Leakage inspection device for pouch bag with discharging opening

Abstract

To make it possible to smoothly insert a pouch bag with a discharging opening into an inspecting slot when a manufacturing and an inspection for the pouch bag with the discharging opening are continuously performed.SOLUTION: A leakage inspection device include: a rotary table 14 that suspends and supports a pouch bag 18 with a spout; a slot formation member 42 having a slot 48 into which the pouch bag 18 with the spout is inserted; an actuator 76 that raises the slot 48 so that a pouch bag 20 of the pouch bag 18 with the spout is inserted into the slot 48; and a pressure detection device 72 that sends air to the pouch bag 20 during a period when the pouch bag 20 is disposed in an inner side plate 46 to determine airtightness of the pouch bag 18 with the spout on the basis of an inner pressure of the pouch bag 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a leak inspection device for a pouch bag with a pouring spout. [Background technology]

[0002] A spout-equipped pouch is manufactured by inserting a spout (spout) into the pouch from the top and then sealing the inserted part. After manufacturing, the spout-equipped pouch is inspected for any seal defects and for any leaks such as cuts or pinholes in the pouch itself before filling it with fluid contents such as jelly.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for testing leaks in a pouch bag with a valve (pouring outlet), which involves injecting a test gas into the pouch bag with the valve, then moving the pouch bag with the valve into a chamber, reducing the pressure in the chamber, testing for leakage of the test gas from inside the pouch bag with the valve, removing the test gas from inside the pouch bag with the valve, and finally shrinking (exhausting) the pouch bag with the valve.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a method for detecting leakage in a pouch bag, which involves feeding pressurized gas into a plurality of empty spouted pouch bags, detecting the internal pressure difference between the pouch bags, and judging that the pouch bag has a leak when the pressure difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. In this leakage inspection method, pouch bags are simultaneously inserted into each slit-like space formed by a plurality of pairs of restricting members arranged opposite each other at a predetermined interval, at least two of the plurality of pouch bags are grouped into a pair, gas is fed into each pair of pouch bags, and the expansion of the pouch bag due to the gas feeding is regulated by the opposing restricting members. The pressure difference between the pouch bags in each pair is detected, and it is judged that the pouch bag has a leak when the pressure difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses a leak inspection device that includes a gas filling mechanism that sends gas into a pouch bag with a pouring outlet, a flow meter that is provided on a gas flow path between the gas filling mechanism and the pouch bag with a pouring outlet and that measures the flow rate of gas sent into the pouch bag with a pouring outlet, and a determination device that has a leak determination threshold set and that determines that there is a leak in the pouch bag with a pouring outlet when the gas flow rate measured by the flow meter during a determination period spanning a predetermined time that begins a predetermined time after the start of gas filling by the gas filling mechanism is equal to or exceeds the leak determination threshold.

[0006] Patent Document 3 further discloses that in a leakage inspection device for a pouch bag with a pouring spout, a clamping tool that clamps the pouch bag body of a gusset-type pouch bag has a cut that expands in diameter from below to above formed in the upper part of the clamping tool. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7015477 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4156757 [Patent Document 3] JP 2020-051883 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Performing the assembly of the spout to the pouch bag, i.e., the manufacturing of the spout-equipped pouch bag, and the leak test of the manufactured spout-equipped pouch bag in a continuous process is advantageous in terms of shortening the overall manufacturing time and reducing the manufacturing cost. In the leak test of the spout-equipped pouch bag, in order to check the airtightness of the manufactured spout-equipped pouch bag, the spout-equipped pouch bag needs to be inserted into a slot or the like during the leak test. Therefore, when performing the continuous process, the leak test process needs to be performed on the spout-equipped pouch bag in accordance with the equipment and working time of the manufacturing process.

[0009] Conventional leak tests, including those described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, are not performed immediately after the production of the pouch bag with a spout, but are performed at a different time and place, so it is relatively easy to insert the pouch bag with a spout into a slot or the like for leak testing.

[0010] On the other hand, when attaching a spout to a pouch bag, i.e., manufacturing a pouch bag with a spout, and then testing the pouch bag for leaks in succession, a plurality of pouch bags are moved while being supported by being suspended at their upper ends on a rotating table or guide rail, so it is practically difficult to move the entire rotating table or guide rail into a slot or the like of an inspection device and insert the pouch bag with a spout into the slot or the like.

