US20200189780A1 - Gas replacement apparatus - Google Patents
Gas replacement apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20200189780A1 US20200189780A1 US16/713,323 US201916713323A US2020189780A1 US 20200189780 A1 US20200189780 A1 US 20200189780A1 US 201916713323 A US201916713323 A US 201916713323A US 2020189780 A1 US2020189780 A1 US 2020189780A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- gas
- mouth
- unit
- holding unit
- bag
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B3/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
- B65B31/04—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
- B65B31/04—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied
- B65B31/06—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied the nozzle being arranged for insertion into, and withdrawal from, the mouth of a filled container and operating in conjunction with means for sealing the container mouth
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
- B65B31/04—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied
- B65B31/041—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied the nozzles acting from above on containers or wrappers open at their top
- B65B31/042—Evacuating, pressurising or gasifying filled containers or wrappers by means of nozzles through which air or other gas, e.g. an inert gas, is withdrawn or supplied the nozzles acting from above on containers or wrappers open at their top the nozzles being arranged for insertion into, and withdrawal from, the container or wrapper
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
- B65B43/26—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks
- B65B43/30—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks by grippers engaging opposed walls, e.g. suction-operated
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
- B65B43/42—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
- B65B43/46—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation using grippers
- B65B43/465—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation using grippers for bags
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
- B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
- B29C66/84—Specific machine types or machines suitable for specific applications
- B29C66/849—Packaging machines
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
- B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
- B29L2031/7128—Bags, sacks, sachets
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
- B65B43/42—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
- B65B43/50—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation using rotary tables or turrets
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
- B65B43/42—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
- B65B43/54—Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
- B65B43/60—Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation rotatable
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
- Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
Abstract
The side holding drive unit and the mouth holding drive unit move the side holding unit and the mouth holding unit from a first processing position to a second processing position while maintaining a state where the side holding unit holds the side portion and the mouth holding unit holds the mouth portion. The gas nozzle drive unit moves the gas nozzle from the first processing position to the second processing position while maintaining a state where the ejection port is arranged inside the bag.
Description
- This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-234587, filed on Dec. 14, 2018; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- The present invention relates to a gas replacement apparatus configured to supply a replacement gas into a bag.
- Devices that seal a bag having a desired gas in its inside have been known. For example, Japanese patent application publication No. 54-58590 discloses a device that ejects an inert gas from an inert gas ejection nozzle into a bag to replace a gas in the bag with the inert gas, and then, seals the bag.
- There are also known devices that cause a gas ejection nozzle to follow a bag while moving the bag (see Japanese patent application publication Nos. 2005-255236, 2012-111499, 08-169416 and 55-89022). In particular, the device disclosed in Japanese patent application publication No. 55-89022 moves in such a manner that an inert gas supply pipe that supplies an inert gas to the inside of a bag and a pair of plate members that sandwich a bag mouth follow the bag.
- In the device of Japanese patent application publication No. 54-58590, a first inert gas supply pipe is withdrawn from the bag, the bag is moved to the next station, and then, a second inert gas supply pipe is inserted into the bag. Therefore, outside air may flow into the bag and the inert gas in the bag may flow out of the bag after the withdrawal of the first inert gas supply pipe and before the insertion of the second inert gas supply pipe. In addition, since it is difficult to supply the inert gas into the bag while moving the bag from a station where the first inert gas supply pipe is provided to a station where the second inert gas supply pipe is provided, the time during which the inert gas can be supplied into the bag is limited.
- In the devices disclosed in Japanese patent application publication Nos. 2005-255236, 2012-111499 and 08-169416, a bag mouth is not closed while supplying a desired gas into the bag. Therefore, the desired gas is supplied into the bag in a situation where outside air may flow into the bag, and thus a gas inside the bag is not always efficiently replaced with the desired gas.
- In the device in Japanese patent application publication No. 55-89022, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply pipe to the inside of a bag while sandwiching the bag mouth by a pair of plate members, but the supply of the inert gas is not always performed stably. Specifically, in the device disclosed in Japanese patent application publication No. 55-89022, while the upper end portion (mouth portion) of a bag is supported by a pair of plate members, the side portions (edges) of the bag are not supported. Since the bag is conveyed without being supported from the side portions in this manner, when a force from one side portion to the other side portion (that is, a force in the width direction) acts on the bag, there is a possibility that the bag may come off from the support of the pair of plate members in a relatively easy manner. For example, when a bag is intermittently moved at a high speed and a relatively large inertia force acts on the bag in the width direction, there is a concern that the position and the posture of the bag may be displaced during conveyance. In such a case, the supply of the inert gas into the bag becomes unstable, and further, there is a possibility that it may be difficult to properly seal the bag mouth.
- This invention has been contrived in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a technique capable of stably supplying a replacement gas into a bag.
- One aspect of the present invention is directed to a gas replacement apparatus comprising: a side holding unit that holds a side portion of a bag; a mouth holding unit that holds a mouth portion of the bag; a gas nozzle having an ejection port to eject a replacement gas; a side holding drive unit that moves the side holding unit; a mouth holding drive unit that moves the mouth holding unit; a gas nozzle drive unit that moves the gas nozzle; and a sealing unit that seals the mouth portion, wherein the side holding drive unit and the mouth holding drive unit move the side holding unit and the mouth holding unit from a first processing position to a second processing position while maintaining a state where the side holding unit holds the side portion and the mouth holding unit holds the mouth portion, and the gas nozzle drive unit moves the gas nozzle from the first processing position to the second processing position while maintaining a state where the ejection port is arranged inside the bag.
- The side holding drive unit may move the side holding unit from the second processing position to a third processing position while maintaining a state where the side holding unit holds the side portion, and the mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit may move the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle from the second processing position to the first processing position without moving the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle from the second processing position to the third processing position.
- The mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit may include a common movement base to which the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle are attached, and the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle may be moved by moving the movement base.
- A plurality of side holding units, a plurality of mouth holding units, and a plurality of gas nozzles may be provided, and two or more mouth holding units and two or more gas nozzles may be attached to the single movement base.
- The side holding unit may hold the bag in a suspended state.
- The side holding drive unit may intermittently move the side holding unit.
- The side holding drive unit may include a rotary table provided to be rotatable about a rotation axis, and the side holding unit may be attached to an outer peripheral portion of the rotary table and may be moved in accordance with rotation of the rotary table.
- A plurality of side holding units, a plurality of mouth holding units, and a plurality of gas nozzles may be provided, the mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit may move the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle from the second processing position to the first processing position after the side holding unit is arranged at the second processing position.
- The mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit may move the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle toward the first processing position during at least a part of time when the side holding unit moves from the second processing position to the third processing position.
