JP4156757B2 - Pouch leak detection method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a detection method and apparatus for determining whether there is any leakage before filling the pouch with the contents of a pouch with a spout.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in order to know whether or not there is a leak in the pouch, first, after filling the pouch with a predetermined amount (predetermined weight) of liquid as the contents, it is determined that there is a leak when the pouch is lighter than the predetermined weight. The method is known.
[0003]
Secondly, as a method for detecting the presence or absence of leakage before filling the contents of other containers such as bags, a container that has been confirmed to be free of leakage is prepared as a master. There is also known a method in which compressed air is fed and it is determined that there is a leak in the container when there is a differential pressure between the two.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the first method of the prior art, when there is a leak, the already filled contents are wasted and the surroundings are soiled by the leak. Further, the amount of leakage is very small in a short time, is difficult to detect, and requires high accuracy.
Further, in the second method, in a container that is easily deformed, for example, a pouch, the inner volume changes greatly due to the expansion of the pressurized air, so the ratio of the leakage amount to the inner volume becomes extremely small and the differential pressure is increased. It is very small and it is difficult to judge leaks, and it takes time for expansion and cannot be judged instantaneously. And the amount of gas used such as compressed air is large. Furthermore, since the pouch expands, it takes time to return the shape of the pouch to the original shape for the next process for filling.
[0005]
In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus that can easily, quickly and accurately detect the presence or absence of leakage before filling a pouch with contents.
[0006]
According to the present invention, the object described above relates to a method for detecting the presence or absence of leakage of a pouch, and the pressurized gas is fed into a plurality of empty pouches with a spout, and the pressure difference between the pouches is detected. and, when the difference pressure is a predetermined value or more, the leak detection method of the pouch is determined that a leak in a pouch, a plurality of the regulating member pairs disposed at predetermined intervals without opposing to the plate to form the After simultaneously inserting the pouches into the slit-shaped space, at least two of the plurality of pouches are formed as one set to form at least one set , and the gas is supplied into each set of pouches. This is achieved by regulating the expansion of the pouch by the opposing regulating member , detecting the differential pressure between the pouches in each group, and determining that the pouch has a leak when the differential pressure is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. .
[0007]
Also, the purpose is to send a gas having a known pressure into an empty pouch with a spout, detect the pressure difference between the pressure inside the pouch and the known pressure, and when the pressure difference is a predetermined value or more , in leak detection method of the pouch is determined that a leak in the pouch, after inserting the pouch at the same time each slit-shaped space in which a plurality of restricting members pairs disposed at predetermined intervals without opposing to the plate-like form, within each pouch When a gas having a known pressure is fed into the pouch, and the expansion of the pouch due to the feeding of the gas is regulated by the opposing regulating member, and the differential pressure between the internal pressure of each pouch and the known pressure is greater than or equal to a predetermined value This is also achieved by determining that the pouch is leaking .
[0008]
Next, with respect to the apparatus for performing the method, in the present invention, a support for supporting an empty pouch with spout, a gas supply device for fed gas into the pouch, the inner pressure of the pouch and a predetermined pressure in pouch leak detection apparatus comprising: a detector for detecting the differential pressure, the differential pressure detected by the detection section and a determination section is leaked to the pouch when it is more than a predetermined value with, the detection The apparatus further includes a pouch supply body that is engaged with a flange formed on the spout and suspends a plurality of empty pouches, and the support body is opposed to form a slit-like space for inserting the empty pouches. They are arrayed at predetermined intervals while have a plate-like regulating member, the pouch supply body, with the pouch are arranged at the same interval as the predetermined interval to the slit-shaped space and inserting the pouch at the same time, the support , care of the pouch It has been the expansion of the transmission Nyutoki to regulate.
[0009]
In such a device of the present invention, the detection unit detects a differential pressure between the internal pressures of each pair of pouches in a state where at least one of the pouches respectively supported by the plurality of supports is formed as one set. The determination unit can determine that the pouch has a leak when the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined value . Further, in the device of the present invention, the pouch supply body has a plurality of engaging portions that respectively engage with the flanges of the plurality of pouches, and the interval between the engaging portions can be variable. is there.
[0010]
As described above, according to the present invention, a gas such as air is pressure-fed while the expansion of the pouch is regulated by the plate-like regulating member. Since the internal pressure is detected in a state where the pouch hardly expands, the internal pressure is detected instantaneously, and since there is almost no change in the internal volume, the fluctuation of the internal pressure becomes large and the detection becomes highly sensitive, and therefore leaks accurately and reliably. Is made.