[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a leak inspection device for a pouch bag with a spout, which can smoothly insert a pouch bag with a spout into an inspection slot while avoiding a complicated structure when continuously manufacturing pouch bags with a spout, including leak inspection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The leak inspection device for a pouch bag with a pouring spout of the present invention is A support device that suspends and supports a pouch bag having a spout attached to an upper portion thereof; A clamping tool having a slot into which the pouch bag is inserted; an insertion device that inserts the pouch bag supported by the support device into the slot of the clamping jig; a gas filling device that is detachably contacted with the spout and supplies gas into the pouch bag; and a determination device for determining the airtightness of the pouch bag by detecting a flow rate or a pressure of the gas filled in the pouch bag, The insertion device is configured to raise the clamping jig and insert the pouch bag into the slot from below the pouch bag supported by the support device. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, the insertion device is configured to raise the clamping tool and insert the pouch bag into the slot from below the pouch bag supported by the support device, so that the pouch bag with the spout can be smoothly inserted into the inspection slot while avoiding the movement of a large structure during leakage testing. As a result, even if the insertion speed of the pouch bag is increased, the pouch bag does not swing, and insertion errors into the slot can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a rotary pouch manufacturing and inspection device in a plan view. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of a spouted pouch bag. [Figure 3A] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the clamping jig. [Figure 3B] 1 is a side view of a main portion of a slot forming member immediately after a spouted pouch bag is inserted into the slot. FIG. [Figure 3C] FIG. [Figure 3D] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a slot-forming member taken along a horizontal plane at the height of the cylindrical hole for a straw. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a leak inspection device. [Figure 5A] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the insertion positions of the clamping tool and the stamp. [Figure 5B] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the separation position of the clamping jig and the stamp. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the change in internal pressure of a spouted pouch during a leak inspection period using a leak inspection device. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart of a continuous manufacturing and inspection method for spouted pouch bags performed by a rotary pouch manufacturing and inspection device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. The present invention can be implemented in various modifications within the scope of its technical concept. The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same components.

[0016] (Overall leak inspection device for pouches with pouring spouts) 1 is a schematic diagram of a plan view of a rotary pouch production and inspection apparatus 10. Here, a plan view is defined as a view in a direction in which the rotary pouch production and inspection apparatus 10 is viewed from above and below. The rotary pouch production and inspection apparatus 10 is equipped with a control device 12 that controls various devices and equipment in the rotary pouch production and inspection apparatus 10, including a rotary table 14. A plurality of grips 16 are provided at equal angular intervals along the periphery of the rotary table 14 and can freely grip a spout-equipped pouch bag 18, which will be described later, at a neck portion 28.

[0017] The turntable 14 is controlled by the control device 12 so as to rotate intermittently in a rotation direction Rc that is clockwise in a plan view. The production (including leak inspection) of spouted pouch bags 18 (FIG. 2) is carried out along the circumference of the turntable 14. Specifically, one revolution of the turntable 14 is equally divided into nine rotation ranges P1 to P9 in order in the rotation direction Rc, and in each rotation range, a corresponding process is carried out on the spouted pouch bag 18 in the middle of production.

[0018] In Fig. 1, for convenience of illustration, the reference numerals of the rotation range P1 to the rotation range P9 are written at the center position of each rotation range. The rotation range P1 to the rotation range P9 correspond to steps S101 to S109 in the flowchart of Fig. 7 described later. Details of the processing in the rotation range P1 to the rotation range P9 will be described in Fig. 7.

[0019] (Pouch with spout) 2 is a front view of a spout (pouring outlet)-equipped pouch bag 18. This spout-equipped pouch bag 18 is shown with a cap 25 attached to the upper end. During the manufacturing period of the spout-equipped pouch bag 18 in the rotary pouch manufacturing and inspection device 10, the spout-equipped pouch bag 18 does not have the cap 25 attached, and the upper end mouth part 26 (FIG. 5B) is exposed.

[0020] The spouted pouch 18 comprises a pouch 20 and a spout 22 attached to the center of the upper end of the pouch 20. Note that Fig. 2 shows the spouted pouch 18 in a state prior to use, i.e., in a state in which the pouch 20 is not filled with any liquid food or drink as the contents, and the spouted pouch 18 has a minimum thickness when viewed from the side, specifically, is flat except for the area of ​​the spout 22.

