JP7515969B2 - Auger filling equipment and filling packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an auger filling device, and in particular to an auger filling device and a filling packaging machine that fills packaging bags with a filling material by rotating and conveying.

Conventionally, when filling a packaging bag or a cup container with a filler such as a fine powder, a powder that easily clumps, or a sticky powder, an auger filling device is known in which a funnel is connected to the bottom of a hopper that stores the raw material, and the filler is filled into the packaging bag by rotating and conveying the screw that is inserted and engaged into the funnel (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Such auger filling devices normally operate to intermittently fill each packaging bag, but even when the screw pauses between fillings, a small amount of filling material from the funnel outlet may fall unexpectedly, causing the filling material to get caught between the seals of the packaging bag and resulting in defective products. For this reason, a filling device has been proposed in which a shutter section with a cone-shaped tapered surface is provided at the tip of the screw, and the filling material is discharged radially into the packaging bag (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2001-018902 A Patent No. 4125050

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, the filling material is discharged radially into the packaging bag, which allows the filling material to be smoothly dispersed and released inside the packaging bag. However, when the filling material is discharged radially into the packaging bag, the packaging bag being made is shaken in all directions, which may result in defective bag making.

The present invention was developed in light of these circumstances, and aims to prevent the filling material from unexpectedly falling into the packaging bag in an auger filling device that fills a packaging bag with a powder or viscous material, or the filling material from protruding and accumulating inside the packaging bag, causing it to become caught in the sealed portion of the packaging bag.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its first aspect is an auger filling device comprising a hopper for storing a powdered or viscous filling material, a pipe-shaped funnel suspended from the lower end of the hopper and discharging the filling material supplied from the hopper from an outlet at the lower end, a screw that is inserted through the inside of the hopper and the funnel and is installed to be freely rotatable, a screw drive unit that starts the rotation drive of the screw at a predetermined filling start timing to discharge the filling material and stops the rotation drive of the screw at a predetermined filling end timing to stop the transport of the filling material, and an outlet branching lid that is installed at the outlet of the funnel and branches the discharge direction of the filling material diagonally to the lower left and diagonally to the lower right. This provides the effect of branching the discharge direction of the filling material diagonally to the lower left and diagonally to the lower right.

In addition, the first side may further include a diagonal lower left discharge port that discharges one of the fillings branched by the discharge branch lid in a diagonal lower left direction, a diagonal lower right discharge port that discharges the other filling branched by the discharge branch lid in a diagonal lower right direction, a shutter cylinder that is cylindrical and engages with the outer periphery of the discharge branch lid and is installed so as to be freely moved up and down to cover the funnel and open and close the diagonal lower left discharge port and the diagonal lower right discharge port, and a shutter drive unit that moves the shutter cylinder up and down at the timing when the filling starts to open the diagonal lower left discharge port and the diagonal lower right discharge port and moves the shutter cylinder down and closes the diagonal lower left discharge port and the diagonal lower right discharge port at the timing when the filling ends. This provides the effect of preventing the filling from unintentionally dropping from the discharge port of the funnel by moving the shutter cylinder up and down.

In addition, in this first aspect, the discharge branching lid may be installed so as to prevent the filling from being discharged in a downward direction, and may include a left sloped portion that branches and guides the filling from the discharge outlet of the funnel in a diagonally downward left direction, and a right sloped portion that branches and guides the filling from the discharge outlet of the funnel in a diagonally downward right direction.

In this case, the angle of the discharge branching lid relative to the vertical direction of the left slope portion and the right slope portion may be asymmetric. This allows the opening areas of the diagonally lower left discharge port and the diagonally lower right discharge port to differ from each other, thereby setting the distribution of the amount of the filling to be discharged.

The intersection of the extended guide slopes of the left and right slopes may be different from the axial center of the funnel. This allows the distribution and direction of the amount of filler to be set.

Also, in this first aspect, the shutter tube may have a front hanging portion that protrudes forward from the tip edge of the shutter tube, and a rear hanging portion that protrudes backward, and the front hanging portion and the rear hanging portion may be arranged to block the front and rear of the discharge branch lid when the shutter tube moves upward and the diagonal lower left discharge port and the diagonal lower right discharge port are opened, respectively. This provides the effect of preventing discharge from the front or rear.

