Vacuum packaging apparatus

Abstract

To provide a highly convenient vacuum packaging device.SOLUTION: A vacuum packaging apparatus which includes a chamber having a space capable of accommodating a packaging bag in which a product is stored, and a pump for decompressing the space, and vacuum-packages the product by decompressing the space, the vacuum packaging apparatus comprising: A body portion capable of placing a packaging bag on an upper surface thereof, and a lid portion that defines a space between the body portion and the lid portion in a state where the upper surface of the body portion is closed, the body portion and the lid portion constituting a chamber, the chamber including a regulating portion that regulates movement of a product toward a sealing device in a state where an opening of the packaging bag is placed on the sealing device, the regulating portion including a first regulating member and a second regulating member positioned below the first regulating member so as to form a gap between the first regulating member and the second regulating member, one end of the second regulating member being connected to the first regulating member, the movement of the product to the sealing device side is regulated by the regulation part by inserting the neck part of the packaging bag positioned between the storage part for storing the product in the packaging bag and the opening part into the gap part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a vacuum packaging device that vacuum packages an item to be packaged by reducing the pressure inside a chamber that houses a packaging bag containing the item. [Background technology]

[0002] Vacuum packaging has been known as one of the conventional packaging methods for packaging food and other items. Vacuum packaging is performed by loading a packaging bag containing the packaged item into a chamber of a vacuum packaging device, reducing the pressure inside the chamber to evacuate the inside of the packaging bag, and then sealing the opening for inserting the packaged item into the packaging bag with a sealing heater or the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-055805 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a highly convenient vacuum packaging device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The vacuum packaging device of the embodiment has a chamber having an internal space capable of accommodating a packaging bag containing a textile product, and a pump for reducing the pressure in the internal space, and vacuum-packages the textile product by reducing the pressure in the internal space. The chamber is made up of a main body on which the packaging bag can be placed, and a lid that is openably connected to the main body and defines the internal space between the main body and the lid in a closed state in which the top surface of the main body is closed. When the opening of the packaging bag is placed on the sealing device, the packaging bag contains the textile product. The packaging bag further includes a regulating portion that regulates the movement of the textile product toward the sealing device, the regulating portion being composed of a first regulating member and a second regulating member that is positioned below the first regulating member and has at least one end connected to the first regulating member so as to form a gap between the first regulating member and the second regulating member, and the neck portion of the packaging bag that is positioned between the storage portion that stores the textile product in the packaging bag and the opening is inserted into the gap, thereby regulating the movement of the textile product stored in the storage portion toward the sealing device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a vacuum packaging device in a closed state according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a left side view showing a vacuum packaging device in a closed state according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing a vacuum packaging device in an open state according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a right side view showing the vacuum packaging device in an open state according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of a vacuum packaging device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of a vacuum packaging device in which an item to be packaged is vacuum-packaged. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control mechanism of the vacuum packaging device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8]4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vacuum packaging device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vacuum packaging device according to a modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a vacuum packaging device in an open state according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a sealing device provided with a holder and a jam prevention device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a sealing device provided with a holder and a jam prevention device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a right side view showing a sealing device provided with a holder and a jam prevention device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a front view of a bite prevention device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating separation of the entrapment prevention tool according to the second embodiment from the sealing device. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a view for explaining a method of using the bite prevention device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a view for explaining a method of using the bite prevention device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a front view of a modified example of a bite prevention device. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a front view of a bite prevention device according to another modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a vacuum packaging device will be described as an example that vacuum packages laundry (textile products) made of woven fabrics such as clothes and towels or knitted fabrics such as knitted fabrics, which are placed in packaging bags such as plastic bags for vacuum packaging.

[0008] First Embodiment (Device configuration) The configuration of a vacuum packaging device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. Figs. 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a left side view showing a vacuum packaging device according to this embodiment in a closed state. Figs. 3 and 4 are a perspective view and a right side view showing a vacuum packaging device according to this embodiment in an open state. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of a vacuum packaging device according to this embodiment. Note that Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of the internal configuration of the vacuum packaging device as seen from the right side, and for the sake of explanation, the lid of the chamber is not shown. Fig. 5 also shows a state in which a packaging bag B containing an item A to be packaged has been set in the chamber.

[0009] 1 to 3, the vacuum packaging device 10 according to this embodiment includes a chamber 20 consisting of a main body 20a on whose upper surface a packaging bag can be placed and a lid 20b that closes the upper surface of the main body 20a from above, a hinge mechanism 30 that connects the main body 20a and the lid 20b so that they can be opened and closed, and a sealing device 40 that seals the opening of the packaging bag that stores the packaged item (the insertion port for the packaged item). In this embodiment, the hinge mechanism 30 side is the back side of the vacuum packaging device 10 and the opposite side is the front side, and the user uses the vacuum packaging device 10 by positioning themselves facing the front side.

