JP5959087B2 - Filling and packaging method and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a filling and packaging method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a filling and packaging method and apparatus capable of performing gas replacement with an inert gas or the like at a high replacement rate after filling an object to be packaged in a bag.

Filling bags made of synthetic resin with various items such as medicines and foods as packages, and maintaining the quality of these packages, the air in the bags is not nitrogen or carbon dioxide. Methods and devices for sealing by replacing with active gas have been widely known.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-11919 (Patent Document 1), a container containing food and a flange portion of a lid thereof are pressure-bonded so as to sandwich a gas introduction nozzle such as an inert gas, and are partially joined. A gas replacement packaging method and apparatus are described in which a gas introduction nozzle is removed after a gas is introduced into the inside, and an unjoined portion is joined.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-7139 (Patent Document 2) describes that after filling an article to be packaged such as food into a packaging bag, a gas filling nozzle is inserted into the packaging bag and the temporary sealing means is used. A filling and packaging method is described in which a bag mouth is temporarily attached while leaving the periphery of the nozzle, and then the bag filling is sealed after the gas filling nozzle is removed from the packaging bag.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-231506 (Patent Document 3) is a technique that performs deaeration (removal of air) instead of a gas replacement technique in the bag, but temporarily wraps an article to be packaged such as a paper roll. Insert a degassing nozzle into the opening of the packaged temporary package, and use a pair of pressure-bonding pieces made of an elastic material such as sponge rubber together with the degassing nozzle inserted in the opening of the temporary package from above and below. A method is described in which the pressure is squeezed and the inside of the temporary package is deaerated in that state. In such a deaeration method, when the deaeration process is completed, the deaeration nozzle is extracted from the opening. At the same time as the extraction, the opening of the temporary packaging body is crimped by the elastic force of the crimping piece. Outside air does not enter the body, and then the opening of the temporary packaging body is heat-sealed slightly outside the crimping piece to make it completely sealed.

JP 2003-11919 A JP 2008-7139 A JP 2003-231506 A

However, the gas replacement packaging method and apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-11919 (Patent Document 1) does not remove the air in the container in advance when replacing the gas in the container. In other words, since the method and apparatus push out the air in the container with the introduced gas, the air tends to remain in the container, and it is difficult to perform gas replacement at a high replacement rate.
Further, the filling and packaging method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-7139 (Patent Document 2) also introduces gas into the packaging bag without previously removing the air in the packaging bag. It is difficult to replace the gas at a high replacement rate.

  Furthermore, with regard to the deaeration packaging apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-231506 (Patent Document 3), when the deaeration in the temporary packaging bag is completed and the nozzle is extracted from the temporary packaging bag, Since the opening of the packaging bag and the nozzle inserted therein are subjected to a clamping pressure by a pair of crimping pieces, the nozzle may damage the inner wall surface of the temporary packaging bag when the nozzle is removed. There is. If the inner wall surface of the packaging bag is damaged, not only will it cause pinholes in the packaging bag, but it may cause fine chips in the packaging bag. There is a problem that it cannot be used for the purpose of packaging.

  In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention can perform gas replacement with an inert gas or the like in a packaging bag filled with an article to be packaged at a high replacement rate, and further damage the inner wall surface of the packaging bag. It is an object of the present invention to provide a filling and packaging method and apparatus without any problems.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is as described in claim 1,
In a filling and packaging method in which a packaged bag is filled with an article to be packaged and replaced with gas and sealed,
After filling the object to be packaged in packaging bag from the opening of the packaging bag, to insert the gas replacement nozzle in the opening, and clamping sealed by intact pair of seal bars the entire area of the opening, the seal bars of the loaded heat-resistant packing groove provided on the sealing surface, the conductive seal bar of heat to partial while the gas replacement nozzle of said opening is closed by surrounding the inserted portion The seal is not sealed and unsealed, and the other parts are sealed, and after the air inside the bag is sucked and removed by the gas replacement nozzle, the gas is fed in to release the pressure tight seal on the opening. In this state, the gas replacement nozzle is removed from the packaging bag, and the unsealed portion of the packaging bag is sealed to seal the packaging bag.

In this way, the entire area of the opening is sandwiched and sealed with the gas replacement nozzle inserted into the opening of the bag, so that when the air inside the bag is sucked and removed by the gas replacement nozzle, outside air is introduced into the bag. Air can be removed efficiently and reliably without intrusion. Therefore, by supplying a gas such as an inert gas after sufficiently removing air, the gas in the bag can be replaced at a high replacement rate.
Also, in order to seal the other part of the opening part of the sachet except the part where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted, when the gas is sent into the sachet by the gas replacement nozzle, it is already sealed against the opening. Even if is released, the gas sent in hardly leaks out of the sachet and is hardly wasted.
Furthermore, the portion where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted in the opening portion of the bag is not sealed, and the gas replacement nozzle is pulled out from the bag in a state in which the pressure-tight sealing with respect to the opening is released. Will come out of the bag smoothly and will not damage the inner wall of the bag.

  Next, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the unsealed portion of the sachet is closed immediately after the gas replacement nozzle is extracted from the sachet, and then the unsealed portion is sealed to seal the sachet. The filling and packaging method according to claim 1.

