Product feeding device

Abstract

To provide a product feeding device that can suppress variations in height even for products with height differences. [Configuration] The packaging machine includes a product feed belt 34 that contacts the packaging film containing the product being transported, holds the product in place, and positions the product within the packaging film while transporting it downstream, and a drive mechanism for moving the product feed belt. The product feed belt includes an endless base belt section 50 and a plurality of curved loop members 51 arranged on the base belt section along the transport direction. Each loop member has a narrow, strip-shaped first section 53 along its longitudinal direction and a wide, strip-shaped second section 54. An opening 58 is provided in the second section, and the first section is fixed to the base belt section in a state where it passes through the opening of an adjacent loop member and enters the space between that other loop member and the base belt section. When the loop member is biased toward the base belt section, the first section is configured to be deformable without interfering with the other loop member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a product feeding device.

Background Art

[0002] For example, a pillow packaging machine includes a product conveying and supplying device that conveys products at a predetermined pitch, a packaging machine main body disposed downstream of the product conveying and supplying device, a film supplying device that supplies a belt-like packaging film to the packaging machine main body, and the like. The packaging machine main body includes a bag-making device that forms a belt-like packaging film continuously supplied from the film supplying device into a cylindrical shape on the inlet side. Further, products sequentially carried out from the product conveying and supplying device are supplied into the bag-making device. As a result, when the product group passes through the bag-making device, it is stored at predetermined intervals in the cylindrical packaging film, and the product group is conveyed together with the cylindrical packaging film. A center sealing device that seals the film ends formed in a cylindrical shape and overlapped with each other after passing through the bag-making device is disposed downstream of the bag-making device. Then, a pillow package containing the product is manufactured by sealing and cutting the packaging film so as to cross it in the lateral direction at predetermined intervals by a top sealing device disposed on the outlet side of the pillow packaging machine.

[0003] A conveying path for a cylindrical packaging film containing a product is disposed downstream of the center sealing device. This conveying path may use, for example, a device having a function of applying a conveying force, such as a belt conveyor device. Further, a product feeding device (also referred to as a "product holding device", "product holding device", etc.) is disposed above the belt conveyor device to hold the product contained therein from above through the cylindrical packaging film, prevent the product from relatively moving within the cylindrical packaging film, and be conveyed together with the cylindrical packaging film to reach the top sealing device.

[0004] An example of this type of product feeding device is the device disclosed in Patent Document 1. The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises a product feeding belt that moves above the conveying path of a packaging machine, in contact with the packaging film and holding the product in place, and a drive mechanism that moves the product feeding belt along the conveying direction of the packaging film. The product feeding belt has a base belt portion that moves parallel to the conveying direction of the packaging film, and on the outer surface side of the base belt portion, there are a plurality of belt-shaped curved portions along the conveying direction, with both ends of the curved portions attached to the base belt portion, and a plurality of slits formed in the direction along the conveying direction and in the direction intersecting the conveying direction, and pressing members formed adjacent to the plurality of slits are configured to contact the packaging film and hold the product in place. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7197137 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 has individual curved sections formed by curving a belt arranged in a line in the conveying direction, with gaps formed between adjacent curved sections in the front and rear. Therefore, for example, if a product with a short front-to-back length is facing the section between the front and rear curved sections, the curved section may not be able to properly hold the product.

[0007] Furthermore, products such as rice crackers may have irregular shapes and variations in height, sometimes differing by as much as 10 mm. In such cases, depending on the degree of curvature of the curved section, it may not be possible to absorb the variation, and shorter products may not be able to be held down sufficiently.

[0008] On the other hand, if the curved shape (loop) of the curved section is made larger to absorb this variation, for example, if the front and rear curved sections come into contact with the product and are compressed, the sides of the adjacent curved sections may come into contact and harden, and in some cases they may not compress sufficiently and be unable to hold the product.

[0009] Patent Document 1 describes a device in which a product feeding device is positioned above the conveying surface and holds down the upper side of the product and the tubular packaging film. However, similar problems arise with a device in which product feeding devices are positioned to the left and right with respect to the conveying direction and hold down the side sides of the product and the tubular packaging film.

