WO2017056221A1

WO2017056221A1 - Heat sealing device

Info

Publication number: WO2017056221A1
Application number: PCT/JP2015/077697
Authority: WO
Inventors: 嘉之今西; 慶太朝平; 松本　徹
Original assignee: エースコック株式会社
Priority date: 2015-09-30
Filing date: 2015-09-30
Publication date: 2017-04-06
Also published as: JP6629870B2; JPWO2017056221A1

Abstract

A thickness of a fusion spot between a cover member and a flange part of a flanged container is made more uniform. A heat sealing device is provided with a support member 10 and a fusion body 30. The support member 10 supports a flanged container 100. The flanged container 100 is provided with an object accommodation part 110 and an annular flange part 112. The object accommodation part 110 has a mouth 120. The flange part 112 is provided at a margin of the mouth 120. The fusion body 30 presses a cover member 102 against the flange part 112. The fusion body 30 fuses the cover member 102 to the flange part 112. The support member 10 has a through-hole forming part 20. The through-hole forming part 20 forms a through hole 150. The object accommodation part 110 penetrates the through hole 150. The flange part 112 gets snagged on the through-hole forming part 20. After correcting the flange part 112 into a shape closer to a flat annular shape, the fusion body 30 fuses the cover member 102 to the flange part 112.

Description

Heat sealing equipment

The present invention relates to a heat seal device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a heat seal device for a container. This heat sealing apparatus includes a support material and a fusion body. The support material supports the flange portion of the flanged container from below. The fuser is heated by pressing the peripheral edge of the lid from the upper surface side. This lid is placed on the top opening of the flanged container. The peripheral edge of the lid is heated on the flange of the flanged container. The annular sealing surface of the fused body is formed on an inclined surface. This inclined surface is inclined upward from the center side in the radial line direction toward the outer peripheral edge side.

JP 2012-254823 A

However, the heat sealing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the thickness of the fusion part between the lid member and the flange portion is difficult to be uniform. That is, when the lid member and the flange portion are fused by the heat sealing device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a certain portion of these fused portions becomes thicker or thinner than other portions.

The present invention solves such problems. The purpose is to make the thickness of the fused portion between the lid member and the flange portion of the flanged container closer to a uniform one.

The protective element of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the reference numerals in the figure are used in this column in order to help understanding of the contents of the invention, and are not intended to limit the contents to the illustrated range.

In order to solve the above-described problem, according to an aspect of the present invention, the heat sealing apparatus includes a support member 10 and a fusion body 30. The support material 10 supports the flanged container 100. The flanged container 100 includes an object accommodating portion 110 and an annular flange portion 112. The object storage unit 110 has an entrance 120. The flange portion 112 is provided at the edge of the entrance / exit 120. The fused body 30 presses the lid member 102 against the flange portion 112. The fusion body 30 fuses the lid member 102 to the flange portion 112. The support member 10 has a through hole forming portion 20. The through hole forming part 20 forms a through hole 150. The object accommodating part 110 penetrates the through hole 150. The flange portion 112 is caught on the through hole forming portion 20. The melted body 30 corrects the flange portion 112 so that the shape of the flange portion 112 approaches a flat annular shape, and then fuses the lid member 102 to the flange portion 112.

The reason why the thickness of the fused portion between the lid member 102 and the flange portion 112 is difficult to be uniform is that the flange portion 112 is not flat. The fusion body 30 is bonded so that the flange portion 112 is bonded to the flange portion 112 after correcting the flange portion 112 so that the shape of the flange portion 112 approaches a flat annular shape. As a result, the lid 102 and the flange portion 112 are fused together after the state in which the thickness of the fused portion is difficult to become uniform is alleviated. As a result, the thickness of the fused portion between the lid member 102 and the flange portion 112 of the flanged container 100 can be made closer to a uniform one.

