Strip-pack manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

A strip-pack manufacturing apparatus is arranged to receive an article having a projecting portion at a prescribed receiving position and to affix the article to a tape at a prescribed affixing position, and includes a transporting mechanism, a grasping section, a transfer mechanism, an affixing mechanism, and a wrinkle smoothing mechanism. The transporting mechanism is arranged to transport the article to the receiving position with the projecting portion of the article being oriented in front. The transfer mechanism is arranged to transfer the article from the receiving position to the affixing position in a state wherein the article is grasped at the project portion by the grasping section. The affixing mechanism is arranged to affix the article to the tape at the affixing position. The wrinkle smoothing mechanism is disposed at the receiving position and arranged to smooth wrinkles of the projecting portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-134880 filed on May 15, 2006. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-134880 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a strip-pack manufacturing apparatus configured and arranged to affix a plurality of articles to a strip of tape so that those articles can be displayed in a suspended state.[0004]2. Background Information[0005]Conventionally, numerous articles, each of which contains snacks and the like wrapped by a soft packaging material such as plastic film, are affixed to a strip of tape, and displayed in, for example, a retail shop by suspending them from one end part of the tape. Because the combination of the articles and the design of the tape can form the entire design, such a display mode can achieve excellent display effects, which makes...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In addition, if a transporting system is used that transports articles supplied from the upstream side to the receiving position, then it may be difficult to stabilize and position the articles at the receiving position just by performing control that starts and stops the transporting system, and the transferring mechanism will no longer be able to transfer the articles to the affixing position by grasping them at a prescribed location. As a result, the position at which articles are affixed to the tape becomes nonuniform, which reduces product value.

[0014]Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to reliably affix articles and improve their affixed appearance on the tape in a strip-pack manufacturing apparatus that receives the articles with at least one end of each of the articles having a projecting piece, which are transported to a prescribed receiving position, and affixes the articles to a tape at a prescribed affixing position.

Problems solved by technology

However, there is still a problem with the abovementioned apparatus proposed by the present applicant.

If a transverse seal part X2 is affixed to a tape in a state wherein there is a wrinkle, a bend, or the like, then the affixing strength, the affixing position, and the like will no longer be uniform, which will make it difficult to reliably affix that transverse seal part X2 on the tape and will reduce product value from the perspective of appearance.

In addition, if a transporting system is used that transports articles supplied from the upstream side to the receiving position, then it may be difficult to stabilize and position the articles at the receiving position just by performing control that starts and stops the transporting system, and the transferring mechanism will no longer be able to transfer the articles to the affixing position by grasping them at a prescribed location.

As a result, the position at which articles are affixed to the tape becomes nonuniform, which reduces product value.

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