JPS61244725A - Packaging machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a packaging machine, more specifically, a container material is formed into a rectangular cylindrical container with a bottom and is supplied to a conveyor, and the container is conveyed by the conveyor. It relates to a machine that fills a container with contents such as milk, then closes the top of the container, and finally discharges the container from a conveyor.

Conventional technology and its problems Container materials supplied to packaging machines are contaminated with bacteria, so it is necessary to sterilize them.

The sterilization is usually carried out by injecting hydrogen peroxide into the container and then blowing hot air onto the container to evaporate and remove the hydrogen peroxide adhering to the container.

Conventional packaging machines are known to sterilize bottomed rectangular cylindrical containers while they are being conveyed by a conveyor before filling them with contents. In order to carry out this process, a certain amount of time and space are required, which poses a problem in that the conveyor becomes longer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine that solves the above problems.

Means for Solving the Problems A packaging machine according to the present invention includes an intermittently driven container transport conveyor having a container holder, an intermittently driven rotary body disposed above the starting end of the feeding side movement path of the container holder and having a plurality of radial mandrels. , a container material supply device, a container material bottom heating device, which are sequentially arranged along the movement path of the mandrel;
A first device group including a container material bottom folding device, a container material bottom crimping device, and a container transfer device, and a container top preliminary folding device, a filling device, and a container top portion arranged in sequence along the feeding deflection path of the container holder. A second device group including the present folding device, a container top heating device, a container top crimping device, and a container discharge device, the entire container conveyor and rotating body, and at least the operating portions of the first and second device groups for the container material or the container. a closed main chamber having a container entrance/exit in the top wall located directly above the container holder that surrounds the container holder and is stopped at an intermediate position between the first device group and the second device group; and a movement path for the container holder. An intermittent drive vertical circulation endless chain extending in a direction perpendicular to the sterilization container holder and a plurality of sterilization container holders installed along its length, the sterilization container holder being arranged so as to be able to stop directly above the container entrance/exit. A sterilization container transport conveyor that passes through a container entrance and exit, and a container holder that can be moved up and down through the container entrance and exit, and that can be freely engaged and disengaged from the containers held in the holders, which are stopped at the upper and lower positions of the container entrance and exit, respectively. Hydrogen peroxide solution jets are sequentially arranged along the moving path of the passing member and the sterilizing container holder in the direction in which the sterilizing container holder moves from the point when the sterilizing container holder is located directly above the container entrance/exit. A nozzle group having a nozzle, a first hot air injection nozzle, a sterile water injection nozzle, and a second hot air injection nozzle, a sterilization container transport conveyor, the entire nozzle group, and the container receiver surround a portion of the transfer member protruding from the main chamber. It has a sealed sub-chamber that communicates with the main chamber through a container port.

The packaging machine according to the embodiment includes an intermittently driven container transport conveyor (2) having a container holder (1), and a plurality of radial mandrels (3
) and a mandrel (3).
Container material supply devices (
5), Container material bottom heating device (6) (7), Container material bottom folding device! (8), Container material bottom crimping device 1 (9
) and a container transfer device (1o), and a container top preliminary folding device (13) arranged sequentially along the feeding side movement path of the container holder (1).
, filling device (10), container top book folding device (15)
, container top heating device (16), container top crimping device (1
7) and container ejector! (18), a container conveyor (2) and a rotating body (4);
) and at least the operating portion of the first and second device groups (12) (19) for the container material (B) or container (C), and the first device group (12) and the second device group (19) A sealed main chamber (21) with a container opening (20) in the top wall located directly above the container holder (1) stopped at an intermediate position;
1) An intermittent drive vertical circulation endless chain (22) extending in a direction perpendicular to the movement path of item 1) and a plurality of sterilization container holders (23) attached in the length direction thereof.
, and the sterilization container holder (23) has a container entrance (2G).
) and a sterilization container transport conveyor (24) which is arranged so as to be able to stop directly above the container entrance and exit (20), and a sterilization container transport conveyor (24) which is arranged so as to be able to stop directly above the container entrance and exit port (20), and which is movable up and down through the container entrance and exit port (20) and which is respectively stopped at the upper and lower positions of the container entrance and exit port (20). The container holders (23) and sterilization container holders (23) and sterilization container holders (23) and sterilization container holders (23) and sterilization container holders (23), which can be freely engaged and disengaged from the containers (C) held in the container holder (1), are connected to the transfer member (25) and the sterilization container holders (23) along the movement path. The container holder (23) is connected to the container entrance (2
A hydrogen peroxide solution injection nozzle (26), a first hot air injection nozzle (27), and sterile water are arranged in sequence in the direction in which the sterilization container holder (23) moves from there with reference to when they are located directly above the sterilization container holder (23). The nozzle group (30) having the injection nozzle (28) and the second hot air injection nozzle (29), the sterilization container transport conveyor (24), the entire nozzle group (30), and the container receiver are the main part of the transfer member (25). A closed sub-chamber (21) surrounding a portion protruding from the chamber (21) and communicating with the main chamber (21) via a container inlet/outlet (20).
31).

