Tray seal machine and production method of tray pack

Abstract

To provide a tray seal machine capable of identifying a seal position through tracing back it where the tray pack had been placed on the basis of a tray pack.SOLUTION: Cover film material 51 with a supply unit length is normally supplied to a seal system 13 for attaching a cover film on a plurality of trays 3 arranged on a plurality of seal positions P1 to P4, respectively. The cover film material 51 comprises position information showing seal positions P1 to P4. When defects of print parts and seams on the cover film material 51 are detected, the cover film material 51 in a supply unit length including the print defect part and the like is skipped and the cover film material 51 in a subsequent supply unit length L1 is supplied to the seal system 13. This makes the seal positions P1 to P4 on the cover film material 51 and the seal position P1 to P4 on the seal system 13 securely coincide with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tray sealing machine for producing a tray pack in which a cover film is attached to a tray containing contents, and to a method for producing a tray pack. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, various foods and the like have often been sold in plastic containers with plastic lids fastened to the containers with rubber bands, etc. However, in recent years, in order to extend expiration dates, reduce food waste, and reduce the amount of plastic used, tray packs have been increasingly adopted, which include a tray that can hold the contents of the food and a cover film attached to the tray, sealing the inside of the tray.

[0003] Tray packs can be manufactured using a tray sealing machine. The tray sealing machine is equipped with, for example, a printing device, a material splicing device, and a sealing device. The printing device forms a predetermined print on a strip of cover film material being conveyed upstream of the sealing device. The material splicing device automatically connects the end of the cover film material being conveyed with the beginning of the next cover film material, enabling continuous supply of cover film material to the sealing device. The sealing device has the function of cutting the cover film material to obtain a cover film and attaching the cover film to a tray.

[0004] A tray sealing machine equipped with a printing device that makes it possible to prevent the production of defective tray packs due to defective printing is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This tray sealing machine is equipped with a print inspection device (printing inspection device) for inspecting the printed portion (printing) formed by the printing device, and if the print inspection device detects a defective printing portion, it controls the supply of cover film material to the sealing device so that the defectively printed portion of the cover film material is not attached to the tray. More specifically, if the normal amount of cover film material is supplied to the sealing device, the defectively printed portion of the cover film material will stop at a position corresponding to the sealing device and be attached to the tray as is. In this case, the tray sealing machine controls the supply of cover film material to the sealing device so that the defectively printed portion is conveyed downstream of the sealing device through the sealing device.

[0005] The sealing device also includes a heating plate for attaching the cover film to the tray. Some sealing devices include a heating plate for each of a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material, and use these heating plates to simultaneously attach the cover film to each of a plurality of trays arranged at each sealing position.

[0006] However, in manufactured tray packs, defects caused by the sealing device (for example, poor sealing or poor appearance due to cutting of the cover film material) may occur. When such defects occur, it is necessary to identify the cause of the defect in the sealing device and take measures to resolve the cause. Here, sealing devices that attach cover films to multiple trays at once are usually large and complex, so it is not easy to identify the cause of the defect in such a sealing device.

[0007] Therefore, in order to make it relatively easy to identify the cause of the defect, a technique has been proposed in which a different raised portion is provided for each heating plate (see, for example, Patent Document 2). With this technique, an identifier for identifying the heating plate used to manufacture the tray pack is formed on the tray pack by pressing the heated raised portion against the tray. Then, if a defective tray pack is manufactured, it becomes possible to trace back and identify the heating plate used to manufacture the tray pack from the identifier formed on the tray pack. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-78033 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2013-515654 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, with the above technique, due to the influence of the raised portion, it is difficult to properly attach the cover film to the tray, and there is a risk that poor sealing may occur.

[0010] Furthermore, the sealing device does not consist of only a heating plate, but also includes various devices such as a receiving portion for receiving the heating plate, an adjusting means for adjusting the clamping pressure of the tray and cover film, and a cutter for cutting the cover film material. Therefore, in order to identify the cause of the defect, it is necessary to identify the sealing position, not the heating plate. In this regard, since the heating plate is usually configured to be able to be positioned at any sealing position, considering that it is positioned at a different position, the above technology cannot identify in which sealing position the defective tray pack was positioned when it was manufactured.

[0011] Therefore, it is conceivable to provide position information indicating the seal position for the cover film material, thereby providing position information for each individual tray pack. In this case, based on the position information provided for the tray pack, it becomes possible to trace back and identify the seal position where this tray pack was placed.

[0012] However, in a configuration in which position information is provided on the cover film material, if the supply of the cover film material to the sealing device is controlled so that the defective printed portion is simply transported downstream of the sealing device in order to prevent the production of defective tray packs due to defective printing, as in Patent Document 1, there is a risk of a "misalignment" occurring between the sealing position indicated by the position information provided on the cover film material and the sealing position of the sealing device. If such a "misalignment" occurs, it becomes impossible to identify the sealing position based on the position information provided on the tray pack.

[0013] Furthermore, in order to prevent the production of defective tray packs, it is preferable not to attach the portion of the cover film material where the seam is located to the tray. However, if Patent Document 1 is used to simply control the supply of the cover film material so that the seam is transported downstream of the sealing device, there is a risk that a similar "misalignment" will occur.

[0014] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a tray sealing machine or the like that can trace back and identify the sealing position in which a tray pack was placed based on the tray pack. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The following describes each of the means suitable for achieving the above object, with specific effects of the corresponding means added as necessary.

[0016] Means 1. A tray sealing machine for producing a tray pack by attaching a cover film to a tray containing contents, a sealing means for cutting a strip-shaped cover film material to obtain the cover film, and for attaching the cover film to each of the plurality of trays arranged at a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material; a material supplying means for supplying the cover film material to the sealing means; a printing means disposed upstream of the sealing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material, the printing means performing a printing process on the cover film material to provide a printing portion on the cover film material; a print inspection means disposed downstream of the printing means and upstream of the sealing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material, for determining whether the printed portion is good or bad; Position information indicating the seal position is provided on a portion of the cover film material that will become the cover film, The material supply means The cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means by one unit supply length, which corresponds to the same number of trays as the number of sealing positions, so that the sealing positions indicated by the position information provided on the cover film material and the sealing positions related to the sealing means always coincide with each other; A tray sealing machine characterized in that, when the printing inspection means determines that the printed portion is defective, the one unit supply length of cover film material including the printed portion that was determined to be defective is skipped, and the next one unit supply length of cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information assigned to the next one unit supply length of cover film material matches the sealing position associated with the sealing means.

[0017] According to the above-described method 1, a unit supply length of cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information provided on the cover film material always matches the sealing position of the sealing means. On the other hand, if a defective printed section is determined, the unit supply length of cover film material including the defective printed section is skipped, and the next unit supply length of cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information provided on the next unit supply length of cover film material matches the sealing position of the sealing means. Therefore, even if a defective printed section occurs, the sealing position of the cover film material can be matched with the sealing position of the sealing means. This allows the sealing position at which the manufactured tray pack was placed to be identified based on the position information of the tray pack. As a result, when a malfunction caused by the sealing means (e.g., a sealing malfunction) occurs, the cause of the malfunction can be more easily identified, and appropriate measures can be taken promptly.

[0018] In addition, the portion of the cover film material with the defective printed portion is not attached to the tray but is conveyed downstream of the sealing means, which more reliably prevents the production of defective tray packs due to defective printed portions and reduces the cost of producing tray packs.

