Vertical pillow packaging machine

Abstract

To provide a vertical pillow packaging machine which can produce a packaging body produced at first in the same way as packaging bodies produced the second time or after without wasting a packaging film due to breaking or melting and without wasting extra energy upon starting or upon restarting from waiting.SOLUTION: A vertical pillow packaging machine comprises a vertical pillow packaging machine body, a vertical pillow packaging machine control unit and a control panel. In a first cycle where the vertical pillow packaging machine body starts operation based on a waiting release command signal from an operation waiting-release command unit in a computer of the control panel, the position of a horizontal seal part in a cylindrical film is raised and heater blocks are raised, thereafter, the heater blocks are placed close together with a small, constant gap therebetween, further, the cylindrical film is lowered before a packaged item inputted from a weighing machine of a packaged item input apparatus reaches a bottom part of the cylindrical film, and simultaneously, the heater blocks are lowered.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vertical pillow packaging machine that eliminates waste of packaging film when starting up, restarting operation from standby, or starting the operation of manufacturing a package.

Background Art

[0002] A vertical pillow packaging machine is a packaging machine that feeds a packaging material in the vertical direction to form a tubular packaging material, supplies the product to be packaged in the vertical direction, sequentially fills it into the tubular packaging material, and performs vertical sealing in the vertical direction, horizontal sealing and cutting in the horizontal direction on the tubular packaging material to manufacture a package. In this vertical pillow packaging machine, when starting up or restarting operation from standby and starting the operation of manufacturing a package, for the first package manufactured, since the product to be packaged is put into the empty tubular packaging material located below, the impact when the product to be packaged enters the tubular packaging material is larger than that of the packages manufactured after the second time, and there is a problem that the packaging film becomes wasted due to damage to the tubular packaging material or the like. Therefore, various proposals have been made to manufacture the first package manufactured at startup or when restarting operation from standby in the same way as the packages manufactured after the second time.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-193751) discloses a continuous vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine that includes a film feeding means for continuously feeding a packaging film downward, a longitudinal sealer for forming the continuously fed packaging film into a tubular shape, a pair of lateral sealers that open and close from both sides of the tubular packaging film and are movable in the vertical direction, a lateral sealer driving means for driving the lateral sealers, and a control means for controlling the film feeding means and the lateral sealer driving means respectively. The machine fills a product introduced from above into a packaging film formed into a tubular shape. A receiving member is provided that moves integrally with the lateral sealers and receives the product introduced into the tubular packaging film midway. The control means executes the following control operations (a) to (c) in the control operation of the first cycle when the operation is started. (a) Stop the film feeding means and do not feed the packaging film. (b) Before the product is introduced into the tubular packaging film, control the lateral sealer driving means to move the pair of lateral sealers from both sides in the closing direction with respect to the stopped tubular packaging film and place them at the product receiving position. The product receiving position is a position where the pair of lateral sealers are separated and the packaging film is not laterally sealed, and is a position where the receiving member receives the product introduced from above. (c) Control the lateral sealer driving means to move the lateral sealers downward, open the lateral sealers after the product is introduced into the tubular packaging film, and then move the lateral sealers upward.

[0004] In this continuous vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine of Patent Document 1, before the product is introduced into the tubular packaging film, the pair of lateral sealers are moved from both sides in the closing direction with respect to the stopped tubular packaging film and placed at the product receiving position. Therefore, the product can be received by the receiving member provided on the pair of lateral sealers, and damage to the bottom of the packaging film is prevented. However, in the continuous vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine of Patent Document 1, when a pair of horizontal sealers are moved from both sides in the closing direction to be arranged at the product receiving position with respect to the stationary cylindrical packaging film, there is a risk that the pair of horizontal sealers may come into contact with the cylindrical packaging film. When the horizontal sealer contacts the cylindrical packaging film, since the horizontal sealer is heated, there is a problem that the packaging film melts and its function is impaired.

[0005] Next, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-43626) discloses a vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine for continuously manufacturing a bag package in which a product is put into a bag formed by applying a horizontal seal to a cylindrical packaging material sent in the vertical direction. The vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine includes a product supply device for supplying the product to be put into the cylindrical packaging material, and two horizontal seal blocks that sandwich the cylindrical packaging material and move toward and away from each other. When the two horizontal seal blocks approach each other, they sandwich the cylindrical packaging material and apply the horizontal seal to the cylindrical packaging material. The vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine also includes a control device for controlling the packaging operation of the vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine, including at least the horizontal seal operation of the horizontal seal device. When the control device determines that the operation of the vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine should be temporarily stopped based on the operating state of the vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine, the control device causes the horizontal seal device to perform a standby operation of separating from the cylindrical packaging material and maintaining an open state after the horizontal seal operation. When the standby operation is released, the packaging operation is restarted from the input of the product into the bag by the product supply device. In the vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine, during the standby operation from the start to the release of the standby operation, the horizontal seal device continues the approaching and separating operation while maintaining the timing from before the start of the standby operation. In the continuous approaching and separating operation, when the two horizontal seal blocks approach each other, the two horizontal seal blocks are controlled to a semi-closed state where they are closed to such an extent that they slightly do not contact the horizontal seal portion. When the standby operation is released, a vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine that controls the horizontal seal block to a semi-closed state is disclosed.

[0006] However, in the vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine of Patent Document 2, since the contact and separation operation is continued for the horizontal sealing device during the standby operation, energy is required to perform the contact and separation operation of both horizontal sealing blocks, and there is a problem of consuming extra energy compared to the case where the operation of both horizontal sealing blocks is stopped. Further, in the vertical bag-making and filling packaging machine of Patent Document 2, when both horizontal sealing blocks are in a semi-closed state, there is a risk that the horizontal sealing blocks may come into contact with the tubular packaging material. When the horizontal sealing blocks come into contact with the tubular packaging material, since the horizontal sealing blocks are heated, there is a problem that, similar to Patent Document 1, the tubular packaging material melts and its function is impaired.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to be able to manufacture the first package in the same manner as the packages manufactured thereafter without wasting the packaging film by damaging or melting it, and without consuming extra energy, when starting up or resuming operation from standby in a vertical pillow packaging machine.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The invention according to claim 1 comprises a packaging material feeding means for feeding a packaging material in the vertical direction, a cylindrical packaging material forming means for forming the packaging material fed by the packaging material feeding means into a cylindrical packaging material, a packaged product filling means for supplying a packaged product to be fed by a packaged product feeding means and filling the same into the cylindrical packaging material, a longitudinal sealing means for applying a vertical seal in the vertical direction to the cylindrical packaging material, and a transverse seal cutting means for applying a horizontal seal and cutting in the horizontal direction to the cylindrical packaging material to which the longitudinal seal has been applied by the longitudinal sealing means, and a vertical pillow packaging machine main body for manufacturing a number of the packaged bodies with one cycle of manufacturing one packaged body in which the packaged product is packaged as one cycle, a vertical pillow packaging machine control means having a function of controlling the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body, a standby command for stopping the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body and setting it in a standby state when the packaged product feeding means cannot feed the packaged product to the packaged product filling means, and an operation standby / release command means for issuing a standby release command for starting the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body in the standby state, wherein the transverse seal cutting means comprises a heater block opening / closing means for opening and closing a pair of heater blocks and a heater block lifting / lowering means for lifting and lowering the pair of heater blocks, the vertical pillow packaging machine control means comprises a packaging material feeding operation control means for controlling the operation of the packaging material feeding means and a heater block operation control means for controlling the operations of the heater block opening / closing means and the heater block lifting / lowering means, and in the first cycle in which the vertical pillow packaging machine main body in the standby state starts operating based on the standby release command from the operation standby / release command means, the packaging material feeding operation control means controls the operation of the packaging material feeding means so as to raise the position of the horizontal seal of the cylindrical packaging material to which the horizontal seal has been applied, and the heater block operation control means controls the operation of the heater block lifting / lowering means so as to raise the position of the pair of heater blocks, and then the heater block operation control means controls the operation of the heater block opening / closing means so that the pair of heater blocks approach each other leaving a certain gap, and further, the packaging material feeding operation control means controls the operation of the packaging material feeding means so that the cylindrical packaging material descends before the packaged product fed from the packaged product feeding means to the packaged product filling means reaches the bottom of the cylindrical packaging material, andThere is provided a vertical pillow packaging machine in which the heater block operation control means controls the operation of the heater block lifting means so that the pair of heater blocks descend in accordance with the descent of the tubular packaging material, thereby solving the above problems.

[0010] The invention according to claim 2 is a vertical pillow packaging machine, wherein the horizontal seal cutting means includes a squeezing means for squeezing the portion of the tubular packaging material where the horizontal seal is applied, and the fixed gap is the same as the gap formed when the pair of heater blocks approach each other when the squeezing means squeezes the portion where the horizontal seal is applied, thereby solving the above problems.

[0011] The invention according to claim 3 is a vertical pillow packaging machine, wherein the horizontal seal cutting means includes shutter means for sandwiching the upper side of the portion of the tubular packaging material where the horizontal seal is applied when the pair of heater blocks approach each other with the fixed gap, thereby solving the above problems.

[0012] The invention according to claim 4 is a vertical pillow packaging machine, wherein the shutter means includes a receiving plate for receiving the packaged product that has been introduced by the packaged product introducing means and has reached the bottom of the tubular packaging material, thereby solving the above problems.

[0013] The invention according to claim 5 is a vertical pillow packaging machine, wherein the operation means for operating the vertical pillow packaging machine main body or the vertical pillow packaging machine control means includes the operation standby / release command means, thereby solving the above problems.

[0014] The invention according to claim 6 is a vertical pillow packaging machine, wherein the operation standby / release command means issues the standby release command based on a packaged product input enable signal indicating that the packaged product from the packaged product introducing means can be introduced into the packaged product filling means, thereby solving the above problems.

