JPH10181724A - Device for pretreatment for printing and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for pretreatment for printing and a printing system equipped with it where this device for pretreatment for printing, by enabling printing by use of ink, makes it possible to execute alteration of the contents quickly and to quickly dry the outside surface of the package after defrosting without involving manual work or without marring the appearance of the product or spoiling its quality. SOLUTION: Waterdrops on the outside surface of a product processed by defrosting are removed by air blown thereupon from a primary air nozzle 1; the outside surface is then thermally dried by hot air blown thereupon from a high blow nozzle 3; the product is rapidly cooled by air blown thereupon from a secondary air nozzle 2. By this pretreatment the outside surface of the package of the product is completely dried and by the rapid cooling the product is prevented from degradating the quality. The blowing of air upon the product using the primary air nozzle 1, high blow nozzle 3, and secondary air nozzle 2 does not cause damage to the articles in the package of the product.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a device for performing pre-processing to print a shelf life, a manufacturing date, a serial number, etc. on a package of a product when water drops may adhere to the package. The present invention relates to a printing system including:

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the confectionery manufacturing industry, products obtained by wrapping confectionery in packages such as bags, containers or sheets are frozen and stored for 6 hours before shipping so that the quality of the product, such as taste, aroma and texture, is not reduced. After the natural thawing process is performed to a certain extent, the work of stamping the expiration date or the serial number on the outer surface of the package of the product is performed manually. At this time, if part of the package is frozen due to insufficient thawing, frost has formed on the inner surface of the package, or water droplets may have adhered to the outer surface of the package. Accident of the stamp ink flowing and resulting in a defective product, or low temperature of the package causes the stamped ink to dry slowly, and the hand or other product may come into contact with the printed part of the package during packing of the product. An accident that ink flows and becomes a defective product occurs. for that reason,
After the thawing process, hot air is blown onto the outer surface of the package using a hand dryer, or the outer surface of the package is wiped off with a cloth or paper towel to dry the outer surface of the package.

In the tofu manufacturing industry, rectangular tofu is inserted together with water into a box-shaped container provided with a flange around an opening. In order to prevent bubbles from being generated in the container, water is injected into the container so as to rise upward from the flange portion by surface tension, and the opening of the container is covered with a film while overflowing the water in the container. The container is sealed by heat-pressing the edge of the film and the flange of the container. Then, the expiration date or the manufacturing date is printed on the outer surface of the film. At this time, since water droplets adhere to the outer surface of the film, the above-described printing was performed by using a hot marker for bringing an inscription heated to a required temperature into contact with the film.

In the konjac manufacturing industry, konjac formed into a rectangular or thread-like shape is put into a water tank, and the konjac is inserted into the package through the opening of the bag-like package together with water, and the opening of the package is heated and pressed. To seal the package. In this case, in order to prevent bubbles from being generated in the package, the water level in the package is set above the sealing position, and the package is sealed while overflowing the water in that portion. The expiration date or the date of manufacture is printed on the outer surface of the package. At this time, since water droplets adhered to the outer surface of the package, printing was performed using a hot marker as before.

[0005]

However, in the confectionery manufacturing industry, when the pretreatment of printing is performed by manually drying the outer surface of the package after the thawing process, when the stamp is performed manually, the processing quantity per person However, there is a problem that if a large number of workers are input to obtain a required processing quantity, labor costs increase. On the other hand, when the outer surface of the package containing the soft confectionery is wiped up or stamped, there is a risk that the confectionery may be damaged. Is excessively sprayed to lower the quality of the confectionery.

In addition, since water droplets adhere to the outer surface of the packaging, such as the tofu manufacturing industry and the konjac manufacturing industry, in the manufacturing industry where printing is performed using a hot marker, the engraving of the hot marker must be replaced in order to change the date. The replacement work requires time and effort. In addition, there is a problem that the printing line must be stopped while the stamp is replaced and while the replaced stamp is heated to a required temperature.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a means for blowing air to a package of a product conveyed by a conveying device, so that the product adheres to the outer surface of the package. A printing pre-processing device that removes water droplets to enable printing with ink, and a unit that blows air onto a product package conveyed by a conveying device, and prints by ejecting ink onto the package after the wind is blown. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system that includes a printing device and can quickly change the contents of a package having water droplets adhered to the outer surface thereof without changing the contents.