[0010] 1, in which the lid 20b closes the top surface of the main body 20a, the chamber 20 is a pressure-resistant container that defines an airtight internal space between the top surface of the main body 20a and the lid 20b. A fastener 210 that can rotate around a support shaft (not shown) facing left and right is provided on the right outer wall of the main body 20a. Meanwhile, a protrusion 211 is provided above the fastener 210 on the lid 20b. When the fastener 210 is rotated, the protrusion 211 can be fitted into a groove formed inside the fastener 210, thereby fixing the lid 20b to the main body 20a so that it cannot be opened, and preventing unnecessary opening of the lid 20b when the vacuum packaging device 10 is transported.

[0011] A stop switch 220 is provided on the front outer wall surface of the main body 20a to stop the operation of the vacuum pump 60 (see FIG. 5) when the internal space is depressurized by the vacuum pump 60. When the stop switch 220 is pressed, the operation (vacuum drawing) of the vacuum pump 60, which will be described in detail later, stops, the depressurization of the internal space is released, and the internal space returns to atmospheric pressure. In this embodiment, only the stop switch 220 is provided on the front side of the main body 20a, and no operation panel or the like for operating the vacuum packaging device 10 is provided.

[0012] 2, an operation panel 230 is provided on the left outer wall of the main body 20a. The operation panel 230 is provided with a power switch 231 (see FIG. 7) for turning the power of the vacuum packaging device 10 ON / OFF, a setting switch 232 (see FIG. 7) for setting the vacuum conditions (decompression waiting time, vacuum level, etc.) of the vacuum pump 60 and the sealing conditions (heat seal temperature, heat seal time, seal cooling time, etc.) of the sealing device 40, and a display 233 (see FIG. 7), such as a 7-segment display, for example, that can display the setting values ​​changed by the setting switch 232. The above-mentioned vacuum conditions and sealing conditions will be referred to as vacuum packaging conditions in the following description.

[0013] In this embodiment, since the packaged item is laundry, if an excessively high degree of vacuum is set, for example, reducing the volume of the packaged item by about 90%, the packaged item will become hard and difficult to bend. Such hard packaged items will be difficult to handle when stored in a suitcase or the like, for example, by folding them to fit into a gap. Therefore, in this embodiment, the vacuum packaging conditions are preferably set in advance to a value that allows the volume to be reduced by about 70% to 80%, so that the packaged item will remain soft and not hard even when vacuum-packaged.

[0014] In this embodiment, the operation panel 230 is covered by a rectangular plate-shaped panel cover 234 so that it cannot be seen from the outside, so that a user of the vacuum packaging device 10 cannot easily operate the operation panel 230. The panel cover 234 is configured to be detachable from the operation panel 230 or the main body 20a, and in this embodiment, it is fixed to the operation panel 230 or the main body 20a by fastening members such as screws arranged at the four corners of the panel cover 234. Note that the panel cover 234 is not limited to this, and it is preferable to configure it so that it cannot be easily removed by a user of the vacuum packaging device 10, such as by using a type that can be locked and unlocked with a unique key.

[0015] 3 and 4, the upper surface of the main body 20a is provided with a table 240 formed in a flat shape on which a packaging bag can be placed, an annular lid abutment portion 241 formed around the periphery of the table 240 and with its upper surface located below the table 240, and a guide plate 242. The table 240 is located below the sealing device 40, and the packaging bag B is placed from the sealing device 40 to the table 240. The guide plate 242 is formed to gradually slope downward from the front side to the back side, which prevents excessive bending of the packaging bag B placed from the sealing device 40 to the table 240, which is at a different height, as shown in FIG.

[0016] In addition, a suction port 243 connected to a vacuum pump 60 is drilled in the upper surface of the table 240, and when the vacuum pump 60 is activated, air in the internal space of the chamber 20 is sucked in through the suction port 243, thereby reducing the pressure in the internal space.

[0017] 3 and 4, lid portion 20b can be rotated up and down by hinge mechanism 30, and is configured to maintain airtightness inside chamber 20 by providing sealing material 250 at the portion that abuts against lid abutment portion 241 of main body portion 20a when closed. Also, an upper closing block 410b that forms part of sealing device 40 is provided on the underside of lid portion 20b as shown in FIG.

[0018] It is preferable that the lid portion 20b be biased so as to rotate upward in the closed state, i.e., so as to release the closed state and enter a slightly or completely open state. By applying such a biasing force to the lid portion 20b in the closed state, the lid portion 20b can be automatically placed in the open state after the reduced pressure in the internal space of the chamber 20 is released and the pressure returns to atmospheric pressure. Such a biasing force can be applied to the lid portion 20b by using an elastic body such as a spring as a biasing member and providing it between the hinge mechanism 30 or the main body portion 20a and the lid portion 20b.