[0019] Means 2. The printing means has a function of printing the position information on the cover film material, a mark detecting means arranged upstream of the printing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material, for detecting marks previously applied to the cover film material at intervals related to the one-unit supply length; The tray sealing machine according to means 1 is characterized in that it comprises a printing control means for controlling the position of the printing portion printed by the printing means based on the detection result by the mark detection means.

[0020] According to the above-mentioned method 2, by using a mark attached to the cover film material, a printed portion including position information can be provided at an appropriate position on the cover film material. This makes it less likely that defects will occur in the printed portion. Furthermore, since the position information can be provided more reliably at an appropriate position on the tray pack, it is possible to more reliably and easily identify the seal position where the tray pack was placed based on the position information of the manufactured tray pack.

[0021] Means 3. A second mark detection means is provided which is disposed downstream of the print inspection means and upstream of the sealing means along the conveyance path of the cover film material and detects the mark; The tray sealing machine described in means 2 is characterized in that the material supply means is configured to supply the cover film material to the sealing means using the detection results from the second mark detection means.

[0022] According to the above-mentioned means 3, the printing of the printing part including the position information and the supply of the cover film material to the sealing means are performed using a common mark. Therefore, the sealing position of the cover film material and the sealing position of the sealing means can be more reliably matched, and the sealing position where the manufactured tray pack was placed can be more accurately and easily identified based on the position information of the tray pack.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned means 3, the marks are provided at intervals related to one unit supply length, so that the supply length of the cover film material to the sealing means can be more appropriately controlled.

[0024] Means 4. The tray sealing machine described in Means 1, characterized in that the printing means is configured to be able to stop subsequent printing processing on the one unit supply length of the cover film material including the defective portion that has been determined to be defective if the printing inspection means determines that the printed portion is defective.

[0025] According to the above-mentioned method 4, if a printed portion is determined to be defective, subsequent printing processing can be stopped for the one-unit supply length of cover film material including the defective printed portion. For example, if a printed portion already formed on the one-unit supply length of cover film material is determined to be defective before all of the printed portions that should have been formed on the one-unit supply length of cover film material have been formed, subsequent printing processing can be stopped so that no more printed portions are formed on the one-unit supply length of cover film material. Therefore, unnecessary printing processing can be avoided for the one-unit supply length of cover film material that has the defective printed portion and is scheduled to be transported downstream of the sealing means without being attached to a tray. This more effectively reduces costs associated with manufacturing tray packs, etc.

[0026] Means 5. A tray sealing machine for producing a tray pack by attaching a cover film to a tray containing contents, a sealing means for cutting a strip-shaped cover film material to obtain the cover film, and for attaching the cover film to each of the plurality of trays arranged at a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material; a material supplying means for supplying the cover film material to the sealing means; a seam detection means for detecting a seam between the end of the cover film material being conveyed and the beginning of the cover film material to be conveyed next, the seam detection means being disposed upstream of the sealing means along the conveyance path of the cover film material; Position information indicating the seal position is provided on a portion of the cover film material that will become the cover film, The material supply means The cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means by one unit supply length, which corresponds to the same number of trays as the number of sealing positions, so that the sealing positions indicated by the position information given to the cover film material and the sealing positions related to the sealing means always coincide with each other; A tray sealing machine characterized in that, when the seam portion is detected by the seam detection means, the one unit supply length of the cover film material including the seam portion is skipped, and the next one unit supply length of the cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information assigned to the next one unit supply length of the cover film material matches the sealing position associated with the sealing means.

[0027] According to the above-mentioned means 5, a unit supply length of cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information attached to the cover film material always matches the sealing position of the sealing means. On the other hand, if a seam is detected, the unit supply length of cover film material including the seam is skipped, and the next unit supply length of cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information attached to the next unit supply length of cover film material matches the sealing position of the sealing means. Therefore, even if a seam exists, the sealing position of the cover film material can be matched with the sealing position of the sealing means. This allows the sealing position where the manufactured tray pack was placed to be more accurately identified from the position information of the tray pack. As a result, when a problem caused by the sealing means (e.g., a sealing failure) occurs, the cause of the problem can be more easily identified, and appropriate measures can be taken promptly.

[0028] Furthermore, since the seam is not attached to the tray but is transported downstream of the sealing means, it is possible to prevent the production of defective tray packs with seams, thereby reducing the costs involved in the production of tray packs.

[0029] Means 6. A method for producing a tray pack by attaching a cover film to a tray containing contents, comprising: a sealing step of cutting a strip-shaped cover film material by a predetermined sealing means to obtain the cover film, and attaching the cover film to each of the plurality of trays arranged at a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material; a material supplying step of supplying the cover film material to the sealing means; a printing step of providing a printed portion on the cover film material by performing a printing process on the cover film material using a printing means disposed upstream of the sealing means along a transport path of the cover film material; a print inspection step in which a print inspection means is disposed downstream of the printing means and upstream of the sealing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material to determine whether the printed portion is good or bad, Position information indicating the seal position is provided on a portion of the cover film material that will become the cover film, In the material supplying step, The cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means by one unit supply length, which corresponds to the same number of tray packs as the number of sealing positions, so that the sealing positions indicated by the position information given to the cover film material and the sealing positions related to the sealing means always coincide with each other; A method for manufacturing a tray pack, characterized in that when the printing inspection process determines that the printed portion is defective, the one unit supply length of cover film material including the printed portion that was determined to be defective is skipped, and the next one unit supply length of cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information assigned to the next one unit supply length of cover film material matches the sealing position associated with the sealing means.

[0030] According to the sixth means, the same effects as those of the first means can be achieved.

[0031] Means 7. A method for producing a tray pack by attaching a cover film to a tray containing contents, comprising: a sealing step of cutting a strip-shaped cover film material by a predetermined sealing means to obtain the cover film, and attaching the cover film to each of the plurality of trays arranged at a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material; a material supplying step of supplying the cover film material to the sealing means; a seam detection step of detecting a seam between the end of the cover film material being conveyed and the beginning of the cover film material to be conveyed next by means of a seam detection means disposed upstream of the sealing means along the conveyance path of the cover film material; Position information indicating the seal position is provided on a portion of the cover film material that will become the cover film, In the material supplying step, The cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means by one unit supply length, which corresponds to the same number of trays as the number of sealing positions, so that the sealing positions indicated by the position information given to the cover film material and the sealing positions related to the sealing means always coincide with each other; A method for manufacturing a tray pack, characterized in that when the seam portion is detected by the seam detection process, the one unit supply length of cover film material including the seam portion is skipped, and the next one unit supply length of cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information assigned to the next one unit supply length of cover film material matches the sealing position associated with the sealing means.

[0032] According to the seventh means, the same effects as those of the fifth means can be achieved.

[0033] The technical features of the above means may be combined as appropriate. For example, the technical features of the above means 2 may be combined with the technical features of the above means 3 or 4. Furthermore, for example, the technical features of the above means 5, 6 or 7 may be combined with the technical features of the above means 2 or 3. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tray pack. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a tray pack. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged schematic plan view of a cover film material. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a tray sealing machine. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a first sealing device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a first sealing device. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first sealing device showing a state in which the lower chamber component has moved upward and the locking protrusion has been locked to the lower base portion. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first sealing device showing a state in which the lower chamber component has moved upward and the cover film material has been cut, etc.; FIG. [Figure 9]10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first sealing device showing a state in which the tray table is moved upward and the cover film is welded to the flange portion. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a perspective schematic view showing the area of the cover film material that is gripped by both chamber components when the chamber is closed. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams for explaining the conveyance of the cover film material when a defect in the printing section is detected. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams for explaining the conveyance of the cover film material when a defect in the printing section is detected. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams for explaining the conveyance of the cover film material when a defect in the printing section is detected. [Figure 15] 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the conveyance of the cover film material when a seam portion (adhesive tape) is detected. FIG. [Figure 16] 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the conveyance of the cover film material when a seam portion (adhesive tape) is detected. FIG. [Figure 17] 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the conveyance of the cover film material when a seam portion (adhesive tape) is detected. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a process diagram showing the manufacturing process of the tray pack. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a mark in another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, a tray pack manufactured by the tray sealing machine of this embodiment will be described.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tray pack 1 has a tray 3 with one pocket portion 2 and a cover film 4 attached to the tray 3 so as to cover the pocket portion 2. Note that in Figure 1 etc., the tray 3 and the cover film 4 are shown thicker than they actually are.