[0011]
When determining the detected pressure, as described above, one pouch may be compared with a known infeed pressure, or even if the pressure is not known, a plurality of pouches may be simultaneously sent to the pouch. When there is a difference in the detected pressure, it may be determined that there is a leak.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a pouch with a spout that is a target of leakage detection according to the present invention.
[0014]
In FIG. 1, an empty pouch with a spout 1 as a packaging body has a flat pouch-shaped main body 2 in which an upper opening 2A is heat-sealed and sealed, and a spout 3 is formed in an opening portion 2A of the pouch main body 2. It is attached.
[0015]
In the spout 3, the upper half protruding upward from the pouch main body 2 forms a tubular portion 3A, and the lower half housed in the pouch main body 2 forms a cross-shaped bar-shaped portion or thin tube portion. Both parts are integrally formed of synthetic resin. Three flanges 4 are provided in the tubular portion 3A, and these are necessary for the pouch moving process when filling the pouch with contents such as beverages. Moreover, the screw part 5 provided in the upper part of the tubular part 3A is for attaching a cap after filling the contents. After the spout 3 is attached to the pouch body 2, the four corner spaces of the bar-shaped portion and the internal space of the tubular portion 3A, or the internal space of the thin tube portion and the internal space of the tubular portion 3A form one communication channel. The contents such as beverages in the pouch 1 with the spout can be sucked out.
[0016]
Such an empty spouted pouch is brought to an automatic filling machine where the contents are filled, but the present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of a pouch leak in a spouted pouch prior to filling. To do. The leakage of the pouch with a spout may be either when the pouch body itself is defective or when the welding seal at the upper opening of the pouch is incomplete when the spout is attached. Even so, the presence or absence of leakage is detected.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of such a leak detection apparatus. This apparatus has a pouch supply unit I, a pouch setting unit II, a detection unit III, a defective product discharge unit IV, and a non-defective product discharge unit V in the order of the processes.
[0018]
The pouch supply unit I has a suspension member 11 that intermittently stops at four stations intermittently, and is configured as a rotary device. The four suspension members 11 are plate-like members, and slits 12 that are open toward one end thereof are formed. The slit 12 is formed so that the edge of the slit 12 can be hung by locking the spout pouch 1 shown in FIG. This suspension member 11 stops at stations A, B, C and D in sequence. In the station A, the suspension member 11 is positioned so that the opening side of the slit 12 is inclined upward with respect to the horizontal plane. By doing so, in the station A, it becomes easy to closely hold the plurality of pouches 1 with a spout received from the spout attachment device (not shown) in the slit 12. At the station C, the suspension member 1 delivers the plurality of pouches 1 to the pouch setting unit II in the next process.
[0019]
In the pouch setting unit II, the plurality of pouches 1 received from the pouch supply unit I are expanded from the densely arranged state to an interval convenient for detecting the presence or absence of leakage, and then delivered to the support described below. The pouch setting unit II is provided with a pitch conversion mechanism 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the pitch converting mechanism 21 can use a telescopic pantograph mechanism, and has a U-shaped locking member 23 at a side intersection of the link member 22. The groove 23 </ b> A is engaged with the flange 4 of the spout and the pouch 1 is suspended. The pitch conversion mechanism 21 is connected to a rod 24 that is linearly driven by a cylinder (not shown) at one end 21A, and the other end 21B of the mechanism is fixed at a position in the expansion / contraction direction of the pantograph mechanism 21. ing. When the rod 24 moves forward and the plurality of locking members 23 are positioned at close intervals (pitch), this becomes the same as the intervals (pitch) of the spouts of the plurality of pouches in the hanging member 11. Therefore, a plurality of pouches are transferred from the suspension member 11 at the station C manually or automatically to the locking member 23 of the pitch conversion mechanism 21. To perform this automatically, a clamp body is provided on a movable lever (not shown), the pouches suspended by the suspension member 11 are collectively clamped and held by a spout, and these are extracted from the slits 12. Then, it is transferred to the locking member 23 of the pitch conversion mechanism 21. When the rod 24 is retracted, the pantograph mechanism is extended, and the interval between the locking members 23 is expanded to a predetermined interval.
[0020]
The pouch setting unit II is provided with a plurality of support bodies 25 arranged in parallel. The plurality of support bodies 25 are provided in a rotary device that rotates intermittently and stops at four stations P, Q, R, and S. At each station, the number of pouches is the same as the number of pouches in the pouch supply unit I. The support is located. As shown in FIG. 4, each support body 25 has a pair of plate-like restricting members 25 </ b> A and 25 </ b> B facing each other, and a slit for inserting an empty pouch 1 between the restricting members 25 </ b> A and 25 </ b> B. A space 26 is formed. The space between the slit-like spaces 26 is required to allow the pouch 1 to be inserted without difficulty, but it is preferable that the space is as narrow as possible.
