Degassing device

Abstract

The present invention provides a nozzle-type or similar degassing device that can degas packaging bags more easily and reliably than conventional configurations. [Solution] The degassing device 1 comprises a pair of packings 12, 13 that clamp the opening G of the packaging bag F over its entire width, a degassing passage forming means 5 that forms a degassing passage between the packings 12, 13 that allows air to be removed from inside the packaging bag F, and a suction means that sucks the air inside the packaging bag F to the outside through the degassing passage. One or more pairs of pressing members 31, 41 are arranged in pairs on one side and the other side, and are capable of clamping the packaging bag F at positions different from the clamping positions of the pair of packings 12, 13, and the pressing surfaces 39, 49 of the pressing members 31, 41 that clamp the packaging bag F can be shifted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a degassing device that degasses the interior of a packaging bag containing an article.

Background Art

[0002] Degassing devices that seal plastic packaging bags containing articles in a degassed state are widely known. Such degassing devices are broadly classified into a chamber type in which the entire packaging bag is housed in a chamber for degassing (see Patent Document 1), and a non-chamber type in which degassing is performed with the bag mouth clamped by packing. Non-chamber types are further classified into a nozzle type in which a nozzle is inserted into the bag mouth (see Patent Document 2), and a suction groove type in which the bag mouth is arranged in a suction groove that is made airtight by packing (see Patent Document 3).

[0003] The chamber type can perform degassing at a relatively high degree of vacuum, but it is relatively large and expensive. The suction groove type is relatively small and inexpensive, but conventional suction groove types can only use special packaging bags provided with unevenness on the inner surface, and cannot use ordinary packaging bags with a smooth inner surface, resulting in poor convenience and high operation costs.

[0004] The nozzle type is relatively small and inexpensive, and can use ordinary packaging bags with a smooth inner surface. However, if the front and back films of the packaging bag adhere closely to each other during degassing, making it difficult for air around the contents to flow into the nozzle, degassing tends to be insufficient. In particular, such degassing failure is likely to occur when the nozzle is separated from the contents.

[0005] In recent years, the inventors have proposed an improved suction groove type degassing device that can use ordinary packaging bags (see Patent Document 4), but even with this degassing device, when an ordinary packaging bag is used, the same problem of insufficient degassing as in the nozzle type occurs. For this reason, in such improved suction groove type and nozzle type degassing devices, the frequency of degassing failure is reduced by manually shifting the front and back films of the packaging bag during degassing to secure a gap for air to pass around the contents.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-6387 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-029692 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-040214 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 7197235 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] As mentioned above, with nozzle-type degassing devices, the frequency of degassing failures can be reduced by manually shifting the film on both sides of the packaging bag. However, there is a knack to shifting the film, and practice is required to shift the film in a way that ensures the packaging bag is properly degassed.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the current situation, and aims to provide a nozzle-type or similar degassing device that can degas packaging bags more easily and reliably than conventional configurations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to a deaeration device for deaerating a packaging bag while holding the opening of the packaging bag, comprising: a pair of packings that clamp the opening of the bag over its entire width; a deaeration passage forming means that forms a deaeration passage between the pair of packings through which air can be removed from inside the packaging bag; and a suction means that sucks the air inside the packaging bag to the outside through the deaeration passage, wherein the device comprises one or more pairs of pressing members arranged in pairs on one side and the other side, capable of clamping the packaging bag at positions different from the clamping positions of the pair of packings, and wherein the one or more pairs of pressing members are configured to slide against each other on the clamping surfaces that clamp the packaging bag.

[0010] In this configuration, by sliding the pressing member that holds the packaging bag in place, the front and back films of the packaging bag are shifted, causing the film to slacken around the pressing member. When air is removed, this slack becomes wrinkles, preventing the front and back films from completely adhering to each other, thus creating a gap within the packaging bag through which air can pass. Therefore, according to the present invention, the effort of intentionally shifting the film of the packaging bag by hand is eliminated, and a gap suitable for air removal can be reliably formed within the packaging bag compared to shifting the film by hand.

[0011] The present invention comprises a main body and a cover body connected to the main body, wherein the cover body is convertible between an attachment position on the main body and a detachment position separated from the main body, and the pair of packings are arranged such that one is on the main body and the other on the cover body, and the packings are configured to clamp the packaging bag at the attachment position of the cover body, and the pair or more pairs of pressing members are arranged in pairs on the main body and the cover body, and at least one of the pressing members is kept movable toward the other pressing member. A configuration is proposed in which one of the pressing members is held and biased to a protruding position that protrudes toward the other pressing member, and as the cover body is being converted from the separation position to the mounting position, the packaging bag is pressed between the one pressing member and the other pressing member, and furthermore, when the cover body is converted to the mounting position, the one pressing member retracts from the protruding position due to the pressure from the other pressing member, and as this retraction occurs, the pressing surfaces of the pressing members slide against each other while still pressing the packaging bag.