[0021] The pouch bag 20 has inclined portions 24 on both ends of the lower end portion. The inclined portions 24 are formed by folding back angular corners inward, and when the contents are filled into the pouch bag 20 through the spout 22, the folded back portions of the inclined portions 24 bulge in the thickness direction of the pouch bag 20.

[0022] The spout 22 extends along the center line of the pouch bag 20 and has, in that order from the top along the center line, a mouth part 26 (FIG. 5B), a neck part 28, a sealing bulge part 30, and a straw 32. An opening is formed at the upper end of the mouth part 26 and at the lower end of the straw 32, and both openings communicate with each other via a passage inside the spout 22.

[0023] The spout portion 26 and the neck portion 28 are exposed to the outside of the pouch bag 20. The sealing bulge portion 30 and the straw 32 are housed inside the pouch bag 20. The neck portion 28 has a pair of flanges that form an annular groove therebetween. The grip 16 (FIG. 1) holds the spouted pouch bag 18 by pinching this annular groove from both sides, and supports the spouted pouch bag 18 by suspending it on the rotating table 14 (FIG. 5B).

[0024] The bulging portion 30 for sealing is adhered to the upper end of the pouch bag 20 by heat sealing (steps S104 - S106 in FIG. 1) during the manufacture of the spout - attached pouch bag 18 at its outer periphery. The lower end of the straw 32 reaches appropriately deep into the pouch bag 20. The drinker holds the mouthpiece portion 26 with the lips and sucks the contents of the pouch bag 20.

[0025] (Clamping jig) FIG. 3A is a cross - sectional side view of the clamping jig 40. The clamping jig 40 includes a plurality (four in the embodiment / FIG. 5B) of slot - forming members 42 and a connecting bracket 52 that connects the lower ends of the plurality of slot - forming members 42 arranged along an arc of a straight line or a rotary table 14 in the horizontal direction.

[0026] Each slot - forming member 42 has a pair of outer plates 44 and inner plates 46 fixed to the inner surface side of each outer plate 44 with screws 45. The pair of outer plates 44 has inner surfaces of inclined planes whose mutual distance becomes narrower at lower positions. The pair of inner plates 46 has a uniform thickness except at the upper end portion. As a result, a slot 48 that becomes narrower at lower positions in a side view is formed between the pair of inner plates 46. The slot 48 opens vertically at its upper and lower ends.

[0027] The guide 50 is formed at the upper end portions of the pair of inner plates 46 with an inverted - triangular cross - section, opens upward at the upper end of the wider side, and communicates with the upper end of the slot 48 at the narrower lower end.

[0028] In FIG. 3A, D1 and D2 respectively indicate the widths of the upper and lower ends of the slot 48. D3 and D4 indicate the horizontal widths of the upper and lower ends of each outer plate 44. D1 > D2, and D3 < D4. α is the opening angle at which the slot 48 opens upward. The opening angle α satisfies α > 0°. For α, a range of 0° < α ≦ 10° is preferable, a range of 0° < α ≦ 6° is more preferable, and a range of 0° < α ≦ 4° is even more preferable. For the width D1, 6 mm ≦ D1 ≦ 14 mm is preferable, and 8 mm ≦ D1 ≦ 14 mm is more preferable.

[0029] Fig. 3B is a side view of a main part of the slot forming member 42 immediately after the spouted pouch bag 18 is inserted into the slot 48. "Immediately after the spouted pouch bag 18 is inserted into the slot 48" refers to the start of the inspection in step S107 in Fig. 7 described below, and the pouch bag 20 is not filled with pressurized air and is in a flat state of minimum thickness when viewed from the side. Immediately after the spouted pouch bag 18 is inserted into the slot 48, the thickness of the pouch bag 20 is smaller than D2, and even at the lower end of the slot 48 where the slot 48 has the minimum width, a gap is generated between the outer surface of the pouch bag 20 and the slot 48.

[0030] Fig. 3C is a view showing the inner surface side of the inner plate 46, and Fig. 3D is a cross-sectional view of the slot forming member 42 cut in a horizontal plane at a height in the range of the cylindrical hole 51 for a straw. In Fig. 3C, 54 is a screw hole into which the screw 45 fits. The inner plate 46 has a plurality of screw holes 54 aligned in a vertical line at both ends in the width direction. A vertical groove 56 is formed on the inner surface of the inner plate 46, and air that has escaped from the outer surface of the pouch bag 20 is discharged into the atmospheric space from the upper and lower ends of the outer plate 46 through the vertical groove 56, and is also discharged into the atmospheric space from the left and right open ends between 46 (Fig. 3D).

[0031] (Leak inspection equipment) 4 is a block diagram of the leak inspection device 62. The leak inspection device 62 includes an air pump 66, a switching valve 68, a stamp 70, and a pressure detection device 72. The pressure detection device 72 serves both as the gas filling device and the determination device of the present invention. The air pump 66 generates pressurized air.

[0032] The switching valve 68 has its switching position controlled based on a control signal from a pressure detector 72, and switches between supplying air from the air pump 66 to the stamp 70 and exhausting air from the stamp 70. As will be described in the following Figures 5A and 5B, the stamp 70 moves up and down, and at its lower position it comes into contact with and releasably contacts the upper surface of the spout 22 of the spout-equipped pouch bag 18. The pressure detector 72 detects the internal pressure of the pouch bag 20 of the spout-equipped pouch bag 18 via the stamp 70.

[0033] (Insertion device) 5A and 5B respectively show the insertion position and the separation position of the clamping jig 40 and the stamp 70. The clamping jig 40 and the actuator 76 are disposed in a rotation range P7 in Fig. 1 together with the leak inspection device 62. The actuator 76 as an insertion device moves the clamping jig 40 and the stamp 70 up and down to switch between the insertion position and the separation position.

[0034] The actuator 76 synchronously moves the clamping jig 40 and the stamp 70 up and down based on a control signal from the control device 12 (FIG. 1). At the insertion position (FIG. 5A), the clamping jig 40 is in the upper position and inserts the pouch bag 20 into the slot 48, and the stamp 70 is in the lower position and abuts against the upper end of the spout 22. At the separation position (FIG. 5B), the clamping jig 40 is in the lower position and ejects the pouch bag 20 from the slot 48, and the stamp 70 is in the upper position and opens the upper end of the spout 22.

[0035] (Internal pressure change and internal pressure difference) 6 shows the change in internal pressure of the pouch bag 20 during a leak inspection period of the spouted pouch bag 18 by the leak inspection device 62. The leak inspection period is set to the period when the clamping jig 40 is in the insertion position (FIG. 5A). The leak inspection period is set to a pressurization period (time t0-t1), an equilibrium period (time t1-t2), and a detection period (time t2-t3) in chronological order relative to the change in internal pressure of the pouch bag 20. Throughout the entire period, the stamp 70 abuts against the upper end of the spout 22 of the spouted pouch bag 18 being inspected, keeping the upper end opening airtight.

[0036] 6, the work refers to the spouted pouch bag 18 to be inspected. The master refers to the upstream portion that communicates with the work and has an internal pressure equal to that of the work.

[0037] In the leak test, the internal pressures at times t2 and t3 are detected as Qs and Qe, respectively, and the internal pressure difference Δq is defined as Δq = Qs - Qe. Note that the lengths of the pressurization period, equilibrium period, and detection period are fixed.

[0038] During the pressurization period, the switching valve 68 is in the open position, i.e., the switching position that communicates between the air pump 66 and the stamp 70. This causes the pressurized air from the air pump 66 to fill the pouch bag 20 through the stamp 70. As a result, the internal pressure of the pouch bag 20 increases.

[0039] Upon completion of the pressurization period, the switching valve 68 is switched to the closed position, the pouch 20 is put into an airtight state, and an equilibrium period begins. During the equilibrium period, the fluctuation in the internal pressure of the pouch 20 immediately after the pressurization period comes to an end.

[0040] The detection period begins with the end of the equilibration period. Leaks that can be detected during the detection period include pinholes formed in the pouch bag 20, and tunnel leaks that exist in the joints of the pouch bag 20 itself and in the seal between the pouch bag 20 and the spout 22.

[0041] If the internal pressure difference Δq between times t2 and t3 for each pouch bag to be inspected is less than a predetermined threshold qa, the pressure inspection device 72 judges the spouted pouch bag 18 to be inspected as having no leak, i.e., as a good product. If the internal pressure difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold qa, the spouted pouch bag 18 to be inspected is judged to have a leak, i.e., as a defective product.

