JPH10175618A - Deaeration sealing device and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a deaeration sealing process automatic and reduce the time and cost by providing an opening section widening means for widening an opening section of a bag stuffed with a product, a deaeration means for exhausting air in the bag through a widened opening section and a sealing means for sealing the opening section after deaerating. SOLUTION: In a packaging device for stuffing a product into a bag with its three sides sealed and packaging, a deaeration sealing section is provided with a placing device for placing the bag stuffed with the product, a sealing device 303 and a deaeration device 305. In the sealing device 303, when an opening section 3a of the bag is clamped by a pressing component 355, the opening section 3a of the bag is sucked and widened by vacuum grits 319 and 361. Then a deaeration pipe 365 is moved forward by driving a deaeration pipe moving cylinder 377 and inserted into the bag, and air in the bag is sucked through the deaeration pipe 365, and then the bag is moved in the closing direction by a seal bar main cylinder, and the opening section 3a of the bag is clamped by heat seal bars 341 and 343 and heat sealed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a degassing sealing device and method for degassing and sealing a bag having an opening.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one of the packaging methods of articles, a method of packing a completed article in a bag sealed on three sides and packaging the article. For example, semiconductor products such as ICs are manufactured on a production line and then put together on a tray (flat container), a plurality of the trays are stacked and bundled, and the bundled trays are sealed on three sides. Into a laminated bag of aluminum composite material, and finally degassed, sealed and packed. The packaged items are further put together, packed in a cardboard box, packed and shipped.

[0003]

In the conventional packaging method, degassing and sealing of an article has been performed manually. For example, an article is manually packed in a bag, set in a semi-automatic sealing machine, and an operator performs a foot switch operation to perform deaeration sealing. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time and cost. Further, in the semi-automatic machine, there is a problem that the production line and the packaging line are separated, and the efficiency of the entire process cannot be improved.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to reduce the time and cost by automating the conventional degassing and sealing process. It is a further object of the present invention to increase the efficiency of the entire process by directly connecting a production line and a packaging line by performing the above-mentioned automation.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a cutting means for cutting a bag having an opening after packing the articles, an opening expanding means for expanding the opening of the bag, and an expanded opening. A deaeration sealing device was constituted by a deaeration means for bleeding air from the bag through the portion and a sealing means for sealing the opening after deaeration.

Further, means for expanding the opening of the bag in the width direction of the bag is provided, whereby a seal without wrinkles or the like at the opening can be obtained. Specifically, for example, a deaeration tube is used as the deaeration means, and the deaeration tube is moved in the width direction of the bag, and the opening can be expanded in the width direction of the bag by moving the deaeration tube. .

[0007] The degassing means may supply an inert gas (such as nitrogen) into the bag after bleeding air from the bag, and then degas the inert gas.

The present invention also provides a novel method for degassing and sealing a bag having an opening. That is, in the method of the present invention, articles are packed in a bag having an opening, the bag is cut at a predetermined position, a deaeration tube is inserted into the bag from the opening, and the opening is widened in the width direction. The air in the bag is evacuated by a degassing tube, and the opening is sealed after degassing.

In this method, it is possible to move the deaeration tube in the width direction of the bag, and to use this deaeration tube to widen the opening of the bag in the width direction of the bag.

The present invention further provides a device in which a bag filling function is added to a degassing seal device, that is, a bag having an opening is taken out one by one, articles are packed into the opening, and the inside of the bag is evacuated. An object of the present invention is to provide a fully automatic filling and deaeration sealing device for sealing an opening.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, a fully automatic bag-filled degassing and sealing device employing the device and method according to the present invention will be described as an example.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire apparatus, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the flow of articles in the apparatus. First, the outline of the apparatus will be described.
, A bag filling section 200 and a degassing seal section 300. The article 1 is transported to the point A by the belt conveyor 101 in the loading section 100, and further transported to the point B therefrom. The article 1 is, for example, a product in which a plurality of semiconductor products such as ICs manufactured in a production line are collectively placed on a tray (flat container), and the trays are piled up and bundled.

In the bag filling section 200, the bags 3 are stacked in a magazine, and are transported one by one to a point C, where they are set horizontally. At the point C, the opening 3a of the bag 3 is expanded, and The article 1 at the point is filled in the bag 3. The bagged article 5 passes through the point D to the point E (the deaerated sealing section 30).
0), where it is degassed and sealed, and then carried out to the next step (packaging, etc.).

