JP7493805B2 - Sealing device for bag making and filling machines - Google Patents

Description

Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applies. Exhibition date: May 12, 2021 to May 20, 2021 Exhibition name: In-house exhibition Venue: 91 Nishinokawa, Okimura, Kitanagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Fujikikai Co., Ltd. THE BASE NAGOYA Communication Hall

The present invention relates to a sealing device in a bag making and filling machine that uses a pair of opposing sealing bodies that move toward and away from a tubular film to clamp the tubular film while moving downstream together with the tubular film in the transport direction to seal it.

For example, an end sealing device that is installed in a horizontal form-fill-seal machine and performs end sealing and cutting on a tubular film has a pair of sealing bodies that face each other above and below the transport path of the tubular film, and is configured to perform circular motion while facing each other, with the movement trajectories of the two sealing bodies set to overlap. The end sealing device is configured to perform a so-called box motion in which the two sealing bodies abut against each other in the overlapping section of the movement trajectory to clamp the tubular film, move the two sealing bodies along the transport direction of the tubular film to perform end sealing and cut the film, then move away from each other and retreat, and then abut against each other again and move, repeating this movement (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

As an end seal device, Cited Document 2 discloses an end seal device in which a pair of chains that revolve synchronously on an elliptical orbit are arranged above and below the transport path of the tubular film, and multiple sealing bodies are arranged at equal intervals on each chain. In this end seal device, the pair of upper and lower orbiting sealing bodies are configured to clamp the tubular film and apply an end seal as they move along the straight portion of the elliptical orbit.

JP 2010-202220 A JP 2002-284120 A

In the end seal device disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a pair of sealing bodies that sandwich the tubular film moves linearly for a specified distance, so that a long sealing time can be secured and a high-quality seal can be applied to the tubular film. However, in the end seal device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the need to secure a long sealing time means that it is not possible to increase the packaging speed (rotation speed of the sealing body), and there is a problem that it is not possible to increase the number of productions per unit time. In addition, in the end seal device disclosed in Patent Document 2, by providing multiple sealing body sets consisting of a pair of sealing bodies, it is possible to secure a long sealing time and increase the number of productions per unit time, but when the size of the item changes due to an order change, etc., it is necessary to carry out cumbersome work such as changing the arrangement interval of the sealing body relative to the chain to match one packaging length, which is the interval for applying end seals according to the size of the item, and it has been pointed out that this increases the problem of lost time.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sealing device for a bag making and filling machine in which a pair of sealing bodies clamp the film while moving downstream in the film transport direction, capable of applying high-quality seals to the film, increasing the number of units produced per unit time, and easily accommodating changes in orders.

The sealing device in the bag making and filling machine according to the present invention comprises:
A sealing device for a bag making and filling machine in which a pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) face each other across a transport path of a tubular film (10) containing articles (40) at a predetermined interval, and seal positions between the articles on the tubular film (10) by sandwiching the tubular film (10) and moving downstream in the transport direction as the tubular film (10) is transported,
a transfer means (52) for transferring the article (40) through the tubular film (10);
a plurality of sealing units (13) each including the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) and arranged in a line in the direction in which the tubular film (10) is transported by the transport means (52);
a plurality of opening/closing mechanisms (14) for moving the pair of seal bodies (13) toward and away from each other in the opposing direction for each of the seal units (13);
a plurality of reciprocating mechanisms (15) for reciprocating each of the sealing units (14) along the transfer direction,
the plurality of opening/closing mechanisms (14) and reciprocating mechanisms (15) are configured to operate so that a tubular film (10) containing articles (40) at a predetermined interval and transported by the transport means (52) is sandwiched between the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12), each of the sealing units (13) spaced apart at an interval that allows the sealing units (13) to seal between the articles is moved downstream in the transport direction, and then the plurality of sealing units (13) that have released the tubular film (10) by separating the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) are moved so that the most downstream sealing unit (13) in the transport direction is positioned upstream in the transport direction of a sealing position on the tubular film (10) transported downstream in the transport direction, a length corresponding to the number of sealing units (13), at which the sealing position was sealed by the most upstream sealing unit (13), and the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) are moved closer to each other to sandwich the tubular film (10) ;
The multiple opening and closing mechanisms (14) are characterized in that they are configured to operate a pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) so as to clamp the tubular film (10) in the order from the downstream sealing unit (13) in the transport direction to the upstream sealing unit (13) .
According to the invention of claim 1, by providing a plurality of sealing units, it is possible to increase the number of productions per unit time while ensuring a sealing time that allows a high-quality seal to be applied to the tubular film. In addition, since the opening and closing operation of the pair of sealing bodies in each sealing unit and the reciprocating movement of each sealing unit in the transport direction can be performed independently by each sealing unit, it is possible to easily respond to changes in orders . In addition, the tubular film clamped by the sealing unit can be pulled downstream, and the upstream sealing unit can seal well without loosening the upstream tubular film. In addition, the air inside the tubular film can be released to the unsealed upstream side of the tubular film, and it is possible to prevent the resistance during sealing caused by the internal air from increasing, which leads to poor sealing.

