JPH0549533B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is directed to sterilizing the contents such as juices into a container while forming a self-supporting container from a sheet-like packaging material such as a plastic sheet and aluminum foil. This invention relates to an aseptic filling and packaging machine that performs filling while maintaining its condition.

[Conventional technology]

In general, filling and packaging machines that fill containers with contents can be broadly divided into container supply types that fill the contents into pre-formed containers, and those that form containers from flexible sheet-like packaging materials and fill the contents at the same time. There is a container-forming type.

Compared to the container supply type, the container forming type is advantageous in terms of space and overall efficiency because it does not require a separate dedicated machine for forming containers, and is therefore widely used. . Container forming molds have evolved from pouches (bags) with three- or four-sided seals, and recently, free-standing pouches with gussets formed on the lower side have been provided. This free-standing pouch is superior to conventional pouches in terms of capacity, appearance, and ease of use, but since the gusseted part is only on the bottom, the free-standing direction is restricted, and it can be held upside down. I couldn't force it. Therefore, when stacking them or storing them in a refrigerator or the like, it is necessary to align them vertically, which is inconvenient.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

On the other hand, when filling drinks such as juice into containers, it is necessary to make the packaging material that makes up the container sterile, and also to keep the inside of the filling machine in a sterile state. has a separate packaging material sterilization mechanism installed inside the filling machine. However,
Mechanisms for sterilizing packaging materials include chemical methods using H ₂ O ₂ liquid or alcohol solution, and physical methods using ultraviolet rays, gamma rays, or electron beams, but each method has its advantages and disadvantages. However, to compensate for this disadvantage, the sterilization mechanism itself has become larger and more expensive. For this reason, the number of manufacturers using aseptic filling and packaging machines is limited.

In addition, filling and packaging using pre-sterilized packaging materials without sterilizing the sheet-like packaging materials in-machine may be considered, but secondary contamination may occur when the sterilized packaging materials are set in the filling and packaging machine. The problem is that it cannot be effectively prevented.

The present invention solves the two problems mentioned above, namely, to easily manufacture a container that has both upper and lower gusset parts and can stand on its own on either side, and to prevent secondary contamination even if the packaging material is sterilized in advance. It is an object of the present invention to provide an aseptic filling and packaging machine which can simplify the sterilization mechanism inside the machine without any danger.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention relates to an aseptic filling and packaging machine which fills contents into a container while forming a container using a sterilized sheet-like packaging material with one surface that can be welded. The unit is equipped with an exterior material sterilization section for inserting sterile packaging materials from the outside and sterilizing the exterior materials, and a packaging material supply section for supplying sheet-like packaging materials from the sterile packaging materials into the main body. The sterilization section and the packaging material supply section are separated by a partition that can be opened and closed, and the main body includes a guide plate for folding the sheet-like packaging material into a cylindrical shape with the weldable side facing inside;
A side sealer overlaps and welds the side edges of the cylindrical packaging material, a gusset guide folds both sides of the cylindrical packaging material inward, and welds both ends of the inwardly folded portion in the vertical direction. A gusset sealer that forms vertical gussets at the four corners of the cylindrical packaging material, and a filling nozzle that can supply the contents into the cylindrical packaging material and also enable cleaning and sterilization are provided. An end sealer and a cutter for welding the cylindrical packaging material laterally are provided below the filling nozzle, and a pre-sterilization device is connected to the packaging material sterilization section, packaging material supply section, and main body, and a sterile air supply is provided. A hole punching device for punching holes in the packaging material is disposed upstream of the guide plate to which the feeding device is connected and folding the sheet-like packaging material into a cylindrical shape, and this punching device is connected to the gusset sealer. This aseptic filling and packaging machine is characterized in that it has a punch for punching holes inside the gusset part formed by the gusset part and at positions where the gusset part faces and overlaps each other when welded by the end sealer.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal structure of the aseptic filling and packaging machine of the present invention.
An exterior material sterilization section 3, a packaging material supply section 4, and a filling section 100 are provided in the container.

A door 6 for introducing the sterile packaging material 5 is provided on the upper side surface of the exterior material sterilizing section 3, and a door 7 for discharging the core material of the sterile packaging material 5 is provided on the lower side surface.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sterile packaging material 5 is made by winding a sheet-like packaging material 11 around a core material 10 formed by forming flanges 9, 9 on both ends of a pipe material 8, and The exterior material 12 is wound around the exterior material 12, and both ends of the exterior material 12 and the outer periphery of the flange portions 9, 9, and both ends of the exterior material 12 that overlap each other are adhered by double-sided adhesive tape or heat sealing.
Here, the sheet-like packaging material 11 is made by pasting together a sheet that can be welded, such as a plastic sheet, and an aluminum foil or other sheet that cannot be welded.