The bag 3 comprises a resin layer, an aluminum layer,
This is an aluminum laminated bag formed by laminating thermoplastic resins and the like. Heat sealing is performed by heating and melting the thermoplastic resin applied inside.

Next, the configuration of each section will be described in more detail. In the loading section 100, the pusher 103 is set at the point A.
Is provided (FIG. 1), and the pusher 103 moves along the guide 105 to send out the article 1 to the point B. At point B, the desiccant 7 is placed on the article 1 by the transfer device 107. FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the transfer device 107. The transfer device 107 has an arm 109. At the tip of the arm 109, a suction tube 111 for sucking the desiccant 7 is provided. Attached to. Arm 1
09 is moved up and down by a cylinder 115,
Is rotated by a cylinder 119 via a rod 117.

The desiccant 7 is stored in the feeder 121 (FIG. 1), supplied to the passage 123 one by one, and
Is lifted and moved to the passage 123 to adsorb the desiccant 7, and then move to the point B on the article 1. Then, the arm 109 is lowered, the suction is released, and the desiccant 7 is placed on the article 1.

In the bag filling section 200, a setting device 201 for setting bags one by one horizontally is provided.
As shown in FIG. 4, the setting device 201 includes a magazine 203 fixed to a frame and on which the bags 3 are stacked, and a suction plate 207 having a plurality of suction ports 205 for sucking the bags 3. The suction plate 207 is connected to the support portion 211 by a support pipe 209 also serving as a vacuum pipe, and
11, a bag expanding cylinder 213 and a bag vertical moving cylinder 215 are connected in series. The cylinder 215 is mounted on a slider 217, and the slider 217 is slidably mounted on guides 219, 219 extending toward point C. The slider 217 is connected to the bag lateral feed cylinder 22.
1, the suction plate 207 reciprocates between the magazine 203 and the point C.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the bag packing unit 200. In the bag packing unit 200, a moving table 223 for cutting the article 1 is provided at a point B, and the bag packing tables 225 and 22 are provided at a point C.
7, 229 are arranged, and the moving table 223 and the bagging table 225 are arranged.
Between them, a bag-spreading upper plate 231 and a bag-spreading lower plate 233, which are two plate members, are provided as opening maintaining means. The number of plates 231 and 233 as opening maintaining means is not limited to two, and may be more than two. For example, it may be composed of a total of four plate members, two plate members extending the opening vertically and two plate members extending in the left-right direction. In other words, another configuration may be used as long as the widened opening is maintained.

The moving table 223 and the plate members 231 and 233 are both attached to the moving plate 235 to form one unit (bag spreading unit 236). The unit 236 is reciprocated between B and C by the bag spreading unit cylinder 237. Move. A cylinder 224 is disposed below the movable table 223. The cylinder 224 slides the side plate 223a of the movable table 223 according to the size of the article 1, and positions the article 1 at a point B.

FIG. 6 shows plate members 231 and 231 as opening maintaining means.
233 is viewed from the B point side. A front plate 239 and side plates 241 and 243 are attached to the moving plate 235, and a cylinder 245 for moving the bag spreading lower plate 233 up and down is attached to the front plate 239. ing. The side plates 241 and 243 are provided with cylinders 249 and 251 for vertically moving a plate 247 to which the bag spreading upper plate 231 is attached.

The article at point B is pushed out by pusher 253 in the direction of point C. Pusher 253 is driven by sub-pusher cylinder 255, and sub-pusher cylinder 255 is driven by main pusher cylinder 257 (see FIG. 1).

On the upper surface of the bag stuffing table 225, a lower suction portion 259 having a plurality of suction ports is provided.
The lower side of the opening 3a is sucked. In addition, each bag 2
25, 227, 229, the feed bars 261, 26
3 are arranged. FIG. 7 is a view of FIG. 5 as viewed from the side of the bag table 229. The feed bars 261 and 263 are both connected to the article lifter cylinder 265 and thereby move up and down. The lifter cylinder 265 is moved in the direction from the point C to the point D by the article lateral feed cylinder 267. The operation of the cylinders 265, 267 causes the feed bars 261, 26
3 repeatedly moves up, moves sideways in the direction of point E, moves down, and moves sideways in the direction of point C, and moves the article 5 from point C to point D and from point D to point E.