The sealing device in the bag making and filling machine according to the invention of claim 2 of the present application is:
A sealing device for a bag making and filling machine in which a pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) face each other across a transport path of a tubular film (10) containing articles (40) at a predetermined interval, and seal positions between the articles on the tubular film (10) by sandwiching the tubular film (10) and moving downstream in the transport direction as the tubular film (10) is transported,
a transfer means (52) for transferring the article (40) through the tubular film (10);
a plurality of sealing units (13) each including the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) and arranged in a line in the direction in which the tubular film (10) is transported by the transport means (52);
a plurality of opening/closing mechanisms (14) for moving the pair of seal bodies (13) toward and away from each other in the opposing direction for each of the seal units (13);
a plurality of reciprocating mechanisms (15) for reciprocating each of the sealing units (14) along the transfer direction,
the plurality of opening/closing mechanisms (14) and reciprocating mechanisms (15) are configured to operate so that a tubular film (10) containing articles (40) at a predetermined interval and transported by the transport means (52) is sandwiched between the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12), each of the sealing units (13) spaced apart at an interval that allows the sealing units (13) to seal between the articles is moved downstream in the transport direction, and then the plurality of sealing units (13) that have released the tubular film (10) by separating the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) are moved so that the most downstream sealing unit (13) in the transport direction is positioned upstream in the transport direction of a sealing position on the tubular film (10) transported downstream in the transport direction, a length corresponding to the number of sealing units (13), at which the sealing position was sealed by the most upstream sealing unit (13), and the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) are moved closer to each other to sandwich the tubular film (10);
The reciprocating mechanism (15) is characterized in that a cord-like body (50) connected to the corresponding seal unit (13) is driven by a reciprocating drive motor (46) to move the connected seal unit (13) back and forth along the transport direction.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of seal units can be reciprocated independently with a simple structure.

The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that the multiple opening and closing mechanisms (14) are configured to operate a pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) so as to clamp the tubular film (10) in the order from the downstream sealing unit (13) in the transport direction to the upstream sealing unit (13) .
According to the invention of claim 3 , the tubular film clamped by the sealing unit can be pulled downstream, allowing the upstream sealing unit to seal well without loosening the upstream tubular film. Also, air inside the tubular film can be released to the unsealed upstream side of the tubular film, preventing internal air from increasing resistance during sealing and causing poor sealing.

In the invention according to claim 4, the transport means (52) includes an endless transport body (53) which is driven in a circulating manner by a drive motor (54),
the conveying body (53) extends along the conveying path in the front and rear of the conveying direction at a position corresponding to each of the seal units (13), and is wrapped around a plurality of rotating bodies (58, 59, 60, 61) so as to be guided along a path in which the pair of seal bodies (11, 12) are not interlocked with each other, and opposing ends of the conveying body (53) opposing each other in the front and rear of the conveying direction are positioned to sandwich a movement area in the opposing direction of the pair of seal bodies (11, 12),
Each seal unit (13) includes a pair of first rotating bodies (58, 59) spaced apart in the forward and backward directions of transfer across the movement region of the pair of seal bodies (11, 12) and configured to wrap around and guide and support opposing ends of the transfer body (53), a second rotating body (60, 61) located below the first rotating bodies (58, 59) and configured to wrap around and guide and support the transfer body (53), and an operating mechanism (72) that links the first rotating bodies (58, 59) and the second rotating bodies (60, 61) and moves the pair of first rotating bodies (58, 59) toward and away from each other,
the actuation mechanism (72) moves the pair of first rotating bodies (58, 59) closer to or farther apart when the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) move, thereby allowing the pair of sealing bodies (11, 12) to hold the tubular film (10) and allowing smooth delivery of the article (40);
The operating mechanism (72) is characterized in that it is configured to move the second rotating bodies (60, 61) by an amount equal to the amount of movement of the first rotating bodies (58, 59) when the pair of first rotating bodies (58, 59) move away from each other or when they approach each other, thereby maintaining the conveying body (53) in a tensile state.
According to the invention of claim 4, it is possible to smoothly transport articles downstream through the tubular film while allowing the tubular film to be sealed by the pair of sealing bodies. In addition, since the transporting body can be constantly maintained in a taut state, it is possible to prevent the transporting body from sagging and meandering or impeding the smooth transport of articles.

The present invention makes it possible to increase production volume per unit time while ensuring sufficient sealing time, and also makes it easy to respond to order changes.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a main portion of the end seal device. 2 is a schematic side view showing a main portion of the end seal device in vertical section. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of an end seal device. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the end sealing device as viewed from the downstream side in the film transport direction in a longitudinal section. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the sealing unit as viewed from the downstream side in the film transport direction. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing an end opening/closing mechanism.

Next, a preferred embodiment of a sealing device in a bag making and filling machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. In the embodiment, the bag making and filling machine will be described as a horizontal bag making and filling machine, and the sealing device will be described as an end sealing device.

The horizontal bag making and filling machine is equipped with a bag making means that forms a tubular film by overlapping both longitudinal edge portions of a strip film pulled out from a film roll in a folded shape, a supply conveyor that supplies items to the tubular film at predetermined intervals, a center sealing device that forms a center seal portion in the overlapped portion of the folded tubular film, a film transport means that clamps the overlapped portion of the tubular film and transports the tubular film to the center sealing device, and an end sealing device that clamps the tubular film at the front and rear positions of the items supplied at predetermined intervals into the tubular film and performs end sealing and cutting in the direction (width direction) that intersects with the transport direction of the tubular film.

1 to 3, the end seal device comprises a transfer conveyor (transfer means) 52 that transfers articles 40 via a tubular film 10, and a plurality of (three in this embodiment) sealing units 13 each having a pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 that face each other across the transfer path of the tubular film 10 in which the articles 40 transferred by the transfer conveyor 52 are stored at a predetermined interval, and the plurality of sealing units 13 are arranged side by side in the transfer direction of the tubular film 10 (hereinafter referred to as the film transfer direction). The end seal device comprises a plurality of opening and closing mechanisms 14 that independently move the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 toward and away from each other for each of the plurality of sealing units 13, and a plurality of reciprocating mechanisms 15 that independently move each of the plurality of sealing units 13 back and forth along the film transfer direction. By operating the opening/closing mechanism 14 and the reciprocating mechanism 15, each sealing unit 13 performs a box motion in which a pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 move from an initial position separated from each other across the transport path toward each other to clamp the position between the articles on the tubular film 10, move downstream in the film transport direction of the tubular film 10 in this clamped state, and then move away from each other and return to the initial position. In the embodiment, when distinguishing between the three sealing units 13 in the following description, they are referred to as the first sealing unit 13A, the second sealing unit 13B, and the third sealing unit 13C, in that order from downstream to upstream in the film transport direction.

