JPH0217414B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in an apparatus for sterilizing sealed packages.

A conventional sterilization processing apparatus for sealed packages will be explained with reference to FIG. 1. 01 is a filling and sealing machine, and the filling and sealing machine 01 is used to sterilize sealed packages (not shown) filled with various contents and sealed (for example, retort pouches for food). etc)
is discharged to an empty tray 04 on a conveyor 03 via a discharge device 02. Further, 05 is a tray stacking device, and the tray stacking device 05 stacks a predetermined number of trays 06 containing sealed packages. As this device, for example, a device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-25090, which stacks trays 06 one by one, is known. Further, 07 is a pool conveyor, and the pool conveyor 07 pools a predetermined number of stacked trays 09 stacked in a predetermined number by the tray stacking device 05. Also, 010 is a sterilizer, and the sterilizer 0
10 stores the stacked trays 09, sterilizes them with high-temperature, high-pressure steam or boiling water, and discharges them to the pool conveyor 011 after cooling. Further, 012 is a tray unloading device, and the tray unloading device 012, contrary to the tray stacking device 05, loads the sterilized stacked trays 09 one by one from the top onto the conveyor 01.
3. Unload on top. This device is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-25090. Further, 014 is a package take-out device, and the package take-out device 014 takes out a sealed package from the tray 06 conveyed by the conveyor 013 and transfers it to a packaging machine such as a drying device (not shown). on the other hand,
The empty tray 4 is transported upstream of the filling and sealing machine 01 by a truck (not shown) or the like.

The sterilization processing device for the sealed package is sterilizer 01.
A pool conveyor 07 for temporarily pooling the stacked trays 09 before sterilization processing is arranged on the upstream side of 0, and a pool conveyor 011 for temporarily pooling the stacked trays 09 after sterilization processing is arranged on the downstream side. Although the loading and unloading work into the sterilizer 010 has been automated, on the other hand, the following problem has arisen.

(i) After the filling and sealing machine 01 starts operating, it takes nearly one hour for the tray 06 containing sealed packages to reach the conveyor 013 via the sterilizer 010, and the packaging unloading device 014, drying device, etc. Only at this time will the machine begin operation.

That is, a "time difference" occurs in the start time of operation between the filling and sealing machine 01 and the packaging machine, and it becomes necessary to adjust the working hours between the filling and sealing machine 01 and the packaging machine, which is unfavorable in terms of labor management. As a countermeasure for this, the sterilization processing apparatus pools the sterilized stacked trays 09 and trays 06 on the pool conveyor 011 and transport conveyor 013 until the next morning, but the capacity is insufficient. In particular, the larger the sterilizer, the greater the time difference, so lack of capacity became a major problem.

(ii) Empty trays 04, which have been emptied after the sealed packages are taken out by the package unloading device 014, must be placed on a trolley in a predetermined number and transported to the filling and sealing machine 01, which requires manual labor. It was hot,
Automation has not been achieved here.

(iii) In addition, if the package take-out device 014 breaks down or the packaging machine in the post-process stops, the stacked trays 09 and trays 06 can be pooled using the pool conveyor 011 and transport conveyor 013. Nevertheless, it became impossible to supply empty trays 04 to the filling and sealing machine 01, and as a result, the operation of the filling and sealing machine 01 had to be stopped, reducing production efficiency.

The present invention addresses the above-mentioned problems, and is a packaging method in which an empty tray 4 is transported to a loading position for sealed packages discharged from the filling and sealing device 1, and the sealed packages are stored on the empty tray 4. A loading conveyor 3, a tray pool conveyor 5 that pools trays 6 containing packages from the same packaging loading conveyor 3, and a tray pool conveyor 5 that pools trays 6 containing packages from the same tray pool conveyor 5, and a tray 6 for storing packages from the same tray pool conveyor 5 into a pallet on the upstream side of the sterilizer. A tray stacking device 7 stacks the pallets 8 sent from the tray conveyor 16, and the pallets 8 from the tray stacking device 7 and the stacking tray 21 above them.
A sterilizer 20 that sterilizes the stacked trays 21 from the stacked tray pool conveyor 9 on the upstream side of the sterilizer, and a pallet 8 from the sterilizer 20. and a stacked tray pool conveyor 22 on the downstream side of the sterilizer that pools the stacked trays 21 thereon, and a pallet conveyor 16 on the downstream side of the sterilizer to transport the pallets 8 from the stacked tray pool conveyor 22 on the downstream side of the sterilizer. A tray take-out device 38 that separates the stacked trays 21 into individual package storage trays 6.
A sealed package take-out device 40 takes out the sealed packages from the package storage tray 6 from the tray take-out device 38, and the empty tray 4 from the sealed package take-out device 40 is transferred to a pallet downstream of the sterilizer. An empty tray stacking device 43 stacks the pallets 8 sent from the conveyor 16, and the pallets 8 from the empty tray stacking device 43 and the stacking trays 4 thereon.
Stacked empty tray pool conveyor 45 that pools 4
Then, the pallets 8 from the empty tray pool conveyor 45 are transferred to the pallet conveyor 16 upstream of the sterilizer.
The sealed packaging body is equipped with empty tray take-out devices 46 and 47 for discharging the stacked trays 44 into individual empty trays 4 and transporting the stacked trays 44 to the packaging loading conveyor 3. The purpose of the sterilization processing device is to be able to eliminate the time difference between the filling and sealing device and the packaging device, and to cope with the increase in the size of the sterilization machine. The transportation of empty trays from the package take-out device to the filling and sealing device can be automated. A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved sterilization device for sealed packages that allows the filling operation to continue without stopping the filling and sealing device.

