Vertical bag form filling and packaging machine

Abstract

To reduce empty packaging bags caused by clogging.SOLUTION: A vertical bag form filling and packaging machine comprises: a hopper for feeding each item to be packaged to a filling cylinder; a detection part for executing the detection of the clogging of each item to be packaged in at least one of the filling cylinder and the hopper at predetermined detection timing; and a packaging operation management part for stopping a packaging operation when it is determined that clogging is present by the clogging detection part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine. [Background technology]

[0002] A vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine includes a hopper, a filling tube, a former, a packaging material supply mechanism, a packaging material feed mechanism, a vertical sealing unit, a horizontal sealing unit, etc., and packages are dropped into a hopper at the top of the filling tube from a weighing machine installed at the top. Packaged products can sometimes become clogged in the hopper, which prevents the package from being accommodated in the packaging body, resulting in empty packaging bags. In response to this issue, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine in which an expanded diameter section is formed at the top of the filling tube body, and a hopper slope is formed on part of the inner circumferential surface of the filling tube hopper that is more gradually inclined relative to the vertical direction than the rest of the inner circumferential surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-52976 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Furthermore, there is a known technique for detecting clogging in a hopper using a sensor such as a laser beam. However, this conventional detection method requires a certain amount of time for detection, and there is a problem in that empty bags are generated during the detection period.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to reduce the number of erroneous packaging bags that are produced due to clogging and in which the packaged items are not properly contained. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The form-fill-seal packaging machine of the present invention comprises a hopper that supplies the packaged products to a filling tube, a clogging detection unit that detects clogging of the packaged products in at least one of the filling tube and the hopper at a predetermined detection timing, and a packaging operation management unit that stops the packaging operation when the clogging detection unit determines that a clogging has occurred. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of defective packaging bags that are produced due to clogging. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a packaging machine body of a vertical bag form-fill-seal packaging machine. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a control device. [Figure 3] 10 is a diagram illustrating a control process for a packaging operation management unit to control a packaging item supply device. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a correct image. [Figure 5] This is an image taken when there is a blockage of packaged products inside the hopper. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing processing by the control device and the camera. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the timing of photographing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a packaging machine main body 10 of a vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine 1. In the packaging machine main body 10, reference numeral 11 denotes a packaging material (packaging material) supply section, 12 denotes a tension adjustment section, 12a denotes a swing mechanism, 13 denotes a date printing section, 13a denotes a date printing device, 13b denotes an elevating roller, 14 denotes a packaged product supply section, 14a denotes a hopper, 14b denotes a filling tube, 15 denotes a tube forming section, 15a denotes a tube former, 15b denotes a pressure member, 15c denotes a slide roller, 16 denotes a packaging material feed section, 16a denotes a pulley, and 16b denotes a feed belt. 17 denotes a vertical seal section, and 17a and 17b denote vertical seal blocks. Reference numeral 18 denotes the horizontal sealing and cutting section, 18a and 18b are horizontal sealing blocks, 18am and 18bm are central grooves, 18as and 18bs are sealing surfaces, 19 is the packaging bag discharge section, and 19a is the belt conveyor. Fi is the packaging material (film), gr is the guide roller, MR is the rolled packaging material, Ba is the packaging bag, ts is the vertical sealing section, and ys is the horizontal sealing section.

[0010] The packaging machine main body 10 includes a packaging material supply section 11, a tension adjustment section 12, a date printing section 13, a packaged product supply section 14, a tube making section 15, a packaging material feed section 16, a vertical sealing section 17, a horizontal sealing and cutting section 18, and a packaging bag discharge section 19.

[0011] The packaging material supply unit 11 includes a rolled packaging material supply device (not shown) that pays out the rolled packaging material MR, and pays out the packaging material Fi from the rolled packaging material MR. The tension adjustment unit 12 includes a swinging mechanism 12a that swings multiple rollers, frames, etc., and adjusts the tension so that sudden tension is not applied to the packaging material Fi paid out from the packaging material supply unit 11. The date printing unit 13 includes a date printing device 13a, elevating rollers 13b, etc., and prints the date on the packaging material Fi.

