JP6144035B2 - Filling machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a filling machine and a filling method used in the fields of food, medicine, pharmaceuticals and the like. In particular, the present invention relates to a filling machine capable of performing a sanitary and safe filling operation on a packaging material in a limited space.

  A container (wrapping material) made of a so-called bag-in-box (also referred to as B, I, B) in which a thin-walled container such as polyethylene is accommodated inside a strong container such as corrugated cardboard to store liquid. It is used. A weight-type filling machine is used for filling a liquid or the like to be filled with such a packaging material.

  However, it is eagerly desired to reduce the installation space at the production site. In particular, when a clean room surrounding equipment is required, such as aseptic filling, the entire installation facility tends to be large, and there is a demand for downsizing of such a filling machine.

On the other hand, a B / I / B continuous bag pillow type filling machine is known as a filling machine. This filling machine is used in the fields of food, medicine, pharmaceuticals and the like.
In this filling machine, after the packaging material is filled with the filling object, the cap is capped, and then the perforation between the continuous bags as the packaging material is cut by a cutter.

  For this reason, in the conventional filling machine, the cutter mechanism for cut | disconnecting a packaging material over the full width was required. That is, the installation space for such a cutter mechanism was essential.

  The inventor pays attention to such a cutter mechanism, and has been made as a result of intensive studies. A filling mechanism that eliminates the need for a conventional cutter mechanism and enables the packaging material to be efficiently separated. The purpose is to provide a machine.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a filling machine that fills an object to be filled with a filling valve inside a packaging material having a spout portion of the object to be filled that is made of a flexible thin film and is plugged with a cap. A gripping mechanism for chucking the spout portion of the packaging material filled with the filling valve with the filling object, and the packaging material is formed by integrally forming a plurality of film bag bodies, A cutting mechanism that cuts a part of the perforation during or after filling the one film bag constituting the packaging material with the filling valve. By opening, the one film bag body after filling the filling object is dropped by its own weight.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a filling machine for filling an object to be filled by a filling valve 8 into a packaging material having a spout portion 3 of the object to be filled which is made of a flexible thin film and is plugged with a cap, The vacuum chamber 50 is connected to an automatic valve 52 interposed between the chamber 50 and the filling valve 8, an automatic valve 54 for opening the vacuum chamber 50 to the atmosphere, and a pipe line 72 connecting the vacuum chamber 50 and the vacuum pump 62. An automatic valve 58 and a main valve 66 interposed in the flow direction of the main valve 66, an automatic valve 60 interposed for releasing the atmosphere between the automatic valve 58 and the main valve 66, and a vacuum pump 62 downstream of the main valve 66 are provided. ,
The inside of the packaging material is evacuated from the filling valve 8. At this time, the open / closed state (first open / closed state) of each automatic valve is as follows:
Automatic valve 52: Open Automatic valve 54: Closed Automatic valve 56: Closed Automatic valve 58: Open Automatic valve 60: Open The main valve 66 directly connected to the vacuum pump 62 is opened while the vacuum pump 62 is in operation. And
In the first open / close state, air from the inside of the packaging material is evacuated by the vacuum pump 62 through the automatic valve 52, the automatic valve 58, and the basic valve 66, and the air in the packaging material is removed, and foaming during filling is performed. On the other hand, there is also provided a filling machine that can prevent liquid foaming by opening the automatic valve 60 to the atmosphere and tightly filling it with the air removed.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a filling machine for filling a filling object with a filling valve 8 inside a packaging material having a spout portion 3 of the filling object made of a flexible thin film and plugged with a cap.
A vacuum chamber is connected to an automatic valve 52 interposed between the vacuum chamber 50 and the filling valve 8, an automatic valve 54 for opening the vacuum chamber 50 to the atmosphere, and a pipe line 72 connecting the vacuum chamber 50 and the vacuum pump 62. 50, an automatic valve 58 and a main valve 66 interposed in the flow direction from 50, an automatic valve 60 interposed for opening to the atmosphere between the automatic valve 58 and the main valve 66, and a vacuum pump 62 downstream of the main valve 66, With
After filling the packaging material with the liquid, the filling valve 8 is detached from the spout portion 3, and immediately after that, the liquid accumulated at the tip of the filling valve 8 is opened and closed in each of the following automatic valves (second opening and closing state). With a vacuum,
Automatic valve 52: Open Automatic valve 54: Closed Automatic valve 56: Closed Automatic valve 58: Opened Automatic valve 60: Closed We also provide a filling machine that prevents dripping when the automatic valve 60 is closed. Is done.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a filling machine for filling an object to be filled with a filling valve 8 inside a packaging material having a spout portion 3 of the object to be filled which is made of a flexible thin film and is plugged with a cap,
A vacuum chamber is connected to an automatic valve 52 interposed between the vacuum chamber 50 and the filling valve 8, an automatic valve 54 for opening the vacuum chamber 50 to the atmosphere, and a pipe line 72 connecting the vacuum chamber 50 and the vacuum pump 62. 50, an automatic valve 58 and a main valve 66 interposed in the flow direction from 50, an automatic valve 60 interposed for opening to the atmosphere between the automatic valve 58 and the main valve 66, and a vacuum pump 62 downstream of the main valve 66, With
The open / close state of the automatic valve is as follows,
Automatic valve 52: Closed Automatic valve 54: Opened Automatic valve 56: Opened Automatic valve 58: Closed We also provide a filling machine that discharges the liquid collected in the vacuum chamber 50 when the filling valve 8 fills the liquid. Is done.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the filling machine which made the conventional cutter mechanism unnecessary, and enabled it to cut | disconnect a packaging material efficiently, and the filling machine which performed the other improvement are provided.