Next, the sterilization treatment apparatus for sealed packages of the present invention is
To explain with an example shown in FIGS. 8 to 8,
1 is a filling and sealing device, and the filling and sealing device 1 is
A sealed package (not shown) filled with various contents and sealed is transferred to a package loading conveyor 3 via a loading device 2.
(A roller conveyor driven by a driving means not shown. The same applies below unless otherwise specified) The required number of pieces to be filled in the upper empty tray 4 (16 pieces in total in this example)
Load. Further, 5 is a tray pool conveyor, and the tray pool conveyor 5 pools trays 6 containing sealed packages. Further, 7 is a tray palletizer (tray stacking device), and the tray palletizer 7 stacks the trays 6 on a pallet 8 by a predetermined number of stages and transfers them to the entrance side pallet pool conveyor (stacked tray pool conveyor) 9 side. In addition, 10 is a roller conveyor, and the same roller conveyor 10
is rotatable by a drive means (not shown). Moreover, it is integrally attached to the hydraulic cylinder 11 and can be moved up and down. Reference numeral 12 denotes a frame, which is installed parallel to the conveying direction of the tray 6 and can be hung on the rail 6a of the tray 6 when the tray 6 is placed on the roller conveyor 10 and ascends. A claw lever 13 is rotatably supported. The lever 13 has one end supported by the frame 12 and can be rotated by an air cylinder 14, and is provided so as not to interfere with the vertical movement of the tray 6. Also, 15 is the upper limit switch, and the same upper limit switch is 15.
is attached to the frame 12 in order to regulate the upper limit of the upward movement of the roller conveyor 10. 16 is a pallet conveyor, and the pallet conveyor 16 is connected to a chain conveyor 17 and a sprocket 1.
8, 19, etc., and transports the pallet 8 to just above the roller conveyor 10 as shown in FIG. The sprockets 18, 19, etc. are supported by a bracket (not shown). Further, 20 is a sterilizer, which stores a predetermined number of stacked trays 21 stacked on the pallet 8, sterilizes them with high-temperature, high-pressure steam, and after cooling, transfers them to the outlet side pallet pool conveyor 22. discharge to. In addition, 22 is an exit side pallet pool conveyor (stacked tray pool conveyor);
is constituted by a roller conveyor 23 and a corner transfer conveyor 24, and has a total pool capacity of the stacked trays 21 corresponding to the time difference and the stacked trays 21 filled and sealed during the stop time of the packaging machine. In this embodiment, three roller conveyors 23 are used.
and four corner transfer conveyors 24. 24 is a corner transfer conveyor, and the corner transfer conveyor 24 is composed of a roller 25 rotated by a drive means (not shown) and a drive chain conveyor 26 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). In addition, 26 is a drive chain conveyor, and the same drive chain conveyor 2
6 includes sprockets 28, 29, and 30 rotatably supported by a bracket 27 having a U-shaped cross section;
A sprocket 31 fixed coaxially with the sprocket 30, a sprocket 33 on the side of the sprocket 31 and the motor 32, and a tension sprocket 34.
The driving chain conveyor 26 is made up of a chain 35 stretched between the rollers 25 and a hydraulic cylinder 36 integrated with the bracket 27, and the driving chain conveyor 26 is moved up and down between the rollers 25 by the hydraulic cylinder 36. Further, reference numeral 37 denotes a frame, and the frame 37 rotatably supports the roller 25. Further, 38 is a tray depalletizer (tray take-out device), and the tray depalletizer 38 has the same structure as the tray palletizer 7, but in contrast to the tray palletizer 7, the pallets 8 are transferred to the pallet conveyor 16.
After being discharged, the trays 6 are transferred one by one from below to a roller conveyor 39. Further, 40 is a package take-out device, which takes out the sealed package from the tray 6 conveyed on the corner transformer 24 and the roller conveyor 41, and takes out the sealed package from the packaging machine side such as a drying device (not shown). Transfer to empty tray 4.
is transferred to a tray palletizer 43 via a corner transfer conveyor 24 and a roller conveyor 42. In addition, 43 is a tray palletizer (empty tray takeout device), and the tray palletizer 43 is
It has the same structure and function as the tray palletizer 7, and after stacking a predetermined number of empty trays 4 from below onto a pallet 8 transferred by a pallet conveyor 16 to form a stacked tray 44, it is transferred to a pallet pool conveyor. Discharge to 45. In addition, 45 is a pallet pool conveyor (tiered empty tray pallet pool conveyor).
is installed between the tray palletizer 43 and the tray depalletizer 46, and has a capacity that allows continuous operation without interrupting the supply of empty trays 4 to the filling and sealing device 1 even when the packaging machine is stopped. is set. Further, numeral 46 is a tray depalletizer (empty tray takeout device), which has the same structure and function as the tray depalletizer 38, and is connected to the pallet pool conveyor 45.
The stacked trays 44 being transferred are separated into pallets 8 and empty trays 4, the pallets 8 are discharged to the pallet conveyor 16, and the empty trays 4 are taken out one by one from below and transferred to a roller conveyor (empty tray removal). 47, and is transferred to the filling and sealing device 1 side via a corner transfer conveyor 24.