[0042] (Continuous manufacturing and inspection method) Fig. 7 is a flow chart of a continuous manufacturing and inspection method for spout-equipped pouch bags 18 carried out by the rotary pouch manufacturing and inspection device 10. In the continuous manufacturing and inspection method for spout-equipped pouch bags, the manufacturing and inspection of spout-equipped pouch bags 18 are carried out continuously on one line. Note that steps S101 to S109 in Fig. 7 are processes carried out in rotation ranges P1 to P9 in Fig. 1, respectively.

[0043] The turntable 14 rotates in the rotation direction Rc at equal angular intervals β (=360° / 9), repeatedly stopping and rotating. In one revolution of the turntable 14, both the production of spouted pouch bags 18 and the seal inspection are carried out. This turntable 14 supports a total of four spouted pouch bags 18 by suspending them within each rotation range of β. The processing in FIG. 7 is executed by software installed in the control device 12.

[0044] In step S101, spout 22 is received. Specifically, the annular gap of neck 28 of prepared spout 22 is clamped from both sides by grips 16. In this manner, spout 22 is supported by being suspended from turntable 14 alone.

[0045] In step S102, the pouch bag 20 is received by a pouch stocker and positioned within the pouch stocker. In step S103, the pouch bag 20 is removed from the pouch stocker and positioned relative to the spout 22 already hung from the grip 16.

[0046] In step S104, a primary seal (first seal) is performed on the top edge of the pouch bag 20. Also, it is inspected whether the sealing bulge 30 of the spout 22 is bitten into the sealed portion of the pouch bag 20. In step S105, a secondary seal is performed. In step S106, the sealed portion is cooled, and an image inspection is performed on the spout-equipped pouch bag 18.

[0047] In step S107, a leak test is performed. In detail, for the four spouted pouch bags 18 that are continuously lined up in the rotation direction Rc in the rotation range P7, the clamping jig 40 is raised to insert the corresponding pouch bags 20 into the slots 48 of each slot forming member 42, while in parallel with this operation, the four stamps 70 are lowered to abut against the upper end openings of the corresponding mouth parts 26 exposed above the clamping jig 40, thereby sealing them.

[0048] The action in step S107 will be described. When the pouch bag 20 is inserted into the slot 48, the pouch bag 20 does not descend toward the slot 48, but the slot 48 is raised. When the spouted pouch bag 18 suddenly stops in the rotation direction Rc in the rotation range P7, it wobbles for a while. Further descent in this state will further increase the shaking, which is likely to cause problems in inserting the pouch bag 20 into the narrow slot 48.

[0049] To address this, in the rotary pouch manufacturing and inspection device 10, after the rotation of the rotary table 14 stops, the spouted pouch bag 18 is not moved and the clamping jig 40 is raised. In this way, the pouch bag 20 can be smoothly inserted into the slot 48. As a result, even if the insertion speed of the spouted pouch bag 18 is increased, the spouted pouch bag 18 does not swing more, and insertion errors into the slot 48 can be suppressed.

[0050] The slot 48 is tapered so that its width increases upward in a side view (FIG. 3A). This has the effect of preventing the pouch bag 20 from being twisted at the upper part due to the lower end of the pouch bag 20 getting caught on the inner surface of the inner plate 46 after being inserted into the slot 48 and before reaching almost the lower end of the slot 48, thereby hindering smooth insertion. Note that, although a pouch bag 20 with high rigidity is used so as not to be twisted, some pouch bags have insufficient rigidity, and in such cases, it is advantageous to make the slot 48 tapered.

[0051] The width D2 (FIG. 3A) of the lower end of the slot 48 is set to be larger than the thickness of the pouch bag 20. This also has the effect of preventing the lower end of the pouch bag 20 from getting caught on the surface of the inner plate 46 during insertion when the lower end of the pouch bag 20 advances toward the lower end of the slot 48.

[0052] When the pouch bag 20 properly enters the slot 48, the swinging is suppressed by the inner plates 46 on both sides, and the insertion becomes smooth thereafter. For this reason, a guide 50 is formed with an inverted triangular cross section on the upper end side of the slot 48 (FIG. 3A). The guide 50 leads the pouch bag 20 to the upper end of the slot 48 while damping the swinging of the lower end of the pouch bag 20, and therefore has the effect of preventing the lower end of the pouch bag 20 from getting caught in the slot 48.