[0010] The problems described above are presented as independent issues, and the present invention is not necessarily required to solve all of them; it is sufficient if at least one problem is solved. Furthermore, the invention intends to obtain rights for the configuration that solves this problem independently through divisional applications, amendments, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the product feeding device of the present invention comprises (1) a product feeding belt for contacting a packaging film containing a product being transported in a packaging machine to hold the product in place and position the product within the packaging film while transporting it downstream, and a drive mechanism for moving the product feeding belt along the product transport direction while holding the product in contact with the packaging film, wherein the product feeding belt comprises an endless base belt portion and a plurality of curved loop members arranged on the base belt portion along the transport direction, the loop members are fixed to the base belt portion at both ends in a curved position, the loop members have openings, one end of the loop member is fixed to the base belt portion after passing through the opening of an adjacent loop member and entering the space between that other loop member and the base belt portion, and the loop member is configured to be deformable without interfering with the other loop member when the loop member is biased toward the base belt portion.

[0012] In this configuration, each loop member can deform in a collapsible direction without being affected by adjacent loop members. Each loop member deforms appropriately according to the height of the product, allowing it to hold the product in place, and the product feed belt moves along the product's transport direction, positioning the product within the packaging film and moving it downstream. Furthermore, one end of a loop member passes through the opening of an adjacent loop member and enters the space between that loop member and the base belt, bringing the product-contacting areas of adjacent loop members closer together, allowing a wider area of ​​the product to be held in place by the loop member. Because adjacent loop members are positioned to cover the end of a loop member, the gap formed between adjacent loop members becomes smaller. Even products with short front-to-back lengths can be held in place appropriately. In addition, each loop member may be in an independent form as shown in the embodiment, or it may be in a form where multiple loop members are connected, as shown in the modified example. Using an independent form is advantageous because it reduces the unit of replacement in case of damage, etc.

[0013] (2) The loop member comprises a narrow, strip-shaped first portion and a wide, strip-shaped second portion along the direction of movement of the product feed belt, the first portion being one end, the opening being provided in the second portion, and the region located between the opening in the second portion and the first portion being configured to hold the product. In this way, the invention described in (1) can be realized with a simple configuration. The strip-shaped portion is easily deformable.

[0014] (3) The second portion is provided with belt-like portions on both sides of the opening in a direction intersecting the direction of movement of the product feed belt of the loop member, and the belt-like portions are configured to be able to contact and support the second portion of an adjacent loop member. In this way, when the loop member holds the product through the packaging film, it contacts and is supported by the belt-like portions of the second portion of the adjacent loop member. Thus, adjacent loop members can hold the product together as a single unit.

[0015] (4) The end portions on the adjacent sides of two adjacent loop members may be fixed to the base belt portion in a stacked state. By doing so, the attachment can be easily performed, and since the adjacent loop members extend in directions away from the base belt portion from the same position, it becomes easy to increase the loop shape while suppressing interference with each other.

[0016] (5) The loop member may be configured such that the one end side is located on the rear side along the moving direction of the base belt portion. By doing so, the loop member is likely to deform in the direction of being crushed.

[0017] Also, on the premise of the configurations shown in (1) to (5) described above, it is advisable to combine the components described in the embodiments and the drawings.

Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, products can be continuously held and reliably conveyed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a front view showing an embodiment of a product feeding device according to the present invention and a part of a pillow packaging machine in which it is mounted. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view (Part 1) showing an embodiment of a product feeding device according to the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view (Part 2) showing an embodiment of a product feeding device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view (Part 3) showing an embodiment of a product feeding device according to the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view (Part 4) showing an embodiment of a product feeding device according to the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view (Part 5) showing an embodiment of a product feeding device according to the present invention. [Figure 7] (a) is a view of the loop member in a developed state, and (b) is a view showing its usage state. [Figure 8]It is a developed view showing a modified example of a loop member. [Figure 9] It is a developed view showing another modified example of a loop member.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. The present invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto, and various changes, modifications, and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a preferred embodiment of a product feeding device according to the present invention and a part of a pillow packaging machine in which the product feeding device is incorporated. This pillow packaging machine 10 includes a packaging machine main body 11. Although not shown in the figure, on the upstream side of the packaging machine main body 11, there are a film supply device that continuously supplies a strip-shaped packaging film 12 to the packaging machine main body 11, and a product conveyance supply device that is arranged on the upstream side of the packaging machine main body 11 and supplies products 13 to the packaging machine main body 11 at predetermined intervals.

[0022] The packaging film 12 may be, for example, a film made of nylon. The product 13 is, for example, an irregular product such as senbei or okaki. In this embodiment, it is, for example, in the shape of an elongated rod, with a total length of about 80 mm. Also, the length of the package and the cut length of the packaging film 12 are, for example, about 130 mm.