It is a notional top view explaining one embodiment about a filling machine concerning the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a conceptual side view illustrating an embodiment of a filling machine according to the present invention. It is a side view explaining the embodiment about the cutting mechanism employ | adopted by this invention. It is a top view of the cutting table 36 vicinity which demonstrates one Embodiment about the cutting mechanism employ | adopted by this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a conceptual diagram explaining the embodiment about the apparatus which suppresses foaming employ | adopted by this invention, and the apparatus which prevents dripping. It is a conceptual front view explaining one embodiment about the filling valve adopted by the present invention.

Hereinafter, the filling machine according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the embodiment thereof.
In the following description, it is assumed that the filling object is a liquid. However, the present invention can be applied not only to liquids but also to other fluids such as powders and granules, if possible.

1 and 2 show an outline of an embodiment of a filling machine according to the present invention.
1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a packaging material. The packaging material 1 is formed by integrally molding a plurality of continuous film bags 2. Adjacent film bag bodies 2 are connected by perforations.
The film bag body 2 is formed of a flexible thin film and has a spout part 3 (liquid inlet part) that is plugged with a cap.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 5 denotes a finished product B · I · B (bag-in-box), which is configured to accommodate the film bag body 2 inside a strong cardboard container 6.

  In the present embodiment, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filling machine 7 is provided with a mechanism / element that an ordinary filling machine should have. For the convenience of explanation, those not related to the main part of the present invention are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the filling machine 7 includes a filling valve 8 for filling a liquid.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the filling machine 7 includes a gripping mechanism (chucking unit) that chucks the spout unit 3. The gripping mechanism is composed of a chuck composed of a pair of grips 9 and 9.
The filling machine 7 includes a cutting mechanism 11 that cuts the perforations during or after filling the film bag 2 with the liquid.

An outline of the operation of the filling machine 7 according to the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described below.
The packaging material 1 is stored in a packaging material storage box 13. The film bag body 2 is sequentially pulled out from the packaging material storage box 13 (FIG. 2), and the spout part 3 is guided to the gap between the transport rails 15 and 15 and transported.

Here, the preceding one film bag body 2 is set to 2 (A), and the following film bag body 2 to follow is set to 2 (B). In the preceding film bag body 2 (A), the spout part 3 is gripped by the chuck handles 9, 9. The state of FIG. 1 is a state in which the handles 9 and 9 are opened. When the film bag body 2 advances, one handle 9 (A) waits for the spout part 3, and the spout part 3 is locked by this handle 9 (A). And the other handle 9 (B) is extended to the spout part 3 side, engages with the handle 9 (A), and fixes the spout part 3.
On the other hand, the following film bag body 2 (B) is also locked by the spout portion 3 by the packaging material stopper 17, thereby fixing the position.
A constant tension is generated between the front and rear spout portions 3, 3 in the state of the heel.
The preceding film bag 2 (A) is placed on the inclined roller base 12.