In the present invention, the term “closed” refers to a state in which two front and rear synthetic resin sheets constituting the unsealed portion of the wrapping bag are stretched and overlapped to close the opening of the unsealed portion. Therefore, it is not in a completely sealed state like a seal.
In this way, the unsealed part of the sachet is closed immediately after the gas replacement nozzle is pulled out, so gas leakage from the sachet and the inside of the sachet will remain for a while until the unsealed part is completely sealed. Intrusion of outside air into the can be prevented.

Next, the present invention as described in claim 3,
A bag holding means for holding the bag;
A filling means for filling the package into the package from the opening of the package;
A gas replacement nozzle that can be inserted into and removed from the opening, and is connected to an air suction means and a gas supply means;
Opening sealing and first sealing means for sealing and sealing the entire area of the opening, sealing the other part of the opening where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted without sealing, and sealing the other part When,
A second sealing means for sealing the unsealed portion of the bag;
The opening sealing and the first sealing means include a pair of seal bars, which are inserted into the sealing surface of the sealing bar when they are relatively close to each other to clamp and seal the opening. A groove for forming a gap for accommodating the gas replacement nozzle is provided,
The groove portion is provided with a heat-resistant packing that surrounds and seals a portion of the opening where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted, and prevents heat conduction of the seal bar to the portion.
In wrapper which is open held by the packaging bag holding means, after filling the packed material by said filling means, said insert gas replacement nozzle, as the opening sealing the opening portion and the said opening while clamping pressure sealed by a pair of seal bars in the first sealing means, the sealing of the other parts except the unsealed portion of the opening, the gas after the aspirated air in the packaging bag by the gas replacement nozzle The gas replacement nozzle is pulled out from the wrapping bag in a state where the opening sealing and the pressure-tight sealing of the opening by the first sealing means are released, and the unsealed portion of the wrapping bag is removed by the second sealing means. It is a filling and packaging apparatus configured to seal a sachet by sealing.

With such a configuration, the nipping and sealing of the opening portion of the sachet and the first seal can be performed simultaneously by the same means, so that the mechanism of the apparatus can be simplified and the manufacturing efficiency can be improved.
In addition, since the entire area of the opening is clamped and sealed by the opening sealing and the first sealing means while the gas replacement nozzle is inserted into the opening of the bag, the air inside the bag is sucked and removed by the gas replacement nozzle. In addition, air can be removed efficiently and reliably without outside air entering the bag. Therefore, by supplying a gas such as an inert gas after sufficiently removing air, the gas in the bag can be replaced at a high replacement rate.
Furthermore, in order to seal other portions of the opening portion of the packaging bag except the portion where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted by the opening sealing and the first sealing means, gas is fed into the packaging bag by the gas replacement nozzle. In this case, even if the clamping pressure sealing for the opening has already been released, the introduced gas is hardly leaked out of the bag and is hardly wasted.
In addition, the opening sealing and the first sealing means do not seal the portion of the opening of the wrapping bag where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted, and the gas replacement is performed from the wrapping bag in a state in which the squeezing seal against the opening is released. Since the nozzle is withdrawn, the gas replacement nozzle is smoothly removed from the wrapping bag and does not damage the inner wall surface of the wrapping bag.

Furthermore, according to the invention described in claim 3, since the pair of seal bars can perform the pressure-tight sealing and the first sealing of the opening portion of the bag, the mechanism of the apparatus can be simplified and the manufacturing efficiency can be improved. Can be made.
In addition, since the packing is mounted in the groove portion of the seal bar, it is possible to ensure the pressure-tight sealing of the bag opening, and when the seal bar is a heat seal bar, the packing functions as a heat insulating material. It is possible to prevent the heat conduction of the seal bar to the portion where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted in the opening portion of the wrapping bag, and to reliably form the unsealed portion without melting the synthetic resin sheet constituting the wrapping bag. it can.

Then, as the present invention according to claim 4, wrapper holding means for closing the unsealed portion immediately after extracting the gas replacement nozzle from bandage, a mechanism for the wrapper to stretched state It is a filling packaging apparatus of Claim 3 provided.

  In this way, the wrapping bag holding means is provided with a mechanism for placing the wrapping bag in a stretched state. Therefore, the two synthetic resin sheets constituting the unsealed portion of the wrapping bag are stretched and overlapped to form an unsealed portion. Can be closed. Therefore, since the unsealed part can be closed immediately after the gas replacement nozzle is pulled out, gas leakage from the inside of the wrapping bag and intrusion of outside air into the wrapping bag for a while until the unsealed part is completely sealed. Can be prevented.

Next, the present invention is as claimed in claim 5, wrapper holding means comprises a pair of suspension pins simultaneously and symmetrically movable in the lateral direction, were drilled in the side seal portion of the left and right wrapper The filling and packaging apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 , wherein the wrapping bag is suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding means by inserting the suspension pins into a pair of suspension holes, respectively.

In this way, the suspension pin is inserted into the suspension hole of the packaging bag so that the packaging bag is suspended and held, so even if the packaging bag is large and heavy, or the packaging material is slippery, it can be reliably Can be held in.
In addition, since the pair of suspension pins move simultaneously and symmetrically in the left-right direction, the gap between the pair of suspension pins is narrowed to open the wrapping bag that is suspended and held, or the interval is increased to allow the wrapping bag to be pinned. The center position of the wrapping bag relative to the wrapping bag holding means does not shift even when it is in a stretched tension state, so a series of processing such as filling of the wrapping material, gas replacement and sealing is performed with high accuracy. Can do.