By the way, after the core material 10, sheet-like packaging material 11, and exterior material 12 that constitute the sterile packaging material 5 are sterilized in advance using a sterilization device that is formed separately from this device,
By winding the exterior material 12 without wrinkles, it is possible to ensure even sterilization during sterilization in the exterior material sterilization section 3.

FIG. 4 shows the packaging material sterilization section 3 and the packaging material supply section 4.
A pair of parallel rollers 13 and 14 are arranged in the exterior material sterilization section 3, one roller 13 is rotated by a motor (not shown), and the other roller 14 is rotated by a shaft (not shown). It is rotatably supported by an arm 16 that rotates around 15,
By rotating the arm 16 upward in response to an external signal or the like, the sterile packaging material 5 is pushed out in the direction of the packaging material supply section 4 .

On the other hand, the packaging material sterilization section 3 and the packaging material supply section 4 are airtightly divided by a partition plate 17.
An opening 18 is formed in the opening 18, and a door 1 that opens and closes the opening 18 on the exterior material sterilization section 3 side near the lower edge of this opening 18.
The lower end of 9 is pivotally connected. Further, a manually rotating handle 20 is attached to the outer wall of the exterior material sterilization section 3, and the base end of an arm 22 is fixed to a shaft 21 of this handle 20 that extends into the exterior material sterilization section 3. The proximal end of a link piece 23 is pivotally attached to the distal end of the link piece 22, and the distal end of the link piece 23 is pivotally attached to the center of the door 19.

When the handle 20 is turned by an external operation, the door 19 rotates around its lower end via the arm 22 and the link piece 23, thereby communicating and blocking the exterior material sterilizing section 3 and the packaging material supply section 4. do. Furthermore, the exterior material sterilization section 3
A receiving tray 24 for discharging the core material 10 after the sheet-like packaging material 11 is used up is disposed at the bottom of the container.

In addition, the packaging material supply section 4 is located at the upper front (right side).
A transparent inclined plate 25 is used to allow the operator P to visually check the inside. Also inside is sterile packaging material 5.
The sterile packaging material 5 is inserted into the pipe portion 8 of the core material 10 of
A chuck 26 that rotatably supports the packaging material supply section 4 is provided so as to be movable inward of the packaging material supply section 4, and this chuck 26 can be moved by operating a handle 30 provided on the outer wall of the packaging material supply section 4. It will be done. On the other hand, inside the packaging material supply section 4, there is a lifting device 27 that moves the sterile packaging material 5 up and down to position it when the sterile packaging material 5 is attached to and removed from the chuck 26. Rubber gloves 28 for performing various difficult operations and a joining device 29 for joining sheet-like packaging materials 11 to each other are provided.

The lifting device 27 includes a support stand 32 that supports the rolls 31, 31, a support column 33 that supports this support stand 32, a guide arm 34 that is pivotally connected to the lower end of this support column 33, and this guide arm 34. A shaft 3 that is rotatably held and horizontally suspended in the packaging material supply section 4
5, an operating arm 36 whose one end is pivotally connected to the support column 33 to move the support column 33 up and down;
The other end of this operating arm 36 is fixed to the shaft 35.
It consists of a rotatable arm 37 extending parallel to the rotary arm 37, a handle shaft 38 connected to one end of the rotary arm 37, and a handle 39 for rotating the handle shaft 38.

The functions of the packaging material sterilizing section 3 and the packaging material supplying section 4 having the above-described configuration will be described below.

First, the door 6 is opened and the sterile packaging material 5 is put into the exterior material sterilization section 3 and placed on the rollers 13 and 14. Next, the door 6 is closed, the rollers 13 and 14 are rotated, and the sterile packaging material 5 on the rollers 13 and 14 is rotated.
After sterilizing by spraying H ₂ O ₂ or the like so that there is no sterilization residue, sterile heated air that has passed through a sterilizing filter is introduced into the exterior material sterilizing section 3 to dry the sterile packaging material 5.

Also, before, after, or at the same time as the above, the packaging material supply section 4
After sterilizing the inside with H ₂ O ₂ spray or the like and drying it by introducing sterile heated air, the handle 20 is operated from the outside to tilt the door 19 to the side of the exterior material sterilization section 3 until it is nearly horizontal and lock it. After that, the roller 14 is rotated upward, the sterile packaging material 5 is placed on the door 19, and the sterile packaging material 5 is rolled in the direction of the packaging material supply section 4, and the sterile packaging material 5 is transferred onto the rollers 31, 31 of the lifting device 27. .

The operator then presses the handle 39 through the gloves 28.
, move the lifting device 27 up and down so that the pipe section 8 of the core material 10 of the sterile packaging material 5 matches the position of the chuck 26, and insert the chuck 26 into the pipe section 8 by operating the handle 30 externally. Sterile packaging material 5
Rotatably supported.

After that, the exterior material 12 of the sterile packaging material 5 is removed through the gloves 28, the sheet-like packaging material 11 is pulled out, and the tip of the sheet-like packaging material 11 is passed through the slit 40 formed on the bottom surface of the packaging material supply section 4. The sheet-like packaging material 11 is placed in the main body 2 and then pulled out to set it in each device in the main body 2. Thereafter, the inside of the main body 2 is sterilized and dried, and then the device is operated.

Also, while each device is in operation, a new sterile packaging material 5 is sterilized in the exterior material sterilization section 3 in preparation for the next replacement. To replace the sterile packaging material 5, when the sheet-like packaging material 11 of the old sterile packaging material 5 is running low, the device is stopped, the core material 10 of the old sterile packaging material 5 is replaced, and the door 19 is opened (at this time, (The packaging material sterilization unit 3 is in a sterile state by pre-sterilization.) The new sterile packaging material 5 is dropped into the receiving tray 24 and carried into the packaging material supply unit 4, cut at the front and held in the joining device 29. By joining the rear end of the sheet-like packaging material 11 of the old sterile packaging material 5 and the front end of the sheet-like packaging material 11 of the new sterile packaging material 5 using the joining device 29, the material can be continuously inserted into the main body. A sheet-like packaging material 11 is supplied.

Inside the main body 2, a large number of guide rollers 41...
... 41, the sheet-like packaging material 11 is formed and filled while sequentially passing through various devices. Various devices include, in order from the upstream side, a hole punching device 42, a guide plate 43, a side sealer 44, and a gusset guide 4.
5. There is a gusset sealer 46 and a filling nozzle 47 for contents.

As shown in FIG. 5, the hole punching device 42 has a support plate 49 extending laterally from a support column 48 erected in the center of the main body 2, and a pair of guide rollers 41a, 41a are mounted on the support plate 49. Attach the sheet packaging material 1
1 runs in the horizontal direction, and a plate body 52 equipped with a punch 51 is vertically movably fitted to rods 50, 50 fixed on a support plate 49, and is pivoted at the center of the plate body 52. The tip of 53 is eccentrically attached to a rotating body 54 rotated by a motor or the like.

The punch 51 moves up and down in a regulated manner with the rotation of the rotating body 54, and punches a fixed pattern in the sheet-like packaging material 11.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of one unit of the sheet-like packaging material 11 that has been perforated by the perforation device 42, that is, a portion that will become one container. In the running direction, the top surface of the paper is the surface that will not be welded, such as aluminum foil, and the back surface of the paper is the surface that will be welded, such as a plastic sheet.

The sheet packaging material 11 has a total of eight holes 5.
5a, 55b, 55c, 55d, 55e, 55
f, 55g, and 55h are formed. The positions of these holes will be explained in comparison with FIG. 7, which shows the final product, a self-supporting container. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the self-supporting container 56 has ears 57 and 58 on the left and right sides, upright pieces 59 and 60 forming a gusset at the top, and upright pieces 61 and 62 forming a gusset at the bottom.
Furthermore, it has a joining part 63 in the lateral direction on one side.