[0037] The tray 3 is made of a thermoplastic resin material such as PP (polypropylene). The tray 3 may have a multi-layer structure made of multiple types of thermoplastic resin material. The pocket portion 2 of the tray 3 contains contents 6, such as food or pet food. The tray 3 is also formed with a flange portion 3a that extends outward from the open end of the pocket portion 2.

[0038] The cover film 4 is made of a thermoplastic resin that is compatible with the tray 3, and is attached to the flange portion 3a. The tray 3 and the cover film 4 are substantially non-breathable, and are capable of maintaining the contents 6 in a sealed state. In addition, a predetermined gas (for example, an inert gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide) is sealed inside the pocket portion 2 to enable long-term storage of the contents 6.

[0039] Furthermore, a printed section 5 is provided on the surface of the cover film 4, which indicates information related to the contents 6 (e.g., the name of the contents 6, ingredients, expiration date, etc.) and information related to the production of the tray pack 1 (e.g., the name of the manufacturer, etc.). The printed section 5 includes position information 5a for indicating sealing positions P1, P2, P3, and P4 (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "sealing positions P1 to P4"), which will be described later. In this embodiment, the position information 5a indicating sealing position P1 is "1," and the position information 5a indicating sealing positions P2, P3, and P4 are "2," "3," and "4."

[0040] Next, a tray sealing machine 10 for manufacturing the tray pack 1 will be described with reference to Figure 4. The tray sealing machine 10 is capable of simultaneously attaching a cover film 4 to each of a plurality of trays 3 (four in this embodiment) lined up in a row. The tray sealing machine 10 includes a film device 11, a tray supply device 12, a sealing system 13, a carry-out device 14, and a control device 15. In this embodiment, the sealing system 13 constitutes the "sealing means," and the control device 15 constitutes the "printing control means."

[0041] The film device 11 is a device that provides a printing unit 5 on a strip-shaped cover film material 51, which will be used to make the cover film 4, and then supplies the cover film material 51 to the sealing system 13, while also winding up scraps 52 of the cover film material 51 that remain after cutting. Note that multiple marks 51a are pre-applied to the cover film material 51 at regular intervals (see FIG. 3). The intervals between the marks 51a along the longitudinal direction of the cover film material 51 correspond to a one-unit supply length L1, which will be described later. Note that the cover film material 51 shown in FIG. 3 has the printing unit 5 provided by a printing device 113, which will be described next.

[0042] The film device 11 includes a film supply device 111, a first mark sensor 112, a printing device 113, a print inspection device 114, a first feed roller 115, a buffer mechanism 116, a second feed roller 117, a second mark sensor 118, and a winding unit 119. In this embodiment, the first mark sensor 112 constitutes the "mark detection means," the second feed roller 117 and the winding unit 119 constitute the "material supply means," and the second mark sensor 118 constitutes the "second mark detection means."

[0043] The film supply device 111 includes roll setting units 111a and 111b, an automatic film splicing device 111c, and a splice detection sensor 111d. In this embodiment, the splice detection sensor 111d constitutes the "splice detection means."

[0044] The roll setting units 111a and 111b are locations where a raw web formed by winding a strip-shaped cover film material 51 into a roll is set, and include, for example, a shaft portion that supports the raw web in a rotatable state. Note that, although two roll setting units 111a and 111b are provided in this embodiment, three or more roll setting units may be provided.

[0045] When the cover film material 51 of the original web (i.e., the one being supplied) set in one roll setting unit 111a (111b) is consumed, the automatic film splicing device 111c splices the trailing end of the cover film material 51 to the leading end of the cover film material 51 of the original web set in the other roll setting unit 111b (111a). In this embodiment, the automatic film splicing device 111c uses marks 51a pre-marked on the cover film material 51 to splice the two cover film materials 51 with the marks 51a aligned. The cover film materials 51 are spliced using a predetermined adhesive tape te (see Figure 16, etc.). Therefore, the portion where the adhesive tape te is attached is the splice portion of the cover film material 51. Note that the cover film material 51 constituting the original web has only the marks 51a and no printing unit 5.

[0046] The joint detection sensor 111d is configured by, for example, a photoelectric sensor, and detects the joint portion of the cover film material 51, that is, the portion where the adhesive tape te is attached. The detection result by the joint detection sensor 111d is sent to the control device 15.

[0047] The first mark sensor 112 is located downstream of the film supply device 111 along the transport direction of the cover film material 51. The first mark sensor 112 is configured, for example, with a photoelectric sensor or the like, and detects the mark 51a provided on the cover film material 51. The detection result by the first mark sensor 112 is sent to the control device 15 and is used for controlling the supply of the cover film material 51 to the buffer mechanism 116 by the first feed roller 115, controlling the printing timing by the printing device 113, and the like.

[0048] The printing device 113 is provided downstream of the first mark sensor 112, and performs non-contact printing, for example by a predetermined inkjet method, on a cover film-intended portion 4k (the portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3 ), which is the portion of the cover film material 51 that will become the cover film 4. The printing timing, printing position, etc., of the printing device 113 are controlled by the control device 15. A printing section 5 is provided on the cover film-intended portion 4k through the printing process by the printing device 113.

[0049] Furthermore, when providing the printing unit 5, the printing device 113 prints position information 5a indicating sealing positions P1 to P4 (see FIG. 4) at which the intended cover film portions 4k will be positioned for each of the four intended cover film portions 4k positioned between the marks 51a on the cover film material 51. The sealing positions P1 to P4 are positions at which each intended cover film portion 4k is positioned when the sealing system 13 attaches the cover film 4 to the tray 3, and in this embodiment, there are a total of four sealing positions P1 to P4 aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material 51. The sealing positions P1, P2, P3, and P4 are provided in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveyance direction of the cover film material 51, and correspond to a plurality of sealing devices 131, 132, 133, and 134, which will be described later.

[0050] The print inspection device 114 is provided downstream of the printing device 113, and inspects the printing unit 5 provided by the printing device 113. The print inspection device 114 inspects items such as misalignment, blurring or chipping, color variation, and missing characters or images. The inspection results by the print inspection device 114 are sent to the control device 15.

[0051] The first feed roller 115 is provided downstream of the print inspection device 114, and has the cover film material 51 hung thereon. The first feed roller 115 is rotatable by a predetermined drive means (not shown), and supplies (feeds out) the cover film material 51 to the buffer mechanism 116 by its own rotation. The rotation of the first feed roller 115, i.e., the supply of the cover film material 51 to the buffer mechanism 116, is controlled by the control device 15.