In addition, it is desirable that the above-described fused body 30 includes the shape correction unit 40 and the heating unit 42. The shape correcting unit 40 corrects the shape of the flange portion 112 so that the shape of the flange portion 112 approaches a flat annular shape. The heating unit 42 presses the lid member 102 against the flange portion 112 while the shape correcting portion 40 corrects the shape of the flange portion 112. The heating unit 42 heats the flange portion 112 via the lid member 102.

When the shape correction part 40 corrects the shape of the flange part 112, compared with the case where there is no such correction, the shape of the entrance / exit 120 of the flange part 112 approaches a flat annular shape. When the heating unit 42 presses the lid member 102 against the flange 112 while the shape of the entrance / exit 120 approaches a flat annular shape, the thickness of the fused portion between the lid 102 and the flange 112 is made uniform. You can get closer.

Alternatively, it is desirable that the shape correction portion 40 described above has a minimum passing value smaller than the through-hole 150 and a larger passing maximum value than the through-hole 150 and becomes thinner as it approaches the tip. In this case, it is desirable that the heating unit 42 satisfies the following requirements. The requirement is that it is disposed on the side opposite to the support material 10 when viewed from the shape correcting portion 40, is continuous with the shape correcting portion 40, has a maximum passing value through the through hole 150, and becomes narrower as it approaches the tip. This is a requirement.

The shape correction part 40 becomes thinner as it approaches the tip. The shape correction unit 40 has a minimum passing value smaller than that of the through hole 150. The shape correction unit 40 has a larger maximum value than the through hole 150. Thereby, when the shape correction | amendment part 40 is inserted in the entrance / exit 120 of the article | item storage part 110, when the flange part 112 is curving resulting from the shape of the entrance / exit 120 being distorted, as a result, the curvature will eliminate, As a result The shape of the part 112 approaches a flat annular shape. The heating unit 42 is continuous with the shape correction unit 40. The heating unit 42 is disposed on the side opposite to the support member 10 when viewed from the shape correcting unit 40. As a result, the flange portion 112 is fused to the lid member 102 immediately after the shape correcting portion 40 approaches the flat annular shape. As a result, the lid member 102 and the flange portion 112 can be quickly fused, and the thickness of the fused portion can be made to be uniform.

According to the present invention, the thickness of the fused portion between the lid member and the flange portion of the flanged container can be made close to a uniform one.

It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the heat seal apparatus concerning an embodiment with this invention. It is sectional drawing of the melt | fusion body concerning one embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the distortion of the entrance / exit of a container with a flange. It is a figure which shows the heat sealing apparatus and the container with a flange which are implementing the heat sealing method concerning embodiment with this invention. It is sectional drawing of the principal part with a state just before heat sealing concerning embodiment with this invention is performed. It is sectional drawing of the other principal part in the state just before the heat seal concerning embodiment with this invention is performed. It is sectional drawing of the principal part of the state immediately after the heat seal concerning embodiment with this invention was performed. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the thickness of the fusion | fusion location of the lid | cover material and its flange part when a lid | cover material is fuse | fused to the flange part with the conventional melt | fusion body. It is sectional drawing of the principal part just before heat sealing is performed with respect to the flange part by which the edge part is bent in embodiment with this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Description of main components of heat seal device>
FIG. 1 shows an outline of a heat sealing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The heat sealing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a support member 10, a sealing unit 12, a container supply unit (not shown), a lid supply unit (not shown), and a transport unit (not shown).

Support material 10 supports container 100 with a flange. This flanged container 100 is a well-known one used for putting instant noodles. In the case of this embodiment, this flanged container 100 is made of polypropylene. The flanged container 100 includes an object accommodating portion 110 and an annular flange portion 112. The object storage unit 110 has an entrance 120. The flange portion 112 is provided at the edge of the entrance / exit 120.

In the case of this embodiment, the support member 10 has a through hole forming portion 20 and a connecting portion (not shown). The through hole forming part 20 forms a through hole 150. The object accommodating part 110 penetrates the through hole 150. The flange portion 112 is caught on the edge 152 of the through hole 150. The connecting part connects the through hole forming part 20 to the conveying part. As a result, the through hole forming unit 20 is transported by the transport unit. Since the structure of the connecting portion is the same as a well-known one, detailed description thereof will not be repeated here.