[0012] The packaged product supply section 14 includes a hopper 14a and a filling tube 14b. Packaged products such as snacks supplied by a packaged product supply device 30 installed above the packaged product supply section 14 in the vertical direction H are dropped into the hopper 14a and filled into the filling tube 14b. The packaged product supply device 30 may be, for example, a weighing machine that weighs the packaged products to be filled into one packaging bag and drops the weighed packaged products into the bag. As another example, the packaged product supply device 30 may be a bucket conveyor that sequentially transports multiple buckets, each containing a certain amount of packaged products, to the top of the hopper 14a and supplies the packaged products.

[0013] Hopper 14a has a circular cross section cut along a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, and is formed in the shape of a truncated cone with the diameter decreasing from top to bottom. The outlet end provided at the bottom of hopper 14a is connected to the upper end of filling tube 14b, and the packaged products placed in hopper 14a are sent to filling tube 14b.

[0014] The tube forming unit 15 includes a tube forming device 15a, a pressing member 15b, slide rollers 15c, etc. The packaging material Fi fed from the packaging material supply unit 11 and having the date printed by the date printing unit 13 is guided by the slide rollers 15c, formed into a cylindrical shape by the tube forming device 15a, and pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the filling tube 14b by the pressing member 15b.

[0015] The packaging material feed unit 16 is a pair of packaging material feed mechanisms equipped with pulleys 16a, feed belts 16b, a motor (not shown), etc., and is arranged on both sides of the filling tube 14b. The packaging material Fi wrapping the outer surface of the filling tube 14b is transported downward by the packaging material feed unit 16.

[0016] The vertical seal unit 17 includes vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b, a heater (not shown), etc. The vertical seal blocks 17a and 17b apply vertical seals to both end portions of the packaging material Fi that is overlapped and wrapped around the outer periphery of the filling tube 14b, forming vertical seal portions ts.

[0017] The horizontal sealing and cutting section 18 includes horizontal sealing blocks 18a and 18b, a heater (not shown), a cutting blade (not shown), etc. The horizontal sealing blocks 18a and 18b each have a central groove 18am and 18bm, and also have sealing surfaces 18as and 18bs, respectively. A horizontal seal is applied to the vertically sealed packaging material filled with the packaged product by the sealing surfaces 18as and 18bs, forming a horizontal seal portion ys. Furthermore, a cutting blade (not shown) protruding from one central groove 18am and entering the other central groove 18bm cuts the center of the horizontal seal portion ys. This forms a packaging bag Ba containing the packaged product. The packaging bag discharge section 19 includes a belt conveyor 19a, etc. The packaging bag Ba is discharged by the belt conveyor 19a.

[0018] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a camera 20 is installed at the upper end of the hopper 14a. The camera 20 is adjusted to capture images of the inside of the hopper 14a. The camera 20 is only required to be installed so that it can capture images of the inside of the hopper 14a, and conditions such as the installation position are not particularly limited. The images captured by the camera 20 are used to detect whether or not the hopper 14a is clogged with packaged products. In other words, the camera 20 functions as a clog detection unit, and capturing images by the camera 20 corresponds to detecting a clog.

[0019] 2 is a configuration diagram of the control device 100 that controls the vertical form fill and seal packaging machine 1. The control device 100 includes a first communication unit 101, a second communication unit 102, a control unit 103, and a display unit 108. The first communication unit 101 communicates with the camera 20. The second communication unit 102 communicates with the packaged product supply device 30. The control unit 103 includes a processor such as a CPU or GPU, and a storage unit such as a ROM or RAM, and executes various programs stored in the storage unit. The display unit 108 displays various information.

[0020] The control unit 103 controls each unit of the vertical form fill seal packaging machine 1. The control unit 103 has a packaging operation management unit 104, a photographed image acquisition unit 105, a clogging determination unit 106, and a display processing unit 107. These functions are realized by the processor reading out and executing a program stored in the storage unit. In other words, the processing described as being executed by each of the above units is actually processing executed by the control unit 103.

[0021] The packaging operation management unit 104 manages the packaging operation in the packaging machine main body 10. Here, the packaging operation includes operations such as transporting the packaging material by the packaging material feed unit 16, vertical sealing by the vertical sealing unit 17, horizontal sealing by the horizontal sealing / cutting unit 18, and cutting of the horizontally sealed portion.

[0022] 3, the control process of the packaging operation management unit 104 for the packaged product supply device 30 will be described. The packaging operation management unit 104 sends a supply request signal to the packaged product supply device 30 via the second communication unit 102 (1). Here, the supply request signal is information requesting the supply of packaged products. When the packaged product supply device 30 receives this supply request signal, it drops the packaged products to be sealed in one packaging bag in order to supply them (2).

[0023] Then, when the supply of the packaged products is completed, the packaged product supply device 30 transmits a supply completion signal to the packaging operation management unit 104 (3). By receiving the supply completion signal via the second communication unit 102, the packaging operation management unit 104 confirms that the packaged products have been supplied from the packaged product supply device 30, and continues packaging operations such as conveying packaging material.

[0024] The captured image acquisition unit 105 acquires captured images from the camera 20 via the first communication unit 101. The camera 20 captures images in accordance with the timing at which the packaged product supply device 30 supplies the packaged products. That is, the camera 20 captures images after the packaged product supply device 30 has completed supplying the packaged products. To achieve this, the captured image acquisition unit 105 instructs the camera 20 to take an image a certain time after the packaging operation management unit 104 sends a supply request signal to the packaged product supply device 30. The captured image acquisition unit 105 acquires an image each time the camera 20 takes an image.

[0025] In accordance with the instruction to take a picture, camera 20 takes a picture a certain time after the timing of sending the supply request signal. Here, the certain time is longer than the time required for packaged product supply device 30 to complete supply of packaged products after sending the supply request signal, but shorter than the time required for the next supply request signal to be sent. This allows camera 20 to take an image after packaged product supply device 30 has completed supply of packaged products and before the next packaged product supply begins, i.e., at a time when no packaged products are being supplied. This prevents the erroneous determination of a blockage due to the detection of packaged products being supplied normally.

[0026] The clogging determination unit 106 determines whether or not a clogging has occurred in the hopper 14a based on the captured image acquired by the captured image acquisition unit 105. For this detection process, a captured image of a state without clogging is set in advance as a correct image. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a correct image 200. The correct image 200 shows a circular image 201 corresponding to the outlet of the hopper 14a.

[0027] The clog determination unit 106 compares the correct image with the captured image, identifies the difference between the two as a clogged area, and calculates the clog rate as the ratio of the area of ​​the clogged area to the area of ​​a circular area corresponding to the outlet of the hopper 14a. The clog determination unit 106 determines that a clog has occurred if the clog rate is equal to or greater than a preset threshold. Note that this threshold may be a different value depending on, for example, the type of packaged product.

[0028] 5 shows a captured image 210 corresponding to a state in which there is a blockage of packaged products in hopper 14a. In captured image 210, an image 212 of the packaged products is shown inside a circular image 211 corresponding to the outlet of hopper 14a. For this captured image 210, the area ratio of the region corresponding to image 212 of the packaged products is calculated as the blockage ratio.

[0029] If the jam determination unit 106 determines that a jam has occurred, the packaging operation management unit 104 stops the packaging operation by the packaging machine main body 10. Specifically, the packaging operation management unit 104 stops the transport of packaging material by the packaging material feed unit 16. This makes it possible to prevent empty packaging bags from being continuously produced.

[0030] The display processing unit 107 displays various information on the display unit 108. For example, when it is determined that a jam has occurred, the display processing unit 107 displays an error screen on the display unit 108. The error screen displays information to notify that a jam has occurred and the number of erroneous packaging bags that may have occurred due to the jam. Here, erroneous packaging bags include empty packaging bags that do not contain any packaged products, as well as packaging bags that contain packaged products but do not fill the amount that should be contained.

[0031] If a jam occurs, the jam determination unit 106 determines that a jam has occurred based on the captured image of the jam, and the packaging operation management unit 104 stops the packaging operation. As such, it takes a certain amount of time for the packaging operation to stop after the jam occurs. During this time, the packaging machine main body 10 produces erroneous packaging bags. The number of erroneous packaging bags produced can be estimated based on the time required from the occurrence of the jam until the packaging operation is stopped and the amount of material conveyed by the packaging material feed unit 16 during that time, i.e., the number of packaging bags produced during that time. The error screen includes the estimated number of erroneous packaging bags.

[0032] 6 is a flowchart showing the processing by the control device 100 and the camera 20. The left side of FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing by the control device 100, and the right side of FIG.

[0033] First, the control unit 103 of the control device 100 checks whether the packaging operation management unit 104 has sent a supply request signal to the packaged product supply device 30 (S100). If the supply request signal has not been sent (N in S100), the control unit 103 waits, and if the supply request signal has been sent (Y in S100), the control unit 103 waits until a certain period of time has passed (N in S102). Then, after the certain period of time has passed (Y in S102), the control unit 103 sends a shooting instruction to the camera 20 via the first communication unit 101 (S104).