[0021]
The plurality of support bodies 25 are positioned corresponding to the intervals (pitch) of the plurality of locking members 23 provided in the pitch conversion mechanism 21 in the extended state. The pitch conversion mechanism 21 moves down from a position where the pouch supplied from the pouch supply unit I is suspended by the locking member 23 to a position above the support 25 of the pouch setting unit II, and then descends. The pouch 1 is inserted into the slit-like space 26 of the support 25 corresponding to each pouch 1 from above, and then moved laterally to leave the pouch 1 on the support 25 and then withdraw. This movement state is as shown in FIG. 4 for the locking member 23 of the pitch conversion device 21.
[0022]
The plurality of supports 25 that support the pouch 1 are moved from the station P to the Q by intermittent rotation (90 ° rotation) of the rotary device, and are temporarily stopped here. The station Q is provided with a detection unit III. This detection unit has a plurality of detection units 31. In the case of this embodiment, one detection unit 31 detects the pouch 1 for two supports 25 at the same time, so the number of the detection units 31 is half of the number of supports 25 located in the station Q. As shown in FIG. 5, each detection unit 31 includes a pressure source 32 as a gas supply device for supplying a gas pressure, for example, an air pressure, a branch pipe 33 for sending the air pressure to two pouches, A connection port 34 with a seal provided at the tip of the branch pipe 33, a sensor 35 for detecting the differential pressure between the two branch pipes 33, and the pouch leaks when the differential pressure is a predetermined value or more. It has the determination part 36 which determines with being. Valves 38 and 39 are connected to the conduit as shown in the figure.
[0023]
In the detection unit III, the two connection ports 34 of each detection unit 31 are connected to the pouch 1 in the two support bodies 25 in the station Q. The connection is very simple. For example, the connection port 34 can be pressed against the spout 3 to ensure a sealed state. In such a connection state, all the valves 37, 38, 39 are opened, and air pressure is simultaneously sent from the pressure source 32 into both the pouches 1. At that time, the pouch 1 tries to swell, but its expansion is regulated by the regulating member 25 from both sides, so that the internal pressure of the pouch 1 instantaneously reaches the same constant value as the pressure source. Thereafter, the valves 37 and 38 are closed while the valve 39 is open. Then, when there is no leakage in both pouches 1, the internal pressure is maintained at a constant value, so that the differential pressure is 0 and is not detected by the sensor 35. However, when there is a leak in one of the pouches 1, the internal pressure of one of the pouches decreases due to the leak, and the sensor 35 detects the differential pressure. When the differential pressure is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the determination unit 36 determines that there is a leak in the pouch. Then, after the valve 39 is closed, the connection port 34 is separated from the spout 3.
[0024]
The station R is provided with a defective product discharge section IV. In this defective product discharge section IV, a take-out body (not shown) is located at a position corresponding to each support body 25, receives a signal from the determination section 36 of the detection section III of the station Q, and receives the station Q For the plurality of support bodies 25 that have moved to the station R by intermittent rotation of the rotary device, the take-out body corresponding to the support body that supports the pouch said to have leaked is taken out in close proximity to the pouch and discharged. To do. The extraction body has, for example, the locking member 23 shown in FIG. 4, and the locking member 23 is moved in the direction opposite to that shown in FIG. 4 so that the pouch can be taken out.
[0025]
Further, a non-defective product discharge section V is provided at the station S. After the pouch determined to be leaked is discharged as a defective product, the plurality of supports 25 are then positioned at the station S by intermittent rotation of the rotary device. All of the pouches supported by the support body 25 located at the station S are good products with no leakage, and are discharged as non-defective products by an extraction body similar to the extraction body in the defective product discharge section IV of the station R.
[0026]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the detection unit III, one inspection unit 31 can simultaneously detect leakage of pouches for two or more supports, and each pouch is known as a pressure source. It is also possible to determine the presence or absence of leakage compared to the air pressure.
[0027]
As described above, in the present invention, gas pressure such as air pressure for detection is supplied to an empty pouch, and the pressure is reduced when there is a leak in the pouch. By regulating the expansion of the pouch, the detection sensitivity can be improved, the reaction time can be shortened, and the consumption gas can be reduced.From this point of view, the slit-like space of the support having the regulating member is The narrower one is more effective. However, the fact that the slit-like space is narrow also means that the pouch is not easily inserted. If the pouch is exactly in the plane, this insertion is relatively easy, just as a flat plate is inserted into the slit space. However, as shown in FIG. 6, it is difficult to insert the pouch when the pouch is warped. This is particularly noticeable when the pouch is weak. Therefore, in such a case, as shown in FIG. 6, it is preferable to feed auxiliary gas together with the guide or this.