[0019] The hinge mechanism 30 rotatably connects the main body 20a and lid 20b of the chamber 20 on the rear side of the vacuum packaging device 10. The hinge mechanism 30 is provided with an open / close sensor 310 (see FIG. 7). The open / close sensor 310 detects when the lid 20b is closed and transmits a detection signal to the control device 50 shown in FIG. 5. Such an open / close sensor 310 can be realized, for example, by a limit switch that transmits a detection signal when pressed in response to the closure of the lid 20b. However, the open / close sensor 310 is not limited to this, and other contact sensors or non-contact sensors such as a magnetic proximity sensor may also be used.

[0020] 3 to 5, the sealing device 40 is configured with a lower closing block 410a in the form of a horizontally elongated rectangular bar that is provided on the main body 20a side in a manner that allows it to be raised and lowered, and an upper closing block 410b that is also in the form of a horizontally elongated rectangular bar and is fixed to the underside of the lid 20b, so that they face each other when the lid 20b is in a closed state. When setting the packaging bag B in the chamber 20, the opening of the packaging bag B is placed on the lower closing block 410a that is provided on the upper surface of the main body 20a, and the storage portion of the packaging bag B that stores the packaged item A is placed on the table 240 of the main body 20a. The opposing surfaces of the lower closing block 410a and the upper closing block 410b may be configured to have the same width.

[0021] When a packaging bag B is set in the chamber 20 and the interior space of the chamber 20 is depressurized by the vacuum pump 60 to remove the air from inside the packaging bag B, the lower closing block 410a can be raised upward by driving the closing cylinder 70, and the blocks are pressed together. As a result, the opening of the packaging bag B is sandwiched between the lower closing block 410a and the upper closing block 410b. A sealing heater 420 (see FIG. 7) is built into the upper surface of the lower closing block 410a. When the sealing heater 420 is energized with the packaging bag B sandwiched between them, the packaging bag B is heat-sealed by thermal compression, i.e., heat welding, with its opening closed. FIG. 6 shows the vacuum packaging device 10 in a state where the air inside the packaging bag B has been removed, and the opening of the packaging bag B is sandwiched and heat-sealed between the lower closing block 410a and the upper closing block 410b, thereby vacuum-packaging the packaged item A.

[0022] (Internal structure) Next, the internal configuration of the vacuum packaging device 10 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vacuum packaging device 10 includes a control device 50, a vacuum pump (VP) 60, and a closing cylinder 70. The vacuum pump 60 and the suction port 243 of the chamber 20 are connected by an intake flow path 601, and a vacuum electromagnetic valve 610 is provided along the intake flow path 601 to allow or release communication between the vacuum pump 60 and the chamber 20. In addition, a vacuum release electromagnetic valve 620 is provided between the suction port 243 of the intake flow path 601 and the vacuum electromagnetic valve 610 via a vacuum release branch flow path 602. The vacuum release electromagnetic valve 620 can be opened to return the internal space of the chamber 20 from a reduced pressure state to atmospheric pressure (to be open to the atmosphere).

[0023] The closing cylinder 70 raises and lowers the lower closing block 410a, and a closing solenoid valve 630 configured as a three-way valve is provided in a closing drive flow path 603 between the closing cylinder 70 and the vacuum pump 60. The closing solenoid valve 630 is used to allow or release communication between the closing cylinder 70 and the vacuum pump 60, and to control release to the atmosphere, by controlling the opening and closing of three connection valves.

[0024] Next, the control mechanism of the vacuum packaging device 10 by the control device 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing the control mechanism of the vacuum packaging device according to this embodiment.

[0025] As shown in Figure 7, the control device 50 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 501 that controls the vacuum packaging device 10, a storage device 502 that includes memory used as a working area for the CPU 501 and stores various programs for the vacuum packaging device 10 and setting values ​​for various vacuum packaging conditions (decompression waiting time, vacuum degree, heat sealing temperature, heat sealing time, seal cooling time, etc.), and an IF (Interface) circuit 503 that performs input and output processing for each signal.

[0026] The control device 50 is connected to the stop switch 220, the power switch 231, setting switch 232, and display 233 provided on the operation panel 230, the opening / closing sensor 310, the sealing heater 420, the vacuum pump 60, the vacuum solenoid valve 610, the vacuum release solenoid valve 620, the closing solenoid valve 630, the alarm 810 that emits various alarm sounds, and the air pressure detection sensor 820 that detects the air pressure in the internal space of the chamber 60 via an IF circuit 503 so as to be able to input signals from each device and / or output control signals for controlling the operation of each device.

[0027] (device operation) Next, the operation of the vacuum packaging device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vacuum packaging device according to this embodiment. In this flow, it is assumed that the power switch 231 of the operation panel 230 has been switched ON in advance by an administrator of the vacuum packaging device 10, and that various vacuum packaging conditions have been set to predetermined settings using the setting switch 232. In addition, it is assumed that in the initial state after the power is ON, the vacuum packaging device 10 is in the open state shown in Fig. 3, with the lid portion 20b open.

[0028] First, the user places the packaging bag B containing the packaged item A on the table 240 of the main body 20a of the open vacuum packaging device 10. At this time, it is recommended that the opening of the packaging bag B be placed in a straight line on the lower closing block 410a. After placing the packaging bag B, the user closes the lid portion 20b.

[0029] 8, after the power is switched ON, the control device 50 determines whether or not a detection signal is received from the open / close sensor 310 (S101), and when the user closes the lid portion 20b, the detection signal is transmitted from the open / close sensor 310 to the control device 50. When the control device 50 receives the detection signal, it determines that the detection signal has been received from the open / close sensor 310 (S101, YES), and proceeds to the depressurization step.

[0030] On the other hand, while the cover 20b is not closed and remains open, no detection signal is transmitted from the open / close sensor 310. Therefore, the control device 50 determines that a detection signal has not been received from the open / close sensor 310 (S101, NO), and the determination process of step S101 continues.

[0031] In the depressurization step, the control device 50 operates the vacuum pump 60 to begin depressurizing the internal space of the chamber 20 (S102). Specifically, the control device 50 opens the vacuum electromagnetic valve 610 between the chamber 20 and the vacuum pump 60, and closes the vacuum release electromagnetic valve 620 and the closing electromagnetic valve 630. The control device 50 also operates the vacuum pump 60 while controlling the opening and closing of each electromagnetic valve to begin depressurizing the internal space of the chamber 20 and degas the packaging bag B. At this time, the closing cylinder 70 is open to the atmosphere, i.e., the atmosphere-side valve of the closing electromagnetic valve 630 is open, and the pressure inside the cylinder is not reduced.

[0032] After the vacuum pump 60 is operated, the control device 50 determines whether the air pressure in the internal space of the chamber 20 has been reduced to a predetermined pressure (degree of vacuum) that has been set in advance (S103). This determination is made by the control device 50 receiving a signal indicating the result of air pressure detection by the air pressure detection sensor 820, and determining whether the air pressure indicated by the signal has become equal to or lower than a predetermined pressure that corresponds to a predetermined degree of vacuum. If the internal space of the chamber 20 has not been reduced to the predetermined pressure (NO in S103), the control device 50 maintains the operation of the vacuum pump 60 and the opening of the vacuum solenoid valve 610, and the determination process of step S103 is performed again.

[0033] When the internal space of the chamber 20 is depressurized to a predetermined pressure (S103, YES), the process proceeds to the sealing process. In the sealing process, the control device 50 closes the vacuum electromagnetic valve 610, which was open when depressurization began (S104), to maintain the depressurized state of the internal space of the chamber 20 and wait until a predetermined depressurization standby time (e.g., 3 to 5 minutes) has elapsed (S105). After the predetermined depressurization standby time has elapsed since closing the vacuum electromagnetic valve 610, the control device 50 lifts the lower closing block 410a upward and presses the lower closing block 410a against the upper closing block 410b, thereby closing the opening of the packaging bag B (S106). Specifically, the control device 50 opens both sides of the closing electromagnetic valve 170 (the atmosphere side is closed), thereby allowing the air in the closing cylinder 70 to be evacuated by the vacuum pump 60. By this degassing, the lower closing block 410a connected to the closing cylinder 70 can be lifted upward, and the upper closing block 410b can press the lower closing block 410a.

[0034] After the closure, the control device 50 energizes the sealing heater 420 to heat and press the opening of the packaging bag B, which is in a vacuum state, while the opening is closed, until a preset heat sealing time has elapsed, thereby sealing the opening of the packaging bag B (S107). The heat sealing time is preferably set appropriately depending on the type of material of the packaging bag B. After sealing, the control device 50 stops energizing the sealing heater 420 and waits until a preset seal cooling time has elapsed, while maintaining the state in which the sealing device 40 holds the packaging bag B (S108).

[0035] After the seal cooling time has elapsed, the control device 50 opens the interior of the chamber 20 and the interior of the closing cylinder 70 to the atmosphere (S109). Specifically, the control device 50 maintains the vacuum electromagnetic valve 610 in a closed state and stops the operation of the vacuum pump 60. Meanwhile, the control device 50 changes the vacuum release electromagnetic valve 620 from a closed state to an open state. This causes air from the vacuum release electromagnetic valve 620 to be introduced into the internal space of the chamber 20, opening the space to the atmosphere. Simultaneously with opening the vacuum release electromagnetic valve 620, the control device 50 opens the atmosphere-side valve of the closing electromagnetic valve 630 and the valve on the closing cylinder 70 side. This causes air from the closing electromagnetic valve 630 to be introduced into the closing cylinder 70, opening the interior of the closing cylinder 70 to the atmosphere. This causes the lower closing block 410a connected to the closing cylinder 70 to descend, releasing the packaging bag B from the clamping state between the upper closing block 410b and the lower closing block 410a.