[0015] According to the invention of claim 7, the longitudinal sealing means includes longitudinal heater block opening / closing means for opening and closing a pair of longitudinal sealing blocks, and longitudinal sealing block lifting means for lifting and lowering the pair of longitudinal sealing blocks. The longitudinal pillow packaging machine control means includes longitudinal sealing block operation control means for controlling the operations of the longitudinal heater block opening / closing means and the longitudinal sealing block lifting means. When the standby command is issued from the operation standby / cancellation command means, the packaging material feeding operation control means controls the operation of the packaging material feeding means to perform the same operation as when the standby command is not issued from the operation standby / cancellation command means. The heater block operation control means controls the operations of the heater block opening / closing means and the heater block lifting means. The longitudinal sealing block operation control means controls the operations of the longitudinal heater block opening / closing means and the longitudinal sealing block lifting means to complete one cycle, and then the longitudinal pillow packaging machine body stops operating and enters a standby state, thus providing a longitudinal pillow packaging machine to solve the above problems.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] In the vertical pillow packaging machine of the invention according to claim 1, in the first cycle in which the vertical pillow packaging machine body in the standby state starts operating based on a standby release command from the operation standby / release command means, the packaging material feeding operation control means controls the operation of the packaging material feeding means so as to raise the position of the horizontal seal of the tubular packaging material to which the horizontal seal has been applied, and the heater block operation control means controls the operation of the heater block lifting means so as to raise the position of the pair of heater blocks. After that, the heater block operation control means controls the operation of the heater block opening / closing means so that the pair of heater blocks approach each other leaving a certain gap. Further, before the packaged product introduced from the packaged product input means to the packaged product filling means reaches the bottom of the tubular packaging material, the packaging material feeding operation control means controls the operation of the packaging material feeding means so that the tubular packaging material descends, and the heater block operation control means controls the operation of the heater block lifting means so that the pair of heater blocks descend in accordance with the descent of the tubular packaging material. Therefore, at the start of the vertical pillow packaging machine body or when restarting the operation from the standby state of the vertical pillow packaging machine body, in the first cycle, the packaging body can be manufactured in the same manner as in a normal cycle without wasting energy by damaging or melting the tubular packaging material, and without causing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0017] In the vertical pillow packaging machine of the invention according to claim 2, further, there is a gap between the pair of heater blocks that is the same as the gap formed during the ironing operation of the ironing means, and the pair of heater blocks can be smoothly lowered.

[0018] In the vertical pillow packaging machine of the invention according to claim 3, further, since the shutter means sandwiches the upper side of the portion of the tubular packaging material where the horizontal seal is applied, the feeding operation of the tubular packaging material by the packaging material feeding means is smoothly performed.

[0019] In the vertical pillow packaging machine according to the invention described in claim 4, further, since the receiving plate receives the article to be packaged that has reached the bottom of the tubular packaging material, the effect is achieved that the lower portion of the tubular packaging material is prevented from greatly swelling outward due to the accumulation of the filled articles to be packaged.

[0020] In the vertical pillow packaging machine according to the invention described in claim 5, further, the effect is achieved that an operation standby / release command means can be provided in the operation means or the vertical pillow packaging machine control means provided in the vertical pillow packaging machine.

[0021] In the vertical pillow packaging machine according to the invention described in claim 6, further, the effect is achieved that the operation standby / release command means can surely issue a signal permitting the input of the article to be packaged.

[0022] In the vertical pillow packaging machine according to the invention described in claim 7, further, when a standby command is issued from the operation standby / release command means, one cycle is completed with the same operation as when the standby command is not issued from the operation standby / release command means, the vertical pillow packaging machine main body enters the standby state, and the vertical pillow packaging machine main body can be put into the standby state without increasing the operation pattern of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] [Configuration of Vertical Pillow Packaging Machine] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the vertical pillow packaging machine of the present invention, which is a diagram combining the block of the control part with the schematic front view of the vertical pillow packaging machine body. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the vertical pillow packaging machine body shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the horizontal seal / cut part shown in FIG. 2. In the figure, 1 is a vertical pillow packaging machine, 10 is the main body of the vertical pillow packaging machine, 11 is a film (packaging material) supply unit, 12 is a tension adjustment unit, 12a is a rotating arm, 12b is a fixed roller, 13 is a date printing unit, 13a is a date printing device, 13b is a lifting roller, 14 is a product to be packaged supply unit, 14a is a hopper, 14b is a filling cylinder, 15 is a tube forming unit, 15a is a tube former (former), 15b is a pressing member, 15c is a slide roller, 16 is a film feeding unit, 16a is a pulley, 16b is a feeding belt, 16M is a servo motor, 17 is a vertical seal unit, 17a and 17b are vertical seal blocks, 18 is a horizontal seal and cutting unit, 18a and 18b are heater blocks, 18c and 18d are pressing plates, 18e and 18f are shutter plates, 18g and 18h are receiving plates, 19 is a package discharge unit, 19a is a belt conveyor, 20 is a horizontal seal device, 20M is a servo motor, 20Ma is a rotating shaft, 21 is a block holder, 21a is a guide hole, 22 is a block holder, 23 is an opening and closing toggle mechanism, 23a is a rotating arm, 23b and 23c are driven arms, 24 is a holder drive block, 25 is a support block, 25a and 25b are frame parts, 25c is a connecting part, 26a and 26b are connecting rods, 27A and 27B are pressing parts, 28A and 28B are shutter parts, 29 is a cutting device, 29a is a support plate, 29b is an air cylinder, 29c is a piston rod, 29d is a slider, 29e and 29f are guide rods, 30 is a lifting device, 30M is a servo motor, 31a and 31b are brackets, 32 is a timing belt, 32a is a belt gripping member, 33 is a connecting plate, 34 is a driving pulley, 34a is a pulley shaft, 35 is a driven pulley, 35a is a pulley shaft, 36a and 36b are lifting guide rods, 40 is a vertical seal block opening and closing device, 40M is a servo motor, 50 is a lifting device, 50M is a servo motor, 60 is a vertical pillow packaging machine control unit, 70 is an operation panel, 80 is a product to be packaged input device, 81 is a weighing machine, 82 is a product to be packaged input device control unit, CL1 and CL2 are communication lines, Fi is a film (packaging material), gr is a guide roller, MF is a wound film, Pc is a package, TFi is a tubular film (tubular packaging material), ts is a vertical seal part, ys is a horizontal seal part. In the figure, X is the left - right direction, Y is the up - down direction, Z is the front - back direction. In Figure 1, the film part is represented by a two - dot chain line. The vertical pillow packaging machine 1 is composed of a vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 that feeds out a film Fi from a winding film MF to produce a package Pc obtained by packaging an article to be packaged, a vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 that controls the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, and an operation panel 70 that operates the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10. An article to be packaged input device 80 is connected to the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10. Further, the article to be packaged input device 80 includes a weighing machine 81 and the like, and is controlled by an article to be packaged input device control unit 82. The article to be packaged input device control unit is connected by a line to the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 and the operation panel 70.

[0025] The vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 is composed of a film (packaging material) supply unit 11, a tension adjustment unit 12, a printing unit 13, an article to be packaged supply unit 14, a tube forming unit 15, a film feeding unit 16, a vertical seal unit 17, a horizontal seal and cutting unit 18, a package discharge unit 19, and the like. The film (packaging material) supply unit 11 includes a winding packaging material supply device (not shown) that holds the winding film MF, and feeds out a film (packaging material) Fi from the winding film MF. The winding film support device includes a shaft (not shown) and a servo motor 11M that serves as the winding film rotating means of the present invention. The servo motor 11M rotates the shaft and rotates the winding film MF mounted on the shaft. The tension adjustment unit 12 is composed of a pair of rotating arms 12a, a dancer roller rotatably held by the rotating arms 12a, a fixed roller 12b, a rotating rod, and the like. When the rotating arms 12a rotate, the film (packaging material) Fi is adjusted. The date printing unit 13 includes a date printing device 13a, lifting rollers 13b, and the like, and performs date printing on the film Fi. The article to be packaged supply unit 14 includes a filling cylinder 14b whose upper part is a hopper 14a, an article to be packaged detection sensor (not shown), and the like. The article to be packaged such as snack foods input from the weighing machine 81 of the article to be packaged input device 80 is received by the hopper 14a and filled into the filling cylinder 14b. The tube forming section 15 includes a tube former 15a, a pressing member 15b, a slide roller 15c, etc. It guides the film Fi fed out from the film supply section 11 and printed with a date at the date printing section 13 using the slide roller 15c, forms it into a tubular shape with the tube former 15a, presses it against the outer peripheral surface of the filling tube 14b with the pressing member 15b, and forms the film Fi into a tubular film TFi. The film feeding section 16 arranges a pair of film feeding mechanisms including pulleys 16a, a feed belt 16b, a servo motor 16M, etc. on both sides of the filling tube 14b, rotates the pulley 16a with the servo motor 16M to move the feed belt 16b, and feeds the film Fi wrapped around the outer peripheral surface of the filling tube 14b downward by a certain length. The longitudinal seal section 17 includes longitudinal seal blocks 17a, 17b, a heater (not shown), a longitudinal seal block opening / closing device 40 driven by a servo motor 40M, a lifting device 50 driven by a servo motor 50M, etc. It applies longitudinal seals to both end portions of the tubular film TFi wrapped around and overlapped on the outer peripheral surface of the filling tube 14b to form a longitudinal seal portion ts. The transverse seal and cutting section 18 includes a transverse seal device 20, a cutting device 29, a lifting device 30, etc. which are provided with a pair of heater blocks 18a, 18b, pressing portions 27A, 27B having a pair of pressing plates 18c, 18d, shutter portions 28A, 28B having a pair of shutter plates 18e, 18f and a pair of receiving plates 18g, 18h (details will be described later). For the longitudinally sealed tubular film TFi filled with the product to be packaged, it applies a transverse seal to form a transverse seal portion ys, cuts the central portion of the transverse seal portion ys, and generates a package Pc filled with the product to be packaged. The package discharging section 19 includes a belt conveyor 19a, etc., and discharges the package Pc with the belt conveyor 19a. In addition, in FIG. 2, the pressing portions 27A, 27B and the shutter portions 28A, 28B are omitted.