[0012] In this configuration, by simply changing the cover body from the detached position to the attached position and sandwiching the packaging bag between the cover body and the main body, the pressing member creates an air gap inside the packaging bag, thus eliminating the need for any special operation or drive device to move the pressing member.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above configuration, a configuration is proposed in which the pair or more pairs of pressing members are configured to be able to clamp the packaging bag at a position further away from the bag opening than the clamping position of the pair of packings.

[0014] With this configuration, the pressing member will shift on the contents side of the packing's clamping position, making it easier to secure an air gap around the contents. Furthermore, even if the pressing member shifts the front and back films, the film shift is less likely to reach the edge of the bag opening, and the front and back films are less likely to become uneven at the edge of the bag opening during sealing. This has the advantage of sealing without compromising the aesthetic appearance of the bag opening.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the pressing member has a substantially flat clamping surface that clamps the packaging bag, and the cover body is proposed to be movable from the separation position to the mounting position while maintaining the clamping surfaces of the pair of pressing members parallel to each other.

[0016] In this configuration, the pressing members of the main body and the cover body can uniformly clamp the packaging bag, thus ensuring that the front and back films can be reliably shifted.

[0017] Furthermore, in the above configuration, a configuration is proposed in which the pair or multiple pairs of pressing members are configured such that, as one of the pressing members retracts from the protruding position, the pressing surfaces that clamp the packaging bag shift in a direction substantially perpendicular to the width direction of the packaging bag.

[0018] When forming a gap between the films of a packaging bag, if wrinkles form in the part that seals the opening of the bag, the seal tends to be insufficient. However, by sliding the films of the packaging bag back and forth as in this configuration, wrinkles are more likely to form in the width direction of the packaging bag during degassing, making it less likely for wrinkles to form in the part that seals the opening of the bag.

[0019] Furthermore, in the present invention, it is proposed that the main body and the cover body are configured such that the arrangement position of the pair or multiple pairs of pressing members can be changed in the width direction of the main body and the cover body.

[0020] Since the form of the gap that can be formed by shifting the packaging bag with the pressing member according to the present invention varies depending on the form of the packaging bag and contents to be used, the optimal position for shifting the packaging bag with the pressing member is not constant. With such a configuration, by appropriately changing the arrangement position of the pressing member according to the form of the packaging bag and contents to be used, it becomes possible to shift the packaging bag at a position suitable for use conditions.

[0021] Further, in the present invention, the cover body is mounted on the main body at the mounting position, the pair of packings each form a horizontally long annular shape, and at the mounting position of the cover body, the pair of packings clamp the bag opening vertically over the entire width and form a sealed suction groove, the suction suction is configured to suck air from the deaeration port formed in the sealed suction groove to depressurize the inside of the suction groove, thereby sucking the air in the packaging bag into the suction groove through the deaeration path, and further, a configuration is proposed in which a heating wire for sealing the deaerated packaging bag and a heating wire moving means for switching the heating wire between a position where it is pressed against the packaging bag and a position where it is not pressed against the packaging bag are provided, and the heating wire, the heating wire moving means, and the deaeration port are arranged on the cover body.

[0022] With such a configuration, it becomes easy to deaerate a packaging bag containing watery substances or powdery substances. This is because even when the liquid or powder in the packaging bag is sucked into the suction groove, the liquid or powder is less likely to adhere to the heating wire arranged on the upper cover body, the heating wire moving means, and the deaeration port. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] As described above, according to the present invention, in a nozzle-type deaerator, a packaging bag can be deaerated easily and more reliably compared to conventional configurations. [Brief Description of Drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the deaerator 1 of Example 1 in a state where the cover body 3 is separated. [Figure 2]This is a perspective view of the degassing device 1 of Example 1 with the cover body 3 attached. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the bottom side of cover body 3. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the degassing device 1 with the cover body 3 separated. [Figure 5] This is a side view of the degassing device 1 with the cover body 3 attached. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged perspective view of the degassing device 1 used to degas packaging bag F. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the degassing device 1, showing the film shifting means 20 separately. [Figure 8] This is an exploded perspective view of the upper pressing slide device 21. [Figure 9] This is an exploded perspective view of the lower pressing slide device 22. [Figure 10] These are side views of the pressing slide devices 21 and 22. (A) shows the state in which the pressing members 31 and 41 are held in the protruding positions R1 and R2, and (B) shows the state in which the pressing members 31 and 41 are retracted from the protruding positions R1 and R2. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the film shifting mechanism 20. [Figure 12] This diagram illustrates how the film J of the packaging bag F is shifted by the film shifting means 20, showing it from (A) the side and (B) from above. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of the degassing apparatus 1a of Example 2, showing the film shifting means 20 separated. [Figure 14] This is a front view enlargement of the degassing device 1b of Example 3, where (A) shows the state with the cover body 3 separated and (B) shows the state with the cover body 3 attached. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view of the degassing device 1c of Example 4 with the cover body 3a separated. [Figure 16] This is a perspective view showing the bottom side of the cover body 3a according to Example 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the following examples. Since Examples 2 to 4 are modified versions of the configuration of Example 1, components common to both Example 1 and Example 1 are referred to by common reference numerals in the text and figures, and their explanation is omitted. [Examples]

[0026] Figures 1 and 2 show the degassing device 1 of this embodiment. The degassing device 1 of this embodiment is configured by arranging the pressing members 31 and 41 according to the present invention on the front side of a known nozzle-type degassing device. First, the general structure of the nozzle-type degassing device 1 will be described, and then the main components of the present invention will be described.