[0036] After the opening to the atmosphere, the control device 50 notifies the user that the vacuum packaging is complete by, for example, sounding a buzzer using the alarm 810 (S110), and the determination process of step S101 is performed again. Note that the lid portion 20b automatically opens slightly or is in an open state by the above-mentioned biasing member, allowing the user to remove the vacuum-packaged packaged item A.

[0037] If the stop switch 220 is operated between the operation of the vacuum pump 60 in step S102 and the sealing of the packaging bag B in step S107, the process of releasing the atmosphere in step S109 and the process of notifying the completion of vacuum packaging in step S110 are executed. At this time, the control device 50 closes the vacuum electromagnetic valve 610 if it is open, and stops the current flow to the sealing heater 420 if it is currently energized.

[0038] According to the present embodiment described above, because the operation panel 230 is covered by the panel cover 234 so that it cannot be seen, it is possible to avoid situations where the user mistakenly operates the operation panel 230, or where the user is visually aware of the operation panel 230 and mistakenly believes that operation of the operation panel 230 is necessary, which would cause inconvenience when using the vacuum packaging device 10. This allows for intuitive use, which is expected to improve convenience. Furthermore, because the pressure reduction of the internal space of the chamber 20 begins by placing the packaging bag B in the chamber 20 and closing the lid portion 20b, operation is extremely simple, and even users who are unfamiliar with the vacuum packaging device 10 can use it appropriately.

[0039] In addition, a stop switch 220 is provided on the front side of the vacuum packaging device 10, so if the packaged item A stored in the packaging bag B is mistakenly or forgotten to be placed while the internal space of the chamber 20 is being depressurized, the depressurization of the internal space can be immediately released and opened to the atmosphere.

[0040] By vacuum-packaging the packaged item A, the vacuum packaging device 10 can reduce the volume by approximately 70% to 80%, although this varies depending on the type of packaged item, the packaging method, the vacuum level, etc. Therefore, if the vacuum packaging device 10 is installed in the front desk, lobby, laundry room, etc. of a lodging facility such as a hotel, guests can easily vacuum-pack bulky laundry and store it in a storage device such as a bag or suitcase without taking up space, which is extremely useful. Furthermore, this embodiment vacuum-packs the packaged item A, which is a textile product, at a vacuum level that allows for gentle volume compression, reducing its volume by approximately 70% to 80%, allowing the packaged item A to be easily folded and appropriately compact, thereby efficiently utilizing the storage space of the storage device. Since this vacuum level is preset, users do not need to adjust the vacuum packaging conditions accordingly.

[0041] In addition, in this embodiment, after the internal space of chamber 20 is depressurized and vacuum electromagnetic valve 610 is closed, the process waits until the depressurization standby time has elapsed, and then the process moves to the sealing step. By waiting until the depressurization standby time has elapsed in this way, it is possible to reduce twisting and wrinkles in packaged item A and packaging bag B compared to when the inside of packaging bag B is rapidly degassed.

[0042] 9, vacuum packaging may be performed by placing a rectangular press plate 90 on top of the storage portion of packaging bag B to cover the storage portion. By using the press plate 90, the storage portion of packaging bag B is appropriately pressed down by the weight of the press plate 90, degassing the interior of packaging bag B and compressing the packaged item A. This allows the packaged item A to conform to the press plate 90, suppressing any kinks or wrinkles in the packaged item A itself, or unevenness on the top surface due to creases made when folding, thereby flattening the packaged item A and resulting in a neat, vacuum-packaged packaged item A. Waiting until the above-mentioned decompression waiting time has elapsed allows the packaged item A to have more time to conform to the press plate 90, thereby achieving an even greater effect. The procedure for setting the press plate 90 is simple: first, remove the press plate 90 placed on the table 240, set the packaging bag B in the chamber 20, and then place the press plate 90 on the storage portion of the packaging bag B before closing the lid portion 20b.

[0043] Also, the distance from the top surface of table 240 to the underside of lid portion 20b may be set short (for example, 15 to 20 cm). By doing so, if the height of packaged item A is made greater than the distance by folding multiple items and / or thick packaged items such as towels, lid portion 20b can press packaged item A from above at the same time as closing lid portion 20b. This allows lid portion 20b to function as press plate 90, eliminating the need to set up press plate 90.

