Processing device

Abstract

To improve accuracy for locating a position in packaging material.SOLUTION: A processing device includes: a heating member 71 for heating a packaging material including a thermo-sensitive color development layer to form a color development part that the thermo-sensitive color development layer is caused to partially develop a color; a detector 50 for detecting the color development part; and a processing part 60 for executing a predetermined process on the basis of a position of color development part of a packaging material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2018-140060 (Patent Document 1) discloses a tablet counting inspection device that includes an imaging mechanism that photographs packets containing tablets to obtain image data, and a processing device that automatically confirms the number of tablets in the packet by extracting a drug image area from the image data and counting the drug images therein. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-140060 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to be able to appropriately carry out predetermined processing on sachets in which packaging objects are individually packed, it is necessary to accurately identify the position of the objects in the sachets.

[0005] This disclosure proposes a technique for improving the accuracy of identifying a position on a packaging material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The processing device according to the present disclosure includes a heating unit that heats a packaging material having a thermosensitive coloring layer to form a colored portion by coloring a portion of the thermosensitive coloring layer, a detection unit that detects the colored portion, and a processing unit that performs a predetermined process based on the position of the colored portion on the packaging material.

[0007] In the processing device, the packaging material may be in the form of a long sheet, and the processing section may perform the predetermined processing based on the position of the color-developing portion in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material.

[0008] The processing device further includes a storage section forming section that uses packaging material to form a storage section for storing the packaged item, and the storage section forming section includes a heating section, and the heating section heats two overlapping sheets of packaging material to form the storage section, and the colored portion may form the edge of the storage section.

[0009] The processing device may further include a conveying section that conveys the packaging material, and the color-developing portion may extend in the conveying direction of the packaging material.

[0010] In the processing apparatus, the processing section may be disposed downstream of the detection section in the transport direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the processing device of the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the accuracy of identifying a position on a packaging material. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a packaging device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a housing portion forming section. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a sachet. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a first diagram showing detection of a color-developing site by a detection unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a second diagram showing the detection of the color-developing site by the detection unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the packaging device. [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between longitudinal fused portions and perforations in a packaging material. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated. In the drawings, configurations may be omitted or simplified for the sake of convenience. It is also intended from the beginning that any configurations may be extracted from the embodiments and arbitrarily combined.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a packaging device 1 equipped with a processing device according to an embodiment.

[0015] The packaging device 1 is used to package an object to be packaged. The object to be packaged is a medicine, specifically a solid medicine. Examples of solid medicine include powders, granules, tablets, pills, and capsules. The object to be packaged is not limited to a solid medicine. The object to be packaged may be a semi-solid medicine or a liquid medicine.

[0016] The packaging device 1 is a drug packaging device for packaging drugs based on a prescription. A prescription is issued to a patient by a doctor. The prescription contains patient information and drug information. The patient information includes the patient's name and age. The drug information includes the drug name, amount, usage, and dosage. The packaging device 1 is used to package drugs into single doses based on such a prescription.

[0017] Packaging rolls 2 and 3 are attached to the packaging device 1. The packaging roll 2 is a packaging material 21 wound in a roll shape. The packaging material 21 is fed out from the packaging roll 2. The packaging roll 3 is a packaging material 31 wound in a roll shape. The packaging material 31 is fed out from the packaging roll 3.

[0018] Packaging device 1 combines packaging material 21 unwound from packaging roll 2 and packaging material 31 unwound from packaging roll 3 by heat sealing them to form sachets 19 containing medicines. Packaging materials 21, 31 are in the form of long sheets. Packaging device 1 is equipped with a packaging material conveying section 9. Packaging material conveying section 9 applies a driving force to packaging materials 21, 31 to convey them. Packaging materials 21, 31 are conveyed in their longitudinal directions. Arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the conveying direction DR of packaging materials 21, 31.

[0019] Guide rollers 11A, 12A, and 13A are provided in this order from upstream (closer to packaging roll 2) to downstream (away from packaging roll 2) in the conveying direction DR of packaging material 21. Guide rollers 11A, 12A, and 13A guide packaging material 21 as it is conveyed and apply a constant tension to packaging material 21. Guide rollers 11B, 12B, and 13B are provided in this order from upstream (closer to packaging roll 3) to downstream (away from packaging roll 3) in the conveying direction DR of packaging material 31. Guide rollers 11B, 12B, and 13B guide packaging material 31 as it is conveyed and apply a constant tension to packaging material 31.