The hole 55a is provided at a portion where a portion 64 that becomes the upright piece 60 and a portion 65 that becomes the ear portion 58 overlap, and the hole 55b is provided at a portion 64 that becomes the upright piece 60.
The hole 55c is provided at a portion where the portion 67 which becomes the ear portion 57 overlaps with the portion 66 which becomes the ear portion 57, the hole 55c is provided at a portion where the portion 67 which becomes the upright piece 59 and the portion 65 which becomes the ear portion 58 overlap, and the hole 55d becomes the upright piece 59. Provided at a portion where the portion 67 and the portion 66 that becomes the ear portion 57 overlap,
The hole 55e is a portion 68 that will become the upright piece 62 and an ear portion 58.
The hole 5 is provided at a portion where the portion 65 overlaps with the hole 5.
5f is provided at the portion where the portion 68 that will become the upright piece 62 and the portion 66 that will be the ear portion 57 overlap, and the hole 55g
is provided at the portion where the portion 69 that becomes the upright piece 61 and the portion 65 that becomes the ear portion 58 overlap, and the hole 55h is provided at the portion where the portion 61 that becomes the upright piece 61 and the portion 65 that becomes the ear portion 57 overlap.
6 is provided at the overlapped portion. Further, the upper and lower end edges 70 and 71 of the sheet-like packaging material 11 in FIG. 6 are welded to form a joint 63 of the container 56.

The sheet-like packaging material having perforations in the above positions is made to run near the ceiling of the main body 2 as shown in FIG. 4, and changes its running direction downward at the position of the guide roller 41b. Below the guide roller 41b, as shown in FIG. The material 11 is folded with the plastic sheet inside, and the sheet-like packaging material 1 is sealed with a side sealer 44.
The end edges 70 and 71 of 1 are abutted and welded to form a cylindrical body 72 having a joint 63 in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. Next, when the cylindrical body 72 moves downward, the gusset folding guides 45 and 4 disposed below the side sealer 44
5, both sides of the cylindrical body 72 are recessed inward as shown in FIG. After this, gusset sealer 4
6, both sides of the folded portion are welded in the vertical direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the above-mentioned upright pieces 59, 60, 61,
62 are formed, and holes 55a,
55b has holes 55c and 55d inside the upright piece 60.
However, holes 55e and 55f are located inside the upright piece 61, and holes 55g and 55h are located inside the upright piece 62.
The holes 55g and 55g face each other, and the weldable plastic sheets are exposed from each hole.

Further, an end sealer 73 is disposed below the gazette sealer 46 and outside the main body 2.
The end sealer 73 welds the cylindrical body 72 drawn out of the main body 2 in the lateral direction. The locations to be welded are those that overlap the holes 55b, 55d, 55f, and 55h. Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the lower part of the cylindrical body 72 is closed to form a bag-like shape. Also,
In this welding, the hole 55b, the hole 55d, and the hole 55
Since the holes 55h and 55h face each other, the plastic sheet exposed from each hole is welded to form the ear 57 of the container.

Here, the filling nozzle 47 is connected to the guide plates 43, 43.
From between side sealers 44, 44, gusset folding guides 45, 45, gusset sealers 46, 46
As shown in FIG.
Come within. Then, the filling nozzle 47 is connected to the level meter 7.
4, and has a mechanism that automatically stops the supply when the contents reach a certain level. Thus, the cylindrical body 72 in the state shown in FIG.
Fill the inside with a certain amount of contents, pull out the cylindrical body 72 further downward, and seal the hole 55 with an end sealer 73.
If the cylindrical body 72 is laterally welded to cover the holes 55a, 55c, 55e, and 55g to form the ears 58 in the same manner as described above, and cut so as not to cover the holes 55a, 55c, 55e, and 55g, the seventh A self-supporting container 56 filled with the contents shown in the figure is obtained.

By the way, the end sealer 73 is attached to a device as shown in FIG.

That is, a support plate 76 with both sides rising diagonally upward is provided on the main body 2 via support columns 75, 75, and rotation arms 77a, 77b are attached to both sides of the support plate 76.
A horizontally moving rod 78 is connected to these arms 77a and 77b by a cylinder c, and an arm 79a is attached to the shaft of one arm 77a, and the tip of this arm 79a and the support plate 76 are swingable. A swinging arm 80a whose base end is pivotally connected to the arm 79b is connected to the swinging arm 80a, and the other swinging arm 80b is connected to the arm 79b.
This arm 79b is connected to a rotating arm 77b via a reversing mechanism (not shown), and the lateral movement of the rod 78 causes the swinging arms 80a, 80 to rotate.
end sealers 73, 73 consisting of heaters are installed at the upper ends of the swinging arms 80a, 80b.
A cutter 90 and a cutter receiver 9 are installed in the middle part of 80b.
1, and the distance between the end sealer 73 and the cutter 90 is made equal to the lateral length of the self-supporting container 56 shown in FIG.

