JP2015134618A - Vacuum processing circuit for packaging machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent liquid etc. which exists in a vacuum passage connecting a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump to each other from flowing backward and entering the inside of a vacuum gauge when opening to the ambient air.SOLUTION: A vacuum chamber 21 in which a lower side film 15 including a concave part 15a filled with liquid 24 and an upper side film 17 are sandwiched vertically to apply vacuum processing to the inside of the concave part and both films are sealed for sealing, and a vacuum pump 23 are connected with each other through main piping 31. To the main piping, branching piping 38 and first auxiliary piping 36 are connected. A second switching valve 35 is inserted into the first auxiliary piping, and the system is opened to the ambient air by opening the second switching valve. To the branching piping, a vacuum gauge 39 and second auxiliary piping 40 are connected. A third switching valve 41 is inserted into the second auxiliary piping, and the system is opened to the ambient air by opening the third switching valve. When the system is fully opened to the ambient air, the third switching valve is opened to open the vacuum gauge to the ambient air, and, then, the second switching valve is opened to open the vacuum chamber to the ambient air. Therefore, liquid etc. flowing backward in the main piping is prevented from entering into the vacuum gauge.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum processing circuit for a packaging machine, and more specifically to a technique applied to a packaging machine that performs vacuum processing in a state where a packaging film is filled with liquid, powder, or the like.

  There are deep-drawn packagings that have been vacuum-treated for long-term storage of foods and prevention of product oxidation. The deep-drawn package has a configuration including a container body having a recess for storing a product, and a lid member that closes the opening of the container body in a state where the product is stored in the recess. A deep-drawing packaging machine for manufacturing a deep-drawn packaging body having such a configuration has the following configuration.

  The lower film continuously drawn from the raw fabric roll is conveyed in the horizontal direction. The lower film is vacuum-sucked by a molding device arranged in the middle of the conveyance, and a concave portion protruding downward is formed at a predetermined position of the lower film. The product is supplied automatically or manually into the recess at a predetermined position on the downstream side of the molding apparatus.

  On the other hand, another original fabric roll is installed above the lower film conveyance line, and the upper film is continuously drawn out from the original fabric roll. It is superimposed on the lower film at a predetermined position downstream of the point.

  Further, a vacuum chamber is installed on the downstream side of the polymerization point of both films, and air in the recess is sucked and removed, and the contact portion between the lower film and the upper film located around the recess is heat-sealed. Thereby, the product is sealed in the recess. After that, the individual deep-drawn packagings are separately manufactured by cutting the sealing portions of both films with a cutter device disposed on the downstream side of the sealing device. As such a conventional deep-drawing packaging machine, for example, there is an apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  In addition, there is a type in which a vacuum gauge is linked to a vacuum chamber, the pressure in the vacuum chamber is measured, and the measurement result is displayed. By looking at this vacuum gauge, the user can check the current pressure in the vacuum chamber.

  FIG. 1 shows a vacuum chamber and a vacuum gauge of a packaging machine equipped with such a vacuum gauge. The vacuum chamber 1 and the vacuum pump 3 are linked via the main pipe 2. A first switching valve 2 a is installed in the middle of the main pipe 2. When the first switching valve 2a is opened, the interior space of the vacuum chamber 1 and thus the recess 7a of the lower film 7 and the vacuum pump 3 communicate with each other. When the vacuum pump 3 is operated in this state, the air in the vacuum chamber 1 is evacuated. The vacuum chamber 1 is depressurized by suction removal. When the first switching valve 2a is closed, the path from the vacuum chamber 1 to the vacuum pump 3 is blocked. An auxiliary pipe 4 is connected to a predetermined position on the vacuum chamber 1 side from the first switching valve 2a of the main pipe 2. A second switching valve 4 a is installed in the middle of the auxiliary pipe 4, and a muffler 4 b is provided at the tip of the auxiliary pipe 4. When the second switching valve 4a is opened, the main pipe 2 communicates with the muffler 4b via the auxiliary pipe 4, and the vacuum chamber 1 is opened to the atmosphere. Further, a branch pipe 5 is connected to the main pipe 2, and a vacuum gauge 6 is connected to the tip of the branch pipe 5. Thereby, the vacuum gauge 6 measures the degree of vacuum in the vacuum chamber 1 and notifies the measurement result.

JP-A-5-162718

  The vacuum packaging process may be performed in a state where the recess 7a of the lower film 7 is filled with the product 8 and the seasoning or other liquid 9 together. In such a case, as the air in the recess 7a is sucked and removed by the vacuum processing on the vacuum chamber 1 by the vacuum pump 3, a part of the liquid in the recess 7a is sucked out and reaches the main pipe 2 side. The liquid 9 evaporates as the pressure in the 7a drops, and the main pipe 2 advances toward the vacuum pump 3 side in the vaporized state, and then adheres to the inner wall surface of the main pipe 2 by recrystallization or the like. To do. The liquid / recrystallized material (hereinafter referred to as “liquid or the like”) present in the main pipe 2 passes through the main pipe 2 as the main pipe 2 is opened to the atmosphere by opening the second switching valve 4a. Move toward the vacuum chamber 1 side. At this time, since the vacuum gauge 6 is also opened to the atmosphere, a part of the liquid or the like existing in the main pipe 2 reaches the inside of the vacuum gauge 6 via the branch pipe 5. Then, liquid or the like enters the inside of the vacuum gauge 6, which causes a failure or malfunction of the vacuum gauge 6. In particular, when the vacuum gauge 9 uses an analog instrument, liquid or the like adheres to the mechanism / mechanical part, and there is a high possibility that pressure cannot be measured accurately or smooth measurement cannot be performed. .

  For example, in the analog vacuum gauge 6, the needle of the vacuum gauge 9 gradually rotates as the pressure decreases. Thereby, the operator can check how the pressure is reduced by observing the movement state of the needle. However, as described above, liquid or the like enters and adheres to the mechanism portion, so that the smooth movement of the needle is not performed, and the operator may not be able to accurately grasp the pressure drop phenomenon.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the vacuum processing circuit for a packaging machine according to the present invention is (1) vacuum-treated the inside of a packaging film enclosing a liquid or powder, and sealing and sealing the packaging film in that state. A vacuum chamber for performing the vacuum treatment, a vacuum path connecting the vacuum pump and the vacuum chamber, and connected to the vacuum path, for releasing the vacuum chamber from the vacuum path to the atmosphere A vacuum processing circuit for a packaging machine, comprising: a first opening means; and a branch path that branches from the connection part of the vacuum path to the vacuum chamber side to the vacuum chamber and reaches a vacuum gauge. A second opening means for opening the vacuum gauge from the branch path to the atmosphere, and the vacuum gauge is opened to the atmosphere by opening the vacuum path by the first opening means. Before being, air release of the vacuum gauge according to the second opening means is configured to be performed. The vacuum path corresponds to the main pipe 31 in the embodiment. The first opening means mainly corresponds to the second switching valve 35 in the embodiment. The second opening means mainly corresponds to the third switching valve 41 in the embodiment. The liquid or powder may be present in the packaging film together with other products 10 like the liquid 24 of the embodiment, or may be present only in the liquid or powder.

  Since the vacuum processing is performed in a state where the liquid is present in the packaging film, a part of the liquid is sucked or vaporized by the vacuum processing and reaches the vacuum path. The vaporized state adheres to the inner wall surface of the vacuum path by recrystallization or the like. When the atmosphere is released in this state, the liquid or the like existing in the vacuum path moves to the vacuum chamber side and tries to move to the branch path side.

  In the present invention, in addition to the first opening means for opening the vacuum chamber to the atmosphere, the second opening means for opening the vacuum gauge to the atmosphere is provided, and the atmosphere of the vacuum gauge is released by the second opening means. That is, the vacuum gauge is also connected to the vacuum path. For example, when the atmosphere is released by the first opening means without opening the atmosphere by the second opening means, the first opening means that also opens the vacuum gauge together with the vacuum chamber. It is executed by the atmosphere release process. Therefore, in the present invention, since the vacuum gauge is opened to the atmosphere by the second opening means before the vacuum gauge is opened to the atmosphere by opening the vacuum path by the first opening means, the atmosphere opening by the first opening means is performed. When the vacuum path and thus the vacuum chamber is opened to the atmosphere, the vacuum gauge is already opened to the atmosphere, and the pressure of the branch path is higher than the pressure of the vacuum path. Therefore, even if liquid or the like existing in the vacuum path tries to move or enter the vacuum gauge side via the branch path by opening the atmosphere by the first opening means, it does not move to the branch path side where the pressure is high, It is possible to prevent liquid or the like from entering. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a vacuum gauge failure or the like accompanying the entry of the liquid or the like.

  (2) Control may be made so that the atmosphere opening by the second opening means is started and then the atmosphere opening by the first opening means is started. For example, even if the opening of the atmosphere by the first opening means and the opening of the atmosphere by the second opening means are performed at the same time, the opening of the vacuum gauge to the atmosphere by the second opening means having a close path is usually performed. The vacuum gauge is already opened to the atmosphere when the opening of the atmosphere in the vacuum path proceeds by the opening process of the first opening means, and the opening of the atmosphere to the connection point with the branch path of the vacuum path has already been released. You can deter entry. Then, as in the present invention, the start time of opening the atmosphere of the first opening means and the second opening means is shifted, and the second opening means is operated first, so that the atmosphere release of the vacuum gauge / branch path is more reliably performed. This can be done on the basis of the opening means.

  (3) The vacuum gauge may be an analog instrument. Analog type vacuum gauges have many mechanical elements and are liable to cause failures and malfunctions when liquids etc. enter the inside, but in the present invention, since the entry of liquids etc. into the vacuum gauge can be suppressed, it is stable over a long period of time. It is good because it can be operated.

(4) The packaging film is composed of a lower film having a concave portion projecting downward and an upper film placed over the lower film, and the liquid or powder is filled in the concave portion, The vacuum chamber may be configured to suck and remove air in the recess and heat-seal the contact portion between the lower film and the upper film. That is, the packaging machine to which the present invention is applied can be preferably applied to a deep drawing type packaging machine.
(5) The liquid or powder may be filled in the packaging film together with another solid product.

  According to the present invention, since the entry of liquid or the like into the inside of the vacuum gauge can be suppressed, it is possible to suppress as much as possible the occurrence of problems such as failure, malfunction, and unstable operation of the vacuum gauge.

It is a figure which shows a prior art example. It is a figure which shows an example of the vacuum packaging machine with which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows suitable one Embodiment of this invention.

  FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of an example of a vacuum packaging machine to which the vacuum gauge protection circuit for a vacuum packaging machine according to the present invention is applied. As shown in the figure, the lower end of the endless chain 12 provided between the pair of sprockets 11 and 11 is continuously pulled out from the first raw roll 14 via the claw members 13 installed at predetermined intervals. The side film 15 is moved forward. A molding device 16 is installed in the vicinity of the carry-in side of the lower film 15, and a concave portion 15 a having a predetermined shape is formed in the lower film 15 by the molding device 16.

  The molding device 16 has an upper box 16a and a lower box 16b that are arranged vertically with the lower film 15 interposed therebetween. In the lower box 16b, a female die processed into an inner shape that matches the outer shape of the recess 15a to be molded is disposed. On the other hand, the upper box 16a is provided with a plug that moves up and down relatively with respect to the upper box 16a. The plug comes into contact with the upper surface of the lower film 15 and biases downward, and a predetermined film portion of the lower film 15 is pushed into the lower box 16b to be positioned in the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface of the female mold. Next, the inside of the lower box 16b is vacuum-sucked, and accordingly, the lower film 15 is brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the female mold and is molded into the shape of the inner peripheral surface, thereby forming the concave portion 15a.