[0028]
In FIG. 6, first, as shown in FIG. 6 (A), a V-shaped guide 28 having a slit at the bottom is arranged on the side of the support 25 in the station P, and as shown in FIG. 6 (B), this guide. 28 is brought to a position immediately above the slit-like space 26 of the support 25 immediately before the insertion of the pouch 1, and then the pouch 1 is lowered so that the pouch is guided by the guide 28 as shown in FIG. Insertion is made. Finally, the guide 28 is returned to the original position as shown in FIG.
[0029]
Thus, even a pouch with wrinkles such as warpage can be inserted into the narrow slit-like space 26 of the support 25. Furthermore, in order to ensure this insertion, in FIG. 6 (B), if the pneumatic tube 29 is connected to the spout 3 to the lowered pouch 1 and air pressure is given to the pouch, the pouch is stretched by its internal pressure. The wrinkles such as warpage are corrected, and the pouch 1 is almost flat.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, before filling the contents into the pouch, when the gas is fed into the pouch and the presence or absence of leakage of the pouch is detected by the change in the internal pressure, the pouch is moved by the regulating member. Since the gas is sent in while restricting expansion, the detection can be performed even when a small amount of gas is sent in. As a result, the sensitivity at the time of detection is improved, instantaneous detection is possible, and the amount of gas used is reduced. Only a small amount is required, and the pouch is maintained almost in its original form, so that detection can be performed reliably and efficiently, and it contributes to improved reliability by preventing the occurrence of defective products in the filling equipment in the subsequent process. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pouch, which is a detection target of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a perspective view showing an example of a pitch conversion mechanism used in the pouch setting unit of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2. FIG.
4 is a perspective view showing a support member in the apparatus of FIG. 2 and a locking member for inserting and removing the support member in a suspended state from the support member. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a detection unit of the detection unit of the apparatus in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a guide for facilitating insertion of a pouch into a support as another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pouch with a spout 2 Pouch main body 3 Spout 25 Support body 25A, 25B Control member 32 Gas supply apparatus (pressure source)

Claims (5)

When the pressurized gas is fed into a plurality of empty pouches with a spout, the internal pressure difference between the pouches is detected, and when the differential pressure is greater than or equal to a predetermined value , the pouch has a leak in leak detection method of determining the pouch, after inserting the pouch at the same time each slit-shaped space in which a plurality of restricting members pairs disposed at predetermined intervals without opposing to the plate-like form, at least two of the plurality of pouches At least one set is formed as one set , gas is fed into each set of pouches, and expansion of the pouch due to this gas feed is regulated by the opposing regulating member , and each pouch between each set A method for detecting leakage of a pouch, characterized in that when the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that there is leakage in the pouch. When a gas having a known pressure is fed into an empty pouch with a spout, a differential pressure between the internal pressure of the pouch and the known pressure is detected, and the pouch has a leak when the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. in leak detection method of determining the pouch, after inserting the pouch at the same time each slit-shaped space in which a plurality of restricting members pairs disposed at predetermined intervals without opposing to the plate-like form, a gas of a known pressure into the pouch performs the fed, swelling of the pouch by fed this gas is regulated by the regulating member to the counter, there is a leak in the pouch when the differential pressure between the internal pressure and the known pressure of each pouch is not less than a predetermined value A method for detecting leakage of a pouch, characterized in that A support that supports an empty pouch with a spout, a gas supply device that feeds gas into the pouch , a detection unit that detects a differential pressure between the internal pressure of the pouch and a predetermined pressure, and the detection unit In the pouch leakage detection device comprising a determination unit that determines that there is leakage in the pouch when the differential pressure is greater than or equal to a predetermined value , the detection device is engaged with a flange formed on the spout and is connected to a plurality of empty pouches . further comprising a pouch supplier for hanging the pouch, the support is arrayed at predetermined intervals while have a plate-like regulating member to opposite to form a slit-shaped space for inserting an empty pouch, the pouch supplied The body simultaneously inserts the pouch into each slit-like space in a state where the pouch is arranged at the same interval as the predetermined interval, and the support body regulates the expansion of the pouch when the gas is fed. It is characterized by Chi leak detector. The detection unit detects a pressure difference between the internal pressures of each pair of pouches in a state where at least two of the pouches respectively supported by the plurality of supports are formed as a set, and the determination unit is 4. The pouch leak detection device according to claim 3, wherein when the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that there is a leak in the pouch. The pouch supply body has a plurality of engaging portions that respectively engage with flanges of the plurality of pouches, and the interval between the engaging portions is variable. The pouch leak detection device described.

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