[0020] The packaging device 1 includes a packaging unit 5. The packaging unit 5 includes a medicine supply unit 6, a container forming unit 7, and a perforation forming unit 8.

[0021] Medicine supply unit 6 supplies medicine between packaging materials 21 and 31 being conveyed by packaging material conveying unit 9. The tip of a hopper (not shown) is placed between packaging materials 21 and 31, and medicine is poured into the gap between packaging materials 21 and 31 from the tip of the hopper. Medicine is supplied at a dose based on the prescription.

[0022] Container forming unit 7 forms a container using packaging materials 21 and 31 conveyed by packaging conveying unit 9. Medicines are contained in the container. After medicines are supplied from medicine supply unit 6, container forming unit 7 heat-seals packaging materials 21 and 31 together to individually package the medicines, thereby forming sachets 19, which are packages containing the medicines.

[0023] The perforation forming unit 8 is provided in the storage section forming unit 7. The perforation forming unit 8 forms perforations that extend in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction DR in the packaging material 21, 31 conveyed by the packaging material conveying unit 9. The perforations are a plurality of small holes that are lined up continuously in the short direction of the packaging material 21, 31. The perforations are formed in the sealed portion where the packaging material 21, 31 is heat-sealed. The perforations are formed at positions that separate adjacent sachets 19 in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 21, 31. By cutting the packaging material 21, 31 along the perforations, the adjacent sachets 19 can be easily separated.

[0024] The packaging device 1 further includes a printing unit 4. The printing unit 4 prints predetermined information on the packaging material 31 that is unwound from the packaging material roll 3 and transported by the packaging material transport unit 9. The predetermined information is information related to the drug. The printing unit 4 is disposed upstream of the packaging unit 5 in the transport direction of the packaging material 31. The printing unit 4 prints information related to the drug on the packaging material 31 prior to the heat sealing of the packaging materials 21, 31 by the storage portion forming unit 7. The information related to the drug includes the patient's name, the time of administration, the name and quantity of the drug, etc.

[0025] The packaging device 1 further includes a detection unit 50 and a processing unit 60. The detection unit 50 detects a colored portion of the packaging material 31 that has been colored. The processing unit 60 performs a predetermined process based on the position of the colored portion of the packaging material 31. The detection unit 50 and the processing unit 60 are arranged downstream in the conveying direction DR from the packaging material conveying unit 9. The detection unit 50 and the processing unit 60 are arranged side by side in the conveying direction DR of the packaging materials 21, 31. The processing unit 60 is arranged downstream in the conveying direction DR from the detection unit 50.

[0026] 2 is a schematic diagram of the printing unit 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the packaging material 31 has a substrate 32, a seal layer 33, and a thermosensitive coloring layer 34. The substrate 32 has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is laminated on the first surface of the substrate 32. The seal layer 33 is laminated on the second surface of the substrate 32. The packaging material 31 has a layered structure in which the seal layer 33, the substrate 32, and the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 are laminated in this order.

[0027] The substrate 32 is made of, for example, paper. The substrate 32 may be made of glassine paper. The thickness of the glassine paper is 30 g / m 2 The substrate 32 may be made of a film. The substrate 32 may be made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The thickness of the film may be 25 μm. The sealing layer 33 is made of a low-melting point material such as polyethylene. The thickness of the sealing layer 33 may be 15 μm. The thickness of the sealing layer 33 may be smaller or larger than the thickness of the substrate 32. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 may be made of a material that changes color at a temperature higher than the temperature at which the sealing layer 33 melts. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 may be formed by applying a thermosensitive material to the first surface of the substrate 32.

[0028] The packaging material 31 is not limited to the above example, and may be thermal paper. Thermal paper develops color when heated to approximately 80 to 90° C. Therefore, in the case of thermal paper, the temperature at which the seal layer 33 melts is equal to or higher than the temperature at which the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 develops color.

[0029] The printing unit 4 has a thermal head 41 and a platen roller 42. The thermal head 41 has a heating element. The platen roller 42 supports the packaging material 31. The thermal head 41 and the platen roller 42 are arranged opposite each other with the packaging material 31 sandwiched between them.