[0023] The film supply device includes a rotating support shaft that rotatably supports a roll of raw film formed by winding a strip of packaging film 12 into a roll, a drive means such as a drive motor that applies rotational force to the rotating support shaft or a feed roller that applies conveying force to the raw film, and a conveying path that conveys the strip of packaging film 12 fed from the raw film along a predetermined trajectory and guides it to the packaging machine body 11. Normally, the film supply device conveys the packaging film at a constant speed and continuously supplies it to the packaging machine body 11. When the product supply from the product conveying supply device is interrupted, the conveyance of the packaging film 12 is temporarily suspended, and when the product supply resumes, the conveyance at the constant speed described above is resumed.

[0024] The packaging machine body 11 includes a bag maker that forms a tubular bag from a supplied strip of packaging film 12, a center sealing device located downstream of the bag maker, a transport path 14 located downstream of the center sealing device for transporting the tubular packaging film 12, a product feeding device 15 located above the transport path 14, a top sealing device 20 located downstream of the transport path 14, a discharge conveyor 16 located downstream of the top sealing device 20, and a product holding device 18 located above the input side of the discharge conveyor 16.

[0025] The bag maker forms a cylindrical shape that conforms to the outer shape of the product 13 by passing a strip of packaging film 12, which is continuously supplied from the film supply device, through it. As it passes through, the edges on both sides of the film come into contact with each other. The products 13, which are sequentially supplied from the product conveying and supply device to the packaging machine body 11, are inserted into the bag maker. As a result, the products 13 supplied to the bag maker are arranged at predetermined intervals within the cylindrical packaging film 12.

[0026] The center sealing device seals both end edges of the tubular packaging film 12. This center sealing device forms a center seal by heat sealing by heating and pressurizing both end edges while clamping them from both sides. The front and rear sides of the center sealing device may be equipped with pinch rollers that provide forward conveying force while clamping both end edges of the packaging film 12. Similar to the control of the conveying force applied to the packaging film in the film supply device, the control device of the packaging machine body controls the drive motor that rotates the pinch rollers to convey the packaging film at a constant speed under normal circumstances, temporarily suspend the conveying of the packaging film 12 when the product supply from the product conveying supply device is stopped, and resume conveying at the constant speed when the product supply resumes. Furthermore, the conveying force applied by the pinch rollers to the packaging film 12 should be equal to or slightly faster than the conveying speed of the packaging film by the film supply device.

[0027] The transport path 14 may, for example, be a belt conveyor that applies a transport force to the packaging film 12 and the product 13 contained within it, but it is not necessarily limited to providing a transport force; it may also be configured as a path that guides the transport.

[0028] The discharge conveyor 16 consists of a belt conveyor. The conveying surface of the discharge conveyor 16 is set at a lower position than the conveying surface of the upstream conveying path 14.

[0029] The product holding device 18 includes an arm portion 18a that is supported at its upper end so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range in the vertical (up and down) plane, and a holding brush member 18b attached to the lower end of the arm portion 18a. The arm portion 18a is positioned with a downward inclination so that its lower end is located on the upstream side (top sealing device 20 side), and is fixed at a predetermined inclination angle. The holding brush member 18b is generally cylindrical, and its circumferential side surface is positioned so as to be in contact with the upper surface of the packaging film 12. That is, the inclination angle should be adjusted according to the height of the product 13. The holding brush member 18b should be configured to be rotatably supported on the arm portion 18a via a support shaft 18c. Various means can be used to provide rotatable support, such as a configuration in which the support shaft 18c is bearing-supported on the arm portion 18a, the support shaft 18c itself rotates, and the holding brush member 18b rotates together with it, or the holding brush member 18b is rotatably mounted on the support shaft 18c.

[0030] The top sealing device 20 seals and cuts the packaging film 12 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel, that is, in a transverse direction. The portion of the film to be sealed and cut is at a predetermined position between the preceding and succeeding products 13. As a result, when the tubular packaging film 12 passes through the top sealing device 20, the leading portion of the packaging film 12 is separated from the following portion, and the packaged body 17 is produced.

[0031] The top sealing device 20 includes an upper rotating shaft 21 and a lower rotating shaft 22 positioned at predetermined positions above and below the packaging film 12, an upper top sealer 23 attached to the upper rotating shaft 21, and a lower top sealer 24 attached to the lower rotating shaft 22, etc. Two upper top sealers 23 and two lower top sealers 24 are provided, spaced 180 degrees apart.

