JP4204379B2 - Liquid filling method and apparatus for liquid containing bag - Google Patents

Liquid filling method and apparatus for liquid containing bag Download PDF

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Publication number
JP4204379B2
JP4204379B2 JP2003135240A JP2003135240A JP4204379B2 JP 4204379 B2 JP4204379 B2 JP 4204379B2 JP 2003135240 A JP2003135240 A JP 2003135240A JP 2003135240 A JP2003135240 A JP 2003135240A JP 4204379 B2 JP4204379 B2 JP 4204379B2
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Prior art keywords
liquid
filling
ink
bag
nozzle
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JP2004338146A (en
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孝範 露木
正巳 井口
守明 斉藤
英樹 椙山
清博 上原
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Ricoh Co Ltd
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Ricoh Co Ltd
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/18—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated tools
    • B29C65/24—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated tools characterised by the means for heating the tool
    • B29C65/30—Electrical means
    • B29C65/305—Electrical means involving the use of cartridge heaters
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/18—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated tools
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/50—General aspects of joining tubular articles; General aspects of joining long products, i.e. bars or profiled elements; General aspects of joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; General aspects of joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/51—Joining tubular articles, profiled elements or bars; Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; Joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/53—Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
    • B29C66/532—Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
    • B29C66/5326—Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars said single elements being substantially flat
    • B29C66/53261—Enclosing tubular articles between substantially flat elements
    • B29C66/53262—Enclosing spouts between the walls of bags, e.g. of medical bags
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/72—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/723—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered
    • B29C66/7232—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a non-plastics layer
    • B29C66/72321—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a non-plastics layer consisting of metals or their alloys
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/83—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools
    • B29C66/832—Reciprocating joining or pressing tools
    • B29C66/8322—Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
    • B29C66/83221—Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool reciprocating along one axis
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/90—Measuring or controlling the joining process
    • B29C66/91—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/912—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/9121—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature
    • B29C66/91211—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature with special temperature measurement means or methods
    • B29C66/91212—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature with special temperature measurement means or methods involving measurement means being part of the welding jaws, e.g. integrated in the welding jaws
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/90—Measuring or controlling the joining process
    • B29C66/91—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/912—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/9121—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature
    • B29C66/91231—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by measuring the temperature of the joining tool
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/90—Measuring or controlling the joining process
    • B29C66/91—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/914—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/9141—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature
    • B29C66/91421—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature of the joining tools
    • B29C66/91423—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature of the joining tools using joining tools having different temperature zones or using several joining tools with different temperatures
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/90—Measuring or controlling the joining process
    • B29C66/91—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/914—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/9161—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the heat or the thermal flux, i.e. the heat flux
    • B29C66/91641—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the heat or the thermal flux, i.e. the heat flux the heat or the thermal flux being non-constant over time
    • B29C66/91643—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux by controlling or regulating the heat or the thermal flux, i.e. the heat flux the heat or the thermal flux being non-constant over time following a heat-time profile
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/90—Measuring or controlling the joining process
    • B29C66/91—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/919—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/90—Measuring or controlling the joining process