[0026] [Transverse seal device 20, cutting device 29, lifting device 30, etc.] The transverse seal device 20, cutting device 29, and lifting device 30 that constitute the transverse seal and cutting section 18 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal sealing device 20 is composed of a pair of heater blocks 18a and 18b, a servo motor 20M, block holders 21 and 22, an opening / closing toggle mechanism 23, a holder drive block 24, a support block 25, connecting rods 26a and 26b, etc. In the horizontal sealing device 20, heaters (not shown) are embedded in the heater blocks 18a and 18b. The heater block 18a is attached to the right side surface of the block holder 21, and the heater block 18b is attached to the left side surface of the block holder 22. The block holder 21 is connected to the holder drive block 24 by the connecting rods 26a and 26b. The block holder 22 is connected to the holder drive block 24 via the opening / closing toggle mechanism 23 and is slidably supported by the connecting rods 26a and 26b. The support block 25 is an integral block in which U-shaped frame portions 25a and 25b are connected by a connecting portion 25c. The connecting rods 26a and 26b are slidably supported by the frame portions 25a and 25b. In the opening / closing toggle mechanism 23, the servo motor 20M is attached to the lower side of the connecting portion 25c of the support block 25. The rotating shaft 20Ma of the servo motor 20M passes through the connecting portion 25c and is fitted into the shaft hole of the rotating arm 23a. One ends of the driven arms 23b and 23c are rotatably attached to both ends of the rotating arm 23a. The other end of the driven arm 23b is rotatably attached to the block holder 22, and the other end of the driven arm 23c is rotatably attached to the holder drive block 24. Then, in the horizontal sealing device 20, when the rotating shaft 20Ma of the servo motor 20M is rotated to rotate the rotating arm 23a of the opening / closing toggle mechanism 23, the block holder 22 moves along the connecting rods 26a and 26b via the driven arm 23b. At the same time, the holder drive block 24 moves via the driven arm 23c, and the connecting rods 26a and 26b move along the frame portions 25a and 25b of the support block 25, and the block holder 21 moves in the direction opposite to the block holder 22. Thereby, the opening / closing operation (separation / connection operation) of the heater block 18a and the heater block 18b is performed. In this case, the servo motor 20M, the block holders 21 and 22, the opening / closing toggle mechanism 23, the holder drive block 24, the support block 25, and the connecting rods 26a and 26b constitute the heater block opening / closing means of the present invention. In addition, in FIG. 3, the ironing portions 27A and 27B and the shutter portions 28A and 28B are omitted.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a front view of the heater block, the block holder, and the ironing portion. FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are a bottom view and a plan view of the heater block, the block holder, and the ironing portion shown in FIG. 4. In the figures, 18am and 18bm are central grooves, 27a1, 27a2, 27a3, 27a4, 28a1, 28a2, 28a3, and 28a4 are moving rods, 27at1, 27at2, 27at3, 27at4, 28at1, 28at2, 28at3, and 28at4 are flanges, 27b1, 27b2, 27b3, 27b4, 27c1, 27c2, 27c3, 27c4, 28b1, 28b2, 28b3, 28b4, 28c1, 28c2, 28c3, and 28c4 are holding plates, and 27s1, 27s2, 27s3, 27s4, 28s1, 28s2, 28s3, and 28s4 are springs. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5(a), the ironing portion 27A and the ironing portion 27B have the same structure and are paired. The ironing portion 27A is attached to the lower side of the heater block 18a, and the ironing portion 27B is attached to the lower side of the heater block 18b. In the ironing portion 27A, a pair of moving rods 27a1 and 27a2 are attached to the left side surface of the ironing plate 18c. The moving rod 27a1 has a flange 27at1 attached thereto and is inserted through the holding plates 27b1 and 27c1 attached to the block holder 21. A spring 27s1 is attached between the flange 27at1 and the holding plate 27b1. The moving rod 27a2 has a flange 27at2 attached thereto and is inserted through the holding plates 27b2 and 27c2 attached to the block holder 21. A spring 27s2 is attached between the flange 27at2 and the holding plate 27b2. In the ironing part 27B, a pair of moving rods 27a3 and 27a4 are attached to the right side surface of the ironing plate 18d. The moving rod 27a3 has a flange 27at3 attached thereto and is inserted through holding plates 27b3 and 27c3 attached to the block holder 22. A spring 27s3 is attached between the flange 27at3 and the holding plate 27b3. The moving rod 27a4 has a flange 27at4 attached thereto and is inserted through holding plates 27b4 and 27c4 attached to the block holder 22. A spring 27s4 is attached between the flange 27at4 and the holding plate 27b4. Also, the ironing plate 18c protrudes rightward (X direction) from the heater block 18a, and the ironing plate 18d protrudes leftward (X direction) from the heater block 18b. From this, the ironing parts 27A and 27B move together with the heater blocks 18a and 18b. When the heater blocks 18a and 18b approach each other, the ironing plates 18c and 18d also approach each other. Before the opposing surfaces of the heater blocks 18a and 18b come into contact, the opposing surfaces of the ironing plates 18c and 18d come into contact. Further, when the heater blocks 18a and 18b approach each other, in the ironing parts 27A and 27B, the springs 27s1, 27s2, 27s3, and 27s4 contract in a state where the opposing surfaces of the ironing plates 18c and 18d are in contact, and the heater blocks 18a and 18b can approach until their opposing surfaces come into contact.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5(b), the shutter part 28A and the shutter part 28B have the same structure and are paired. The shutter part 28A is attached above the heater block 18a, and the shutter part 28B is attached above the heater block 18b. The parts of the shutter parts 28A and 28B excluding the shutter plates 18e and 18f and the receiving plates 18g and 18h have the same structure as the parts of the ironing parts 27A and 27B excluding the ironing plates 18c and 18d. That is, in the shutter unit 28A, a pair of moving rods 28a1 and 28a2 are attached to the left side surface of the shutter plate 18e. The moving rod 28a1 has a flange 28at1 attached thereto and is inserted through holding plates 28b1 and 28c1 attached to the block holder 21. A spring 28s1 is attached between the flange 28at1 and the holding plate 28b1. The moving rod 28a2 has a flange 28at2 attached thereto and is inserted through holding plates 28b2 and 28c2 attached to the block holder 21. A spring 28s2 is attached between the flange 28at2 and the holding plate 28b2. In the shutter unit 28B, a pair of moving rods 28a3 and 28a4 are attached to the right side surface of the shutter plate 18f. The moving rod 28a3 has a flange 28at3 attached thereto and is inserted through holding plates 28b3 and 28c3 attached to the block holder 22. A spring 28s3 is attached between the flange 28at3 and the holding plate 28b3. The moving rod 28a4 has a flange 28at4 attached thereto and is inserted through holding plates 28b4 and 28c4 attached to the block holder 22. A spring 28s4 is attached between the flange 28at4 and the holding plate 28b4. Also, a V-shaped receiving plate 18g is attached to the upper right end surface of the shutter plate 18e, and the shutter plate 18e and the receiving plate 18g protrude in the right direction (X direction) from the heater block 18a. Similarly, a V-shaped receiving plate 18h is attached to the upper left end surface of the shutter plate 18f, and the shutter plate 18f and the receiving plate 18h protrude in the left direction (X direction) from the heater block 18b. Therefore, the shutter parts 28A and 28B move together with the pressing parts 27A and 27B and the heater blocks 18a and 18b. When the heater blocks 18a and 18b approach each other, the shutter plates 18e, receiving plate 18g, shutter plate 18f, and receiving plate 18h also approach each other. Before the opposing surfaces of the heater blocks 18a and 18b come into contact, the opposing surfaces of the shutter plate 18e, receiving plate 18g, shutter plate 18f, and receiving plate 18h come into contact. Further, when the heater blocks 18a and 18b approach each other, in the shutter parts 28A and 28B, the springs 28s1, 28s2, 28s3, and 28s4 contract in a state where the opposing surfaces of the shutter plate 18e, receiving plate 18g, shutter plate 18f, and receiving plate 18h are in contact, and the heater blocks 18a and 18b can approach until their opposing surfaces come into contact.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the cutting device 29 is composed of a support plate 29a, an air cylinder 29b, a piston rod 29c, a slider 29d, guide rods 29e and 29f, etc. In the cutting device 29, the air cylinder 29b is attached to the left side surface of the support plate 29a, and the guide rods 29e and 29f are attached to the right side surface of the support plate 29a. The guide rods 29e and 29f are inserted into the slider 29d, and their tip ends are attached to the wall surface (not shown) of the guide hole 21a of the block holder 21. The slider 29d is slidably held by the guide rods 29e and 29f, and the tip end of the piston rod 29c of the air cylinder 29b is attached to the left side surface of the slider 29d. By operating the air cylinder 29b, the slider 29d slides along the guide rods 29e and 29f and moves within the guide hole 21a of the block holder 21. Also, a T-shaped cutting knife (not shown) is attached to the upper center of the back right side surface of the slider 29d. Then, when the horizontal sealing device 20 is operated and the heater blocks 18a and 18b are closed with the tubular film TFi sandwiched therebetween, the air cylinder 29b of the cutting device 29 operates and the slider 29d moves. As a result, the cutting knife protrudes from the central groove 18am of the heater block 18a and enters the central groove 18bm of the heater block 18b, and the tubular film TFi is cut.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, the lifting device 30 is composed of a servo motor 30M, brackets 31a, 31b, a timing belt 32, a connecting plate 33, a driving pulley 34, a driven pulley 35, lifting guide rods 36a, 36b, etc. In the lifting device 30, the brackets 31a, 31b are arranged to face the back right side of the horizontal sealing device 20 and are attached to the frame (not shown) of the vertical pillow packaging machine body 10. A servo motor 30M is attached to the upper part of the back surface of the bracket 31a. The pulley shaft 34a of the driving pulley 34 is rotatably held at the upper parts of the brackets 31a, 31b. The pulley shaft 34a is connected to the rotating shaft of the servo motor 30M. The pulley shaft 35a of the driven pulley 35 is rotatably held at the lower parts of the brackets 31a, 31b. A timing belt 32 is wound around the driving pulley 34 and the driven pulley 35. Also, a connecting plate 33 is attached to the right side surface of the frame portion 25a of the support block 25 of the horizontal sealing device 20. The timing belt 32 is clamped by a belt holding member 32a at the upper part of the connecting plate 33. Furthermore, the lifting guide rods 36a, 36b are attached to the frame of the vertical pillow packaging machine body 10, and the frame portions 25a, 25b are fitted onto the lifting guide rods 36a, 36b. In the lifting device 30, when the servo motor 30M is rotated, the driving pulley 34 rotates, the timing belt 32 moves, and the support block 25 together with the connecting plate 33 clamped by the timing belt 32 moves up and down along the lifting guide rods 36a, 36b, and the heater blocks 18a, 18b of the horizontal sealing device 20 also move up and down. The lifting distance of the heater blocks 18a, 18b is proportional to the rotation angle of the servo motor 30M. In this case, the servo motor 30M, brackets 31a and 31b, timing belt 32, and connecting plate 33, together with the drive pulley 34, driven pulley 35, lifting guide rods 36a and 36b, etc., constitute the heater block lifting means of the present invention.