- A plurality of stations may be provided to be continuously adjacent to each other, the plurality of stations including a first processing station, a second processing station, a third processing station, and a fourth processing station, the plurality of side holding units may include a first side holding unit and a second side holding unit, the plurality of mouth holding units may include a first mouth holding unit and a second mouth holding unit, the plurality of gas nozzles may include a first gas nozzle and a second gas nozzle, for the first side holding unit, the first mouth holding unit, and the first gas nozzle, the first processing station may correspond to the first processing position, the second processing station may correspond to the second processing position, and the third processing station may correspond to the third processing position, and for the second side holding unit, the second mouth holding unit, and the second gas nozzle, the second processing station may correspond to the first processing position, the third processing station may correspond to the second processing position, and the fourth processing station may correspond to the third processing position.
- According to the present invention, it is possible to stably supply a replacement gas into a bag.
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FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a packaging system; -
FIG. 2 is a side view of a cross section of the packaging system, and mainly illustrates elements arranged at a sixth station in a gas replacement apparatus; -
FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a partial configuration of a gas replacement apparatus; -
FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view for describing the operation of a gas replacement apparatus; -
FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view for describing the operation of a gas replacement apparatus; -
FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view for describing the operation of a gas replacement apparatus; -
FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view for describing the operation of a gas replacement apparatus; and -
FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view for describing the operation of a gas replacement apparatus. - Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, a packaging system to which a gas replacement apparatus and a gas replacement method are applied will be described as an example. According to the gas replacement apparatus and the gas replacement method to be described below, a replacement gas (for example, an inert gas, steam, oxygen, carbon dioxide, or other gases) is blown inside a bag containing a content, and a gas inside the bag is replaced with the replacement gas.
- In the following description, the terms “upstream” and “downstream” are based on a bag conveyance direction. In addition, the terms “height direction”, “horizontal direction”, “upward direction” and “downward direction” are based on the vertical direction in which gravity acts. The “height direction” means a direction parallel to the vertical direction, the “horizontal direction” means a direction that forms 90 degrees with the vertical direction, the “upward direction” means a direction opposite to the vertical direction in the height direction, and the “downward direction” means the same direction as the vertical direction.
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FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of apackaging system 5. - The
packaging system 5 includes: a rotary table 31 installed on arack 32, and a plurality ofside holding units 30 attached to an outer peripheral portion of the rotary table 31 at equal intervals. Each of theside holding units 30 moves along a circular trajectory along with intermittent rotation of the rotary table 31 about a rotation axis Ax while holding side portions of a bag B to move around a plurality of stations (a first station S1 to a tenth station S10 in the illustrated packaging system 5). A bag B held by each of theside holding units 30 is subjected to corresponding processing at each station. - The number and specific configurations of the
side holding units 30 are not limited, and in the illustratedpackaging system 5, the plurality ofside holding units 30 are constituted by the same number of gripper units (that is, ten gripper units) as the number of stations. Each of the gripper units includes two grippers, and each of theside holding units 30 holds a corresponding bag B as both side portions of the corresponding bag B are gripped by these two grippers. The opening and closing of each of the grippers included in each of theside holding units 30 and a distance between the grippers can be appropriately changed by a holding adjustment mechanism (not illustrated) under control of acontrol unit 11. - A
side holding unit 30 arranged at the first station (bag feeding station) S1 receives a bag B from aconveyor magazine 12 storing a plurality of bags B (i.e., empty bags) through a bag feeder (not illustrated), and grips both the side portions of the bag B to hold the bag B in a suspended state. Each of the illustrated side holding units 30 (gripper units) grips both side portions at positions close to a mouth portion of a bag B or a part of the mouth portion and both side portions of a bag B. Each of theside holding units 30 adjusts a tension to be applied to a bag B by changing the distance between the grippers in the state of holding the corresponding bag B, and can place the bag B, for example, in a relaxed state where the mouth portion is loosened or in a tense state where the mouth portion is closed. - The mouth portion of a bag B is a range including an edge of the bag B (that is, the upper edge of the bag B that is suspended by a side holding unit 30). However, various types of processing for the mouth portion to be described later are not necessarily performed in the range including the edge of a bag B, and may be performed in a range of a bag B which does not include the edge but can form an opening. A portion of a bag B opposite to the mouth portion (that is, the side opposing the mouth portion) is a bottom portion, and both the side portions, the front surface, and the back surface of a bag B extend between the mouth portion and the bottom portion. Therefore, the bottom portion is formed by the range including the lower edge of a bag B in a state where the bag B is suspended by a
side holding unit 30, and both the side portions are formed by the range including the edges extending in the height direction. - A
printer 13 is provided at the second station (printing station) S2. Theprinter 13 prints various types of information (for example, a date when a packaging process is performed) on a bag B. The third station (printing inspection station) S3 is provided with aprint inspection unit 14 that inspects a print state of a bag B. The configuration of theprint inspection unit 14 is not limited. For example, theprint inspection unit 14 may include an image sensor that acquires image data of the printed portion of a bag B, and a processor that can analyze the image data of the printed portion and determine whether the print is good or bad. Incidentally, some functions of theprint inspection unit 14 may be realized by thecontrol unit 11. For example, image data of the printed portion of a bag B acquired by theprint inspection unit 14 may be sent to thecontrol unit 11, and thecontrol unit 11 may analyze the image data to determine whether the print is good or bad. - The fourth station (opening station) S4 is provided with an
opening unit 15 that opens the mouth portion of a bag B. The illustratedopening unit 15 includes two suckers that can reciprocate in the horizontal direction, and causes the suckers to move in a direction such that the suckers are distanced from each other in a state of sucking the front surface and the back surface of a bag B respectively, so that the mouth portion of the bag B can open. At this time, if necessary, the two grippers (the side holding unit 30) holding both the side portions of the bag B move in the horizontal direction so as to approach each other, and the front surface and back surface of the bag B are bent. - The fifth station (content injection station) S5 is provided with an
injection unit 16. Theinjection unit 16 injects a content (not illustrated) inside a bag B arranged at the fifth station S5 through the opened mouth portion of the bag B. The illustratedinjection unit 16 includes a hopper (funnel), and the content is injected into the bag B from the hopper. A state of the content to be stored in a bag B is not limited. For example, the content may be a solid, a liquid, a paste (fluid), a gel, or a mixture containing two or more of them. - The sixth station S6, the seventh station S7, and the eighth station S8 are gas replacement stations. Each bag B is subject to a gas replacement process while moving through the sixth station S6 to the eighth station S8, and a gas inside each bag B is replaced with a replacement gas. The sixth station S6, the seventh station S7, and the eighth station S8 are provided with a plurality of gas nozzles 17 (that is, a