    • B29C66/91—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux
    • B29C66/919—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges
    • B29C66/9192—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges in explicit relation to another variable, e.g. temperature diagrams
    • B29C66/91951—Measuring or controlling the joining process by measuring or controlling the temperature, the heat or the thermal flux characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges in explicit relation to another variable, e.g. temperature diagrams in explicit relation to time, e.g. temperature-time diagrams
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
    • B29C66/1122—Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/20—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint lines, e.g. of the weld lines
    • B29C66/24—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint lines, e.g. of the weld lines said joint lines being closed or non-straight
    • B29C66/242—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint lines, e.g. of the weld lines said joint lines being closed or non-straight said joint lines being closed, i.e. forming closed contours
    • B29C66/2424—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint lines, e.g. of the weld lines said joint lines being closed or non-straight said joint lines being closed, i.e. forming closed contours being a closed polygonal chain
    • B29C66/24249—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint lines, e.g. of the weld lines said joint lines being closed or non-straight said joint lines being closed, i.e. forming closed contours being a closed polygonal chain forming a specific polygon not provided for in B29C66/24241 - B29C66/24243
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
    • B29L2031/7128—Bags, sacks, sachets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/767—Printing equipment or accessories therefor

Description

【０００１】
【産業上の利用分野】
本発明は液体収容袋の液体充填方法及び装置に関する。
【０００２】
【特許文献１】
特開平１０−２０２９０１号公報
【特許文献２】
特開平１０−２０２９００号公報
【特許文献３】
特開平１０−１９３６３５号公報
【０００３】
【従来の技術】
プリンタ、ファクシミリ、複写装置等の画像形成装置（或いは画像記録装置ともいう。）として、例えばインクジェット記録装置が知られている。インクジェット記録装置は、記録ヘッドから用紙（紙に限定するものではなく、ＯＨＰなどを含み、画像が形成されるものの意味であり、被記録媒体あるいは記録媒体、記録紙などとも称される。）にインクを吐出して記録を行うものであり、高精細な画像を高速で記録することができ、ランニングコストが安く、騒音が少なく、しかも、多色のインクを使用してカラー画像を記録するのが容易であるなどの利点を有している。
【０００４】
このようなインクジェット記録装置として、インクタンク（インクカートリッジ）をキャリッジに搭載し記録ヘッドとともに一体的に記録媒体に沿って往復運動するシャトルタイプのものが一般的であったが、このようなキャリッジ搭載型インクカートリッジでは内蔵できるインクの量に限界があるため、大量に印刷を行う機種ではインクカートリッジを本体の固定部に設置し、キャリッジまで柔軟性のあるパイプなどを通してインクを供給するインクカートリッジ本体設置タイプのインクジェット記録装置が使われている。
【０００５】
ところで、インクカートリッジとしては、キャリッジ搭載型ではカートリッジ内に入れた多孔質体の毛管力によりインクを吸収させて、多孔質体の孔径とインクの充填量を管理することにより、記録ヘッドに供給するインクの圧力を負圧に制御する構成のものが広く使用されている。
【０００６】
これに対し、インクカートリッジ本体設置型では記録ヘッドへ供給するインク圧力を制御する機能を装置本体のキャリッジに持っているため、インクカートリッジとしてはインク収容量が多く、密閉状態でのインク供給が可能なインク袋タイプが有利であり実用化されている。
【０００７】
このようなインクカートリッジとしては、例えば【特許文献１】に記載されているように、堅い長方形のシェルからなる筐体内にインクを充填したもの、【特許文献２】に記載されているように、インク出口を設けた可撓性を有する袋状のインク槽と、このインク槽を出し入れ可能な開口部を有するシャシ部（筐体）とを備え、インク槽をシャシ部に出し入れ可能にしたものも知られている。
【０００８】
さらに、図２０に示すように、インクを収納するインク収納部５０１と、インク収納部５０１を収納する筒状のケース５０２と、筒状ケース５０２の前面を覆う蓋部材５０３とを備え、インク収納部５０１に一体的に設けた保持部材５０４にインク充填用の封止された筒状のインク充填口部５０５、インク供給用の筒状のインク供給口部５０６等を備え、この保持部材５０４を筒状ケース５０２内に押し込んで筒状ケース５０２の壁面途中に設けた係止孔５０２ａに保持部材５０４の突起部５０４ａを係合させて、筒状ケース５０２に保持部材５０４を固定保持し、更に筒状ケース５０２の開口部に蓋部材５０３を嵌め込むようにしたインクカートリッジも知られている。
【０００９】
ここで、インク収納部５０１は、保持部材５０４と一体に枠体５１１を成形し、この枠体５１１の外側に内面側が樹脂フィルムで外面側がアルミフィルムからなるフィルム状部材５１２を溶着して形成している。
【００１０】
ところで、インクジェット記録装置において使用するインクとしては、主に水性インクが用いられている。水性インクは原材料を混合・分散する工程と濾過工程により製造されるが、製造されたインクをそのままインクタンクに充填して記録を行うと、インク中に溶存している窒素、酸素、炭酸ガス等各種の気体が記録ヘッドまでのインク流路や記録ヘッド内のインク流路で気泡となりドット抜け等の記録不良を引き起こす。
【００１１】
そこで、インクタンクにインクを充填する前にインク中の溶存気体を減らす脱気処理を行っている。脱気処理の方法としては、インクを圧力容器中で減圧しながら攪拌する方法や、気体分離膜を用いた脱気装置により脱気する方法が用いられる。なお、脱気装置や方法に関しては、特開平５−１７７１２号公報、特開平１０−６０３３９号公報、特開平１０−２９８４７０号公報にも開示されている。
【００１２】
そして、このような方法で脱気したインクを、袋の中に空気を巻き込むことな
く充填・封止することが求められる。そこで、従来、【特許文献３】に記載されているように、インク袋を減圧室に入れ、インク袋の周囲を減圧状態にした状態でインクを注入し、そのまま袋を熱溶着することによりインク袋内に空気を含むことなく封入する方法が知られている。
【００１３】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
しかしながら、上述した【特許文献１】に開示された方法では、減圧室を設け、この減圧室内にインク袋を溶着封止するための機構を組み込む必要があり、インク充填封止装置全体が複雑で高価なものになり、また、減圧する容積が大きくなるために減圧に要する時間が長くなり、生産性が低下するという課題がある。
【００１４】
そこで、前述した図２０で説明したようにインク排出口部（インクを外部に供給するインク供給口部である。）及び内部にインクを充填するためのインク充填口部を設け、排出口部から内部の気体を排出し、充填口部からインクを充填した上で、充填口部を封止することで、気体排出量も少なく、封止部分も小さくなり信頼性を向上させた上で生産性も確保できるが、このようなインク袋を用いた場合でも、脱気処理したインクの溶存気体量を少なく抑えたまま充填口部からインクを充填しなければならないという課題が残っている。
【００１５】
本発明は上記の課題に鑑みてなされたものであり、液体中の溶存気体量を少なく抑えたまま液体を液体収容袋に充填できる充填方法及び装置を提供することを目的とする。
【００１６】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記の課題を解決するため、本発明に係る液体収容袋の液体充填方法は、
液体を内部に充填するための液体充填口部を有する液体収容袋に液体を充填する液体充填方法において、
前記液体充填口部に液体を充填する充填ノズルをセットする工程と、
前記液体収容袋の中の空気を減圧吸引により排気する工程と、
その後前記液体収容袋内に前記充填ノズルによって液体を注入する工程と、
前記液体充填後、前記液体充填口部内が液体で満たされた状態で、前記充填ノズルの先端部が前記液体充填口部に入ったまま、前記液体充填口部の前記充填ノズルの先端よりも前記液体収容袋の袋本体側の箇所を熱溶着により封止するとともに、前記液体充填口部を溶着する過程で、前記液体充填口部の流路が閉塞した時点で前記液体を充填するための充填ノズルを大気解放する工程と、
前記充填ノズルを前記液体充填口部から離間する工程と
を順次行う構成とした。
【００１７】
ここで、前記液体充填口部の溶着完了後、減圧吸引しながら前記充填ノズルと液体充填口部とを分離する構成とできる。
【００１８】
本発明に係る液体収容袋の液体充填装置は、
液体を内部に充填するための液体充填口部を有する液体収容袋に液体を充填する液体充填装置において、
前記液体充填口部に液体を充填する充填ノズルをセットした状態で前記液体収容袋の中の空気を減圧吸引により排気する手段と、
この手段で空気が減圧吸引された前記液体収容袋内に前記充填ノズルによって液体を注入する手段と、
前記液体収容袋に液体充填後、前記液体充填口部内が液体で満たされた状態で、前記充填ノズルの先端部が前記液体充填口部に入ったまま、前記液体充填口部の前記充填ノズルの先端よりも前記液体収容袋の袋本体側の箇所を熱溶着により封止するとともに、前記前記液体充填口部を溶着する過程で、前記液体充填口部の流路が閉塞した時点で前記充填ノズルを大気解放する手段と、
を備えている構成とした。
【００１９】
ここで、前記液体充填口部の溶着完了後、減圧吸引しながら前記充填ノズルと液体充填口部とを分離する構成とできる。