Another object is to provide one or more means for blowing air and a means for blowing hot air to a package of a product conveyed by the conveying device, so that it can be quickly operated without human intervention. Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing pre-processing device capable of drying the outer surface of a package after thawing without deteriorating the appearance and quality of an article such as a confection, and a printing system including the printing pre-processing device.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing pre-processing apparatus for performing pre-processing for printing on a product package, and blowing air onto a product package conveyed by a conveying device. It is characterized by comprising means.

A printing pre-processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for performing pre-processing for printing on a package of a frozen product during or after thawing of the frozen product. And one or more means for blowing a relatively low temperature wind, and a means for blowing a relatively high temperature wind.

[0011] A printing system according to a third aspect of the present invention is a system for printing on a product package, wherein a means for blowing air onto the product package conveyed by the conveying device, and ink on the package after blowing the wind. And a printing device for injecting and printing.

[0012] A printing system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a system for printing on a package of a frozen product during or after thawing of the frozen product. It is characterized by comprising one or more means for blowing air, means for blowing air having a relatively high temperature, and a printing device for injecting and printing ink on a package after blowing the wind by both means. .

In the first and third aspects of the present invention, air is blown to the outer surface of the package to remove water droplets attached to the outer surface of the package and to dry the portion. Ink is ejected from the printing device onto the pre-processed package to print the required characters and numbers. As a result, the outer surface of the package is quickly dried in a non-contact manner without human intervention, and the dried package is printed in a non-contact manner. Therefore, while the occurrence of defective products due to the ink flow is prevented, the print contents can be changed quickly without trouble.

In the second and fourth aspects of the present invention, the frozen and thawed product is transported by the transport device. Means for blowing a relatively low-temperature wind and means for blowing a relatively high-temperature wind are arranged in the product transport area in the packaging of the product transported by the transport device. Thus, water droplets adhering to the surface of the package are removed, and the package from which the water droplets have been removed is blown at a high temperature to heat and dry the surface of the package, and the package is cooled by the former means. Ink is ejected from the printing device onto the pre-processed package to print the required characters and numbers. As a result, the outer surface of the package after the thawing process is dried in a non-contact manner without impairing the appearance and quality of the articles in the package without human intervention, and the dried package is printed in a non-contact manner.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 and 2 are a side view and a plan view showing a printing system according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a pre-processing device provided in the printing system shown in FIG. FIG. The printing system is provided with three conveyors 15, 16 and 17 which are substantially the same width and arranged in a straight line, and each of the conveyors 15, 16 and 17 is controlled by the operation control device 10 so that its speed can be adjusted separately. Has become. Upstream conveyor 15
On the top, a plurality of products S, S,... That have been packaged, frozen, stored and subjected to natural thawing processing are sequentially placed at the substantially central position in the width direction of the conveyor 15 so as to be in the same direction. Each product S, S, ... is a conveyor 15, 1
It is conveyed in the direction indicated by the arrow by 6, 17 in order.

In the transport area of the products S, S,..., A primary air nozzle 1 and a secondary air nozzle 2 which are flexible synthetic resin nozzles for blowing air onto the packaging of the products S, S,. The primary air nozzle 1 and the secondary air nozzle 2
Adjusts the position of the outlets so that each outlet is directly above the products S, S,... And the distance between both outlets and the products S, S,. is there. The primary air nozzle 1 and the secondary air nozzle 2 are supported by support plates 4 and 6 and are connected to compressors 5 and 7 for supplying dry air. The blowing of the compressors 5 and 7 and the speed of the conveyor 15 are adjusted so that room temperature air is blown from the air nozzle 1 and the secondary air nozzle 2 at about 0.7 m ³ / min for about 0.5 to 1.0 second. Have been. The diameter of both outlets is approximately 6 mm.

Between the primary air nozzle 1 and the secondary air nozzle 2, a high blow nozzle 3 having a linear outlet is provided by stands 21, 21 arranged at a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor 15. The outlet is a conveyor 15
In the longitudinal direction. The high-blow nozzle 3 has a column shape having a substantially inverted pentagonal shape when viewed from the end face. The mouth is open. The center axis of the high blow nozzle 3 is on the center line of the conveyor 15, and the outlet of the high blow nozzle 3 is directly above each product S, S,..., And is between the outlet and the products S, S,. Is approximately 100 mm.