Next, the operation of the bag filling section 200 will be described. FIG. 8 is a time chart showing the operation of the cylinder and the like of the bag filling section 200, which will be described below with reference to FIG. First, the suction plate 207 moves to the point C while sucking one bag 3 by the operation of the bag lateral feeding cylinder 221 (FIG. 8A, hereinafter simply abbreviated as “FIG. A”). After moving to the point C, the bag vertical movement cylinder 215 is lowered (FIG. B), the suction plate 207 is lowered, the lower suction part 259 is activated (FIG. D), and the bag spreading cylinder 213 is raised (FIG. C). .
Thereby, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 5, the opening 3a of the bag 3 is widened by the suction plate 207 and the lower suction portion 259. Next, the bag spreading unit 236 advances (FIG. E).
At this time, the bag spreading upper plate 231 and the lower plate 233 are both closed as shown in FIG. 5 (FIGS. F and g). Thereafter, when the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 233 are both inserted into the opening 3a, the plates 231 and 233 are opened (FIGS. F and g).
Main pusher cylinder 257, sub pusher cylinder 255
Are advanced together, the article 1 is filled into the bag 3, and then both pusher cylinders 257, 255 are retracted again (FIGS. H, i). During this time, the bag vertical movement cylinder 215 rises (FIG. B), the bag lateral feed cylinder 221 is driven to return the suction plate 207 to the magazine position (FIG. A), and then the bag vertical movement cylinder 215 descends and rises (FIG. FIG. B), suction plate 20
7 sucks the next bag and stands by at the magazine position.

After being inserted into the bag 3, the bag spreading plates 231 and 233 are driven by a cylinder so as to continue pulling the opening 3a of the bag 3 in the vertical direction.
Because it is in a state of being overwhelmed by 1,233,
Even if an article is inserted into the bag 3, the bag 3 is not
It is stopped by 3 and does not come off.

According to the above-described method, the bag filling which has conventionally depended on manual labor can be automatically performed, and the time and cost can be reduced. In particular, since the bags are set one by one to pack the articles, the articles flowing from the production line can be received as they are, and the production line and the packaging line are directly connected to realize the efficiency of the entire process. be able to.

Further, in the above example, the opening of the bag is expanded by the suction means, so that the opening can be surely expanded. Further, the state where the expanded opening is expanded by the plates 231 and 233 is maintained. Easy to insert. Further, since the article 1 is guarded by the plate members 231 and 233, the article is smoothly inserted into the bag without being caught on the edge of the bag.

Next, the deaeration seal section 300 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the deaeration seal section 300 includes a cutting device 301 for cutting a bag filled with articles, and a sealing device 3.
03 and a deaerator 305.

FIG. 9A is a view of the cutting device 301 viewed from the direction of arrow X in FIG. 1, and FIG. 9B is a right side view of FIG. 9A. The cutting device 301 includes a bottom plate 306 and the bottom plate 306.
Is movably installed on the guide 307, and the cylinder 30
9 (the left-right direction in FIG. 9A). Bottom plate 306
Above, a belt conveyor 315 is supported by two side plates 311 and 313. A motor 317 for driving a belt conveyor 315 is attached to the side plate 311.
An article pressing cylinder 321 for moving the article pressing 319 up and down is attached to the side plate 313. Note that FIG.
As shown in (a), a concave portion is formed on the upper surface of the belt conveyor 315 so that the feed bars 261 and 263 can be arranged.

FIG. 10A is a side view of the sealing device 303 and the deaerator 305, and FIG.
FIG. 11 is a view of the sealing device 303 viewed from the point E. In the sealing device 303, columns 323 and 325 are provided separately from each other in the left and right directions in FIG. 11, and two guides 327 and 329 are provided on each column in the article conveyance direction (the left and right direction in FIG. 10A). They are mounted separately.
Lower racks 331 and 331 are attached to guides 327 and 327 near point E so as to be vertically movable, respectively, and upper racks 335 and 335 are attached to guides 329 and 329 near deaerator 305, respectively. The lower racks 331 and 331 and the upper rack 335 mesh with the pinions 337 and 337, respectively, and
7 are connected by a shaft 339. A lower heat seal bar 341 is mounted between the lower racks 331 and 331, and an upper heat seal bar 343 is mounted between the upper racks 335 and 335.