[0044] In this embodiment, the heat-sealable packaging bag B is sealed using the sealing heater 420, but this is not limiting. For example, a non-heat-sealable packaging bag with a zipper at the opening can also be sealed. In this case, in the sealing process, the lower closing block 410a is lifted upward and pressed against the upper closing block 410b, thereby clamping the zipper of the packaging bag. When using a packaging bag with a zipper, the sealing heater 420 is not required. Therefore, it is preferable to disconnect the electrical path of the sealing heater 420 or to prevent the control device 50 from sending a control signal to the sealing heater 420. Alternatively, a packaging bag with a check valve may be used. In this case, the opening of the packaging bag does not need to be placed on the sealing device 40; the entire packaging bag can simply be placed on the table 240. When using a packaging bag with a check valve, it is not necessary to use the sealing device 40, so it is preferable to cut off the electrical paths of the sealing heater 420 and the closing solenoid valve 630, not have the control device 50 send control signals to the sealing heater 420 and the closing solenoid valve 630, etc.

[0045] <Second embodiment> In the second embodiment, a vacuum packaging device is described that can prevent the packaged item A contained in the packaging bag B from being positioned on the lower closing block 410a when the opening of the packaging bag B is placed on the lower closing block 410a.

[0046] Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a vacuum packaging device according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 10, a vacuum packaging device 10A according to this embodiment differs from the vacuum packaging device 10 according to the first embodiment in that a sealing device 40 is provided with a holder 430 and a bite prevention device 440, and the guide plate 242 is eliminated.

[0047] (Holder 430) First, the holder 430 will be described. FIGS. 11 to 13 are a front view, a plan view, and a right side view, respectively, showing a sealing device provided with a holder and a jam prevention device according to this embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the holder 430 is attached to the front outer wall surface of the lower closing block 410a and is an L-shaped plate member in a side view that extends in the left-right direction, which is the extension direction of the sealing device 40. The holder 430 is formed shorter than the sealing device 40 in the left-right direction and has a vertical plate portion 431 and a horizontal plate portion 432 whose rear end in the front-rear direction is connected to the upper end of the vertical plate portion 431. In this embodiment, the vertical plate portion 431 and the horizontal plate portion 432 are integrally formed.

[0048] The vertical plate portion 431 is a rectangular flat plate member that extends substantially vertically and in the left-right direction and is formed long in the left-right direction, and has an insertion hole (not shown) through which a fastening member C such as a screw can be inserted. The holder 430 can be detachably attached to the lower closing block 410a by passing the fastening member C through the insertion hole from the front side and screwing it into a screw hole (not shown) formed in the front outer wall surface of the lower closing block 410a.

[0049] The horizontal plate portion 432 is a rectangular flat plate member that extends substantially horizontally (in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions) and is elongated in the left-to-right directions, and its upper surface is an adhesive surface 433. When placing the opening of the packaging bag B on the lower closing block 410a, the opening is attached so that it reaches the adhesive surface 433, and the horizontal plate portion 432 can hold the opening of the packaging bag B immovable. Note that the adhesive surface 433 preferably has an appropriate adhesiveness so that the opening of the packaging bag B can be easily peeled off. Such an adhesive surface 433 can be realized, for example, by attaching gel tape to the upper surface of the horizontal plate portion 432.

[0050] The holder 430 configured as described above makes it possible to prevent situations such as the opening of the packaging bag B shifting from the lower closing block 410a when the user closes the lid portion 20b after placing the opening of the packaging bag B on the lower closing block 410a.

[0051] (Bite prevention device 440) FIG. 14 is a front view of the entrapment prevention device according to this embodiment, and FIG. 15 is an exploded view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 11 to 14, the entrapment prevention device 440 is attached to the outer wall surface on the rear side of the lower closing block 410a. The entrapment prevention device 440 is a crank-shaped plate member in a side view that extends in the left-right direction, which is the extension direction of the sealing device 40. The entrapment prevention device 440 is formed slightly shorter in the left-right direction than the sealing device 40, and in this embodiment, is longer than the holder 430. The entrapment prevention device 440 has a vertical plate portion 441, a horizontal plate portion 442 whose front end in the front-rear direction is connected to the upper end of the vertical plate portion 441, and a regulating plate portion 443 whose lower end is connected to the rear end in the front-rear direction of the horizontal plate portion 442. In this embodiment, the vertical plate portion 441, the horizontal plate portion 442, and the regulating plate 443 are integrally formed.