【００２０】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下、本発明の実施の形態を添付図面を参照して説明する。先ず、本発明に係る充填装置で液体であるインクを充填する液体収容袋であるインク袋の一例について図１ないし図５を参照して説明する。なお、図１は同インク袋の側面説明図、図２は同インク袋にインクを充填した状態を説明する図１を下側から見た説明図、図３は同インク袋の袋本体を構成するアルミラミネートフィルムの断面説明図、図４は同インク袋の保持部材の側面説明図、図５は同インク袋のインク充填口部の拡大説明図、図６は図４の保持部材を背面側から見た説明図、図７は図４の保持部材を前面側から見た説明図、図８は同インク袋のインク排出口部の要部断面説明図である。
【００２１】
インク袋１は、図１及び図２に示すように、アルミラミネートフィルムからなる略四角形状（ここでは長方形状）の可撓性を有する袋本体２の長辺の一辺に樹脂製の保持部材３を固着（溶着）してなる。
【００２２】
袋本体２は、図３に示すように、ＬＤＰＥ２５上にドライラミネーション２６、アルミ膜２７、ドライラミネーション２８、ＰＡ２９を順次積層した構造のをアルミラミネートフィルム３０を用いて、図１及び図２に示すように、２枚のアルミラミネートフィルム３０、３０の周囲（図１に斜線を施した領域）を互いに、また保持部材３に溶着して袋状に形成したものである。この袋本体２は内部に形状を維持するための従前のような枠体がなく、全体として可撓性を有しているので、インクの使い残しが極めて少なくなる。
【００２３】
なお、ここでは、アルミラミネートフィルム３０から袋本体２を形成しているが、袋本体２を形成する部材の材質はこれに限るものではない。ただし、少なくともアルミラミネートフィルムを含む部材で形成することが好ましい。
【００２４】
保持部材３は、フランジ部１１の一方面側に袋本体２を熱溶着する連結部１２を一体形成し、フランジ部１１の他方面側に中空状のインク充填口部１３（図４では融着封止前の状態で図示、図２及び図５は融着封止後の状態で図示）及び中空状のインク排出口部１４を一体形成している。
【００２５】
ここで、連結部１２は図６に示すように両端部（保持部材３の長手方向端部）をテーパ状に形成して略菱型形状とし、また外周面に凹部１２ａを形成している。これにより、袋本体２を形成するアルミラミネートフィルム３０、３０を隙間なく連結部１２の周面に確実に溶着することができる。
【００２６】
インク充填口部１３の内部にはフランジ部１１及び連結部１２を貫通するインク充填用通孔１５を形成し、このインク袋１の袋本体２内にインクを充填した後、インク充填口部１３の一部を熱融着して封止している。ここで、図５に示すように、インク充填口部１３の熱融着による封止部分（溶融部分）は、インク充填口部１３が相対する両側から溶かされ、この溶かされた溶融部分１６ａ、１６ｂの形状が左右非対称の形状になっている。
【００２７】
このように、インク充填口部１３を熱融着して封止することにより封止を確実にしかも容易に行うことができる。この場合、本発明者らの実験によると、融着封止部分の形状を左右対称になるように融着封止を行ったところ、封止が完全でなくなるという現象が生じ、この点について鋭意研究した結果、封止部の溶融部分の形状を非対称形状にすることで、封止が完全に行われる（歩留まりが向上する）ことが確認された。
【００２８】
また、インク排出口部１４の内部にはフランジ部１１及び連結部１２を貫通するインク排出用通孔１７を形成し、先端部にはインク排出用通孔１７をシールするための弾性部材を嵌め込む開口部１８を形成し、更に外周面には弾性部材を保持するキャップ部材を装着するための段差部１９を形成している。
【００２９】
そして、このインク排出口部１４の先端部には、図８に示すように、弾性部材２１を嵌め込んでキャップ部材２２で保持している。この弾性部材２１としては、シリコン、フッ素、ブチル等のゴム材料からなることが好ましい。この弾性部材２１は記録装置本体側から中空で針状の供給針（インクを記録装置本体側に導入するためのインク導入手段である。）が刺し込まれたときに、密閉状態を維持したままで記録装置本体側へのインク供給を可能にするとともに、供給針が抜かれたときに復元して封止状態を維持するためのものである。
【００３０】
また、キャップ部材２２をインク排出口部１４の先端部に嵌め込むことにより図８に示すように係止片３８がインク排出口部１４の段差部１９に係合して抜けなくなる。
【００３１】
さらに、保持部材３には、後述するインクカートリッジの筐体側に設けられる係止爪に係合する係合部４１、４２を一体的に形成している。そして、これらの係合部４１、４２に対応する部分にはフランジ部１１の側面に溝部１１ａ、１１ｂを形成している。
【００３２】
このように、このインク袋１は、可撓性を有する略四角形の袋本体２の一辺に保持部材３を固着してなり、保持部材３には、袋本体２内にインクを充填するためのインク充填口部１３と袋本体内のインクを排出するためのインク排出口部１４とを有するとともに、インク充填口部１３の一部を熱融着によって封止し、かつ、封止部分の相対する部分の形状が非対称形状である構成としたので、簡単かつ容易に、しかも確実にインク充填口部を封止することができる。
【００３３】
次に、このインク袋を収納するインクカートリッジについて図９を参照して簡単に説明する。なお、同図は同インクカートリッジの外観斜視説明図である。
【００３４】
このインクカートリッジ５１は、インクを充填するインク袋１と、このインク袋１を収納するための筐体５３とを有する。この筐体５３は、第１筐体５４と、第２筐体５５と、第３筐体５６とから構成され、第１筐体５４と第２筐体５５とでインク袋１の側面を保護する保護カバーとなる筐体部分を構成している。すなわち、筐体５３はインク供給方向（インク排出方向）に平行な面でインク袋１を収納する第１筐体５４と第２筐体５５とに分割している。
【００３５】
そして、インクカートリッジ５１の筐体５３は、分割された略相似形の第１筐体５４と第２筐体５５を合わせて、その前面下側部分に第３筐体５６を嵌め込んで略直方体に組み立ててなり、組み立てた状態で、前面側に装置本体へのインク排出口部１４が臨む開口７３が形成される。
【００３６】
次に、本発明に係る液体充填装置について図１０及び図１１を参照して説明する。なお、図１０は同充填装置の全体構成説明図、図１１は同充填装置の封止機構部の説明図である。
この充填装置は、ストック容器１０１にストックされた脱気したインク１００をカプラ１０２を介してクッションタンク１０３に送り、このクッションタンク１０３からカプラ１０４を介してインクを脱気装置１０５に送り込む。なお、クッションタンク１０３内はエアーフィルタ１０３ａを介して大気に接続され、またバルブ１０３ｂが接続されている。
【００３７】
この脱気装置１０５は、循環経路１０６内に循環ポンプ１０７、気体透過膜膜を内蔵した脱気モジュール１０８、バルブ１０９、１１０を含み、脱気モジュール１０８には脱気真空ポンプ１１１及び脱気真空開放弁１１２がそれぞれ接続され、インク１０１を循環ポンプ１０７によって循環経路１０６内で循環させながら、脱気真空ポンプ１１１を作動させて脱気モジュール１０８によってインク１００の脱気を行う。なお、この脱気装置１０５の循環経路１０８にはバルブ１１３、バルブ１１４と１１５の直列回路もそれぞれ接続されている。
【００３８】
そして、この脱気装置１０５の循環経路１０６を経路１２０によってボールバルブ１２１を介してシリンジ３方弁１２２の入口側１２２ａに接続している。このシリンジ３方弁１２２の共通側１２２ｃにはシリンジ計量ポンプ１２３を接続している。なお、経路１２０にはバルブ１２４を接続している。
【００３９】
さらに、シリンジ３方弁１２２の出口側１２２ｂは経路１２５及びフィルタ１２６を介してノズル３方弁１２７の供給側１２７ａに接続し、このノズル３方弁１２７の共通側１２７ｃにはインク袋１へのインク１００の充填を行うための充填ノズル１２８を接続している。また、ノズル３方弁１２７の真空側１２７ｂには経路１３１及び大気３方弁１３２を介してトラップ手段１３３に接続し、このトラップ手段１３３にはワーク真空ポンプ１３４を接続している。
【００４０】
ここで、図１１をも参照して、充填ノズル１２８はノズル保持部材１４０に取り付け保持されている。そして、この充填ノズル１２８の下側にはインク袋１のインク充填口部１３を２つの相対する側から融着するための溶着ヘッド１４１、１４２をそれぞれ図１１で矢示方向に進退自在に配設している。
【００４１】
これらの溶着ヘッド１４１、１４２は先端部が１４１ａ、１４２ａを略三角形状に形成し、温度センサ装着用穴１４３が設けられて内部に温度センサが装着されている。また、溶着ヘッド１４１、１４２の内部にはヘッドを加熱するためのヒータ１４４、１４４が埋め込まれている。
【００４２】
さらに、これらの溶着ヘッド１４１、１４２の下方側にはインク袋１の排気を行うためのクランパ１５１、１５２を図１１で矢示方向に進退自在に配設している。ここで、インク充填は、インク袋１をインクカートリッジ５１の第１筐体５４に保持した状態で行うので、第１筐体５４をクランパ１５１で押圧し、インク袋１の袋本体２をクランパ１５２で押圧する構成とし、このクランパ１５２の押圧部は積層構造の弾性部材１５２ａ、１５２ｂと剛性部材１５２ｃとで構成している。
【００４３】
ここで、充填ノズル１２８は金属製部材で形成して、図１２に示すように、先端部１２８ａの外周側を先端が小径になる方向のテーパ形状に形成し（外周面を円錐形状に形成し）ている。また、インク袋１のインク充填口部１３はポリエチレンなどの樹脂製部材で形成し、同図に示すように、先端部１３ａをインク充填用穴１５が外側に向かって広がり開く方向のテーパ形状に形成している。
【００４４】
このように、充填ノズル１２８を金属製の円錐形状とし、樹脂部材からなる充填口部１３に押しつけることによって、接触部の樹脂部材が変形し、充填ノズル１２８と充填用穴１５の開口を密閉接続することができる。これにより、充填ノズル側にゴムパッキン等を設置して密閉する方法と比較して、装置が単純、安価であり、ゴムパッキンのメンテナンスを不要にすることができる。
【００４５】
また、充填装置の製作にあたり、充填ノズルを充填口に押しつけるためのバネ等を利用した可動機構のガタ、インク袋を装置にセットする際のガタが避けられないため、場合によっては充填ノズルと充填口が密閉接続できなくなるという問題が発生する。
【００４６】
そこで、上述したように充填口部１３の先端部内側にテーパを設けることで、テーパの幅の範囲で充填ノズル１２８と充填用穴１５の開口の位置ずれが生じても、ノズル先端が充填口のテーパに沿って滑りながらセットされるため、位置ずれにより密閉性を確保できなくなる問題を防止することができる。
【００４７】
図１０に戻って、溶着後のインク袋１のインク充填口部１３を冷却するための冷却ブローノズル１６１を配設し、この冷却ブローノズル１６１による冷却ブローを開閉するためのエアーブローバルブ１６２を設けている。
【００４８】
このように構成した充填装置の動作について図１３ないし図１９をも参照して説明する。
先ず、図１３の時点ｔ１で同図（ａ）に示すようにボールバルブ１２１を開き、同図（ｃ）に示すようにシリンジ３方弁１２２の入口側１２２ａを開く。そして、同図（ｌ）に示すようにシリンジ計量ポンプ１２３を徐々に下動させてシリンジ計量ポンプ１２３内にインクを吸引する。
【００４９】
一方、同図（ｉ）に示すように、図示しないワークホルダを上動させて、図１４に示すようにワークである第１筐体５４に装着したインク袋１を上動させて充填ノズル１２８をインク充填口部１３にセットする。
【００５０】
そして、図１３（ｊ）に示すようにワーククランプ１５１、１５２の閉動作（図１４で矢示方向への移動）を開始して、図１５に示すようにインク袋１を第１筐体５４を介してワーククランパ１５１、１５２で押圧することにより、インク袋１の袋本体２の排気を行い、図１６に示すようにワーククランパ１５１、１５２を元に戻す。う。
【００５１】
このワーククランプ１５１、１５２によるクランプの開始に応じて、図１３の時点ｔ２で同図（ｅ）に示すようにワーク真空大気開放弁１３２を一旦開き、同図の時点ｔ３で同図（ｇ）に示すようにノズル３方弁１２７の真空側１２７ａを開いて、インク袋１の袋本体２内を減圧吸引して排気する。
【００５２】
このように、インク充填に先立ってインク袋１ないの空気を減圧吸引により排気することにより、従来のようにインクを充填すべきインク袋と封止機構全体をカバーする減圧室が不要になるため、充填装置の小型化、低価格化を図ることができるとともに、インクの溶存気体量を低く抑えたまま充填することができる。
【００５３】
具体的には、インク袋に充填したインクの脱気度合いとして測定している溶存酸素量は２ｍｇ／L未満を実現することができた。なお、装置内にて脱気装置１０５で循環脱気されたインクの溶存酸素量は１ｍｇ／L程度であり、充填前に上記のようにインク袋１中の空気を減圧吸引にて排気するが、全量を完全に抜ききることはできないため、袋内に微量の気泡が残留する。充填完了時インク袋内に残留した気泡は、放置することによりインクに溶け込むため、溶存酸素量を２ｍｇ／L程度まで上昇させることになるが、この程度の溶存酸素量は十分に実用限度内である。
【００５４】
また、減圧すべきインク袋１の体積が小さいため、減圧所要時間は５秒程度で収まる。これにより、充填装置の動作開始〜溶着完了までの動作時間は２０秒程度で済み、ワーク交換作業を含む充填タクトとして２５秒程度を実現することができた。
【００５５】
そして、図１３の時点ｔ４において、同図（ｇ）に示すようにノズル３方弁１２７の真空側１２７ｂを閉じるとともに、同図（ｄ）に示すようにシリンジ３方弁１２２の出口側１２２ｂを開き、ノズル３方弁１２７の供給側１２７ａを開いた後、シリンジ計量ポンプ１２３を上動させて、図１７に示すように充填ノズル１２８からインクを吐出させてインク袋１のインク充填口１３から袋本体２内にインクを充填する。
【００５６】
ここまでの間、図１３（ｍ）に示すように、溶着ヘッド１４１、１４２のヒータ電源はオン状態にしてヒータ１４４に通電しておくことにより、インク袋１のインク充填口部１３を予備加熱しておく。
【００５７】
そして、図１３の時点ｔ５において、図１８にも示すように溶着ヘッド１４１、１４２を同図の矢示方向に移動させてインク充填口部１３を相対する両側から押し当ててインク充填口部１３を融着して封止する。
【００５８】
このように、インク袋へ所定量のインクを充填後、充填口部１３内にインクが満たされた状態で、充填口部１３を構成する樹脂部材の外側から熱を加えながら加圧・変形・封止することで、充填口部１３を封止する際の気泡の混入をゼロにすることができる。熱溶着方式では充填口部１３の対向する両側から一定温度に加熱した溶着ヘッドを押しつけるだけの簡単な工程で封止が可能であり、装置の小型・低価格化を実現できる。
【００５９】
ここで、充填口部１３の溶着封止を行うとき、図１３の時点ｔ６で同図（ｅ）に示すようにワーク大気開放弁１３２を開状態にしている。
【００６０】
すなわち、充填口部１３を熱溶着で封止する際、溶着部付近のインクが加熱されることにより発泡し、溶着部とノズル３方弁１２７の間の内部圧力が上昇、溶着部が破裂してインクが飛散するおそれがある。そこで、充填口部１３の溶着を開始し、充填口部１３の流路が閉塞した時点でワーク真空大気解放弁１３２を解放することで、内圧の上昇を防ぎ、溶着部の破裂を抑制することができる。
【００６１】
その後、図１３の時点ｔ７において、同図（ｍ）に示すようにヒータ電源をオフ状態にするとともに、エアーブローバルブ１６２を開き、インク充填口部１３に向かってエアーを吹き付け、インク充填口部１３の融着部を冷却を開始し、図１３の時点ｔ８において、図１９にも示すように溶着ヘッド１４１、１４２を同図の矢示方向に移動退避させ、図１３（ｅ）に示すようにワーク大気開放弁１３２を閉じるとともにノズル３方弁１２７の真空側１２７ｂを開状態にし、次いで同図（ｍ）に示すようにヒータ電源をオン状態にするとともにエアーブローバルブ１６２を閉じ、ノズル３方弁１２７の真空側１２７ｂを閉状態にした後、ホルダを下降させる。
【００６２】
ここで、充填、封止完了後に充填ノズル１２８から充填口部１３を分離させるとき、充填口部１３の端部にインクが付着した状態となり、周囲をインクで汚すおそれがある。
【００６３】
そこで、ここではインクの充填完了後、充填ノズル１２８から充填口部１３を分離する以前からノズル３方弁１２７の真空側１２７ｂを開状態にして充填ノズル１２８の減圧吸引を開始し、外れた直後まで吸引を継続することで充填口部１３の周辺のインクを吸引できるようにしている。これにより、残インクで周囲及び製品を汚す問題を防止することができる。
【００６４】
次に、溶着ヘッド１４１、１４２による溶着（融着）条件とノズル充填口部１３の溶着封止部分の形状について説明する。
先ず、インク充填口部１３を表１に示す物性値を示す材質Ａ、Ｂ、Ｃの材料でそれぞれ形成した。なお、材質Ａとしては日本ポリケム社製のノバテックＨＪ３６０（商品名）、材質Ｂとしては日本ポリケム社製のノバテックＨＪ５６０（商品名）、材質Ｃとしては三井住友ポリオレフィン社製のウルトラゼックス４５７０（商品名）をそれぞれ使用し、物性値はいずれもメーカーの公表値である。
【００６５】
【表１】

Figure 0004204379
【００６６】
（実施例１〜９）
表２に示すように、溶着ヘッド１４１（左ヘッド）及び溶着ヘッド１４２（右ヘッド）の各ヘッド温度に１０℃〜４０℃の範囲内で差が生じるように制御して材質Ａ（実施例１〜５）、材質Ｂ（実施例６）、材質Ｃ（実施例７〜９）のインク充填口部１３の融着封止を行った。
【００６７】
なお、溶着時間及び予備加熱の有無についても変化させた。ここで、予備加熱有りでは、ヘッド１４１、１４２とノズル充填口部１３との距離を１．５ｍｍとしてヘッドからの輻射熱で溶着前に約１０秒間加熱した。また、予備加熱無しでは、ヘッド１４１、１４２とノズル充填口部１３との距離を１５ｍｍ以上離してヘッドからの輻射熱による加熱効果がない状態にした。
【００６８】
（比較例１、３）
表２に示すように、溶着ヘッド１４１（左ヘッド）及び溶着ヘッド１４２（右ヘッド）の各ヘッド温度に６０℃の差が生じるように制御して、材質Ａ（比較例１）、材質Ｂ（比較例３）のノズル充填口部１３の融着封止を行った。
【００６９】
（比較例２、４）
表２に示すように、溶着ヘッド１４１（左ヘッド）及び溶着ヘッド１４２（右ヘッド）のヘッド温度の差が「０」になるように制御して、材質Ａ（比較例２）、材質Ｂ（比較例４）のノズル充填口部１３の融着封止を行った。
【００７０】
そして、これらの実施例１〜９及び比較例１〜４で封止を行ったインク袋に３ｋｇの錘を載せて、インク充填口部１３からのインクの漏れを観察し、１〜５の５段階で評価した。なお、漏れが発生しない実用レベルは３以上である。この結果を表２に併せて示している。
【００７１】
【表２】
Figure 0004204379
【００７２】
この結果から、左右の溶着ヘッドに温度差を付けた実施例１〜９においては、いずれも溶着効果として実用レベルである３以上の評価を得られたが、左右のヘッドに温度差がない比較例２、４にあっては、いずれも溶着効果として実用レベルである３以上の評価を得られなかった。
【００７３】
これは、左右の溶着ヘッドの温度に差を付けることで、充填口部１３の材質の軟化、溶融のタイミングがずれることになり、溶着部の接着強度が確保されるものと考える。このように溶着ヘッドの温度に差を付けて融着封止した場合、充填口部１３の溶融部分の形状は図５で説明したように左右で非対称形状になり、言い換えれば、充填口部１３の溶融部分の形状を非対称形状にすることによってより確実な封止を行うことができる。
【００７４】
これに対して、左右の溶着ヘッドの温度差をなくした場合、充填口部１３の材質の軟化、変形は十分に進むが、接着強度が確保されず、袋の中のインクの圧力により接着面が剥離し、インクが進入することで封止不十分となり、結果としてインク漏れとなることが考えられる。
【００７５】
また、左右の溶着ヘッドに温度差を付け、この温度差を１０〜４０℃の範囲内にした実施例１〜９においては、いずれも溶着効果として実用レベルである３以上の評価を得られたが、左右のヘッドに温度差を付け、この温度差を６０℃にした比較例１、３にあっては、いずれも溶着効果として実用レベルである３以上の評価を得られなかった。
【００７６】
このことから、左右の溶着ヘッドの温度差は１０〜４０℃の範囲にすることが好ましいことが分かる。温度差が４０℃を越える場合には、低温側の軟化が進みにくくなるため溶着の確実性が低下するものと考えられる。
【００７７】
次に、脱気装置１０５について説明しておくと、本実施形態の充填装置においては、インク充填を間欠的に行うため、脱気前インク容器〜インク脱気装置〜シリンジ計量ポンプの配管を直列接続した場合は、減圧環境中の気体透過膜中にインクを通すことで脱気を行う仕組みの脱気モジュールに間欠的にインクが流れることとなり脱気の効率が悪い。
【００７８】
そのため、単位時間あたりのインク処理量と得られる脱気度が同じ脱気装置を設計する場合、脱気装置にインクを連続通液する場合と比較し、間欠脱気では容量の大きい脱気モジュールを選定するか、複数の脱気モジュールを直列に配置する等の配慮が必要であり、装置の小型化、低コスト化の妨げとなる。
【００７９】
そこで、本実施形態においては、脱気モジュールに常時インクを循環させる循環方式の脱気装置１０５を備えており、これにより脱気モジュール１０８の能力を最大限活用することが可能となって、小型の装置で必要な脱気度（１ｍｇ／Ｌ以下）を得ることができるようになる。
【００８０】
本発明者らは、一定条件での脱気装置１０５の脱気能力を確認した。
条件 通液速度：１Ｌ／分、モジュール内圧力：−９０ｋＰａ、モジュール：現行品
この条件で脱気モジュール１０８に新インク（約８ｍｇ／Ｌ）を通液した場合の脱気度は約２ｍｇ／Ｌ（１パス目）であり、このインクを再度脱気モジュール１０８に通液した場合の脱気度は約１ｍｇ／Ｌ（２パス目）で、必要な脱気度（１ｍｇ／Ｌ以下）を得ることができることを確認できた。
【００８１】
なお、上記実施形態においては、本発明をインク袋の充填方法及び装置で説明したが、レジストあるいはＤＮＡ試料などの液体を収容する液体収容袋の充填方法及び充填装置にも適用することができる。
【００８２】
【発明の効果】
以上説明したように、本発明に係る液体収容袋の液体充填方法によれば、液体充填口部に液体を充填する充填ノズルをセットする工程と、液体収容袋の中の空気を減圧吸引により排気する工程と、その後液体収容袋内に充填ノズルによって液体を注入する工程と、液体充填後、液体充填口部内が液体で満たされた状態で、充填ノズルの先端部が液体充填口部に入ったまま、液体充填口部の充填ノズルの先端よりも液体収容袋の袋本体側の箇所を熱溶着により封止するとともに、液体充填口部を溶着する過程で、液体充填口部の流路が閉塞した時点で液体を充填するための充填ノズルを大気解放する工程と、充填ノズルを液体充填口部から離間する工程とを順次行う構成としたので、液体の残存気体量を少なく抑えたまま液体を充填することができる。
本発明に係る液体収容袋の液体充填装置によれば、液体充填口部に液体を充填する充填ノズルをセットした状態で液体収容袋の中の空気を減圧吸引により排気する手段と、この手段で空気が減圧吸引された液体収容袋内に充填ノズルによって液体を注入する手段と、液体収容袋に液体充填後、液体充填口部内が液体で満たされた状態で、充填ノズルの先端部が液体充填口部に入ったまま、液体充填口部の充填ノズルの先端よりも液体収容袋の本体側の箇所を熱溶着により封止するとともに、液体充填口部を溶着する過程で、液体充填口部の流路が閉塞した時点で充填ノズルを大気解放する手段と、を備えている構成としたので、液体の残存気体量を少なく抑えたまま液体を充填することができる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明による充填装置で液体を充填する液体収容袋であるインク袋の一例を示す側面説明図
【図２】同インク袋にインクを充填した状態を説明する図１を下側から見た説明図
【図３】同インク袋の袋本体を構成するアルミラミネートフィルムの断面説明図
【図４】同インク袋の保持部材の溶着封止前の状態の側面説明図
【図５】同インク袋の溶着封止状態の説明に供する側面拡大説明図
【図６】図５の保持部材を背面側から見た説明図
【図７】図５の保持部材を前面側から見た説明図
【図８】同インク袋のインク排出口部の要部断面説明図
【図９】同インク袋を収納するインクカートリッジの一例を示す外観斜視説明図
【図１０】本発明に係る充填装置の全体構成説明図
【図１１】同充填装置の封止機構部の説明図
【図１２】同充填装置の充填ノズル及び充填口部の形状を説明する説明図
【図１３】同充填装置の作用説明に供するタイミング説明図
【図１４】同充填装置の動作説明に供する排気動作開始前の状態の説明図
【図１５】同充填装置の動作説明に供する排気動作中の状態の説明図
【図１６】同充填装置の動作説明に供する排気動作終了後の状態の説明図
【図１７】同充填装置の動作説明に供するインク充填中の状態の説明図
【図１８】同充填装置の動作説明に供する溶着封止中の状態の説明図
【図１９】同充填装置の動作説明に供する溶着封止完了後の状態の説明図
【図２０】従来のインクカートリッジの一例を示す分解斜視説明図
【符号の説明】
１…インク袋、２…袋本体、３…保持部材、１３…インク充填口部、１４…インク排出口部、５１…インクカートリッジ、１０１…ストック容器、１０５…脱気装置、１０８…脱気モジュール、１２２…シリンジ３方弁、１２３…シリンジ計量ポンプ、１２７…ノズル３方弁、１２８…充填ノズル、１３２…ワーク真空大気開方弁、１４１、１４２…溶着ヘッド、１５１、１５２…ワーククランパ。[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a liquid filling method and apparatus for a liquid containing bag.