[0027] The degassing device 1 comprises a wide body 2 and a cover body 3 connected to the body 2 via an arm 4. As shown in Figure 1, the degassing device 1 is configured to insert a nozzle 5 protruding from the body 2 into the opening G of the packaging bag F, and as shown in Figure 2, to degas the packaging bag F while the opening G is sandwiched between the body 2 and the cover body 3, thereby sealing the opening G by welding.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the main body 2 of the degassing device 1 has a mounting section 9 at the front where the opening G of the packaging bag F is mounted. On the mounting section 9, a welding base 10 for pressing the heating wire 15 and a packing 12 for sealing the bag opening G are arranged side by side in the width direction. The nozzle 5 is positioned so as to be able to protrude forward from the rear of the mounting section 9, traversing longitudinally over the welding base 10 and the packing 12. A control device and a motor are arranged inside the housing 8 of the main body 2 (not shown). The base end of the nozzle 5 is connected to a vacuum pump via a tube inside the housing 8, and air is sucked in from the tip of the nozzle 5 when the vacuum pump is operating. In other words, in this embodiment, the vacuum pump corresponds to the suction means according to the present invention. The nozzle 5 is also held so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and can be converted by a motor to an extended state in which the tip protrudes in front of the welding base 10 and the packing 12, and a retracted state in which the entire nozzle is retracted inside the housing 8. Furthermore, a display unit 6 that shows setting conditions and operating status, and an operation switch 7 for setting operating conditions are provided on the upper rear surface of the main unit 2.

[0029] The cover body 3 is a flat plate sized to cover the mounting portion 9 of the main body 2, and can be converted between a separation position P (see Figure 1), where it is separated above the main body 2, and a mounting position Q (see Figure 2), where it is mounted on the mounting portion 9 of the main body 2, by rotating the arm 4. The arm 4 is biased in one direction by a spring (not shown), and the cover body 3 is biased toward the separation position P by the biasing force of this spring. The main body 2 and the cover body 3 are provided with a push-latch type locking mechanism (not shown), and when the cover body 3 is moved to the mounting position Q against the biasing force of the spring and pressed against the main body 2, the cover body 3 is locked in the mounting position Q by the locking mechanism.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, a heating element 15 and a packing 13 for sealing the bag opening G are arranged side by side in the width direction on the bottom side of the cover body 3. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, when the cover body 3 is locked in the mounting position Q, the heating element 15 is pressed against the welding base 10 of the main body 2, and the packing 13 is pressed against the packing 12 of the main body 2.

[0031] Next, we will explain the procedure for degassing and sealing the packaging bag F using the degassing device 1. First, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the degassing device 1 holds the cover body 3 in the separation position P and extends the nozzle 5 forward, then places the packaging bag F containing the contents H in the installation section 9. The packaging bag F is installed with the nozzle 5 inserted into the bag opening G, so that the entire width of the bag opening G rests on top of the packings 12 and 13. A general-purpose packaging bag F made of smooth plastic film is preferably used as the packaging bag. The shape of the packaging bag F can be any shape in which a bag opening G is formed on one side, and three-sided bags, two-sided bags, bottom-seal bags, gusseted bags, etc., can be used.

[0032] Next, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, the cover body 3 is moved from the separation position P to the mounting position Q and locked in the mounting position Q. As a result, the bag opening G is compressed across its entire width by the packings 12 and 13, preventing outside air from entering the bag. The heating element 15 is also pressed against the entire width of the bag opening G. Since the tip of the nozzle 5 protrudes in front of the packings 12 and 13, a degassing passage for removing air from the packaging bag F is secured between the packings 12 and 13. In other words, in this embodiment, the nozzle 5 corresponds to the degassing passage forming means according to the present invention.

[0033] Then, the control device is instructed to perform a pre-programmed degassing process by operating the control switch 7 in a predetermined manner. The degassing process is carried out in the following steps (1) to (4). (1) The vacuum pump is activated to suck the air inside the packaging bag F out through the tip of the nozzle 5, thereby degassing the packaging bag F. (2) The vacuum pump is stopped when it has been running for a predetermined time or when a sensor (not shown) detects a pressure drop to a predetermined level. (3) The motor (not shown) is activated to retract the nozzle 5 into the housing 8. (4) A large current is temporarily supplied to the heating element 15, and the heated heating element 15 is used to weld and seal the opening of the bag G across its entire width.

[0034] Finally, once the degassing process is complete, the locking of the cover body 3 is released and returned to the separation position P, and the degassed and sealed packaging bag F is removed.