In addition to the container holder (1), the container conveyor (2) also includes:
A pair of left and right endless chains circulating in a horizontal plane (
32) and a pair of left and right front and rear sprockets (33) (3
4).

The container holder (1) is composed of a pair of vertical pieces that are shallow in plan view and sandwich the body of the container (C) from the left and right sides, and when the container holder (1) approaches the feed side path of the chain (32) Both vertical pieces are respectively attached outwardly to both chains (32) so as to face each other at a distance that allows the container (C) to be received between them. A rail (35) that receives and guides the bottom of the container (C) is arranged below the feed-side moving path of the container holder (1). By the conveyor (2) and rail (35),
The container (C) is transported in the direction shown by the arrow (A) in the figure.

The number of mandrels (3) is six in total. Rotating body (4
) is driven to rotate counterclockwise as shown by the arrow (D) in the figure, in synchronization with the conveyor (2), so as to sequentially stop at six positions corresponding to the number of mandrels (3). One of the positions where the mandrel (3) stops is
) is vertically downward, and with this position as the final position, each device forming the first device group (12) is placed at each of the six stopping positions from the next stopping position to the final position! (5) to (11) are arranged.

The container material supply device (5) has a magazine (36) that holds a large number of container materials (B) that can be formed into a rectangular tube shape and is folded into a flat shape. Take out (B) while expanding it into a rectangular tube shape and fit it onto one of the mandrels (3). Container material bottom heating device (6
).

In step (7), the end portion of the container material (B) fitted over the mandrel (3), which will become the container bottom, is sequentially heated in two stages.

The container material bottom folding device (8) folds the same end of the container material (B) flat. Container material bottom crimp bag @ (9)
The flattened end portions are crimped to form a bottomed cylindrical container (C). The bottomed cylindrical container transfer device (10) is
Transfer the bottomed cylindrical container (C) from the mandrel (3) to the container holder (1). In addition, between the container material bottom folding device (8) and the container material bottom crimping device (9), there is a container material bottom shape that allows the flattened end of the container material (B) to be preserved as it is. A holding device (11) is arranged. Each device (13) forming the second device group (19)
) to (18) sequentially move the first device group (12) in the moving direction with a space for installing the sub-chamber (31) between the first device group (12) and It is located. The container top preliminary folding device (13) creates a crease to make the top of the bottomed cylindrical container (C) easier to fold into a roof shape. Filling device (10)
Fills the creased container (C) with a predetermined amount of contents. The container top main folding device (15) includes folding the top of the filled container (C) along the creases made by the container top pre-folding device (13) to finally form a roof shape. Fold in. The container top heating device (16) is a container that is folded into a roof shape (C).
Heat the top of the. The container top crimping device (11) crimps the top of the heated container (C) to form a completed container (C). A container discharge device (18) discharges the completed container (C) from the conveyor (2).

The interior of the main chamber (21) is filled with clean air that is sterilized to a degree that virtually guarantees a useful product life. Of the first and second device groups (12) (19), the main chamber (21) is configured such that the first device group (12) surrounds the entire main chamber (21), and the second device group (19) acts on the container (C). It only surrounds the part. Second device group (1
The working part of 9) passes through the top wall of the main chamber (21), and the inserted part is not shown in detail.
Bellows are used for the parts where the operating parts perform reciprocating linear motion, and oil seals and mechanical seals are used for the parts that perform rotational motion to completely block ventilation inside and outside the main chamber (21). .