Next, the operation of the apparatus for sterilizing sealed packages will be explained.

(a) A predetermined number of sealed packages filled and sealed by the filling and sealing device 1 are loaded from the packaging loading device 2 onto the empty trays 4 on the loading conveyor 3, and are transferred to the tray palletizer 7 via the corner transfer conveyor 24 and the tray pool conveyor 5.
will be transferred to. The tray 6 loaded with the sealed packages is transferred one by one to the tray palletizer 7 by means (not shown) (stopper, limit switch, etc.).

(b) When the tray 6 is placed on the roller conveyor 10 of the tray palletizer 7 as shown in FIG.
When the hydraulic cylinder 11 starts to rise and reaches the height at which the upper limit switch 15 operates (2
(see dotted chain line), lever 13 with claw that was retracted
advances to the solid line position and the rail 6a of the tray 6
Hang on. The roller conveyor 10 descends and waits for the next tray 6 to arrive. When the new tray 6 reaches the roller conveyor 10, the hydraulic cylinder 11 rises and contacts the previous tray 6, which is latched onto the claw lever 13. At this time, the upper limit switch 15 is activated, and the claw lever 13 is retracted and removed from the rail 6a of the previous tray 6. From this state, the hydraulic cylinder 11 further rises by the height of one tray, and then the claw lever 13 advances and latches onto the rail 6a of the new tray 6, and the hydraulic cylinder 11
descends. This operation is repeated to stack a predetermined number of trays 6 one by one from below.

(c) When a predetermined number of trays 6 are stacked, the roller conveyor 10 of the tray palletizer 7 is lowered from the upper surface of the chain conveyor 17 as shown in FIG. 8, and the chain conveyor 17 is driven.
Pallet 8 is carried in. Next, the roller conveyor 10 rises and lifts the pallet 8, and when the top surface of the pallet 8 comes into contact with the lowest tray 6, the claw lever 13 is retracted, and the stacked trays 21 are removed from the pallet 8. It is placed on top and lowered to the level of the roller conveyor 10 shown in FIG. The stacked trays 21 stacked in a predetermined number on the pallet 8 are conveyed to the entrance side pallet pool conveyor 9 by driving the roller conveyor 10 of the tray palletizer 7.

(d) A predetermined number of stacked trays 21 (four in this embodiment) pooled on the inlet-side pallet pool conveyor 9 are stored in the sterilizer 20, sterilized with high-temperature, high-pressure steam, and after cooling, the stacked trays 21 are transferred to the outlet. The pallet is discharged to the side pallet pool conveyor 22. The outlet side pallet pool conveyor 22 stores the stacked trays 21 discharged from the sterilizer 20 in a "first in, first out" order (those that entered the sterilizer 20 first are delivered to the subsequent process first). Roller conveyor 23 and corner transfer conveyor 24 as shown in the figure.
Arrange on top of .

(e) The stacked trays 21 placed on the pallet 8 are
The tray depalletizer 38 first separates the pallets 8 and discharges them to the pallet conveyor 16, and then the trays 6 are taken out one by one from below and transferred to the roller conveyor 39.

(f) The sealed package is taken out by the package take-out device 40 from the tray 6 conveyed on the corner transfer conveyor 24 and roller conveyor 41, and the empty tray 4 is transferred to the tray palletizer via the corner transfer conveyor 24 and roller conveyor 42. Transfer to 43.

(g) Like the tray palletizer 7, the tray palletizer 43 stacks a predetermined number of empty trays 4 from below on the pallet 8 transferred by the pallet conveyor 16 to form a stacked tray 44;
The pallet is transferred to the pallet pool conveyor 45.