The sealing unit 12 seals the flanged container 100 with a lid 102. In the case of this embodiment, the sealing unit 12 includes a fusion body 30, a heater 32, and a cylinder 34. The fusion body 30 is bonded to the flange portion 112 after the flange portion 112, particularly the edge portion of the inlet / outlet port 120, is corrected so as to approach a flat annular shape. The heater 32 supplies heat to the fusion body 30. The cylinder 34 moves the fuser 30 and the heater 32 up and down.

The container supply unit causes the through hole 150 of the support member 10 to penetrate the object storage unit 110 of the flanged container 100. Since the structure of the container supply unit is the same as a well-known one, detailed description thereof will not be repeated here.

The lid supply unit places the lid material 102 on the flanged container 100. In the case of the present embodiment, the lid member 102 has a sealant layer 132 formed on the surface thereof. In the present embodiment, the material of the sealant layer 132 is a mixture of polyethylene and polypropylene. The sealant layer 132 melts when heated. The lid member 102 and the flange portion 112 of the flanged container 100 are fused by the melted sealant layer 132. Since the structure of the lid supply unit is the same as a known one, the detailed description thereof will not be repeated here.

The conveyance unit conveys the support material 10 from below the lid supply unit toward the bottom of the sealing unit 12. Since the structure of the transport unit is the same as a known one, detailed description thereof will not be repeated here.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fusion bonded body 30 according to the present embodiment. The fused body 30 according to the present embodiment includes a shape correcting unit 40 and a heating unit 42.

The shape correcting unit 40 corrects the shape of the entrance / exit 120 and the shape of the flange 112 so that the shape of the edge portion of the flange portion 112, particularly the entrance / exit 120, approaches a flat annular shape. The heating unit 42 presses the lid member 102 against the flange 112 while the shape correcting unit 40 corrects the shape of the entrance / exit 120 and the shape of the flange 112. The heating unit 42 heats the flange portion 112 via the lid member 102.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of distortion of the entrance / exit 120 of the flanged container 100. The shape of the flanged container 100 is often distorted. There are various causes for distortion. For example, one of the causes is that noodles (not shown) are accommodated in the flanged container 100. As one type of such distortion, the entrance / exit 120 of the flanged container 100 may be distorted elliptically. In this case, the flange portion 112 is supposed to be flat as originally indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, but the flange portion 112 may not be flat as indicated by a solid line in FIG. . When the distortion of the entrance / exit 120 is corrected so as to approach a perfect circle, the distortion of the flange portion 112 may also be corrected. This is a case where the distortion of the entrance / exit 120 affects the distortion of the flange portion 112. In the case of this embodiment, the shape correction | amendment part 40 corrects the edge of the entrance / exit 120 so that it may approach a perfect circle by contacting the edge of the entrance / exit 120. FIG. With this correction, if the distortion of the entrance / exit 120 affects the distortion of the flange portion 112, the edge portion of the entrance / exit 120 of the flange portion 112 approaches a flat annular shape.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, in the case of the present embodiment, the shape correcting portion 40 becomes thinner as it approaches the tip. Therefore, the diameter of the tip portion of the shape correcting portion 40 is the smallest. Its diameter is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 150. The diameter of the part which continues to the heating part 42 among the shape correction parts 40 becomes the largest. The diameter is larger than the diameter of the through hole 150. The heating part 42 also becomes thinner as it approaches the tip. In the case of the present embodiment, the shape correction unit 40 and the heating unit 42 constitute a part of a single conical curved surface. The diameter of the boundary portion between the heating unit 42 and the shape correcting unit 40 is larger than the diameter of the through hole 150.

<Description of heat sealing method>
FIG. 4 shows a heat sealing apparatus and a flanged container 100 that are performing the heat sealing method according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a cross section with a main part in a state immediately before heat sealing is performed. FIG. 6 shows another cross section of the main part in a state immediately before heat sealing is performed. FIG. 7 shows a cross section of the main part in a state immediately after the heat sealing is performed. Based on FIG. 4 thru | or FIG. 7, the heat sealing method concerning this embodiment is demonstrated.