[0032] The tip end of the upper top sealer 23 becomes the upper sealing surface 23a. The upper sealing surface 23a is divided into two parts in the direction of rotation, and a predetermined gap is formed in the center in the direction of rotation. Although not shown in the illustration, a cutter blade is positioned within this gap. The cutter blade may be configured to be, for example, normally stored within the gap, protrude outward from the upper sealing surface 23a when the upper sealing surface 23a reaches a predetermined position below, and then retract into the gap after rotating by a predetermined angle. Alternatively, it may be configured to protrude at all times.

[0033] The tip of the lower top sealer 24 becomes the lower sealing surface 24a. The lower sealing surface 24a is divided into two parts in the direction of rotation, and a predetermined gap is formed in the center in the direction of rotation. The cutter blade of the upper top sealer 23, which forms the pair, can be inserted into this gap.

[0034] The upper rotating shaft 21 and the lower rotating shaft 22 rotate and stop synchronously, and are configured so that the upper sealing surface 23a of the upper top sealer 23 and the lower sealing surface 24a of the lower top sealer 24 can come into contact with each 180-degree rotation.

[0035] Furthermore, the upper top sealer 23 and the lower top sealer 24 have built-in heaters. As a result, the upper sealing surface 23a and the lower sealing surface 24a are heated to a predetermined temperature. Therefore, when the packaging film 12 is sandwiched between the upper sealing surface 23a of the upper top sealer 23 and the lower sealing surface 24a of the lower top sealer 24, the packaging film 12 is heated and pressurized, and heat-sealed. During sealing, the cutter blade cuts the sealed portion of the packaging film 12 horizontally.

[0036] Furthermore, a connecting guide member 26 is attached to the lower rotating shaft 22 between each of the two lower top sealers 24. The conveying surface portion 26a on the surface side of the connecting guide member 26 is curved, and is configured to support the product 13 inside the packaging film 12 as it passes through the top sealing device 20 in the section from one lower top sealer 24 to the other lower top sealer 24 in the rotational direction.

[0037] The product feeding device 15, positioned above the transport path 14, contacts the upper surface of the cylindrical packaging film 12 and holds the product 13 through the packaging film 12 to position the product 13 within the packaging film 12. The part that holds the product 13 moves in sync with the speed of the packaging film 12, or, if the transport path 14 is a conveyor, with the speed of the conveyor, thereby moving the product 13 relatively within the packaging film 12 and sending it downstream without misalignment.

[0038] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the product feeding device 15 includes a drive pulley 32 and a driven pulley 33 arranged at a predetermined distance from each other in the front and rear directions along the conveying direction of the packaging film 12, and an endless product feeding belt 34 stretched between these pulleys. The drive pulley 32 and the driven pulley 33 are rotatably supported by bearings near the front and rear ends of a long, narrow mounting plate 31 which has a roughly U-shape with a vertical cross-section that opens upward. The mounting plate 31 includes a bottom plate portion 31a and left and right wall portions 31b and 31c, which are raised on the long sides (left and right sides in the conveying direction) of the bottom plate portion 31a. Each part may be formed by press-forming a single metal plate. In this embodiment, the left wall portion 31b in the conveying direction is located on the rear side of the packaging machine body 11, and the right wall portion 31c is located on the front side of the packaging machine body 11.

[0039] The driven pulley 33 is mounted to the mounting plate 31 so as to be freely rotatable. On the other hand, the drive pulley 32 is mounted concentrically to the drive shaft 35, which is supported by bearings on the left wall portion 31b and the right wall portion 31c, and rotates together with the drive shaft 35. The tip portion of the drive shaft 35 on the left wall portion 31b side is positioned to extend outward, and this tip portion is inserted into a gearbox 37 mounted on the rear side of the movable base plate 36 and connected to a predetermined gear in the gearbox 37. A drive motor 38 is also mounted on the rear side of the gearbox 37. The output shaft of the drive motor 38 is connected to a predetermined gear in the gearbox 37. As a result, the rotational output of the drive motor 38 is transmitted to the drive shaft 35 via the gear group in the gearbox 37, causing the drive shaft 35 to rotate, and consequently the product feed belt 34 to rotate and move.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the mounting plate 31 is attached to the movable base plate 36 so as to be rotatable in both forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range with the drive shaft 35 as the center of rotation. That is, the intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the left side wall portion 31b of the mounting plate 31 and the movable base plate 36 are connected via a link mechanism 39.