[0052] The buffer mechanism 116 is provided downstream of the first feed roller 115 and upstream of the sealing system 13, and temporarily stores the cover film material 51. The buffer mechanism 116 includes, for example, a plurality of driven rollers and an elevator roller disposed between the driven rollers so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction, and the elevator roller moves up and down in accordance with the amount of stored cover film material 51. The buffer mechanism 116 has a function of sending information regarding the amount of stored cover film material 51 to the control device 15.

[0053] In this embodiment, the buffer mechanism 116 is capable of storing at least one unit supply length L1 of cover film material 51. One unit supply length L1 is the length of cover film material 51 used in one sealing process, and in this embodiment, as described above, corresponds to the distance between each of the marks 51a. The sealing process refers to a process in which the sealing system 13 attaches the cover film 4 to each of multiple (four in this embodiment) trays 3 at once.

[0054] The second feed roller 117 is provided downstream of the buffer mechanism 116 and upstream of the sealing system 13, and has the cover film material 51 hung thereon. The second feed roller 117 is rotatable by a predetermined drive means (not shown), and supplies (feeds) the cover film material 51 to the sealing system 13 by its own rotation. The cover film material 51 fed by the second feed roller 117 is guided above the tray 3 supplied to the sealing system 13, between the upper chamber component 31 and the lower chamber component 32 described below. The amount of rotation of the second feed roller 117, i.e., the amount of cover film material 51 supplied to the sealing system 13, is controlled by the control device 15, and typically, one operation of the second feed roller 117 supplies one unit supply length L1 of cover film material 51 to the sealing system 13.

[0055] The second mark sensor 118 is located downstream of the second feed roller 117 and, like the first mark sensor 112, detects the mark 51a provided on the cover film material 51. The detection result by the second mark sensor 118 is sent to the control device 15 and is used to control the supply of the cover film material 51 to the sealing system 13 by the second feed roller 117.

[0056] The winding section 119 is configured to be rotatable intermittently by a driving means (not shown), and winds up the scrap 52 by rotating.

[0057] The tray supply device 12 sequentially supplies trays 3, each having contents 6 stored in its pocket portion 2, to the sealing system 13. The tray supply device 12 includes a transport conveyor 121 and a delivery device (not shown). The transport conveyor 121 transports the trays 3 in a line toward the sealing system 13. In this embodiment, the contents 6 are automatically or manually stored in the pocket portion 2 of the tray 3 during or before the tray 3 is transported by the transport conveyor 121. The delivery device delivers the multiple (four) trays 3 transported by the transport conveyor 121 to the sealing system 13 in a line to the sealing system 13.

[0058] The sealing system 13 cuts the cover film material 51 to obtain the cover film 4, fills the pocket portion 2 of the tray 3 with a predetermined gas, and then welds the cover film 4 to the flange portion 3a of the tray 3. The sealing system 13 simultaneously attaches the cover film 4 to each of the multiple trays 3 arranged in a row at sealing positions P1 to P4. The sealing system 13 includes a first sealing device 131, a second sealing device 132, a third sealing device 133, and a fourth sealing device 134 that are arranged in a row along the conveyance direction of the cover film material 51.

[0059] The sealing devices 131, 132, 133, and 134 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "sealing devices 131-134") are each responsible for attaching a cover film 4 to one tray 3. More specifically, each sealing device 131-134 corresponds to a respective sealing position P1-P4, cuts off the intended cover film portion 4k arranged at sealing position P1-P4 to obtain the cover film 4, and attaches the cover film 4 to the tray 3. For example, the first sealing device 131 corresponds to sealing position P1, cuts off the intended cover film portion 4k arranged at sealing position P1 to obtain the cover film 4, and attaches the cover film 4 to the tray 3.

[0060] Here, a detailed description will be given of the configuration of each of the sealing devices 131 to 134. Since each of the sealing devices 131 to 134 has the same configuration, the configuration of the first sealing device 131 will be described below.

[0061] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the first sealing device 131 includes a chamber 30, a cutter 34, a heater 35, a suction board 36, a rod 37, a pressure spring 38, a tray table 39, and a gas exchange device 40.

[0062] The chamber 30 is used to house the tray 3 in a sealed state. The chamber 30 has an upper chamber component 31 and a lower chamber component 32 arranged above and below with a cover film material 51 sandwiched therebetween, and is configured to be openable and closable. In this embodiment, the chamber 30 is opened and closed by the lower chamber component 32 moving up and down to approach or move away from the upper chamber component 31.

[0063] The upper chamber forming portion 31 includes an upper base portion 311 , a mounting portion 312 , an upper chuck portion 313 and a gripping spring 314 .

[0064] The upper base portion 311 is a portion that forms the upper space of the internal space S of the chamber 30 (see FIG. 8, etc.). The upper base portion 311 is box-shaped with an internal space that opens downward. The lower end surface of the upper base portion 311 is rectangular and annular, and faces a packing 322 (described later) of the lower chamber forming portion 32. In addition, a gas passage 311a that is used for gas exchange and an insertion hole 311b for inserting the rod 37 are formed through the upper wall portion of the upper base portion 311.

[0065] In addition, the upper base portion 311 is movable up and down within a predetermined range along the longitudinal direction of the rod 37, and as a result, the upper chamber component 31 is movable up and down between a predetermined lower limit position and a predetermined upper limit position. Note that Figures 5 and 6 show the upper chamber component 31 in a state where it is disposed at the lower limit position.

[0066] The mounting portion 312 is a portion to which the cutter 34 and the like are mounted, and protrudes inward (toward the rod 37) from the inner surface of the side wall of the upper base portion 311.

[0067] When the chamber 30 is closed, the upper chuck portion 313 cooperates with the lower chuck portion 321c (described later) to grip the cover film material 51. The cover film material 51 is gripped by the lower end surface of the upper chuck portion 313. The lower end surface is shaped like a rectangular ring that is slightly larger than the outer edge of the flange portion 3a of the tray 3. Therefore, when the chamber 30 is closed, the upper chuck portion 313 and the like grip the ring-shaped portion of the cover film material 51 that is located outside the pre-cover film portion 4k.

[0068] The gripping spring 314 is used to apply a downward force to the upper chuck portion 313 when gripping the cover film material 51 by the upper chuck portion 313 or the like, thereby more securely gripping the cover film material 51. The gripping spring 314 is interposed between the upper chuck portion 313 and the attached portion 312.

[0069] The lower chamber forming portion 32 includes a lower base portion 321 and a packing 322 .

[0070] Lower base portion 321 is a portion that forms the lower space of internal space S of chamber 30. Lower base portion 321 is box-shaped and has an internal space that communicates with the outside through rectangular through-hole 321a formed in the center of the upper wall portion. In addition, lower base portion 321 can be moved up and down within a predetermined range by a driving means (not shown), and as a result, lower chamber component 32 can be moved up and down between a predetermined lower limit position and a predetermined upper limit position.

[0071] Furthermore, on the upper wall of the lower base portion 321, a groove portion 321b, a lower chuck portion 321c, and a flange mounting portion 321d are formed in this order from the outside to the inside. The groove portion 321b is a rectangular annular groove for arranging the packing 322. The lower chuck portion 321c is a portion that grips the cover film material 51 together with the upper chuck portion 313, and is formed by a rectangular annular protrusion. The flange mounting portion 321d is a flat surface on which the flange portion 3a is placed when the lower chamber component 32 moves upward.

[0072] On the other hand, an insertion hole 321e is formed through the lower wall of the lower base portion 321, for inserting a table rod 39a (described later).