first gas nozzle 17 a and asecond gas nozzle 17 b), a plurality of mouth holding units 19 (that is, a firstmouth holding unit 19 a and a secondmouth holding unit 19 b), and a follow-up unit 24 (that is, mouth holdingdrive units 27 and gasnozzle drive units 28 to be described later) that moves thegas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19. Details of these devices arranged at the sixth station S6, the seventh station S7, and the eighth station S8 and the gas replacement process will be described later. - A sealing
unit 21 is provided at the ninth station (sealing processing station) S9. The sealingunit 21 has two sealingplates 21 a that perform heat-sealing while sandwiching the mouth portion (in particular, a sealing-planned portion) of a bag B. - The tenth station (cooling and discharge station) S10 is provided with a
cooling unit 22 and arelease unit 23. The coolingunit 22 includes two coolingplates 22 a that perform cooling while sandwiching the mouth portion (in particular, a location heat-sealed by the sealing unit 21 (that is, the sealing-planned portion)) of a bag B arranged at the tenth station S10. After the mouth portion is cooled by the coolingunit 22, a bag (i.e., product bag) B is released from aside holding unit 30 at the tenth station S10 to fall, is guided by therelease unit 23 so as to be sent to the subsequent stage. - The various devices included in the
packaging system 5 described above and agas replacement apparatus 10 to be described later are driven while being controlled by thecontrol unit 11 as necessary. For example, thecontrol unit 11 controls the sealingunit 21 to open and close the two sealingplates 21 a in accordance with the rotation of the rotary table 31 (that is, the movement of the side holding units 30). Specifically, the two sealingplates 21 a are placed in the open state when aside holding unit 30 moves from the eighth station S8 to the ninth station S9, and when aside holding unit 30 moves from the ninth station S9 to the tenth station S10. As a result, a bag B can move together with aside holding unit 30 without being obstructed by the two sealingplates 21 a. On the other hand, the two sealingplates 21 a are placed in the closed state in a state where aside holding unit 30 is arranged at the ninth station S9, the mouth portion of a bag B held by aside holding unit 30 is pressed and sealed by the two sealingplates 21 a. - The
gas replacement apparatus 10, which replaces a gas inside a bag B with a replacement gas and then seals the mouth portion of the bag B as described above, is provided at the sixth station S6 to the ninth station S9 of the illustratedpackaging system 5. -
FIG. 2 is a side view of a cross section of thepackaging system 5, and mainly illustrates elements arranged at the sixth station S6 in thegas replacement apparatus 10.FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a partial configuration of thegas replacement apparatus 10. - The
gas replacement apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes theside holding units 30, themouth holding units 19, thegas nozzles 17, the side holdingdrive unit 26, the mouth holdingdrive units 27, the gasnozzle drive units 28, and the sealing unit 21 (seeFIG. 1 ). - As the side holding
drive unit 26 moves each of theside holding units 30, each of the bags B moves around the plurality of stations S1 to S10 including the sixth station S6 to the ninth station S9 as described above. The illustrated side holdingdrive unit 26 is a so-called rotary type conveyance unit, includes the rotary table 31 and moves intermittently the plurality ofside holding units 30 attached to the outer peripheral portion of the rotary table 31. - The rotary table 31 is installed on the
rack 32 via a table support 33 as illustrated inFIG. 2 , is provided to be rotatable about the rotation axis Ax, and is connected with a rotation shaft (not illustrated). The illustrated rotary table 31 has a circular planar shape, and the rotation axis Ax passes through the center of the rotary table 31. The rotation shaft extends on the rotation axis Ax at the inner side of the table support 33, and is rotated intermittently about the rotation axis Ax by a drive source (not illustrated) (for example, a motor, or the like). The rotary table 31 and each of theside holding units 30 rotate intermittently about the rotation axis Ax together with the rotation shaft. - Each of the
side holding units 30 moves around the first station S1 to the tenth station S10 intermittently in accordance with the rotation of the table support 33 while drawing a circular trajectory. In this manner, a trajectory of each of theside holding units 30 is a circular endless trajectory, and each bag B is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side while being held by the correspondingside holding unit 30 in a suspended state. Between twoside holding units 30 provided to be adjacent to each other in the illustrated plurality ofside holding units 30, theside holding unit 30 arranged on the upstream side is referred to as a firstside holding unit 30 a, and theside holding unit 30 arranged on the downstream side is referred to as a secondside holding unit 30 b (seeFIGS. 4 to 7 to be described later). - Props 34 extending in the height direction are installed on the
rack 32. Amain frame 35 extending in the horizontal direction is fixed to theprops 34. Amotor support frame 36 is attached to themain frame 35. Themotor support frame 36 is positioned below themain frame 35, and a motor (for example, a servo motor) 37 is attached to themotor support frame 36. Themotor 37 has amotor rotation shaft 38. Themotor rotation shaft 38 extends downward so as to penetrate themotor support frame 36. The central axis of themotor rotation shaft 38 and the rotation axis Ax coincide with each other, and themotor rotation shaft 38 rotates about the rotation axis Ax. Amovement base 39 extending in the horizontal direction is attached to a lower distal end of themotor rotation shaft 38. Two support blocks 40 and two lifting/lowering drive units (for example, air cylinders) 43 are attached to the lower surface of themovement base 39. - Each of the lifting/lowering
drive units 43 has a lifting/loweringdrive rod 44 whose protruding amount in the upward direction is variable. The gas nozzles 17 (that is, thefirst gas nozzle 17 a and thesecond gas nozzle 17 b) are connected respectively to the lifting/loweringdrive rods 44 vianozzle holding units 45 andgas guide units 46. - Each of the support blocks 40 extends in the horizontal direction. A
first rotation shaft 49 and asecond rotation shaft 50 extending in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the extending direction of eachsupport block 40 are rotatably attached to each of the support blocks 40 via bearings. Afirst rotation gear 51 is fixed to a distal end of thefirst rotation shaft 49, and a firstpressing lever 53 is fixed to an intermediate portion of thefirst rotation shaft 49. Thefirst rotation shaft 49, thefirst rotation gear 51, and the firstpressing lever 53 rotate integrally about a common axis (that is, a central axis of the first rotation shaft 49). Asecond rotation gear 52 is fixed to a distal end of thesecond rotation shaft 50, and a secondpressing lever 54 is fixed to an intermediate portion of thesecond rotation shaft 50. Thesecond rotation shaft 50, thesecond rotation gear 52, and the secondpressing lever 54 rotate integrally about a common axis (that is, a central axis of the second rotation shaft 50). - The
first rotation gear 51 and thesecond rotation gear 52 are engaged with each other at their outer peripheral portions, and exhibit symmetrical rotational behaviors. The firstpressing lever 53 and the secondpressing lever 54 extend downward from thefirst rotation shaft 49 and thesecond rotation shaft 50, respectively, and swing in accordance with rotation of thefirst rotation shaft 49 and thesecond rotation shaft 50. A firstpressing support unit 57 and a secondpressing support unit 58 are fixed to the lower ends of the firstpressing lever 53 and the secondpressing lever 54, respectively. The firstpressing support unit 57 and the secondpressing support unit 58 extend in the horizontal direction, and have a firstpressing unit 55 and a secondpressing unit 56, respectively. The firstpressing unit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 extend in the horizontal direction so as to oppose each other, and are configured using a member (for example, sponge) having both flexibility and a close contact property. - An opening/closing drive unit (for example, an air cylinder) 41 is rotatably attached to each of the support blocks 40. The opening/