[0030] The printing unit 4 uses a thermal head 41, which is a printing head, to heat the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 of the packaging material 31, thereby causing the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 to develop color. The thermal head 41 is pressed against a platen roller 42 with the packaging material 31 in between, and in this state, the heating elements of the thermal head 41 are heated, whereby predetermined information related to the medicine to be packaged is printed on the packaging material 31 for each package.

[0031] In the packaging material 31 transported through the printing unit 4, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is disposed closer to the thermal head 41 than the substrate 32.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the storage section forming section 7. Note that the perforation forming section 8 is not shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the packaging material 21 has a base material 22 and a sealing layer 23. The packaging material 21 has a layered structure in which the base material 22 and the sealing layer 23 are layered. The packaging material 21 does not have a thermosensitive coloring layer. The packaging material 21 does not change color even when heated.

[0033] The substrate 22 may be made of, for example, OPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene). The thickness of the substrate 22 may be 25 μm. The sealing layer 23 may be made of, for example, polyethylene. The thickness of the sealing layer 23 may be 15 μm.

[0034] The storage section forming section 7 has a heating member 71 and a receiving member 72. The heating member 71 has a built-in heater and is heated by the heater. The receiving member 72 is a member that receives the heating member 71. The receiving member 72 does not have a heat-generating structure and is basically kept at room temperature. The heating member 71 and the receiving member 72 are arranged opposite each other with the packaging material 21 and the packaging material 31 sandwiched therebetween.

[0035] The heating member 71 may be, for example, aluminum plated with electroless nickel-phosphorus-PTFE (fluororesin) composite plating. The receiving member 72 may be, for example, silicone rubber with a hardness of 30 degrees to which a fluororesin sheet is baked.

[0036] With heating member 71 heated by the heater, heating member 71 and receiving member 72 are driven by pressure motor 75 (FIG. 7) which serves as a drive source, to apply pressure to packaging materials 21 and 31 from both sides. As a result, seal layer 23 of packaging material 21 and seal layer 33 of packaging material 31 are thermally fused together to form a storage section. The medicine is stored in the storage section. Storage section forming section 7 packages the medicine, which is the packaging object, one package at a time.

[0037] Of the packaging materials 21, 31 transported through the storage portion forming section 7, packaging material 31 is positioned close to heating member 71, and packaging material 21 is positioned close to receiving member 72. The seal layer 23 of packaging material 21 and the seal layer 33 of packaging material 31 face each other. The seal layers 23, 33 that form the inner sides of packaging materials 21, 31 are overlapped with each other. When heat is applied from the heating member 71, the seal layers 23, 33 melt, and the seal layer 23 and the seal layer 33 are thermally fused together to form a storage portion.

[0038] In the packaging material 31, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is disposed closer to the heating member 71 than the base material 32, and is disposed closest to the heating member 71. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 faces the heating member 71. The thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is disposed at a position where the heat generated by the heater of the heating member 71 is most easily conducted. By disposing the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 close to the heating member 71 in the container forming section 7, when heat sealing is performed to thermally fuse the sealing layers 23, 33, the amount of heat required for coloring is also transmitted to the thermosensitive coloring layer 34, causing the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 to develop color.

[0039] The heating member 71 corresponds to an example of a "heating unit" that heats the packaging material 31 having the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 to cause the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 to develop a color. The container portion forming unit 7 includes a heating unit. The heating unit heats the two overlapping packaging materials 21, 31, so that the container portion forming unit 7 forms a container portion.

[0040] 4 is a schematic diagram showing a sachet 19. By heat-sealing the sealing layers 23, 33 in the storage portion forming section 7, a longitudinal fused portion 123 extending in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 21, 31 and a lateral fused portion 124 extending in the lateral direction of the packaging material 21, 31 are formed. The longitudinal fused portion 123 is formed near one edge of the packaging material 21, 31 and near the other edge of the packaging material 21, 31. The pair of longitudinal fused portions 123 are formed to extend parallel to each other at the same position in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 21, 31. The lateral fused portion 124 is formed to connect the ends of the pair of longitudinal fused portions 123.

[0041] Packaging materials 21, 31 are partitioned by a pair of longitudinal fusion portions 123 and a pair of lateral fusion portions 124 to form sachet 19. A storage portion 122 is formed inside sachet 19, and the medicine is stored in storage portion 122. Sachet 19 individually packages the medicine, which is the packaging object.