[0073] The packing 322 is used to ensure airtightness of the internal space S of the chamber 30 when the chamber 30 is closed. The packing 322 protrudes slightly upward from the upper end surface of the lower base portion 321, and is in pressure contact with the lower end surface of the upper base portion 311 via the cover film material 51 when the chamber 30 is closed.

[0074] In this embodiment, when the chamber 30 is closed, the annular region R1 (the area marked with a dotted pattern in FIG. 10) of the cover film material 51 is gripped by both chamber components 31, 32 (specifically, both base portions 311, 321 and the packing 322). Therefore, in this embodiment, when the chamber 30 is closed (more specifically, when the chamber 30 is simply closed without cutting the cover film material 51), the cover film material 51 partitions (separates) the internal space S of the chamber 30 into an upper space and a lower space.

[0075] The cutter 34 is used to cut the cover film material 51 to obtain the cover film 4. The cutter 34 is attached to the attachment portion 312 inside the upper chuck portion 313, and is thereby attached to the upper chamber component 31. The tip (lower end) of the cutter 34 protrudes below the lower end surface of the heater 35 when the upper chamber component 31 is positioned at its lowest position. However, as the cutter 34 moves upward in conjunction with the upward movement of the upper chamber component 31, the tip of the cutter 34 can be positioned above the lower end surface of the heater 35.

[0076] The cutter 34 has a rectangular cylindrical shape corresponding to the outer edge shape of the cover film 4, and the tip of the cutter 34 is provided with a sawtooth cutting blade 34a consisting of a plurality of sharp teeth arranged in a ring (see FIG. 11). The cutting blade 34a is pressed into the cover film material 51 along the thickness direction of the cover film material 51, thereby cutting the cover film material 51. In this embodiment, the lower chamber component 32 moves upward, thereby cutting the cover film material 51 located above the tray 3, particularly the portion corresponding to the outer edge of the pre-cover film portion 4k. As a result, the cover film 4 is obtained.

[0077] The heater 35 is used to weld the cover film 4 to the tray 3. A heating portion 35a capable of generating heat when energized is provided at the lower end of the heater 35, and the heating portion 35a has a rectangular ring shape that is slightly smaller than the outer edge shape of the cover film 4. The heater 35 is fixed to a rod 37 inside the cutter 34.

[0078] The suction board 36 is a device for suction-holding the cover film 4. The suction board 36 is fixed to the lower end of the rod 37 inside the cutter 34. A number of suction holes (not shown) are provided on the underside of the suction board 36, and negative pressure can be supplied to the suction holes by a predetermined suction means (not shown). By supplying negative pressure to the suction holes, the cover film 4 and the cover film material 51 can be suction-held by the underside of the suction board 36. In this embodiment, the cover film 4 obtained by cutting is suction-held at the same time as the cutter 34 cuts the cover film material 51. Furthermore, the cover film 4 is suction-held at a position that does not block the opening of the pocket portion 2 (i.e., a position that does not interfere with gas exchange within the pocket portion 2). Note that the cover film-intent portion 4k may be suction-held before the cutter 34 cuts the cover film material 51.

[0079] The rod 37 supports the upper chamber component 31, the heater 35, etc., and guides the up and down movement of the upper chamber component 31. The rod 37 is bar-shaped, and its upper end is fixed to a predetermined mounting object. A predetermined sealing part (not shown) is disposed between the rod 37 and the upper base part 311, ensuring airtightness in the internal space S of the chamber 30.

[0080] The pressure spring 38 is a component for applying a downward biasing force to the upper chamber component 31. The pressure spring 38 is installed on the outer periphery of the rod 37 in a state where it is sandwiched between the upper end flange-shaped portion of the rod 37 and the upper wall portion of the upper base portion 311.

[0081] The tray table 39 is used to support the trays 3 supplied to the sealing system 13 and move them up and down. The tray table 39 has a rectangular flat plate shape that is slightly smaller than the through-hole 321a, and the tray 3 is placed on its upper surface. A table rod 39a extends downward from the underside of the tray table 39 and is inserted into the insertion hole 321e. The tray table 39 and the table rod 39a are movable up and down while being restricted from moving downward below a predetermined position. A predetermined sealing component (not shown) is disposed between the outer circumferential surface of the table rod 39a and the lower base portion 321, ensuring airtightness in the internal space S of the chamber 30.

[0082] In addition, a flange-shaped locking protrusion 39b is provided on the outer periphery of table rod 39a. When lower chamber component 32 moves upward to a certain position, locking protrusion 39b becomes locked with the lower wall of lower base portion 321. As lower chamber component 32 moves further upward in this state, tray table 39 moves upward together with lower chamber component 32.

[0083] The gas exchange device 40 performs gas exchange in the internal space S of the chamber 30 while the chamber 30 is closed, thereby filling the pocket portion 2 with a predetermined gas. The gas exchange device 40 is connected to the upper chamber forming portion 31 by a predetermined ventilation pipe 41. The internal space of the ventilation pipe 41 communicates with the gas passage 311a and the internal space S of the chamber 30. The gas exchange device 40 performs the following operations in this order: sucking gas from the internal space S of the chamber 30 through the ventilation pipe 41 to make the internal space S a vacuum state (i.e., vacuuming) and supplying gas to the internal space S.

[0084] In addition, the gas exchange device 40 is capable of adjusting the air pressure in the internal space S of the chamber 30 by adjusting the supply (amount of supply) of the gas to the internal space S. By adjusting the air pressure, the air pressure in the pocket portion 2 of the manufactured tray pack 1 is adjusted.

[0085] Returning to Figure 4, the carry-out device 14 removes the tray packs 1 manufactured by the sealing system 13 from the sealing system 13 and transports them to a predetermined downstream position. The carry-out device 14 is equipped with a take-out device (not shown) and a transport conveyor 141. The take-out device removes the tray packs 1 from the sealing system 13 and hands them over to the transport conveyor 141. The transport conveyor 141 transports the tray packs 1 arranged in a single row to the downstream position.

[0086] The tray pack 1 transported to the downstream position is inspected, for example, by a predetermined tray pack inspection device (not shown). Examples of tray pack inspection devices include a device that inspects the attachment of the cover film 4 to the tray 3 (seal inspection), a device that inspects the gas filled in the tray 3, and a device that inspects the appearance of the tray pack 1 (for example, the cut state of the cover film 4). Note that the tray pack 1 may also be inspected visually.

[0087] The control device 15 is composed of a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes predetermined arithmetic processing, a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores various programs and fixed value data, etc., a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores various data when executing various arithmetic processing, and peripheral circuits for these, etc. The control device 15 controls the entire tray sealing machine 10, and controls the operation of the printing device 113, first feed roller 115, second feed roller 117, sealing system 13, etc.

[0088] The control device 15 controls the operation of the printing device 113 as follows: That is, the control device 15 controls the timing and printing position of the printing process by the printing device 113 based on the detection result sent from the first mark sensor 112. In this way, the printing unit 5 is provided for the cover film-intent portion 4k of the cover film material 51.

[0089] Furthermore, the control device 15 controls the printing content by the printing device 113 so that the position information 5a included in the printing units 5 is appropriate. That is, the control device 15 controls the printing device 113 so that "1," "2," "3," and "4" are printed in that order as the position information 5a on the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 from upstream to downstream along the conveyance direction of the cover film material 51. Therefore, for example, of the multiple (four in this embodiment) printing units 5 printed on the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1, the position information 5a of the one located most upstream will be "1," and the position information 5a of the one located most downstream will be "4."