[0052] The vertical plate portion 441 is a rectangular flat plate member that extends substantially vertically and in the left-right direction and is elongated in the left-right direction, and has insertion holes 441a through which fastening members C such as screws can be inserted, as shown in FIG. 14. As shown in FIG. 15, the fastening members C are passed through the insertion holes 441a from the rear side and screwed into screw holes (not shown) formed in the rear wall of the lower closing block 410a, thereby allowing the bite prevention device 440 to be detachably attached to the lower closing block 410a. The screw holes (not shown) of the lower closing block 410a into which the fastening members C are screwed can also be used as screw holes for attaching the guide plate 242 according to the first embodiment to the lower closing block 410a with the fastening members C, allowing the guide plate 242 and the bite prevention device 440 to be replaced as needed. The insertion hole 441a may be formed as an elongated hole extending in the vertical direction, so that the bite prevention tool 440 can be moved in the vertical direction relative to the lower closing block 410a.

[0053] The horizontal plate portion 442 is a rectangular flat plate member that extends substantially horizontally and is elongated in the left-right direction. The lower closing block 410a and the restricting plate portion 443 are spaced apart by the width of the horizontal plate portion 442 in the front-rear direction.

[0054] The restricting plate portion 443 is positioned near the sealing device 40, specifically, across the width of the horizontal plate portion 442 in the front-to-rear direction. When the opening of the packaging bag B is placed on the lower closing block 410a, the restricting plate portion 443 restricts the movement of the packaged item A contained in the packaging bag B toward the opening of the packaging bag B, i.e., toward the sealing device 40. As shown in FIG. 14 , the restricting plate portion 443 includes a lower plate portion 443a connected to the rear end of the horizontal plate portion 442 in the front-to-rear direction and an upper plate portion 443b located above the lower plate portion 443a. The upper plate portion 443b is positioned so as to be spaced a predetermined distance (e.g., approximately 15 mm) from the lower plate portion 443a, and only the right end portion in the left-to-right direction is connected to and supported by the lower plate portion 443a via a connecting portion 443c. This separation between the lower plate portion 443a and the upper plate portion 443b defines a gap 444 therebetween.

[0055] The gap 444 is formed as a so-called slit-like notch that extends in the left-right direction and is cut out to the left, because the lower plate portion 443a and the upper plate portion 443b are connected only at their right-side ends in the left-right direction and are not connected at their left-side ends in the left-right direction. The vertical width of the gap 444, in other words, the distance between the lower plate portion 443a and the upper plate portion 443b, is formed to a length that allows passage through the opening of the packaging bag B and its vicinity and that can restrict passage of the packaged item A contained in the packaging bag B; for example, such a length is about 15 mm.

[0056] 16, when the opening B1 of the packaging bag B is placed on the lower closing block 410a, the neck portion B3 located between the opening B1 of the packaging bag B and the storage portion B2 of the packaging bag B that stores the packaged item A is inserted into the gap 444, so that even if the packaged item A moves toward the sealing device 40, the lower and upper plate portions 443a, 443b each come into contact with the packaged item A via the packaging bag B. As a result, the regulating plate portion 443 allows the opening B1 and neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B to pass through, and can regulate the passage of the packaged item A stored in the packaging bag B, i.e., its movement toward the sealing device 40. Note that in FIG. 16, for the sake of explanation, only the packaged item A and the bite prevention device 440 are shown in cross section. Furthermore, the vertical width of the gap 444 is not limited to 15 mm, and may be formed short enough so as not to interfere with the insertion of the neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B into the gap 444, or may be formed longer, for example, in response to an increase in the front-to-back width of the horizontal plate portion 442.

[0057] The inner peripheral surface of the lower edge of the gap 444, i.e., the upper end surface of the lower plate portion 443a, is preferably formed so as to be flush with or lower than the upper surface of the lower closing block 410a. If the upper end surface is flush with or lower than the upper surface of the lower closing block 410a, excessive bending does not occur in the packaging bag B arranged from the sealing device 40 to the table 240 when the opening of the packaging bag B is placed on the lower closing block 410a.

[0058] A rib protruding rearward in the front-rear direction is provided on the upper end of the upper plate portion 443b for reinforcement purposes, and this rib prevents the upper plate portion 443b from bending in the front-rear direction. The upper plate portion 443b, including the rib, is formed in an L-shape in a side view, but may also be formed in a prismatic or cylindrical shape.

[0059] As described above, the regulating plate 443 is spaced from the lower closing block 410a by the front-rear width of the horizontal plate 442. This distance prevents a portion of the packaged item A from reaching the lower closing block 410a, even if the portion passes through the gap 444. This distance (the front-rear width of the horizontal plate 442) can be appropriately set so that the portion of the packaged item A does not reach the lower closing block 410a. This distance may be increased or decreased depending on the vertical width of the gap 444. For example, if the vertical width of the gap 444 is set to a few millimeters without considering workability, the regulating plate 443 may be attached to the outer wall surface on the rear side of the sealing device 40. As an example, the distance may be set so that the distance W (see FIG. 12) from the sealing heater 420 on the lower closing block 410a to the regulating plate 443 (gap 444) is 25 mm or more. If the distance from the sealing heater 420 to the regulating plate portion 443 is set to about 25 mm, even if a portion of the packaged item A passes excessively through the gap portion 444, it will not reach the sealing heater 420.

