JP3281625B2 - Packaging equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus, and more particularly, to a tray on which goods are placed, which is supplied to a lifter by a supply conveyor device, and the goods on the lifter are pushed up to a wrap station together with the tray. The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus for packaging.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a packaging apparatus for packaging a product such as fresh food on a styrofoam tray with a stretch film together with the tray. This type of wrapping device clamps the side edges of the film so that the film is held in tension at the wrap station, and the tray on which the product is placed is pushed up by the lifter to the upper lap station, and the product or tray is placed on top of the product or tray. The front, rear, left and right side edges of the adhered film are folded into the bottom side of the tray by a folding member, and the product is packaged together with the tray with the film. In this type of packaging equipment,
The tray on which the goods are placed is intermittently transferred onto the lifter by the supply conveyor device in an unpackaged state.

[0003] During the packaging operation, various troubles occur.
Occurs. If a trouble occurs, the
After removing the tray once sent to
Do.

[0004]

However, conventionally,
Removal work was done by hand,
Take out trays from inside narrow equipment
Problems such as spilling items on the tray
there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems. When a trouble occurs, a tray is automatically set.
Can be ejected and the tray falls when ejected
Package that is less likely to cause problems such as
It is an object to provide a mounting device .

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a supply conveyor device in which a product loaded with goods is loaded.
A first drive means for moving a tray transport member for transporting the tray forward and backward; when a trouble occurs , (a) when the tray on which the product is placed is not placed on the lifter, the first drive means It means a product discharged each tray by backward in the direction opposite to that during supplying products the tray conveying member, (b) Commercial
When the tray on which the product is placed is placed on the lifter
In the lower position of the lifter,
Handover from the lifter to the supply conveyor,
The product is moved backward in the reverse direction of the
Is discharged together with the tray . According to this configuration, the product is placed
Tray is advanced by the transfer member in the opposite
Work to take out the commodity goods Runode be ejected per tray, a narrow device inside when trouble occurs Te becomes unnecessary. In addition, since it is transported by the transport member in the opposite direction,
Problems such as falling of the product are less likely to occur. Like
According to a preferred embodiment, the trouble is caused by cutting of the film.
Trouble with the film, such as a supply mistake
It is characterized by. According to a further preferred embodiment, said
The supply conveyor device includes a stock conveyor and the tray.
Cutout provided between the transport member and this stock conveyor
A stopper, and the cut-out stopper is provided at the time of product supply.
Transports the tray on the stock conveyor to the tray
Cut out each member one by one, and when discharging the product,
It is characterized by being evacuated.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the conveying member, which moves backward in a direction opposite to the supply direction, moves the commodity to a portion of the supply conveyor device where a tray is placed .
Discharge every ray. According to this configuration, the operator bets
Since the products are discharged together with the tray to the point where the tray is placed, the operator can easily perform the work of placing the tray again.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the goods are
A claw member abutting on a tray which carries goods subjected the pawl member
During feeding, it is moved in the same
It was that the pawl moving member is disposed parallel to the conveying member. According to a further preferred embodiment, the speeds of the conveying member and the claw moving member are set such that the claw member comes into contact with the tray from a downstream side of the tray on which the product is placed . According to this configuration, since the conveying member makes the tray on which the product is loaded abut against the claw member, the relative speed between the tray and the claw member at the time of the abutment is reduced, so that the product on the tray has a large impact. Do not give. Accordingly, the speed of the conveying member can be increased to shorten the cycle time of packaging, and there is no possibility that the product will fall.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the supply
The feeding conveyor further moves the claw moving member back and forth.
The second drive means is provided for
The second driving means moves the claw moving member in a direction opposite to the direction in which the product is supplied.
To reverse. According to this configuration, when the goods are supplied, the goods
The claw member that comes in contact with the
The product moves in the same direction as
Never.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the layout of the packaging weighing and pricing apparatus and the flow of the tray T. In FIG. 1A, a tray T on which a product M is placed is in an unpackaged state.
It is intermittently transferred onto the lifter 10 by the supply conveyor device 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, a packaging mechanism 11 is provided above the lifter 10. The packaging mechanism 11 wraps the product M together with the tray T by folding the film F indicated by a two-dot chain line on the bottom surface side of the tray T at the upper lap station S. A sealing device 19 is disposed in front Fo of the lap station S. The sealing device 19 heat seals the folded portions of the film F folded into the bottom surface Tb of the tray T. FIG.
The heat-sealed packaged product A of (b) is transferred onto the weighing conveyor 4 by the direction change conveyor 3 and is weighed by the weighing conveyor 4.
The weight of the product M is weighed while being transported. afterwards,
After the packaged product A is transported to a position below the label pasting machine 5 by a conveyor, a label on which a product code, a weight, and the like are printed is pasted.