Then, as the present invention according to claim 6, gas replacement nozzle is located a double pipe structure composed of an outer tube surrounding it and the inner tube, one of the inner tube or outer tube air suction The filling and packaging apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5 , wherein the filling means is connected to the means and the other one is connected to the gas supply means.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to perform suction removal of air in the bag and feed of gas such as inert gas with a single nozzle. Since the reverse operation of sending in, etc. can be performed by a separate route, the air once sucked into the nozzle flows back into the bag, or the air and gas are mixed in the nozzle This can prevent the gas replacement rate in the bag.

  According to the filling and packaging method and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to perform gas replacement with an inert gas or the like in a packaging bag filled with an article to be packaged at a high replacement rate, and further damage the inner wall surface of the packaging bag. No packing method and apparatus can be provided.

It is a side view of one Embodiment of the filling packaging apparatus concerning this invention. It is a top view of the filling packaging apparatus shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of the filling packaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in order from (a) to (d). It is explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of the filling packaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in order from (e) to (h). It is explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of the filling packaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in order from (i) to (j). It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure and operation | movement of the filling packaging apparatus shown in FIG. It is a front view of the packaging bag holding | maintenance unit of the filling packaging apparatus shown in FIG. It is a left view of the bag holding | maintenance unit shown in FIG. It is a front view of the 1st seal bar of the filling packaging apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a right side view of the first seal bar shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the first seal bar shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a half cylindrical packing attached to the groove portion of the first seal bar shown in FIG. 9. It is a rear view of the half cylinder packing shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state which mounted | wore the cylindrical packing to the gas replacement nozzle shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless contrary to the spirit of the present invention.

One embodiment of the filling and packaging apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
The filling and packaging apparatus 1 includes a transport chain 14 that is rotatably fitted to sprockets 13 a and 13 b installed on a machine base 10, and twelve bag holding units 9 that are mounted on the transport chain 14 at substantially equal intervals. A bag feeding station 2 for suspending and holding an empty bag 15 supplied by the worker H on the bag holding unit 9, an opening station 3 for opening the bag 15 with a cutter 34, and an opened bag 15 Opening station 4 for feeding an inert gas (nitrogen) into the wrapping bag 15, filling station 5 for filling the wrapping bag 15 with a predetermined amount of packaged material (powder), and wrapping bag 15 A gas replacement station 6 that replaces the inside with an inert gas and performs partial sealing, a sealing station 7 that completely seals the bag 15, and a cooling station 8 that cools the sealed upper edge of the bag 15 are provided. It is.

  The sprockets 13a and 13b are fixed to the upper ends of the two rotary shafts 12 penetrating the bearings 11a and 11b provided upright on the machine base 1, respectively. Of these two rotary shafts, the rotary shaft 12 to which the sprocket 13a is fixed rotates intermittently by the operation of a motor (not shown) installed in the machine base 10, so that the sprocket 13a rotates intermittently in the direction of the arrow A2. And the conveyance chain 14 fitted to the sprockets 13a and 13b also rotates intermittently in the arrow A1 direction. Accordingly, the bag holding unit 9 mounted on the transfer chain 14 is intermittently transferred and stops at a predetermined position in each of the stations 2 to 8 for a predetermined time, so that the bag holding unit 9 is suspended and held in the meantime. Each wrapping bag 15 is configured to receive processing by each station. Then, when the processing of each station for each packing bag 15 is completed, the rotation of the transfer chain 14 is started, and each packing bag 15 moves to the next station and receives the next processing, and this intermittent transfer operation is performed. It is supposed to be repeated.

Next, the configuration and operation of the filling and packaging method and filling and packaging apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.
FIG. 3A illustrates a method for attaching an empty wrapping bag 15 to the wrapping bag holding unit 9 performed in the bag supply station 2 and a schematic configuration of the bag supply station 2.
A packaging bag 15 shown in FIG. 3A is an aspect of a packaging bag that can be suitably applied to the filling and packaging apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, and heats four edges of two rectangular olefin-based synthetic resin sheets. It is sealed and sealed. Therefore, the wrapping bag 15 can be sterilized by, for example, using a retort sterilizer or the like as it is under pressure and heat sterilization.

Suspension holes 16a and 16b are formed in the upper portions of the left and right side seal portions 151 of the wrapping bag 15, and the wrapping bag 15 is wrapped by inserting the suspension pins 94a and 94b of the wrapping bag holding unit 9 into each. The holding unit 9 is suspended and held.
In addition, as a method for holding the wrapping bag 15 in the wrapping bag holding unit 9, a method using a clamp or the like sandwiching the left and right side seal portions 151 instead of the suspension pins 94a and 94b can be considered. If the bag 15 is heavy or the material of the bag 15 is slippery, the method of inserting the suspension pins 94a and 94b into the suspension holes 16a and 16b as in the present embodiment ensures that the bag is accurately positioned. This is desirable because it can be suspended.
In this embodiment, the suspending operation of the wrapping bag 15 to the suspending pins 94a and 94b of the wrapping bag holding unit 9 is performed manually by the worker H, but can be mechanized.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the configuration of the bag holding unit 9 which is one embodiment of the bag holding means is provided with suspension pins 94a and 94b protruding from the upper end. The left and right arms 91a and 91b having substantially symmetrical shapes, the bracket 98 fixed to the transfer chain 14 and supporting the left and right arms 91a and 91b by the pivot shafts 92a and 92b, and the lower ends of the left and right arms 91a and 91b. It comprises a connected pull spring 95, a lever 96 extending from the lower part of the left arm 91a in the lower left direction, and a roller 97 rotatably attached to the lower end of the lever 96. Further, the left and right arms 91a and 91b are fan-shaped gears that mesh with each other so as to be opposed to each other in the right direction from the left arm 91a and the left direction from the right arm 91b, respectively, in a substantially central portion pivotally supported by the bracket 98. 93a and 93b are extended.