On the side surface of the lower heat seal bar 341,
A seal bar sub-cylinder 345 is attached, and a seal bar main cylinder 349 is mounted on a floor plate 347 of the seal device 303.
Are mounted, and the pistons of the cylinders 345 and 349 are connected by a coupling 351. The lower heat seal bar 341 is moved up and down by the cylinders 345 and 349, and the movement is transmitted to the upper heat seal bar 343 by a rack and a pinion.
The operating directions of 41 and 343 are reversed. That is, when the lower heat seal bar 341 moves up, the upper heat seal bar 343 moves down. When the lower heat seal bar 341 is lowered, the upper heat seal bar 343 is moved downward.
Rises.

Brackets 3 are provided on the side surfaces of the lower heat seal bar 341 and the upper heat seal bar 343, respectively.
53, 353, a pressing member 35 made of sponge rubber.
5,355 are attached. The upper pressing member 355 is urged downward and the lower pressing member 355 is urged upward by a spring 357. The end surface of the holding member 355 is a heat seal bar 341,
343 (closed position).

On the other side of the upper heat seal bar 343, a vacuum grit 359 is attached.
A vacuum grit 361 is attached below the vacuum grit 361, and the vacuum grit sucks and opens the opening of the bag. Vacuum grit cylinders 359 and 361 are provided with vacuum grit cylinders 362 (FIG. 11) and 3 respectively.
The bag is moved up and down synchronously by 63 (FIG. 10) to attract and open the opening of the bag. Vacuum grit 359, 36
1 functions as an opening expanding means for expanding the opening of the bag.

The deaerator 305 includes two deaeration pipes 365 and 366 having flat ends, and a holder 3 for supporting the deaeration pipes.
The holder 367 is provided with a guide 371, and the deaeration pipes 365 and 366 are slidable along the guide 371. The deaeration pipe expansion cylinder 369 is connected to one of the deaeration pipes 365 and slides the deaeration pipe 365. The movement is transmitted to the other deaeration pipe 366 by the racks 373 and 373 and a pinion interposed between the racks. As a result, both deaeration pipes 365 and 366 move toward or away from each other in the width direction of the bag. Holder 3
67 is movably attached to the guide 375, and moves forward or backward with respect to the point E by the deaeration tube moving cylinder 377. The sealing device 303 and the deaerator 305 are the base 3
Although fixed on 78, the height of the base 378 can be adjusted automatically or manually depending on the size of the article.

Next, the operation of the deaeration seal unit 300 will be described. FIG. 12 is a time chart showing the operation of the cylinder and the like of the degassing seal unit 300, and will be described below with reference to FIG. In the following description, the direction in which the opening of the bag is closed is referred to as a “close direction”, and the direction in which the bag is opened is referred to as an “open direction”.

First, the article lifter cylinder 265 is raised (FIG. 12 (b), hereinafter simply abbreviated to "FIG. B"), and the article traverse cylinder 267 traverses the feed bar (FIG. A).
The article 5 at the point is conveyed to the point E. At point E, the article holding cylinder 321 operates to hold the article 5 (FIG. C),
The conveyor cylinder 309 moves (FIG. D), and the opening 3a of the bag is moved to the sealing device 303. Then, the seal bar sub cylinder 345 operates in the closing direction (FIG. F), and the pressing member 355 sandwiches the opening 3a of the bag. At the same time, the vacuum grit cylinders 362 and 363 move in the opening direction (FIG. G), the solenoid valve for the vacuum grit is opened (FIG. M), and the opening 3a of the bag is sucked and spread by the vacuum grit 359 and 361. .

Thereafter, the deaeration tube moving cylinder 377 is driven (FIG. I), and the deaeration tubes 365 and 366 advance to be inserted into the bag. Then, the opening of the bag is expanded laterally by the deaeration pipe expanding cylinder 369 (FIG. H). Cylinder 369
Keeps expanding the deaeration pipes 365 and 366, and the opening 3a is widened in the width direction of the bag and kept in a state of being stretched sideways. Then, the seal bar sub-cylinder 345 is driven in the closing direction (FIG. F), and the holding member 355 sandwiches the opening 3a of the bag together with the deaeration tube from both sides. At this time, the heat seal bars 341, 34
3 is slightly open and does not touch the opening 3a.
Then, the vacuum solenoid valve is opened and the air in the bag is sucked from the deaeration tube (FIG. J). Then, the vacuum solenoid valve is closed and the replacement solenoid valve is opened, and the bag is opened using the deaeration tube. An active gas (for example, nitrogen, etc.) is injected (FIG. K), the vacuum solenoid valve is opened, and the inert gas in the bag is sucked (FIG. J), and the air and the inert gas in the bag are completely removed. To go.