The rod 78 is moved to the first position by driving the cylinder c.
When the swing arms 80a and 80b are moved to the right in FIG. 4, the swing arms 80a and 80b are expanded via the arms 77 and 78. Then, the bag-shaped cylindrical body 72 filled with the contents is drawn between the swinging arms 80a and 80b, and then the rod 78 is moved to the left. Then, arm 80,
80 is closed, the upper part of the cylindrical body 72 is welded and closed using a heater, and the lower part is cut with a cutter 90 and connected, thereby obtaining a self-supporting container 56 filled with contents one after another. The obtained product is then conveyed to a predetermined location via the shooter 82.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a container having a self-supporting gusset formed on both the upper and lower sides can be easily produced, and a dedicated sterilizer for sterilizing the packaging material in the filling and packaging machine is not required. Since the contents can be filled aseptically using packaging materials that have been sterilized in advance, the filling and packaging machine itself can be made simpler and smaller in size than before.
It has the advantage of being easy to introduce to small and medium-sized manufacturers.

In addition, the punch of the hole-drilling device can be used to punch holes inside the gusset at positions that face and overlap each other when welding with the end sealer. At this time, the weldable surfaces of the sheet-like packaging material exposed through the opposing holes can be adhered to each other to form an ear portion of the container. Therefore, there is no need to make both sides of the sheet-like packaging material weldable, and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the aseptic filling and packaging machine of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the manufacturing process of sterile packaging material, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sterile packaging material, and Fig. 4 is sterilization of the outer packaging material. and a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the packaging material supply unit;
Figure 5 is a front view of the punching device, Figure 6 is a plan view of the sheet-like packaging material perforated with the punching device, Figure 7 is a perspective view of the self-supporting container that is the product, and Figure 8 is A perspective view of the side seal part, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cylindrical body made of a sheet-like packaging material, FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the state in which both sides of the cylindrical body are folded, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the cylindrical body during molding. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the cylindrical body with the lower part sealed, Fig. 13 is a side view showing the lower part of the filling nozzle, and Fig. 14 is a diagram of the device incorporating the end sealer. It is a front view. 1... Aseptic filling and packaging machine, 2... Main body, 3... Exterior material sterilization section, 4... Packaging material supply section, 5... Sterile packaging material, 10... Core material of sterile packaging material, 11... Sheet shaped packaging material, 12...exterior material, 13, 14...roller,
26...chuck, 27...lifting device, 41...
Guide roller, 42... Hole punching device, 43... Guide plate, 44... Side sealer, 45... Gusset guide, 46... Gusset sealer, 47...
...Filling nozzle, 56...Self-supporting container, 59,60,
61, 62... Standing pieces forming a gusset, 73
...End sealer, 81...Cutter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An aseptic filling and packaging machine that fills the contents into the container while forming the container using a sterilized sheet-like packaging material whose one side is a weldable surface,
The main body of this aseptic filling and packaging machine includes an exterior material sterilization section for introducing sterile packaging materials from the outside and sterilizing the exterior materials, and a packaging material supply section for supplying sheet-like packaging materials from the sterile packaging materials into the main body. The exterior material sterilization section and the packaging material supply section are separated by a partition that can be opened and closed, and the main body includes a guide plate for folding the sheet-like packaging material into a cylindrical shape with the weldable side facing inside. , a side sealer that overlaps and welds the side edges of this cylindrical packaging material, a gusset guide that folds both sides of the cylindrical packaging material inward, and welds both ends of the inwardly folded part in the vertical direction. A gusset sealer that forms vertical gusset portions at the four corners of the cylindrical packaging material, and a filling nozzle that supplies the contents into the cylindrical packaging material and can be cleaned and sterilized are disposed, Further, an end sealer and a cutter for laterally welding the cylindrical packaging material are provided below the filling nozzle, and a pre-sterilization device is connected to the exterior material sterilization section, packaging material supply section, and main body, and a sterile air A punching device for punching holes in the packaging material is disposed upstream of the guide plate for folding the sheet-like packaging material into a cylindrical shape. An aseptic filling and packaging machine characterized by having a punch for punching holes inside a gusset part formed by a sealer and at positions facing and overlapping each other when the parts are welded by an end sealer. 2. Claim 1, characterized in that the end sealer is provided at the upper end of a pair of openable and closable arms disposed outside the main body, and the cutter is provided at an intermediate portion of the arms. Aseptic filling and packaging machine.