Next, the above components will be described in detail. In FIG. 2, the lifter 10 is disposed immediately below the lap station S, and includes an elevating mechanism (not shown). When the tray T is transported from the supply conveyor device 2, the lifter 10 lifts the tray T by a certain stroke, lifts the tray T, and holds the film F held in tension in the lap station S.
The tray T is pressed against the lower surface of.

On the other hand, the film F is supplied to the lap station S in a state where the film F is sandwiched by the film feeder 6, and when the product M is pushed up by the lifter 10, the film F comes into close contact with the upper surface of the product M. . In this state, the packaging mechanism 11 moves the front, rear, left and right side edges of the film F to the bottom side T of the tray T as described below.
b and wrap the tray T together with the product M.

The packaging mechanism 11 includes a pair of left and right folding plates 1.
5, 15; a rear folding plate 16; and a round bar-shaped front folding member 17
And The left and right folding plates 15 advance and retreat in a left-right direction (a direction orthogonal to the paper surface). On the other hand, rear folding plate 1
6 moves back and forth in the front-back direction Fo. The left and right folding plates 15 and the rear folding plate 16 advance and retreat along the bottom surface Tb of the tray T, thereby folding the film F toward the bottom surface of the tray T. The pusher 13 is driven at a predetermined timing slightly delayed from the rear folding plate 16, and with the operation of discharging the product M by the pusher 13, the front folding member 17
Is folded into the bottom side Tb of the tray T. Each film feeder 6 includes a pair of transport belts 61 and 62, and has a structure in which one film feeder 6 moves left and right according to the width of the film F.

Next, a description will be given of the supply conveyor device 2 which is a main part of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the supply conveyor device 2 includes a stock conveyor 21 supported by a frame 20, a cutting stopper 22, and a main supply conveyor 23.
A, an auxiliary supply conveyor 23B and a conveyor 24 with claws.

[0016] The stock conveyor 21, the tray conveying member 21b made of round endless belt between a plurality of sets of pulleys 21a have been wound, by a driving motor (not shown) and driven at a constant low speed V _S I have. On the downstream side B of the stock conveyor 21, there is provided a cutting stopper 22 which is moved up and down by a driving machine (not shown).
As shown in (a), a large number of trays T are stocked on the tray transport member 21b. Note that an optical sensor 25 that detects passage of the tray T is provided slightly upstream of the cutout stopper 22.

Downstream of the stock conveyor 21 in FIG. 3, two supply conveyors 23A and 23B are provided.
Both supply conveyors 23A and 23B are provided with a plurality of sets of pulleys 23.
tray transport member 23b consisting of an endless round belt between a
Is wound. The tray transport member 23b is the tray T is placed, intended to transport the tray T to the lifter 10 (FIG. 2) by a frictional force in contact with the bottom surface of the tray T, the
By a variable speed motor 23e (FIG. 2) as one driving means ,
Continuously driven at the high speed V _H or lower speed V _S. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5D, when the supply conveyors 23A and 23B are driven at the high speed _VH , the cutout stopper 22 shown in FIG. 5C retreats downward as shown in FIG. 4B. Therefore, the tray conveying members 23 of the supply conveyors 23A and 23B
b and velocity V _H of the speed difference between the speed V _S of the tray conveying member 21b stock conveyor 21, the tray T is cut by one.

The claw conveyor 24 shown in FIG. 3 has a claw moving member 24b formed of an endless chain wound between a plurality of sets of sprockets 24a , and a variable speed motor 24e (FIG. 2) as a second driving means . ) by intermittently driven at the high speed V _H or lower speed V _S. Each claw moving member 24b
Is disposed in parallel with the tray carrying member 23b, and has a pair of plate-like claws (claw members) 24c. Pawl 24c of the claw-equipped conveyor 24, as shown in FIG. 5 (e), the supply conveyor 23A, 23B is driven only when being driven at high speed V _H, FIG. 4 (a), (b ), The tray T that moves on the tray transport member 21b
4 protrudes while rotating on the downstream B side of FIG.
As shown in (e), the tray T is stopped before the lifter 10 and the tray T is put on standby.

As shown in FIG. 5 (e), the nailed conveyor 24 is driven at a high speed V _H and then switched to a low speed V _S. On the other hand, the supply conveyor 23A, 23B are also driven at a high speed V _H after the claw-equipped conveyor 24 Tsu conversion over to the low speed V _S.
Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, before the pawl 24c stops before (upstream) the lifter 10, the tray conveying member 23b abuts the front end of the tray T on the rear end of the pawl 24c. This means that the transfer speed is set to the contact speed. Further, since the claw moving member 24b is driven at a high speed V _H and then switched to a low speed V _{S as shown} in FIG.
FIG. 4 (a), the direction of velocity V _H when the pawl 24c is separated from the tray T in (b), is set larger than the speed V _S at which the tray T shown in FIG. 4 (d) is in contact with the claw 24c Will be. The speeds V _S , V _H of the conveyors 23A, 23B, 24 are controlled by an inverter based on the frequency. In addition, each of the conveyors 21, 23A, 2A
3B and 24 are driven by a drive motor capable of rotating forward and backward, and can correspond to a discharge mode described later.

In FIG. 2, the lifter 10 has a number of poles 10b on a lift table 10a which is raised and lowered by a lift mechanism (not shown). At the upper end of the pole 10b, a tray support 10c is provided so as to be able to be turned upside down. The tray support 10c is pushed down along with the folding operation of the left and right folding plates 15 and the rear folding plate 16, whereby Interference with the folding members 15 and 16 is prevented.

In FIG. 6A, a back stopper 26 is provided on the downstream side B of the lifter 10. The back stopper 26 contacts the downstream end of the tray T to position the tray T on the lifter 10. The stop position of the back stopper 26 is controlled according to the width of the tray T in the flow direction B. As shown in FIG. 4E, the stopped claw 24c approaches the upstream end of the tray T on the lifter 10.
In addition, the pulley 23a of the main supply conveyor 23A is configured as shown in FIG.
It is rotatably supported by the plate-like bracket 23d of (b) and protrudes downstream from the pulley 23a of the auxiliary supply conveyor 23B.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. First, as shown in FIG.
Is placed on the stock conveyor 21 of the supply conveyor device 2. The placed tray T is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9A, the stock is brought into contact with the cut-out stopper 22 and stocked on the stock conveyor 21. As in the FIG. 4 (a), the lifter 10 has risen to wrap station S (FIG. 2), if not the receiving position P, together with the tray T ₁ of the following is waiting in front of the lifter 10 , further the following tray T ₂ is stopped on the stock conveyor 21. At this time, the supply conveyors 23A and 23B and the stock conveyor 21 are arranged as shown in FIGS. 5 (d) and 5 (b).
It is driven at a low speed V _S , so that FIG.
Tray transport member 23b of, 21b is the tray T _1, T ₂
Is driven while rubbing against the bottom surface of.

Thereafter, immediately before the lifter 10 descends or immediately descends to the receiving position P, the supply conveyors 23A, 23
3B and Tsumezuke conveyor 24 is driven at a high speed V _H. By these driving, as shown in FIG.
With 4c is rotated downward, the tray T ₁ is started Noriutsuri on lifter 10 on the downstream B side by the tray transport member 23b.

Here, the tray conveying member 23b has a high speed _VH.
In driven but, slip occurs between the bottom surface of the tray conveying member 23b and the tray T _1. Therefore, tray T ₁
Since the moving speed becomes faster V _H after minute time gradually increases, because no shock applied to the tray T _1, the product M or fall, there is no risk of spilling from the tray T _1. On the other hand, the speed of the tray T _1, after the minute time, since the same high-speed V _H and a tray conveying member 23b, the tray T
₁ transfer time is shortened.

[0025] Immediately after the claw-equipped conveyor 24 is driven at a high speed V _H, cutting the stopper 22 is retracted downward. This retraction, the tray T ₂ of the on the stock conveyor 21 are cut only one. In this cut-out downstream B of the tray T _2, downstream of the tray T ₂ claw 24c rotates B
Appears in Then, as shown in FIG.
₂ passes through the position where the optical sensor 25 is provided. This passage is detected by the optical sensor 25, and thereafter, a timer (not shown) is operated, and the cutout stopper 22 projects upward.

On the other hand, the tray T _{1 that} has begun to move onto the lifter 10 slides on the lifter 10 and proceeds to the downstream B, while being decelerated by the frictional force between the bottom surface Tb of the tray T ₁ and the lifter 10. I move on the lifter 10. Thereafter, the tray T _1, as in FIG. 4 (d), abuts against the back stopper 26. At this time, the speed of the tray T ₁ is decelerated, it is not applied a large impact force on the tray T _1.

The tray T _{2 on the} upstream side is
A, is conveyed at a high speed V _H while traveling downstream B by 23B, the claw 24c of the pawl with the conveyor 24 is switched from the high-speed V _H to the low speed V _S. Thus, while the pawl 24c is moving, the tray T ₂ is caught up with the pawl 24c, the tray T ₂ comes into contact with the pawl 24c. Here, the tray T ₂ are, but is moving at a high speed V _H, so also pawl 24c is moving at a low speed V _S, the relative speed is relatively small and the tray T ₂ and the claw 24c. Therefore, even if the tray T ₂ is in contact with the pawl 24c is moved at high speed, because it does not have a significant impact on the tray T _2, or spillage merchandise M on the tray T _2, there is no risk of or fall.

Thereafter, the tray T ₂ advances to the downstream B in a state where it comes into contact with the claws 24c. At this time, the tray T ₂ are while rubbing slightly on its bottom surface Tb is the tray transport member 23b,
The sheet is conveyed downstream B by the tray conveying member 23b.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4E, the claw 24c advances to the standby position P1 and stops. At this time, tray T ₂
Is moving at a low speed V _S , so the impact force due to the stop is relatively small. The claw 24c is located on the tray T on the lifter 10.
Since stops at the standby position P1 close to _1, also the tray T ₁ in contact with the back stopper 26 is rebounded slightly upstream, it is possible to position the tray T ₁ on the lifter 10.

Thereafter, the tray T ₁ is pushed up by the lifter 10 to the upper lap station S, where it is packed together with the goods M at the lap station S as described below.

As shown by the solid line in FIG.
Is held in a stretched state. Therefore, when the tray T is pushed up by the lifter 10, the film F comes into close contact with the upper surface and the upper end of the product M and the tray T.

In this state, a pair of left and right folding plates 15, 15
Moves along the bottom surface Tb of the tray T in the left-right direction (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface), the film F is folded toward the bottom surface of the tray T. Thereafter, the rear folding plate 16 moves forward Fo, and the film F is folded on the bottom side of the tray T.
Slightly behind the advance of the rear folding plate 16, the pusher 1
3 moves to the front Fo and pushes out the tray T to the front Fo. Along with this extrusion, the film F is folded by the front folding member 17 to the front bottom surface side of the tray T. Thereafter, the film F is heat-sealed by the sealing device 19.

By the way, conventionally, the tray T is pushed out by the claw, and the tray T is transferred onto the lifter 10. Therefore, the initial speed of the tray T suddenly becomes the same speed as the claw,
A large impact is applied to the tray T. On the other hand, according to the present invention, the tray 24 starts moving due to the frictional force of the tray conveying member 23b when the claw 24c moves away from the tray T instead of the claw 24c pressing the tray T in FIG. Therefore, the impact given to the tray T is reduced as described above.

By the way, the velocity V _H when the claw 24c shown in FIG. 4 (b) is separated from the tray T _1, the tray T shown in FIG. 4 (d)
₂ is set to be the same as the speed V _{S at} the time of contact with the claw 24c, that is, the speed of the conveyor 24 with the claw is set to a constant low speed V
If set to _S, the lifter 10 trays T ₁ shown in FIG. 4 (b)
The claw 24c gets in the way when you transfer to
The speed takes time to reach a high velocity V _H of the tray transport member 23b. Therefore, the transfer time to the lifter 10 becomes longer.

On the other hand, in this embodiment , the claw 24c
There the speed V _H when away from the tray T _1, the tray T ₂ shown in FIG. 4 (d) is set larger than the speed V _S at which abuts the claw 24c. Therefore, the tray T shown in FIG.
_{When 1} possess the lifter 10, the speed of the tray T ₁ is because the time until the speed V _H of the tray conveying member 23b is shortened, Noriutsuri time to the lifter 10 is further shortened.

However, in the present invention, even if the speed of the conveyer 24 with claws shown in FIG. 5E is driven at a constant low speed V _S , the operation and effect of the present invention can be obtained to some extent. Included in the invention.

[0037] In addition, the supply conveyor 23A, 23B may be constantly driven at a constant high-speed V _H. In addition, the above implementation
In the embodiment , the stock conveyor 21 is provided, but in the present invention, the stock conveyor 21 is not necessarily provided.

In the above embodiment , for convenience of explanation,
Feed conveyor 23A, has been described a high-speed V _H of high velocity V _H and the claw-equipped conveyor 24 of 23B as the same, the supply conveyor 23A high velocity V _H of the nail with the conveyor 24, greater than speed V _H of 23B May be. Further, the claw-equipped conveyor 24 was prepared in 2-speed high velocity V _H and the low speed V _S, the claw-equipped conveyor 24, may be stopped gradually decelerated by frequency control from high velocity V _H. Further, the supply conveyor 23A, may be larger than the low speed V _S of the stock conveyor low velocity V _S of 23B.

By the way, various troubles occur during the packaging operation. For example, troubles such as cutting and feeding mistake of the film F in FIG. 2 and biting of the film F into the tray T in the folding process occur. When such a trouble occurs, a trial operation is performed after the subsequent tray T already sent into the packaging apparatus is once removed.

The discharge mode for removing the tray T in such a case will be described. When the discharge mode is set, the drive (not shown) of the conveyor 21 of the supply conveyor device 2 is performed.
Moving motor, drive motor 23 for conveyors 23A and 23B
e, and the drive motor 24e of the conveyor 24 reverses, and as described below, the supply conveyor device 2 discharges the tray T in the direction B2 opposite to the supply.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the tray T is
0, the conveyors 21, 23A, 23B and 24 are placed on the tray T after the cutting stopper 22 is retracted downward.
To the right, and the tray T is discharged. At this time, the claws 24C also rotate backward and back. On the other hand, FIG.
As shown in (e), when the tray T is placed on the lifter 10, the conveyors 21, 23A, 23B, and 24 transfer the tray T to the right after the cutout stopper 22 retreats downward. Then, the tray T is discharged, and the claw 24C rotates in the reverse direction. At this time, in accordance with the reverse rotation of the pawl 24C, the back stopper 26 is extruded tray T ₁ to the right, the tray T ₁ is feed conveyor 23A on the lifter 10, Noriutsuri on 23B, further, the supply conveyor 23A, 23B and The goods are placed by the reverse rotation of the stock conveyor 21.
Is a moiety Torre to the upstream end of the stock conveyor 21
Over T ₁ is discharged.

Here, conventionally, since the work of removing the tray T has been performed manually, the operation is not only troublesome, but also when the product M on the tray T is spilled when the tray T is taken out from the narrow apparatus. There was a problem such as

On the other hand, if each drive motor of the supply conveyor device 2 is a motor capable of rotating forward and reverse as in this embodiment , the tray T can be automatically discharged, and the tray T can be discharged at the time of discharge. Troubles such as falling down or falling of the product M are less likely to occur. In addition, by resupplying the trays T in the order in which they were discharged, the trays T can be resupplied without changing the order of the products M.

In the above embodiment , the tray transport members 21b and 23b in FIG. 3 are round belts, but they may be flat belts or the like. In the above embodiment ,
The pair of claws 24C is provided on the conveyor 24 with claws.
C may be one or three or more.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, the tray on which the goods are placed is advanced by the transport member in the direction opposite to the supply direction, so that when a trouble occurs, the goods are taken out of the narrow device. Becomes unnecessary. Also,
Since the product is conveyed in the reverse direction by the conveying member, it is less likely that a problem that the product falls down occurs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) is a side view layout diagram of a packaging weighing and value providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a packaging device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a supply conveyor device.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the operation of the supply conveyor device.

FIG. 5 is a time chart of a supply conveyor device and a lifter.

FIG. 6A is a plan view of a supply conveyor device and a lifter, and FIG. 6B is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

2: Supply conveyor device , 21: Stock conveyor (product
There portion to be placed), 23b ... tray conveying member, 23e
... First driving means , 24b ... Claw moving member, 24c ... Claw (claw)
Members), 24e: second driving means , 10: lifter, B: downstream , B2: reverse direction to supply of goods , M: goods, S ...
Lap station, T ... Tray .

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Keita Takahashi 959 Shimoguka, Ritto-cho, Kurita-gun, Shiga Prefecture Inside Ishida Shiga Works (56) References JP-A-62-146114 (JP, A) JP-A-1-153422 (JP, A) JP-A-63-149510 (JP, A) JP-A-63-44403 (JP, A) JP-A-5-32212 (JP, A) JP-A-2-40010 (JP, U) Kaisho 63-17109 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65B 35/00-35/58 B65B 11/00-11/58 B65G 47/30-47/31 B65G 47/88

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A supplied onto the lifter by the supply conveyor tray carrying the product, tray items on the lifter
In a packaging device that pushes up and wraps the entire tray to a wrap station, the supply conveyor device includes a first driving unit that moves a tray transport member that transports a tray on which products are loaded forward and backward,
When a trouble occurs , (a) The tray on which the product is placed is not placed on the lifter
The first drive means may move the tray conveying member.
Move the product backwards in the opposite direction from the product
Out, and it is placed on the lifter tray loaded with (b) Product
When the lifter is in the lowered position,
While transferring the ray from the lifter to the supply conveyor device,
Move the tray transport member backward in the reverse direction
A packaging device for discharging products together with trays . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trouble is
Trouble with film, such as film breakage or supply mistake
A packaging device , characterized in that: 3. The supply core according to claim 1, wherein
The conveyor device includes a stock conveyor and the tray transport unit.
Cutting stock provided between the material and the stock conveyor.
The cutting stopper is provided at the time of supply of the product.
Cut out trays on the conveyor one by one into the tray transport member
When the product is discharged, it is retracted from the transport path.
A packaging device , characterized in that: 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein
The transport member, which moves backward in the direction opposite to the feeding,
Product until the tray on the conveyor
Device that discharges the whole tray. 5. The product according to claim 1, wherein
A claw member that contacts the tray , and a claw moving member that moves the claw member in the same direction as the conveyance direction by the conveyance member at the time of product supply, and is disposed in parallel with the conveyance member. 6. The product according to claim 5, wherein the claw member is configured to carry a product .
A packaging device in which the speeds of the transport member and the claw moving member are set so as to contact the tray from the downstream side of the loaded tray . 7. The supply core according to claim 5, wherein
The conveyor device further moves the claw moving member back and forth.
A second driving means, and when a trouble occurs, the second driving means
The driving means moves the claw moving member backward in the direction
A packaging device characterized in that it is advanced.