1, 2, and 4, the machine frame 16 as the main body of the end seal device has a pair of side walls 17, 17 spaced apart in the width direction intersecting the film transport direction, and the three seal units 13 are supported between the pair of side walls 17, 17 so as to be movable along the film transport direction. The three seal units 13 have the same configuration, and the seal unit 13 is supported between a pair of side plates 18a, 18a spaced apart in the width direction constituting the main body 18, with an adjustment machine 19 supported so as to be movable up and down relative to the main body 18, and the adjustment machine 19 is configured so as to be height adjustable by a height adjustment means not shown. The adjustment machine 19 has a pair of support members 20, 20 spaced apart in the width direction, and a pair of holding members 21, 22 that face each other across the transport path and support each seal body 11, 12 are supported between the pair of support members 20, 20 so as to be movable up and down. A pair of supports 23, 23 are arranged in the adjustment machine body 19, spaced apart in the width direction, and a slide shaft 24 extending in the vertical direction is slidably inserted and supported in each support 23. A first holding member 21 facing upward from the transport path of the tubular film 10 is arranged on the upper ends of a pair of slide shafts 24, 24 extending upward from the pair of supports 23, 23, and the lower ends of the pair of slide shafts 24, 24 extending downward from the pair of supports 23, 23 are connected by a connecting member 25. In addition, a second holding member 22 facing downward from the transport path is slidably supported on the slide shafts 24, 24 between the first holding member 21 and the supports 23, 23, and is configured so that the first holding member 21 and the second holding member 22 can approach and move away from each other while maintaining their posture along the slide shafts 24, 24.

2, 4, and 5, the first seal body 11, which is one of the pair of seal bodies 11, 12, is supported on the underside of the first holding member 21 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (the opposing direction of the pair of seal bodies 11, 12) with its sealing surface facing the transport path of the tubular film 10. That is, a pair of connecting shafts 26, 26 are disposed on the first seal body 11 and spaced apart in the width direction, and the pair of connecting shafts 26, 26 are slidably inserted and supported by the first holding member 21 via holders 27, 27. The connecting shafts 26, 26 extending above the first holding member 21 are connected to an attachment member 28 extending in the width direction, and the attachment member 28 is configured to move vertically together with the first seal body 11 relative to the first holding member 21. In addition, springs 29 serving as biasing means are disposed on the outer periphery of each connecting shaft 26 between the first holding member 21 and the first seal body 11, and the first seal body 11 is biased downward (towards the second seal body 12 described below) relative to the first holding member 21 by the springs 29, 29. A stopper 26a is provided on the connecting shaft 26 above the first holding member 21, and the downward movement of the first seal body 11 biased by the springs 29, 29 is restricted by the stopper 26a abutting against the holder 27. In addition, a cutting blade 30 is supported on the first seal body 11 so as to be movable forward and backward in the vertical direction, and an air cylinder 31 serving as an advancing and retreating means for moving the cutting blade 30 forward and retreating is disposed on the mounting member 28, and when the tubular film 10 is clamped between the first seal body 11 and the second seal body 12, the cutting blade 30 is moved forward and retreating by the air cylinder 31 to cut the tubular film 10. The cutting blade 30 is always housed in the first seal body 11, and when the cutting blade 30 is lowered by the air cylinder 31, the cutting blade 30 protrudes from the seal surface of the first seal body 11, and the cutting edge enters the receiving groove of the second seal body 12, cutting the tubular film 10 that is being clamped. Note that Figures 4 and 5 show the first seal unit 13A.

2 and 4, the second seal body 12, which is the other of the pair of seal bodies 11, 12, is disposed and fixed on the upper side of the second holding member 22 with its sealing surface facing the transport path of the tubular film 10. The second seal body 12 is disposed on the upper side of the second holding member 22 so as to face the first seal body 11 in parallel with the transport path of the tubular film 10 therebetween.

2, 4, and 5, the opening/closing mechanism 14 disposed in each of the seal units 13 includes a screw shaft 32 rotatably supported on the adjustment body 19 so as to extend in the width direction, an opening/closing drive motor 33 such as a servo motor that rotates the screw shaft 32, and a toggle mechanism 34 as a link mechanism to which the screw shaft 32 is screwed and which links the first and second holding members 21, 22. The toggle mechanism 34 includes a first actuator 37, one end of which is rotatably supported on the second holding member 22, and the other end of which is rotatably supported on the upper end of a moving member 36 that moves integrally with a female screw member 35 that is screwed on the screw shaft 32, and a second actuator 38, one end of which is rotatably supported on the connecting member 25, and the other end of which is rotatably supported on the lower end of the moving member 36. When the pair of seal bodies 11, 12 are separated from each other, the first actuating body 37 and the second actuating body 38 are positioned so that their one ends rotatably supported by the second holding member 22 and the connecting member 25 approach each other, and the opening/closing drive motor 33 rotates the screw shaft 32 to move the female screw member 35 and the moving member 36 in the width direction so that one ends of the first actuating body 37 and the second actuating body 38 are separated from each other, so that the pair of seal bodies 11, 12 approach each other. In other words, by rotating the screw shaft 32 in the forward and reverse directions by the opening/closing drive motor 33, the second holding member 22 and the connecting member 25 move toward and away from each other, and the upper and lower seal bodies 11, 12 move toward and away from each other across the transfer path.

The opening/closing mechanisms 14 of the three sealing units 13 are configured to shift the operation timing of the opening/closing drive motors 33 to move the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 closer to each other so as to clamp the tubular film 10 from downstream to upstream in the film transport direction, and to move the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 apart so as to release the tubular film 10 from downstream to upstream. In each sealing unit 13, the time for which the sealing bodies 11, 12 clamp the tubular film 10 is set to a time that allows a good quality end seal to be applied to the tubular film 10.