[0031] [Vertical Pillow Packaging Machine Control Unit 60, Operation Panel 70] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 and the operation panel 70. In the figure, 61 is an arithmetic control unit, 61a is a drive device control unit, 61b is a film feed control unit, 61c is a vertical seal block operation control unit, 61d is a heater block operation control unit, 62 is a storage unit, 63 is a transmission / reception unit, 71 is a computer, 71a is an operation timing setting unit, 71a1 is a film feed timing setting unit, 71a2 is a vertical seal opening / closing timing setting unit, 71a3 is a vertical seal lifting timing setting unit, 71a4 is a horizontal seal opening / closing timing setting unit, 71a5 is a horizontal seal lifting timing setting unit, 71b is an operation standby / cancellation command unit, 73 is a transmission / reception unit, and 74 is an input display unit. The vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 includes an arithmetic control unit 61, a storage unit 62, and a transmission / reception unit 63. The arithmetic control unit 61 includes a drive device control unit 61a, a film feed control unit 61b, a vertical seal block operation control unit 61c, and a heater block operation control unit 61d.

[0032] Based on the parameters (numerical values representing production capacity, bag length, heater temperature, etc. set for each product produced by the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10) registered in the product parameter table of the storage unit 62 for the product set on the operation panel 70, the drive device control unit 61a controls the operation of the drive devices (excluding servo motors 16M, 20M, 30M, 40M, and 50M) of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, for example, the various heaters of the vertical seal part 17 and the horizontal seal / cutting part 18. Based on the timing set by the film feed timing setting unit 71a1, etc., the film feed control unit 61b controls the operation of the servo motor 16M of the film feed part 16. The vertical seal block operation control unit 61c controls the operation of the servo motor 40M that drives the vertical seal block opening / closing device 40 and the operation of the servo motor 50M that drives the lifting device 50 based on the timings set by the vertical seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a2 and the vertical seal lifting / lowering timing setting unit 71a3. The heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operation of the servo motor 20M that drives the horizontal seal device 20 and the operation of the servo motor 30M that drives the lifting device 30 based on the timings set by the horizontal seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a4 and the horizontal seal lifting / lowering timing setting unit 71a5. The storage unit 62 stores a product parameter table, a production information table, etc. In the product parameter table, No. (registration number), product name, production capacity, bag length, heater temperature, operation timing, etc. of the products produced by the vertical pillow packaging machine 1 are registered. In the production information table, production results such as production quantity, empty bags, loss bags, operation rate, operation time, stop time, standby time, etc. of the actually produced products are registered. The transmission / reception unit 63 communicates with the transmission / reception unit 73 of the operation panel 70 via the communication line CL1, transmits various data from the arithmetic control unit 61 to the transmission / reception unit 73 of the operation panel 70, and receives various data transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 73 and sends them to the arithmetic control unit 61.

[0033] The operation panel 70 includes a computer 71, a transmission / reception unit 73, and an input / display unit 74. The computer 71 includes an arithmetic processing unit and a storage unit, and a dedicated program corresponding to the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 is incorporated therein to perform various processes and comprehensively control the operation panel 70. The arithmetic processing unit of the computer 71 includes an operation timing setting unit 71a and an operation standby / cancellation command unit 71b. The operation timing setting unit 71a includes a film feed timing setting unit 71a1, a vertical seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a2, a vertical seal lifting / lowering timing setting unit 71a3, a horizontal seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a4, and a horizontal seal lifting / lowering timing setting unit 71a5. The operation timing setting unit 71a sets the operation timing of each drive device in one cycle (the period during which the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 manufactures one package Pc). Specifically, the film feed timing setting unit 71a1 sets the timing at which the servo motor 16M rotates in the film feed unit 16 to start feeding the film Fi, and the timing at which the servo motor 16M stops to end the feeding of the film Fi. The timing setting of this film feed timing setting unit 71a1 is automatically performed based on the numerical value input from the input display unit 74, or the production capacity and bag length registered in the product parameter table, and further, the timing at which the heater blocks 18a and 18b set by the horizontal seal lifting timing setting unit 71a5 rise, etc.

[0034] The vertical seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a2 sets the timing at which the servo motor 40M rotates to operate the vertical seal block opening / closing device 40 and open the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b (the timing to start opening and the timing to end opening), and the timing to close the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b (the timing to start closing and the timing to end closing). The timing setting of this vertical seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a2 is performed based on the numerical value input from the input display unit 74, or the timing set by the film feed timing setting unit 71a1, etc. The vertical seal lifting timing setting unit 71a3 sets the timing at which the servo motor 50M rotates to operate the lifting device 50 and the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b rise (the timing to start rising and the timing to end rising), and the timing at which the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b descend (the timing to start descending and the timing to end descending). The timing setting of this vertical seal lifting timing setting unit 71a3 is performed based on the numerical value input from the input display unit 74, or the timing set by the vertical seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a2, etc.

[0035] The horizontal seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a4 sets the timing at which the servo motor 20M rotates to operate the horizontal seal device 20 and open the heater blocks 18a and 18b (the timing to start opening and the timing to end opening), and the timing to close the heater blocks 18a and 18b (the timing to start closing and the timing to end closing). The timing setting of this horizontal seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a4 is performed based on the numerical value input from the input display unit 74, or the timing set by the film feed timing setting unit 71a1, etc. The horizontal seal lifting / lowering timing setting unit 71a5 sets the timing at which the servo motor 30M rotates to operate the lifting / lowering device 30 and the heater blocks 18a and 18b rise (the timing to start rising and the timing to end rising), and the timing at which the heater blocks 18a and 18b fall (the timing to start falling and the timing to end falling). The timing setting of this horizontal seal lifting / lowering timing setting unit 71a5 is performed based on the numerical value input from the input display unit 74, or the timing set by the film feed timing setting unit 71a1, and further based on the timing set by the horizontal seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a4, etc. The function of the operation standby / cancel command unit 71b will be described later. The transmission / reception unit 73 transmits various data sent from the computer 71 to the transmission / reception unit 63 of the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 via the communication line CL1, receives various data transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 63 of the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 via the communication line CL1 and sends it to the computer 71, and the transmission / reception unit 73 also communicates with the packaged product input device control unit 82 of the packaged product input device 80 (details will be described later). The input display unit 74 has a touch panel type display screen and displays various screens created by a dedicated program incorporated in the computer 71, for example, an operation screen for inputting the timing set by the operation timing setting unit 71a (including the film feed timing setting unit 71a1).

[0036] [Packaged product input device 80, operation standby / cancel command unit 71b, etc.] The packaged product input device 80 includes a weighing machine 81 installed above the packaged product supply unit 14 (hopper 14a) of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, a packaged product input device control unit 82, and the like. The weighing machine 81 inputs the packaged product into the packaged product supply unit 14 (hopper 14a) of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 at the timing set for each cycle of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10. The packaged product input device control unit 82 controls the packaged product input operation of the weighing machine 81 and is connected to the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 by a line and connected to the operation panel 70 via the communication line CL2. When the weighing machine 81 cannot input the packaged product into the packaged product supply unit 14, the packaged product input device control unit 82 transmits a non-packaged product input signal to the operation panel 70 via the communication line CL2. When the weighing machine 81 changes from a state where it cannot input the packaged product into the packaged product supply unit 14 to a state where it can input, the packaged product input device control unit 82 transmits a packaged product input enable signal to the operation panel 70 via the communication line CL2. In this case, the transceiver unit 73 of the operation panel 70 receives the non-packaged product input signal and the packaged product input enable signal transmitted from the packaged product input device control unit 82 via the communication line CL2 and sends them to the computer 71.

[0037] Based on the non-packaged product input signal transmitted from the packaged product input device control unit 82 via the communication line CL2, the operation standby / release command unit 71b of the computer 71 sends a standby command signal to the film feed control unit 61b, the vertical seal block operation control unit 61c, and the heater block operation control unit 61d so that the servo motors 16M, 40M, 50M, 20M, and 30M stop operating and enter the standby state. Based on the packaged product input enable signal transmitted from the packaged product input device control unit 82 via the communication line CL2, the operation standby / release command unit 71b of the computer 71 sends a standby release command signal to the film feed control unit 61b, the vertical seal block operation control unit 61c, and the heater block operation control unit 61d so that the servo motors 16M, 40M, 50M, 20M, and 30M in the standby state start operating. In this case, the transmitting / receiving unit 73 transmits the standby command signal and standby cancellation command signal sent from the computer 71 to the transmitting / receiving unit 63 of the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 via the communication line CL1. Note that the operation standby / cancellation command unit 71b may be provided in the arithmetic control unit 61 of the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 instead of the computer 71 of the operation panel 70. The non-packaging-item input signal and packaging-item input signal are transmitted from the packaged-item input device control unit 82 to the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60, and the operation standby / cancellation command unit 71b of the arithmetic control unit 61 may send the standby command signal and standby cancellation command signal to the film feed control unit 61b, the vertical seal block operation control unit 61c, and the heater block operation control unit 61d. Alternatively, instead of the packaged-item input device control unit 82 transmitting the non-packaging-item input signal, when the packaged-item detection sensor installed in the packaged-item supply unit 14 does not detect the packaged item at a predetermined timing, the arithmetic control unit 61 of the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 may generate the non-packaging-item input signal.

[0038] Figs. 7 and 8 are explanatory diagrams for explaining the configuration of the product parameter table stored in the storage unit 62. In the product parameter table shown in Fig. 7, No. (registration number), product name, production capacity, bag length, timing 1 (start of film feed 1, end of film feed 1, etc.) in the normal cycle (cycles after the second cycle), etc. are registered. However, the item names themselves such as "No. (registration number)", "product name", "production capacity", "bag length", "timing", "start of film feed 1", and "end of film feed 1" are not registered, and only the parts excluding the item names are registered. No. is a number for specifying the product produced by the vertical pillow packaging machine 1 (vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10), and numbers from 01 to 99 are prepared. No. and the product name are input from the product name registration screen displayed on the input display unit 74 of the operation panel 70, transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 73 to the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 via the communication line CL1, received by the transmitting / receiving unit 63, and registered in the product parameter table of the storage unit 62. Values such as production capacity and bag length are parameters that indicate the conditions for operating the drive equipment (such as motors) of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10. For example, the parameter "100" for "production capacity" means that 100 (bags) are produced per minute, and the parameter "120" for "bag length" means that the length of the package Pc (one bag) is 120 mm. In this product parameter table, as the timing in the normal cycle, the timings of film feed 1 start, film feed 1 end, film feed 2 start, film feed 2 end, vertical seal opening operation start, vertical seal opening operation end, vertical seal closing operation start, vertical seal closing operation end, vertical seal rising start, vertical seal rising end, vertical seal descending start, vertical seal descending end, horizontal seal opening operation start, horizontal seal opening operation end, horizontal seal closing operation 1 start, horizontal seal closing operation 1 end, horizontal seal closing operation 2 start, horizontal seal closing operation 2 end, horizontal seal rising 1 start, horizontal seal rising 1 end, horizontal seal descending 1 start, horizontal seal descending 1 end, horizontal seal descending 2 start, horizontal seal descending 2 end are registered. Also, as shown in FIG. 8, in the product parameter table, as the timing in the first cycle (hereinafter referred to as "restart cycle") at startup or when restarting operation, the timings of film reverse feed start, film reverse feed end, film feed 3 start, film feed 3 end, horizontal seal closing operation 3 start, horizontal seal closing operation 3 end, horizontal seal rising 2 start, horizontal seal rising 2 end, horizontal seal descending 3 start, horizontal seal descending 3 end are registered.