  A product supply device 20 is installed in front of the molding device 16 in the traveling direction, and the products 10 are sequentially supplied into the recesses 15a. Instead of the product supply device 20, manual supply may be used. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a liquid filling device for filling the liquid is provided in the recess 15a. For example, when the product is a food, the liquid includes various sauces, seasonings and preservatives. The liquid filling device may be incorporated in the product supply device 20 or may be mounted as a separate device.

  Further, a second original fabric roll 26 is installed at a substantially central upper portion of the conveyance path of the lower film 15, and the upper film 17 is continuously supplied from the second original fabric roll 26, and the upper portion of the lower film 15 is Is to be covered.

  In addition, a vacuum chamber 21 is installed in front of the coating point X of the upper film 17 in the traveling direction, and the air in the vacuum chamber 21 and thus the recess 15a of the lower film 15 is removed by suction, and is positioned around the recess 15a. The contact portion between the lower film 15 and the upper film 17 is heat-sealed. Further, a horizontal cutter device 18 and a vertical cutter device 19 are installed further forward in the traveling direction of the vacuum chamber 21, and a predetermined position of the lower film 15 and the upper film 17 is cut in the horizontal and vertical directions, and one piece The vacuum package is manufactured and carried out. In these points, it is the structure substantially the same as the conventional vacuum packaging apparatus.

  Also, in the figure, a horizontal cutter device 18 and a vertical cutter device 19 are provided, and the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the film are cut separately. However, for example, a blade portion along the outer shape of each package is provided. And it is good also as a cutter apparatus which punches from upper direction and manufactures each package.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vacuum chamber 21 includes a lower box 22 and an upper box 23. The lower box 22 has an upwardly open box shape, and a predetermined number of recesses 25 are formed therein. When the lower box 22 and the upper box 23 are closed in a state where the concave portion 15a of the lower film 15 is inserted into the concave portion 25, the upper film 17 and the lower film 15 become the lower box 22 and the upper box 23. It is caught in.

  The vacuum chamber 21 is linked to the vacuum pump 33 via the main pipe 31. Specifically, a vacuum inlet is formed on the upper surface of the peripheral wall that partitions the recess 25 of the lower box 22. The vacuum inlet is one end of a through hole provided in the peripheral wall, and the other end of the through hole is connected to the main pipe 31. The portion of the lower film 15 facing the vacuum inlet is provided with an opening, and when the vacuum pump 33 is activated, the air in the main pipe 31 is sucked into the recess 15a of the lower film 15. The air reaches the main pipe 31 from the vacuum inlet through the through hole and is removed by suction. A mechanism similar to the conventional one can be used as the vacuum suction mechanism for the recess 15a.

  In the present embodiment, the first switching valve 34 is installed in the middle of the main pipe 31. When the first switching valve 34 is opened, the interior space of the vacuum chamber 21 and thus the recess 15a of the lower film 15 and the vacuum pump 33 communicate with each other. When the vacuum pump 33 is operated in this state, the air in the vacuum chamber 21 is evacuated. The vacuum chamber 21 is depressurized by suction removal. When the first switching valve 34 is closed, the path from the vacuum chamber 21 to the vacuum pump 33 is blocked.

  Further, a first auxiliary pipe 36 is connected to a predetermined position on the vacuum chamber 21 side from the first switching valve 34 in the main pipe 31. A second switching valve 35 is installed in the middle of the first auxiliary pipe 36, and a first muffler 37 is provided at the tip of the first auxiliary pipe 36. When the second switching valve 35 is opened, the main pipe 31 communicates with the first muffler 37 via the first auxiliary pipe 36. Therefore, the main pipe 31 and thus the vacuum chamber 21 are opened to the atmosphere. On the other hand, when the second switching valve 35 is closed, the path of the first auxiliary pipe 36 is blocked.

