Packaging device

Abstract

To prevent packaging materials with thermosensitive heat-generating layers from developing color when being heat-sealed.SOLUTION: A packaging material 31 has a base material 32 and a thermosensitive color-sensitive layer 34 that is laminated on the base material 32. A storage part forming section 7 has a heating member 71 and a receiving member 72 disposed so as to face the heating member 71. In the packaging material 31 conveyed through the storage part forming section 7, the thermosensitive color-sensitive layer 34 is disposed further away from the heating member 71 than the base material 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a packaging machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 9-188314 (Patent Document 1) describes a direct thermal printing and packaging machine that uses wrapping paper formed of a first layer and a second layer, one side of which is coated with a color-developing material, and uses a thermal print head to develop the color-developing material to print on one side of the wrapping paper, and then uses a sealing heater to melt and seal the second layer of the wrapping paper, dividing it into packaging bags for individual packages. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-188314 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned document describes that the wrapping paper is heat-sealed at a temperature lower than the temperature of the thermal print head at which the wrapping paper does not develop color due to heat. Since it is necessary to select a second layer that melts at a lower temperature than the color-developing material, there is little freedom in the selection of materials.

[0005] The present disclosure proposes a technique that can suppress color development of a packaging material having a thermosensitive coloring layer when the packaging material is heat-sealed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The packaging device according to the present disclosure includes a container forming section that uses a long sheet-like packaging material to form a container for containing an object to be packaged, and a printing section that prints information related to the object to be packaged on the packaging material. The packaging material has a substrate and a thermosensitive coloring layer that is laminated on the substrate. The container forming section has a heating member and a receiving member that is arranged opposite the heating member, and the heating member and the receiving member pressurize the packaging material from both sides to form the container. In the packaging material transported through the container forming section, the thermosensitive coloring layer is arranged farther from the heating member than the substrate.

[0007] In the above-mentioned packaging device, the substrate has a first surface on which the thermosensitive coloring layer is laminated and a second surface opposite the first surface, the packaging material has a sealing layer laminated on the second surface and melts when heated by a heating member, and the temperature at which the sealing layer melts may be equal to or higher than the temperature at which the thermosensitive coloring layer develops color.

[0008] In the packaging device, the printing section may have a thermal head, and in the packaging material transported through the printing section, the thermosensitive coloring layer may be disposed closer to the thermal head than the substrate. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the packaging device of the present disclosure, color development during heat sealing of packaging material can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a packaging device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a printing unit. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a housing portion forming section. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram of a housing portion forming portion of a comparative example. [Diagram 5] 1 is a table showing the relationship between the temperature applied to the packaging material and the color development of the thermosensitive coloring layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated. It is also intended from the beginning that any configuration may be extracted from the embodiments and that they may be combined in any desired manner.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a packaging device 1 according to an embodiment. The packaging device 1 is used to package an object to be packaged. The object to be packaged is a medicine, specifically, a solid medicine. Examples of the solid medicine include powders, granules, tablets, pills, and capsules. The object to be packaged is not limited to a solid medicine. The object to be packaged may be a semi-solid medicine or a liquid medicine.

[0013] The packaging device 1 is a drug packaging device for packaging drugs based on a prescription. A prescription is issued by a doctor to a patient. The prescription contains patient information and drug information. The patient information includes the patient's name and age. The drug information includes the drug name, amount, usage, and dosage. The packaging device 1 is used to package drugs into single dose amounts based on such a prescription.

[0014] Packaging material rolls 2 and 3 are attached to the packaging device 1. The packaging material roll 2 is a packaging material 21 wound in a roll shape. The packaging material 21 is sent out from the packaging material roll 2. The packaging material roll 3 is a packaging material 31 wound in a roll shape. The packaging material 31 is sent out from the packaging material roll 3.