[0039] The start and end of film feed 1, the start and end of film feed 2 in timing 1, the start and end of film reverse feed, the start and end of film feed 3 in timing 2 are the operation timings of the servo motor 16M that sends the film Fi downward in the film feed section 16, and are set by the film feed timing setting section 71a1. From this, the feeding operation of the film Fi in the film feed section 16 is performed in two separate downward feeds in the normal cycle, and in the restart cycle, one upward feed (reverse feed) and one downward feed are performed. The start and end of the vertical seal opening operation at timing 1 are the operation timings of the servo motor 40M that moves the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b in the opening direction in the vertical seal block opening / closing device 40. The start and end of the vertical seal closing operation at timing 1 are the operation timings of the servo motor 40M that moves the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b in the closing direction in the vertical seal block opening / closing device 40. Both are set by the vertical seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a2. The start and end of the vertical seal rising operation at timing 1 are the operation timings of the servo motor 50M that raises the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b in the lifting device 50. The start and end of the vertical seal lowering operation at timing 1 are the operation timings of the servo motor 50M that lowers the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b in the lifting device 50. Both are set by the vertical seal lifting timing setting unit 71a3. In addition, in the restart cycle, the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b do not operate, and the operation timings of the servo motors 40M and 50M are not set.

[0040] The start and end of the horizontal seal opening operation at timing 1 are the operation timings of the servo motor 20M that moves the heater blocks 18a and 18b in the opening direction in the horizontal seal device 20. The start and end of the first horizontal seal closing operation 1, the start and end of the second horizontal seal closing operation 1, the start and end of the second horizontal seal closing operation 2, and the start and end of the third horizontal seal closing operation at timing 2 are the operation timings of the servo motor 20M that moves the heater blocks 18a and 18b in the closing direction in the horizontal seal device 20. All are set by the horizontal seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a4. From this, the operation of closing the heater blocks 18a and 18b of the horizontal seal device 20 in the normal cycle is performed in two steps. By the start and end of the first horizontal seal closing operation 1, the heater blocks 18a and 18b approach each other, and at the start and end of the second horizontal seal closing operation 2, the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completely closed to perform the horizontal seal. Also, in the restart cycle, only the start and end of the horizontal seal closing operation 3 when the heater blocks 18a and 18b approach (the same as the start and end of the horizontal seal closing operation 1) are performed. The start and end of the horizontal seal ascent 1 at timing 1 and the start and end of the horizontal seal ascent 2 at timing 2 are the operation timings of the servo motor 30M that raises the heater blocks 18a and 18b in the lifting device 30. The start and end of the horizontal seal descent 1 at timing 1, the start and end of the horizontal seal descent 2, and the start and end of the horizontal seal descent 3 at timing 2 are the operation timings of the servo motor 30M that lowers the heater blocks 18a and 18b in the lifting device 30. All of them are set by the horizontal seal lifting and lowering timing setting unit 71a5. From this, the operation of lowering the heater blocks 18a and 18b of the lifting device 30 in the normal cycle is performed in two steps. The first lowering operation is performed to squeeze the upper part of the tubular film TFi filled with the product to be packaged in the squeezing parts 27A and 27B. The second lowering operation is performed when filling the product to be packaged into the tubular film TFi with the lower end horizontally sealed. Also, in the restart cycle, unlike the normal cycle, since there is no tubular film TFi filled with the product to be packaged below the heater blocks 18a and 18b, the operation of lowering the heater blocks 18a and 18b for performing the squeezing operation by the squeezing parts 27A and 27B is not performed. Only the operation of lowering the heater blocks 18a and 18b (horizontal seal descent 3) performed when filling the product to be packaged into the tubular film TFi with the lower end horizontally sealed is performed.

[0041] [Operations of the film feeding unit 16, longitudinal seal unit 17, and horizontal seal and cutting unit 18 in the normal cycle] Figure 9 is a timing chart showing the timing of the feeding of film Fi, the opening and closing and lifting of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b, and the opening and closing and lifting of the heater blocks 18a and 18b in one cycle in the normal cycle for the product name "AAAA" shown in Figure 7. In the figure, TC1 is the timing chart of the feeding operation of film Fi (film feeding operation), TC2 is the timing chart of the opening and closing operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b (vertical seal opening and closing operation), TC3 is the timing chart of the lifting operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b (vertical seal lifting operation), TC4 is the timing chart of the opening and closing operation of the heater blocks 18a and 18b (horizontal seal opening and closing operation), TC5 is the timing chart of the lifting operation of the heater blocks 18a and 18b (horizontal seal lifting operation). The vertical axis represents the speed of each operation, the horizontal axis represents time, the scale shown at the top indicates the cycle time obtained by dividing one cycle (the timing chart in Figure 9 has one cycle of 0.6 seconds) into 100 parts, and t0 to t16 are the elapsed times of one cycle. In this case, the film feed control unit 61b controls the operation of the servo motor 16M so that the feeding operation of the film Fi is performed according to the timing chart TC1. Also, the vertical seal block operation control unit 61c controls the operation of the servo motor 40M so that the opening and closing operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b is performed according to the timing chart TC2, and the vertical seal block operation control unit 61c controls the operation of the servo motor 50M so that the lifting operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b is performed according to the timing chart TC3. Furthermore, the heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operation of the servo motor 20M so that the opening and closing operation of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is performed according to the timing chart TC4, and the heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operation of the servo motor 30M so that the lifting operation of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is performed according to the timing chart TC5.

[0042] Figures 10 to 12 are operation state explanatory diagrams showing the states of respective operations at the main timings shown in FIG. 9 (FIG. 10 shows states A and B, FIG. 11 shows states C and D, and FIG. 12 shows states E and F). In the figures, P0 to P3 are the vertical (Y-direction) positions of the central grooves 18am and 18bm of the heater blocks 18a and 18b. P0 is the position (lowest position) when the heater blocks 18a and 18b are at the lowest point, P1 is the position (highest position) when the heater blocks 18a and 18b are at the highest point, P2 is the position when the heater blocks 18a and 18b descend in the first descending operation, and P3 is the position when the heater blocks 18a and 18b descend in the second descending operation. Q0 and Q1 are the vertical (Y-direction) positions of the lower ends of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b. Q0 is the position (lowest position) when the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b are at the lowest point, and Q1 is the position (highest position) when the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b are at the highest point. R0 to R2 are the horizontal (X-direction) positions of the left ends of the heater block 18a. R0 is the position when the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completely closed, R1 is the position when the heater blocks 18a and 18b are most open, and R2 is the position when the heater blocks 18a and 18b are closed in the first closing operation (the heater block 18b is at a position symmetric to the heater block 18a with respect to the horizontal center position of the tubular film TFi). CP is the product to be packaged. In the figure, the horizontal broken line at the upper part of the tubular film TFi is the lower end of the filling cylinder 14b, and the vertical seal portion of the tubular film TFi is omitted. Hereinafter, based on FIGS. 9 and 10 to 12, the operations of the film feeding unit 16, the vertical sealing unit 17, and the horizontal sealing and cutting unit 18 in a normal cycle will be described.

[0043] FIG. 10(a) shows state A in FIG. 9. State A shows the state at time t0 when the generation of one package Pc is completed and the generation of the next package Pc is started, that is, the start time of one cycle. FIG. 10(b) shows state B in FIG. 9. State B shows the state at time t5 (time "30") when the first film feeding operation (feeding operation 1) of the film Fi is completed. The operation from state A (time t0) to state B (time t5) will be described below. Regarding the film feeding operation, the first film feeding operation (feeding operation 1) of film Fi starts at time t0 (time "00") and ends at time t5 (time "30"). At this time, in feeding operation 1, the feeding of film Fi starts with an increasing speed, reaches a constant speed, and then decelerates and stops before the end. The same applies to other operations. Regarding the vertical seal opening / closing operation, the opening operation of vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b started in the previous cycle ends at time t1 (time "15"), and the closing operation of vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b starts at time t3 (time "20"). Regarding the vertical seal lifting operation, the lifting operation of vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b starts at time t0 (time "00") and ends at time t2 (time "18"). Regarding the horizontal seal opening / closing operation, the opening operation of heater blocks 18a and 18b started in the previous cycle ends at time t3 (time "20"), and then the first closing operation (closing operation 1) of heater blocks 18a and 18b starts at time t4 (time "25"). Regarding the horizontal seal lifting operation, the first lifting operation of heater blocks 18a and 18b starts at time t0 (time "00") and ends at time t5 (time "30"). In this case, heater blocks 18a and 18b move to the uppermost position P1 which is at a distance y1 from the lowermost position P0 in the vertical direction (Y direction). Heater block 18a moves to position R1 which is at a distance s1 to the left of position R0 in the horizontal direction (X direction). Vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b move to the uppermost position Q1 which is at a distance yq from the lowermost position Q0 in the vertical direction (Y direction). Also, the cylindrical film TFi descends with the packaged product CP filled therein.

[0044] Figs. 11(a) and (b) show states C and D in Fig. 9. State C shows the state at time t9 (time "60") when the first descending operation (descending operation 1) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is completed, and state D shows the state at time t10 (time "64") when the second closing operation (closing operation 2) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is completed. Hereinafter, the operations from state B (time t5) to state D (time t10) will be described. Regarding the vertical seal opening / closing operation, the closing operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b started at time t3 (time "20") ends at time t6 (time "32"). Thereby, the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b are completely closed and a vertical seal is applied to the tubular film TFi. Regarding the horizontal seal opening / closing operation, the first closing operation 1 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b started at time t4 (time "25") ends at time t7 (time "50"), and immediately after that, at time t8 (time "51"), the second closing operation (closing operation 2) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b starts and the closing operation 2 ends at time t10 (time "64"). Regarding the horizontal seal lifting / lowering operation, the first descending operation (descending operation 1) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b starts at time t5 (time "30") and the descending operation 1 ends at time t9 (time "60"). In this case, the heater blocks 18a and 18b move to a position P2 that is separated from the uppermost position P1 by a distance y2 in the vertical direction (Y direction), and the heater block 18a moves to the position R0 via a position R2 that is closer to the right by a distance s3 (from the position R0) than the position R1 in the horizontal direction (X direction). Thereby, the squeezing plates 18c and 18d sandwich the tubular film TFi below the heater blocks 18a and 18b, the shutter plates 18e and 18f sandwich the tubular film TFi above the heater blocks 18a and 18b, the squeezing plates 18c and 18d and the shutter plates 18e and 18f descend together with the heater blocks 18a and 18b, and the upper part of the tubular film TFi filled with the product to be packaged CP is squeezed by the squeezing plates 18c and 18d. Also, upon completion of the closing operation 2, the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completely closed and a horizontal seal is applied to the tubular film TFi. Then, as shown in Fig. 11(b), when the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completely closed and the horizontal seal starts (time t10), the packaged product CP introduced from the packaged product introduction device 80 is inside the filling cylinder 14b or the hopper 14a and has not reached the bottom of the tubular film TFi.