  In the bag holding unit 9, the left and right arms 91a and 91b move simultaneously and symmetrically in the left-right direction along with the intermittent conveyance by the conveyance chain 14, and the suspension pins 94a and 94b projecting from the upper ends thereof The interval is controlled. More specifically, the roller 97 at the lower end of the lever 96 is in contact with a cam surface of a cam (not shown) installed on the machine base 10 along the conveyance path of the bag holding unit 9. The cam surface is moved along with the intermittent conveyance, and the height difference of the cam surface is transmitted to the lever 96 as an up-down motion. Next, the up / down movement of the lever 96 is converted into a left / right movement in the left arm 91a to which the lever 96 is extended, and is further transmitted from the sector gear 93a to the meshing gear 93b so that the right arm 91b It swings in the left-right direction simultaneously and symmetrically with the arm 91a. Therefore, the interval between the suspension pins 94a and 94b at the upper ends of the left and right arms 91a and 91b is appropriately opened and closed.

As described above, when the suspension holding operation of the wrapping bag 15 to the wrapping bag holding unit 9 is completed, the rotation of the transfer chain 14 is started, and the wrapping bag 15 is transferred to the opening station 3 which is the next step.
FIG. 3B and FIG. 6B illustrate a method of opening the packaging bag 15 performed in the opening station 3 and a schematic configuration of the opening station 3.

When the wrapping bag 15 suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding unit 9 is conveyed to the opening station 3 and stopped at a predetermined position, the upper edge of the wrapping bag 15 is pinched by the pressing bar 33 and the suction box 31 in the front-rear direction and fixed. To do. Next, the cutter 34 cuts while slightly moving the lower part of the seal portion at the upper edge of the wrapping bag 15 in the direction of arrow A3, and opens the wrapping bag 15.
At that time, fine chips may be generated by cutting the packaging bag 15 by the cutter 34, but if such chips enter the lumen 152 of the packaging bag 15, it may cause a foreign matter contamination accident of the product. Need to be removed.

  In the present embodiment, the suction box 31 has a portion in contact with the front wrapping bag 15 that is open in the entire horizontal direction, and chips generated by the opening operation of the wrapping bag 15 by the cutter 34 are immediately opened. It is sucked into the suction box 31 from the portion. Thus, the suction box 31 has a negative pressure and generates a suction force. This is caused by the operation of a vacuum pump (not shown) through the suction pipe 32 connected to the suction box 31. By being removed by suction.

The cutter 34 is connected to the air cylinders 35a and 35b, moves in the direction of approaching or leaving the bag 15 by the operation of the air cylinder 35a, and the direction of the arrow A3 for cutting the bag 15 by the operation of the air cylinder 35b. Move in the opposite direction.
The air cylinders 35a and 35b use compressed air supplied from an air compressor (not shown) through an air supply pipe 38 as a power source, and the operations of these air cylinders 35a and 35b are the same as the two-way valves 37a and 37b. It is controlled by the pressure reducing valves 36a and 36b.
As described above, after the opening operation of the package 15 is completed, the rotation of the transport chain 14 is resumed, and the package 15 is transported to the opening station 4 which is the next process.

Next, FIG. 3 (c) and FIG. 6 (c) illustrate a method for opening the bag 15 performed at the opening station 4 and a schematic configuration of the opening station 4.
When the wrapping bag 15 suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding unit 9 is transported to the opening station 4 and stops at a predetermined position, the suction cups 42a and 42b relatively approach each other toward the wrapping bag 15 by the operation of an actuator (not shown). Adsorb to the sheets before and after the wrapping bag 15. At that time, the suction force of the suction cups 42a and 42b is given by the operation of a vacuum pump (not shown) through the suction pipes 41a and 41b connected to each of them.
Next, the suction cups 42a and 42b are moved in the direction of arrows A4a and A4b to separate the front and rear sheets of the bag 15, and at the same time, the distance between the left and right suspension pins 94a and 94b is reduced (arrows A5a and A5b). The opening portion 17 is formed by opening the opening portion at the top of the wrapping bag 15.

Thereafter, the air supply nozzle 43 is lowered and inserted into the opening 17 of the wrapping bag 15, and an inert gas is fed into the wrapping bag 15. Thereby, the lumen 152 of the sachet 15 can be further expanded and the gas replacement rate of the product can be further improved. At that time, an inert gas is supplied to the supply nozzle 43 from an inert gas supply source (nitrogen gas cylinder) (not shown) through the supply pipe 44.
When the feed of the inert gas into the wrapping bag 15 is completed, the air supply nozzle 43 is raised to the outside of the wrapping bag 15. The air supply nozzle 43 is lowered and raised from the air compressor (not shown) through the air supply pipe 48. The operation is performed by an air cylinder 45 that is operated by compressed air fed through the air, and is controlled by a two-way valve 47 and a pressure reducing valve 46.
When the opening operation of the wrapping bag 15 is completed, the rotation of the transport chain 14 is resumed, and the wrapping bag 15 is transported to the filling station 5 with the opening maintained.