The second aspect of the present invention is a filling and packaging machine for manufacturing packaging bags filled and packaged with a powdery or viscous filling material, comprising: a packaging film feeder for pulling out and conveying a packaging film from a packaging film roll on which a long length of packaging film is rewound; a forming device for forming the conveyed packaging film into two pieces of packaging film or a half-folded packaging film according to the shape of the packaging bag; a vertical sealing device for forming a cylindrical packaging film by applying a vertical seal along the conveying direction to the formed packaging film; a horizontal sealing device for forming a continuous packaging bag by applying a horizontal seal perpendicular to the conveying direction to the cylindrical packaging film; the auger filling device of the first aspect described above for filling the filling material into the top-opened packaging bag during the bag formation; and a cutter device for cutting a predetermined position of the horizontal seal of the continuous packaging bag to form individual packaging bags.

The second side may further include a guide member that inscribes the cylindrical packaging film from the inside toward at least one of the discharge directions of the diagonally lower left discharge port and the diagonally lower right discharge port, thereby maintaining tension in the width direction of the cylindrical packaging film. This provides the effect of maintaining tension in the width direction of the cylindrical packaging film.

The present invention has the excellent effect of preventing the filling material from unexpectedly falling into the packaging bag in an auger filling device that fills a powder or viscous material into a packaging bag, and preventing the filling material from protruding and accumulating inside the packaging bag and becoming caught in the sealed portion of the packaging bag.

1 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of a vertical filling and packaging machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a shutter opening/closing mechanism of the auger filling device 2 in an embodiment of the present invention in a shutter open state. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a shutter opening/closing mechanism of the auger filling device 2 in an embodiment of the present invention, in a shutter closed state. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a first example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention, in a state where the shutter is open. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a first example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention, in a state where the shutter is closed. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a second example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention, in a shutter-open state. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a second example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention, in a state where the shutter is closed. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a third example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention, in a shutter-open state. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a third example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention, in a state where the shutter is closed. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view of a fourth example of a branching structure near an outlet port 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention, in a shutter-open state. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a right side of a fourth example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention in a shutter-open state. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view of a fourth example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention, with the shutter closed. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a right side of a fourth example of a branching structure in the vicinity of an outlet 107 of a funnel 102 in a shutter closed state according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a modified shape of the shutter cylinder 504 in an embodiment of the present invention in a shutter open state. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a modified shape of the shutter cylinder 504 in the embodiment of the present invention in a shutter closed state. FIG.

Figure 1 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of a vertical filling and packaging machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The vertical filling and packaging machine 1 is a device that packages a filling material and forms a packaging bag that contains the filling material. This vertical filling and packaging machine 1 is equipped with an auger filling device 2, a shutter opening and closing device 3, a bag making device 4, a bag making pipe 5, a vertical sealing device 6, a horizontal sealing device 7, a cutter device 8, a conveying slide 9, and a control device 10.

The auger filling device 2 is a device that conveys and discharges the filling material while stirring it by rotating a screw (auger). The shutter opening and closing device 3 is a device that opens and closes the discharge port of the auger filling device 2.

The bag making device 4 is a device that makes packaging bags from a strip of packaging film. The bag making pipe 5 is a pipe that guides the strip of packaging film.

The vertical sealing device 6 is a device that applies a vertical seal along the conveying direction to the packaging film F2 formed by the bag making device 4.

The horizontal sealing device 7 is provided below the vertical sealing device 6, and applies a horizontal seal perpendicular to the conveying direction to the cylindrical packaging film F3 that has been vertically sealed by the vertical sealing device 6. The discharge outlet of the auger filling device 2 is inserted above the continuous packaging bags F4 that have been horizontally sealed, and the filling material is supplied. The continuous packaging bags F4 filled with the filling material are similarly vertically sealed. In this way, the filling material is stored in each of the continuous packaging bags F4.

The cutter device 8 is provided below the horizontal sealing device 7 and cuts the continuous packaging bag F4 that has been horizontally sealed by the horizontal sealing device 7 into separate packaging bags F5 by bisecting the center line of the horizontal seal from above and below.

The conveying slide 9 is used to transport individual packaging bags F5 filled with a filling material as products.

The control device 10 is a controller that receives operational input and controls the overall operation of the vertical filling and packaging machine 1.

In this embodiment, a packaging bag is assumed to be the object to be filled. More specifically, it is suitable for pillow packaging bags, three-sided sealed packaging bags, four-sided sealed packaging bags, etc. Also, a cup container for storing instant noodles or cup soup may be the object to be filled. In other words, an object that can prevent accumulation of the filling material by controlling the discharge direction and amount is assumed to be the object to be filled.

Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of an example of a shutter opening and closing mechanism of the auger filling device 2 in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows the shutter in an open state, and Figure 3 shows the shutter in a closed state.

The auger filling device 2 includes a filling storage hopper 100, a screw 101, a funnel 102, a guide rod 103, a shutter cylinder 104, upper and lower cylinders 105 for the shutter cylinder, and a discharge branch lid 106.

The filling storage hopper 100 is a hopper for containing and storing the filling P to be packaged. In this embodiment, the filling is assumed to be a powder or viscous material that tends to solidify. Examples include curry flakes, cocoa powder, soybean flour, and potato starch.

The funnel 102 is a pipe-shaped structure that is suspended from the lower end of the filler storage hopper 100 and discharges the filler supplied from the filler storage hopper 100 from a discharge outlet at the lower end.

The screw 101 is installed so as to be freely rotatable, passing through the inside of the filler storage hopper 100 and the funnel 102. By rotating, the screw 101 transports the filler toward the discharge outlet of the funnel 102.

The guide rod 103 is a guide member that is guided by the bag making pipe 5 and spreads the packaging film that has been vertically sealed by the vertical sealing device 6 in the width direction. This causes the tubular packaging film F3 to be stretched flat in the bag width direction, and maintains tension in the bag width direction like the packaging film F3A.

The shutter cylinder 104 is a cylindrical shutter that covers the funnel 102. The shutter cylinder 104 is installed so that it can move up and down freely, and opens and closes the discharge port of the funnel 102. The shutter cylinder up and down cylinder 105 drives the up and down movement of the shutter cylinder 104, causing the shutter cylinder 104 to open and close the discharge port. That is, by moving the shutter cylinder 104 up, the shutter is opened as shown in FIG. 2, and by moving the shutter cylinder 104 down, the shutter is closed as shown in FIG. 3. In this example, the tip of the shutter cylinder 104 is formed in a V shape.

The discharge branching lid 106 is installed at the discharge port of the funnel 102 to branch the discharge direction of the filling material diagonally downward to the left and diagonally to the right. This discharge branching lid 106 is installed so as to prevent the filling material from being discharged in a downward direction. As a result, the filling material discharged from the discharge port of the funnel 102 is branched into filling material P1 diagonally downward to the left and filling material P2 diagonally downward to the right.

It is preferable that the two branched discharge directions are directions that have minimal effect on the packaging of the packaging bag or the transport of the container. For example, in the case of a flat packaging bag, it is preferable that the width direction of the packaging bag is the discharge direction for each. Also, in the case of a cup-shaped container, it is preferable that the discharge direction is a direction perpendicular to the transport direction regulated by a guide rail or the like on the side of the container.

Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of a first example of a branching structure near the outlet 107 of the funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 shows the shutter open state, and Figure 5 shows the shutter closed state.

The discharge branching lid 106 in this first example has a left slope portion 108 and a right slope portion 109 to branch the filling from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the left and right. That is, the left slope portion 108 guides the filling LP1 that branches off to the lower left from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the lower left discharge port 110 in the diagonally lower left direction. In addition, the right slope portion 109 guides the filling RP1 that branches off to the lower right from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the lower right discharge port 111 in the diagonally lower right direction.

In this first example, the angle α1 that the left slope portion 108 makes with respect to the vertical direction is equal to the angle β1 that the right slope portion 109 makes with respect to the vertical direction. In other words, the discharge branching lid 106 in this first example is oriented symmetrically to the lower left and lower right, and discharges an equal flow rate to the left and right.

Figures 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of a second example of a branching structure near the outlet 107 of the funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 shows the shutter open state, and Figure 7 shows the shutter closed state.

The discharge branching lid 206 in this second example has a left slope portion 208 and a right slope portion 209 to branch the filling from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the left and right. That is, the left slope portion 208 guides the filling LP2 that branches off to the left and right from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the left and right lower discharge port 210. The right slope portion 209 guides the filling RP2 that branches off to the right and lower from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the right and lower discharge port 211.

In this second example, the angle α2 that the left slope portion 208 makes with the vertical direction is smaller than the angle β2 that the right slope portion 209 makes with the vertical direction. That is, in the discharge branching lid 206 in this second example, compared to the first example described above, the discharge direction of the lower left discharge port 210 is shifted downward, and the discharge direction of the lower right discharge port 211 is shifted to the right. This makes it possible to set in advance the direction in which the filling is discharged. Also, because the opening area differs between the left and right, the distribution of the amount of filling to be discharged can be set in advance.

Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views of a third example of a branching structure near the outlet 107 of the funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 shows the shutter open state, and Figure 9 shows the shutter closed state.

The discharge branching lid 306 in this third example includes a left slope portion 308 and a right slope portion 309 to branch the filling from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the left and right. That is, the left slope portion 308 guides the filling LP3 that branches off to the lower left from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the lower left discharge port 310 in the diagonally lower left direction. In addition, the right slope portion 309 guides the filling RP3 that branches off to the lower right from the discharge port 107 of the funnel 102 to the lower right discharge port 311 in the diagonally lower right direction.

In this third example, the angle α3 that the left slope portion 308 makes with the vertical direction is equal to the angle β3 that the right slope portion 309 makes with the vertical direction. However, a shift of a shift amount γ is set between the discharge branching point of the discharge branching lid 306 and the center of the funnel 102. For example, if the discharge branching point of the discharge branching lid 306 is set to the right, the opening area differs between the left and right, so that compared to the first example described above, the discharge amount of the lower left discharge port 310 is greater and the discharge amount of the lower right discharge port 311 is less. This allows the distribution of the amount of the filling to be discharged to be preset.

Figures 10 to 13 are cross-sectional views of a fourth example of a branching structure near the outlet 107 of the funnel 102 in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a front view with the shutter open, and Figure 11 is a right side view with the shutter open. Figure 12 is a front view with the shutter closed, and Figure 13 is a right side view with the shutter closed.

The shutter cylinder 404 in this fourth example has a front hanging portion 413 that protrudes from the front of the tip edge of the shutter cylinder 404, and a rear hanging portion 414 that protrudes from the rear. The front hanging portion 413 and the rear hanging portion 414 are positioned to block the front and rear of the discharge branch lid 106 when the shutter cylinder 404 moves upward and the diagonal lower left discharge port 410 and the diagonal lower right discharge port 411 are respectively opened. This makes it possible to prevent discharge from the front and rear other than the restricted discharge ports (diagonal lower left discharge port 410 and diagonal lower right discharge port 411).

Figures 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views of modified shapes of the shutter cylinder 504 in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 shows the shutter in an open state, and Figure 15 shows the shutter in a closed state.

In the above embodiment, the tip of the shutter tube 104 is formed in a V-shape, but the tip may be horizontal as in the modified shutter tube 504. In this case, when the shutter tube 104 is closed, the discharge branch cover 106 can be hidden from the side as shown in FIG. 15. Another advantage is that it is easier to manufacture.

In this way, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the auger filling device, the discharge direction of the filling from the funnel is branched into two directions to prevent the filling inside the packaging bag from accumulating and protruding, and by making these two branched discharge ports freely openable and closable with a cylindrical shutter, it is possible to prevent the filling from dropping at an unexpected time and also to prevent the filling from getting caught in the sealed portion of the packaging bag.

In response to this, it is possible to realize a simple shutter structure by crushing the film with a rod-shaped stopper, but in that case there is the problem that the film falls a long distance to the horizontal sealing section. With this embodiment, such a stopper is unnecessary, the time it takes to reach the horizontal sealing section can be shortened, and the entire device can be made more compact.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vertical filling packaging machine 2 Auger filling device 3 Shutter opening/closing device 4 Bag making device 5 Bag making pipe 6 Vertical sealing device 7 Horizontal sealing device 8 Cutter device 9 Conveying slide 10 Control device 100 Filling storage hopper 101 Screw 102 Funnel 103 Guide rod 104, 404, 504 Shutter tube 105 Shutter tube upper and lower cylinders 106, 206, 306 Discharge branching lid 107 Discharge outlet 108, 208, 308 Left slope portion 109, 209, 309 Right slope portion 110, 210, 310, 410 Left lower discharge outlet 111, 211, 311, 411 Right lower discharge outlet 413 Front hanging portion 414 Rear hanging portion

Claims (7)

A hopper for accommodating a powder or viscous material;
a pipe-shaped funnel that is hung from a lower end of the hopper and discharges the filling material supplied from the hopper from a discharge port at the lower end;
a screw that is rotatably installed while passing through the inside of the hopper and the funnel;
a screw driving unit that starts rotating the screw at a predetermined filling start timing to discharge the filling material, and stops rotating the screw at a predetermined filling end timing to stop the conveyance of the filling material;
a discharge branching lid that is installed at the discharge port of the funnel and branches the discharge direction of the filler diagonally downward to the left and diagonally downward to the right;
The discharge branching lid is installed so as to prevent the filling from being discharged in a downward direction, and includes a left slope portion that branches and guides the filling in an obliquely downward left direction from the discharge port of the funnel, and a right slope portion that branches and guides the filling in an obliquely downward right direction from the discharge port of the funnel, and the angles that the left slope portion and the right slope portion make with respect to the vertical direction are asymmetric.
Auger filling device. A hopper for accommodating a powder or viscous material;
a pipe-shaped funnel that is hung from a lower end of the hopper and discharges the filling material supplied from the hopper from a discharge port at the lower end;
a screw that is rotatably installed while passing through the inside of the hopper and the funnel;
a screw driving unit that starts rotating the screw at a predetermined filling start timing to discharge the filling material, and stops rotating the screw at a predetermined filling end timing to stop the conveyance of the filling material;
a discharge branching lid that is installed at the discharge port of the funnel and branches the discharge direction of the filler diagonally downward to the left and diagonally downward to the right;
The discharge branching lid is installed so as to prevent the filling from being discharged in a downward direction, and includes a left slope portion that branches and guides the filling in a diagonally downward left direction from the discharge port of the funnel, and a right slope portion that branches and guides the filling in a diagonally downward right direction from the discharge port of the funnel, and an intersection point where the guide slopes of the left slope portion and the right slope portion are extended is different from the axial center of the funnel.
Auger filling device. 3. The auger filling device according to claim 2 , wherein the left slope portion and the right slope portion of the discharge branching lid are asymmetrical with respect to the vertical direction. a diagonally lower left discharge port that discharges one of the fillings branched by the discharge branching lid in a diagonally lower left direction;
a diagonally lower right discharge port that discharges the other filling branched by the discharge branching lid in a diagonally lower right direction;
a shutter cylinder that is shaped like a cylinder and engages with an outer periphery of the discharge branching lid, and is installed so as to be able to freely move up and down so as to cover the funnel, and that opens and closes the obliquely lower left discharge port and the obliquely lower right discharge port;
4. The auger filling device according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter drive unit which moves the shutter cylinder upward at the timing when filling starts to open the diagonal lower left outlet and the diagonal lower right outlet, and moves the shutter cylinder downward at the timing when filling ends to close the diagonal lower left outlet and the diagonal lower right outlet. The shutter cylinder includes a front portion protruding from a front end edge of the shutter cylinder and a rear portion protruding from a rear end edge of the shutter cylinder,
An auger filling device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front and rear hanging portions are positioned so as to block the front and rear of the discharge branching cover when the shutter tube moves upward and the diagonal left-lower discharge outlet and the diagonal right - lower discharge outlet are opened, respectively. A filling and packaging machine for producing packaging bags in which a powdery or viscous filling material is filled and packaged,
a packaging film feeding device that pulls out and conveys a packaging film from a packaging film roll in which a long length of packaging film is rewound;
a forming device for forming the transported packaging film into two packaging films or a half-folded packaging film according to the shape of the packaging bag;
a vertical sealing device that applies a vertical seal along a conveyance direction to the formed packaging film to form a cylindrical packaging film;
a transverse sealing device that applies transverse seals perpendicular to a conveying direction to the cylindrical packaging film to form continuous packaging bags;
6. The auger filling device according to claim 1, which fills the filling material into the top-opened packaging bag during the bag making process;
a cutter device that cuts the continuous packaging bag at predetermined positions of the horizontal seal to create individual packaging bags. 7. A filling and packaging machine as described in claim 6, further comprising a guide member that inscribes the cylindrical packaging film from the inside toward at least one of the discharge directions of the diagonal lower left discharge port and the diagonal lower right discharge port to maintain tension in the width direction of the cylindrical packaging film.

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