[0090] Furthermore, the control device 15 controls the operation of the first feed roller 115 as follows: When the control device 15 determines, based on information regarding the accumulated amount of cover film material 51 sent from the buffer mechanism 116, that the accumulated amount has fallen below a predetermined lower limit, the control device 15 uses detection information of the mark 51a sent from the first mark sensor 112 to control the first feed roller 115 so that one unit supply length L1 of cover film material 51 is accumulated in the buffer mechanism 116. Note that the printing process by the printing device 113 and the inspection by the print inspection device 114 can be performed while the cover film 51 is being transported by the first feed roller 115.

[0091] In addition, the control device 15 controls the operation of the second feed roller 117 as follows: That is, the control device 15 normally controls the second feed roller 117 based on the detection result of the mark 51a by the second mark sensor 118 so that the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 is intermittently supplied to the sealing system 13. As a result, the sealing positions P1 to P4 indicated by the position information 51a given to the supplied cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 coincide with the sealing positions P1 to P4 related to the sealing system 13.

[0092] However, if the print inspection device 114 determines that at least one of the printed sections 5 on the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 to be supplied next to the sealing system 13 is defective, the control device 15 controls the second feed roller 117 so that the printed cover film section 4k on the defective printed section 5 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "defective printed section 5x"; see Figure 12) is not used. Note that in Figure 12 etc., the defective printed section 5x is marked with diagonal lines, and the punched-out portion of the cover film material 51 is marked with a scattered dot pattern. Also, in Figure 12 etc., for ease of explanation, corresponding position information 5a ("1", "2", "3", "4") is marked for each of the cover film sections 4k.

[0093] To explain in more detail the case where a defective printed portion 5x occurs, the control device 15 identifies the intended cover film portion 4k where the defective printed portion 5x is provided based on the inspection results of the print inspection device 114. Then, based on the detection results of the mark 51a by the second mark sensor 118, if the defective printed portion 5x is included in the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 to be supplied next, the control device 15 controls the second feed roller 117 to skip the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 including the defective printed portion 5x and supply the cover film material 51 of the next unit supply length L1 to the sealing system 13 (see Figures 13 and 14). As a result, the sealing positions P1 to P4 indicated by the position information 51a assigned to the cover film material 51 of the next unit supply length L1 will match the sealing positions P1 to P4 related to the sealing system 13.

[0094] Furthermore, if there is a seam portion (an adhesive tape te-attached portion) in the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 to be next supplied to the sealing system 13 (see FIG. 15), the control device 15 controls the second feed roller 117 so as not to use the seam portion in the cover film material 51. Note that in FIG. 15 etc., the adhesive tape te is shown painted black.

[0095] To explain in more detail what happens when a seam portion (adhesive tape te) is detected, if the control device 15 determines, based on the detection result of the seam portion (adhesive tape te) by the seam detection sensor 111d, that the cover film material 51 of one-unit supply length L1 to be supplied next includes a seam portion (adhesive tape te), the control device 15 skips the cover film material 51 of one-unit supply length L1 that includes the seam portion, and controls the second feed roller 117 so that the cover film material 51 of the next one-unit supply length L1 is supplied to the sealing system 13 (see Figures 16 and 17).As a result, the sealing positions P1 to P4 indicated by the position information 51a assigned to the cover film material 51 of the next one-unit supply length L1 coincide with the sealing positions P1 to P4 related to the sealing system 13.

[0096] The control device 15 also controls the operation of the sealing system 13 as follows: In other words, the control device 15 normally controls the sealing system 13 so that the cover films 4 are attached to each of the multiple (four) trays 3 at the same time during the interval between the conveying operations of the cover film material 51 by the second feed roller 117.

[0097] However, when the cover film material 51 of one supply length unit L1 including the defective printed portion 5x or the seam portion (adhesive tape te) is positioned at one of the sealing positions P1 to P4, the control device 15 controls the sealing system 13 not to perform the process of attaching the cover film 4 to the tray 3. As a result, the portion of the cover film material 51 where the defective printed portion 5x or the seam portion (adhesive tape te) exists is not used and is transported downstream of the sealing system 13 (see Figures 14 and 17).

[0098] Next, a description will be given of the manufacturing process of the tray pack 1 by the tray sealing machine 10. As shown in Fig. 18, the manufacturing process of the tray pack 1 includes a delivery process S1, a print supply process S2, a sealing process S3, a carry-out process S4, and a scrap winding process S5.

[0099] In the delivery step S1, the delivery device delivers a plurality of trays 3 with contents 6 stored in the pockets 2 from the transport conveyor 121 to the sealing system 13, and the trays 3 are placed on the tray table 39. At this time, the lower chamber component 32 is located at the lowest position, and the upper end surface of the lower chamber component 32 and the upper surface of the tray table 39 are at the same height (see FIG. 6). This makes it easy to deliver the trays 3 to the sealing system 13 and to place the trays 3 on the tray table 39.

[0100] Furthermore, in parallel with the delivery process S1, a printing supply process S2 is carried out. The printing supply process S2 is a process for the cover film material 51, and includes a film splicing process S21, a splice detection process S22, a printing process S23, a print inspection process S24, and a material supply process S25.

[0101] The film splicing step S21 is a step in which, when the remaining amount of cover film material 51 being supplied falls below a predetermined amount, the automatic film splicing device 111c connects the trailing end of the cover film material 51 to the leading end of the next supplied cover film material 51. The film splicing step S21 is performed as needed based on the remaining amount of cover film material 51 being supplied.

[0102] The joint detection step S22 is a step for detecting the joint portion of the cover film material 51 (the portion where the adhesive tape te is attached) by the joint detection sensor 111d.

[0103] The printing step S23 is a step of providing a printed portion 5 including position information 5a for each cover film portion 4k by the printing device 113. In the printing step S23, appropriate position information 5a ("1," "2," "3," or "4") that matches the position of each cover film portion 4k is printed on each of the multiple (four) cover film portions 4k in the cover film material 51 having one unit supply length L1.

[0104] The print inspection step S24 is a step in which the print unit 5 is inspected by the print inspection device 114.

[0105] The material supply process S25 is a process in which the second feed roller 117 supplies the cover film material 51 to the sealing system 13. In the material supply process S25, one unit supply length L1 of the cover film material 51 is always (usually) supplied to the sealing system 13. However, if a defect in the printed portion 5 is detected in the print inspection process S24, or if a seam portion (adhesive tape te) is detected in the seam detection process S22, the one unit supply length L1 of the cover film material 51 including the defective printed portion 5x or adhesive tape te is skipped, and the next unit supply length L1 of the cover film material 51 is supplied to the sealing system 13.

[0106] In the sealing process S3 following the delivery process S1 and the print supply process S2, the sealing devices 131 to 134 that configure the sealing system 13 perform various processes on the supplied tray 3 and cover film material 51.

[0107] The sealing process S3 includes a gripping process S31, a cutting process S32, a suction-holding process S33, a closing process S34, a gas exchange process S35, a welding process S36, and an opening process S37. The gripping process S31 is a process of gripping the cover film material 51 with both chuck portions 313, 321c. The cutting process S32 is a process of cutting the cover film material 51 into a ring shape at a portion located in the internal space S of the chamber 30 with the cutter 34 to obtain the cover film 4. The suction-holding process S33 is a process of suction-holding the cover film 4 obtained by cutting the cover film material 51. The closing process S34 is a process of closing the chamber 30 while gripping the cover film material 51 with both base portions 311, 321 and the gasket 322, thereby accommodating the tray 3 in the internal space S of the chamber 30.