  Therefore, when the lower film 15 and the upper film 17 are set in the vacuum chamber 21, the first switching valve 34 is opened, and the vacuum pump 33 is operated with the second switching valve 35 closed, the vacuum chamber 21, lower side Air in the recess 15a of the film 15 is removed. Then, for example, the first switching valve 34 is closed when a predetermined condition is satisfied, for example, the degree of vacuum in the vacuum chamber 21 becomes a desired value or a certain time has elapsed since the start of suction. As a result, regardless of the operation of the vacuum pump 33, the inside of the vacuum chamber 21 is maintained at a desired degree of vacuum. Moreover, the contact site | part of the lower film 15 and the upper film 17 is heat-sealed at an appropriate timing, and the recessed part 15a used as the vacuum is sealed.

  Thereafter, the second switching valve 35 is opened. As a result, the main pipe 31 and thus the vacuum chamber 21 are opened to the atmosphere, and the upper box 23 and the lower box 22 can be separated. Thereafter, the boxes are separated from each other, and the lower film 15 and the upper film 17 that have been subjected to the vacuum / sealing process are conveyed.

  Further, as the air in the recess 15a is sucked and removed by the vacuum processing on the vacuum chamber 21 by the vacuum pump 33, a part of the liquid 24 in the recess 15a is sucked out to reach the main pipe 31 side, or the recess 15a. As the internal pressure drops, the liquid evaporates, and the main pipe 31 proceeds toward the vacuum pump 33 in the vaporized state, and then recrystallizes and adheres to the inner wall surface of the main pipe 31. The liquid / recrystallized material (hereinafter referred to as “liquid etc.”) present in the main pipe 31 is opened in the main pipe 31 as the second switching valve 35 is opened to open the main pipe 31 to the atmosphere. It moves toward the vacuum chamber 21 side.

  In this embodiment, a branch pipe 38 that branches from the main pipe 31 is provided. A vacuum gauge 39 is connected to the tip of the branch pipe 38. Thereby, the vacuum gauge 39 measures the degree of vacuum in the vacuum chamber 21 and notifies the measurement result. In the present embodiment, the vacuum gauge 39 is configured using an analog instrument. Therefore, when the pressure in the vacuum chamber 21 is gradually reduced along with the operation of the vacuum pump 33, the needle of the vacuum gauge 39 gradually rotates following the pressure. Thereby, the operator can check how the pressure is reduced by observing the movement state of the needle.

  In the present embodiment, the second auxiliary pipe 40 is connected to the branch pipe 38. A third switching valve 41 is installed in the middle of the second auxiliary pipe 40, and a second muffler 42 is provided at the tip of the second auxiliary pipe 40. When the third switching valve 41 is opened, the branch pipe 38 communicates with the second muffler 42 via the second auxiliary pipe 40. As a result, the second auxiliary pipe 40 and thus the vacuum gauge 39 are opened to the atmosphere. On the other hand, when the third switching valve 41 is closed, the path of the second auxiliary pipe 40 is blocked. Thus, by connecting the second auxiliary pipe 40 to the branch pipe 38 and controlling the operation of the third switching valve 41, the vacuum gauge 39 and the branch pipe 38 can be directly opened to the atmosphere.

  In this embodiment, after the vacuum processing by the vacuum chamber 21 is completed, the third switching valve 41 is opened, and then the second switching valve 35 is opened. Thus, since the time difference is provided in the timing which opens the 2nd switching valve 35 and the 3rd switching valve 41, and the 3rd switching valve 41 was opened first, the branch piping 38 which is a path | route on the vacuum gauge 39 side is provided. First, the atmosphere is released, and then the main pipe 31 side is opened to the atmosphere. Therefore, before opening the second switching valve 35, the vacuum gauge 39 and the branch pipe 38 are already opened to the atmosphere, and the pressure in the main pipe 31 becomes higher. Therefore, when the second switching valve 35 is opened thereafter and the main pipe 31 and thus the vacuum chamber 21 are opened to the atmosphere, the liquid remaining in the main pipe 31 moves toward the vacuum chamber 21 side. It does not enter the branch pipe 38 side due to the pressure difference between the pipe 31 and the branch pipe 38. Therefore, the liquid remaining in the main pipe 31 does not enter the vacuum gauge 39, and the occurrence of failure, malfunction, malfunction, etc. of the vacuum gauge 39 can be suppressed. Therefore, the vacuum gauge 39 operates normally for a long time.