  Here, the liquid is filled with the film bag 2 (A) by the filling valve 8. During or after the liquid filling, the cutting mechanism 11 operates to cut a part of the perforation between the film bag body 2 (A) and the film bag body 2 (B). The operation of the cutting mechanism 11 will be described later.

Here, when the grips 9 and 9 of the chuck are opened, the perforations that are not cut by the weight of the filled film bag 2 (A) are also cut, and the film bag 2 (A) 12 is slid onto the cardboard container 6.
On the other hand, as the film bag body 2 (A) moves on the inclined roller base 12 by its own weight, the entire packaging material 1 of the plurality of continuous film bag bodies 2 is conveyed along with it, as shown in FIG. Returning to the state, the film bag body 2 (B) moves to the position of the previous film bag body 2 (A), and the liquid bag is filled.

Next, the cutting mechanism 11 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The cutting mechanism 11 includes two cylinders 30 and 32. The cylinder 30 extends to push up the entire cutting mechanism 11 and bring the cutting protrusion 34 closer to the perforation between the film bag body 2 (A) and the film bag body 2 (B).
On the other hand, the cutting table 36 is provided with a hole 38 so that the cutting projection 34 can be inserted therethrough.
When the entire cutting mechanism 11 is pushed up, the vicinity of the perforation of the packaging material 1 (not shown) is tightly held between the cutting table 36 and the rail 15.

Thereafter, during or after filling the liquid, the cylinder mechanism 32 pushes the cutting protrusion 34 upward. This cuts a part of the perforation.
It is sufficient to open the chuck and cut only the perforations that are sufficient to be cut by the weight of the filled film bag 2 (A).
The cutting protrusion 34 is not sharp as understood from the side surface of FIG. 3, and is configured such that the tip has a curved surface. If the tip is sharp, the packaging material may be damaged, which is not preferable.

In addition, in embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the packaging material 1 shall consist of the several film bag body 2 continuing. However, the target packaging material is not limited to this, and may be a packaging material in which a plurality of self-supporting gusset-type bags are connected.
Moreover, the spout part 3 is located in the center seeing in the width direction in embodiment of FIGS. 1-4. However, it may be installed at either the left or right corner. In this case, it is preferable that the side without the spout portion 3 as viewed in the width direction is positioned relatively upward from the upstream side to the downstream side of the inclined roller base 12. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the bag body from being displaced during filling.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of an apparatus for suppressing foaming and preventing liquid dripping when the filling object to be filled is a liquid in the filling machine according to the present invention.
In the embodiment of FIG. 5, as main components, 8 is a filling valve, 50 is a vacuum chamber, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 are automatic valves, and 62 is a vacuum pump.
The automatic valve 52 is interposed between the vacuum chamber 50 and the filling valve 8, and the automatic valve 54 is for opening the vacuum chamber 50 to the atmosphere.
Furthermore, an automatic valve 58 and a main valve 66 are interposed in the pipe line 72 connecting the vacuum chamber 50 and the vacuum pump 62 in the flow direction as viewed from the vacuum chamber 50. Between the automatic valve 58 and the main valve 66, an automatic valve 60 for releasing the atmosphere is interposed.

Here, the operation procedure of the embodiment of FIG. 5 will be described.
First, the spout portion 3 of the film bag body 2 is passed through the rail 15 in FIG. 1 and chucked with the grips 9 and 9 of the chuck.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, the filling valve 8 descends to the chucked spout portion 3, and the filling valve 8 is engaged with the spout portion 3 in a watertight manner.
Next, the inside of the film bag body 2 is evacuated from the front end portion of the filling valve 8 through the central tube 64. At this time, the open / closed state (first open / closed state) of each automatic valve is as follows.

Automatic valve 52: Automatic opening valve 54: Automatic closing valve 56: Automatic closing valve 58: Automatic opening valve 60: Opening

  The basic valve 66 directly connected to the vacuum pump 62 is opened while the vacuum pump 62 is operating.