[0108] In the sealing step S3, first, by moving lower chamber component 32 upward, locking protrusion 39b is locked onto the lower wall portion of lower base portion 321, and flange portion 3a is placed on flange placement portion 321d (see FIG. 7). Furthermore, as lower chamber component 32 continues to move upward, tray table 39 and tray 3 move upward together with lower chamber component 32.

[0109] Then, as the lower chamber component 32 moves upward, the cover film material 51 is first gripped by both chucks 313, 321c. That is, the gripping step S31 is performed. At this time, the gripping spring 314 is compressed and deformed, so that the cover film material 51 is gripped more reliably (see FIG. 8).

[0110] Next, as the lower chamber component 32 moves upward, the cutting blade 34a is pressed into the cover film material 51 in the thickness direction of the cover film material 51 while gripping the cover film material 51, thereby cutting the cover film material 51. More specifically, at the beginning of cutting, the tip of the cutting blade 34a is stuck into the cover film material 51. Then, in this state, the cutting blade 34a is pressed further into the cover film material 51, thereby cutting the cover film material 51.

[0111] At the same time as the cutting, the obtained cover film 4 is sucked and held by the suction board 36. That is, the cutting step S32 and the sucking and holding step S33 are carried out at the same time.

[0112] Then, the lower chamber forming portion 32 moves further upward, thereby closing the chamber 30 while the cover film material 51 (scrap 52) is gripped by both base portions 311, 321 and the packing 322. That is, the closing step S34 is performed.

[0113] After the cutting step S32 and the closing step S34, a gas exchange step S35 is performed. In this step, gas exchange is performed in the internal space S of the chamber 30 by the gas exchange device 40. That is, after the internal space S of the chamber 30 is evacuated, a predetermined gas is supplied to the internal space S. As a result, the gas is filled in the pocket portion 2 of the tray 3 accommodated in the chamber 30. Furthermore, in the gas exchange step S35, the supply (supply amount) of gas to the internal space S of the chamber 30 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the air pressure in the internal space S.

[0114] Next, in a welding step S36, the cover film 4 held by suction on the suction board 36 is welded to the flange portion 3a while the chamber 30 remains closed. That is, by moving the lower chamber component 32 up to its upper limit position and further moving the tray table 39 up, the back surface of the cover film 4 is brought into contact with the flange portion 3a, and the front surface of the cover film 4 is pressed against the heating unit 35a in a heated state for a predetermined time (see FIG. 9). As a result, the cover film 4 is welded to the flange portion 3a, and the tray pack 1 is obtained.

[0115] In the welding step S36, the upper chamber component 31 is pushed by the lower chamber component 32, and moves to the upper limit position against the biasing force of the pressure spring 38. As a result, the cutter 34 moves upward, and the tip of the cutter 34 does not come into contact with the tray 3.

[0116] After the welding step S36, in the opening step S37, the lower chamber forming portion 32 is moved to the lowest position, thereby opening the chamber 30.

[0117] Thereafter, in a carry-out step S4, the take-out device transfers the tray pack 1 from the sealing system 13 to the transfer conveyor 141. The transferred tray pack 1 is transported by the transfer conveyor 141 to the downstream position.

[0118] Meanwhile, in the scrap winding step S5, scraps 52 remaining after cutting of the cover film material 51 are wound up by the winding unit 119. The wound scraps 52 are disposed of separately. Note that the scraps 52 may include defective printed portions 5x and adhesive tape te.

[0119] As described above in detail, according to this embodiment, even when a defect occurs in the printing section 5 or when a seam (adhesive tape te) exists in the cover film material 51, the sealing positions P1 to P4 associated with the cover film material 51 can be matched with the sealing positions P1 to P4 associated with the sealing system 13. This makes it possible to trace back and identify the sealing positions P1 to P4 at which the manufactured tray pack 1 was positioned, based on the position information 5a of the tray pack 1. As a result, when a defect (such as a sealing defect) caused by the sealing system 13 occurs, the cause of the defect can be more easily identified, and appropriate measures can be taken promptly.

[0120] Furthermore, the portion of the cover film material 51 where the defective printed portion 5 is provided and the seam portion (adhesive tape te) are not attached to the tray 3, and are transported downstream of the sealing system 13. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the production of defective tray packs 1 that have defective printed portions 5 or seam portions (adhesive tape te), and it is possible to reduce the cost of manufacturing the tray packs 1.

[0121] Additionally, according to this embodiment, by using the mark 51a affixed to the cover film material 51, the printed portion 5 including the position information 5a can be provided at an appropriate position on the cover film material 51. This makes it less likely that defects will occur in the printed portion 5. Furthermore, because the position information 5a can be provided more reliably at an appropriate position on the tray pack 1, it is possible to more reliably and easily identify the sealing positions P1 to P4 at which the tray pack 1 was placed based on the position information 5a of the manufactured tray pack 1.

[0122] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the printing of the printing unit 5 including the position information 5a and the supply of the cover film material 51 to the sealing system 13 are performed using a common mark 51a. Therefore, the sealing positions P1 to P4 of the cover film material 51 can be more reliably aligned with the sealing positions P1 to P4 of the sealing system 13.

[0123] Additionally, since the marks 51a are provided at intervals related to one unit supply length L1, the supply length of the cover film material 51 to the sealing system 13 can be controlled more appropriately.

[0124] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be implemented as follows: Of course, other applications and modifications not exemplified below are also possible.

[0125] (a) In the above embodiment, the distance between the marks 51a along the longitudinal direction of the cover film material 51 corresponds to one unit supply length L1. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 19, the distance between the marks 51a may correspond to the pitch L2 between the prospective cover film portions 4k. In this configuration, the second mark sensor 118 can be used to count the number of passed marks 51a, for example, to match the sealing positions P1 to P4 indicated by the position information 51a provided on the cover film material 51 with the sealing positions P1 to P4 associated with the sealing system 13.

[0126] (b) In the above embodiment, the printer 113 is configured to print the position information 5a on the cover film material 51. However, the position information 5a may be provided in advance on the cover film material 51 without being printed by the printer 113.

[0127] (c) The control device 15 may have a function to skip the printing process by the printing device 113 as necessary when the print inspection device 114 judges the printing part 5 to be defective and sends the judgment result, or when the seam detection sensor 111d detects the seam portion (adhesive tape te) and sends the detection result.

[0128] That is, if the print inspection device 114 determines that a printed portion 5 already provided on the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 is defective when printing of the multiple (four in the above embodiment) printed portions 5 to be provided on the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 has not been completed, the control device 15 may control the printing device 113 to skip subsequent printing processes for the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1. Therefore, for example, if the printed portion 5 is determined to be defective when only one printed portion 5 has been provided on the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1, the control device 15 may skip printing processes for the remaining three printed portions 5 that should be printed.

[0129] In addition, when the seam detection sensor 111d detects a seam portion (adhesive tape te), the control device 15 may control the printing device 113 to skip the printing process for one unit supply length L1 of the cover film material 51 that includes the seam portion.

[0130] By making it possible to skip printing processing as needed as described above, it is possible to avoid performing unnecessary printing processing on the cover film material 51 of one unit supply length L1 that is to be transported downstream of the sealing system 13 without being attached to the tray 3. This makes it possible to more effectively reduce costs associated with the manufacture of the tray pack 1.

[0131] (d) The configuration of the sealing system 13 in the above embodiment is an example, and the configuration may be changed as appropriate. For example, a single chamber may be provided by integrating the chambers 30 provided for each of the sealing devices 131 to 134. In this case, the chamber may be configured so that multiple trays 3 are accommodated in the internal space of the chamber by closing it, and gas is filled into each of the pockets 2 of the multiple trays 3 by gas exchange in the internal space.