[0042] When the longitudinal fused portion 123 and the lateral fused portion 124 are formed in the storage portion forming section 7, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is heated and colored, thereby coloring the longitudinal fused portion 123 and the lateral fused portion 124. The longitudinal fused portion 123 corresponds to an example of a "colored portion" formed by coloring a portion of the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 of the packaging material 31. The colored portion extends in the longitudinal direction of the long sheet-like packaging material 31. The colored portion extends in the conveying direction DR of the packaging material 31. The colored portion (longitudinal fused portion 123) forms the edge of the storage portion 122 in the lateral direction of the packaging material 31.

[0043] A dividing region 126 where the seal layers 23, 33 are not heat-sealed is provided between two adjacent short-side fused portions 124 in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 21, 31. The two adjacent short-side fused portions 124 and the dividing region 126 sandwiched therebetween form a partition section 127 that separates two storage sections 122 adjacent in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 21, 31.

[0044] Perforations 125 are formed in the partitioning section 127, more specifically in the dividing region 126. The perforations 125 include a plurality of pores extending in the short-side direction of the packaging material 21, 31. The plurality of pores are aligned continuously in the short-side direction of the packaging material 21, 31. The plurality of pores are aligned at intervals in the short-side direction of the packaging material 21, 31. The plurality of pores are aligned on an imaginary straight line extending in the short-side direction of the packaging material 21, 31.

[0045] A handler who separates the sachets 19 into individual packets pinches one of two adjacent sachets 19 between the fingers of his right hand and the other between the fingers of his left hand, and moves the two sachets 19 held in both hands away from each other so as to tear the perforation 125, thereby separating the two adjacent sachets 19 along the perforation 125.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a first diagram showing detection of a colored portion by the detection unit 50. The detection unit 50 is, for example, an optical sensor. The detection unit 50 is, for example, a reflective optical sensor. The detection unit 50 has a light-emitting element 51 and a light-receiving element 52. The light-emitting element 51 emits irradiated light Lx toward the sachet 19. The light-receiving element 52 detects reflected light Lr1 reflected by the sachet 19. In FIG. 5, the irradiated light Lx is irradiated onto the longitudinal fused portion 123 (colored portion). The longitudinal fused portion 123 (colored portion) typically emits black. A larger amount of light is absorbed in the colored longitudinal fused portion 123. The reflected light Lr1 shown in FIG. 5 that is reflected at the longitudinal fused portion 123 has a relatively small amount of light.

[0047] FIG. 6 is a second diagram illustrating the detection of a colored portion by the detection unit 50. In FIG. 6, the irradiated light Lx is irradiated onto a separation region 126 between two longitudinal fused portions 123 adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction (conveyance direction DR) of the packaging material 31, where the seal layers 23, 33 are not heat-sealed. In the separation region 126, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 does not develop color. The reflected light Lr2 reflected in the separation region 126 has a relatively large amount of light. The amount of reflected light Lr2 shown in FIG. 6 is greater than the amount of reflected light Lr1 shown in FIG. 5.

[0048] When the light receiving element 52 receives reflected light Lr1 with a small amount of light, it is determined that the irradiated light Lx is irradiated onto the longitudinal fused portion 123 (coloring portion). On the other hand, when the light receiving element 52 receives reflected light Lr2 with a large amount of light, it is determined that the irradiated light Lx is irradiated onto a portion other than the longitudinal fused portion 123 (coloring portion), specifically, the divided region 126. In this way, the coloring portion can be detected based on the amount of light received by the light receiving element 52 of the detection unit 50, which is an optical sensor.

[0049] When the detection unit 50 is an optical sensor, it is not limited to the reflective optical sensor shown in Figures 5 and 6, but may also be a transmissive optical sensor. The light-emitting element 51 and the light-receiving element 52 may be arranged with the sachet 19 sandwiched between them, and the light-receiving element 52 may receive transmitted light that is irradiated from the light-emitting element 51 onto the sachet 19 and transmitted through the sachet 19.

[0050] The detection unit 50 is not limited to an optical sensor, but may be an imaging device. The colored portion may be detected by analyzing an image of the sachet 19 captured by the imaging device.

[0051] 7 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the packaging device 1. As shown in FIG.