[0015] The packaging device 1 combines a packaging material 21 unwound from a packaging material roll 2 and a packaging material 31 unwound from a packaging material roll 3 by heat sealing them to form a sachet 19 containing a medicine. The packaging materials 21, 31 are long sheets. The packaging device 1 is equipped with a packaging material conveying section 9. The packaging material conveying section 9 applies a driving force to the packaging materials 21, 31 to convey the packaging materials 21, 31. The packaging materials 21, 31 are conveyed in their longitudinal direction. The arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the conveying direction DR of the packaging materials 21, 31.

[0016] Guide rollers 11A, 12A, and 13A are provided in this order from upstream (the side closer to the packaging material roll 2) to downstream (the side away from the packaging material roll 2) in the conveying direction DR of the packaging material 21. The guide rollers 11A, 12A, and 13A guide the packaging material 21 being conveyed and have a function of applying a constant tension to the packaging material 21. Guide rollers 11B, 12B, and 13B are provided in this order from upstream (the side closer to the packaging material roll 3) to downstream (the side away from the packaging material roll 3) in the conveying direction DR of the packaging material 31. The guide rollers 11B, 12B, and 13B guide the packaging material 31 being conveyed and have a function of applying a constant tension to the packaging material 31.

[0017] The packaging device 1 includes a packaging section 5. The packaging section 5 includes a medicine supplying section 6, a container forming section 7, and a perforation forming section 8.

[0018] The medicine supply unit 6 supplies medicine between the packaging materials 21 and 31 being transported by the packaging material transport unit 9. The tip of a hopper (not shown) is placed between the packaging materials 21 and 31, and the medicine is poured into the space between the packaging materials 21 and 31 from the tip of the hopper. The medicine is supplied at a dose based on the prescription.

[0019] The storage section forming section 7 forms a storage section using packaging materials 21, 31 transported by the packaging material transport section 9. The medicine is stored in the storage section. After the medicine is supplied from the medicine supply section 6, the storage section forming section 7 heat-seals the packaging materials 21 and 31 together to individually package the medicine, thereby forming a sachet 19 that is a package containing the medicine inside.

[0020] The perforation forming section 8 is provided in the storage section forming section 7. The perforation forming section 8 forms perforations extending in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction DR in the packaging material 21, 31 conveyed by the packaging material conveying section 9. The perforations are a plurality of fine holes arranged continuously in the short direction of the packaging material 21, 31. The perforations are formed in the sealed portion where the packaging material 21, 31 is heat-sealed. The perforations are formed at positions that separate adjacent sachets 19 in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 21, 31. By cutting the packaging material 21, 31 along the perforations, the adjacent sachets 19 can be easily separated.

[0021] The packaging device 1 further includes a printing unit 4. The printing unit 4 prints predetermined information on the packaging material 31 that is unwound from the packaging material roll 3 and transported by the packaging material transport unit 9. The predetermined information is information related to the drug. The printing unit 4 is disposed upstream of the packaging unit 5 in the transport direction of the packaging material 31. The printing unit 4 prints information related to the drug on the packaging material 31 prior to the heat fusion of the packaging materials 21, 31 by the storage portion forming unit 7. The information related to the drug includes the patient's name, the time to take the drug, the name and quantity of the drug, etc.

[0022] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the printing unit 4. As shown in Fig. 2, the packaging material 31 has a substrate 32, a seal layer 33, and a thermosensitive coloring layer 34. The substrate 32 has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is laminated on the first surface of the substrate 32. The seal layer 33 is laminated on the second surface of the substrate 32. The packaging material 31 has a layered structure in which the seal layer 33, the substrate 32, and the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 are laminated in this order.

[0023] The substrate 32 is made of, for example, paper. The substrate 32 may be made of glassine paper. The thickness of the glassine paper is 30 g / m 2The substrate 32 may be made of a film. The substrate 32 may be made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The thickness of the film may be 25 μm. The sealing layer 33 is made of a low melting point material such as polyethylene. The thickness of the sealing layer 33 may be 15 μm. The thickness of the sealing layer 33 may be smaller or larger than the thickness of the substrate 32. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 may be made of a material that develops color at a temperature higher than the temperature at which the sealing layer 33 melts. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 may be formed by applying a thermosensitive material to the first surface of the substrate 32.