[0002]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-10-202901 [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-202900 [Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-193635
[Prior art]
As an image forming apparatus (or image recording apparatus) such as a printer, a facsimile machine, and a copying apparatus, for example, an ink jet recording apparatus is known. The ink jet recording apparatus is a recording head to a sheet of paper (not limited to paper but includes OHP or the like, which means that an image is formed and is also referred to as a recording medium, a recording medium, or recording paper). It is a recording method that ejects ink, can record high-definition images at high speed, has low running costs, has low noise, and uses multi-color inks to record color images. Has advantages such as being easy.
[0004]
As such an ink jet recording apparatus, an ink tank (ink cartridge) is generally mounted on a carriage, and a shuttle type apparatus that reciprocally moves along a recording medium together with a recording head has been generally used. Ink type ink cartridges have a limit on the amount of ink that can be built, so in models that print in large quantities, install the ink cartridge in the fixed part of the main body and install the ink cartridge main body to supply ink through a flexible pipe etc. to the carriage A type of inkjet recording device is used.
[0005]
By the way, as the ink cartridge, in the carriage mounting type, the ink is absorbed by the capillary force of the porous body put in the cartridge, and the pore diameter of the porous body and the ink filling amount are managed, and supplied to the recording head. A configuration in which the ink pressure is controlled to a negative pressure is widely used.
[0006]
On the other hand, the ink cartridge main body installation type has a function of controlling the ink pressure supplied to the recording head in the carriage of the apparatus main body, so that the ink cartridge has a large amount of ink and can be supplied in a sealed state. Ink bag type is advantageous and has been put to practical use.
[0007]
As such an ink cartridge, for example, as described in [Patent Document 1], an ink is filled in a casing made of a rigid rectangular shell, and as described in [Patent Document 2], Also provided is a flexible bag-shaped ink tank provided with an ink outlet and a chassis part (housing) having an opening through which the ink tank can be taken in and out, and the ink tank can be taken in and out of the chassis part. Are known.
[0008]
Further, as shown in FIG. 20, an ink storage unit 501 that stores ink, a cylindrical case 502 that stores the ink storage unit 501, and a lid member 503 that covers the front surface of the cylindrical case 502 are provided. A holding member 504 provided integrally with the portion 501 is provided with a cylindrical ink filling port portion 505 sealed for ink filling, a cylindrical ink supply port portion 506 for ink supply, and the like. The protrusion 504a of the holding member 504 is engaged with a locking hole 502a provided in the middle of the wall surface of the cylindrical case 502 by being pushed into the cylindrical case 502, and the holding member 504 is fixedly held on the cylindrical case 502. There is also known an ink cartridge in which a lid member 503 is fitted into the opening of the cylindrical case 502.
[0009]
Here, the ink storage portion 501 is formed by forming a frame body 511 integrally with the holding member 504 and welding a film-like member 512 made of a resin film on the inner surface side and an aluminum film on the outer surface side to the outside of the frame body 511. ing.
[0010]
Incidentally, water-based ink is mainly used as ink used in the ink jet recording apparatus. Water-based ink is manufactured by mixing and dispersing raw materials and filtration process. If recording is performed by filling the manufactured ink as it is into the ink tank, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc. dissolved in the ink Various gases become air bubbles in the ink flow path to the recording head and in the ink flow path in the recording head, causing recording defects such as missing dots.
[0011]
Therefore, before the ink tank is filled with ink, a deaeration process is performed to reduce dissolved gas in the ink. As a degassing treatment method, a method of stirring ink while reducing pressure in a pressure vessel, or a method of degassing with a degassing device using a gas separation membrane is used. The deaeration device and method are also disclosed in JP-A-5-17712, JP-A-10-60339, and JP-A-10-298470.
[0012]
And it is requested | required that the ink deaerated by such a method should be filled and sealed without entraining air in a bag. Therefore, conventionally, as described in [Patent Document 3], an ink bag is placed in a decompression chamber, the ink is injected in a state where the periphery of the ink bag is in a decompressed state, and the bag is heat-welded as it is. A method of sealing a bag without containing air is known.
[0013]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the method disclosed in the above-mentioned [Patent Document 1], it is necessary to provide a decompression chamber and to incorporate a mechanism for welding and sealing the ink bag in the decompression chamber, and the entire ink filling and sealing device is complicated. There is a problem that it becomes expensive and the time required for decompression becomes long because the volume to be decompressed becomes large, resulting in a decrease in productivity.
[0014]
Therefore, as described above with reference to FIG. 20, an ink discharge port (an ink supply port that supplies ink to the outside) and an ink filling port for filling ink inside are provided. By discharging the internal gas, filling the ink from the filling port, and sealing the filling port, the gas discharge is small and the sealing part is also small, improving reliability and improving productivity. However, even when such an ink bag is used, there remains a problem that the ink must be filled from the filling port portion while keeping the amount of dissolved gas in the degassed ink small.
[0015]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a filling method and apparatus capable of filling a liquid container bag with a liquid while keeping the amount of dissolved gas in the liquid small.
[0016]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, a liquid filling method for a liquid containing bag according to the present invention includes:
In a liquid filling method of filling a liquid into a liquid containing bag having a liquid filling port for filling the liquid therein,
Setting a filling nozzle that fills the liquid filling port with liquid;
Exhausting the air in the liquid containing bag by vacuum suction;
Then injecting the liquid into the liquid containing bag by the filling nozzle;
After the liquid filling, in a state where the liquid filling port portion is filled with liquid, the tip portion of the filling nozzle remains in the liquid filling port portion , and the tip of the filling nozzle of the liquid filling port portion is more than the tip of the filling nozzle. Filling to fill the liquid when the flow path of the liquid filling port is closed in the process of sealing the location on the bag body side of the liquid containing bag by heat welding and welding the liquid filling port Releasing the nozzle to the atmosphere;
The step of separating the filling nozzle from the liquid filling port portion is sequentially performed.
[0017]
Here, after the completion of the welding of the liquid filling port portion, the filling nozzle and the liquid filling port portion can be separated while sucking under reduced pressure .
[0018]
A liquid filling device for a liquid containing bag according to the present invention includes:
In a liquid filling apparatus for filling a liquid containing bag having a liquid filling port for filling the liquid therein,
Means for exhausting the air in the liquid storage bag by vacuum suction in a state where a filling nozzle for filling the liquid is set in the liquid filling port portion;
Means for injecting liquid by the filling nozzle into the liquid storage bag in which air is sucked under reduced pressure by this means;
After the liquid filled in the liquid storage bag, in a state where the liquid filling port portion is filled with a liquid, while the distal end portion of the filling nozzle has entered the liquid filling opening, of the filling nozzle of the liquid filling opening The filling nozzle is sealed when a portion of the liquid storage bag closer to the bag body than the front end is sealed by thermal welding and the flow path of the liquid filling port is closed in the process of welding the liquid filling port. Means to release the atmosphere,
It was set as the structure equipped with.
[0019]
Here, after the completion of the welding of the liquid filling port portion, the filling nozzle and the liquid filling port portion can be separated while sucking under reduced pressure.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, an example of an ink bag that is a liquid storage bag that is filled with ink that is liquid in the filling device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is an explanatory side view of the ink bag, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of FIG. 1 illustrating the state in which the ink bag is filled with ink, and FIG. 3 shows the bag body of the ink bag. FIG. 4 is an explanatory side view of a holding member of the ink bag, FIG. 5 is an enlarged explanatory view of an ink filling port portion of the ink bag, and FIG. 6 is a rear side view of the holding member of FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the holding member of FIG. 4 as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of an essential part of an ink discharge port portion of the ink bag.
[0021]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink bag 1 is formed of a resin holding member 3 on one side of a long side of a substantially rectangular (in this case, rectangular) flexible bag body 2 made of an aluminum laminate film. Is fixed (welded).
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 3, the bag body 2 has a structure in which a dry lamination 26, an aluminum film 27, a dry lamination 28, and a PA 29 are sequentially laminated on an LDPE 25 using an aluminum laminate film 30 as shown in FIGS. As described above, the periphery of the two aluminum laminate films 30 and 30 (the region shaded in FIG. 1) is welded to the holding member 3 and formed into a bag shape. Since the bag body 2 does not have a conventional frame for maintaining the shape inside, and has flexibility as a whole, the remaining amount of ink is extremely reduced.