FIGS. 3 (d) and 6 (d) illustrate a method for filling powder P into the packing bag 15 performed in the filling station 5, and a schematic configuration of the filling station 5 which is an embodiment of the filling means. is there.
When the wrapping bag 15 suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding unit 9 is transported to the filling station 5 and stops at a predetermined position, the filling nozzle 53 is lowered into the opening 17 of the wrapping bag 15 and inserted into the wrapping bag 15. A predetermined amount of powder P is filled.

The filling nozzle 53 has a double tube structure including a cylindrical inner tube 54 and a cylindrical outer tube 56 positioned so as to surround the inner tube 54, and the inner tube 54 is a powder discharger of the auger type powder filling machine 51. The outer pipe 56 communicates with the outlet, and is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) via a suction pipe 58.
In this embodiment, an auger type powder filling machine is adopted as the powder filling machine 51 and the filling amount is controlled by the number of rotations of the screw. However, any other type of filling machine is adopted. It is also possible.

The powder P discharged by a predetermined amount from the powder filling machine 51 falls in the inner tube 54 of the filling nozzle 53 and is discharged into the wrapping bag 15 from the discharge opening 55 at the lower end. At that time, the fine particles of the powder P fly up as dust in the wrapping bag 15, but if such dust adheres to the periphery of the opening 17 inside the wrapping bag 15, it hinders hermetically sealing the wrapping bag 15. Since there are cases, it is not preferable.
Therefore, immediately after the discharge of the powder P into the wrapping bag 15, the air in which the dust in the wrapping bag 15 is floating is sucked and removed from the suction opening 57 that opens in a ring shape at the lower end of the outer tube 56 of the filling nozzle 53. To do. A gas containing dust sucked into the outer tube 56 from the suction opening 57 is transferred through the suction tube 58 by an operation of a vacuum pump (not shown), and is exhausted into the air after dust is removed by a filter (not shown). .
The time required for sucking and removing the dust in the package 15 varies depending on the volume of the lumen 152 of the package 15 and the amount of powder P to be filled, but is usually about several seconds.

When the filling of the powder P into the wrapping bag 15 and the suction and removal of dust are completed, the filling nozzle 53 is raised to the outside of the wrapping bag 15. The lowering and raising of the filling nozzle 53 is performed by an air compressor (not shown). The air cylinder 59 is operated by compressed air.
When the filling nozzle 53 rises to a predetermined position, the rotation of the transport chain 14 is resumed, and the wrapping bag 15 is transported to the gas replacement station 6 with the opening maintained.

4 (e), (f), (g) and FIG. 6 (e) illustrate the gas replacement method and partial sealing method of the envelope 15 performed in the gas replacement station 6, and the schematic configuration of the gas replacement station 6. It is a thing.
When the wrapping bag 15 suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding unit 9 is conveyed to the gas replacement station 6 and stops at a predetermined position, the air cylinder 69a is actuated by the compressed air from an air compressor (not shown) and the gas replacement nozzle 61 is lowered. , And inserted in the approximate center of the opening 17 of the bag 15.

  The gas replacement nozzle 61 has a double tube structure including a cylindrical inner tube 62 and a cylindrical outer tube 64 surrounding the inner tube 62, and the inner tube 62 is vacuumed as air suction means via a suction tube (not shown). It is connected to a pump, and is configured to suck and remove air in the sachet 15 from a circular suction opening 63 at the lower end of the inner tube 62. Further, the outer tube 64 is a gas supply means (not shown) via an air supply tube 66. The inert gas (nitrogen gas) is fed into the wrapping bag 15 through the ring-shaped air supply opening 65 at the lower end thereof.

The gas replacement nozzle 61 of the present embodiment has a double-pipe structure in order to improve the inert gas replacement rate in the wrapping bag. However, if a high inert gas replacement rate is not required, A single-pipe structure in which gas is sucked and fed into the bag 15 by the same pipe by switching valves may be used.
In the gas replacement nozzle 61 of the present embodiment, the inner tube 62 is connected to a vacuum pump as an air suction unit, and the outer tube 64 is connected to a nitrogen gas cylinder as a gas supply unit. There is no problem even if the outer pipe 64 is connected to the air suction means and connected to the supply means.

  When the gas replacement nozzle 61 is inserted into the opening 17 of the bag 15, the air cylinder 69b is actuated by compressed air from an air compressor (not shown) as an embodiment of the opening sealing and first sealing means, The 1 seal bars 67a and 67b are relatively approached from the front and rear direction of the wrapping bag 15, and sandwich the gas replacement nozzle 61 inserted in the entire area of the opening 17 of the wrapping bag 15 and the approximate center of the opening 17 together.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the first seal bars 67a and 67b are provided with a groove portion 673 having a semicircular cross section at the center of each partial seal surface 671. A halved cylindrical packing 681 made of heat-resistant silicon rubber shown in FIG.
Accordingly, when the first seal bars 67a and 67b are pressed close together with their partial seal surfaces 671 close to each other to clamp the packaging bag 15, the half cylinders mounted in the respective groove portions 673 of the first seal bars 67a and 67b. The cylindrical packings 681 approach each other and form a cylindrical space surrounded by the opposed half-shaped cylindrical packings 681, and this space surrounds the cylindrical gas replacement nozzle 61 and has a substantially gap. The size can be accommodated without any problems.

  That is, since the inner diameter of the cylindrical gap is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the gas replacement nozzle 61, the gas replacement nozzle 61 inserted into the bag 15 and the opening 17 thereof by the first seal bars 67a and 67b is left as it is. In the case of clamping together, the portion of the upper edge of the package 15 that is clamped between the partial seal surfaces 671 of the first seal bars 67a and 67b and the inner peripheral surface of the half cylindrical packing 681 Between the gas replacement nozzle 61 and the outer peripheral surface of the gas replacement nozzle 61 occurs. However, since any part is clamped and sealed, the inside of the bag 15 is communicated with the gas replacement nozzle 61. Except for this point, the sealed state is secured.

Here, the first seal bars 67a and 67b are made of an aluminum alloy, and each of the first seal bars 67a and 67b is formed by a heater (not shown) fitted in a heater hole 672 provided through the inside in the lateral direction. The partial seal surface 671 is heated.
Therefore, when the packaging bag 15 and the gas replacement nozzle 61 inserted in the approximate center of the opening 17 are clamped by the first seal bars 67a and 67b, the opposed partial seals in the upper edge of the packaging bag 15 The portion sandwiched between the surfaces 671 is fused with the synthetic resin sheet of the wrapping bag 15 by heating to form a first seal portion (partial seal portion) 153. As described above, the heat sealing condition for forming the first seal portion 153 varies depending on the material and thickness of the wrapping bag 15, for example, the material of the wrapping bag 15 is an olefin synthetic resin, and the thickness of the sheet. Is about 0.1 to 0.5 mm, the set temperature of the partial seal surface 671 is set to about 120 to 170 ° C., and the holding time of the bag 15 is set to about 1 to 4 seconds.

  On the other hand, of the upper edge portion of the sachet 15, the portion sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface of the half cylindrical packing 681 attached to the first seal bars 67 a and 67 b and the outer peripheral surface of the gas replacement nozzle 61. Since the heat of the first seal bars 67a and 67b is cut off by the half cylindrical packing 681 made of heat-resistant silicone rubber, the resin sheet of the wrapping bag 15 becomes the unsealed portion 18 without melting.

In order to attach the half cylindrical packing 681 to the first seal bars 67a and 67b, the first seal bars 67a and 67b are heated to a high temperature. Therefore, it is not preferable to use an adhesive made of synthetic resin or the like. .
Therefore, in the present embodiment, a trapezoidal concave strip portion 674 whose cross-sectional shape expands toward the bottom portion is provided in the center of the groove portion 673 of the first seal bar 67, and the center of the rear surface of the half cylindrical packing 681 In addition, a trapezoidal ridge portion 682 whose cross-sectional shape expands toward the top portion is provided in the vertical direction, and the concave ridge portion 674 of the first seal bar 67 and the ridge portion 682 of the half cylindrical packing 681 are fitted. By combining, the half cylindrical packing 681 is fixedly attached to the groove portion 673 of the partial seal bar 67 without using an adhesive or the like.

In this embodiment, the half cylindrical packing 681 is attached to the first seal bars 67a and 67b. However, as shown in FIG. 14, the cylindrical packing is provided so as to surround the outer surface of the gas replacement nozzle 61. 683 may be attached.
In the present embodiment, heat sealing is employed as a sealing method for forming the first seal portion 153, but other sealing methods such as ultrasonic sealing may be employed.

As described above, when the package 15 and the gas replacement nozzle 61 inserted into the opening 17 thereof are clamped and sealed together by the first seal bars 67a and 67b, the first seal portion 153 is formed. At the same time, air in the bag 15 is removed by suction (deaeration) from the gas replacement nozzle 61.
As described above, the gas replacement nozzle 61 is composed of the cylindrical inner tube 62 and the outer tube 64 surrounding the inner tube 62. The inner tube 62 is connected to a vacuum pump via a suction tube (not shown), and suction at the lower end thereof. Air in the bag 15 is removed by suction from the opening 63. In this case, since the sealed state is ensured except for the point that the wrapping bag 15 communicates with the gas replacement nozzle 61, the air in the wrapping bag 15 is removed by suction from the inner tube 62 of the gas replacement nozzle 61. Moreover, outside air does not flow into the wrapping bag 15 from the opening 17 or the like, and suction and removal can be performed reliably and efficiently.

  Thus, during the suction removal of the air in the sachet 15, it is necessary to keep the upper edge portion of the sachet 15 and the gas replacement nozzle 61 between the first seal bars 67 a and 67 b, so the time required for the suction removal Needs to be the same as or shorter than the time required to form the first seal portion 153. Such time adjustment can be performed by appropriately adjusting the capacity of the vacuum pump when sucking and removing the air in the wrapping bag 15, the heat seal temperature when forming the first seal portion 153, and the like.

When the suction and removal of the air in the wrapping bag 15 is completed, an inert gas is sent into the wrapping bag 15 from the air supply opening 65 through the outer tube 64 of the gas replacement nozzle 61. The amount of the inert gas fed varies depending on the size of the wrapping bag 15, but when the powder P in the wrapping bag 15 is compressed and hardened due to the suction and removal of air, a space that can be unraveled is secured. Is sufficient.
When the inert gas is fed, the inside of the wrapping bag 15 is at a positive pressure, so that outside air does not flow in even if the wrapping bag 15 is not sealed. Therefore, it is not necessary to sandwich and seal the bag 15 and the gas replacement nozzle 61 inserted into the opening 17 by the first seal bars 67a and 67b.
In the present embodiment, the first seal bars 67 a and 67 b are controlled to be separated from the wrapping bag 15 immediately after the start of feeding of the inert gas into the wrapping bag 15.

  When the feed of the inert gas is completed, the air cylinder 69a is operated to raise the gas replacement nozzle 61 to remove it from the wrapping bag 15, and then the suspension pins 94a and 94b of the wrapping bag holding unit 9 are opened with an interval between them. It is moved in the direction of A6a and A6b, and the wrapping bag 15 suspended by the suspension holes 16a and 16b is pulled in the left-right direction so that its upper edge is tightly stretched. This closes and closes the unsealed portion 18 that is the portion where the gas replacement nozzle 61 at the upper edge of the wrapping bag 15 is pulled out, so that it is difficult for the inert gas to leak from the wrapping bag 15, and further It becomes difficult for outside air to flow into 15.

In the present embodiment, the term “closed” refers to a state where the front and rear synthetic resin sheets constituting the unsealed portion 18 are stretched and overlapped by pulling the wrapping bag 15 in the lateral direction, and the opening of the unsealed portion 18 is closed. It is not completely sealed like a seal. Therefore, leakage of the inert gas in the sachet 15 and inflow of outside air into the sachet 15 cannot be completely prevented. Therefore, it is desirable to completely seal the unsealed portion 18 in the next process as soon as possible.
As described above, after the gas replacement operation in the packaging bag 15 is completed, the rotation of the transfer chain 14 is resumed, and the packaging bag 15 remains in a state where the unsealed portion 18 is closed and is a sealing station for the next process. Up to 7.

FIG. 4 (h) and FIG. 6 (h) illustrate a complete sealing method of the upper edge portion of the bag 15 performed in the sealing station 7 and a schematic configuration of the sealing station 7.
When the wrapping bag 15 suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding unit 9 is transported to the sealing station 7 and stops at a predetermined position, the air cylinder 72 is operated by compressed air from an air compressor (not shown) as one embodiment of the second sealing means. Then, the second seal bars 71a and 71b relatively approach from the front and rear direction of the wrapping bag 15, and pinch the unsealed portion 18 at the upper edge portion of the wrapping bag 15.

The second seal bars 71a and 71b are formed of an aluminum alloy, and the sealing surface is heated by a heater (not shown). Therefore, when the unsealed portion 18 of the wrapping bag 15 is clamped with these, The synthetic resin sheet of the bag 15 is fused by heating to form a second seal portion (complete seal portion) 154. The bag 15 is completely sealed by forming the second seal portion 154.
The heat sealing conditions such as the temperature and time for forming the second seal portion 154 are substantially the same as the heating conditions for forming the first seal portion 153.
When the formation of the second seal portion 154 is finished, the second seal bars 71a and 71b are separated from the wrapping bag 15, and then the rotation of the transport chain 14 is resumed, and the wrapping bag 15 is transported to the cooling station 8 which is the next process. Is done.

FIG. 5 (i) illustrates a cooling method for the upper edge seal portion of the bag 15 performed at the cooling station 8 and a schematic configuration of the cooling station 8.
When the wrapping bag 15 suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding unit 9 is conveyed to the cooling station 8 and stops at a predetermined position, the air cylinder is operated by compressed air from an air compressor (not shown), and the cooling bars 81a and 81b are connected to the wrapping bag. 15 is relatively approached from the front-rear direction, and both the first seal part 153 and the second seal part 154 of the bag 15 are clamped.
The cooling process of each seal portion in the cooling station 8 is not necessarily a necessary process in the present invention. However, since the first seal portion 153 and the second seal portion 154 have just been fused and formed at the gas replacement station 6 and the sealing station 7, the synthetic resin may not be completely solidified, and the cooling bars 81a and 81b It is preferable to perform the cooling process by sandwiching the pressure between the two and the like, since the fusion strength of each seal portion can be improved and the generation of pinholes in the wrapping bag can be prevented.

The time required for cooling varies depending on the type of synthetic resin forming the sachet and the thickness of the synthetic resin sheet, but it is only necessary to clamp each seal portion with the cooling bars 81a and 81b for approximately one second.
The cooling bar 81 is made of an aluminum alloy and has excellent heat dissipation, but it is also possible to attach a device for forcibly cooling the cooling bar.
When the cooling of each seal portion is completed, the cooling bars 81 a and 81 b are separated from the packaging bag 15, and then the rotation of the conveyance chain 14 is resumed, and the packaging bag 15 is conveyed to the bag supply station 2.

FIG. 5 (j) illustrates a method of removing the packed bag 15 that has been filled and packaged at the bag supply station 2 from the package holding unit 9.
When the wrapping bag 15 that has finished all the processing is suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding unit 9 and transported to the bag feeding station 2 again and stopped at a predetermined position, the worker H suspends the suspension pins 94a of the wrapping bag holding unit 9; The bag 15 is removed from 94b.
In addition, in this embodiment, although the removal operation | work of the wrapping bag 15 from the suspension pins 94a and 94b is performed manually, it can also be mechanized.