[0045] Figs. 12(a) and (b) show the states E and F in Fig. 9. State E shows the state at time t12 (time "66") when the descending speed of the second descending operation (descending operation 2) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b becomes constant, and state F shows the state at time t14 (time "90") when the second descending operation 2 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b ends. The operations from state D (time t10) to state F (time t14) will be described below. Regarding the film feeding operation, the second feeding operation (feeding operation 2) of the film Fi starts at time t11 (time "65") and ends at time t14 (time "90"). Regarding the vertical seal lifting and lowering operation, the descending operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b starts at time t11 (time "65") and ends at time t14 (time "90"). Regarding the horizontal seal lifting and lowering operation, the second descending operation (descending operation 2) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b starts at time t11 (time "65"), the descending speed of the descending operation 2 becomes constant at time t12 (time "66"), and the descending operation 2 ends at time t14 (time "90"). That is, at time t11 immediately after time t10 when the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completely closed and the horizontal seal starts, the second descending operation 2 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b starts. Synchronous with this descending operation 2, the feeding operation 2 of the film Fi and the descending operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b start. When the second descending operation 2 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b ends, the feeding operation 2 of the film Fi and the descending operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b end synchronously. In this case, the heater blocks 18a and 18b move in the vertical direction (Y direction) from position P2 to position P3 which is at a distance y3 away from position P2 at time t12 (time "66"), and then move from position P3 to the lowest position P0 which is at a distance y4 away from position P3 at time t14 (time "90"). The vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b move in the vertical direction (Y direction) from the uppermost position Q1 to the lowest position Q0 which is at a distance yq away from the uppermost position Q1.

[0046] Then, as shown in Fig. 12(a), the packaged product CP input from the packaged product input device 80 reaches the bottom of the tubular film TFi at time t12 when the descending speed of the descending operation 2 becomes constant, and the packaged product CP is filled into the tubular film TFi. The filling of the packaged product CP is completed at time t13 (time "80") within the time when the descending operation 2 continues. During the filling of the packaged product CP, the bottom of the tubular film TFi (the upper part of the heater blocks 18a and 18b) is blocked by the shutter plates 18e and 18f, preventing the packaged product CP from being sandwiched in the lateral seal portion of the tubular film TFi. At the same time, the receiving plates 18g and 18h receive the packaged product CP that has reached the bottom of the tubular film TFi, preventing the lower part of the tubular film TFi (the upper part of the heater blocks 18a and 18b) from bulging outward significantly due to the accumulation of the filled packaged product CP. Also, due to the descending operation 2, the impact caused by the fall of the packaged product CP input into the tubular film TFi is alleviated and its bounce is suppressed, and the filling of the packaged product CP into the tubular film TFi is completed during the descending operation 2. Furthermore, the distance yq by which the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b descend is greater than the distance (y3 + y4) by which the heater blocks 18a and 18b descend due to the descending operation 2. When the descents of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b and the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completed, as shown in Fig. 12(b), a bulge (slack) is formed at the bottom of the tubular film TFi, thereby improving the filling efficiency of the packaged product CP. Note that the timing (time) when the product to be packaged CP reaches the bottom of the tubular film TFi may be immediately before or after the time t12 when the descending speed of the descending operation 2 becomes constant. The timing (time) when the filling of the product to be packaged CP is completed may be any time while the descending speed of the descending operation 2 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is constant.

[0047] Here, although the product input device 80 is controlled by a product input device control unit 82 separate from the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60, the time of one cycle of the product input device control unit 80 is set to be synchronized with one cycle of the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60. Then, the input timing of the product to be packaged CP to the product supply unit 14 (hopper 14a), the start timing of the horizontal seal descent 2, etc. are set so that the product to be packaged CP input from the weigher 81 of the product input device 80 reaches the bottom of the tubular film TFi at the time t12 when the descending speed of the descending operation 2 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b becomes constant. Specifically, the time for the product to be packaged CP input from the weigher 81 to reach the bottom of the tubular film TFi is 0.3 to 0.6 seconds. The input timing of the product to be packaged CP in the weigher 81 is set so that the product to be packaged CP reaches the bottom of the tubular film TFi after the time "60" in one cycle. Based on this input timing, the timing of the descending operation 2 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b, etc. is set.

[0048] [Standby state when the product to be packaged CP is not input] Here, when the product to be packaged CP is not input from the weigher 81 of the product input device 80 to the product supply unit 14 (hopper 14a) of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 enters a standby state and stops manufacturing the package Pc. The operation in which the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 enters the standby state will be described below. In the packaged product input device 80, when the packaged product cannot be input from the weighing machine 81 to the packaged product supply unit 14 (hopper 14a) of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 at a predetermined timing, the packaged product input device control unit 82 transmits a packaged product input impossible signal to the operation panel 70 via the communication line CL2. At the operation panel 70, the transmission / reception unit 73 receives the packaged product input impossible signal and sends it to the computer 71. Based on this packaged product input impossible signal, the operation standby / cancellation command unit 71b in the computer 71 generates a standby command signal and sends it to the transmission / reception unit 73. The transmission / reception unit 73 transmits the standby command signal to the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 via the communication line CL1. In the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60, the transmission / reception unit 63 receives the standby command signal and sends it to the arithmetic control unit 61. Based on this standby command signal, the arithmetic control unit 61 controls the film feed control unit 61b to put the servo motor 16M (film feed unit 16) in the standby state, the vertical seal block operation control unit 61c to put the servo motor 40M (vertical seal block opening / closing device 40) and the servo motor 50M (lifting device 50) in the standby state, and the heater block operation control unit 61d to put the servo motor 20M (horizontal seal device 20) and the servo motor 30M (lifting device 30) in the standby state. In this case, the servo motor 16M (film feed unit 16) etc. stop after the operation of one cycle is completed and enter the standby state. Specifically, for example, in the timing chart of one cycle shown in FIG. 9, assuming that the standby command signal is sent to the arithmetic control unit 61 between time t0 and t1, the film feed control unit 61b, the vertical seal block operation control unit 61c, and the heater block operation control unit 61d perform the operations of the already started cycle until the end according to the timing chart shown in FIG. 9 for the servo motor 16M (film feed unit 16), the servo motor 40M (vertical seal block opening / closing device 40) and the servo motor 50M (lifting device of the vertical seal block), and the servo motor 20M (horizontal seal device 20) and the servo motor 30M (lifting device of the heater block), stop without entering the next cycle, and enter the standby state.

[0049] FIG. 13 is an operation state explanatory diagram showing the operation states of the heater blocks 18a, 18b, etc. at times t10 and t12. The operation state at time t10 is defined as state D' (FIG. (a) thereof), and the operation state at time t12 is defined as state E' (FIG. (b) thereof). Similar to the case of a normal cycle, in state D', the first film Fi feeding operation (feeding operation 1), the closing operations of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b, and the first lowering operation of the heater blocks 18a and 18b (lowering operation 1) have already been completed. Also, the second closing operation of the heater blocks 18a and 18b (closing operation 2) has been completed, and it is the state at the time (time t10) when the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completely closed and the horizontal seal is started. However, in state D', since the packaged product CP is not input from the metering machine 81, there is no packaged product CP falling into the filling cylinder 14b. That is, state D' is different from state D shown in FIG. 11(b) in that there is no packaged product CP falling into the filling cylinder 14b. Similar to the case of a normal cycle, in state E', it is the state at the time (time t12) when the descending speeds of the second film Fi feeding operation (feeding operation 2), the descending operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b, and the second descending operation of the heater blocks 18a and 18b (descending operation 2) starting at time t11 have become constant. However, in state E', since the packaged product CP is not input from the metering machine 81, there is no packaged product CP falling into the tubular film TFi and reaching the bottom. That is, state E' is different from state E shown in FIG. 12(a) in that there is no packaged product CP falling into the tubular film TFi and reaching the bottom.

[0050] FIG. 14 is an operation state explanatory diagram showing the operation states of the heater blocks 18a, 18b, etc. at time t14 when one cycle is completed and the standby state is reached. The operation state at time t14 is defined as state F' (FIG. (a) thereof), and the operation state when the standby state is reached is defined as state G (FIG. (b) thereof). The state F' is the state at the time (time t14) when the second film Fi feeding operation (feeding operation 2), the descending operations of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b, and the second descending operation (descending operation 2) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completed, similar to the case of a normal cycle. However, the inside of the tubular film TFi is empty without being filled with the product CP to be packaged. That is, the state F' is different from the state F shown in Fig. 12(b) in that the inside of the tubular film TFi is empty without being filled with the product CP to be packaged. In the state G, the second film Fi feeding operation (feeding operation 2), the descending operations of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b, and the second descending operation (descending operation 2) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b have already been completed. The servo motors 16M (film feeding unit 16), 50M (lifting device 50), and 30M (lifting device 30) are in a stopped state. The opening operations of the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b and the heater blocks 18a and 18b that started at time t15 continue even at time t16 when one cycle is completed. The vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b and the heater blocks 18a and 18b are fully opened and completed, and the servo motors 40M (vertical seal block opening / closing device 40) and 20M (horizontal seal device 20) are in a stopped state. That is, the state G is different from the state shown at the time (time t16) when one cycle shown in Fig. 9 is completed in that the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b and the heater blocks 18a and 18b are fully opened. In the standby state of this state G, the heater blocks 18a and 18b are at position P0 in the vertical direction (Y direction) and at position R1 in the horizontal direction (X direction). Also, the tip side of the tubular film TFi is horizontally sealed by the heater blocks 18a and 18b, and the tip of the horizontal seal part ys is at position P0.