  Since the branch pipe 38, which is a path to the vacuum gauge 39, may have a smaller diameter than the main pipe 31, the third switching valve 41 and the second muffler 42 are smaller than the second switching valve 35 and the first muffler 37. It is good to use something. By using such a small one, for example, it can be arranged on the back surface of the vacuum gauge 39 and the like, and the third switching valve 41 and the second muffler 42 do not get in the way of each component in the existing apparatus. Can be placed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the third switching valve 41 is opened before the second switching valve 35. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the third switching valve 41 and the second switching valve 35 are simultaneously opened. You may open it. Even in this case, for example, by reducing the distance from the connection point of the branch pipe 38 to the main pipe 31 to the third switch valve 41 rather than the distance to the second switch valve 35, the branch pipe 38 is opened to the atmosphere. This is faster than opening the section of the main pipe 31 to the connection point with the branch pipe 38 to the atmosphere, and the movement of liquid or the like to the vacuum gauge 39 side can be prevented.

In the above-described embodiment, the two-port first switching valve 34 and the second switching valve 35 are disposed in the main pipe 31 and the first auxiliary pipe 36, respectively, and both the switching valves are closed to stop the operation of the vacuum pump 33. Even so, the vacuum degree of the vacuum chamber 21 is kept constant. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a three-port switching valve is installed at the branch portion of the main pipe 31 and the first auxiliary pipe 36. The vacuum chamber 21 may be switched between a path connecting to the vacuum pump 33 and a path opening to the atmosphere, and various configurations can be adopted.
In the embodiment described above, the liquid 24 is present in the recess 10a together with the product 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the liquid may be a product and only the liquid may be present. Alternatively, powder may be used.

10 Product 15 Lower film 15a Recess 17 Upper film 20 Product supply device 21 Vacuum chamber 22 Lower box 23 Upper box 24 Liquid 31 Main piping 33 Vacuum pump 34 First switching valve 35 Second switching valve 36 First auxiliary piping 37 First One muffler 38 Branch pipe 39 Vacuum gauge 40 Second auxiliary pipe 41 Third switching valve 42 Second muffler

Claims (5)

A vacuum chamber for vacuum-processing the inside of the packaging film enclosing the liquid or powder, and sealing and sealing the packaging film in that state;
A vacuum pump for performing the vacuum treatment;
A vacuum path connecting the vacuum pump and the vacuum chamber;
A first opening means connected to the vacuum path for opening the vacuum chamber to the atmosphere from the vacuum path;
A branch path that branches from the connection part of the first opening means of the vacuum path on the vacuum chamber side to reach a vacuum gauge;
A vacuum processing circuit for a packaging machine comprising:
A second opening means connected to the branch path and opening the vacuum gauge from the branch path to the atmosphere;
For a packaging machine, wherein the vacuum gauge is opened to the atmosphere by the second opening means before the vacuum gauge is opened to the atmosphere by opening the vacuum path by the first opening means. Vacuum processing circuit.   2. The vacuum processing circuit for a packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein control is performed so as to start opening the atmosphere by the second opening means and then starting opening the atmosphere by the first opening means. 3.   The vacuum processing circuit for a packaging machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vacuum gauge is an analog type instrument. The packaging film is composed of a lower film having a recess protruding downward, and an upper film placed over the lower film,
The liquid or powder is filled in the recess,
The packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vacuum chamber sucks and removes air in the recess and heat seals a contact portion between the lower film and the upper film. Vacuum processing circuit for machine.   The vacuum processing circuit for a packaging machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid or powder is filled in the packaging film together with another solid product.

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