In addition to the endless chain (22) and the sterilization container holder (23), the sterilization container conveyor (24) also includes:
An endless chain (22) is connected to the left and right sprockets (37), which are rotated counterclockwise.
(38). Sterilization container holder (23)
consists of a plurality of vertical pieces of cross-sectional shape that are bent over the corners of the body of the container (C) and are attached outwardly to the chain (22) by means of attachments (39). Of the left and right sprockets (37) (38), the right sprocket (38) is located directly above the container entrance/exit (20), and the left sprocket (37) is located directly above the right sprocket (38).
The chain (22) is arranged at an interval corresponding to the length of the chain (22) to the left of the chain (22).

The container support transfer member (25) is a vertical lifting rod (4o),
A vacuum cup mounted upwards on its top end (
41), and the container holder (1) is stopped directly below the container entrance/exit (20).
) and the container opening (20), and insert the container opening (20) into the container opening (
Sterilization container holder (23) stopped directly above 20)
The suction of the vacuum cup (41) is activated and released at the upper and lower limits of the vertical stroke.

The hydrogen peroxide water injection nozzle (26) is arranged at two locations, one of which is the sterilization container holder (23).
) is outside the movement path on the way from the lower movement path to the upper movement path after reversing the circumference of the right sprocket (38), and another placement position is several pitches ahead of that position in the holder movement direction. It is inside the movement route. In the former position the nozzle (26) faces inward, and in the latter position it faces outward or upward. First hot air injection nozzle (
27) is located approximately halfway down the upper movement path of the sterilization container holder (23) and faces upward. The sterile water injection nozzle (28) is located below near the end of the upper moving path and faces upward. Sterile water injection nozzle (28)
There is a feed pipe (43) extending from the sterile water pump (42).
) are connected. A sterile water receiver (44) is provided below the sterile water injection nozzle (28), and one end of a return pipe (45) is connected to this. Return port (45)
The other end is connected via a valve (47) to a water supply pipe (46) connected to the suction side of a sterile water bomb (42). In addition, a sterile filter (48) is provided in the middle of the feed pipe (43).
) is provided. The second hot air injection nozzle (29) is
It is located above the middle part of the lower moving path of the sterilization container holder (23) and faces downward.

The sub-chamber (31) has an oval shape that is long in the left-right direction in the longitudinal section surrounding the tip of each sterilization container holder (23) with a slight gap, and has a leftward protruding shape on the top wall of the main chamber (21). It is set in.

A clean air supply pipe (49) is installed on the rear wall of the subchamber (31).
is connected, and a hydrogen peroxide-containing air exhaust pipe (50) is connected to the top wall of the sub-chamber (31), so that the inside of the sub-chamber (31) is filled with sterile air like the main chamber (21). It is maintained at positive pressure at all times. Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide water injection nozzles (51) for chamber sterilization are arranged at required locations within the subchamber (31).

A container (C) formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape is transferred from the mandrel (3) to the container holder (1) by the first device group (12), and the container holder (1)
), the container receiver will be moved directly under the transfer member (25
) is activated to pick up the bottomed cylindrical container (C) from the container holder (1) and transfer it to the sterilization container holder (23). The bottomed cylindrical container (C) held in the sterilization container holder (23) in this way is transported inside the subchamber (31), and during the transport, the nozzle group (3G) sequentially removes hydrogen peroxide solution. , hot air, sterile water and hot air are injected in this order. The temperature of the hydrogen peroxide solution that was sprayed and attached to the container (C) was about 80℃, but when the hot air was sprayed and it was removed by evaporation, the temperature was raised to about 110℃, and this temperature increased to about 110℃. Sometimes, when oxygen is separated from hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide exhibits a high level of sterilizing power. In this case, even if the hydrogen peroxide solution is not evaporated and removed from the container (C) by the hot air and remains in the container (C),
Any remaining hydrogen peroxide is washed away with sterile water.

Therefore, the amount of hydrogen peroxide injected may be larger than the amount that can be evaporated and removed by hot air, and there is no need to delicately adjust the amount of hydrogen peroxide. The sterile water adhering to the container (C) is then dried by sprayed hot air. Then, when the container (C) has gone around the sub-chamber (31) and has been carried directly above the original container entrance/exit (20), the transfer member (25) is actuated to move the container (C) is taken from the sterilization container holder (23) and passed to the container holder (1). Next, while the sterilized container (C) is being conveyed while being held by the container holder (1), a predetermined packaging operation is performed by the second device group (19).