[0051] Therefore, in the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, when the packaged product CP is not input from the weighing machine 81 to the packaged product supply unit 14 (hopper 14a), when a standby command signal is issued from the operation standby / release command unit 71b, the servo motors 16M (film feeding unit 16), 40M (vertical seal block opening / closing device 40), 50M (vertical seal block lifting device 50), 20M (horizontal seal device 20), and 30M (heater block lifting device 30) in the ongoing cycle continue their operations as they are. When the ongoing cycle ends, the servo motors 16M (film feeding unit 16), 50M (vertical seal block lifting device 50), and 30M (heater block lifting device 30) that have completed their operations enter a standby state while remaining stopped, and the servo motors 40M (vertical seal block opening / closing device 40) and 20M (horizontal seal device 20) that are operating when the ongoing cycle ends continue their operations as they are. They stop operating when the vertical seal blocks 17a, 17b and the heater blocks 18a, 18b are fully opened and enter a standby state. Also, when the vertical pillow packaging machine 1 is started, after the operation preparations of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, the packaged product input device 80, and other devices interlocked with the vertical pillow packaging machine 1 are completed, the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 is put into a standby state, and the tubular film TFi, the vertical seal blocks 17a, 17b, the heater blocks 18a, 18b, etc. are set to the state G in Fig. 14(b). Based on the packaged product input enable signal from the packaged product input device 80 (packaged product input device control unit 82), the operation standby / release command unit 71b sends a standby release command signal to the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60, and the first cycle starts.

[0052] [Operations of the film feeding unit 16 and the horizontal seal / cutting unit 18 in the restart cycle] Figure 15 is a timing chart showing the timing of the feeding of film Fi, the opening / closing, raising / lowering operations of heater blocks 18a and 18b in the restart cycle for the product name "AAAA" shown in Figure 8. In the figure, TC11 is the timing chart of the feeding operation of film Fi (film feeding operation), TC14 is the timing chart of the opening / closing operation of heater blocks 18a and 18b (horizontal seal opening / closing operation), TC15 is the timing chart of the raising / lowering operation of heater blocks 18a and 18b (horizontal seal raising / lowering operation). The vertical axis, horizontal axis, and scale shown at the top are the same as those in the timing chart shown in Figure 9. t0, t4, t5, t7, t10 to t16 are the same elapsed times as those in the timing chart shown in Figure 9. In this case, the film feed control unit 61b controls the operation of the servo motor 16M so that the feeding operation of film Fi is performed according to the timing chart TC11. Also, the heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operation of the servo motor 20M so that the opening / closing operation of heater blocks 18a and 18b is performed according to the timing chart TC14, and the heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operation of the servo motor 30M so that the raising / lowering operation of heater blocks 18a and 18b is performed according to the timing chart TC15. Note that the vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b do not perform opening / closing and raising / lowering operations and continue to be in a stopped state.

[0053] Figures 16 to 18 are operation state explanatory diagrams showing the states of each operation at the main timings shown in Figure 15 (Figure 16 shows states A” and B”, Figure 17 shows states C” and D”, Figure 18 shows states E” and F”). In the figures, P0 to P3 are the vertical (Y-direction) positions of the central grooves 18am and 18bm of heater blocks 18a and 18b, which are the same as those in Figures 10 to 12. R0 to R2 are the horizontal (X-direction) positions of the left end of heater block 18a, which are the same as those in Figures 10 to 12. Hereinafter, based on Figures 15 and 16 to 18, the operations of the film feeding unit 16, the vertical seal unit 17, and the horizontal seal / cutting unit 18 in the restart cycle will be described. In the packaged product input device 80, when the packaged product can be input from the weighing machine 81 to the packaged product supply unit 14 (hopper 14a) of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, the packaged product input device control unit 82 transmits a packaged product input enable signal to the operation panel 70 via the communication line CL2. On the operation panel 70, the transmission / reception unit 73 receives the packaged product input enable signal and sends it to the computer 71. Based on this packaged product input enable signal, the operation standby / cancellation command unit 71b in the computer 71 generates a standby cancellation command signal and sends it to the transmission / reception unit 73. The transmission / reception unit 73 transmits the standby cancellation command signal to the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 via the communication line CL1. In the vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60, the transmission / reception unit 63 receives the standby cancellation command signal and sends it to the arithmetic control unit 61. Based on this standby cancellation command signal, the film feed control unit 61b in the arithmetic control unit 61 controls the operation of the servo motor 16M (film feed unit 16), and the heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operations of the servo motor 20M (horizontal sealing device 20) and the servo motor 30M (lifting device 30).

[0054] Figure 16(a) shows the state A” in Figure 15. The state A” indicates the state at time t0, which is the start point of the restart cycle, and is the same as the state G shown in Figure 14(b). Figure 16(b) shows the state B” in Figure 15. The state B” indicates the state at time t5 (time “30”) when the reverse feed operation of the film Fi and the upward movement 2 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b are completed. Hereinafter, the operation from state A” (time t0) to state B” (time t5) will be described. Regarding the film feed operation, at time t0 (time “00”), the reverse feed operation of the film Fi, that is, the operation of raising the cylindrical film TFi, starts, and the reverse feed operation ends at time t5 (time “30”). In a normal cycle, since the cylindrical film TFi is filled with the product CP to be packaged, the feeding operation 1 of the film Fi is performed from time t0 to time t5. However, in the restart cycle, since the cylindrical film TFi is not filled with the product CP to be packaged, the reverse feeding operation of the film Fi as described above is performed, and the tip of the horizontal seal portion ys of the cylindrical film TFi rises from position P0 to position P2 (a position lowered by a distance y2 from the uppermost position P1). Regarding the horizontal seal opening / closing operation, at time t4 (time "25"), the closing operation 3 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b starts. This closing operation 3 is the same as the closing operation 1 in a normal cycle. Regarding the horizontal seal lifting / lowering operation, at time t0 (time "00"), the lifting operation 2 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b starts, and this lifting operation 2 ends at time t5 (time "30"). In this lifting operation 2, the lifting positions of the heater blocks 18a and 18b are different from those in the case of a normal cylindrical cycle because ironing of the cylindrical film TFi by the ironing plates 18c and 18d is not required. The heater blocks 18a and 18b rise from position P0 to position P2 instead of the uppermost position P1. From this, the heater blocks 18a and 18b move to a position P2 that is separated from the lowermost position P0 by a distance (y1 - y2) in the vertical direction (Y direction), different from a normal cycle, and the tip of the horizontal seal portion ys of the cylindrical film TFi also moves from position P0 to position P2.

[0055] Figures 17(a) and (b) show states C” and D” of FIG. 15. State C” shows the state at time t7 (time "50") when the closing operation 3 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b has ended, and state D” shows the state at time t10 (time "64") immediately before the feeding operation 3 of the film Fi and the lowering operation 3 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b start. Hereinafter, the operations from state B” (time t5) to state D” (time t10) will be described. Regarding the horizontal seal opening / closing operation, the closing operation 3 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b that started at time t4 (time "25") ends at time t7 (time "50"). In the normal cycle, after the closing operation 1 (the same as the closing operation 3) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is completed, the second closing operation (closing operation 2) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is performed to perform the horizontal seal. However, in the restart cycle, since the horizontal seal is not performed, the second closing operation (closing operation 2) of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is not performed, and the heater block 18a and the heater block 18b are close to each other, and there is a certain small gap (a gap twice the distance s3 that the heater blocks 18a and 18b move due to the closing operation 2) between the two heater blocks. Also, different from the normal cycle, since there is no tubular film TFi filled with the product to be packaged under the heater blocks 18a and 18b, the operation of lowering the heater blocks 18a and 18b for the squeezing operation by the squeezing parts 27A and 27B (squeezing plates 18c and 18d) (the lowering operation 1 in the normal cycle) is not performed. Then, as shown in FIG. 17(b), in the state D” at time t10 when a little time has elapsed from time t9, the heater blocks 18a and 18b are in a stationary state close to each other with a certain small gap, and the product CP input from the weigher 81 of the product input device 80 has reached inside the filling cylinder 14b or the hopper 14a, but has not reached the bottom of the tubular film TFi.

[0056] FIGS. 18(a) and (b) show the states E” and F” in FIG. 15. The state E” shows the state at time t12 (time “66”) when the lowering speed of the lowering operation 3 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b becomes constant, and the state F” shows the state at time t14 (time “90”) when the lowering operation 3 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is completed. Hereinafter, the operations from the state D” (time t10) to the state F” (time t14) will be described. Regarding the film feeding operation, the feeding operation 3 of the film Fi starts at time t11 (time “65”), and the feeding operation 3 ends at time t14 (time “90”). This feeding operation 3 is the same as the feeding operation 2 in the normal cycle. Regarding the horizontal seal lifting operation, the downward movement 3 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b starts at time t11 (time "65"), the downward speed of the downward movement 3 becomes constant at time t12 (time "66"), and the downward movement 3 ends at time t14 (time "90"). This downward movement 3 is the same as the downward movement 2 in the normal cycle. That is, in the restart cycle, the heater blocks 18a and 18b perform the same downward movement as in the normal cycle, but in a state where there is a slight constant gap instead of being completely closed as in the normal cycle. In this case, the tips of the heater blocks 18a and 18b and the horizontal seal portion ys of the tubular film TFi move in the vertical direction (Y direction) from position P2 to a position P3 that is separated by a distance y3 at time t12 (time "66"), and move to the lowest position P0 that is separated by a distance y4 from position P3 at time t14 (time "90").

[0057] Then, as shown in Fig. 18(a), the packaged product CP input from the weighing machine 81 of the packaged product input device 80 reaches the bottom of the tubular film TFi at time t12 when the feeding speed of the tubular film TFi and the downward movement speed of the heater blocks 18a and 18b become constant, and the packaged product CP is filled into the tubular film TFi. The filling of the packaged product CP ends at time t13 (time "80") within the time when the feeding movement 3 and the downward movement 3 continue. During the filling of the packaged product CP, the upper side of the horizontal seal portion ys of the tubular film TFi is clamped by the shutter plates 18e and 18f, and the packaged product CP that has reached the bottom of the tubular film TFi is received by the receiving plates 18g and 18h, preventing the lower part of the tubular film TFi (the upper part of the heater blocks 18a and 18b) from swelling outward greatly due to the accumulation of the filled packaged product CP. Also, due to the feeding movement 3 and the downward movement 3, the impact caused by the fall of the packaged product CP input into the tubular film TFi is alleviated and its bounce is suppressed, and the filling of the packaged product CP into the tubular film TFi ends during the continuation of the feeding movement 3 and the downward movement 3. In this way, during the restart cycle, the heater blocks 18a and 18b descend in a state where they are close to the cylindrical film TFi with a certain small gap and do not contact it. Since the articles to be packaged CP that have reached the bottom of the cylindrical film TFi are received by the receiving plates 18g and 18h, the package Pc is manufactured in the same manner as in the normal cycle without damaging or melting the cylindrical film TF. Note that the timing (time) at which the article to be packaged CP reaches the bottom of the cylindrical film TFi may be immediately before or after the time t12 when the descending speed of the descending operation 4 becomes constant. The timing (time) at which the filling of the article to be packaged CP is completed may be any time while the descending speed of the descending operation 4 of the heater blocks 18a and 18b is constant.