[0024] The packaging material 31 is not limited to the above-mentioned example, and may be thermal paper. Thermal paper develops color when heated to approximately 80 to 90° C. Therefore, in the case of thermal paper, the temperature at which the seal layer 33 melts is equal to or higher than the temperature at which the thermal coloring layer 34 develops color.

[0025] The printing unit 4 has a thermal head 41 and a platen roller 42. The thermal head 41 has a heating element. The platen roller 42 supports the packaging material 31. The thermal head 41 and the platen roller 42 are disposed opposite each other with the packaging material 31 sandwiched therebetween.

[0026] The printing unit 4 uses a thermal head 41, which is a printing head, to heat the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 of the packaging material 31, thereby causing the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 to develop color. The thermal head 41 is pressed against a platen roller 42 via the packaging material 31, and in this state, the heating elements of the thermal head 41 are heated, whereby predetermined information related to the medicines to be packaged is printed on the packaging material 31, package by package.

[0027] In the packaging material 31 transported through the printing unit 4 , the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is disposed closer to the thermal head 41 than the substrate 32 is.

[0028] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the storage section forming section 7. Note that the perforation forming section 8 is omitted from Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the packaging material 21 has a base material 22 and a sealing layer 23. The packaging material 21 has a layered structure in which the base material 22 and the sealing layer 23 are layered. The packaging material 21 does not have a thermosensitive coloring layer. The packaging material 21 does not develop color even when heated.

[0029] The substrate 22 may be made of, for example, OPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene). The substrate 22 may have a thickness of 25 μm. The sealing layer 23 may be made of, for example, polyethylene. The sealing layer 23 may have a thickness of 15 μm.

[0030] The storage section forming section 7 has a heating member 71 and a receiving member 72. The heating member 71 has a built-in heater and is heated by the heater. The receiving member 72 is a member that receives the heating member 71. The receiving member 72 does not have a heat generating structure and is basically kept at room temperature. The heating member 71 and the receiving member 72 are disposed opposite to each other with the packaging material 21 and the packaging material 31 sandwiched therebetween.

[0031] The heating member 71 may be, for example, aluminum plated with electroless nickel-phosphorus-PTFE (fluororesin) composite plating. The receiving member 72 may be, for example, silicone rubber with a hardness of 30 degrees to which a fluorine fiber sheet is baked.

[0032] With the heating member 71 heated by the heater, the heating member 71 and the receiving member 72 are driven by a driving source (not shown) to pressurize the packaging materials 21, 31 from both sides, whereby the seal layer 23 of the packaging material 21 and the seal layer 33 of the packaging material 31 are thermally fused together to form a storage section. The medicine is stored in the storage section. The storage section forming section 7 packages the medicine, which is the packaging object, one package at a time.

[0033] In the packaging materials 21, 31 transported through the containing portion forming section 7, the packaging material 21 is disposed close to the heating member 71, and the packaging material 31 is disposed close to the receiving member 72. The seal layer 23 of the packaging material 21 and the seal layer 33 of the packaging material 31 face each other. The seal layers 23, 33 on the inner sides of the packaging materials 21, 31 are overlapped with each other. The seal layers 23, 33 melt when they receive heat from the heating member 71, and the seal layers 23 and 33 are thermally fused together to form the containing portion.

[0034] In the packaging material 31, the seal layer 33 is disposed closer to the heating member 71 than the base material 32, and is disposed closest to the heating member 71. In the packaging material 31, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is disposed farther from the heating member 71 than the base material 32, and is disposed farthest from the heating member 71. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 faces the receiving member 72. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is disposed at a position where the heat generated by the heater of the heating member 71 is least likely to be conducted. The amount of heat transferred from the heating member 71 to the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is smaller than the amount of heat transferred from the heating member 71 to the seal layers 23, 33.