The container supply unit allows the object storage unit 110 of the flanged container 100 to pass through the through hole 150 of the support material 10. The support member 10 through which the object storage unit 110 has passed moves toward the lid supply unit by the transport unit. The lid supply unit places the lid member 102 on the moving object storage unit 110 together with the support member 10. The object storage unit 110 on which the lid member 102 is placed moves toward the sealing unit 12 together with the support member 10 by the transport unit. When the support member 10 and the lid member 102 arrive just below the sealing portion 12, the fusion body 30 presses the lid member 102 against the flange portion 112.

As described above, the shape of the flanged container 100 is often distorted. When the shape is distorted, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the flange portion 112 of the flanged container 100 does not adhere to the edge 152 of the through hole 150. In this case, before the shape correction part 40 corrects the shape of the entrance / exit 120 and the shape of the flange part 112, as shown in FIG. Move away from edge 152 of hole 150. As shown in FIG. 6, the outer edge of the other region of the flange portion 112 is separated from the edge 152 of the through hole 150. When the fusion body 30 presses the lid member 102 against the flange portion 112, the shape correcting portion 40 pushes the edge portion of the entrance / exit 120 through the lid member 102. Thereby, the distortion of the edge part of the entrance / exit 120 is corrected. As a result of correcting the distortion, the flange portion 112 closely contacts the edge 152 of the through hole 150 as shown in FIG.

The heating unit 42 heats the lid member 102 while the edge portion of the entrance / exit 120 is pushed and widened by the shape correction unit 40. The sealant layer 132 of the heated lid member 102 melts. The melted sealant layer 132 adheres to the lid member 102. After the adhesion, the fused body 30 is separated from the lid member 102. The sealant layer 132 from which the fused body 30 is separated is naturally cooled. As a result of the cooling, the surface of the melted sealant layer 132 is solidified. As a result, the lid member 102 is fused to the flange portion 112.

<Description of effects>
The flanged container 100 is often slightly distorted. For example, the doorway 120, which should be a perfect circle, is distorted into an ellipse. Along with this, the flange portion 112, which should be a flat ring, is warped slightly. When the lid member 102 is placed on the warped flange portion 112 and is fused by a conventional flat fused body, a slight gap is formed between the lid portion 102 and a part of the flange portion 112. Such a gap is generally eliminated by strongly pressing the fused body. However, even if the fusion product is strongly pressed, the force that these regions receive is different between the region where the gap originally existed and the region where there was no gap. Since the forces are different, the amount of the sealant layer 132 that melts by heating and the amount of the sealant layer 132 that adheres to the lid member 102 among the melted layers also differ from region to region. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, when the lid member 102 is fused to the flange portion 112 with a conventional fusion body, the thickness of the fused portion 114 between the lid member 102 and the flange portion 112 is uniform. No longer.

On the other hand, when the fused body 30 according to the present embodiment is inserted into the entrance / exit 120 of the object storage unit 110, the tapered portion of the shape correction unit 40 is pressed against the edge of the entrance / exit 120. Thereby, even if the doorway 120 is distorted elliptically, the distortion is corrected. When the distortion is corrected, the shape of the flange 112 around the edge of the entrance / exit 120 approaches a flat ring shape. In this state, the heating part 42 causes the lid member 102 and the flange part 112 to be fused. As a result, the lid member 102 and the flange portion 112 can be quickly fused, and the thickness of the fused portion 114 between the lid member 102 and the flange portion 112 can be made close to a uniform one.