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, while a container formed into a cylinder shape with a bottom is being transported by a container transport conveyor, the container is transferred from the container transport conveyor to a sterilization container transport conveyor to be sterilized and sterilized. Since the sterilized containers are again transferred from the sterilization container conveyor to the container conveyor, it is possible to solve the problem that the container conveyor becomes long for sterilization.

In addition, since hydrogen peroxide, hot air, sterile water, and hot air are sprayed into the container in this order for sterilization, even if the hydrogen peroxide is not completely evaporated from the container and remains in the container, Residual hydrogen peroxide can be washed away with sterile water. Therefore, since the amount of hydrogen peroxide injected may be larger than the amount that can be evaporated and removed by hot air, the amount of hydrogen peroxide injected may be greater than the amount that can be removed by evaporation, so the amount of hydrogen peroxide can be
Containers can be completely sterilized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a side view including a cross section, FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. (1) Container holder, (2) Container transport conveyor, (3) Mandrel, (4) Rotating body, (5) Container material supply device, (6) (7)...
Container material bottom heating device, (8) -- Container material bottom folding device, (9) Container material bottom crimping device, (1
0) --- Container transfer device, (12) --- First device group, (13) --- Container top preliminary folding device, (10
)...Filling device, container top book folding device, (16)
Container top heating device, (11) Container top crimping device, (ia) Container discharge device, (19) Second device group, (20) Container entrance/exit, ( 21)...
Main chamber, (22)...Chain, (23)...
Sterilization container holder, (24)...Sterilization container transport conveyor, (25)...Container holder is transfer member, (2B)...
・Hydrogen peroxide water injection nozzle, (27) (29)-・
・Hot air injection nozzle, (28)... Sterile water nozzle, (3
G) --- Nozzle group, (31) --- Sub-chamber. 4 people other than above

Claims (1)

[Claims] An intermittent drive container conveyor (1) having a container holder (1)
2), an intermittent drive rotating body (4) arranged above the starting end of the feeding side movement path of the container holder (1) and having a plurality of radial mandrels (3), and arranged sequentially along the movement path of the mandrels (3). container material supply device (5), container material bottom heating device (6) (
7), a first device group (12) having a container material bottom folding device (8), a container material bottom crimping device (9) and a container transfer device (10), and a feeding side moving path of the container holder (1). Container top preliminary folding device (13) and filling device (1
0), a second device group (19) having a container top main folding device (15), a container top heating device (16), a container top crimping device (17) and a container discharge device (18); and a container conveyor (2). ) and the entire rotating body (4) and at least the operating portions of the first and second device groups (12) and (19) for the container material (B) or container (C), and the first device group (12) and the first device group (12) and the A closed main chamber (21) having a container entrance/exit (20) in its top wall so as to be located directly above the container holder (1) which is stopped at an intermediate position between the two device groups (19); and a container holder. It has an intermittent drive vertical circulation endless chain (22) extending in a direction perpendicular to the movement path of (1) and a plurality of sterilization container holders (23) attached in the longitudinal direction of the chain. A sterilization container transport conveyor (24) is arranged so that the conveyor (23) can stop directly above the container entrance/exit (20), and a sterilization container transport conveyor (24) is arranged so that it can stop directly above the container entrance/exit (20). Containers (C) held by both holders (23) and (1), which are stopped at the upper and lower positions, respectively
a container delivery member (25) that can be freely engaged and disengaged from the sterilization container holder (25); Container holder for sterilization (23)
A nozzle group (30) including a hydrogen peroxide solution injection nozzle (26), a first hot air injection nozzle (27), a sterile water injection nozzle (28), and a second hot air injection nozzle (29) arranged sequentially in the direction in which the ), a sterilization container conveyor (24) and a nozzle group (30
) and the main chamber (2) of the container delivery member (25).
1) surrounding the part protruding from the container opening (20
) A packaging machine comprising: a closed sub-chamber (31) communicating with the main chamber (21) through a main chamber (21).