  After all the processes in the present embodiment, the packaging bag 15 filled with the powder P and subjected to nitrogen gas replacement is manufactured using a small amount of nitrogen in a normal air environment without using a nitrogen chamber or the like. In spite of this, 96 to 98% was achieved as the nitrogen substitution rate in the sachet, indicating the remarkable effect of the present invention.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful for providing a filling and packaging method and apparatus capable of performing gas replacement with an inert gas or the like at a high replacement rate after filling a package bag with an article to be packaged.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Filling and packaging apparatus 2 Bag feeding station 3 Unpacking station 4 Opening station 5 Filling station 6 Gas replacement station 7 Sealing station 8 Cooling station 9 Packing bag holding unit 10 Machine base 13a, 13b Sprocket 14 Transport chain 15 Packing bag 16a, 16b Suspension hole 17 Opening 18 Unsealed part 31 Suction box 32, 41a, 41b, 58 Suction tube 33 Press bar 34 Cutter 35a, 35b, 45, 59, 69a, 69b, 72 Air cylinder 36a, 36b, 46 Pressure reducing valve 37a, 37b, 47 Two-way valve 38, 48 Air supply pipe 42a, 42b Suction cup 43 Air supply nozzle 51 Powder filling machine 53 Filling nozzle 54, 62 Inner pipe 55 Discharge opening 56, 64 Outer pipe 57, 63 Suction opening 61 Gas replacement nozzle 65 Air supply Opening 66 Air supply pipe 67a 67b First seal bar 71a, 71b Second seal bar 81a, 81b Cooling bar 91a, 91b Arm 93a, 93b Fan gear 94a, 94b Suspension pin 95 Pull spring 97 Roller 153 First seal portion 154 Second seal portion 671 Partial seal surface 673 Groove 674 Concave 675 Back 676 Bolt hole 681 Half split cylindrical packing 682 Convex 683 Cylindrical packing H Worker P Powder

Claims (6)

In a filling and packaging method in which a packaged bag is filled with an article to be packaged and replaced with gas and sealed,
After filling the object to be packaged in packaging bag from the opening of the packaging bag, to insert the gas replacement nozzle in the opening, and clamping sealed by intact pair of seal bars the entire area of the opening, the seal bars of the loaded heat-resistant packing groove provided on the sealing surface, the conductive seal bar of heat to partial while the gas replacement nozzle of said opening is closed by surrounding the inserted portion The seal is not sealed and unsealed, and the other parts are sealed, and after the air inside the bag is sucked and removed by the gas replacement nozzle, the gas is fed in to release the pressure tight seal on the opening. A filling and packaging method in which the packaging bag is sealed by extracting the gas replacement nozzle from the packaging bag and sealing the unsealed portion of the packaging bag.   The filling and packaging method according to claim 1, wherein the unsealed portion of the wrapping bag is closed immediately after the gas replacement nozzle is extracted from the wrapping bag, and then the unsealed portion is sealed to seal the wrapping bag. A bag holding means for holding the bag;
A filling means for filling the package into the package from the opening of the package;
A gas replacement nozzle that can be inserted into and removed from the opening, and is connected to an air suction means and a gas supply means;
Opening sealing and first sealing means for sealing and sealing the entire area of the opening, sealing the other part of the opening where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted without sealing, and sealing the other part When,
A second sealing means for sealing the unsealed portion of the bag;
The opening sealing and the first sealing means include a pair of seal bars, which are inserted into the sealing surface of the sealing bar when they are relatively close to each other to clamp and seal the opening. A groove for forming a gap for accommodating the gas replacement nozzle is provided,
The groove portion is provided with a heat-resistant packing that surrounds and seals a portion of the opening where the gas replacement nozzle is inserted, and prevents heat conduction of the seal bar to the portion.
In wrapper which is open held by the packaging bag holding means, after filling the packed material by said filling means, said insert gas replacement nozzle, as the opening sealing the opening portion and the said opening while clamping pressure sealed by a pair of seal bars in the first sealing means, the sealing of the other parts except the unsealed portion of the opening, the gas after the aspirated air in the packaging bag by the gas replacement nozzle The gas replacement nozzle is pulled out from the wrapping bag in a state where the opening sealing and the pressure-tight sealing of the opening by the first sealing means are released, and the unsealed portion of the wrapping bag is removed by the second sealing means. A filling and packaging apparatus configured to seal a bag by sealing. The filling and packaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the sachet holding means includes a mechanism that puts the sachet in a stretched state for closing the unsealed portion immediately after the gas replacement nozzle is extracted from the sachet. The wrapping bag holding means includes a pair of suspension pins that move simultaneously and symmetrically in the left-right direction, and each of the suspension pins is inserted into a pair of suspension holes formed in the left and right side seal portions of the wrapping bag. The filling and packaging apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 , wherein the wrapping bag is suspended and held by the wrapping bag holding means. The gas replacement nozzle has a double tube structure including an inner tube and an outer tube surrounding the inner tube, and either the inner tube or the outer tube is connected to the air suction means, and the other one is connected to the gas supply means. The filling and packaging apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5 .

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