Such an effect becomes particularly remarkable when the cross-sectional shape of the flange portion is not rectangular. FIG. 9 shows a cross-section of the main part immediately before heat sealing is performed on the flange 162 whose end is bent. In this case, when the lid member 102 is fused to the flange portion 162 by a conventional flat fused body, even if the fused body is strongly pressed, distortion of the flange portion 162 remains to some extent. This is because the bent end portion supports the fusion bonded body, and correction of other portions of the flange portion 162 is prevented. According to the fusion body 30 according to the present embodiment, the distortion of the flange portion 162 is eliminated, and the flange portion 162 supported by the edge 152 of the through hole 150 is likely to be narrowed along the surface of the fusion body 30. Become. The reason why the flange portion 162 is likely to be narrowed along the surface of the fusion bonded body 30 is that a portion of the flange portion 162 that is inside the end portion is separated from the edge 152 of the through hole 150 and floats in the air. The reason why the portion of the flange portion 162 inside the end portion is separated from the edge 152 of the through hole 150 and floats in the air is because the bent end portion of the flange portion 162 is supported by the edge 152 of the through hole 150. is there. Since the flange portion 162 is easily constricted, according to the fusion body 30 according to the present embodiment, when heat sealing is performed on the flange portion 162, the thickness of the fusion portion 114 between the lid member 102 and the flange portion. Can be made to be uniform.

<Description of modification>
The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects. The scope of the present invention is not limited based on the above-described embodiment. Of course, various design changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the shape of the shape correction unit 40 is not particularly limited. Examples of the shape of the shape correction unit include a triangular pyramid, a quadrangular pyramid, a pentagonal pyramid, and a hexagonal pyramid. The minimum value of the passing (in this case, the length corresponding to the diameter of the cross section perpendicular to the central axis in the case of a cone) is smaller than the through hole 150, and the maximum value of the passing is larger than the through hole 150. Moreover, the shape correction part 40 and the heating part 42 do not need to be integral. Moreover, the shape correction | amendment part 40 is not limited to what correct | amends so that it may approach the flat cyclic | annular form by contacting the edge part of the entrance / exit 120. FIG. For example, the shape correcting portion may be one that corrects the edge portion of the entrance / exit 120 to approach a flat annular shape by contacting the outer peripheral side surface of the flange portion 112. The shape correcting portion may be one that corrects the flange portion 112 so as to approach a flat annular shape by contacting the inner peripheral surface of the object accommodating portion 110.

In the present invention, the material of the flanged container 100 is not particularly limited. For example, the flanged container 100 may be made of a synthetic resin other than polypropylene. The material of the flanged container 100 may be a material other than synthetic resin such as paper. When the material of the flanged container 100 is a material other than synthetic resin, a synthetic resin layer may be provided on the surface of the flange portion 112 of the flanged container 100 in order to facilitate fusion with the lid 102. desirable.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Support material 12 ... Sealing part 20 ... Through-hole formation part 30 ... Fusion body 32 ... Heater 34 ... Cylinder 40 ... Shape correction part 42 ... Heating part 100 ... Flange container 102 ... Cover material 110 ...

Object storage part

112, 162 ... Flange 114 ... Fusion location 120 ... Entrance / exit 132 ... Sealant layer 150 ... Through hole 152 ... Edge

Claims

A support member for supporting a container with a flange, which includes an object accommodating portion having an entrance and exit, and an annular flange provided at an edge of the entrance and exit;
A pressing member that presses the lid against the flange, and a fusion body that fuses the lid to the flange; and
The support material is a heat seal device having a through hole forming portion through which the object accommodating portion penetrates and the flange is hooked.
The heat sealing apparatus is characterized in that the fusion member is corrected so that the shape of the flange approaches a flat annular shape, and the lid member is fused to the flange.
The fused body is
A shape correcting portion that corrects the shape of the flange so that the shape of the flange approaches a flat annular shape;
While the shape correction unit corrects the shape of the flange, the shape correction unit includes a heating unit that presses the lid against the flange and heats the flange via the lid. The heat sealing apparatus according to claim 1.
The shape correction portion has a smaller minimum value than the through hole, a larger maximum value than the through hole, and becomes thinner as it approaches the tip,
The heating unit is disposed on the side opposite to the support material when viewed from the shape correction unit, is continuous with the shape correction unit, has a larger maximum value than the through hole, and becomes thinner as it approaches the tip. The heat sealing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein