embodiment, the tubular packaging material 1 filled with the liquid food is first sandwiched between the upper pair of sealing jaws 10a and the opposing jaws 11. While being sent downward by a length corresponding to one packaging container, it is sandwiched between a pair of upper molding flaps 41 and 41 to be formed into an approximate container shape. Two transverse seal zones are formed by transverse sealing in the transverse direction, and the middle of the seal zone of the connected pillow-shaped preforms is cut with a knife 42 and separated into individual pillow-shaped preforms 13.

As shown in FIG. 6, the tubular packaging material 1 is formed with two lateral seal zones (fins) 1d and 1d below the liquid level 30a and cut with a knife at an intermediate 1e.
In this embodiment shown in FIG. 5, two pairs of sealing jaws and opposing jaws and a forming flap are provided to perform transverse sealing, preforming and cutting at high speed, and the transverse sealing, preforming and cutting steps are completed. The pair retracts sideways and returns to the top, and repeats the next side seal, pre-forming and cutting steps.

Next, the preformed container 13 is conveyed by a final molding and conveying device, and as shown in FIG. 7, the fins 13a and 13b are folded on the top surface and the bottom surface, and then the flap is folded on the side wall 13c and the bottom surface 13d. Thus, the packaging container 14 that contains the fluid food is completed.

JP 10-129608 A

In the packaging filling described above, when the horizontal seal portion is cut below the liquid level, liquid food may adhere to the cutter knife, and the attached liquid food may contaminate the cut portion of the horizontal seal portion of the packaging container.
In order to solve this problem, the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a cleaning medium supply unit that supplies a cleaning medium to the tip of a cutter knife that cuts the lateral seal portion, and supplies the cleaning medium when the lateral seal portion is cut by the cutter knife. The cleaning medium is supplied by the means, and the cutter knife is immediately cleaned (see Patent Document 1).

If the cleaning medium supply means is provided in the cutter knife, adjacent or in the vicinity thereof, a horizontal sealing device is also provided, so that the installation space is limited, and the structure is complicated and expensive in terms of cost.
It is more effective to directly remove the adhering liquid food residue by directly cleaning the transverse seal cut surface of the packaging container than by cleaning the knife indirectly. However, in the preformed container, the fins on the cut surface are folded on the top surface and the bottom surface, and the flaps are folded on the side wall and the bottom surface, so that the liquid food residue may be covered with the fins and flaps and disturb cleaning. is there.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging and filling apparatus that can remove and clean liquid food residue directly from a lateral seal cut surface of a packaging container before the cut surface is covered with fins or flaps. .

The packaging and filling apparatus of the present invention that solves this problem continuously feeds a web-shaped packaging material, forms it into a tube shape, vertically seals in the vertical line direction of the tube that is overlapped at both ends of the packaging material, and vertically Liquid food from a filling pipe is filled into a tubular packaging material that is continuously conveyed downward to a liquid level at a predetermined position above the outlet of the filling pipe, and a sealing jaw and a counter jaw are transversely crossed by the tube. Horizontally seal while pulling down the tube with the tube, preform the tube at the same time sandwiched with a molding flap, cut with a knife in the horizontal seal zone to obtain a preformed container, fold the cut horizontal seal zone A packaging and filling apparatus for producing a final shape packaging container,
In the process before the cut transverse seal zone is folded to the final shape, it has a cleaning nozzle that jets a coherent cleaning water jet toward the cutting surface of the preformed container,
A drying nozzle that ejects drying air toward the cut surface of the preformed container in a step before the cut transverse seal zone is folded into the final shape and after the cut surface of the preformed container is cleaned. Have
It is characterized by that.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the apparatus includes a conveying device that conveys the preformed container, and the conveying device includes a conveying path on which the preformed container is placed, and the conveying path is U-shaped or serpentine.

According to the present invention described above, the following functions are exhibited and advantageous effects are obtained.
The packaging and filling apparatus according to the present invention forms a web-shaped packaging material into a tube shape, vertically seals in a vertical line direction of the tubes overlapped at both ends of the packaging material, and is continuously conveyed vertically downward. Fill the packaging material with liquid food from the filling pipe to the liquid level at a predetermined position above the outlet of the filling pipe, and seal horizontally while pulling the tube with the sealing jaw and counter jaw in the transverse direction of the tube below the liquid level. Then, the tube is simultaneously sandwiched between molding flaps and preformed, and cut at the transverse seal zone to produce a packaging container.
Since the web-like packaging material filled with liquid food is horizontally sealed under the liquid level, unnecessary air or the like does not remain in the container, contributing to quality maintenance.

The packaging and filling apparatus according to the present invention performs transverse sealing while holding the tube between the sealing jaw and the counter jaw and pulling it down in the direction transverse to the tube below the liquid level, and simultaneously preliminarily molding the tube with a molding flap.

A pre-formed container is obtained by cutting with a knife in the horizontal sealing zone, and the final shaped packaging container is manufactured by folding the cut horizontal sealing zone.
The fins of the horizontal seal zone are folded on the top and bottom surfaces, and then the flaps of the horizontal seal zone coming out of the container surface are folded on the side walls and the bottom surface to form the final shape (brick-like shape). Is completed.

In a feature of the present invention, a cleaning nozzle that ejects a coherent cleaning water jet toward the cut surface of the preformed container in a step before the cut transverse seal zone is folded into a final shape.
The cleaning nozzle can be used to clean the cut surface at the stage prior to folding and wash away liquid food residue adhering to the cut surface, so that it can be easily cleaned without being disturbed by the folded fins and flaps. Can do.
In addition, since the jet is a coherent jet, it is possible to clean the cut surface by accurately hitting the object to be cleaned.

In the feature of the present invention, it is a process before the cut transverse seal band is folded into the final shape, and after the cut surface of the preformed container is cleaned, it is dried toward the cut surface of the preformed container. Having a drying nozzle for jetting air,
Although the cutting surface is wetted by the cleaning nozzle by the cleaning nozzle, the coherent jet air can accurately hit the target and dry the cutting surface.
Furthermore, in a preferred aspect of the present invention, the nozzle can scan a horizontally long cut surface, and the entire object to be cleaned can be cleaned and dried without omission.
As described above, the liquid food residue can be removed directly from the transverse seal cut surface of the packaging container and cleaned before the cut surface is covered with fins or flaps.

It is a top view which illustrates roughly operation | movement of the conveyance of the preforming container of the example of the packaging filling apparatus by this invention. It is a side view which illustrates roughly arrangement | positioning of the washing nozzle of the example of the packaging filling apparatus by this invention. It is a side view which illustrates roughly arrangement | positioning of the washing nozzle of the example of the packaging filling apparatus by this invention. It is a schematic perspective view which shows an example of the packaging filling apparatus which can be used for this invention. It is a section front view explaining the transverse seal device of a packing filling device. FIG. 4 is a perspective perspective view of a tubular packaging material that is laterally sealed and preformed by an example of a packaging and filling apparatus. It is a perspective view explaining a mode that the preforming container by the example of a packaging filling apparatus is folded by the final shape.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 4, the packaging and filling apparatus according to this embodiment forms the web-shaped packaging material 1 into a tube shape, vertically seals the longitudinal direction of the tube at both ends of the packaging material, and is conveyed vertically downward. Liquid food is filled into the tubular packaging material from the filling pipe in a sterile chamber to a liquid level at a predetermined position above the outlet of the filling pipe, and as shown in FIG. Then, the tube 1 is horizontally sealed while the tube 1 is pulled down by the counter jaw 11, the tube is simultaneously sandwiched by the molding flaps 41 and 41, and preliminarily molded, and then cut by the knife 42 in the lateral seal zone to obtain the pre-packaging container 13. Then, the liquid food filling container 14 of the product is manufactured by the final molding device 15.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of the preformed container 13 being transported on the transport path 20 by the transport device as viewed from above.
The tube-shaped packaging material 1 is cut into individual preformed containers 13 by a cutter of a horizontal sealing device and drops a chute.
The conveyance path 20 does not convey the preformed container 13 at the shortest distance from the chute, but is U-shaped in this aspect. To that end, there is sufficient cleaning and drying space and time.
The transport path may be serpentine.

The conveyance path 20 in this aspect includes a cleaning station 21 and a drying station 22, and a cleaning process and a drying process are performed in each station.
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the arrangement of the cleaning nozzles 23. The cleaning station 21 of the conveyance path 20 includes a cleaning nozzle 23 that ejects a coherent cleaning water jet A toward the cut surfaces 13 a and 13 b of the preformed container 13.

Before the folding, the washing surfaces A and 13b are washed with the washing water A from the washing nozzle 23 to wash away the liquid food residue adhering to the cut surfaces. Wash easily without being disturbed by folded fins and flaps.
Moreover, since it is the coherent jet A, it hits the to-be-cleaned objects 13a and 13b and cleans the cut surface.

Next, in the drying station 22, as shown in FIG. 3, the drying station 22 has a drying nozzle 24 that ejects drying air B toward the cut surfaces 13 a and 13 b of the preformed container 13.
Although the cut surface is wetted by the cleaning water by the cleaning nozzle 23 from the drying air B from the drying nozzle 24, the coherent jet air B hits the target accurately and dries the cut surfaces 13a and 13b.
In the above-described aspect, the nozzles 23 and / or 24 can scan the horizontally long cut surface, and the entire object to be cleaned can be cleaned and dried without omission.
As shown in these embodiments, before the cut surface is covered with fins or flaps, the liquid food residue is directly removed from the transverse seal cut surface of the packaging container and washed.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can change variously based on the meaning of this invention, and does not exclude them from the scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be applied to the manufacture of a packaging container for packaging and filling liquid foods and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tube-shaped packaging material 7 ... Filling pipe 10a ... Seal jaw 11 ... Counter jaw 13 ... Preliminary container 20 ... Conveying path 21 ... Cleaning station 22 ... Drying Station 23 ... Washing nozzle 24 ... Drying nozzle A ... Washing water jet
B ... Dry air jet

Claims (2)

The web-like packaging material is continuously supplied, molded into a tube shape, vertically sealed in the vertical direction of the tube overlapped at both ends of the packaging material, and continuously conveyed vertically downward Fill the material with the liquid food from the filling pipe to the liquid level at a predetermined position above the outlet of the filling pipe, and horizontally while pulling the tube with the seal jaw and the counter jaw in the transverse direction of the tube below the liquid level. Sealing, pre-molding by sandwiching the tube with a molding flap at the same time, cutting with a knife in the horizontal sealing zone to obtain a pre-formed container, folding the cut horizontal sealing zone to produce the final shape packaging container packaging filling A device,
In the process before the cutting transverse seal zone is folded into the final shape, the cleaning nozzle has a cleaning nozzle that jets a coherent cleaning water jet toward the cutting surface of the preformed container,
Drying air is jetted toward the cut surface of the preformed container in a step before the cut transverse seal zone is folded into the final shape and after the cut surface of the preformed container is cleaned. Having a drying nozzle,
A packaging and filling apparatus. The packaging and filling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transport device that transports the preformed container, the transport device including a transport path on which the preformed container is placed, and the transport path is U-shaped or meandering.