closing drive unit 41 has an opening/closing drive rod 42 extending in parallel with thecorresponding support block 40. The protruding amount of the opening/closing drive rod 42 from the main body of the opening/closing drive unit 41 (in particular, the protruding amount of the opening/closing drive rod 42 in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the corresponding support block 40) is variable, and a connectingunit 48 is rotatably attached to a distal end of the opening/closing drive rod 42. The connectingunit 48 is fixed to thefirst rotation shaft 49. In accordance with the protruding amount of the opening/closing drive rod 42, the connectingunit 48 swings about thefirst rotation shaft 49, and thefirst rotation shaft 49 rotates about its own central axis. - The
gas replacement apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration includes the plurality of gas nozzles 17 (specifically, the two gas nozzles 17). Among thesegas nozzles 17, thegas nozzle 17 arranged on the upstream side is referred to as thefirst gas nozzle 17 a, and the gas nozzle arranged on the downstream side is referred to as thesecond gas nozzle 17 b. - Each of the
gas nozzles 17 extends in the height direction and is connected to a gas supply source (not illustrated) via agas guide unit 46. A lower distal end of each of thegas nozzles 17 has anejection port 20. A replacement gas, sent from the gas supply source to each of thegas nozzles 17 via thegas guide unit 46, is ejected from theejection port 20. The replacement gas is blown into a bag B by ejecting the replacement gas from theejection port 20 in a state where theejection port 20 is arranged inside the bag B. The ejection of the replacement gas from theejection port 20 can be controlled by an arbitrary method. For example, when thecontrol unit 11 switches on and off the gas supply source to open and close a valve (not illustrated) provided in a gas supply pipe connecting the gas supply source and agas guide unit 46 under the control of thecontrol unit 11, it is possible to eject the replacement gas from theejection port 20, to stop such ejection of the replacement gas, and to adjust the ejection amount of the replacement gas from theejection port 20. - Each of the
gas nozzles 17 is moved by a gasnozzle drive unit 28. Specifically, a gasnozzle drive unit 28 includes a nozzle lifting/lowering drive unit that moves each of thegas nozzles 17 in the height direction and a nozzle horizontal drive unit that moves each of thegas nozzles 17 in the horizontal direction. - The nozzle lifting/lowering drive unit moves each of the
gas nozzles 17 in the height direction. Each of thegas nozzles 17 is lifted and lowered by the nozzle lifting/lowering drive unit to be arranged at an outer position and an inner position. When agas nozzle 17 is arranged at the outer position, a distal end (in particular, the ejection port 20) of thegas nozzle 17 is positioned above a bag B held by aside holding unit 30. When agas nozzle 17 is arranged at the inner position, a distal end of the gas nozzle 17 (especially the ejection port 20) is arranged at a position lower than the mouth portion and higher than the bottom portion of a bag B held by aside holding unit 30. Therefore, in a state where a bag B whose mouth portion is opened is arranged below agas nozzle 17, theejection port 20 is positioned outside the bag B by arranging thegas nozzle 17 at an upper position, and theejection port 20 is positioned inside the bag B by arranging thegas nozzle 17 at a lower position. - The nozzle horizontal drive unit moves each of the
gas nozzles 17 so as to move around the plurality of stations (in particular, the sixth station S6 to the eighth station S8). In particular, the nozzle horizontal drive unit of the present embodiment reciprocates eachgas nozzle 17. - The illustrated gas
nozzle drive units 28 include themovement base 39. Each of thegas nozzles 17 is connected to themovement base 39 via a lifting/lowering drive unit 43 (including a lifting/lowering drive rod 44), anozzle holding unit 45, and agas guide unit 46. The illustrated nozzle horizontal drive unit includes the motor 37 (including the motor rotation shaft 38), themovement base 39, the lifting/lowering drive units 43 (including the lifting/lowering drive rods 44), thenozzle holding units 45, and thegas guide units 46. In particular, themovement base 39 moves thegas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 in the horizontal direction in such a manner that thegas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 follow correspondingside holding units 30 and bags B only in a partial section among the first station S1 to the tenth station S10 (that is, only a section from the sixth station S6 to the eighth station S8) in the present embodiment as will be described later. On the other hand, the illustrated nozzle lifting/lowering drive unit includes the lifting/lowering drive units 43 (including the lifting/lowering drive rods 44), thenozzle holding units 45, and thegas guide units 46. - In the present embodiment, the plurality of mouth holding units 19 (specifically, the two mouth holding units 19) are provided. Between these
mouth holding units 19, themouth holding unit 19 arranged on the upstream side is referred to as the firstmouth holding unit 19 a, and themouth holding unit 19 arranged on the downstream side is referred to as the secondmouth holding unit 19 b. The illustratedmouth holding units 19 each include a firstpressing unit 55 and a secondpressing unit 56. - The mouth portion of each bag B is held by a
mouth holding unit 19 by being pressed while being sandwiched between the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56. The mouth holdingdrive units 27 move the respectivemouth holding units 19. Specifically, each of the mouth holdingdrive units 27 includes: a holding opening/closing drive unit that causes the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 of each of themouth holding units 19 to be close to or away from each other; and a holding horizontal drive unit that moves each of themouth holding units 19 in the horizontal direction. - The holding opening/closing drive unit moves the first pressing
unit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 between a position where the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 sandwich the mouth portion of a bag B (i.e., the closed position; see a location indicated by the solid line inFIG. 2 ) and a position where the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 do not come into contact with a bag B (i.e., the open position; see a location indicated by the dotted line inFIG. 2 ). The mouth portion of a bag B is arranged in a space between the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 arranged at the open position, and then, the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 are arranged at the closed position. Accordingly, the bag B is frictionally held by the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 while being pressed in such a manner that the mouth portion is closed. - The holding opening/closing drive unit in the illustrated example includes, the opening/closing drive units 41 (including the opening/closing drive rods 42), the connecting
units 48, thefirst rotation shafts 49, the first rotation gears 51, the firstpressing levers 53, the firstpressing support units 57, thesecond rotation shafts 50, the second rotation gears 52, the secondpressing levers 54, and the secondpressing support units 58. Power corresponding to the protruding amount of an opening/closing drive rod 42 is transmitted to afirst rotation shaft 49 via a connectingunit 48, and thefirst rotation shaft 49 rotates about the central axis. In accordance with the rotation of thefirst rotation shaft 49, a firstpressing lever 53, a firstpressing support unit 57, and a firstpressing unit 55 swing around the first rotation shaft 49 (in particular, the central axis). Meanwhile, the power is transmitted from thefirst rotation shaft 49 to asecond rotation shaft 50 via afirst rotation gear 51 and thesecond rotation gear 52, and thesecond rotation shaft 50 rotates about its own central axis. In accordance with the rotation of thesecond rotation shaft 50, a secondpressing lever 54, a secondpressing support unit 58, and a secondpressing unit 56 swing around the second rotation shaft 50 (in particular, the central axis). In this manner, the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 move symmetrically around thefirst rotation shaft 49 and thesecond rotation shaft 50, respectively, according to the protruding amount of the opening/closing drive rod 42. - On the other hand, the holding horizontal drive unit in the illustrated example includes the motor 37 (including the motor rotation shaft 38), the
movement base 39, the support blocks 40, the opening/closing drive units 41 (including the opening/closing drive rods 42), the connectingunits 48, thefirst rotation shafts 49, the firstpressing levers 53, the firstpressing support units 57, the first rotation gears 51, thesecond rotation shafts 50, the secondpressing levers 54, the secondpressing support units 58, and the second rotation gears 52. - As described above, the