  In the first open / close state, air from the film bag body 2 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 62 through the central tube 64, the automatic valve 52, the automatic valve 58, and the main valve 66. Thereby, the air in the film bag body 2 is removed, and foaming during filling is suppressed. Note that the degree of evacuation becomes a low vacuum by opening the automatic valve 60 to the atmosphere. Since vacuuming is performed in such a low vacuum, the empty film bag 2 is not damaged.

  After the evacuation of the film bag body 2 is completed, the automatic valve 52 is closed. Further, a liquid to be filled is injected from the liquid injection hole 70. The filling valve 8 fills the liquid to be injected from the spout unit 3. The tip of the filling valve 8 and the spout part 3 maintain a watertight state in the installed state.

  In this way, the liquid can be prevented from foaming by tightly filling in a state where the air is removed.

  After filling the film bag 2 with the liquid, the filling valve 8 is detached from the spout unit 3. Immediately thereafter, the liquid accumulated at the tip of the filling valve 8 is evacuated and collected in the vacuum chamber 50 to completely prevent liquid dripping.

The open / close state (second open / close state) of each automatic valve in this operating state is as follows.
Automatic valve 52: Automatic opening valve 54: Automatic closing valve 56: Automatic closing valve 58: Automatic opening valve 60: Automatic closing

  This second open / close state differs from the first open / close state in that the automatic valve 60 is closed. As described above, the automatic valve 60 is closed, and the degree of evacuation becomes high vacuum.

  In order to prevent liquid dripping, a higher vacuum is required than vacuuming for suppressing foaming. In the present embodiment, the degree of vacuum can be switched by opening and closing the automatic valve 60.

  The liquid collected in the vacuum chamber 50 can be discharged when the liquid is filled by the filling valve 8. Thus, the open / close state of the automatic valve when discharging the recovered liquid from the vacuum chamber 50 during filling is as follows.

Automatic valve 52: Closed automatic valve 54: Opened automatic valve 56: Opened automatic valve 58: Closed As described above, since the inside of the vacuum chamber 50 is automatically drained during the filling of the liquid, a series of production activities are periodically performed. There is no need to stop it. Since the automatic valve 52 is closed and the vacuum chamber 50 is automatically drained in this way, the interior of the vacuum chamber 50 and the like is dry with the automatic valve 52 as a boundary. Therefore, even if the vacuum pump 62 stops unexpectedly, the liquid does not flow back to the filling valve 8 side.

Next, the specific configuration of the equipment configuration for capping the spout unit 3 after the filling with the filling valve 8 is completed will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 6, one capping mechanism 102 on the left and right of the filling valve 8 is a capping mechanism for a stopper cap. The other capping mechanism 104 is a screw cap capping mechanism.

  In this way, by arranging the capping mechanisms 102 and 104 on the left and right of the filling valve 8, the installation area can be reduced. Moreover, since the mechanism which can respond to a different kind of cap is arrange | positioned at right and left, replacement work can also be skipped.

The part illustrated in FIG. 6 is configured so that the whole can move left and right. In the state shown in the drawing, the filling valve 8 is located in the spout portion of the film bag body 2.
After filling by the filling valve 8, the illustrated part moves to the left or right, and any one of the capping mechanisms 102, 104 moves onto the spout unit 3, so that the spout unit 3 can be capped.
The stopper cap may have a cock.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Packaging material 2 Film bag body 3 Spout part 5 B ・ I ・ B
6 Cardboard container 7 Filling machine 8 Filling valve 9 Handle 11 Cutting mechanism 13 Packaging material storage box 13
15 Transport rail 17 Packaging material stopper 30, 32 Cylinder 34 Cutting projection 36 Cutting table 38 Hole 50 Vacuum chamber 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 Automatic valve 62 Vacuum pump 64 Central pipe 66 Core valve 102, 104 Capping mechanism

Claims (1)

  A filling machine that fills a filling object with a filling valve inside a packaging material made of a flexible thin film and having a spout portion of the filling object to be plugged with a cap, the filling object being filled with the filling valve. A gripping mechanism for chucking the spout portion of the packaging material, the packaging material is formed by integrally forming a plurality of film bag bodies, the film bag bodies are connected by perforations, and is filled by the filling valve. A cutting mechanism for cutting a part of the perforation during or after filling the one film bag constituting the packaging material, and opening the gripping mechanism, thereby filling the filling object A filling machine characterized in that one film bag is dropped by its own weight.

Images