[0023]
Here, the bag body 2 is formed from the aluminum laminate film 30, but the material of the member forming the bag body 2 is not limited to this. However, it is preferably formed of a member including at least an aluminum laminate film.
[0024]
The holding member 3 is integrally formed with a connecting portion 12 for heat-welding the bag body 2 on one surface side of the flange portion 11, and a hollow ink filling port portion 13 (in FIG. 4, it is fused) on the other surface side of the flange portion 11. A state before sealing is illustrated, FIGS. 2 and 5 are illustrated after fusion sealing, and a hollow ink discharge port portion 14 is integrally formed.
[0025]
Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the connecting portion 12 has both end portions (longitudinal end portions of the holding member 3) formed in a tapered shape to have a substantially rhombus shape, and a concave portion 12a is formed on the outer peripheral surface. Thereby, the aluminum laminate films 30 and 30 forming the bag body 2 can be reliably welded to the peripheral surface of the connecting portion 12 without a gap.
[0026]
An ink filling through-hole 15 penetrating the flange portion 11 and the connecting portion 12 is formed inside the ink filling port portion 13, and after filling the bag body 2 of the ink bag 1 with ink, the ink filling port portion 13 is formed. A part of this is heat sealed and sealed. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the sealed portion (melted portion) of the ink filling port portion 13 by heat fusion is melted from the opposite sides of the ink filling port portion 13, and the melted melted portion 16 a, The shape of 16b is an asymmetrical shape.
[0027]
As described above, the ink filling port portion 13 is thermally fused and sealed, so that the sealing can be performed reliably and easily. In this case, according to the experiments of the present inventors, when the fusion sealing is performed so that the shape of the fusion sealing portion is bilaterally symmetric, a phenomenon that the sealing becomes incomplete occurs. As a result of research, it was confirmed that sealing was performed completely (yield was improved) by making the shape of the melted part of the sealing part asymmetrical.
[0028]
Further, an ink discharge through hole 17 penetrating the flange portion 11 and the connecting portion 12 is formed inside the ink discharge port portion 14, and an elastic member for sealing the ink discharge through hole 17 is fitted at the tip portion. An opening 18 is formed, and a stepped portion 19 for mounting a cap member for holding an elastic member is formed on the outer peripheral surface.
[0029]
Then, as shown in FIG. 8, an elastic member 21 is fitted into the leading end portion of the ink discharge port portion 14 and is held by a cap member 22. The elastic member 21 is preferably made of a rubber material such as silicon, fluorine, or butyl. This elastic member 21 remains sealed when a hollow needle-like supply needle (ink introduction means for introducing ink into the recording apparatus main body) is inserted from the recording apparatus main body side. Thus, it is possible to supply ink to the recording apparatus main body side and to restore and maintain the sealed state when the supply needle is pulled out.
[0030]
Further, when the cap member 22 is fitted into the tip end portion of the ink discharge port portion 14, the locking piece 38 is engaged with the step portion 19 of the ink discharge port portion 14 as shown in FIG.
[0031]
Further, the holding member 3 is integrally formed with engaging portions 41 and 42 that engage with locking claws provided on the case side of the ink cartridge described later. Then, groove portions 11 a and 11 b are formed on the side surfaces of the flange portion 11 at portions corresponding to the engaging portions 41 and 42.
[0032]
As described above, the ink bag 1 is formed by fixing the holding member 3 to one side of the substantially rectangular bag body 2 having flexibility, and the holding member 3 is used for filling the bag body 2 with ink. In addition to having an ink filling port portion 13 and an ink discharge port portion 14 for discharging ink in the bag body, a part of the ink filling port portion 13 is sealed by thermal fusion, Since the shape of the portion to be asymmetrical is configured, the ink filling port portion can be sealed easily and easily and reliably.
[0033]
Next, an ink cartridge for storing the ink bag will be briefly described with reference to FIG. This figure is an external perspective view of the ink cartridge.
[0034]
The ink cartridge 51 includes an ink bag 1 that is filled with ink, and a housing 53 that stores the ink bag 1. The casing 53 includes a first casing 54, a second casing 55, and a third casing 56. The first casing 54 and the second casing 55 protect the side surface of the ink bag 1. A casing portion serving as a protective cover is configured. That is, the casing 53 is divided into a first casing 54 and a second casing 55 that store the ink bag 1 on a surface parallel to the ink supply direction (ink discharge direction).
[0035]
Then, the casing 53 of the ink cartridge 51 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped by combining the divided substantially similar first casing 54 and second casing 55 and fitting the third casing 56 into the lower portion of the front surface thereof. In the assembled state, an opening 73 is formed on the front side so that the ink discharge port 14 to the apparatus main body faces.
[0036]
Next, the liquid filling apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the entire configuration of the filling device, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a sealing mechanism portion of the filling device.
The filling device sends the deaerated ink 100 stocked in the stock container 101 to the cushion tank 103 via the coupler 102, and sends the ink from the cushion tank 103 to the deaeration device 105 via the coupler 104. The inside of the cushion tank 103 is connected to the atmosphere via an air filter 103a, and a valve 103b is connected.
[0037]
The deaeration device 105 includes a circulation pump 107, a deaeration module 108 incorporating a gas permeable membrane, and valves 109 and 110 in a circulation path 106. The deaeration module 108 includes a deaeration vacuum pump 111 and a deaeration vacuum. The release valves 112 are connected to each other, and the deaeration vacuum pump 111 is operated while the ink 101 is circulated in the circulation path 106 by the circulation pump 107, and the ink 100 is deaerated by the deaeration module 108. Note that a valve 113 and series circuits of valves 114 and 115 are also connected to the circulation path 108 of the deaerator 105, respectively.
[0038]
The circulation path 106 of the deaeration device 105 is connected to the inlet side 122 a of the syringe three-way valve 122 via the ball valve 121 by the path 120. A syringe metering pump 123 is connected to the common side 122 c of the syringe three-way valve 122. A valve 124 is connected to the path 120.
[0039]
Further, the outlet side 122b of the syringe three-way valve 122 is connected to the supply side 127a of the nozzle three-way valve 127 via the path 125 and the filter 126, and the common side 127c of the nozzle three-way valve 127 is connected to the ink bag 1. A filling nozzle 128 for filling the ink 100 is connected. Further, the vacuum side 127b of the nozzle three-way valve 127 is connected to the trap means 133 via the path 131 and the atmospheric three-way valve 132, and the work vacuum pump 134 is connected to the trap means 133.
[0040]
Here, referring also to FIG. 11, the filling nozzle 128 is attached to and held by the nozzle holding member 140. Under the filling nozzle 128, welding heads 141 and 142 for fusing the ink filling port portion 13 of the ink bag 1 from two opposite sides are arranged so as to be movable forward and backward in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Has been established.
[0041]
These welding heads 141 and 142 have tip portions 141a and 142a formed in a substantially triangular shape, provided with a temperature sensor mounting hole 143, and a temperature sensor is mounted therein. In addition, heaters 144 and 144 for heating the heads are embedded in the welding heads 141 and 142.
[0042]
Further, clampers 151 and 152 for exhausting the ink bag 1 are disposed below the welding heads 141 and 142 so as to be movable back and forth in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Here, since the ink filling is performed in a state where the ink bag 1 is held in the first housing 54 of the ink cartridge 51, the first housing 54 is pressed by the clamper 151, and the bag body 2 of the ink bag 1 is pressed by the clamper 152. The pressing portion of the clamper 152 is composed of elastic members 152a and 152b having a laminated structure and a rigid member 152c.
[0043]
Here, the filling nozzle 128 is formed of a metal member, and as shown in FIG. 12, the outer peripheral side of the tip portion 128a is formed in a taper shape in a direction in which the tip has a small diameter (the outer peripheral surface is formed in a conical shape). )ing. The ink filling port 13 of the ink bag 1 is formed of a resin member such as polyethylene, and as shown in the figure, the tip 13a has a tapered shape in a direction in which the ink filling hole 15 spreads outward. Forming.
[0044]
In this way, the filling nozzle 128 is made of a metal cone and pressed against the filling port portion 13 made of a resin member, whereby the resin member at the contact portion is deformed, and the opening of the filling nozzle 128 and the filling hole 15 is hermetically connected. can do. Thereby, compared with the method of installing and sealing a rubber packing etc. on the filling nozzle side, the apparatus is simple and inexpensive, and the maintenance of the rubber packing can be made unnecessary.
[0045]
Also, when manufacturing the filling device, the backlash of a movable mechanism that uses a spring to press the filling nozzle against the filling port and the backlash when setting the ink bag on the device are unavoidable. The problem arises that the mouth cannot be hermetically connected.
[0046]
Therefore, by providing a taper on the inner side of the tip of the filling port 13 as described above, the tip of the nozzle remains at the filling port even if the opening of the filling nozzle 128 and the filling hole 15 is displaced within the range of the taper width. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the problem that the sealing cannot be secured due to the positional deviation.
[0047]
Returning to FIG. 10, a cooling blow nozzle 161 for cooling the ink filling port portion 13 of the ink bag 1 after welding is provided, and an air blow valve 162 for opening and closing the cooling blow by the cooling blow nozzle 161 is provided. Provided.