[0035] The thermal head 41 of the printing unit 4 may be heated to a higher temperature than the heating member 71 of the storage unit forming unit 7. The thermal head 41 may be a heat source having a higher temperature than the heater of the heating member 71. Heat at a higher temperature than that of the heating member 71 may be transferred from the thermal head 41 to the thermosensitive coloring layer 34. Even if the thermal head 41 is heated to a higher temperature than that of the heating member 71, the seal layer 33 of the packaging material 31 is not pressurized when passing through the printing unit 4, and the time passing through the printing unit 4 is short, so that melting of the seal layer 33 in the printing unit 4 is suppressed.

[0036] 3, in the packaging device 1 of the embodiment described above, the packaging material 31 has a base material 32 and a thermosensitive coloring layer 34 laminated on the base material 32. The container forming section 7 has a heating member 71 and a receiving member 72 arranged opposite the heating member 71. In the packaging material 31 transported through the container forming section 7, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is arranged farther from the heating member 71 than the base material 32 is.

[0037] Since the packaging material 31 has a thermosensitive coloring layer 34, and the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 changes color to print predetermined information related to the medicine on the packaging material 31, it is possible to print on the packaging material 31 without using an ink ribbon. This allows the printing unit 4 to be made smaller. It is also possible to eliminate the need to load an ink ribbon into the packaging device 1. Since no used ink ribbons are generated, there is no need to collect them, and there is no need to manage personal information on the ink ribbons.

[0038] In the container forming section 7, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is positioned away from the heating member 71, so that when heat sealing is performed to thermally fuse the sealing layers 23, 33, the amount of heat required for coloring is not transferred to the thermosensitive coloring layer 34, and the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 does not color. This makes it possible to prevent the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 from coloring when the packaging material 31 having the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is heat sealed. Since the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 can be used without being limited to a sealing layer 33 that melts at a temperature lower than the temperature at which the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 develops color, the freedom of material selection can be improved.

[0039] 3, the packaging material 31 has a sealing layer 33, and the temperature at which the sealing layer 33 melts may be equal to or higher than the temperature at which the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 develops color. In this case, even if the packaging material 31 is heated in the container forming section 7 to a temperature at which the sealing layer 33 can melt, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is disposed away from the heating member 71, and therefore the amount of heat required for color development is not transmitted to the thermosensitive coloring layer 34. Therefore, color development of the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 can be suppressed.

[0040] 2, in the packaging material 31 being transported through the printing unit 4, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 may be disposed closer to the thermal head 41 than the substrate 32. In this way, heat can be efficiently transferred from the thermal head 41 to the thermosensitive coloring layer 34, so that the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 can be reliably colored in the printing unit 4, and the necessary information can be printed on the packaging material 31.

[0041] The thermal head 41 may be heated to a temperature higher than that of the heating member 71. By increasing the amount of heat transferred to the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 in the printing unit 4, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 can be made to reliably develop color.

[0042] In the above description, the sachet 19 is formed by heat-sealing the flat packaging materials 21, 31 unwound from the two packaging rolls 2, 3, but the present invention is not limited to this example. The sachet 19 may be formed by heat-sealing a packaging material folded in half. In this case, the folded packaging material may be fed out from a packaging roll on which a packaging material previously folded in half is wound in a roll. Alternatively, a mechanism for folding the packaging material in half may be provided between the packaging roll and the packaging unit 5, and the packaging material fed out from the packaging roll may be folded in half upstream of the packaging unit 5.

[0043] When using a packaging material folded in half, a thermosensitive coloring layer is formed on half of the long sheet-like packaging material in the short direction (width direction) before folding in half. This packaging material is folded in half and used, and the thermosensitive coloring layer is placed in the position furthest from the heating member 71 in the storage section forming section 7 as in Fig. 3. By doing so, it is possible to similarly obtain the effect of suppressing coloring of the thermosensitive coloring layer during heat sealing.