[0034] The camera 20 waits until it receives a shooting instruction from the control device 100 (N in S200), and upon receiving the shooting instruction (Y in S200), it takes a picture of the hopper 14a to obtain a photographed image (S202). In this way, the camera 20 obtains a photographed image at a predetermined detection timing. Then, the camera 20 transmits the photographed image to the control device 100 (S204).

[0035] In the control device 100, after transmitting the image capture instruction, the captured image acquisition unit 105 waits until the captured image is acquired (N in S106), and acquires the captured image when the captured image is transmitted by the camera 20. When the captured image is acquired (Y in S106), the clogging determination unit 106 determines whether or not a clogging occurs based on the captured image acquired by the captured image acquisition unit 105 (S108). When the control unit 103 determines that no clogging occurs (N in S110), it ends the process.

[0036] If it is determined that a blockage has occurred (Y in S110), the packaging operation management unit 104 stops the packaging operation (S112). Next, the display processing unit 107 displays an error screen on the display unit 108 (S114).

[0037] Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the timing of photographing. As shown in Fig. 7, the packaging operation management unit 104 periodically transmits a supply request signal to the packaged product supply device 30. In response, the camera 20 photographs the product every time a certain period of time (t1) has elapsed. As a result, the camera 20 photographs the product every time the supply of the packaged product is completed. Therefore, if a clog occurs, it can be quickly determined that a clog has occurred. This reduces the number of erroneous packaging bags produced due to a clog.

[0038] In addition, in conventional jam detection by irradiating a laser beam, the laser beam is continuously irradiated, and if the state in which the packaged product is detected by the laser beam continues for a certain period of time, it is determined that a jam has occurred. For this reason, it takes a relatively long time for the jam to be detected after it has occurred. In contrast, in this embodiment, jam detection is performed at an appropriate time, so the packaging operation can be stopped promptly after a jam has occurred.

[0039] Furthermore, in conventional jam detection, it is difficult to determine the relationship between the timing at which a jam is determined to exist and the timing at which the jam actually occurred, making it difficult to estimate how many erroneous packaging bags were produced between the time the jam occurred and the time it was determined to exist.In contrast, the vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine 1 according to this embodiment uses images captured in synchronization with the timing at which the products to be packaged are supplied, making it possible to accurately estimate the number of erroneous packaging bags.

[0040] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as defined in the claims.

[0041] As a first modification, the control device 100 may be realized by a plurality of devices, such as a packaging machine main body control device and a user interface (UI) control device. In this case, for example, the packaging operation management unit 104 may be provided in the packaging machine main body control device, and the jam determination unit 106 may be provided in the UI control device. Furthermore, at least a part of the functions realized by the control unit 103 of the control device 100 may be realized by hardware instead of software.

[0042] As a second modification, vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine 1 may use a sensor capable of detecting the products to be packaged in hopper 14a as the clogging detection unit, and the clogging detection unit is not limited to camera 20. For example, a laser sensor or a photoelectric sensor may also be used as the clogging detection unit.

[0043] In a third variant, the camera 20 as a jam detection unit detects a jam at the timing after the supply of packaged items contained in one packaging bag has been completed, and performs jam detection at that detection timing, and the specific processing for this is not limited to the embodiment.

[0044] For example, the packaging operation may be controlled to start on the condition that second communication unit 102 of vertical form fill and seal machine 1 receives a signal that the supply of packages has been completed from packaged product supply device 30. In this case, the jam detection unit may detect a jam at the detection timing set to a certain time after second communication unit 102 receives the supply completion signal.

[0045] Also, for example, the vertical form fill seal packaging machine 1 may further include a supply detection unit that detects the supply of packaged products by the packaged product supply device 30, and may be controlled so that the packaging operation begins on the condition that the supply of packaged products is detected. In this case, the jam detection unit may detect a jam at a detection timing that is a fixed time after the timing of supply detection by the supply detection unit.

[0046] Furthermore, in this case, the clogging detection unit may also serve as a supply detection unit that detects the supply of packaged products by packaged product supply device 30. Furthermore, vertical form fill seal packaging machine 1 may start supply detection by the supply detection unit on the condition that it receives a signal from packaged product supply device 30 indicating that the supply of packaged products has been completed.

[0047] Also, for example, assume that vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine 1 is controlled so that packaged products are supplied periodically by packaged product supply device 30. In this case, the clogging detection unit may be configured to periodically detect clogging in accordance with the cycle of supplying the packaged products.

[0048] In a fourth modified example, the packaging operation management unit 104 may stop the packaging operation when it is determined that a jam has occurred, and the specific operation for stopping the operation is not limited to that described in the embodiment. For example, when it is determined that a jam has occurred, the packaging operation management unit 104 may stop the cutting of the horizontal seal portion of the packaging bag by the horizontal sealing and cutting unit 18. This prevents the horizontal seal from being cut, making it easier to identify packaging bags that do not contain a packaged product.

[0049] Furthermore, for example, when it is determined that a blockage has occurred, the packaging operation management unit 104 may stop the operation of transverse sealing of the packaging body by the transverse sealing and cutting unit 18. This results in a state in which transverse sealing is not performed, making it easier to identify packaging bags that do not contain a packaged product.

[0050] A fifth modified example will be described. The clogging detection unit may detect clogging in at least one of the hopper 14a and the filling tube 14b. For example, if the image captured by the camera 20 serving as the clogging detection unit includes the hopper 14a and the filling tube 14b, it can detect whether there is a clogging in either of them. Furthermore, if the image captured by the camera 20 includes only the filling tube 14b, the presence or absence of a clogging in the filling tube 14b is detected. Furthermore, as described in the embodiment, if the image captured by the camera 20 includes only the hopper 14a, the presence or absence of a clogging in the hopper 14a is detected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1. Vertical form-fill-seal machine 10 Packaging machine body 11 Packaging material supply department 14 Packaged product supply section 14a Hopper 14b Filling cylinder 15. Cylinder manufacturing section 16 Packaging material feeding section 17 Vertical seal 18 Horizontal seal and cutting section 20 Camera 30 Packaged product supply device 100 control device 101 First Communications Department 102 Second Communications Department 103 Control Unit 104 Packaging operation management department 105 Image acquisition unit 106 Clogging detection unit 107 Display processing unit 108 Display section

Claims

1. a hopper for supplying the packaged product to the filling tube; a clogging detection unit that detects clogging of the packaged products in at least one of the filling tube and the hopper at a predetermined detection timing; a packaging operation management unit that stops the packaging operation when the clogging detection unit determines that a clogging has occurred; A bag making, filling and packaging machine comprising:

2. 2. The bag form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1, wherein the clogging detection unit detects the clogging after the supply of the packaged products to be contained in one packaging bag has been completed.

3. Further provided is a communication unit that transmits a supply request signal for the packaged product to the packaged product supply device, The bag form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1 , wherein the clogging detection unit detects clogging after a predetermined time has elapsed since the timing of transmission of the supply request signal.

4. Further provided is a communication unit that receives a signal from the packaged product supply device that the packaged product has been supplied. The bag form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1 , wherein the clogging detection unit detects whether the clogging has occurred after a predetermined time has elapsed since the timing of receiving the supply completion signal.

5. Further provided is a supply detection unit that detects the supply of the packaged item, The bag form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1 , wherein the clogging detection unit performs the clogging detection after a predetermined time has elapsed since the timing of the supply detection unit's supply detection.

6. The packaged products are periodically supplied to the filling tube, 2. The bag form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1, wherein the clogging detection unit periodically performs the clogging detection in accordance with a cycle in which the packaged products are supplied to the filling tube.

7. 2. The bag form, fill and seal machine according to claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that a jam has occurred, the packaging operation management unit stops the transport of packaging material by a packaging material feed unit that transports packaging material to form packaging bags that contain the packaged products.

8. 2. The bag form, fill and pack machine according to claim 1, wherein the packaging operation management unit stops cutting the horizontal seal portion of the packaging bag formed from the packaging material to contain the packaged product when it is determined that a jam has occurred.

9. 2. The bag form, fill and pack machine according to claim 1, wherein the packaging operation management unit stops a horizontal sealing operation of the packaging bag formed from the packaging material to contain the packaged product when it is determined that a jam has occurred.

10. The bag form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1 , wherein the clogging detection unit is a camera.

11. The bag form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1 , wherein the clogging detection unit is a laser sensor.

12. The bag form-fill-seal machine according to claim 1 , wherein the clogging detection unit is a photoelectric sensor.

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