[0052] The operation unit 96 is operated by an operator who operates the packaging device 1. When the operator operates the operation unit 96, information necessary for the packaging operation of the packaging device 1 is input to the overall control unit 90. The information necessary for the packaging operation of the packaging device 1 includes prescription data based on a prescription and various setting information. The setting information includes the dimensions of the sachet 19 in the longitudinal direction of the packaging materials 21 and 31, and the content to be printed on the packaging material 31. The information necessary for the packaging operation of the packaging device 1 may be input to the overall control unit 90 from an external computer.

[0053] Based on the input prescription data, the operation unit 96 generates print data to be printed on the packaging material 31 by the printing unit 4. The operation unit 96 inputs the generated print data to the overall control unit 90. The overall control unit 90 may generate the print data, or externally generated print data may be input to the operation unit 96.

[0054] The overall control unit 90 controls the overall operation of the packaging device 1 based on information necessary for the packaging operation of the packaging device 1. The overall control unit 90 controls the medicine supply unit 6, the container formation unit 7, the packaging material conveying unit 9, and the printing unit 4.

[0055] Overall control unit 90 sends a control signal to medicine supply unit 6, instructing medicine supply unit 6 on the type and quantity of medicine to be supplied. Overall control unit 90 sends a control signal to storage portion forming unit 7 so that the dimensions of sachet 19 in the longitudinal direction of packaging material 21, 31 become predetermined values. The dimensions of sachet 19 may be values ​​input via operation unit 96, for example, or may be values ​​set by overall control unit 90 based on the type and quantity of medicine.

[0056] The packaging control unit 97 controls the heating member 71, pressure motor 75, and packaging material conveying motor 91 based on control signals from the overall control unit 90. The pressure motor 75 moves the heating member 71 and the receiving member 72. The heating member 71 and the receiving member 72, which are moved by the driving of the pressure motor 75, apply pressure to the packaging materials 21, 31 from both sides or move away from the packaging materials 21, 31. The packaging material conveying unit 9 has a pair of conveying rollers and a packaging material conveying motor 91. The pair of conveying rollers are arranged opposite each other with the sachet 19 sandwiched between them. The packaging material conveying motor 91 drives the pair of conveying rollers to rotate, thereby conveying the sachet 19 (packaging materials 21, 31) in the conveying direction DR.

[0057] Sachets 19 are formed by appropriately driving and stopping medicine supply unit 6, heating member 71, pressure motor 75, and packaging material conveying motor 91. Packaging material conveying unit 9 intermittently conveys packaging materials 21, 31. When the conveyance of packaging materials 21, 31 is stopped, medicine supply unit 6 supplies medicine between packaging materials 21, 31. Heating member 71 and receiving member 72 heat and pressurize packaging materials 21, 31 from both sides. In packaging materials 21, 31, longitudinal fused portions 123 are formed in the longitudinal direction of packaging materials 21, 31, and lateral fused portions 124 are formed in the lateral direction of packaging materials 21, 31. In this manner, sachets 19 containing the packaging objects are formed.

[0058] The overall control unit 90 sends control signals to the printing unit 4 so that printing is performed on the packaging material 31 based on the print data generated by the operation unit 96. The printing unit 4 has a print control unit 94. The print control unit 94 controls the thermal head 41 and the head contact / separation motor 43 based on the control signal from the overall control unit 90.

[0059] The thermal head 41 has multiple heating elements. A head contact / separation motor 43 reciprocates the thermal head 41 in the thickness direction of the packaging material 31, bringing the thermal head 41 into contact with or away from the packaging material 31. By selectively heating the multiple heating elements of the thermal head 41 while the thermal head 41 is in contact with the packaging material 31, information related to the medicines to be packaged is printed on the packaging material 31 one package at a time.

[0060] The overall control unit 90 sends a control signal to the detection unit 50, causing the light-emitting element 51 to emit the irradiation light Lx. The detection unit 50 has a discrimination unit 53. The discrimination unit 53 determines whether the irradiation light Lx is irradiating a color-developing area or an area other than a color-developing area based on the light intensity of the reflected light Lr1 and Lr2 received by the light-receiving element 52. The discrimination unit 53 discriminates the boundary of the color-developing area based on fluctuations in the detection value of the light-receiving element 52. In this way, the detection unit 50 detects the color-developing area that is thermosensitively coloring. The detection unit 50 inputs the detection result of the color-developing area to the overall control unit 90.