[0048]
The operation of the filling apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, at time t1 in FIG. 13, the ball valve 121 is opened as shown in FIG. 13A, and the inlet side 122a of the syringe three-way valve 122 is opened as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 1L, the syringe metering pump 123 is gradually moved down to suck ink into the syringe metering pump 123.
[0049]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 14 (i), a work holder (not shown) is moved up, and as shown in FIG. 14, the ink bag 1 attached to the first housing 54, which is a work, is moved up to fill the filling nozzle 128. Is set in the ink filling port 13.
[0050]
Then, the closing operation of the work clamps 151 and 152 (movement in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 14) is started as shown in FIG. 13J, and the ink bag 1 is moved to the first housing 54 as shown in FIG. , The bag main body 2 of the ink bag 1 is exhausted, and the work clampers 151 and 152 are returned to their original positions as shown in FIG. Yeah.
[0051]
In response to the start of clamping by the work clamps 151 and 152, the work vacuum atmospheric release valve 132 is temporarily opened at time t2 in FIG. 13 as shown in FIG. 13E, and at time t3 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the vacuum side 127a of the nozzle three-way valve 127 is opened, and the inside of the bag body 2 of the ink bag 1 is suctioned and exhausted.
[0052]
In this way, by exhausting the air in the ink bag 1 by decompression suction prior to ink filling, there is no need for a conventional decompression chamber that covers the ink bag to be filled with ink and the entire sealing mechanism. The filling device can be reduced in size and price, and the ink can be filled while the amount of dissolved gas is kept low.
[0053]
Specifically, the amount of dissolved oxygen measured as the degree of deaeration of the ink filled in the ink bag was able to be realized below 2 mg / L. Note that the dissolved oxygen amount of the ink circulated and degassed by the deaeration device 105 in the apparatus is about 1 mg / L, and the air in the ink bag 1 is exhausted by vacuum suction as described above before filling. Since the entire amount cannot be completely removed, a trace amount of air bubbles remains in the bag. Bubbles remaining in the ink bag upon completion of filling dissolve in the ink when left standing, so that the dissolved oxygen amount is increased to about 2 mg / L, but this dissolved oxygen amount is sufficiently within the practical limit. is there.
[0054]
Further, since the volume of the ink bag 1 to be depressurized is small, the time required for depressurization is about 5 seconds. As a result, the operation time from the start of operation of the filling device to the completion of welding is about 20 seconds, and about 25 seconds can be realized as a filling tact including work exchange work.
[0055]
At time t4 in FIG. 13, the vacuum side 127b of the nozzle three-way valve 127 is closed as shown in FIG. 13G, and the outlet side 122b of the syringe three-way valve 122 is closed as shown in FIG. After opening and opening the supply side 127a of the nozzle three-way valve 127, the syringe metering pump 123 is moved up to discharge ink from the filling nozzle 128 as shown in FIG. The bag body 2 is filled with ink.
[0056]
Until this time, as shown in FIG. 13 (m), the heater power supply of the welding heads 141 and 142 is turned on and the heater 144 is energized to preheat the ink filling port 13 of the ink bag 1. Keep it.
[0057]
At time t5 in FIG. 13, the welding heads 141 and 142 are moved in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIG. Are fused and sealed.
[0058]
As described above, after filling the ink bag with a predetermined amount of ink, the filling port portion 13 is filled with ink, and while applying heat from the outside of the resin member constituting the filling port portion 13, By sealing, the bubble mixing at the time of sealing the filling port part 13 can be made zero. In the heat welding method, sealing can be performed by a simple process of pressing the welding head heated to a constant temperature from both sides of the filling port 13 facing each other, and the apparatus can be reduced in size and cost.
[0059]
Here, when the sealing of the filling port 13 is performed, the workpiece atmosphere release valve 132 is opened as shown in FIG.
[0060]
That is, when the filling port portion 13 is sealed by thermal welding, the ink near the welded portion is heated to foam, the internal pressure between the welded portion and the nozzle three-way valve 127 rises, and the welded portion bursts. May cause ink to splatter. Therefore, by starting welding of the filling port portion 13 and releasing the work vacuum atmospheric release valve 132 at the time when the flow path of the filling port portion 13 is closed, an increase in internal pressure is prevented and the bursting of the welding portion is suppressed. Can do.
[0061]
Thereafter, at time t7 in FIG. 13, the heater power supply is turned off as shown in FIG. 13 (m), the air blow valve 162 is opened, and air is blown toward the ink filling port portion 13, whereby the ink filling port portion is opened. 13 starts cooling, and at time t8 in FIG. 13, the welding heads 141 and 142 are moved and retracted in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. At the same time, the work atmosphere release valve 132 is closed and the vacuum side 127b of the nozzle three-way valve 127 is opened, then the heater power is turned on and the air blow valve 162 is closed as shown in FIG. After closing the vacuum side 127b of the direction valve 127, the holder is lowered.
[0062]
Here, when the filling port portion 13 is separated from the filling nozzle 128 after the filling and sealing are completed, the ink is attached to the end portion of the filling port portion 13 and there is a possibility that the surroundings may be stained with ink.
[0063]
Therefore, here, after the ink filling is completed, before the filling port portion 13 is separated from the filling nozzle 128, the vacuum side 127b of the nozzle three-way valve 127 is opened, and the suction suction of the filling nozzle 128 is started. The ink around the filling port portion 13 can be sucked by continuing the suction until the ink is filled. As a result, it is possible to prevent the problem of staining the surroundings and the product with the remaining ink.
[0064]
Next, the welding (fusion) conditions by the welding heads 141 and 142 and the shape of the welded sealing portion of the nozzle filling port portion 13 will be described.
First, the ink filling port 13 was formed of materials A, B, and C having physical properties shown in Table 1, respectively. The material A is Novatec HJ360 (trade name) manufactured by Nippon Polychem, the material B is Novatec HJ560 (trade name) manufactured by Nippon Polychem, and the material C is Ultra Zex 4570 (trade name) manufactured by Sumitomo Mitsui Polyolefin. ), And the physical properties are the manufacturer's published values.
[0065]
[Table 1]
Figure 0004204379
[0066]
(Examples 1-9)
As shown in Table 2, the material A (Example 1) was controlled so that the head temperatures of the welding head 141 (left head) and the welding head 142 (right head) differed within a range of 10 ° C. to 40 ° C. To 5), the material B (Example 6), and the material C (Examples 7 to 9) were subjected to fusion sealing of the ink filling port portion 13.
[0067]
The welding time and presence / absence of preheating were also changed. Here, with preheating, the distance between the heads 141 and 142 and the nozzle filling port portion 13 was set to 1.5 mm and heated for about 10 seconds by radiant heat from the head before welding. Further, without preheating, the distance between the heads 141 and 142 and the nozzle filling port portion 13 was set at 15 mm or more so that there was no heating effect due to radiant heat from the head.
[0068]
(Comparative Examples 1 and 3)
As shown in Table 2, the head temperatures of the welding head 141 (left head) and the welding head 142 (right head) are controlled so as to produce a difference of 60 ° C., so that the material A (Comparative Example 1) and the material B ( The nozzle filling port 13 of Comparative Example 3) was fused and sealed.
[0069]
(Comparative Examples 2 and 4)
As shown in Table 2, the head temperature difference between the welding head 141 (left head) and the welding head 142 (right head) is controlled to be “0”, and the material A (Comparative Example 2) and the material B ( The nozzle filling port portion 13 of Comparative Example 4) was fusion sealed.
[0070]
Then, a 3 kg weight was placed on the ink bag sealed in Examples 1 to 9 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4, and the ink leakage from the ink filling port 13 was observed. Rated by stage. The practical level at which no leakage occurs is 3 or more. The results are also shown in Table 2.
[0071]
[Table 2]
Figure 0004204379
[0072]
From these results, in Examples 1 to 9 in which a temperature difference was given to the left and right welding heads, three or more evaluations, which are practical levels, were obtained as the welding effect. In Examples 2 and 4, none of the evaluations of 3 or more, which is a practical level, was obtained as a welding effect.
[0073]
This is because the timing of the softening and melting of the material of the filling port portion 13 is shifted by making a difference between the temperatures of the left and right welding heads, and the adhesive strength of the welded portion is ensured. In this way, when fusion sealing is performed with a difference in the temperature of the welding head, the shape of the melted portion of the filling port 13 becomes asymmetrical on the left and right as described with reference to FIG. 5, in other words, the filling port 13 More reliable sealing can be performed by making the shape of the melted portion asymmetrical.
[0074]
On the other hand, when the temperature difference between the left and right welding heads is eliminated, the material of the filling port 13 is sufficiently softened and deformed, but the adhesive strength is not ensured, and the adhesive surface is affected by the pressure of the ink in the bag. Is peeled off and the ink enters, resulting in insufficient sealing, resulting in ink leakage.
[0075]
Further, in Examples 1 to 9 in which a temperature difference was given to the left and right welding heads, and the temperature difference was within a range of 10 to 40 ° C., three or more evaluations that were practical levels were obtained as welding effects. However, in Comparative Examples 1 and 3 in which a temperature difference was given to the left and right heads and the temperature difference was set to 60 ° C., none of the evaluations of 3 or more, which was a practical level, could be obtained as a welding effect.
[0076]
From this, it can be seen that the temperature difference between the left and right welding heads is preferably in the range of 10 to 40 ° C. When the temperature difference exceeds 40 ° C., it is considered that the certainty of welding is lowered because softening on the low temperature side is difficult to proceed.