[0053] The inclined portions 24 (FIG. 2) formed on both widthwise ends at the lower end of the pouch bag 20 reduce the contact width of the lower end of the pouch bag 20 against the guide 50 when the lower end of the pouch bag 20 starts to be inserted into the guide 50. This makes it even smoother to insert the lower end of the pouch bag 20 into the guide 50.

[0054] 6 while the clamping jig 40 is held in the insertion position of FIG. 5A, that is, while the pouch bag 20 is housed in the slot 48 of the slot forming member 42. During the pressurizing period, pressurized air is filled into the pouch bag 20 of the spouted pouch bag 18 through the spout 22. As a result, the pouch bag 20 expands in the width direction of the slot 48, but the expansion is restricted by the inner surface of the inner plate 46. As a result, the amount of pressurized air consumed in the leak inspection can be suppressed and the filling time can be shortened.

[0055] When the spouted pouch bag 18 leaks, the filled air leaks out of the pouch bag 20. The leaked air is released into the atmospheric space through the vertical grooves 56 (FIG. 3C) and the openings at the top and bottom ends of the slot 48 (FIG. 3B), and is exhausted into the atmospheric space from the left and right open ends of the slot 48 (FIG. 3D).

[0056] As described above, if the internal pressure difference Δq during the detection period in FIG. 6 is less than a predetermined threshold value qa, the target spouted pouch bag 18 is determined to be a non-defective product, and if it is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value qa, it is determined to be a defective product.

[0057] Although not shown in Fig. 6, a completion delay period is provided after the detection period. During this completion delay period, the pressure detection device 72 outputs a signal to the external control device 12 to identify whether the spouted pouch bag 18 being inspected is a good product or a defective product. After the completion delay period has elapsed, the pressure detection device 72 outputs a completion signal to the control device 12, and the control device 12 returns the clamping jig 40 from the insertion position (Fig. 5A) to the separation position (Fig. 5B) and rotates the rotating table 14 by a rotation angle β in the rotation direction Rc.

[0058] During the completion delay period, the pressure detection device 72 outputs a signal to identify whether the spouted pouch bag 18 is a good or bad product, and also uses this period to switch the switching valve 68 while keeping the stamp 70 in close contact with the spout 22, to evacuate the pouch bag 20.

[0059] The time required for the spouted pouch bag 18 to be inspected to move from the rotation range P7 (corresponding to the "first rotation range" of the present invention) to the rotation range P8 (corresponding to the "second rotation range" of the present invention) is short, and if pressurized air remains in the pouch bag 20, the pouch bag 20 will remain inflated and be taken out as a non-defective product in the rotation range P8, which may cause inconvenience in storing non-defective products. Furthermore, if pressurized air remains in the pouch bag 20, it may cause inconvenience when filling the spouted pouch bag 18 with contents when it is used. Exhaust in the rotation range P7 is effective in dealing with these problems. Exhaust can be forced exhaust using a vacuum pump, rather than natural exhaust that opens the inside of the pouch bag 20 to the atmosphere.

[0060] It is relatively easy to shorten the time it takes to fill the pouch bag 20 with pressurized air by increasing the pressure of the pressurized air. In contrast, it is difficult to shorten the exhaust time required to sufficiently lower the internal pressure of the pouch bag 20 and eliminate the bulge in the pouch bag 20. Also, a longer exhaust time means that the processing time in the rotation ranges P9 and P7 becomes longer than the processing times in the other rotation ranges, which hinders the balance of the processing times in each rotation range.

[0061] The increase in the difference in processing time between the rotation ranges reduces the production speed of spouted pouch bags 18 because the rotation stop time of the turntable 14 must be adjusted to the processing time of the rotation range with the longest processing time. To address this issue, the rotation stop time of the turntable 14 is set by adjusting the pressurization, equilibration, and detection periods and the exhaust period in FIG. 6. Alternatively, the exhaust hose orifice diameter and length can be adjusted to shorten the exhaust period. In this way, sufficient exhaust is guaranteed while avoiding an increase in the inspection period.