[0035] The configuration of the main parts of the present invention will be described below. As described above, the degassing device 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, degasssing the air inside the packaging bag F with a nozzle 5 while the bag opening G is sealed by being compressed between packings 12 and 13. At this time, if the front and back films of the packaging bag F become tightly adhered to each other around the nozzle 5 (part K in Figure 6), the air around the contents H may not be sucked in, resulting in insufficient degassing. In the degassing device 1 of this embodiment, a film shifting means 20 is provided to easily resolve this problem.

[0036] As shown in Figure 7, the film shifting means 20 is composed of a pair of upper and lower pressing slide devices 21 and 22 equipped with pressing members 31 and 41. The upper pressing slide device 21 is disposed on the cover body 3, and the lower pressing slide device 22 is disposed on the main body 2. When degassing the packaging bag F, the pressing members 31 and 41 press the packaging bag F from above and below, causing the front and back films J to slide apart, thereby making it difficult for the front and back films J to adhere to each other. In this embodiment, one film shifting means 20 is provided on each of the left and right sides in front of the nozzle 5. That is, the film shifting means 20 is configured to press and slide the front and back films J of the packaging bag F on both the left and right sides in front of the nozzle 5. Since the left and right film shifting means 20 have the same configuration, only one film shifting means 20 will be shown in the following description, and their details will be explained.

[0037] As shown in Figure 8, the upper pressing slide device 21 comprises a pressing member 31 and a holding member 30 that movably holds the pressing member 31. The holding member 30 is a cylindrical member having a holding hole 35 into which the pressing member 31 can be fitted. As shown in Figure 7, the upper pressing slide device 21 is detachably fixed to the degassing device 1 by screwing the holding member 30 to a mounting portion 26 provided on the front side of the cover body 3.

[0038] The pressing member 31 comprises a fitting portion 37 that fits inside the holding hole 35 of the holding member 30, a rod-shaped spring mounting portion 38 for mounting a coil spring 32, and a flat plate-shaped pressing plate portion 36 disposed at the lower end of the fitting portion 37. The pressing plate portion 36 is the part that clamps the lower pressing member 41 and the packaging bag F, and the flat lower bottom surface of the pressing plate portion 36 constitutes the clamping surface 39 that clamps the packaging bag F. A non-slip rubber sheet 33 is attached to the clamping surface 39.

[0039] The pressing member 31 is held so that the pressing plate portion 36 can move downward and backward by sliding the fitting portion 37 against the holding hole 35. The pressing member 31 is biased downward by the elastic force of the coil spring 32 and is locked in place by a screw 34 for preventing it from falling out, so as not to extend below a predetermined protruding position R1.

[0040] As shown in Figure 9, the lower pressing slide device 22 is generally configured by inverting the upper pressing slide device 21. That is, the lower pressing slide device 22 comprises a pressing member 41 and a holding member 40 that movably holds the pressing member 41. The holding member 40 is a cylindrical member having a holding hole 45 into which the pressing member 41 can be fitted. As shown in Figure 7, the lower pressing slide device 22 is detachably fixed to the degassing device 1 by screwing the holding member 40 to a mounting portion 27 provided on the front side of the main body 2.

[0041] The pressing member 41 includes a fitting portion 47 that fits inside the holding hole 45 of the holding member 40, a rod-shaped spring mounting portion 48 for mounting a coil spring 42, and a flat plate-shaped pressing plate portion 46 disposed at the upper end of the fitting portion 47. The pressing plate portion 46 is the part that clamps the packaging bag F between the pressing plate portion 36 of the upper pressing member 31, and the flat upper surface of the pressing plate portion 46 constitutes the clamping surface 49 that clamps the packaging bag F. A non-slip rubber sheet 43 is attached to the clamping surface 49.

[0042] The pressing member 41 holds the pressing plate portion 46 so that it can move upward and backward by sliding the fitting portion 47 against the holding hole 45. The pressing member 41 is biased upward by the elastic force of the coil spring 42 and is locked in place by a screw 44 for preventing it from falling out, so as not to extend above a predetermined protruding position R2.

[0043] As shown in Figure 10, the upper and lower pressing slide devices 21 and 22 are arranged so that the clamping surfaces 39 and 49 of their respective pressing members 31 and 41 are parallel. Specifically, the upper pressing slide device 21 is attached to the cover body 3 so that its clamping surface 39 is horizontal, and the lower pressing slide device 22 is attached to the main body 2 so that its clamping surface 49 is horizontal. Since the main body 2, the cover body 3, and the arm 4 constitute a parallel link mechanism, the parallelism of the upper and lower clamping surfaces 39 and 49 is always maintained regardless of the position of the cover body 3.

[0044] As shown in Figure 10, the upper pressing slide device 21 is attached to the cover body 3 so as to move the clamping surface 39 of the pressing member 31 forward and downward. Normally, as shown in Figure 10(A), the pressing member 31 is held in a protruding position R1 in which the pressing plate portion 36 protrudes forward and downward by the biasing force of the coil spring 32, and when a force exceeding the biasing force is applied to the clamping surface 39, it is configured to retract backward and upward as shown in Figure 10(B).