(h) The tray depalletizer 46 is connected to the pallet pool conveyor 4 in the same way as the tray depalletizer 38.
The stacked trays 44 transferred at step 5 are separated into pallets 8 and empty trays 4, the pallets 8 are discharged to the pallet conveyor 16, and the empty trays 4 are taken out one by one from below and discharged to the roller conveyor 47. Then, it is supplied to the filling and sealing device 1 side.

Next, the effects of the sterilization treatment apparatus for sealed packages will be explained. Since the pool conveyors 9 and 22 are disposed upstream and downstream of the sterilizer 20, the "time difference" between the filling and sealing device and the packaging device can be eliminated. Moreover, since the pool capacity of the outlet side pallet pool conveyor 22 can be increased, the sterilizer can be made larger. Also, a stacking device 4 stacks empty trays after the sealed packages are discharged to the packaging device side.
3, a pool conveyor 45 that pools the stacked trays stacked by the stacking device 43, and an empty tray take-out device that takes out the stacked trays conveyed by the pool conveyor 45 one by one to the filling and sealing device 1 side. 46 and 47, it is possible to automate the transportation of empty trays from the package take-out device 40 to the filling and sealing device 1 side. Furthermore, even if the package take-out device 40 or the packaging machine in the post-process breaks down, a large amount of empty trays 4 can be pooled in stacks on the pool conveyor 45, so the filling and sealing device 1
The filling operation can be continued without stopping. Note that the trays 4 and 6 themselves may be stacked without using the pallet 8. Also, palletizers 7 and 4
3 Depalletizers 38 and 46 are stacked from above,
It may also be taken out.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and that various design changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a system diagram showing a conventional sterilization processing device for sealed packages, Fig. 2 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of the sterilization processing device for sealed packages according to the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an empty tray. Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional side view taken along the arrow line in Figure 2, Figure 5 is a front view taken along the arrow line in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a plan view of the corner transfer conveyor, and Figure 7 is a top view of the corner transfer conveyor. 6 is a front view taken along the arrow line in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a side view of the pallet conveyor. 1... Filling and sealing device, 3... Packaging loading conveyor, 4... Empty tray, 5... Tray pool conveyor, 6... Packaging storage tray, 7... Tray stacking device, 8... Pallet, 9 ... Stacked tray pool conveyor on the upstream side of the sterilizer, 16, 16 ... Pallet conveyor on the upstream and downstream sides of the sterilizer, 20
... Sterilizer, 21 ... Stacked tray, , 22 ... Stacked tray pool conveyor on the downstream side of the sterilizer, 38...
...Tray take-out device, 40... Sealed package take-out device, 43... Empty tray stacking device, 45... Stacked empty tray pool conveyor, 46, 47... Empty tray take-out device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A packaging loading conveyor 3 that conveys an empty tray 4 to a loading position for sealed packages discharged from the filling and sealing device 1 and stores the sealed packages on the empty tray 4; A tray pool conveyor 5 pools trays 6 containing packages from the tray pool conveyor 5, and a pallet 8 sent from a pallet conveyor 16 upstream of the sterilizer to be described later.
A tray stacking device 7 that stacks the trays on top, a stacking tray pool conveyor 9 on the upstream side of the sterilizer that pools the pallets 8 from the tray stacking device 7 and the stacked trays 21 thereon, and a tray pool conveyor 9 on the upstream side of the sterilizer. A sterilizer 20 that sterilizes the stacked trays 21 from the stacked tray pool conveyor 9, and a stacked tray pool conveyor on the downstream side of the sterilizer that pools the pallets 8 from the sterilizer 20 and the stacked trays 21 above them. 22 and the pallets 8 from the stacked tray pool conveyor 22 on the downstream side of the sterilizer are discharged to the pallet conveyor 16 on the downstream side of the sterilizer, and the stacked trays 21 are stacked one by one into trays 6 containing packages. A tray take-out device 38 that separates, a sealed package take-out device 40 that takes out the sealed package from above the tray 6 from the tray take-out device 38, and an empty tray 4 from the sealed package take-out device 40 are placed downstream of the sterilizer. An empty tray stacking device 43 that stacks the pallets 8 sent from the pallet conveyor 16 on the side, and a stacking device that pools the pallets 8 from the same empty tray stacking device 43 and the stacked trays 44 above them. The pallets 8 from the tray pool conveyor 45 and the stacked empty tray pool conveyor 45 are discharged to the pallet conveyor 16 upstream of the sterilizer, and the stacked trays 44 are separated into individual empty trays 4 and packaged as described above. Empty tray take-out devices 46 and 47 for transporting to the loading conveyor 3
A sterilization device for sealed packages, characterized by comprising: