Top sealing apparatus and packaging machine

Abstract

To provide a top sealing device and a packaging machine capable of applying a top seal to a packaging film while suppressing the occurrence of a sealing failure even if a positional deviation occurs when the packaging film is supplied.SOLUTION: A sealing device includes a horn to which ultrasonic vibration is applied, and an anvil 22 for holding a sealed area of a packaging film together with the horn, and a seal area 30 facing the sealed area of the packaging film in the anvil 22 is an area adjacent to a parallel arrangement area 30X in which a first seal line 51 and a second seal line 52 are arranged in parallel in a conveyance direction T and one side of the parallel arrangement area 30X in a conveyance cross direction W. It has a first seal area 30Y in which the second seal 52 does not exist and the first seal 51 extends, and a second seal area 30X which is an area adjacent to the parallel arrangement area 30Z on the other side in the carrying cross direction W and in which the first seal 51 does not exist and the second seal 52 extends.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a top sealing device and a packaging machine equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In a line for pillow-wrapping products, film is supplied to continuously conveyed products, the products are wrapped in this film to form a cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical film is center-sealed along the conveying direction.The film is then sandwiched and welded at a predetermined pitch along the conveying direction to form a top seal along the width of the film, and the area with the top seal is cut, allowing the products to be continuously packaged.

[0003] Generally known sealing devices for performing the above-mentioned top seal include heat sealing, which uses heat, and ultrasonic sealing, which uses ultrasonic waves to seal by clamping the sealing area between a horn (resonator) and an anvil (receiving tool) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6706045 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] To achieve sufficient sealing performance with ultrasonic sealing, the film must be securely sandwiched between the horn and the seal lines formed on the anvil before ultrasonic vibrations are applied, as described in Patent Document 1, for example. However, in the center seal area, where there is a large number of overlapping films, a top seal is applied using a seal line that is at a different height from the seal lines used to seal the areas other than the center seal area. However, if the center seal area shifts from its designated position during transport for some reason, the center seal area will not be able to face the seal line it should be facing, which will likely result in poor sealing.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides a top sealing device that can apply a top seal to a packaging film while suppressing the occurrence of sealing defects even if a positional shift occurs when the packaging film is supplied, and a packaging machine equipped with a top sealing device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A top sealing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a top sealing device that forms a bag shape by ultrasonically sealing a sealed area that extends in a strip-like shape in the width direction (hereinafter, film width direction) of a tubular packaging film that extends in the longitudinal direction (hereinafter, film longitudinal direction) of the packaging film, and includes a first opposing member that faces the sealed area from one side in the thickness direction (hereinafter, film thickness direction) of the film, a second opposing member that faces the sealed area from the other side in the film thickness direction and sandwiches the sealed area together with the first opposing member, and an ultrasonic supply source that applies ultrasonic vibrations to either the first opposing member or the second opposing member, and The sealing area facing the sealed area has a first ridge-shaped seal stitch extending in the width direction of the film, and a second ridge-shaped seal stitch extending in the width direction of the film, which is located on the side away from the packaging film in the film thickness direction from the first seal stitch and is therefore lower in height than the first seal stitch, and the sealing area has a parallel area where the first seal stitch and the second seal stitch are parallel in the longitudinal direction of the film, a first seal stitch area which is adjacent to one side of the parallel area in the width direction of the film and through which the first seal stitch extends without the second seal stitch, and a second seal stitch area which is adjacent to the other side of the parallel area in the width direction of the film and through which the second seal stitch extends without the first seal stitch.

[0008] In the parallel region of the top sealing device, the second seals may be aligned on both sides of the first seal in the longitudinal direction of the film.

[0009] The parallel regions of the top seal device are provided in two locations spaced apart in the width direction of the film, and the second seal region is disposed between the two parallel regions, The first seal regions may be arranged on the opposite side of the second seal regions with respect to each of the parallel regions in the film width direction.

[0010] In the above-mentioned top sealing device, two of the first seals are arranged side by side with a predetermined gap between them in the width direction of the film, and two of the second seals are arranged side by side on both outside sides of the predetermined gap in the longitudinal direction of the film, and in the area surrounded by the two first seals and the two second seals, a recess may be formed on the side away from the packaging film in the film thickness direction that is recessed to a position lower than the second seals.

[0011] In the top sealing device, the dimension of the parallel region in the width direction of the film may be smaller than the dimension of the second seal region in the width direction of the film.

[0012] A packaging machine according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an apparatus main body that supplies a strip-shaped packaging film and forms the packaging film into a cylindrical shape, and transports the packaged article and stores the packaged article in the cylindrically formed packaging film; and the above-mentioned top sealing device that forms the top seal portion on the packaging film containing the packaged article, wherein the top sealing device is provided with a cutter blade that cuts the packaging film in the top seal portion along the film width direction, the sealing areas in the top sealing device are provided in two locations spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the film, and a cutter gap is provided between the two sealing areas to allow the cutter blade to pass through.

[0013] A packaging machine according to another aspect of the present invention comprises an apparatus main body that supplies a strip-shaped packaging film and forms the packaging film into a cylindrical shape, and also transports an article to be packaged and stores the article in the cylindrically formed packaging film; a top seal device as described in claim 3 that forms the top seal portion on the packaging film containing the article to be packaged; and the packaging film supplied by the apparatus main body, wherein the apparatus main body has a center seal device that forms a center seal portion on the packaging film that extends in the longitudinal direction of the film at a central position in the film width direction, thereby forming the packaging film into a cylindrical shape, and the film width dimension in the second seal region is smaller than the film width dimension in the center seal portion, and the total width dimension obtained by adding up the film width dimension in the two parallel regions and the film width dimension in the second seal region is larger than the film width dimension in the center seal portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the above-described top sealing device and packaging machine, even if the packaging film is misaligned when it is supplied, it is possible to apply a top seal to the packaging film while suppressing the occurrence of sealing defects. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic view of a packaging machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the width direction of the machine. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a packaging film that has been center-sealed by the packaging machine to form a cylindrical shape, where (a) is a view from above in the conveying height direction, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along II-II in (a). [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of an anvil in the top sealing device of the packaging machine. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a sealing area of ​​the anvil. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a top view schematically illustrating the shape of the sealing area of ​​the anvil in a simplified manner. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing area of ​​the anvil, taken along line VV in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] This is a top view showing how the packaging film passes through the sealing area of ​​the anvil, where (a) shows the packaging film positioned at the center position of the anvil in the conveying width direction, and (b) shows the packaging film positioned at a position shifted to one side in the conveying width direction from the center position of the anvil in the conveying width direction. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a top view schematically illustrating the shape of a sealing region in a modified example of the anvil. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, a packaging machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. (Overall composition) As shown in Fig. 1, the packaging machine 1 of this embodiment is a so-called horizontal form-fill-seal machine in which, as articles (articles to be packaged) XA1 are sequentially conveyed, packaging film YA1 is continuously supplied and formed into cylindrical bags, and the packaging film YA1 is sealed and cut at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the packaging film YA1 (hereinafter referred to as the film longitudinal direction). The packaging film YA1 is formed from a film-like material such as a resin film or paper. In Fig. 1, the side closer to the raw material roll YB1 (the left side in Fig. 1) is the upstream side, and the side farther away (the right side in Fig. 1) is the downstream side. The articles XA1 are, for example, food products such as baked goods that are prone to generating product waste.

[0017] Specifically, the packaging machine 1 includes an apparatus main body 100 that continuously supplies a strip-shaped packaging film YA1, forms the packaging film YA1 into a cylindrical shape, transports an item XA1, and stores the item XA1 inside the cylindrically formed packaging film YA1, and a top seal device 110 that applies a top seal to the packaging film YA1 in which the item XA1 is stored.

[0018] (Device body) The device main body 100 includes an article supply unit 2, a packaging material supply unit 3, a packaging unit 4, and a control unit (not shown). The various directions in the packaging machine 1 are defined as follows: the longitudinal direction of the packaging film YA1 extending in a strip shape is the conveying direction T, the width direction of the packaging film YA1 (hereinafter referred to as the film width direction) is the conveying width direction W, and the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction T and the conveying width direction W is the conveying height direction H.

[0019] These components of the packaging machine 1 are controlled by a control unit. The control unit is composed of a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and performs various controls. The CPU is a so-called central processing unit, and executes various programs to realize various functions. The RAM is used as a working area for the CPU. The ROM stores the basic OS and programs executed by the CPU.

[0020] The article supply unit 2 conveys the articles XA1 at equal intervals and sequentially conveys the articles XA1 to the downstream packaging unit 4. This article supply unit 2 is composed of, for example, a finger conveyor. Specifically, the article supply unit is equipped with a conveying surface (reference numeral omitted) having a slit, side guides (not shown) that guide the articles XA1 on this conveying surface from the sides, a driving sprocket 5, a driven sprocket (not shown), a circular chain 6 that runs around these sprockets, a plurality of fingers 7 attached to this chain 6 at equal intervals, and a servo motor (not shown) that serves as a power source.

[0021] The drive sprocket 5 is rotated by the servo motor. The driven sprocket rotates in conjunction with the drive sprocket as the chain 6 runs. The chain 6 runs in a circular motion as the drive sprocket rotates. Multiple fingers 7 protrude upward from below the conveying surface through slits. These multiple fingers 7 run on the conveying surface as the chain 6 runs. As a result, the multiple fingers 7 push the item XA1 on the conveying surface and send it to the packaging section 4.

[0022] The packaging material supply unit 3 continuously supplies packaging film YA1 to the downstream packaging unit 4. The packaging material supply unit 3 is equipped with a raw web shaft 8, a servo motor (not shown), and guide rollers 9. The raw web shaft 8 rotatably holds the raw web roll YB1. This raw web shaft 8 is rotated by the servo motor, rotating the held raw web roll YB1. As a result, the packaging film YA1 is unwound (stretched) from the raw web roll YB1. The guide rollers 9 appropriately change the conveyance direction of the raw web roll YB1 and guide it toward the packaging unit 4, leading it to the supply port 14a of the bag former 14.

[0023] Instead of employing the above-described raw web driving method for unwinding the packaging film YA1 from the raw web roll YB1, a feed roller driving method may be employed in which a separate feed roller is provided and the feed roller is moved to unwind the packaging film YA1. Also, both the raw web driving method and the feed roller driving method may be employed.

[0024] The packaging unit 4 packages the article XA1 supplied from the article supply unit 2 with the packaging film YA1 supplied from the packaging material supply unit 3. As a specific example, the packaging unit 4 includes a bag former 14, pinch rollers 15, a center seal device 16, a first conveying device 17, an upper holding device 18, and a second conveying device 19.

[0025] The bag former 14 forms a cylindrical bag from the packaging film YA1 supplied from the packaging material supply unit 3 so that both side edge portions in the film width direction (transport width direction W) overlap each other. The bag former 14 also supplies the articles XA1 supplied from the article supply unit 2 to the packaging film YA1, which is being formed into a cylindrical bag. In this example, the bag former 14 forms a regular pillow-shaped bag. The packaging film YA1 is continuously supplied from diagonally above to join the articles XA1 at a supply port 14a, and the bag former 14 folds the packaging film YA1 along the transport direction to envelop the articles XA1 from above in the transport height direction H. The bag former 14 then forms a cylindrical bag by overlapping both side edge portions of the packaging film YA1 in the film width direction (transport width direction W) and directing it downward through a slit (not shown) provided in the bottom surface 141 of the bag former 14.

[0026] The pinch rollers 15 are led out from the slits in the bottom surface 141 of the bag former 14, and sandwich and overlap both side edge portions of the overlapping packaging film YA1 in the film width direction. A conveying force is applied to the edge.

[0027] The center sealing device 16 includes plate members 161 provided on the left and right sides in the conveying width direction W that constitute the conveying surface of the packaging film YA1, a pair of bar sealers 16a and a press roller 16b arranged below the plate members 161, and performs a center seal along the film longitudinal direction on the packaging film YA1 that has been formed into a cylindrical shape downstream of the bag former 14. Heat sealing or ultrasonic sealing is used for the center sealing.

[0028] The first conveying device 17 places the center-sealed, cylindrical packaging film YA1 together with the article XA1 wrapped in the packaging film YA1 on a conveying surface (reference numeral omitted) and conveys them toward a top sealing device 110, which will be described in detail later. The downstream end of this first conveying device 17 expands and contracts the conveying surface in the conveying direction in accordance with the box motion of the top sealing device 110, which will be described later.

[0029] The upper holding device 18 is disposed above the first conveying device 17 and holds down from above the article XA1 together with the packaging film YA1 being conveyed by the first conveying device 17. This allows the article XA1 to be conveyed while maintaining a horizontal position.

[0030] The second conveying device 19 is provided downstream of the top sealing device 110, which will be described later. This second conveying device 19 is a belt conveyor that places the packages ZA1 finished by the top sealing device 110 on a conveying surface 19a and conveys them to the next process. The upstream end of the second conveying device 19 extends or contracts the length of the conveying surface 19a in the conveying direction in accordance with the box motion of the top sealing device 110, which will be described later.

[0031] (Top seal device) Next, the top seal device 110 will be described in detail. The top sealing device 110 is a device that applies ultrasonic sealing to each of the sealed areas As extending in a strip-like shape in the film width direction in the packaging film YA1 that has been center-sealed to form a center-sealed portion Cs as shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b) and that contains an article XA1 inside. The top sealing device 110 forms a top seal portion Ts (see Figure 1) that extends in the conveying width direction W (film width direction) in the sealed area As, and turns the packaging film YA1 into a bag shape.

[0032] 2(b), the packaging film YA1 has a two-ply region R1 where two films are stacked together and a four-ply region R2 where four films are stacked together. In the packaging film YA1 of this embodiment, one four-ply region R2 is located at the center in the film width direction, and two-ply regions R1 are located on both sides of the four-ply region R2 in the film width direction.

[0033] Returning to Figure 1, the top sealing device 110 specifically has a horn (first opposing member) 21 and an anvil (second opposing member) 22 that face the packaging film YA1, and an ultrasonic source 23 that applies ultrasonic vibrations to the horn 21.

[0034] The horn 21 is disposed on one side (upper side) of the packaging film YA1 in the film thickness direction, which is the conveyance height direction H, and faces the sealed area As of the packaging film YA1 from that side. The horn 21 is a so-called resonator.

[0035] The ultrasonic wave supply source 23 is configured by an ultrasonic oscillator and an ultrasonic vibrator (not shown), and is connected to the horn 21 to apply (transmit) ultrasonic vibrations to the horn 21 .

[0036] The anvil 22 is disposed on the other side (lower side) of the packaging film YA1 in the film thickness direction, which is the conveyance height direction H, and faces the sealed area As from the other side. The anvil 22, together with the horn 21, clamps the sealed area As of the packaging film YA1 under pressure. The anvil 22 is a so-called receiving tool.

[0037] 3, the anvil 22 has a sealing area 30 facing the sealed area As of the packaging film YA1. The sealing areas 30 are provided in two locations spaced apart in the conveying direction T. That is, the anvil 22 has a base body 31 that extends in the conveying width direction W and has a slit-shaped base body recess 31a formed therein so as to be recessed from the top surface across the entire area in the conveying width direction W, and the above-mentioned sealing areas 30 that are located on both sides of the base body recess 31a of the base body 31 in the conveying direction T and at the center of the base body 31 in the conveying width direction W.

[0038] (seal area) 4, 5, and 6, each sealing area 30 has a first stitch forming surface 41 and a second stitch forming surface 42, which are end surfaces facing the sealed area As of the packaging film YA1. A first ridge-shaped seal seam 51 extending in the conveying width direction W (film width direction) is formed on the first stitch forming surface 41. A second ridge-shaped seal seam 52 extending in the conveying width direction W is formed on the second stitch forming surface 42, located below the first seal seam 51 and away from the packaging film YA1 in the conveying height direction H (film thickness direction). The height difference Δh (see FIG. 6) between the first seal seam 51 and the second seal seam 52 in the conveying height direction H is equivalent to the thickness of two sheets of film that make up the packaging film YA1.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 5, each sealing region 30 has a parallel region 30X, a first sealing region 30Y, and a second sealing region 30Z aligned in the conveying width direction W. The parallel region 30X is a region where the first sealing region 51 and the second sealing region 52 are aligned in the conveying direction T (film longitudinal direction). The first sealing region 30Y is adjacent to the parallel region 30X on the outer side, which is one side of the parallel region 30X in the conveying width direction W (film width direction), and is a region where the first sealing region 51 extends without the second sealing region 52. The second sealing region 30Z is adjacent to the parallel region 30X on the inner side, which is the other side of the conveying width direction W, and is a region where the first sealing region 51 extends without the second sealing region 52.

[0040] In the parallel region 30X, the first and second stitch forming surfaces 41 and 42 adjacent to each other in the conveying direction T are connected so that the second stitch forming surface 42 sandwiches the first stitch forming surface 41 from both sides in the conveying direction T. As a result, in the parallel region 30X, the second seal stitches 52 are lined up on both sides of the first seal stitch 51 in the conveying direction T.

[0041] In this embodiment, the parallel regions 30X are provided at two locations spaced apart in the conveying width direction W. The first seals 51 in each parallel region 30X are formed at the same position in the conveying direction T.

[0042] The second seal region 30Z is disposed between the two parallel regions 30X, i.e., on the inside of each parallel region 30X in the conveying width direction W. In the second seal region 30Z, two second stitch formation surfaces 42 are provided spaced apart in the conveying direction T, and each second stitch formation surface 42 in the second seal region 30Z is continuous with the second stitch formation surface 42 on the corresponding side in the two parallel regions 30X. As a result, the two second seals 52 spaced apart in the conveying direction T extend linearly in the conveying width direction W continuously from the parallel region 30X across the second seal region 30Z.

[0043] The first seal region 30Y is disposed on the opposite side of the second seal region in each parallel region 30X in the conveying width direction W. The first seal formation surface 41 of the first seal region 30Y is continuous with the first seal formation surface 41 in the adjacent parallel region 30X, so that the first seal 51 extends continuously and linearly in the conveying width direction W between the adjacent parallel region 30X and the first seal region 30Y.

[0044] 7(a), the dimension w1 in the conveying width direction W of the parallel region 30X is smaller than the dimension w2 in the conveying width direction of the second seal region 30Z. The dimension w2 in the conveying width direction of the second seal region 30Z is smaller than the dimension w in the conveying width direction W of the four-ply overlap region R2 (center seal portion Cs) of the packaging film YA1. The total width w1 × 2 + w2, obtained by adding the width w1 of the two parallel regions 30X to the width w2 of the second seal region 30Z, is larger than the width w of the four-ply overlap region R2 (center seal portion Cs).

[0045] 5, with the above configuration, in each sealing area 30, two first seals 51 are lined up with a predetermined gap M between them in the conveying width direction W, and two second seals 52 are lined up on both outer sides of the predetermined gap M in the conveying direction T. In the predetermined gap M, in the area surrounded by the first seal forming surface 41 that forms the first seal 51 and the second seal forming surface 42 that forms the second seal 52, a recess 32 is formed that is recessed downward, away from the packaging film YA1 in the conveying height direction H, beyond the second seal 52.

[0046] (cutter blade) The top sealing device 110 is provided with a cutter blade 35 that cuts the packaging film YA1 in the top sealing portion Ts along the conveying width direction W. The cutter blade 35 is disposed between two sealing areas 30 aligned in the conveying direction T, and protrudes upward from a base body recess (cutter gap) 31a of the base body 31 of the anvil 22.

[0047] The top sealing device 110 of this embodiment is a so-called box motion type, in which a horn 21 and anvil 22, arranged above and below the cylindrical packaging film YA1, move along a predetermined trajectory while maintaining an opposing relationship, forming a top seal portion Ts in the conveyance width direction W and cutting the packaging film YA1 at the top seal portion Ts at a cutting pitch corresponding to the length of the article XA1. The film portion sealed and cut by the top sealing device 110 (top seal portion Ts (see FIG. 1)) is a predetermined position between the front and rear articles XA1 in the conveyance direction T. The top sealing device 110 is not limited to a box motion type, and may be of other types such as a rotary type or a linear reciprocating type.

[0048] (Action and effect) According to the packaging machine 1 of the present embodiment described above, the sealing area 30 in the top sealing device 110 has a parallel region 30X where the first seal 51 and the second seal 52 are parallel to each other, a first seal region 30Y through which the first seal 51 extends, and a second seal region 30Z through which the second seal 52 extends. As shown in FIG. 7( a), when the packaging film YA1 passes the center position of the anvil 22 in the conveying width direction W, at least the inner portion of the four-layer overlap region R2 in the conveying width direction W can face the second seal region 30Z, and the outer portion of the four-layer overlap region R2 in the conveying width direction W can face the parallel region 30X. Therefore, when the four-layer overlap region R2 is clamped by the horn 21 and the anvil 22, the entire four-layer overlap region R2 can face the second seal 52, and a top seal Ts can be reliably formed in the four-layer overlap region R2.

[0049] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7( b), even if the packaging film YA1 is fed out of position from the center of the anvil 22 in the conveying width direction W to the outside in the conveying width direction W for some reason, the four-ply overlap region R2 of the packaging film YA1 can be positioned opposite the parallel region 30X, and a top seal Ts can be formed in the four-ply overlap region R2. In other words, if the parallel region 30X were not present, the four-ply overlap region R2 would be pressed against the first seal 51 located higher, increasing the risk of tearing the four-ply overlap region R2. However, by providing the parallel region 30X in which the first seal 51 and the second seal 52 are parallel to each other as in this embodiment, a portion of the four-ply overlap region R2 is pressed against the second seal 52 located lower than the first seal 51. This prevents the four-ply overlap region R2 from being crushed more than necessary, and the top seal Ts can be formed while suppressing sealing defects.

[0050] Furthermore, in the parallel region 30X, the second seals 52 are aligned on both sides of the first seal 51 in the conveying direction T, so that when the four-ply overlapping region R2 of the packaging film YA1 is clamped by the horn 21 and the anvil 22, the sealed regions As of the packaging film YA1 face the second seals 52 on both sides in the conveying direction T. This makes it possible to more reliably form the top seal Ts compared to when the second seals 52 are positioned only on one side of the first seal 51 in the conveying direction T.

[0051] Furthermore, since the parallel region 30X is provided in two locations spaced apart in the conveying width direction W, it is possible to form a top seal portion Ts in the four-ply overlap region R2 of the packaging film YA1 regardless of whether the packaging film YA1 is shifted in the conveying width direction W and supplied to the top seal device 110.

[0052] In addition, in the area surrounded by the two first seals 51 and the two second seals 52, a recess 32 is formed that recesses downward, away from the packaging film YA1 in the conveying height direction H, further than the second seals 52. Therefore, when the four-ply overlap region R2 of the packaging film YA1 is clamped by the horn 21 and the anvil 22, part of the four-ply overlap region R2 can escape into this recess 32, preventing the four-ply overlap region R2 from being pressed more than necessary, thereby avoiding sealing defects such as breakage of the packaging film YA1.

[0053] Furthermore, in the sealing area 30 of the anvil 22, the dimension w1 in the conveying width direction W in the parallel area 30X is smaller than the dimension w2 in the conveying width direction W in the second sealing area 30Z, so it is possible to avoid poor sealing due to misalignment of the packaging film YA1 while keeping the width dimension of the parallel area 30X to a necessary minimum.

[0054] Furthermore, in the sealing region 30 of the anvil 22, the width w2 in the second seal region 30Z is smaller than the width w in the four-ply region R2 (center seal portion Cs) of the packaging film YA1, and the total width w1 of the two parallel regions 30X and the width w2 in the second seal region 30Z (w1 × 2 + w2) is larger than the width w in the four-ply region R2 (center seal portion Cs) of the packaging film YA1. Therefore, while allowing for some degree of positional deviation of the four-ply region R2 of the packaging film YA1 in the conveying width direction W, the four-ply region R2 can be made to face the second seal 52 over the entire conveying width direction W, and a top seal Ts can be formed for the four-ply region R2 over the entire conveying width direction W.

[0055] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the configurations and combinations thereof in the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configurations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, but is limited only by the claims.

[0056] 8, in the sealing region 30, the second seal region 30Z may be divided into an inner region 30Za located on the inside in the conveying width direction W and two outer regions 30Zb located on both sides of the inner region 30Za in the conveying width direction W. In each outer region 30Zb, three second seals 52 are aligned in the conveying direction T. The second seals 52 on the front and rear sides in the conveying direction T in the outer region 30Zb extend linearly, respectively, continuous with the second seals 52 on the corresponding sides in the parallel region 30X. Furthermore, the second seal 52 in the inner region 30Za extends linearly, continuous with the second seal 52 in the middle of the conveying direction T in the outer region 30Zb. 8, the second stitch forming surface 42 is disposed between two first stitch forming surfaces 41 spaced apart in the conveying width direction W, and these adjacent first stitch forming surfaces 41 and second stitch forming surfaces 42 are connected to form a central forming surface located approximately in the center in the conveying direction T. Furthermore, the second stitch forming surfaces 42 are connected to both sides of the central forming surface in the conveying direction T so as to straddle the boundary K between the first stitch forming surface 41 and the second stitch forming surface 42 in this central forming surface. Note that the structure of the sealing area 30 shown in FIG. 8 is one example, and other structures may be adopted for the sealing area 30.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the sealing area 30 is provided on the anvil 22 side, but conversely, the sealing area 30 may be provided on the horn 21 side, i.e., on the side of the member to which ultrasonic vibration is applied. [Industrial Applicability]

[0058] According to the top sealing device and packaging machine of the present invention, even if the packaging film is misaligned when it is supplied, it is possible to apply a top seal to the packaging film while suppressing the occurrence of sealing defects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1...Wrapping machine 16...Center seal device 21... Horn (first opposing member) 22...anvil (second opposing member) 23…Ultrasonic source 30...Seal area 30X…parallel region 30Y: First seal area 30Z...Second seal area 32...recess 35...cutter blade 51...First seal 52...Second seal 100...Device body 110...Top seal device As…Sealed area Cs...Center seal part Ts: Top seal T...Transport direction W: Conveyance width direction H: Conveyance height direction M: specified gap XA1…Goods (packaged goods) YA1...packaging film ZA1...packaging

Claims

1. A top sealing device that forms a top seal portion by ultrasonically sealing a sealed area that extends in a band shape in the width direction (hereinafter, film width direction) of a tubular packaging film that extends in the longitudinal direction (hereinafter, film longitudinal direction) of the packaging film, thereby forming the packaging film into a bag shape, a first opposing member that faces the sealed area from one side in the thickness direction of the film (hereinafter referred to as the film thickness direction); a second opposing member that faces the sealed area from the other side in the film thickness direction and that sandwiches the sealed area together with the first opposing member; an ultrasonic supply source that applies ultrasonic vibrations to either the first opposing member or the second opposing member; Equipped with In either one of the first opposing member and the second opposing member, a sealing region facing the sealed region has a ridge-shaped first seal seam extending in the film width direction, and a ridge-shaped second seal seam extending in the film width direction, the second seal seam being located on a side farther away from the packaging film in the film thickness direction than the first seal seam and therefore lower in height than the first seal seam, The sealing area is a parallel region in which the first seal and the second seal are parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the film; a first seal region that is adjacent to one side of the parallel region in the film width direction, where the second seal region is not present and the first seal region extends; a second seal region adjacent to the parallel region on the other side in the film width direction, where the first seal region is not present and the second seal region extends; A top seal device having a top seal.

2. 2. The top sealing device according to claim 1, wherein in the parallel region, the second seals are aligned on both sides of the first seal in the longitudinal direction of the film.

3. The parallel regions are provided at two locations spaced apart in the width direction of the film, the second seal region is disposed between the two parallel regions, The top sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first seal regions are arranged on the opposite side of the second seal regions from each of the parallel regions in the film width direction.

4. The first seal is a pair of seals arranged side by side with a predetermined gap therebetween in the width direction of the film, two second seals are arranged side by side on both outer sides of the predetermined gap in the longitudinal direction of the film, A top sealing device as described in claim 3, wherein a recess is formed in the area surrounded by the two first seals and the two second seals, on the side away from the packaging film in the film thickness direction, that is recessed to a position lower than the second seals.

5. The top sealing device according to claim 3 , wherein the dimension of the parallel region in the width direction of the film is smaller than the dimension of the second seal region in the width direction of the film.

6. an apparatus main body that supplies the strip-shaped packaging film to form the packaging film into a cylindrical shape, conveys an article to be packaged, and stores the article in the packaging film formed into a cylindrical shape; The top seal device according to claim 1 or 2, which forms the top seal portion on the packaging film containing the packaged article; Equipped with The top sealing device is provided with a cutter blade that cuts the packaging film in the film width direction at the top sealing portion, The sealing area in the top sealing device is provided at two locations spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the film, A packaging machine in which a cutter gap through which the cutter blade passes is provided between the two sealing areas.

7. an apparatus main body that supplies the strip-shaped packaging film to form the packaging film into a cylindrical shape, conveys an article to be packaged, and stores the article in the packaging film formed into a cylindrical shape; The top seal device according to claim 3, wherein the top seal portion is formed on the packaging film containing the packaged article; The packaging film supplied by the device body; Equipped with the device body includes a center seal device that forms a center seal portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the film at a central position in the film width direction on the packaging film to form the packaging film into a cylindrical shape, a dimension in the film width direction of the second seal region is smaller than a dimension in the film width direction of the center seal portion, A packaging machine in which the total width dimension obtained by adding the film width dimension in the two parallel regions and the film width dimension in the second seal region is larger than the film width dimension in the center seal portion.

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