movement base 39 is attached to thegas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 and constitutes a part of each of a mouth holdingdrive unit 27 and a gasnozzle drive unit 28. In this manner, the mouth holdingdrive units 27 and the gasnozzle drive units 28 include thecommon movement base 39. As themovement base 39 is moved, themouth holding unit 19 and thegas nozzle 17 are integrally moved in the horizontal direction. In particular, in the present embodiment as illustrated inFIG. 3 , the two or more mouth holding units 19 (in the present embodiment, the firstmouth holding unit 19 a and the secondmouth holding unit 19 b) and the two or more gas nozzles 17 (in the present embodiment, thefirst gas nozzle 17 a and thesecond gas nozzle 17 b) are attached to thesingle movement base 39, and thus the plurality ofgas nozzles 17 and the plurality ofmouth holding units 19 are integrally moved. - In the illustrated example, a connection structure between the first
mouth holding unit 19 a and themovement base 39 and a connection structure between the secondmouth holding unit 19 b and themovement base 39 are formed to be symmetric with respect to a symmetry axis Ar (seeFIG. 3 ) extending in a radial direction from the rotation axis Ax. Accordingly, the elements constituting thegas replacement apparatus 10 can be arranged in a space-efficient manner. - In the
gas replacement apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration, aside holding unit 30, thegas nozzles 17, and themouth holding units 19 exhibit the following behaviors. - Specifically, the side holding
drive unit 26 and the mouth holdingdrive unit 27 move aside holding unit 30 and amouth holding unit 19 from a first processing position to a second processing position while maintaining a state where theside holding unit 30 holds the side portions of a bag B and themouth holding unit 19 holds the mouth portion of the bag B. At this time, a gasnozzle drive units 28 moves agas nozzle 17 from the first processing position to the second processing position while maintaining a state where theejection port 20 of thegas nozzle 17 is arranged inside the bag B. - In addition, the side holding
drive unit 26 moves aside holding unit 30 from the second processing position to a third processing position while maintaining a state where theside holding unit 30 holds the side portions of a bag B. On the other hand, a mouth holdingdrive unit 27 and a gasnozzle drive unit 28 move amouth holding unit 19 and agas nozzle 17 from the second processing position to the first processing position without moving themouth holding unit 19 and thegas nozzle 17 from the second processing position to the third processing position. In this case, it is preferable that the mouth holdingdrive unit 27 and the gasnozzle drive unit 28 move themouth holding unit 19 and thegas nozzle 17 from the second processing position to the first processing position after theside holding unit 30 is arranged at the second processing position. In addition, it is preferable that the mouth holdingdrive unit 27 and the gasnozzle drive unit 28 move themouth holding unit 19 and thegas nozzle 17 toward the first processing position during at least a part of time when theside holding unit 30 moves from the second processing position to the third processing position. - In the
gas replacement apparatus 10 of the present embodiment including the plurality ofgas nozzles 17 and the plurality ofmouth holding units 19, the above first to third processing positions are determined with respect to each of thegas nozzles 17 and each of themouth holding units 19. The illustratedpackaging system 5 is provided with the plurality of stations S1 to S10 that are continuously adjacent to each other, and the plurality of stations include the four processing stations (the sixth station S6 to the ninth station S9) in which thegas replacement apparatus 10 is installed. For the firstside holding unit 30 a, the firstmouth holding unit 19 a, and thefirst gas nozzle 17 a, the sixth station S6 (first processing station) corresponds to the above first processing position, the seventh station S7 (second processing station) corresponds to the above second processing position, and the eighth station S8 (third processing station) corresponds to the above third processing position. On the other hand, for the secondside holding unit 30 b, the secondmouth holding unit 19 b, and thesecond gas nozzle 17 b, the seventh station S7 (second processing station) corresponds to the above first processing position, the eighth station S8 (third processing station) corresponds to the above second processing position, and the ninth station S9 (fourth processing station) corresponds to the above third processing position. - Next, the flow of an example of the gas replacement method performed by the above-described
gas replacement apparatus 10 will be described. -
FIGS. 4 to 8 are schematic plan views for describing an operation of thegas replacement apparatus 10. The illustration of some (for example, thenozzle holding unit 45 and the like) of the elements constituting thegas replacement apparatus 10 are omitted fromFIGS. 4 to 8 . - According to the illustrated
gas replacement apparatus 10, a replacement gas injection process is simultaneously performed on two bags B at three stations (that is, the sixth station S6 to the eighth station S8). On the other hand, a sealing process (in particular, a heat-sealing process) for each of the bags B is performed at one station (that is, the ninth station S9). In the present embodiment, the plurality of mouth holdingdrive units 27 and the plurality of gas nozzle drive units 28 (that is, two sets of the mouth holdingdrive units 27 and the gas nozzle drive units 28) are provided as described above, and the mouth holdingdrive units 27 exhibit substantially the same behavior at substantially the same timing as each other and the gasnozzle drive units 28 exhibit substantially the same behavior at substantially the same timing as each other. However, the mouth holdingdrive units 27 may exhibit substantially the same behavior at different timings from each other, and the gasnozzle drive units 28 may exhibit substantially the same behavior at different timings from each other. - First,
side holding units 30 are moved by the side holdingdrive unit 26, and the two bags B each storing a content are arranged at the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7, respectively, as illustrated inFIG. 4 . Immediately after having moved to the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7, the two bags B have not received a replacement gas and each mouth portion thereof is open. - While these bags B are moving from the fifth station S5 and the sixth station S6 to the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7, each of the
gas nozzles 17 is arranged at the outer position and does not collide with the bags B. Each of themouth holding units 19 is arranged at the open position, and a space in which the bag B in the state of storing the content with the mouth portion open can be arranged is formed between the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56. In the present embodiment, each of the mouth holding units 19 (that is, the first pressingunit 55 and the second pressing unit 56) arranged at the open position does not come into contact with the bags B in the state where the mouth portion is open. However, themouth holding units 19 arranged at the open position may come into contact with the bags B in the state where the mouth portion is open. In this case, as will be described later, themouth holding units 19 come into contact with the bags B so as to secure an open state of the mouth portions to such an extent that enables thegas nozzles 17 moving from the outer position to the inner position to appropriately enter the inside of the bags B. - Incidentally, the bag B arranged at the eighth station S8 illustrated in
FIG. 4 is arranged in a state where the replacement gas has been already injected therein and the mouth portion is closed by the tension applied to the bag B from theside holding unit 30. - Each of the
gas nozzles 17 is driven by the corresponding gasnozzle drive unit 28 to be moved from the outer position to the inner position. Accordingly, thefirst gas nozzle 17 a is inserted inside the bag B positioned at the sixth station S6, and thesecond gas nozzle 17 b is inserted inside the bag B positioned at the seventh station S7. Therefore, theejection ports 20 of thefirst gas nozzle 17 a and thesecond gas nozzle 17 b are arranged inside the bags B arranged at the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7, respectively. While thesegas nozzles 17 are moving from the outer position to the inner position, the mouth portion of each of the bags B is maintained at the open state, and each of the bags - B does not come into contact with the corresponding
gas nozzle 17 moving from the outer position to the inner position. - In the present embodiment, the movement of the
gas nozzles 17 from the outer position to the inner position is performed after the bags B are stopped at the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7. However, the movement of therespective gas nozzles 17 from the outer position to the inner position may be started before these bags B completely stop at the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7. In addition, thesegas nozzles 17 simultaneously move from the outer position to the inner position in the present embodiment, but may move at different timings. - As illustrated in
FIG. 5 , the first pressingunit 55 and the secondpressing unit 56 of each of themouth holding units 19 are arranged at the closed position by the mouth holdingdrive unit 27 in a state where theejection port 20 of each of thegas nozzles 17 is arranged inside the corresponding bag B. Accordingly, each of themouth holding units 19 closes the mouth portion of the bag B in a state where thegas nozzle 17 is inserted into the bag B. Although each of thegas nozzles 17 is pressed by the correspondingmouth holding unit 19 via the front surface and back surface of the bag B at this time, a gap is formed between each of thegas nozzles 17 and the correspondingmouth holding unit 19. It is possible to circulate a gas between the inside and the outside of the bag B through the gap formed in this manner. - Then, a replacement gas is ejected into the corresponding bag B from the
ejection port 20 of each of thegas nozzles 17 arranged at the inner position, and a gas inside each of the bags B is gradually replaced with the replacement gas. Specifically, the gas existing in the bag B flows out of the bag B through the gap between thegas nozzle 17 and themouth holding unit 19 along with the supply of the replacement gas from theejection port 20 into the bag B, and a ratio of the replacement gas relative the gas in the bag B gradually increases. At this time, the timing to start the ejection of the replacement gas from theejection port 20 is not limited, and may be after theejection port 20 is arranged inside the corresponding bag B or before theejection port 20 is arranged inside the corresponding bag B. Each of thegas nozzles 17 may have an exhaust path (not illustrated). When one end of the exhaust path is arranged inside the bag B and the other end thereof is arranged outside the bag B in a state where theejection port 20 is arranged inside the bag B, the gas inside the bag B can be efficiently discharged out of the bag B. - As illustrated in
FIG. 6 , the bags B, theside holding units 30, thegas nozzles 17, and themouth holding units 19 are moved from the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7 to the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8. Specifically, when the rotary table 31 is rotated, the two bags B are moved from the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7 to the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8 together with theside holding units 30, respectively. In addition, as themotor rotation shaft 38 is rotated, themovement base 39 is rotated about the rotation axis Ax, and the twogas nozzles 17 and the twomouth holding units 19 are moved from the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7 to the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8, respectively. - At this time, each of the
gas nozzles 17 and each of themouth holding units 19 are moved so as to follow the corresponding bag B. Specifically, themovement base 39 is rotated according to the rotation of the rotary table 31, and a rotation timing and angular velocity of the rotary table 31 are set to coincide with the rotation timing and the angular velocity of themovement base 39, for example. Accordingly, it is possible to maintain the state where theejection port 20 of each of thegas nozzles 17 is arranged inside the corresponding bag B, and the replacement gas can be continuously blown into each of the bags B from each of thegas nozzles 17 even during movement between the stations. In addition, themouth holding units 19 each can maintain the state of sandwiching the bag B and can close the mouth portion of each of the bags B to prevent inflow of outside air from the outside to the inside of the bag B even during movement between the stations. - As illustrated in
FIG. 7 , the bags B, theside holding units 30, thegas nozzles 17, and themouth holding units 19 are arranged at the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8. Even after the bags B, theside holding units 30, thegas nozzles 17, and themouth holding units 19 are arranged at the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8 (in intermittent stop in the present embodiment), the replacement gas can be continuously ejected from theejection port 20 of each of thegas nozzles 17 into the bag B. In addition, it is possible to continue the ejection of the replacement gas from theejection ports 20 of therespective gas nozzles 17 into the bags B until the bags B and theside holding units 30 start moving from the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8 to the eighth station S8 and the ninth station S9. - Then, the mouth holding
drive units 27 and the gasnozzle drive units 28 drive therespective gas nozzles 17 and the respectivemouth holding units 19 in such a manner that, when the bags B and theside holding units 30 start moving from the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8 toward the eighth station S8 and the ninth station S9, respectively, each of thegas nozzles 17 is arranged at the outer position and each of themouth holding units 19 is arranged at the open position. Specifically, before the bags B and theside holding units 30 start moving from the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8 to the eighth station S8 and the ninth station S9, respectively, the gasnozzle drive units 28 arrange therespective gas nozzles 17 at the outer position, and the mouth holdingdrive units 27 arrange the respectivemouth holding units 19 at the open position. - In addition, the
side holding units 30 arranged at the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8 are driven by the holding adjustment mechanism (not illustrated) so as to adjust the tension to be applied to the corresponding bags B in such a manner that the mouth portions of the corresponding bags B are closed. This tension adjustment can be performed at an arbitrary timing. For example, the tension adjustment may be performed before each of thegas nozzles 17 is arranged at the outer position (that is, before or during the movement of each of thegas nozzles 17 from the inner position to the outer position) or after each of thegas nozzles 17 is arranged at the outer position. In addition, the tension adjustment may be performed before each of themouth holding units 19 is arranged at the open position (that is, before or during the movement of each of themouth holding units 19 from the closed position to the open position) or after each of themouth holding units 19 is arranged at the open position. - In this manner, since the plurality of
gas nozzles 17 and the plurality ofmouth holding units 19 are provided, the replacement gas can be blown into a bag B while the bag B stays at the first processing position (the sixth station S6 or the seventh station S7), while the bag B is moving from the first processing position to the second processing position (the seventh station S7 or the eighth station S8), and while the bag B stays at the second processing position. On the other hand, when only thesingle gas nozzle 17 and only the singlemouth holding unit 19 are provided, it is necessary to return thegas nozzle 17 and themouth holding unit 19 from the second processing position to the first processing position after thegas nozzle 17 and themouth holding unit 19 are moved from the first processing position to the second processing position together with the bag B and theside holding unit 30 before a new bag starts moving from the first processing position to the second processing position. In this case, a time for which thegas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 can stay at the second processing position is very limited, and thus, it is difficult to secure a sufficient time to blow the replacement gas from thegas nozzles 17 into the bags B at the first processing position and/or the second processing position. - As illustrated in
FIG. 8 , theside holding units 30 move from the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8 to the eighth station S8 and the ninth station S9 together with the bags B into which the replacement gas has been injected, and therespective gas nozzles 17 arranged at the outer position and the respectivemouth holding units 19 arranged at the open position move from the seventh station S7 and the eighth station S8 to the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7. - In