[0061] The overall control unit 90 transmits a control signal to the processing unit 60 based on the detection result of the colored portion by the detection unit 50. The processing unit 60 executes a predetermined process based on the position of the longitudinal fused portion 123 (colored portion) in the packaging material 31. The processing unit 60 executes a predetermined process based on the position of the colored portion in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 31.

[0062] The predetermined process executed by processing unit 60 may be, for example, automatic cutting of sachet 19 using a cutter. The predetermined process may also be aligning sachet 19 to a position where an operator operating packaging device 1 will manually cut sachet 19. Perforation forming unit 8 may not be provided in storage portion forming unit 7 as shown in FIG. 1 , but may be provided downstream of storage portion forming unit 7 in the conveying direction DR, in which case the predetermined process may be forming perforation 125 in sachet 19.

[0063] The predetermined process may be printing at a predetermined position on sachet 19, or the printing may be stamp printing. The predetermined process may be peeling a label printed by a label printer from a backing and attaching it to sachet 19. The predetermined process may be a drug audit to confirm whether the drugs contained in sachet 19 are correct.

[0064] 8 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the longitudinal fused portions 123 and the perforations 125 in the packaging material 31. The detection unit 50 detects the longitudinal fused portions 123 (colored portions), thereby determining the length L1 that indicates the distance between adjacent colored portions in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 31.

[0065] If the specified process is automatic cutting of sachet 19, length L2, which is half of length L1 in the longitudinal direction of packaging material 31, can be calculated, and the position of the cutter for cutting sachet 19 can be aligned to a position that is length L2 away from the boundary of the colored area. Sachet 19 can be cut at the center of cutting region 126 in the conveyance direction DR, and sachet 19 can be cut at the desired position.

[0066] If the predetermined process is the formation of perforation 125, it is possible to set a length L2 between the edge of longitudinal fused portion 123 in the longitudinal direction of packaging material 31 and perforation 125, and align the perforation forming blade for forming perforation 125 with the position of length L2. By setting length L2 to half the value of length L1, perforation 125 can be formed at the center of dividing region 126 in the conveyance direction DR. In this way, perforation 125 can be formed at the desired position.

[0067] Although some of the description overlaps with the above, the characteristic configuration of this embodiment, as well as its actions and effects, can be listed as follows.

[0068] The packaging device 1 includes a heating member 71, a detection unit 50, and a processing unit 60. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the heating member 71 heats the packaging material 31 having the thermosensitive coloring layer 34, thereby forming a colored portion by thermosensitively coloring a portion of the thermosensitive coloring layer 34. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the detection unit 50 detects the colored portion. The processing unit 60 shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 performs a predetermined process based on the position of the colored portion on the packaging material 31.

[0069] When the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 is heated to a temperature at which it develops color or higher, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 develops color through thermosensitivity. The position in the packaging material 31 is detected from the colored portion. Compared to the conventional method of detecting the position from the amount of sachet 19 fed by the packaging conveying unit 9, the influence of variations in the amount of medicine packaged in the sachet 19 and variations in the feed amount due to printing resistance is reduced, improving the accuracy of identifying the position in the packaging material 31. By executing a predetermined process in the processing unit 60 using the position of the colored portion detected by the detection unit 50 as a reference, the process can be performed accurately at the desired position.

[0070] 4 to 6 and 8, the processing unit 60 may perform a predetermined process based on the position of the colored portion in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 31. In this way, the processing unit 60 can perform the predetermined process accurately at a desired position in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 31.

[0071] 4 to 6 and 8, the colored portion may form the edge of the storage portion 122. When the two overlapping packaging materials 21 and 31 are heated to form the storage portion 122, the thermosensitive coloring layer 34 thermosensitively changes color to form the colored portion, thereby ensuring the formation of the colored portion that forms the edge of the storage portion 122.

[0072] 4 to 6 and 8, the colored portion may extend in the conveyance direction DR of the packaging material 31. By accurately detecting the position of the colored portion in the conveyance direction DR of the packaging material 31 and performing a predetermined process based on the detected position, the processing unit 60 can perform the predetermined process accurately at a desired position in the conveyance direction DR.

[0073] 1, the processing unit 60 may be located downstream of the detection unit 50 in the conveying direction DR. After the color-developed portion is detected by the detection unit 50, the packaging material 31 is conveyed to the processing unit 60. This allows the processing unit 60 to accurately perform a predetermined process at a desired position, based on the position of the color-developed portion detected by the detection unit 50.