After deaeration, the deaeration pipe expansion cylinder 369 has its solenoid valve in a free state (point H in FIG. H), and then the deaeration pipe moving cylinder 377 operates (FIG. I). Then, the seal bar main cylinder 349 is driven in the closing direction (FIG. E), and each end of the heat seal bars 341 and 343 heat seals from both sides with the bag opening 3a interposed therebetween.
At this time, the pressing member 355 slightly moves up and down against the force of the spring 357. That is, the step difference between the heat seal bar and the pressing member is absorbed by the spring 357. Finally, the seal bar main cylinder 349 and the seal bar sub-cylinder 345 are both driven in the opening direction (FIGS. E and f), the conveyor cylinder 309 is operated in the return direction (FIG. D), and the same operation is repeated thereafter.

The packaged articles are sent to the next step by the belt conveyor 315. That is, for example, the product is packed in a cardboard case manufactured by an automatic box-making machine by a product packing machine, sealed by an automatic box-sealing machine, and further attached with a label by a label applying device before being shipped.

According to the above, the deaeration sealing step which has conventionally been performed manually or performed by a semi-automatic machine can be automatically performed, and time and cost can be reduced. Further, by this automation, the production line and the packaging line can be directly connected, and the efficiency of the entire process can be improved.

Further, according to the above-mentioned example, the provision of the means for expanding the opening of the bag in the width direction of the bag enables perfect sealing without forming wrinkles in the opening of the bag.
Furthermore, by moving the deaeration tube in the width direction of the bag and expanding the opening portion of the bag in the width direction of the bag by the deaeration tube, there is no need to separately provide a means for expanding the bag in the width direction, thereby simplifying the apparatus. Can be

[0041]

According to the present invention, cutting means for cutting a bag having an opening after packing the articles, opening expanding means for expanding the opening of the bag, and bag from the expanded opening. Since the deaeration sealing device is constituted by the deaeration means for removing the air inside and the sealing means for sealing the opening after the deaeration, the deaeration sealing step can be completely automated. As a result, the production line and the packaging line can be directly connected, and the efficiency of the entire process can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flow of articles in the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a transfer device for cutting a desiccant.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a setting device for setting bags one by one horizontally.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a main part of the bag filling section.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an opening maintaining device that maintains the opening of the bag while being expanded.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a transport operation of an article.

FIG. 8 is a time chart showing the operation of the bag filling unit.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a cutting device unit.

FIG. 10 is a view showing a sealing device and a degassing device of a degassing seal portion.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a sealing device of a degassing seal portion.

FIG. 12 is a time chart illustrating an operation of a degassing seal unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 200 Bagging part 300 Degassing seal part

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for degassing and sealing a bag having an opening, comprising: cutting means for cutting the bag after packing the articles; and opening expanding means for expanding the opening. A deaeration means for evacuating the air in the bag through the opening, and a sealing means for sealing the opening after deaeration. 2. The degassing and sealing device according to claim 1, further comprising means for expanding the opening in the width direction of the bag. 3. A deaeration tube is provided as the deaeration means, and a means for expanding the opening in the width direction of the bag is provided by the deaeration tube and a means for moving the deaeration tube in the width direction of the bag. The degassing sealing device according to claim 2. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the degassing means includes means for supplying an inert gas into the bag after bleeding air from the bag, and thereafter degassing the inert gas. The deaeration sealing device according to the paragraph. 5. An article is packed in a bag having an opening, the bag is cut at a predetermined position, a deaeration tube is inserted into the bag from the opening, and the opening is widened in the width direction. A method for evacuating and sealing, wherein air in the bag is evacuated by an evacuating pipe, and the opening is sealed after evacuating. 6. The deaeration sealing method according to claim 5, wherein the deaeration tube is moved in the width direction of the bag, and the opening is widened in the width direction of the bag by the deaeration tube. 7. A bag having an opening is taken out one by one,
A fully automatic filling and degassing and sealing device, characterized in that an article is packed in the opening, the inside of the bag is evacuated, and then the opening is sealed.