[0058] As described above, the vertical pillow packaging machine 1 includes a vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, a vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 that controls the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, and an operation panel 70 for operating the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10. The vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 includes a film feeding unit 16 that feeds the film Fi in the vertical direction, a tube forming unit 15 that forms the film Fi into a tubular film TFi, a packaged product supply unit 14 that supplies the packaged product CP input by the packaged product input device 80 and fills it into the tubular film TFi, a vertical seal unit 17 that applies a vertical seal to the tubular film TFi, and a horizontal seal and cutting unit 18 that applies a horizontal seal and cutting to the vertically sealed tubular film TFi. The horizontal seal and cutting unit 18 includes a horizontal seal device 20 that opens and closes a pair of heater blocks 18a, 18b, and a lifting device 30 that raises and lowers the pair of heater blocks 18a, 18b. The vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 includes a film feeding control unit 61b that controls the operation of the film feeding unit 16, a vertical seal block operation control unit 61c that controls the operation of the vertical seal blocks 17a, 17b of the vertical seal unit 17, and a heater block operation control unit 61d that controls the operation of the horizontal seal device 20 and the lifting device 30. The operation panel 70 includes a computer 71 having an operation standby and release command unit 71b that issues a standby command signal for stopping the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 and putting it into a standby state, and a standby release command signal for starting the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 in the standby state. In the first cycle when the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 starts operating based on the standby release command signal from the operation standby and release command unit 71b, the film feeding control unit 61b controls the operation of the film feeding unit 16 to raise the position of the horizontal seal portion ys of the tubular film TFi, and the heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operation of the lifting device 30 to raise the heater blocks 18a, 18b. Then, the heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operation of the horizontal seal device 20 to bring the heater block 18a and the heater block 18b close to each other with a certain small gap remaining. Further, the film feeding control unit 61b controls the operation of the film feeding unit 16 to lower the tubular film TFi before the packaged product CP input from the weighing machine 81 of the packaged product input device 80 reaches the bottom of the tubular film TFi. At the same time, the heater block operation control unit 61d controls the operation of the lifting device 30 to control the heater blocks 18a,Lower 18b. As a result, in the vertical pillow packaging machine 1, when starting up the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10 or resuming operation from the standby state of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body 10, in the first cycle, the tubular film TF is not damaged or melted and wasted, and the package Pc is manufactured in the same manner as in a normal cycle without consuming extra energy.

Industrial Applicability

[0059] The vertical pillow packaging machine of the present invention can manufacture the first package produced in the same manner as the packages produced after the second time without damaging or melting the packaging material film and wasting it, and without consuming extra energy when starting up or resuming operation from the standby state, and can be used for a vertical pillow packaging machine that eliminates waste of the packaging material film.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0060] 1 Vertical pillow packaging machine 10 Vertical pillow packaging machine main body 11 Film (packaging material) supply unit 12 Tension adjustment unit 12a Rotating arm 12b Fixed roller 13 Date printing unit 13a Date printing device 13b Lifting roller 14 Product to be packaged supply unit 14a Hopper 14b Filling cylinder 15 Tube forming unit 15a Tube former (former) 15b Pressing member 15c Slide roller 16 Film feeding unit 16a Pulley 16b Feeding belt 16M Servo motor 17 Vertical seal unit 17a, 17b Vertical seal blocks 18 Horizontal seal and cutting unit 18a and 18b heater blocks 18am and 18bm central grooves 18c and 18d pressing plates 18e and 18f shutter plates 18g and 18h receiving plates 19 packaging body discharge part 19a belt conveyor 20 horizontal sealing device 20M servo motor 20Ma rotating shaft 21 block holder 21a guide hole 22 block holder 23 opening and closing toggle mechanism 23a rotating arm 23b and 23c driven arms 24 holder drive block 25 support block 25a and 25b frame parts 25c connecting part 26a and 26b connecting rods 27A and 27B pressing parts 28A and 28B shutter parts 27a1, 27a2, 27a3, 27a4, 28a1, 28a2, 28a3, 28a4 moving rods 27at1, 27at2, 27at3, 27at4, 28at1, 28at2, 28at3, 28at4 flanges 27b1, 27b2, 27b3, 27b4, 27c1, 27c2, 27c3, 27c4, 28b1, 28b2, 28b3, 28b4, 28c1, 28c2, 28c3, 28c4 holding plates 27s1, 27s2, 27s3, 27s4, 28s1, 28s2, 28s3, 28s4 springs 29 cutting device 29a support plate 29b air cylinder 29c piston rod 29d slider 29e and 29f guide rods 30 lifting device 30M servo motor Brackets 31a and 31b Timing belt 32 Belt gripping member 32a Connecting plate 33 Drive pulley 34 Pulley shaft 34a Driven pulley 35 Pulley shaft 35a Lifting guide rods 36a and 36b Vertical seal block opening / closing device 40 Servo motor 40M Lifting device 50 Servo motor 50M Vertical pillow packaging machine control unit 60 Arithmetic control unit 61 Drive equipment control unit 61a Film feed control unit 61b Vertical seal block operation control unit 61c Heater block operation control unit 61d Memory unit 62 Transmission / reception unit 63 Operation panel 70 Computer 71 Operation timing setting unit 71a Film feed timing setting unit 71a1 Vertical seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a2 Vertical seal lifting timing setting unit 71a3 Horizontal seal opening / closing timing setting unit 71a4 Horizontal seal lifting timing setting unit 71a5 Operation standby / cancel command unit 71b Transmission / reception unit 73 Input display unit 74 Packaged product input device 80 Weighing machine 81 Packaged product input device control unit 82 Communication lines CL1 and CL2 Packaged product CP Film (packaging material) Fi Guide roller gr Wound film MF Package Pc Timing charts for TC1 to TC4 TFi Tubular film (tubular packaging material) ts Longitudinal seal part ys Transverse seal part

Claims

1. a vertical pillow packaging machine body including packaging material feed means for vertically feeding packaging material, tubular packaging material forming means for forming the packaging material fed by the packaging material feed means into a tubular packaging material, packaged product filling means for feeding packaged products input by packaged product input means and filling the tubular packaging material, vertical sealing means for vertically sealing the tubular packaging material, and horizontal sealing and cutting means for horizontally sealing and cutting the tubular packaging material vertically sealed by the vertical sealing means, the vertical pillow packaging machine body producing a plurality of packages each having one package packed with the packaged product as one cycle; A vertical pillow packaging machine control means having a function of controlling the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body; a standby command for stopping the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body and putting it into a standby state when the packaged product input means cannot input the packaged product to the packaged product filling means, and an operation standby / release command means for issuing a standby release command for starting the operation of the vertical pillow packaging machine main body in the standby state; A vertical pillow packaging machine comprising: the transverse seal cutting means includes a heater block opening / closing means for opening and closing a pair of heater blocks, and a heater block lifting means for lifting and lowering the pair of heater blocks, The vertical pillow packaging machine control means includes a packaging material feeding operation control means for controlling the operation of the packaging material feeding means, and a heater block operation control means for controlling the operation of the heater block opening / closing means and the heater block lifting / lowering means, a packaging material feed operation control means for controlling the operation of the packaging material feed means so as to raise the position of the horizontal seal of the tubular packaging material on which the horizontal seal has been applied, and a heater block operation control means for controlling the operation of the heater block lifting means so as to raise the position of the pair of heater blocks, and then the heater block operation control means for controlling the operation of the heater block opening and closing means so as to bring the pair of heater blocks close to each other leaving a certain gap, and further, the packaging material feed operation control means for controlling the operation of the packaging material feed means so as to lower the tubular packaging material before the packaged product fed from the packaged product feeding means to the packaged product filling means reaches the bottom of the tubular packaging material, and the heater block operation control means for controlling the operation of the heater block lifting means so as to lower the pair of heater blocks in accordance with the descent of the tubular packaging material.

2. 2. The vertical pillow packaging machine of claim 1, wherein the horizontal seal cutting means is provided with a squeezing means for squeezing the portion of the tubular packaging material where the horizontal seal is to be applied, and the constant gap is the same as the gap formed when the pair of heater blocks are brought into close proximity when the squeezing means squeezes the portion where the horizontal seal is to be applied.

3. 2. The vertical pillow packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal seal cutting means is provided with a shutter means that clamps the upper side of the horizontally sealed portion of the tubular packaging material when the pair of heater blocks approach each other with the certain gap between them.

4. 4. The vertical pillow packaging machine according to claim 3, wherein the shutter means is provided with a receiving plate for receiving the packaged article which has been inserted by the packaged article inserting means and which has reached the bottom of the tubular packaging material.

5. 2. The vertical pillow packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein an operating means for operating the vertical pillow packaging machine body or the vertical pillow packaging machine control means is provided with the operation standby / cancel command means.

6. The vertical pillow packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the operation standby / release command means issues the standby release command based on a packaged product input ready signal indicating that the packaged product can be input from the packaged product input means to the packaged product filling means.

7. The vertical sealing means includes a vertical heater block opening / closing means for opening and closing a pair of vertical seal blocks, and a vertical seal block lifting means for lifting and lowering the pair of vertical seal blocks, The vertical pillow packaging machine control means includes a vertical seal block operation control means for controlling the operation of the vertical seal block opening / closing means and the vertical seal block lifting / lowering means, The vertical pillow packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the standby command is issued from the operation standby / cancellation command means, the packaging material feed operation control means controls the operation of the packaging material feed means so that the packaging material feed means operates in the same way as when the standby command is not issued from the operation standby / cancellation command means, the heater block operation control means controls the operation of the heater block opening / closing means and the heater block lifting / lowering means, and the vertical seal block operation control means controls the operation of the vertical seal block opening / closing means and the vertical seal block lifting / lowering means to complete one cycle, after which the vertical pillow packaging machine main body stops operating and enters a standby state.

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