FIG. 8 , the “bag B moving from the eighth station S8 to the ninth station S9” and the “bag B moving from the seventh station S7 to the eighth station S8” are bags each storing the replacement gas therein with the mouth portion closed (that is, the bags into which the gas has been blown). On the other hand, inFIG. 8 , the “bag B moving from the sixth station S6 to the seventh station S7” and the “bag B moving from the fifth station S5 to the sixth station S6” are bags each having the open mouth portion and into which no replacement gas has been blown. - The
gas nozzles 17 and the mouth holding units 19 (seeFIG. 4 ) having returned to the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7 repeat the above series of operations to inject the replacement gas into the new bags B arranged at the sixth station S6 and the seventh station S7, respectively. - On the other hand, the mouth portion of the bag B in which the replacement gas has been stored is sealed by the sealing
unit 21 at the ninth station S9. Accordingly, the bag B is sealed in a state of being filled with the replacement gas. - As described above, according to the
gas replacement apparatus 10 and the gas replacement method of the present embodiment, the replacement gas can be stably supplied into a bag B in a state where the side portions and the mouth portion of the bag B are held by theside holding unit 30 and themouth holding unit 19. Since the bag B is supported from a plurality of directions as described above, the bag B can be stably held, and it is possible to prevent a position shift of the bag B when an unintended force acts on the bag B. When the position of the bag B with respect to theside holding unit 30 is shifted, there is a possibility that the replacement of the gas inside the bag B with the replacement gas may be insufficient, and further, there is a possibility of causing defective sealing of the bag B. For example, when a bag B is conveyed at a high speed, a large inertia force may act on the bag B. According to thegas replacement apparatus 10 and the gas replacement method of the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the positional shift of the bag B by theside holding unit 30 and themouth holding unit 19 even when such a large inertial force acts on the bag B. - In addition, the
gas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 are moved to reciprocate, and thus gases in the plurality of bags B can be continuously replaced with the replacement gases using the limited number ofgas nozzles 17 and the limited number ofmouth holding units 19. By preventing the increase in the number ofgas nozzles 17 and the number ofmouth holding units 19 in this manner, it is possible to suppress the increase in device cost. - In addition, the mechanism for moving the
gas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 in the horizontal direction using thecommon movement base 39 is adopted, and thus the drive source can be shared, and thegas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 can be moved synchronously with the simple configuration while suppressing the cost. In particular, the plurality ofgas nozzles 17 and the plurality ofmouth holding units 19 are attached to thecommon movement base 39, and thus it is possible to more effectively promote the cost reduction and simplification of the configuration. - In addition, the plurality of
gas nozzles 17 and the plurality ofmouth holding units 19 are installed so as to be continuously adjacent to each other, and thus it is easy to secure the sufficient time for the replacement gas to be blown into the bags B, and it is possible to improve a replacement ratio of the gas inside the bag B with the replacement gas. In particular, since the twogas nozzles 17 and the twomouth holding units 19 are provided, it is possible to secure the sufficient time to blow the replacement gas while suppressing the increase in device cost. - Although each of the
gas nozzles 17 and each of themouth holding units 19 are moved in the horizontal direction using thecommon movement base 39 and the common drive source (that is, the motor 37) in the above-described embodiment, thegas nozzle 17 and themouth holding unit 19 may be moved using separate drive mechanisms and separate drive sources. In such a case, thecontrol unit 11 can control the drive mechanisms and the drive sources in such a manner that each of thegas nozzles 17 and each of themouth holding units 19 appropriately follow the corresponding bag B. - In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the
gas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 are provided so as to reciprocate, and the number ofgas nozzles 17 and the number ofmouth holding units 19 are fewer than the number of stations and the number ofside holding units 30. However, the number ofgas nozzles 17 and the number ofmouth holding units 19 are not limited, and may be the same as the number of stations and the number ofside holding units 30, for example. In this case, aunique gas nozzle 17 and a uniquemouth holding unit 19 can be associated with each of theside holding units 30, and aside holding unit 30, agas nozzle 17 and amouth holding unit 19 that are associated with each other can be integrally moved in the horizontal direction. Such a device configuration can be easily realized by applying, for example, the device illustrated inFIG. 1 of Japanese patent application publication No. 55-89022. In this case, it is possible to use a common drive source configured to move theside holding unit 30, thegas nozzle 17 and themouth holding unit 19 in the horizontal direction. - Although the rotary table 31 and the
side holding units 30 move intermittently in the above-described embodiment, the side holdingdrive unit 26 may continuously move the side holding units 30 (including the rotary table 31) without stopping theside holding units 30. When the rotary table 31 and theside holding units 30 continuously move, the mouth holdingdrive units 27 and the gasnozzle drive units 28 can continuously move thegas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 according to the moving speed of the bags B and theside holding units 30 in such a manner that thegas nozzles 17 and themouth holding units 19 appropriately follow theside holding units 30 and the bags B. - In the above-described embodiment, each of the
side holding units 30 holds a bag B in a suspended state, but the bag B may be held in another posture. For example, each of theside holding units 30 may move around the first station S1 to the tenth station S10 while holding bags B in a lying posture (that is, the bags B in a state of extending in the horizontal direction). - In addition, a movement trajectory of each of the
side holding units 30 and a movement trajectory of each of the bags B are not limited to the above circular trajectory, and may be other curved trajectories, straight trajectories, or trajectories combining both the curved trajectory and the straight trajectory (for example, an endless trajectory whose both ends are semicircular trajectories (that is, a racetrack trajectory)). - In addition, a method for sealing the mouth portion of a bag B is not limited, and the sealing
unit 21 may seal the mouth portion of a bag B by means other than heating. - The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and variations. For example, various modifications may be made to each element of the embodiments and the variations described above. Further, the effects exerted by the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and specific effects according to the specific configuration of each embodiment can be exerted. As described above, various additions, modifications, and partial deletions can be made to the elements described in the claims, the specification, the abstract, and the drawings without departing from a technical idea and a gist of the present invention.
Claims (13)
1. A gas replacement apparatus comprising:
a side holding unit that holds a side portion of a bag;
a mouth holding unit that holds a mouth portion of the bag;
a gas nozzle having an ejection port to eject a replacement gas;
a side holding drive unit that moves the side holding unit;
a mouth holding drive unit that moves the mouth holding unit;
a gas nozzle drive unit that moves the gas nozzle; and
a sealing unit that seals the mouth portion, wherein
the side holding drive unit and the mouth holding drive unit move the side holding unit and the mouth holding unit from a first processing position to a second processing position while maintaining a state where the side holding unit holds the side portion and the mouth holding unit holds the mouth portion, and
the gas nozzle drive unit moves the gas nozzle from the first processing position to the second processing position while maintaining a state where the ejection port is arranged inside the bag.
2. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein
the side holding drive unit moves the side holding unit from the second processing position to a third processing position while maintaining a state where the side holding unit holds the side portion, and
the mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit move the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle from the second processing position to the first processing position without moving the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle from the second processing position to the third processing position.
3. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein
the mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit include a common movement base to which the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle are attached, and
the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle are moved by moving the movement base.
4. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein
the mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit include a common movement base to which the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle are attached, and
the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle are moved by moving the movement base.
5. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 3 , wherein
a plurality of side holding units, a plurality of mouth holding units, and a plurality of gas nozzles are provided, and
two or more mouth holding units and two or more gas nozzles are attached to the single movement base.
6. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein
a plurality of side holding units, a plurality of mouth holding units, and a plurality of gas nozzles are provided, and
two or more mouth holding units and two or more gas nozzles are attached to the single movement base.
7. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the side holding unit holds the bag in a suspended state.
8. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the side holding drive unit intermittently moves the side holding unit.
9. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein
the side holding drive unit includes a rotary table provided to be rotatable about a rotation axis, and
the side holding unit is attached to an outer peripheral portion of the rotary table and is moved in accordance with rotation of the rotary table.
10. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein
a plurality of side holding units, a plurality of mouth holding units, and a plurality of gas nozzles are provided, and
the mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit move the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle from the second processing position to the first processing position after the side holding unit is arranged at the second processing position.
11. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the mouth holding drive unit and the gas nozzle drive unit move the mouth holding unit and the gas nozzle toward the first processing position during at least a part of time when the side holding unit moves from the second processing position to the third processing position.
12. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein
a plurality of stations are provided to be continuously adjacent to each other, the plurality of stations including a first processing station, a second processing station, a third processing station, and a fourth processing station,
the plurality of side holding units include a first side holding unit and a second side holding unit,
the plurality of mouth holding units include a first mouth holding unit and a second mouth holding unit,
the plurality of gas nozzles include a first gas nozzle and a second gas nozzle,
for the first side holding unit, the first mouth holding unit, and the first gas nozzle, the first processing station corresponds to the first processing position, the second processing station corresponds to the second processing position, and the third processing station corresponds to the third processing position, and
for the second side holding unit, the second mouth holding unit, and the second gas nozzle, the second processing station corresponds to the first processing position, the third processing station corresponds to the second processing position, and the fourth processing station corresponds to the third processing position.
13. The gas replacement apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein
a plurality of stations are provided to be continuously adjacent to each other, the plurality of stations including a first processing station, a second processing station, a third processing station, and a fourth processing station,
the plurality of side holding units include a first side holding unit and a second side holding unit,
the plurality of mouth holding units include a first mouth holding unit and a second mouth holding unit,
the plurality of gas nozzles include a first gas nozzle and a second gas nozzle,
for the first side holding unit, the first mouth holding unit, and the first gas nozzle, the first processing station corresponds to the first processing position, the second processing station corresponds to the second processing position, and the third processing station corresponds to the third processing position, and
for the second side holding unit, the second mouth holding unit, and the second gas nozzle, the second processing station corresponds to the first processing position, the third processing station corresponds to the second processing position, and the fourth processing station corresponds to the third processing position.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2018234587A JP7118877B2 (en) | 2018-12-14 | 2018-12-14 | Gas replacement device |
JP2018-234587 | 2018-12-14 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20200189780A1 true US20200189780A1 (en) | 2020-06-18 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US16/713,323 Abandoned US20200189780A1 (en) | 2018-12-14 | 2019-12-13 | Gas replacement apparatus |
Country Status (6)
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US (1) | US20200189780A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3686115B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP7118877B2 (en) |
KR (1) | KR20200074016A (en) |
CN (1) | CN111319814A (en) |
ES (1) | ES2867530T3 (en) |
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CN113247323B (en) * | 2021-05-08 | 2023-03-28 | 洽洽食品股份有限公司 | Internet of things-based inflation device, inflation method and automatic packaging machine |
Family Cites Families (16)
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US3430414A (en) * | 1966-11-29 | 1969-03-04 | Bartelt Eng Co Inc | Machine for packaging articles in a controlled atmosphere |
JPS5458590A (en) | 1977-10-18 | 1979-05-11 | Daido Oxygen | Method of sealing and packaging inert gas |
JPS5852890B2 (en) * | 1978-12-16 | 1983-11-25 | ゼネラルパツカ−株式会社 | Gas filling and melt sealing equipment for multiple packaging machines |
JPH08169416A (en) | 1994-07-14 | 1996-07-02 | Toyo Jidoki Co Ltd | Deaerating method for packaging bag for bagging/ packaging machine |
JP4453408B2 (en) | 2004-03-15 | 2010-04-21 | 東洋製罐株式会社 | Manufacturing method of bagging food and sealing device for bagging filling |
JP2007126208A (en) * | 2005-10-03 | 2007-05-24 | Toyo Jidoki Co Ltd | Bag-filling packaging machine |
JP5496861B2 (en) | 2010-11-20 | 2014-05-21 | 東洋自動機株式会社 | Packaging machine for packaging machine |
JP6032885B2 (en) * | 2011-11-17 | 2016-11-30 | 東洋自動機株式会社 | Rotary type bagging and packaging machine |
CN202717057U (en) * | 2012-08-28 | 2013-02-06 | 温州名瑞机械有限公司 | Vacuum package machine |
US9242848B2 (en) | 2012-09-20 | 2016-01-26 | Pouch Pac Innovations, Llc | Diving nozzle for filling a product into a package and for gas purging and method for the same |
JP6040406B2 (en) | 2013-05-10 | 2016-12-07 | ゼネラルパッカー株式会社 | Gas filling and packaging method and packaging machine |
KR101484924B1 (en) | 2013-07-22 | 2015-01-21 | 주식회사농심 | Pouch packing apparatus for non-dried noodle |
JP6173957B2 (en) * | 2014-03-26 | 2017-08-02 | 東洋自動機株式会社 | Bag filling and packaging method and bag filling and packaging machine |
CN204341466U (en) * | 2014-12-19 | 2015-05-20 | 瑞安市瑞志机械有限公司 | Vacuum packing machine |
CN205633173U (en) * | 2016-04-11 | 2016-10-12 | 扬州市森大肥业有限公司 | Continuous capper of film |
CN206502056U (en) * | 2016-12-12 | 2017-09-19 | 吴忠洪 | Clovershrub corner angle digital-control packing machine |
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- 2018-12-14 JP JP2018234587A patent/JP7118877B2/en active Active
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2019
- 2019-12-10 KR KR1020190163372A patent/KR20200074016A/en unknown
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- 2019-12-13 US US16/713,323 patent/US20200189780A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2019-12-13 CN CN201911279570.8A patent/CN111319814A/en active Pending
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JP7118877B2 (en) | 2022-08-16 |
CN111319814A (en) | 2020-06-23 |
ES2867530T3 (en) | 2021-10-20 |
KR20200074016A (en) | 2020-06-24 |
EP3686115A1 (en) | 2020-07-29 |
JP2020093826A (en) | 2020-06-18 |
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