2 and 4, a pair of rail members 39, 39 extending along the film transport direction and spaced apart in the width direction are supported on the machine frame 16 so that their positions can be adjusted in the vertical direction by the height adjustment means. Each rail member 39 is formed with a long hole 39a extending along the film transport direction, and rollers 20a, 20a rotatably supported on the lower ends of the support members 20, 20 in each sealing unit 13 are supported in the long hole 39a so that they can roll. In other words, by moving the pair of rail members 39, 39 in the vertical direction by the height adjustment means, the adjustment machine body 19 supported via the rollers 20a, 20a moves in the vertical direction relative to the main body 18, and the height position at which the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 clamp the tubular film 10 can be adjusted according to the height of the article 40 transported by the transport conveyor 52. In this embodiment, the pair of rail members 39, 39 are moved vertically to adjust the clamping height of the tubular film 10 by the sealing bodies 11, 12 in the three sealing units 13 to the same position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the first guide shaft 41 and the second guide shaft 42 extending along the film transport direction are arranged in parallel, spaced apart from each other, on the upper inner surface of each side wall 17 of the machine frame 16, and the third guide shaft 43 is arranged in parallel to the first and second guide shafts 41, 42 on the lower inner surface of each side wall 17, and the three seal units 13 are supported by the multiple guide shafts 41, 42, 43 so that they can move back and forth along the film transport direction. In the embodiment, the first and third seal units 13A, 13C are supported movably by the first guide shaft 41 and the third guide shaft 43 via sliders 44 arranged on the corresponding side plates 18a, and the second seal unit 13B is supported movably by the second guide shaft 42 and the third guide shaft 43 via sliders 44 arranged on the corresponding side plates 18a.

1 to 3, each of the multiple reciprocating mechanisms 15 includes a moving mechanism 45 disposed in the machine frame 16 and a reciprocating drive motor 46 such as a servo motor that operates the moving mechanism 45. The moving mechanism 45 includes a drive shaft 47 rotatably supported between both side walls 17, 17 at one end of the machine frame 16 in the film transport direction, a pair of drive pulleys 48, 48 arranged to rotate integrally with the drive shaft 47 and spaced apart in the axial direction, driven pulleys 49, 49 rotatably supported on both side walls 17, 17 at the other end of the machine frame 16 in the film transport direction, and a cord-like body 50 such as an endless belt wound around the drive pulley 48 and the driven pulley 49 that face each other in the film transport direction, and the pair of cord-like bodies 50, 50 are positioned in parallel, spaced apart in the width direction across the sealing unit 13 (see FIG. 4). A reciprocating drive motor 46 disposed on the side wall 17 is connected to the drive shaft 47, and a bracket 51 disposed on each side plate 18a of the sealing unit 13 is connected to the corresponding cord-like body 50. The reciprocating drive motor 46 rotates the drive shaft 47 in the forward and reverse directions, so that the sealing unit 13 connected to the cord-like body 50, 50 moves back and forth (upstream and downstream) in the film transport direction. In this embodiment, the three reciprocating mechanisms 15 corresponding to the three sealing units 13 are arranged at a distance from each other in the vertical direction so as not to interfere with each other.

The three reciprocating mechanisms 15 are configured to reciprocate the three sealing units 13 with the spacing between each of the three sealing units 13 (spacing between adjacent sealing units 13, 13) being the same length as the cut pitch of the tubular film 10 (the spacing at which a seal can be applied between items in one package of the tubular film 10). In the embodiment, after the sealing bodies 11, 12 of the adjacent downstream sealing units 13 clamp the tubular film 10, when the sealing bodies 11, 12 of the upstream sealing unit 13 clamp the tubular film 10, the spacing between the two sealing units 13, 13 is the same as the cut pitch. In addition, the three reciprocating mechanisms 15 are operated and controlled to move all the sealing units 13 in synchronization so that when all the sealing bodies 11, 12 of the three sealing units 13 that have moved downstream in the film transport direction with the tubular film 10 sandwiched between the sealing bodies 11, 12 release the tubular film 10, the first sealing unit 13A (the sealing unit furthest downstream in the film transport direction) is positioned at an initial position upstream in the film transport direction (in the embodiment, upstream from the sealing position by the cut pitch) from the sealing position where the end seal was applied by the third sealing unit 13C (the sealing unit furthest upstream in the film transport direction) on the tubular film 10 that is being transported downstream in the film transport direction by a length corresponding to the number of sealing units 13. Note that in the embodiment, during the time when the sealing bodies 11, 12 of the multiple sealing units 13 end seal the tubular film 10 and return to the initial position, the tubular film 10 is transported downstream by the transport conveyor 52 by the number of sealing units 13 in the cut pitch (three times in the embodiment).

The reciprocating drive motor 46 is rotationally controlled so that the movement speed of each sealing unit 13 downstream in the film transport direction while the tubular film 10 is being clamped by the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 is approximately the same as the film transport speed. In addition, the opening/closing drive motor 33 and the reciprocating drive motor 46 are set to be variable speed controlled according to the cut pitch of the tubular film 10 set corresponding to the size of the article 40, the transport speed of the tubular film 10 obtained from the desired wrapping speed, and the set wrapping speed. In the end seal device of the embodiment, when the tubular film 13 is clamped between the pair of seal bodies 11, 12 in each seal unit 13, the opening/closing mechanism 14 and the reciprocating mechanism 15 are controlled to move the seal bodies 11, 12 toward each other and downstream in the film transport direction, and when the pair of seal bodies 11, 12 release the tubular film 13, the opening/closing mechanism 14 and the reciprocating mechanism 15 are controlled to move the seal bodies 11, 12 away from each other and upstream in the film transport direction.

1 and 2, the machine frame 16 is provided with the transfer conveyor 52 which places and transfers the articles 40 supplied from the supply conveyor via the tubular film 10. The transfer conveyor 52 is a belt conveyor which transfers the articles 40 placed on the transfer belt 53 downstream by circulating a single endless transfer belt 53 as a transfer body driven by a drive motor 54 such as a servo motor. The transfer belt 53 is wound around and guided by a plurality of rotating bodies 58, 59, 60, 61, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, and forms a support surface extending substantially horizontally along the transfer path in the front and rear of the film transfer direction at positions corresponding to each sealing unit 13 (specifically, in the middle position of the film transfer direction in the sealing unit 13, and in the front and rear of the movement area in the opposing direction of the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12), and is configured to run on a route that detours below the second sealing body (lower sealing body) 12 so as not to get caught between the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 (so as not to come into contact with and interfere with the sealing unit 13) at the arrangement position of each sealing unit 13 (see FIG. 6). Then, when the sealing bodies 11, 12 perform end sealing and cutting on the tubular film 10, the transfer conveyor 52 supports and transfers the article 40 via the film by the transfer belt 53. In addition, before and after sandwiching the intermediate position (movement area) in the film transport direction of each sealing unit 13 on the transport belt 53 extending along the transport path, the opposing ends that are wrapped around the opening and closing rotors 58, 59 described below and that face each other from the front to the rear are moved toward and away from each other by an end opening and closing mechanism 55 arranged in each sealing unit 13. That is, when the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 approach each other, the opposing ends of the transport belt 53 move away from each other to allow the passage of the lower second sealing body 12 as it rises, and when the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 move away from each other, the opposing ends of the transport belt 53 move toward each other to smoothly transport the article 40 in the tubular film 10 downstream.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the end opening/closing mechanism 55 comprises a pair of upper opening/closing rotors (first rotors) 58, 59 that are spaced apart in the front and rear of the film transport direction across the movement area of the pair of seal bodies 11, 12 at a position that can support a portion of the transport belt 53 that forms a support surface, and that wrap around and guide the opposing ends of the transport belt 53; a pair of lower opening/closing rotors (second rotors) 60, 61 that are spaced apart in the front and rear of the film transport direction and wrap around and guide the transport belt 53 that bypasses the second seal body 12; and an operating mechanism 72 that connects the upper opening/closing rotors 58, 59 and the lower opening/closing rotors 60, 61 and moves the upper pair of opening/closing rotors 58, 59 towards and away from each other. The operating mechanism 72 is supported on the adjustment body 19 so as to be able to swing back and forth in the film transport direction, and comprises a pair of opening and closing members 56, 57 that are spaced apart in the film transport direction, cam members 62, 62 arranged on the second holding member 22 so as to move integrally therewith, and followers 63, 64 arranged on each opening and closing member 56, 57 and rollably guided in cam holes 62a, 62b formed in the cam members 62, 62, and upper opening and closing rotors 58, 59 are rotatably supported at the upper ends of each opening and closing member 56, 57, and lower opening and closing rotors 60, 61 are rotatably supported at the lower ends of each opening and closing member 56, 57. The pair of opening and closing members 56, 57 consists of a first opening and closing member 56 located upstream in the film transport direction and a second opening and closing member 57 located downstream. The first opening and closing member 56 is composed of a pair of first swinging members 56a, 56a that face each other and are spaced apart in the width direction, and the second opening and closing member 57 is composed of a pair of second swinging members 57a, 57a that face each other and are spaced apart in the width direction.

5 and 6, the first swinging member 56a constituting the first opening/closing member 56 and the second swinging member 57a constituting the second opening/closing member 57, which are spaced apart in the film transport direction, are supported by the support members 20 opposing each other in the width direction so as to be swingable via support shafts 65. The first opening/closing rotor 58, which is one of the upper opening/closing rotors 58, 59, is rotatably supported between the upper ends of the pair of first swinging members 56a, 56a opposing each other in the width direction, and the second opening/closing rotor 59, which is the other of the upper opening/closing rotors 58, 59, is rotatably supported between the upper ends of the pair of second swinging members 57a, 57a opposing each other in the width direction. A third opening/closing rotor 60, which is one of the lower opening/closing rotors 60, 61, is rotatably supported between the lower ends of the pair of first swinging members 56a, 56a, and a fourth opening/closing rotor 61, which is the other of the lower opening/closing rotors 60, 61, is rotatably supported between the lower ends of the pair of second swinging members 57a, 57a. A first auxiliary rotor 66 is rotatably supported below the first opening/closing rotor 58 between the upper ends of the support members 20, 20, and a second auxiliary rotor 67 is rotatably supported below the second opening/closing rotor 59. A third auxiliary rotor 68 and a fourth auxiliary rotor 69 are rotatably supported between the lower ends of the support members 20, 20 at upper and lower positions sandwiching the third opening/closing rotor 60, and a fifth auxiliary rotor 70 and a sixth auxiliary rotor 71 are rotatably supported at upper and lower positions sandwiching the fourth opening/closing rotor 61. In the embodiment, the transfer belt 53 is wound around the first opening/closing rotor 58, the first auxiliary rotor 66, the third auxiliary rotor 68, the third opening/closing rotor 60, the fourth auxiliary rotor 69, the sixth auxiliary rotor 71, the fourth opening/closing rotor 61, the fifth auxiliary rotor 70, the second auxiliary rotor 67, and the second opening/closing rotor 59 in that order, in front of and behind each sealing unit 13.

4 and 6, the cam members 62 are disposed at both ends of the second holding member 22 in the width direction so as to move integrally, and each cam member 62 is formed with a first cam hole 62a and a second cam hole 62b spaced apart in the film transport direction so as to be symmetrical in Fig. 6. The first cam hole 62a located upstream in the film transport direction faces the first follower 63 disposed on each first swinging member 56a of the first opening/closing member 56 so as to be rotatably guided therethrough, and the second cam hole 62b located downstream in the film transport direction faces the second follower 64 disposed on each second swinging member 57a of the second opening/closing member 57 so as to be rotatably guided therethrough. The shapes of the first and second cam holes 62a, 62b are set so that the first opening and closing member 56 and the second opening and closing member 57, whose followers 63, 64 are guided along the cam holes 62a, 62b, swing in opposite directions as the cam members 62, 62 move up and down, and so that the opposing ends of the transport belt 53, which are wound around the first opening and closing rotors 58 and the second opening and closing rotors 59, move toward and away from each other in the film transport direction as the second seal body 12 operates. In addition, the first and second oscillating members 56a, 57a of the opening/closing members 56, 57 are supported to be rotatable on the support member 20 via support shafts 65, 65 at a midpoint in the vertical direction, and the pair of opening/closing members 56, 57 oscillate in opposite directions to each other, so that when the first opening/closing rotor 58 and the second opening/closing rotor 59 approach each other, the third opening/closing rotor 60 and the fourth opening/closing rotor 61 move away from each other the same distance (movement amount) as the first opening/closing rotor 58 and the second opening/closing rotor 59 move away from each other (see Figure 6(a)), and when the first opening/closing rotor 58 and the second opening/closing rotor 59 move away from each other, the third opening/closing rotor 60 and the fourth opening/closing rotor 61 move away from each other the same distance (movement amount) as the first opening/closing rotor 58 and the second opening/closing rotor 59 move away from each other (see Figure 6(b)). That is, the operating mechanism 72 is configured to move the third opening/closing rotor 60 and the fourth opening/closing rotor 61 in opposite directions when the first opening/closing rotor 58 and the second opening/closing rotor 59 move away from each other and when they approach each other, so that the transport belt 53, which is wound around the multiple opening/closing rotors 58, 59, 60, and 61, can be kept taut without changing the length of the transport belt 53 from the upstream end to the downstream end in the film transport direction.

Next, the operation of the end sealing device in the horizontal bag making and filling machine according to the embodiment will be described.
From an initial position in which the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 in each sealing unit 13 are spaced apart, the first sealing unit 13A is moved downstream in the film transport direction by the reciprocating mechanism 15, and the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 are brought closer to each other by the opening and closing mechanism 14 to clamp the positions that sandwich the articles 40, 40 of the tubular film 10. When the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 in the first sealing unit 13A approach each other, as shown in Figures 2 and 6(b), the first opening and closing rotor 58 and the second opening and closing rotor 59 are moved away from each other by the end opening and closing mechanism 55, forming a gap between the opposing ends of the transfer belt 53 at a position corresponding to the first sealing unit 13A, and the second sealing body 12 is permitted to move upward. Furthermore, end opening/closing mechanism 55 moves third opening/closing rotor 60 and fourth opening/closing rotor 61 closer to each other by the same distance that first opening/closing rotor 58 and second opening/closing rotor 59 separate from each other, thereby maintaining transport belt 53 in a taut state without slack. First sealing unit 13A then moves downstream in the film transport direction while maintaining tubular film 10 sandwiched between the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12, thereby providing a high-quality end seal to tubular film 10. Furthermore, while the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 are sandwiching tubular film 10, cutting blade 30 is actuated by air cylinder 31, and tubular film 10 with the end seal is cut in the width direction.

After the first sealing unit 13A starts moving downstream in the film transport direction, the second sealing unit 13B is moved downstream in the film transport direction by the reciprocating mechanism 15 at a timing when the distance between the first sealing unit 13A and the second sealing unit 13B becomes the same as the cut pitch, and the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 are brought closer to each other by the opening and closing mechanism 14. After the sealing bodies 11, 12 of the first sealing unit 13A clamp the tubular film 10, the sealing bodies 11, 12 of the second sealing unit 13B clamp the position of the tubular film 10 that clamps the articles 40, 40. When the second sealing unit 13B applies an end seal to the tubular film 10, as in the case of the first sealing unit 13A, the end opening and closing mechanism 55 forms a gap between the opposing ends of the transfer belt 53 at a position corresponding to the second sealing unit 13B, and the transfer belt 53 is maintained in a taut state without slack. Then, while the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 keeps the tubular film 10 sandwiched between them, the second sealing unit 13B moves downstream in the film transport direction, and an end seal is applied to the tubular film 10, and the end-sealed tubular film 10 is cut in the width direction by the cutting blade 30.

As with the second sealing unit 13B, the timing of the third sealing unit 13C's movement downstream in the film transport direction is shifted from the timing at which the second sealing unit 13B starts to move downstream in the film transport direction, and the reciprocating mechanism 15 and the opening/closing mechanism 14 are operated so that after the sealing bodies 11, 12 of the second sealing unit 13B clamp the tubular film 10, the sealing bodies 11, 12 of the third sealing unit 13C clamp the position of the tubular film 10 that clamps the articles 40, 40. In addition, the end opening/closing mechanism 55 forms a gap between the opposing ends of the transport belt 53 at a position corresponding to the third sealing unit 13C, and the transport belt 53 is maintained in a taut state without slack. Then, while the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 keeps the tubular film 10 sandwiched between them, the third sealing unit 13C moves downstream in the film transport direction, and an end seal is applied to the tubular film 10, and the cutting blade 30 cuts the tubular film 10 with the end seal in the width direction.

After the first sealing unit 13A moves downstream in the film transport direction by a distance corresponding to the time required to apply a good-quality end seal to the tubular film 10 held between the sealing bodies 11 and 12, the pair of sealing bodies 11 and 12 are separated from each other by the opening and closing mechanism 14 to release the tubular film 10, while the first sealing unit 13A moves upstream in the film transport direction by the reciprocating mechanism 15. Similarly, in the second sealing unit 13B, the second sealing unit 13B moves downstream in the film transport direction by a distance corresponding to the time required to apply a good-quality end seal to the tubular film 10 held between the sealing bodies 11 and 12, while the pair of sealing bodies 11 and 12 are separated from each other by the opening and closing mechanism 14 to release the tubular film 10, while the third sealing unit 13C moves upstream in the film transport direction by the reciprocating mechanism 15. After the third sealing unit 13C moves downstream in the film transport direction by a distance corresponding to the time required to apply a good end seal to the tubular film 10 held between the sealing bodies 11 and 12, the pair of sealing bodies 11 and 12 are separated from each other by the opening and closing mechanism 14 to release the tubular film 10. Then, when the sealing bodies 11 and 12 of the third sealing unit 13C release the tubular film 10, all of the sealing units 13A to 13C are returned by the respective reciprocating mechanisms 15 to their initial positions where the first sealing unit 13A can apply an end seal upstream in the film transport direction from the sealing position where the third sealing unit 13C end-sealed the tubular film 10, which is transported downstream in the film transport direction by a length three times the cut pitch, that is, upstream of the sealing position on the tubular film 10 by the cut pitch. The end sealing device produces multiple packages at once by repeating the above-mentioned packaging cycle movement in which each of the multiple sealing units 13 performs box motion.

In the end seal device of the embodiment, multiple seal units 13 are arranged in the film transport direction, and multiple packages can be produced in one packaging cycle. That is, the pair of seal bodies 11, 12 in each seal unit 13 move downstream in the film transport direction while sandwiching the tubular film 10, thereby ensuring high end seal sealing and increasing the number of products produced per unit time. In addition, the opening and closing operation of the pair of seal bodies 11, 12 in each seal unit 13 and the reciprocating movement of each seal unit 13 in the film transport direction can be performed independently by each seal unit 13, so that if the size of the product changes due to an order change, it can be easily handled by simply controlling and adjusting the operation timing of each opening and closing mechanism 14 and each reciprocating mechanism 15, and complicated mechanical adjustment work such as changing the installation position of the seal unit 13 can be omitted. In addition, since the end seal device of the embodiment can ensure a long sealing time, it is possible to obtain a good seal with high airtightness even in high-speed packaging using a relatively thick film, such as a film that is aluminum vapor-deposited or aluminum laminated on a base material such as polypropylene, and that has properties that make it difficult for heat to be transmitted to the inside when heated from the surface side of the film polymerization section.

The end seal device of the embodiment is configured such that the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 in multiple sealing units 13 clamp the tubular film 10 in a shifted order from downstream to upstream, so that the tubular film 10 clamped by the sealing unit 13 can be pulled downstream and sealed well by the upstream sealing unit 13 without loosening the upstream tubular film 10, preventing the end seal position from shifting. In addition, by shifting the clamping of the tubular film 10 by the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12, the air inside the tubular film 10 can escape to the unsealed upstream side of the tubular film 10. In other words, when the tubular film 10 is clamped by the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12, it is possible to prevent the internal air from increasing resistance and causing poor sealing.

In the end seal device of the embodiment, each seal unit 13 is configured to reciprocate along the film transport direction by driving the cord-like bodies 50, 50 connected to the unit 13 with a reciprocating drive motor 46, so that multiple seal units 13 can reciprocate independently with a simple configuration.

In addition, in the transfer conveyor 52 that transports the tubular film 10, the opposing ends of the transfer belt 53, which face each other before and after in the film transport direction at positions corresponding to each sealing unit 13, are configured to move toward and away from each other in synchronization with the approach and separation of the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 by an end opening/closing mechanism 55 provided in each sealing unit 13.This allows the end sealing of the tubular film 10 by the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12 while smoothly transporting the article 40 downstream via the tubular film 10. In addition, when the first opening/closing rotor 58 and the second opening/closing rotor 59 are moved away from or toward each other to move the opposing ends of the transport belt 53 closer to or farther from each other, the third opening/closing rotor 60 and the fourth opening/closing rotor 61 are configured to move closer to or farther from each other by the same distance as the first opening/closing rotor 58 and the second opening/closing rotor 59 move away from or toward each other. This allows the transport belt 53 to be constantly kept taut without changing the length of the transport belt 53 from the upstream end to the downstream end in the film transport direction, and prevents the transport belt 53 from slackening and meandering, or impeding the smooth transport of the items 40.

(Example of change)
The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the examples, and can be modified as follows, for example. Furthermore, the configurations described in the examples are not limited to the following modifications, and various embodiments can be adopted within the scope of the gist of the present invention.
(1) In the embodiment, three sealing units 13 are arranged in the film transport direction, but the number of sealing units 13 may be two or more.
(2) In a configuration in which three or more sealing units 13 are arranged, a configuration can be adopted in which one or more sealing units 13 located at the upstream or downstream end in the film transport direction are positioned in a standby position that does not interfere with the movement of the other sealing units 13, and the other sealing units 13 alone perform the operation of sealing the tubular film 10. Also, while all sealing units 13 move back and forth in the film transport direction, the sealing bodies 11, 12 of any of the sealing units 13 can be maintained in positions spaced apart from each other so as not to perform sealing.
(3) In the end opening/closing mechanism 55 of the embodiment, the pair of opening/closing rotors (second rotors) 60, 61 are configured to move in the opposite direction to the pair of opening/closing rotors (first rotors) 58, 59 to keep the transport belt 53 constantly taut. However, for example, a pair of auxiliary rotors around which the transport belt 53 that bypasses the second seal body 12 is wound are disposed at a distance from each other at the front and rear of the film transport direction, and a second rotor is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction and supports from below the transport belt 53 located between the pair of auxiliary rotors, and the second rotor is raised when the pair of opening/closing rotors (first rotors) 58, 59 move away from each other, and the second rotor is lowered when the pair of opening/closing rotors (first rotors) 58, 59 approach each other, thereby keeping the transport belt 53 constantly taut.

(4) In the embodiment, the opposing ends of the transport belt 53 at positions corresponding to each sealing unit 13 in the front and rear of the film transport direction are configured to open and close to allow the second sealing body 12 to rise. However, when packaging an item 40 of a length that will not fall within the length of the gap allowing the second sealing body 12 to rise and fall, a configuration can be adopted in which the opposing ends of the transport belt 53 at positions corresponding to each sealing unit 13 are maintained apart without being opened or closed.
(5) The opening and closing mechanism 14 that moves the pair of seal bodies 11, 12 in the seal unit 13 toward and away from each other may be any of various known means, such as a crank mechanism or an air cylinder.
(6) The reciprocating mechanism 15 that independently reciprocates each seal unit 13 may employ various known mechanisms, such as a linear slide mechanism.
(7) In the embodiment, the timing at which the tubular film 10 is clamped by the sealing bodies 11, 12 of each sealing unit 13 is staggered, but a configuration can be adopted in which the sealing bodies 11, 12 of all sealing units 13 clamp the tubular film 10 at the same timing.
(8) In the embodiment, a cutting blade 30 is provided on the first sealing body 11 so as to cut the tubular film 10 at the same time that the end sealing is performed by the pair of sealing bodies 11, 12. However, a configuration can also be adopted in which a cutting device is provided downstream of the position of the most downstream sealing unit 13, and the tubular film 10 which has had end sealing performed in multiple places by all of the sealing units 13 is cut at a cut pitch by the cutting device.
(9) In the embodiment, the spacing (cut pitch) between all seal units 13 is the same, but in a configuration in which three or more seal units 13 are arranged side by side, the spacing between adjacent seal units 13 can be different.

10: Cylindrical film, 11: First seal body (seal body), 12: Second seal body (seal body)
13 Seal unit, 14 Opening/closing mechanism, 15 Reciprocating mechanism, 40 Article, 46 Reciprocating drive motor, 50 Cord-like body, 52 Transfer conveyor (transfer means)
53: Transport belt (transport body), 54: Drive motor, 58: First opening/closing rotor (first rotor)
59: second opening/closing rotor (first rotor), 60: third opening/closing rotor (second rotor)
61 Fourth opening/closing rotor (second rotor), 72 Operating mechanism

Claims (4)

A sealing device for a bag making and filling machine seals between positions of articles on a tubular film by a pair of sealing bodies that face each other across a transport path of the tubular film on which articles are stored at a predetermined interval, sandwich the tubular film, and move downstream in the transport direction as the tubular film is transported,
a transport means for transporting the object through the tubular film;
a plurality of sealing units each including the pair of sealing bodies and arranged in a line in a direction in which the tubular film is transported by the transport means;
a plurality of opening and closing mechanisms for moving the pair of seal bodies toward and away from each other in the opposing direction for each seal unit;
a plurality of reciprocating mechanisms for reciprocating the respective sealing units along the transfer direction;
the plurality of opening/closing mechanisms and reciprocating mechanisms are configured to operate so that the pair of sealing bodies clamps a tubular film containing articles transported by the transport means at a predetermined interval, and each of the sealing units spaced apart at an interval that allows the sealing units to seal between the articles is moved downstream in the transport direction, and then the plurality of sealing units that have separated the pair of sealing bodies to release the tubular film are moved so that the most downstream sealing unit in the transport direction is positioned upstream in the transport direction of a sealing position sealed by the most upstream sealing unit on the tubular film transported downstream in the transport direction by a length corresponding to the number of sealing units, and the operation of approaching the pair of sealing bodies to clamp the tubular film is repeated ;
A sealing device in a bag making and filling machine, characterized in that the multiple opening and closing mechanisms are configured to operate a pair of sealing bodies so as to clamp a tubular film in the order of the downstream sealing unit in the transport direction to the upstream sealing unit. A sealing device for a bag making and filling machine seals between positions of articles on a tubular film by a pair of sealing bodies that face each other across a transport path of the tubular film on which articles are stored at a predetermined interval, sandwich the tubular film, and move downstream in the transport direction as the tubular film is transported,
a transport means for transporting the object through the tubular film;
a plurality of sealing units each including the pair of sealing bodies and arranged in a line in a direction in which the tubular film is transported by the transport means;
a plurality of opening and closing mechanisms for moving the pair of seal bodies toward and away from each other in the opposing direction for each seal unit;
a plurality of reciprocating mechanisms for reciprocating the respective sealing units along the transfer direction;
the plurality of opening/closing mechanisms and reciprocating mechanisms are configured to operate so that the pair of sealing bodies clamps a tubular film containing articles transported by the transport means at a predetermined interval, and each of the sealing units spaced apart at an interval that allows the sealing units to seal between the articles is moved downstream in the transport direction, and then the plurality of sealing units that have separated the pair of sealing bodies to release the tubular film are moved so that the most downstream sealing unit in the transport direction is positioned upstream in the transport direction of a sealing position sealed by the most upstream sealing unit on the tubular film transported downstream in the transport direction by a length corresponding to the number of sealing units, and the operation of approaching the pair of sealing bodies to clamp the tubular film is repeated ;
A sealing device in a bag making and filling machine, characterized in that the reciprocating mechanism is configured to move a cord-like body connected to the corresponding sealing unit back and forth along the transport direction by driving the connected sealing unit to run using a reciprocating drive motor. The sealing device in a bag making and filling machine as described in claim 2, characterized in that the multiple opening and closing mechanisms are configured to operate a pair of sealing bodies so as to clamp the tubular film in the order from the downstream sealing unit in the transport direction to the upstream sealing unit. The transport means includes an endless transport body that is driven by a drive motor,
the conveying body extends along the conveying path in the front and rear of the conveying direction at a position corresponding to each of the seal units, and is wound around a plurality of rotating bodies so as to be guided along a path in which the pair of seal bodies are not interlocked, and opposing ends of the conveying body opposed to each other in the front and rear of the conveying direction are positioned on either side of a moving area in the opposing direction of the pair of seal bodies;
Each of the seal units includes a pair of first rotating bodies spaced apart in the forward and rearward directions of the transfer direction across the movement region of the pair of seal bodies, which wrap around and guide and support opposing ends of the transfer body, a second rotating body located below the first rotating bodies and which wraps around and guides the transfer body, and an operating mechanism which links the first rotating body and the second rotating body and moves the pair of first rotating bodies toward and away from each other,
the actuation mechanism moves the pair of first rotating bodies closer to and away from each other when the pair of sealing bodies move, thereby allowing the pair of sealing bodies to clamp the tubular film and allowing smooth delivery of the article;
A sealing device in a bag making and filling machine described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the operating mechanism is configured to move the second rotating body by an amount equal to the movement of the first rotating body, both when the pair of first rotating bodies move away from each other and when they move toward each other, thereby maintaining the transport body in a taut state.

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