One end of the high blow nozzle 3 is connected to one end of a heat resistant hose 8, and the other end of the heat resistant hose 8 is connected to a hot air generator 9. The hot air generated by the hot air generator 9 is guided to the high blow nozzle 3 by the heat-resistant hose 8, and from the outlet of the high blow nozzle 3, hot air of approximately 80 to 90 ° C. is applied at 4 m ³ / min. About 4
The heat generation and blowing of the hot air generator 9 are adjusted so that the air is blown for about 5 seconds. The height and diameter of each of the nozzles 1, 2, 3 and the like, the amount and temperature of the air from each of the nozzles 1, 2, and 3 are adjusted according to the size and type of the products S, S,.

The package of the products S, S,.
After water droplets adhering to the outer surface are removed by the air blown from the next air nozzle 1, the outer surface is thermally dried by the hot air blown from the high blow nozzle 3, and rapidly cooled by the air blown from the secondary air nozzle 2. Is done. And the product S, pre-processed in this way,
Are transported downstream by the central conveyor 16. By the pretreatment as described above, the outer surface of the package of the products S, S,... Is completely dried without contact, and the quality of the products S, S,. The air blow to the products S, S,... By the primary air nozzle 1, the high blow nozzle 3, and the secondary air nozzle 2 does not damage the articles in the products S, S,. .

Downstream of the secondary air nozzle 2, at an appropriate distance from the secondary air nozzle 2, an ink jet printing nozzle head 11 is supported by a support member 13 so as to face the product S conveyed by a central conveyor 16. A sensor 14 for detecting the presence or absence of the product S is provided upstream of the print nozzle head 11 by a predetermined distance. The detection signal of the sensor 14 is provided to a printing apparatus main body 12 (for example, HX-P2627K manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd.) in which characters to be printed are set in advance. After the signal is given,
After a lapse of a predetermined time according to the speed of the conveyor 16,
Ink is ejected from the print nozzle head 11 to print predetermined characters on the outer surface of the package of the product S.

Products S, S,... On which predetermined characters are printed
Is transported to the worktable 18 by the downstream conveyor 17,
There they are boxed.

It should be noted that in the above-described embodiment, 1
The primary air nozzle 1 and the secondary air nozzle 2 are connected to the compressors 5 and 7, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the primary air nozzle 1 and the secondary air nozzle 2 may be connected to one compressor. . Further, a blower may be used instead of the compressor. On the other hand, the primary air nozzle 1, the secondary air nozzle 2, and the high blow nozzle 3 are of a fixed type, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the products S, S,
.. May be moved on. In this case, a short mouth-shaped nozzle can be used instead of the high blow nozzle 3. In addition, a single air nozzle can remove water droplets attached to the package and cool the package after hot air drying. In addition, a turn section is provided in the middle of the conveyor.
The air nozzle of the book may be used to remove water droplets attached to the package and cool the package after hot air drying.

(Embodiment 2) FIGS. 4 and 5 are a side view and a plan view, respectively, showing Embodiment 2 and are printed on packaging such as tofu or konjac. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of the second embodiment. In FIGS. 4 and 5, parts corresponding to the parts shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. The belt conveyor 40 is driven to rotate by a driving device (not shown), and conveys the product S placed on one end of the belt conveyor 40 in the arrow direction.

Guides 41, 41 for positioning the product S are provided at a required distance in the width direction of the belt conveyor 40 on the side of the belt conveyor 40 where the product S is loaded.
A pair of first sensors 35, 35 for detecting the presence or absence of the product S are provided near the both edges of the belt conveyor 40, respectively, slightly downstream of 1, 41. First sensor 35, 35 and guide 4
Flexible air nozzles 31, 31 between 1 and 41,
The air nozzles 31, 31 are arranged so as to face the product S positioned by the guides 41, 41, and are movably supported by the support member 13 in the vertical direction and in the width direction of the belt conveyor 40. The air nozzles 31, 31 have their leading ends adjacent to each other in the width direction of the belt conveyor 40, and are adjusted so as to have an appropriate spray angle in a direction opposite to the conveying direction of the product S.

The air nozzles 31, 31 are connected to a compressor (not shown), and a blow control device 30 opens and closes a solenoid valve (not shown) interposed between the compressor and the air nozzles 31, 31. Thus, the start / stop of air blowing is controlled. The blower controller 30 is provided with detection signals from the first sensors 35,35. The first sensor 35,
When the detection signal of the product S is given from 35, the blowing control device
30 opens the solenoid valve and blows air from the air nozzles 31 and 31 onto the upper surface of the product S. When the detection signal is not given from the first sensors 35 and 35, the solenoid valve is closed and the air nozzle is closed.
The blowing of wind from 31, 31 to the product S is stopped.