[0074] In the above description, an example has been described in which the detection unit 50 detects the positions of the colored longitudinal fused portions 123 and the separation region 126 between two longitudinal fused portions 123 adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 31. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the detection unit 50 may detect the positions of the colored lateral fused portions 124 and the separation region 126 between two lateral fused portions 124 adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material 31. The light-emitting element 51 may irradiate light to a position near the center of the packaging material 31 in the lateral direction of the packaging material 31.

[0075] As in FIG. 5 , the reflected light reflected from the colored lateral fused portion 124 has a relatively small amount of light. The reflected light reflected from the uncolored separated region 126 has a relatively large amount of light. If no information is printed on the storage portion 122, the reflected light reflected from the storage portion 122 has a relatively large amount of light. When the light-receiving element 52 receives reflected light with a small amount of light, the detection unit 50 can determine that the irradiated light is irradiated onto the lateral fused portion 124. On the other hand, when the light-receiving element 52 receives reflected light with a large amount of light, the detection unit 50 can determine that the irradiated light is irradiated onto a portion other than the lateral fused portion 124, specifically the storage portion 122 or the separated region 126.

[0076] <Additional Notes> The above description includes the following additional features.

[0077] (Appendix 1) a heating unit that heats a packaging material having a thermosensitive coloring layer to form a colored portion by coloring a part of the thermosensitive coloring layer; a detection unit that detects the color-developing site; a processing unit that executes a predetermined process based on the position of the color-developed portion on the packaging material.

[0078] (Appendix 2) The packaging material is in the form of a long sheet, 2. The processing device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit performs the processing based on the position of the color-developing portion in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material.

[0079] (Appendix 3) Further provided is a storage section forming section that forms a storage section that uses the packaging material to store the packaging object, The processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage section forming section includes the heating section, and the heating section heats the two overlapping packaging materials to form the storage section, and the colored portion forms the edge of the storage section.

[0080] (Appendix 4) Further provided is a conveying unit that conveys the packaging material, 4. The processing device according to claim 1, wherein the color-developing portion extends in a conveying direction of the packaging material.

[0081] (Appendix 5) 5. The processing device according to claim 4, wherein the processing unit is disposed downstream of the detection unit in the transport direction.

[0082] Although the embodiments have been described above, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered to be limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 Packaging device, 2, 3 Packaging material roll, 4 Printing unit, 5 Packaging unit, 6 Drug supply unit, 7 Storage unit forming unit, 8 Perforation forming unit, 9 Packaging material conveying unit, 19 Sachet bag, 21, 31 Packaging material, 22, 32 Base material, 23, 33 Sealing layer, 34 Thermosensitive coloring layer, 41 Thermal head, 42 Platen roller, 43 Head contact / separation motor, 50 Detection unit, 51 Light emitting element, 52 Light receiving element, 53 Discrimination unit, 60 Processing unit, 71 Heating element, 72 Receiving member, 75 Pressure motor, 90 Overall control unit, 91 Packaging material conveying motor, 94 Printing control unit, 96 Operation unit, 97 Packaging control unit, 122 Storage unit, 123 Longitudinal fusion unit, 124 Transverse fusion unit, 125 Perforation, 126 Separation area, 127 Partition unit, DR Conveying direction, L1, L2 length, Lr1, Lr2 reflected light, Lx irradiated light.

Claims

1. a heating unit that heats a packaging material having a thermosensitive coloring layer to form a colored portion by coloring a part of the thermosensitive coloring layer; a detection unit that detects the color-developing site; a processing unit that executes a predetermined process based on the position of the color-developed portion on the packaging material.

2. The packaging material is in the form of a long sheet, The processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing section performs the processing based on the position of the color-developed portion in the longitudinal direction of the packaging material.

3. Further provided is a storage section forming section that forms a storage section that uses the packaging material to store the packaging object, 3. The processing device according to claim 1, wherein the storage section forming section includes the heating section, and the heating section heats the two overlapping packaging materials to form the storage section, and the colored portion forms the edge of the storage section.

4. Further provided is a conveying unit that conveys the packaging material, The processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the color-developing portion extends in a transport direction of the packaging material.

5. The processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processing section is disposed downstream of the detection section in the transport direction.

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