[0062] In step S108, the non-defective products are ejected from the grips 16. In step S109, the defective products are ejected from the grips 16.

[0063] (Modification) In the rotary pouch manufacturing and inspection device 10, a rotary table 14 suspends and supports spouted pouch bags 18. The support device of the present invention is not limited to the rotary table 14. For example, a circular loop guide rail can be used as the support device.

[0064] In the rotary pouch manufacturing and inspection device 10, the pressure detector 72 judges the airtightness of the pouch bag 20 based on the change in the internal pressure of the pouch bag 20 as described in Fig. 6, and performs a leak inspection of the spouted pouch bag 18. In the present invention, the airtightness of the pouch bag 20 can also be determined from the flow rate instead of the internal pressure. When a leak exists in the spouted pouch bag 18, that is, when the spouted pouch bag 18 is determined to be not airtight, the flow rate of air filling the pouch bag 20 becomes larger than that of a non-defective product.

[0065] In the rotary pouch manufacturing and inspection device 10, the turntable 14 is equally divided into nine parts in the rotation direction Rc, and the intermittent rotation of the turntable 14 is performed at equal angular intervals of β (=360° / 9). However, when the present invention is implemented using a turntable, it goes without saying that the number of equal divisions of the turntable 14 and β are optimally selected depending on the application environment in which the leak inspection device for pouch bags with spouts of the present invention is used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10 Rotary pouch manufacturing inspection device, 14 Rotary table, 16 Grip, 18 Pouch bag with spout, 20 Pouch bag, 22 Spout, 40 Clamping jig, 42 Slot forming member, 44 Slot, 50 Guide, 52 Connecting bracket, 62 Leak inspection device, 66 Air pump, 68 Switching valve, 70 Stamp, 72 Pressure inspection device, 76 Actuator.

Claims

1. A support device that suspends and supports a pouch bag having a spout attached to an upper portion thereof; A clamping tool having a slot into which the pouch bag is inserted; an insertion device that inserts the pouch bag supported by the support device into the slot of the clamping jig; a gas filling device that is detachably contacted with the spout and supplies gas into the pouch bag; and a determination device for determining the airtightness of the pouch bag by detecting a flow rate or a pressure of the gas filled in the pouch bag, The leakage testing device for a pouch bag with a pouring outlet is characterized in that the insertion device is configured to raise the clamping jig and insert the pouch bag into the slot from below the pouch bag supported by the support device.

2. The clamping jig has a pair of clamping plates and a slot formed between the clamping plates, 2. The leakage inspection device for a spout-equipped pouch bag according to claim 1, wherein the gap between said pair of clamping plates of said slot is shaped to widen upward.

3. 3. The leak inspection device for a pouch bag with a spout as described in claim 2, wherein a gap is formed between the lower ends of the pair of clamping plates so that the slot is open at the lower end, and the gap has a width sufficient to ensure that the lower end of the pouch bag inserted into the slot expands in the thickness direction due to the filling of gas from the gas filling device.

4. 3. The leakage inspection device for a pouch bag with a spout according to claim 2, wherein the pair of clamping plates has a guide at the upper end that spreads out upward to guide the introduction of the lower end of the pouch bag into the slot.

5. the support device includes a rotary table that rotates while suspending and supporting a plurality of the pouch bags at equal angular intervals in a rotational direction; A plurality of rotation ranges are divided for one revolution of the rotary table, the rotary table rotates intermittently by alternately rotating at a constant rotation angle in the rotation direction and stopping, The insertion device simultaneously inserts a plurality of target pouches located in a first rotation range into corresponding slots of the clamping jig; the determination device, for the pouch bag in the first rotation range, fills the target pouch bag with gas, detects a flow rate or a pressure of the gas filled in the pouch bag, and determines the airtightness of the pouch bag; 5. The leakage inspection device for a pouch bag with a spout according to claim 1, wherein after the airtightness of the pouch bag is determined by the determination device in the first rotation range, natural or forced exhaust is performed from the spout.

6. The rotating table supports each pouch bag by hanging it at equal angular intervals so that both sides of the pouch bag are aligned along the rotation direction, 6. The leakage inspection device for a spout-equipped pouch bag according to claim 5, wherein the insertion device simultaneously inserts and removes a plurality of pouch bags positioned in the first rotation range into and from the corresponding slots.

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