The diameter of the air nozzles 31 is approximately 3 mm, and the distance between the air nozzles 31 and the product S is adjusted to approximately 10 mm. Then, the air nozzles 31, 31
The air blowing of the compressor and the speed of the belt conveyor 40 are adjusted so that room temperature air is blown onto the product S at a flow rate of about 0.3 m ³ / min. As a result, the part of the product S to which the wind is blown is dried while the water drops are blown off.

Downstream of the air nozzles 31, 31, the print nozzle head 11 is supported by a support member 13 so as to face the product S. The print nozzle head 11 is supported by the support member 13 on the belt conveyor 40 of the print nozzle head 11. Position in the width direction,
The positions of the air nozzles 31 and 31 in the width direction of the belt conveyor 40 coincide with each other. Between the print nozzle head 11 and the air nozzles 31, 31, a pair of second sensors 36, 36 for detecting the presence or absence of the product S are provided near both edges of the belt conveyor 40, respectively. The detection signal of 36 is given to the printing device main body 12.

When a predetermined time has passed since the detection signal was supplied from the second sensor 36, 36, the printing apparatus main body 12 ejects ink from the printing nozzle head 11, and prints a predetermined character on the surface of the package of the product S. Is printed. As a result, the product S is printed on the part where the wind of the packaging is blown,
The occurrence of defective products due to ink flow is prevented.

On the unloading side of the product S of the belt conveyor 40,
Roller conveyor 42 with multiple rollers rotatably provided
Are arranged on the belt conveyor 40 so that a part thereof overlaps, and the product S conveyed by the belt conveyor 40
Are sequentially packed in a box while moving on the roller conveyor 42 by inertia in the arrow direction.

[0030]

As described in detail above, in the printing pretreatment apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to print with ink to remove water droplets attached to the outer surface of the package by blowing air and to dry the package. Will be possible.

In the printing pretreatment apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, a relatively low-temperature wind is blown to remove water droplets attached to the outer surface of the package, and a relatively high-temperature wind is blown to the package. Is dried and the package is cooled again by blowing relatively cool air. This allows the outer surface of the package to be dried during or after thawing quickly without manual intervention, without compromising the appearance and quality of the articles in the package,
The occurrence of defective products due to the ink flow can be prevented.

In the printing system according to the third invention,
Since the ink is ejected and printed on the pre-processed package by blowing the wind, it is possible to quickly change the print content of the package having water droplets adhered to the outer surface without any trouble.

In the printing system according to the fourth invention,
Ink is ejected and printed on the pre-treated package by blowing a relatively low temperature wind and a relatively high temperature wind, so that the printing head and the package can be printed in a non-contact manner. The present invention has excellent effects, such as being able to quickly print on the outer surface of the package during or after thawing without impairing the appearance and quality of the articles inside.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a pre-processing device provided in the printing system shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Primary air nozzle 2 Secondary air nozzle 3 High blow nozzle 5 Compressor 7 Compressor 9 Hot air generator 8 Heat resistant hose 10 Operation control device 11 Printing nozzle head 12 Printing device main body 15 Conveyor 16 Conveyor 17 Conveyor S Product

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Atsuhito Shimonaka 142-5 Kosaihoncho, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture Inside Hitachi Nishi Service Engineering Shikoku Service Station

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for performing pre-processing for printing on a product packaging, comprising: means for blowing air to the product packaging conveyed by the conveying device. 2. A device for performing a pretreatment to print on a package of the frozen product during or after thawing of the frozen product, wherein a wind of a relatively low temperature is applied to the package of the product conveyed by the conveying device. A printing pre-processing apparatus, comprising: one or more means for blowing air; and means for blowing air having a relatively high temperature. 3. A printing system for printing on a product packaging, comprising: means for blowing air to the product packaging conveyed by the transport device; and a printing apparatus for injecting and printing ink on the packaging after blowing the air. And a printing system comprising: 4. A system for printing on a package of a frozen product during or after thawing of the frozen product, wherein one or more blowing a relatively low temperature air onto the package of the product transported by the transport device. A printing system, comprising: means for blowing air having a relatively high temperature; and a printing device for injecting and printing ink on a package to which the air has been blown by both means.