[0077]
Next, the degassing device 105 will be described. In the filling device of the present embodiment, ink filling is performed intermittently, and therefore, the piping of the ink container before degassing, the ink degassing device, and the syringe metering pump is connected in series. When connected, ink flows intermittently through a deaeration module that performs deaeration by passing ink through a gas permeable membrane in a reduced pressure environment, and the efficiency of deaeration is poor.
[0078]
Therefore, when designing a deaeration device with the same amount of ink processed per unit time and the obtained degree of deaeration, a deaeration module with a larger capacity in intermittent deaeration compared to the case where ink is continuously passed through the deaeration device Or selecting a plurality of deaeration modules in series is necessary, which hinders downsizing and cost reduction of the apparatus.
[0079]
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the deaeration module 105 is provided with a circulation type deaeration device 105 that constantly circulates ink, thereby making it possible to make maximum use of the capability of the deaeration module 108 and to reduce the size. The required degree of deaeration (1 mg / L or less) can be obtained with this apparatus.
[0080]
The present inventors confirmed the deaeration ability of the deaeration device 105 under certain conditions.
Conditions Liquid flow rate: 1 L / min, module internal pressure: -90 kPa, module: current product Degassing degree when new ink (about 8 mg / L) is passed through the degassing module 108 under these conditions is about 2 mg / L When the ink is passed through the deaeration module 108 again, the degree of deaeration is about 1 mg / L (second pass), and the necessary degree of deaeration (1 mg / L or less) is obtained. I was able to confirm that it was possible.
[0081]
In the above embodiment, the present invention has been described with respect to the ink bag filling method and apparatus. However, the present invention can also be applied to a liquid containing bag filling method and filling apparatus for containing a liquid such as a resist or a DNA sample.
[0082]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the liquid filling method of the liquid containing bag according to the present invention, the step of setting the filling nozzle for filling the liquid into the liquid filling port and the air in the liquid containing bag are exhausted by vacuum suction. A step of injecting the liquid into the liquid storage bag by the filling nozzle, and after filling the liquid, the tip of the filling nozzle enters the liquid filling port portion in a state where the liquid filling port portion is filled with the liquid. As it is, the portion of the liquid container bag closer to the bag body than the tip of the filling nozzle of the liquid filling port is sealed by thermal welding, and the flow path of the liquid filling port is blocked in the process of welding the liquid filling port. At this point, the process of releasing the filling nozzle for filling the liquid to the atmosphere and the process of separating the filling nozzle from the liquid filling port portion are sequentially performed. Can be filled Kill.
According to the liquid filling device for a liquid storage bag according to the present invention, the means for exhausting the air in the liquid storage bag by vacuum suction while the filling nozzle for filling the liquid is set in the liquid filling port portion, means air injecting a liquid by the filling nozzle vacuum aspirated liquid contained in the bag, after the liquid filled in the liquid storage bag, in a state in which the liquid-filled inlet portion was filled with liquid, the tip of the filling nozzle the liquid In the process of sealing the portion on the main body side of the liquid storage bag from the tip of the filling nozzle of the liquid filling port portion while being in the filling port portion by heat welding, and in the process of welding the liquid filling port portion, And a means for releasing the filling nozzle to the atmosphere when the flow path is closed, so that the liquid can be filled with the amount of residual gas remaining small.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view showing an example of an ink bag that is a liquid storage bag filled with a liquid by a filling apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a state in which the ink bag is filled with ink. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an aluminum laminate film constituting the bag body of the ink bag. Fig. 4 is a side view of a state before the ink bag holding member is welded and sealed. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view for explaining the sealed state of the ink bag. Fig. 6 is an explanatory view of the holding member of Fig. 5 as viewed from the rear side. Fig. 7 is an explanatory view of the holding member of Fig. 5 as viewed from the front side. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of an essential part of an ink discharge port of the ink bag. FIG. 9 is an external perspective view illustrating an example of an ink cartridge that stores the ink bag. FIG. 10 is an overall configuration of a filling device according to the invention. Explanatory drawing [FIG. 11] Explanatory drawing of the sealing mechanism part of the filling apparatus. FIG. 13 is a timing diagram for explaining the operation of the filling device. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the state before starting the exhaust operation for explaining the operation of the filling device. FIG. 15 is an explanatory view of a state during an exhaust operation for explaining the operation of the filling device. FIG. 16 is an explanatory view of a state after the exhaust operation is finished for explaining the operation of the filling device. FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a state during ink filling provided for explanation of operation. FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a state during welding sealing provided for explanation of operation of the filling device. FIG. 19 is after completion of welding sealing used for explanation of operation of the filling device. FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a conventional ink cartridge.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ink bag, 2 ... Bag main body, 3 ... Holding member, 13 ... Ink filling port part, 14 ... Ink discharge port part, 51 ... Ink cartridge, 101 ... Stock container, 105 ... Deaeration device, 108 ... Deaeration module 122 ... Syringe three-way valve, 123 ... Syringe metering pump, 127 ... Nozzle three-way valve, 128 ... Filling nozzle, 132 ... Work vacuum atmosphere open valve, 141, 142 ... Welding head, 151, 152 ... Work clamper.

Claims (4)

液体を内部に充填するための液体充填口部を有する液体収容袋に液体を充填する液体充填方法において、
前記液体充填口部に液体を充填する充填ノズルをセットする工程と、
前記液体収容袋の中の空気を減圧吸引により排気する工程と、
その後前記液体収容袋内に前記充填ノズルによって液体を注入する工程と、
前記液体充填後、前記液体充填口部内が液体で満たされた状態で、前記充填ノズルの先端部が前記液体充填口部に入ったまま、前記液体充填口部の前記充填ノズルの先端よりも前記液体収容袋の袋本体側の箇所を熱溶着により封止するとともに、前記液体充填口部を溶着する過程で、前記液体充填口部の流路が閉塞した時点で前記液体を充填するための充填ノズルを大気解放する工程と、
前記充填ノズルを前記液体充填口部から離間する工程と
を順次行うことを特徴とする液体収容袋の液体充填方法。In a liquid filling method of filling a liquid into a liquid containing bag having a liquid filling port for filling the liquid therein,
Setting a filling nozzle that fills the liquid filling port with liquid;
Exhausting the air in the liquid containing bag by vacuum suction;
Then injecting the liquid into the liquid containing bag by the filling nozzle;
After the liquid filling, in a state where the liquid filling port portion is filled with liquid, the tip portion of the filling nozzle remains in the liquid filling port portion , and the tip of the filling nozzle of the liquid filling port portion is more than the tip of the filling nozzle. Filling to fill the liquid when the flow path of the liquid filling port is closed in the process of sealing the location on the bag body side of the liquid containing bag by heat welding and welding the liquid filling port Releasing the nozzle to the atmosphere;
A liquid filling method for a liquid container bag, wherein the step of separating the filling nozzle from the liquid filling port portion is sequentially performed. 請求項１に記載の液体収容袋の液体充填方法において、前記液体充填口部の溶着完了後、減圧吸引しながら前記充填ノズルと液体充填口部とを分離することを特徴とする液体収容袋の液体充填方法。  2. The liquid filling method for a liquid containing bag according to claim 1, wherein the filling nozzle and the liquid filling port are separated while sucking under reduced pressure after completion of welding of the liquid filling port. Liquid filling method. 液体を内部に充填するための液体充填口部を有する液体収容袋に液体を充填する液体充填装置において、
前記液体充填口部に液体を充填する充填ノズルをセットした状態で前記液体収容袋の中の空気を減圧吸引により排気する手段と、
この手段で空気が減圧吸引された前記液体収容袋内に前記充填ノズルによって液体を注入する手段と、
前記液体収容袋に液体充填後、前記充填ノズルが前記液体供給口部にセットされたまま、前記液体充填口部内が液体で満たされた状態で、前記充填ノズルの先端部が前記液体充填口部に入ったまま、前記液体充填口部の前記充填ノズルの先端よりも前記液体収容袋の袋本体側の箇所を熱溶着により封止するとともに、前記前記液体充填口部を溶着する過程で、前記液体充填口部の流路が閉塞した時点で前記充填ノズルを大気解放する手段と、
を備えていることを特徴とする液体収容袋の液体充填装置。In a liquid filling apparatus for filling a liquid containing bag having a liquid filling port for filling the liquid therein,
Means for exhausting the air in the liquid storage bag by vacuum suction in a state where a filling nozzle for filling the liquid is set in the liquid filling port portion;
Means for injecting liquid by the filling nozzle into the liquid storage bag in which air is sucked under reduced pressure by this means;
After filling the liquid containing bag, the tip of the filling nozzle is in the liquid filling port portion in a state where the liquid filling port portion is filled with the liquid while the filling nozzle is set in the liquid supply port portion. In the process of sealing the portion of the liquid storage bag closer to the bag body than the tip of the filling nozzle of the liquid filling port portion by thermal welding, and in the process of welding the liquid filling port portion, Means for releasing the filling nozzle to the atmosphere when the flow path of the liquid filling port is closed;
A liquid filling device for a liquid containing bag, comprising: 請求項３に記載の液体収容袋の液体充填装置において、前記液体充填口部の溶着完了後、減圧吸引しながら前記充填ノズルと液体充填口部とを分離することを特徴とする液体収容袋の液体充填装置。  4. The liquid filling apparatus for a liquid containing bag according to claim 3, wherein the filling nozzle and the liquid filling port are separated while sucking under reduced pressure after completion of welding of the liquid filling port. Liquid filling device.
JP2003135240A 2003-05-14 2003-05-14 Liquid filling method and apparatus for liquid containing bag Expired - Fee Related JP4204379B2 (en)

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