[0045] Similarly, the lower pressing slide device 22 is attached to the main body 2 so as to move the clamping surface 49 of the pressing member 41 back and forth upward and rearward. Normally, as shown in Figure 10(A), the pressing member 41 is held in a protruding position R2 with the pressing plate portion 46 protruding upward and rearward by the biasing force of the coil spring 42, and when a force exceeding the biasing force is applied to the clamping surface 49, it is configured to retract downward and forward, as shown in Figure 10(B).

[0046] The film shifting mechanism 20 uses pressing members 31 and 41 to clamp the packaging bag F from above and below, shifting the front and back films J back and forth. This operation is performed in conjunction with the operation of changing the cover body 3 from the separation position P to the mounting position Q, and clamping the packaging bag F between the main body 2 and the cover body 3. The operation of the film shifting mechanism 20 will be described step by step below.

[0047] As described above, when degassing the packaging bag F with the degassing device 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the cover body 3 is held in the separation position P, and the packaging bag F containing the contents H is placed in the installation section 9. Then, the cover body 3 is moved from the separation position P to the mounting position Q and locked in the mounting position Q as shown in Figures 2 and 5. As the cover body 3 is moved from the separation position P to the mounting position Q in this way, as shown in Figure 11(A), the upper pressing member 31 is held in the protruding position R1, and its clamping surface 39 is brought closer to the clamping surface 49 of the lower pressing member 41. As shown in Figure 11(B), before the cover body 3 reaches the mounting position Q, the clamping surfaces 39 and 49 of the upper and lower pressing members 31 and 41 come into contact, and the packaging bag F is clamped by the pressing members 31 and 41.

[0048] When the cover body 3 is moved further downward from the state shown in Figure 11(B) to the mounting position Q, as shown in Figure 11(C), the upper and lower pressing members 31 and 41 push against each other in the forward and backward directions, retracting from the protruding positions R1 and R2 while maintaining the state of clamping the packaging bag F. At this time, the upper pressing member 31 moves backward as it retracts from the protruding position R1, and the lower pressing member 41 moves forward as it retracts from the protruding position R2. As a result, the respective clamping surfaces 39 and 49 slide in the front-to-back direction while clamping the front and back films J of the packaging bag F, and the front and back films J clamped between the clamping surfaces 39 and 49 slide back and forth.

[0049] As the front and back films J of the packaging bag F are shifted back and forth, as shown in Figure 12, when the cover body 3 is locked in the mounting position Q, a slack Y1 is created behind the pressing member 31 in the upper film J that is shifted relatively backward, and a slack Y2 is created in front of the pressing member 41 in the lower film J that is shifted relatively forward. Therefore, when the vacuum pump is activated to degas the packaging bag F, the areas where the slack Y1 and Y2 occur do not completely adhere to the front and back films J, becoming wrinkled, and gaps are created inside the packaging bag F through which air can pass. Thus, in this embodiment, the front and back films J of the packaging bag F are pressed between the pressing members 31 and 41 and shifted linearly in one direction, and a pair of slack Y1 and Y2 are created on both the front and back sides in the direction of the shift, thereby ensuring a pair of gaps inside the packaging bag F through which air can pass when degassing is performed. Therefore, with the degassing device 1 of this embodiment, the effort of intentionally shifting the film J of the packaging bag F by hand when degassing the packaging bag F can be eliminated. Furthermore, by mechanically shifting the film J with the film shifting means 20, it is possible to reliably form a gap in the packaging bag that is suitable for degassing, more so than by shifting the film J by hand.

[0050] Furthermore, since the film shifting means 20 operates in conjunction with the operation of converting the cover body 3 from the separation position P to the mounting position Q, no power is required, and no special operation is necessary to shift the film J.

[0051] Furthermore, the cover body 3 is connected to the main body 2 by a parallel link mechanism, and can move from the separation position P to the mounting position Q while maintaining the parallel clamping surfaces 39, 49 of the upper and lower pressing members 31, 41. This has the advantage of uniformly clamping the packaging bag F with the flat upper and lower clamping surfaces 39, 49, and reliably sliding the front and back films J.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the packaging bag F is clamped at a position further away from the bag opening G than the position where the packings 12 and 13 clamp the bag opening G, that is, at a position closer to the contents H than the clamping position of the packings 12 and 13, allowing the film J to slide. With this configuration, it is easy to secure a gap for air to pass around the contents H. Also, as shown in Figure 12, since the film J does not easily slide to the edge L of the bag opening G, there is an advantage in that it is easy to align the front and back films J at the edge L of the bag opening G and seal it.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the clamping surfaces 39 and 49 of the pressing members 31 and 41 are shifted in a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the packaging bag F. With this configuration, wrinkles that form in the film J of the packaging bag F during degassing extend in the width direction and are less likely to form in the portion that seals the bag opening G, so there is no risk of poor sealing of the bag opening G due to wrinkles.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the two pairs of pressing slide devices 21 and 22 slide the packaging bag F in the same direction at two locations, there is an advantage that large wrinkles are easily formed in the packaging bag F during degassing. In particular, since the two pairs of pressing slide devices 21 and 22 slide the packaging bag F at symmetrical positions with respect to the air-suction portion of the packaging bag F (the tip of the nozzle 5), there is an advantage that wrinkles are easily formed in the packaging bag F without bias in the width direction during degassing.

[0055] Furthermore, since the pressing slide devices 21 and 22 that constitute the film shifting means 20 are detachable, the degassing device 1 of this embodiment can also be used with the pressing slide devices 21 and 22 removed, as shown in Figure 7, if the distance between the tip of the nozzle 5 and the contents H is short and there is no risk of degassing failure even without shifting the film J of the packaging bag F, so that the film shifting means 20 does not get in the way. [Examples]

[0056] The degassing device 1a of this embodiment allows the placement of the pressing members 31 and 41 to be changed in the width direction of the degassing device 1a. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, the degassing device 1a of this embodiment is equipped with two pairs of upper and lower pressing slide devices 21 and 22, and four mounting parts 26 for the pressing slide devices 21 and 21 are provided on the front side of the cover body 3 at intervals in the width direction. In addition, four mounting parts 27 for the pressing slide devices 22 and 22 are provided on the front side of the main body 2 at positions opposite to each mounting part 26 of the cover body 3. With this configuration, by selecting from the four mounting parts 26 and 27 to which the two pairs of pressing slide devices 21 and 22 are attached, the placement of the pressing members 31 and 41 can be changed in the width direction, and the position in which the film J of the packaging bag F is shifted can be changed in the width direction. The shape of the gap that can be formed by sliding the packaging bag F with the pressing members 31 and 41 varies depending on the shape of the packaging bag F and its contents H used. Therefore, the optimal position for sliding the packaging bag F with the pressing members 31 and 41 is not constant. However, in this embodiment, the position of the pressing members 31 and 41 can be changed according to the shape of the packaging bag F and its contents H, making it possible to slide the packaging bag F at a position suitable for the usage conditions. [Examples]

[0057] The degassing device 1b of this embodiment is a modified version of the one in Embodiment 1, in which the film shifting means shifts the film J of the packaging bag F in a different direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 14(A), the upper pressing slide device 21a causes the pressing member 31a to protrude downward to the left, and the lower pressing slide device 22a causes the pressing member 41a to protrude upward to the right. In this configuration, when the cover body 3 is changed from the separation position P to the mounting position Q, as shown in Figure 14(B), the upper and lower pressing members 31a and 41a press the packaging bag F while shifting the pressing surfaces 39 and 49 from side to side, creating slack Y1 and Y2 in the film J on the left and right sides of the pressing area.

[0058] Thus, in the present invention, the direction in which the pressing member slides the film J of the packaging bag F is not particularly limited, and as in this embodiment, it is also possible to slide it in the width direction of the packaging bag F. Furthermore, the direction in which the pressing member slides the film J is not limited to a linear direction, but may be a rotational direction (for example, pressing the front and back films J together and sliding them in a twisting motion). [Examples]

[0059] The degassing device 1c of this embodiment is a modified version of the nozzle-type degassing device 1 of Embodiment 1, with a suction groove type. Specifically, as shown in Figure 15, the degassing device 1c consists of a main body 2a and a cover body 3a with the same external shape as in Embodiment 1, connected by an arm 4. The cover body 3a is configured to be switchable between a separation position P (see Figure 15) where it is separated from the main body 2a and a mounting position Q (see Figure 2) where it is mounted on the main body 2a, by rotating the arm 4, similar to Embodiment 1.

[0060] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, a horizontally elongated annular packing 12a is placed on the mounting portion 9 of the main body 2a, and a pair of packings 13a of the same shape are placed on the bottom side of the cover body 3a. Suction grooves 24a and 24b are formed on the inside of each packing 12a and 13a. The upper and lower packings 12a and 13a are in close contact with each other when the cover body 3a is locked in the mounting position Q, forming sealed suction grooves 24a and 24b.

[0061] As shown in Figure 15, the degassing device 1c of this embodiment is configured to degas the packaging bag F by placing the opening G of the packaging bag F in the suction groove 24a, and then compressing the opening G from above and below across its entire width with the packings 12a and 13a of the main body 2a and the cover body 3a, while depressurizing the sealed suction grooves 24a and 24b.

[0062] More specifically, as shown in Figure 16, a suction groove 24b of the cover body 3a has a degassing port 16 that communicates with a vacuum pump, and by sucking air out from the degassing port 16, the sealed suction grooves 24a and 24b can be depressurized. The degassing device 1c of this embodiment can use a normal packaging bag F with a smooth inner surface, similar to the degassing device described in Patent Document 4, and as shown in Figures 15 and 16, suction ports 25a and 25b for forming a degassing passage are formed in the center of the front side of the upper and lower packings 12a and 13a. When the packaging bag F is held between the packings 12a and 13a, and the inside of the suction ports 25a and 25b is depressurized with a vacuum pump, the packings 12a and 13a deform, and a degassing passage is formed between the packings 12a and 13a, allowing air from inside the packaging bag F to be sucked into the suction grooves 24a and 24b for degassing. In other words, in this embodiment, the vacuum pump corresponds to the suction means according to the present invention, and the vacuum pump and suction ports 25a and 25b correspond to the degassing passage forming means according to the present invention.

[0063] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, a heating wire 15 for welding and sealing the packaging bag F is arranged in the width direction of the suction groove 24b of the cover body 3a, and a welding base 10a for pressing the heating wire 15 is arranged in the width direction of the suction groove 24a of the main body 2a. The heating wire 15 can be raised and lowered by inflating and deflating a balloon 28 arranged inside the cover body 3a with a vacuum pump. With the cover body 3a locked in the mounting position Q, the heating wire 15 can be raised and lowered to switch between a position where the heating wire 15 can be pressed against the bag opening G installed on the welding base 10a and a position where it cannot be pressed against it. In other words, in this embodiment, the balloon 28 corresponds to the heating wire moving means according to the present invention.

[0064] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the main body 2a and the cover body 3a are provided with multiple power connection points 17a and 17b. When the cover body 3a is locked in the mounting position Q, the power connection points 17b of the cover body 3a connect to the power connection points 17a of the main body 2a, thereby enabling power to be supplied from the internal power source (not shown) of the main body 2a to the heating element 15 of the cover body 3a. Similarly, the main body 2a and the cover body 3a are provided with multiple piping connection points 18a and 18b. When the cover body 3a is locked in the mounting position Q, the piping connection points 18b of the cover body 3a connect to the piping connection points 18a of the main body 2a, thereby connecting the vent port 16, the suction port 25b, and the balloon 28 to the internal vacuum pump (not shown) of the main body 2a.

[0065] As in this configuration, by arranging the heating element 15, the vent 16, and the balloon 28 on the cover body 3a, even if liquids or powders are sucked out of the packaging bag F into the suction grooves 24a and 24b, the liquids and powders will accumulate in the suction groove 24a of the main body 2a and will not easily adhere to the heating element 15 or the vent 16. In other words, if liquids or powders adhere to the heating element 15 or the vent 16, they are prone to malfunction and require frequent cleaning, but with this configuration, it becomes easier to degas packaging bags containing liquids or powders.

[0066] In this suction groove type degassing device 1c, two film shifting means 20 are arranged on the front side, similar to Embodiment 1. Therefore, in this embodiment as well, when the cover body 3a is moved from the separation position P to the mounting position Q, the pressing members 31 and 41 press the packaging bag F and shift the front and back films J back and forth, creating slack in the film J in front of and behind the pressing area. Thus, in this embodiment as well, even without intentionally shifting the film J of the packaging bag F by hand, a gap for air to pass through is secured inside the packaging bag F during degassing. In this way, the present invention is applicable not only to nozzle type degassing devices but also to suction groove type degassing devices.

[0067] In this embodiment, the degassing device 1c has a pair of suction ports 25a and 25b for forming a degassing passage, which are located in the center of the front side of the upper and lower packings 12a and 13a. However, instead of, or in addition to, the central suction ports 25a and 25b may be replaced with a pair or more of suction ports located on the left and right sides of the packings 12a and 13a. With this configuration, it becomes possible to degass and seal multiple packaging bags F with relatively narrow opening widths simultaneously.

[0068] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

[0069] For example, in the above embodiment 1, one film shifting means 20 is provided on each of the left and right sides of the nozzle 5, but it is sufficient to provide at least one film shifting means, and it is also possible to provide three or more.

[0070] Furthermore, while the degassing device 1 in the above embodiment 1 is configured by connecting the main body 2 and the cover body 3 with an arm 4, the present invention can also be applied to a configuration in which the main body and the cover body are directly connected without an arm. In addition, the present invention can also be applied to a degassing device that does not have a cover body, but in which a pair of packings that can move closer to and away from each other are disposed on the main body.

[0071] Furthermore, the film shifting means 20 according to the above embodiment 1 is configured to shift the front and back films J of the packaging bag F in conjunction with the movement of the cover body 3 from the separation position P to the mounting position Q, but it may also be configured to shift the pressing members 31 and 41 using power such as a motor or electromagnet. Alternatively, the pressing members 31 and 41 may be shifted by a manual operation independent of the operation of mounting the cover body 3 to the main body 2. Alternatively, the pressing members 31 and 41 may be shifted to shift the film J of the packaging bag F after the cover body 3 has been locked in the mounting position Q, rather than during the process of converting the cover body 3 to the mounting position Q.

[0072] Furthermore, in the film shifting means 20 according to Embodiment 1 above, both the upper and lower pressing members 31 and 41 are held so as to be able to move back and forth. However, in the pressing member according to the present invention, even if only one is moved relative to the other, the clamping surfaces 39 and 49 can be shifted. Therefore, it is also possible to hold only one of the pressing members 31 and 41 so as to be able to move back and forth, and fix the other pressing member 31 and 41 to the main body 2 or cover body 3.

[0073] Furthermore, while the pressing members 31 and 41 in the above embodiment 1 are biased to protruding positions R1 and R2 by the elastic force of the coil springs 32 and 42, the upper pressing member 31 may be biased to the lower protruding position R1 solely by its own weight without the use of an elastic material.

[0074] Furthermore, while the degassing device 1 in Example 1 above is configured to degas the packaging bag F and then seal the bag opening G by welding, the present invention can also be applied to a degassing device that only degas

[0075] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the welding base 10 is provided on the main body side and the heating element 15 is provided on the cover side, but the arrangement of the welding base 10 and the heating element 15 may be reversed vertically. Also, the welding base 10 and the heating element 15 may not be provided side by side with the packings 12 and 13, but rather integrally with the packings 12 and 13. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0076] 1,1a,1b,1c Degassing device 2,2a Main body 3,3a Cover body 4 Arms 5. Nozzle (means for forming a degassing channel) 6 Display section 7. Operation switches 8 cabinets 9 Installation part 10,10a Welding base 12, 12a, 13, 13a packing 15 Heating wire 16. Ventilation port 17a, 17b Power connection section 18a, 18b Pipe connection section 20 Film shifting method 21, 21a, 22, 22a Pressing slide device 24a,24b Suction groove 25a, 25b Suction port (means for forming a degassing passage) 26,27 Mounting part 28. Balloon (Means of transporting heated wires) 30,40 Retaining member 31,41 Pressing member 32,42 Coil springs 33,43 Rubber Sheet 34, 44 screws 35,45 Retaining hole 36,46 Pressing plate section 37,47 Fitting part 38, 48 Spring mounting section 39,49 Clamping surface F Packaging bag G bag opening H Contents J Film P separation position Q Installation position R1,R2 protruding position

Claims

1. A degassing device for degassing a packaging bag while holding the opening of the packaging bag, A pair of packings that clamp the opening of the bag across its entire width, Between the pair of packings, a means for forming a degassing channel that allows air to be removed from inside the packaging bag, A suction means for drawing air from inside the packaging bag to the outside through the degassing passage, Equipped with, The device is equipped with one or more pairs of pressing members arranged in pairs on one side and the other side, which are capable of clamping the packaging bag at positions different from the clamping positions of the pair of packings. The degassing device is characterized in that the pair or more pairs of pressing members are configured to slide against each other so that the pressing surfaces that press the packaging bag can move apart.

2. It comprises a main body and a cover body connected to the main body, The cover body is convertible between an attachment position where it is attached to the main body and an attachment position where it is separated from the main body. The pair of packings are arranged such that one is placed on the main body and the other on the cover body, and that they can clamp the packaging bag at the mounting position of the cover body. The pair or multiple pairs of pressing members are arranged in pairs with the main body and the cover body. At least one of the pressing members is held so as to be able to move back and forth toward the other pressing member, and is biased to a protruding position so as to protrude toward the other pressing member. During the process of changing the cover body from the separated position to the attached position, the packaging bag is compressed between the one pressing member and the other pressing member. Furthermore, the degassing device according to claim 1 is characterized in that when the cover body is converted to the mounting position, one of the pressing members retracts from the protruding position due to the pressure from the other pressing member, and as a result of this retraction, the clamping surfaces of the pressing members slide against each other while still clamping the packaging bag.

3. The degassing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the pair or more pairs of pressing members are configured to be able to clamp the packaging bag at a position further from the bag opening than the clamping position of the pair of packings.

4. The pressing member has a substantially flat clamping surface that clamps the packaging bag. The degassing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the cover body is movable from the separation position to the mounting position while maintaining the parallel position of the clamping surfaces of the pair of pressing members.

5. The degassing device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the pair or more pairs of pressing members are configured such that, as one of the pressing members retracts from the protruding position, the pressing surfaces that press the packaging bag together shift in a direction substantially perpendicular to the width direction of the packaging bag.

6. The degassing device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the main body and the cover body are configured so that the arrangement position of the pair or more pairs of pressing members can be changed in the width direction of the main body and the cover body.

7. The cover body is attached to the main body at the mounting position, Each of the pair of packings is horizontally elongated and ring-shaped, and at the mounting position of the cover body, it clamps the opening of the bag vertically across its entire width, forming a sealed suction groove. The suction means is configured to suck air from a degassing port formed in the sealed suction groove, thereby reducing the pressure inside the suction groove and drawing the air inside the packaging bag into the suction groove via the degassing passage. Furthermore, the device includes a heating element for sealing the degassed packaging bag, and a heating element moving means for switching the heating element between a position where it is in contact with the packaging bag and a position where it is not in contact with the bag. The degassing device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the heating element, the heating element moving means, and the degassing port are arranged in the cover body.

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