[0132] (e) In the above embodiment, the number of trays 3 to which the cover films 4 are attached at one time is four, but it may be other than four (for example, two or three).

[0133] In the above embodiment, the cover film 4 is attached to a plurality of trays 3 arranged in a single row. Alternatively, the cover film 4 may be attached to a plurality of rows of trays 3. When this configuration is adopted, there will be a plurality of rows of sealing positions arranged along the conveyance direction of the cover film material 51, and therefore the position information 5a may include information that can identify the row of sealing positions.

[0134] (f) The position information 5a is not limited to numerical values such as "1" to "4" as long as it can identify the sticker position. Therefore, the position information may be, for example, characters, symbols, figures, code information (for example, two-dimensional codes), etc.

[0135] (g) In the above embodiment, the automatic film splicing device 111c connects the cover film material 51 using adhesive tape te, but the cover film material 51 may also be connected without using adhesive tape te. Therefore, the film splicing device 111c may connect the cover film material 51 using, for example, thermal welding. The method for detecting the splice portion of the cover film material 51 may be changed as appropriate depending on the method for connecting the cover film material 51.

[0136] (h) In the above embodiment, the tray pack 1 has one pocket portion 2, but the number of pocket portions 2 provided in the tray pack 1 is not limited in any way. Furthermore, the shapes and positional relationships of the pocket portion 2, tray 3, and cover film 4 are not limited in any way and may be changed as appropriate. Of course, the shapes and positions of the chamber 30 and cutter 34 may be changed to match the shape of the tray 3, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0137] 1...tray pack, 3...tray, 4...cover film, 5...printing unit, 5a...position information, 6...contents, 10...tray sealing machine, 13...sealing system (sealing means), 15...control device (printing control means), 51...cover film material, 51a...mark, 111d...seam detection sensor (seam detection means), 112...first mark sensor (mark detection means), 113...printing device (printing means), 114...printing inspection means (printing inspection device), 117...second feed roller (material supply means), 118...second mark sensor (second mark detection means), P1, P2, P3, P4...sealing position.

Claims

1. A tray sealing machine for manufacturing a tray pack by attaching a cover film to a tray containing contents, a sealing means for cutting a strip-shaped cover film material to obtain the cover film, and for attaching the cover film to each of the plurality of trays arranged at a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material; a material supplying means for supplying the cover film material to the sealing means; a printing means disposed upstream of the sealing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material, the printing means performing a printing process on the cover film material to provide a printing portion on the cover film material; a print inspection means disposed downstream of the printing means and upstream of the sealing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material, for determining whether the printed portion is good or bad; Position information indicating the seal position is provided on a portion of the cover film material that will become the cover film, The material supply means The cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means by one unit supply length, which corresponds to the same number of trays as the number of sealing positions, so that the sealing positions indicated by the position information provided on the cover film material and the sealing positions related to the sealing means always coincide with each other; A tray sealing machine characterized in that, when the printing inspection means determines that the printed portion is defective, the one unit supply length of cover film material including the printed portion that was determined to be defective is skipped, and the next one unit supply length of cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information assigned to the next one unit supply length of cover film material matches the sealing position associated with the sealing means.

2. the printing means has a function of printing the position information on the cover film material, a mark detecting means for detecting marks previously applied to the cover film material at intervals related to the one-unit supply length, the mark detecting means being disposed upstream of the printing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material; 2. The tray sealing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a print control means for controlling the position of the printing portion printed by the printing means based on the detection result by the mark detection means.

3. a second mark detection means disposed downstream of the print inspection means and upstream of the sealing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material, the second mark detection means detecting the mark; 3. The tray sealing machine according to claim 2, wherein the material supplying means is configured to supply the cover film material to the sealing means using the detection result by the second mark detecting means.

4. The tray sealing machine described in claim 1, characterized in that the printing means is configured to be able to stop subsequent printing processing on the one unit supply length of the cover film material including the defective portion that was determined to be defective when the printing inspection means determines that the printed portion is defective.

5. A tray sealing machine for manufacturing a tray pack by attaching a cover film to a tray containing contents, a sealing means for cutting a strip-shaped cover film material to obtain the cover film, and for attaching the cover film to each of the plurality of trays arranged at a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material; a material supplying means for supplying the cover film material to the sealing means; a seam detection means for detecting a seam between the end of the cover film material being conveyed and the beginning of the cover film material to be conveyed next, the seam detection means being disposed upstream of the sealing means along the conveyance path of the cover film material; Position information indicating the seal position is provided on a portion of the cover film material that will become the cover film, The material supply means The cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means by one unit supply length, which corresponds to the same number of trays as the number of sealing positions, so that the sealing positions indicated by the position information given to the cover film material and the sealing positions related to the sealing means always coincide with each other; A tray sealing machine characterized in that, when the seam portion is detected by the seam detection means, the one unit supply length of the cover film material including the seam portion is skipped, and the next one unit supply length of the cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information assigned to the next one unit supply length of the cover film material matches the sealing position associated with the sealing means.

6. A method for manufacturing a tray pack by attaching a cover film to a tray containing contents, comprising: a sealing step of cutting a strip-shaped cover film material by a predetermined sealing means to obtain the cover film, and attaching the cover film to each of the plurality of trays arranged at a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material; a material supplying step of supplying the cover film material to the sealing means; a printing step of providing a printed portion on the cover film material by performing a printing process on the cover film material using a printing means disposed upstream of the sealing means along a transport path of the cover film material; a print inspection step in which a print inspection means is disposed downstream of the printing means and upstream of the sealing means along a conveyance path of the cover film material to determine whether the printed portion is good or bad, Position information indicating the seal position is provided on a portion of the cover film material that will become the cover film, In the material supplying step, The cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means by one unit supply length, which corresponds to the same number of tray packs as the number of sealing positions, so that the sealing positions indicated by the position information given to the cover film material and the sealing positions related to the sealing means always coincide with each other; A method for manufacturing a tray pack, characterized in that when the printing inspection process determines that the printed portion is defective, the one unit supply length of cover film material including the printed portion that was determined to be defective is skipped, and the next one unit supply length of cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information assigned to the next one unit supply length of cover film material matches the sealing position associated with the sealing means.

7. A method for manufacturing a tray pack by attaching a cover film to a tray containing contents, comprising: a sealing step of cutting a strip-shaped cover film material by a predetermined sealing means to obtain the cover film, and attaching the cover film to each of the plurality of trays arranged at a plurality of sealing positions aligned along the conveyance direction of the cover film material; a material supplying step of supplying the cover film material to the sealing means; a seam detection step of detecting a seam between the end of the cover film material being conveyed and the beginning of the cover film material to be conveyed next by means of a seam detection means disposed upstream of the sealing means along the conveyance path of the cover film material; Position information indicating the seal position is provided on a portion of the cover film material that will become the cover film, In the material supplying step, The cover film material is intermittently supplied to the sealing means by one unit supply length, which corresponds to the same number of trays as the number of sealing positions, so that the sealing positions indicated by the position information given to the cover film material and the sealing positions related to the sealing means always coincide with each other; A method for manufacturing a tray pack, characterized in that when the seam portion is detected by the seam detection process, the one unit supply length of the cover film material including the seam portion is skipped, and the next one unit supply length of the cover film material is supplied to the sealing means so that the sealing position indicated by the position information assigned to the next one unit supply length of the cover film material matches the sealing position associated with the sealing means.

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