[0044] The receiving member 72 may be at the ambient temperature without being temperature-controlled, or may be cooled and controlled. The receiving member 72 may be cooled by any method. For example, the receiving member 72 may be cooled by heat exchange with a cooling medium, such as a water-cooling type or an air-cooling type. Alternatively, the receiving member 72 may be provided with any temperature adjustment device for cooling the receiving member 72, such as a Peltier element that transfers heat when an electric current is applied. EXAMPLES

[0045] An example will be described below. An experiment was conducted to confirm the color development of the packaging materials of the example and comparative example when they were heated and pressurized between a heating member 71 and a receiving member 72. In the example, packaging materials 21 and 31 were placed between the heating member 71 and the receiving member 72 as shown in FIG.

[0046] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the storage section forming section 7 of the comparative example. In the comparative example, packaging materials 21 and 31 were placed between a heating member 71 and a receiving member 72 as shown in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 4, in the comparative example, the packaging material 31 was placed closer to the heating member 71 and the packaging material 21 was placed closer to the receiving member 72, which is the opposite of the embodiment. In the packaging material 31 of the comparative example, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 was placed closer to the heating member 71 than the base material 32, and was placed closest to the heating member 71 and facing the heating member 71. That is, in the comparative example, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 was placed at a position where the heat generated by the heater of the heating member 71 was most easily conducted.

[0047] Fig. 5 is a table showing the relationship between the temperature applied to the packaging material 31 and the color development of the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 in the examples and comparative examples. Fig. 5 shows whether the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 develops color when the heating member 71 is heated to 80°C to 140°C.

[0048] 5, in the comparative example, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 developed color when the heating member 71 was heated to 110° C. or higher. On the other hand, in the example, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 did not develop color even when the heating member 71 was heated to 130° C., but developed color when the heating member 71 was heated to 140° C.

[0049] When the sealing layers 23, 33 are made of polyethylene, the sealing layers 23, 33 begin to melt under a temperature load of about 110°C, so the temperature of the heating member 71 in the container forming section 7 can be set to, for example, about 125°C. In the comparative example, when the heating member 71 is heated to 125°C, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 develops color. In contrast, in the embodiment, even when the heating member 71 is heated to 125°C, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 does not develop color. In the embodiment, when the packaging material is heat-sealed, conditions can be established that allow the sealing layers 23, 33 to be heat-sealed without causing the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 to develop color.

[0050] Therefore, when the packaging material 21, 31 is placed between the heating member 71 and the receiving member 72, it was shown that by placing the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 away from the heating member 71 as in the embodiment, coloring can be suppressed when the packaging material is heat-sealed.

[0051] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the disclosed embodiment should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the above description, and is intended to include the meaning equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1 packaging device, 2, 3 packaging material roll, 4 printing section, 5 packaging section, 6 drug supply section, 7 storage section formation section, 8 perforation formation section, 9 packaging material conveying section, 11A, 11B, 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B guide rollers, 19 sachet bag, 21, 31 packaging material, 22, 32 substrate, 23, 33 sealing layer, 34 thermosensitive coloring layer, 41 thermal head, 42 platen roller, 71 heating member, 72 receiving member, DR conveying direction.

Claims

1. A container forming unit that forms a container for accommodating an object to be packaged using a long sheet-like packaging material; A printing unit that prints information related to the packaging object on the packaging material, The packaging material has a substrate and a thermosensitive coloring layer laminated on the substrate, the storage section forming section has a heating member and a receiving member disposed opposite the heating member, and the heating member and the receiving member pressurize the packaging material from both sides to form the storage section; A packaging device, wherein the thermosensitive coloring layer is disposed farther from the heating member than the substrate is disposed in the packaging material transported through the container formation section.

2. the substrate has a first surface on which the thermosensitive color developing layer is laminated and a second surface opposite to the first surface; the packaging material has a seal layer that is laminated on the second surface and is heated and melted by the heating member, The packaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature at which the sealing layer melts is equal to or higher than the temperature at which the thermosensitive coloring layer develops color.

3. The printing unit has a thermal head, 3. The packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the thermosensitive coloring layer is disposed closer to the thermal head than the substrate is to the packaging material conveyed through the printing section.

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