[0060] According to the entrapment prevention device 440 configured as described above, the regulating plate 443 having the gap 444 allows the opening B1 and neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B to pass through, and can regulate the passage of the packaged item A stored in the storage portion B2. This makes it possible to prevent the packaged item A stored in the packaging bag B from being entrapped in the lower and upper closing blocks 410a, 410b, and ultimately in the sealing heater 420. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 17 , a user can position the packaging bag B on the left side of the entrapment prevention device 440 in the left-right direction, and then simply slide the neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B rightward toward the gap 444 to position the neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B within the gap 444, which is convenient and does not require much effort.

[0061] In this embodiment, the length of the upper plate portion 443b in the left-right direction is shorter than that of the lower plate portion 443a. This is because the effort required for sliding the packaging bag B into the gap 444 is taken into consideration, since the packaging bag B is positioned approximately in the center of the sealing device 40. The upper plate portion 443b may be configured to be expandable in the left-right direction, or may be configured to be movable in the up-down direction, for example, by configuring the connecting portion 443c to be expandable in the up-down direction.

[0062] 18, the upper plate portion 443b may be formed to have the same length as the lower plate portion 443a in the left-right direction, and may be formed as an upper plate portion 443d that is connected to the lower plate portion 443a at both left-right ends by connecting portions 443c. In this case, instead of the gap 444, a gap 444d that is an elongated hole with a rim formed around the entire periphery is formed. In a bite prevention device 440A having such an upper plate portion 443d, when the opening B1 of the packaging bag B is placed on the lower closing block 410a, the opening B1 and neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B can be inserted into the gap 444d from the back side of the regulating plate 443.

[0063] 19, a slit 443e connecting to the gap 44d may be formed in the upper plate portion 443d. By forming the slit 443e, the neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B can be positioned within the gap 443d simply by inserting the neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B into the slit 443e from above. Therefore, compared to the entrapment prevention device 440A without the slit 443e, the entrapment prevention device 440B having such a slit 443e can more easily position the neck portion B3 of the packaging bag B within the gap 443c, thereby improving workability.

[0064] The embodiments of the present invention are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the inventions and their equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 10 Vacuum packaging equipment 20 chambers 20a Main body 20b Lid 220 Stop Switch 230 Operation Panel 234 Panel cover (covering material) 310 Open / close sensor (detection unit) 40 Sealing device (sealing part) 440 Bite prevention device (control part, control member) 443 Regulating plate part (regulating part, regulating member) 443a Lower plate portion (second restricting member) 443b, 443d Upper plate portion (first restricting member) 443e Notch 444,444d Gap 50 control device (first operation control unit, second operation control unit) 60 Vacuum Pump 820 Barometric pressure detection sensor A Packaged items (textile products) B Packaging bag B1 opening B2 storage area B3 neck part

Claims

1. A vacuum packaging device that includes a chamber having an internal space capable of accommodating a packaging bag containing a textile product, and a pump that reduces the pressure in the internal space, and that vacuum-packages the textile product by reducing the pressure in the internal space, The chamber is configured by a main body portion on which the packaging bag can be placed, and a lid portion that is openably and closably connected to the main body portion and that defines the internal space between the main body portion and the lid portion in a closed state in which the top surface of the main body portion is closed, a restricting portion that restricts movement of the textile product contained in the packaging bag toward the sealing device when the opening of the packaging bag is placed on the sealing device; Equipped with the restricting portion is composed of a first restricting member and a second restricting member located below the first restricting member so as to form a gap between the first restricting member and the second restricting member, and at least one end of the second restricting member is connected to the first restricting member; The neck portion of the packaging bag, which is located between the storage portion for storing the textile product in the packaging bag and the opening, is inserted into the gap, and the restriction portion restricts the movement of the textile product stored in the storage portion toward the sealing device. A vacuum packaging device characterized by:

2. The first and second restricting members are provided to extend in parallel along the longitudinal direction of the sealing device, and both ends in the longitudinal direction, including the one end, are connected to each other.

2. The vacuum packaging device according to claim 1.

3. the first and second restricting members are provided to extend in parallel along the longitudinal direction of the sealing device, the first restricting member is separated into two pieces spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction by forming a slit connected to the gap; The neck portion is inserted into the gap portion through the slit, and the restricting portion restricts the movement of the textile product stored in the storage portion toward the sealing device.

2. The vacuum packaging device according to claim 1.

4. the sealing device has an upper closing block and a lower closing block for clamping the opening of the packaging bag, The restricting portion is detachably connected to the lower closing block.

2. The vacuum packaging device according to claim 1.

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