[0041] Furthermore, the mounting plate 31 is provided with a handle portion 40 that protrudes forward at a predetermined position on the right side wall portion 31c. The predetermined position is preferably near the position opposite the mounting position of the link mechanism 39 on the right side wall portion 31c. A stopper operating portion 41 is provided next to the handle portion 40 on the left side wall portion 31b. The stopper operating portion 41 has a rod-shaped portion that penetrates both the left side wall portion 31b and the right side wall portion 31c, and the tip of this rod-shaped portion is configured to be linked with the link mechanism 39. When the rod-shaped portion of the stopper operating portion 41 is inserted into and linked with the link mechanism 39, the link mechanism 39 does not operate, and the posture of the mounting plate 31 and, consequently, the product feed belt 34 is maintained. As shown in the figure, the reference position is when the mounting plate 31 and, consequently, the product feed belt 34 are in a horizontal position parallel to and facing the transport path 14. The product feed device 15 operates in the reference position to transport the product 13. Furthermore, the stopper operating unit 41 can be linked to the link mechanism 39 when the mounting plate 31 is in the reference position, and the product feeding device 15 operates in this linked state.

[0042] On the other hand, when the mounting plate 31 and thus the product feed belt 34 are in the reference position, the user can pull the stopper operating part 41 towards them to release the linkage with the link mechanism 39, then grasp the handle part 40 and lift it upward, causing the mounting plate 31 and thus the product feed belt 34 to rotate around the drive shaft 35, resulting in an inclined position with the rear side in the direction of travel raised.

[0043] Furthermore, the movable base plate 36 is configured to be vertically movable. Specifically, a ball screw mechanism 42 is provided on the back side of the movable base plate 36, and the movable base plate 36 moves up and down by rotating the handle portion 43 in forward and reverse directions. As the movable base plate 36 moves up and down, the product feed belt 34 moves up and down together with the drive pulley 32 and driven pulley 33, and can be adjusted to come into contact with the packaging film 12 that encloses the product 13.

[0044] When the drive motor 38 is operated with the height adjusted as described above, the drive shaft 35 and subsequently the drive pulley 32 rotate in response to the rotation of the output shaft of the drive motor 38. Consequently, the product feed belt 34 also rotates. Therefore, the product feed belt 34 moves along the conveying direction while pressing down on the product 13 from above via the tubular packaging film 12.

[0045] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the product feed belt 34 in this embodiment comprises a base belt section 50 made of an endless belt and curved loop members 51 arranged at equal intervals along the conveying direction on the surface of the base belt section 50. In Figures 2 to 6, the loop members 51 located at the pivoting sections on both ends in the front-rear direction are shown with one end detached from the base belt section 50. In reality, the ends of adjacent loop members are screwed and fixed to the same position on the base belt section 50.

[0046] The base belt portion 50 is made of a timing belt, and mounting portions 52 are provided on its outer surface at equal intervals along the direction of rotation. The mounting portions 52 are rectangular in shape and are formed to traverse the width direction of the base belt portion 50, and have two screw holes 52a along the width direction on their surface.

[0047] The loop member 51 is a short, belt-like structure, and both ends are fixed to adjacent mounting parts 52 in the front and rear directions along the conveying direction. The length of each loop member 51 when it is laid flat is sufficiently longer than the distance between adjacent mounting parts 52, and when both ends of the loop member 51 are attached to adjacent mounting parts 52, the loop member 51 takes on a curved shape as desired.

[0048] The adjacent loop members 51, positioned along the conveying direction, are attached by fastening their adjacent ends together to the same mounting portion 52. The specific configuration will be described later, but the loop-shaped curved and protruding portion of each loop member 51 constitutes the conveying surface (product holding surface) of the product 13, and by positioning these conveying surfaces close together, the system is configured to prevent large gaps from forming between adjacent loop members 51.

[0049] This allows the product 13 to be firmly held in place by the conveying surfaces of one or more loop members 51, even if the product 13 has a short overall length. Furthermore, each loop member 51 is curved to protrude outward while both ends are fixed to the mounting portion 52, and is configured to deform by collapsing in the biased direction when, for example, its conveying surface comes into contact with and is pressed against a product. This deformation changes the length of the conveying surface 61 that comes into contact with the product 13.

[0050] Furthermore, if one loop member 51 is pushed in a direction that causes it to collapse, the adjacent loop member 51 is configured to allow the deformation without preventing it. This allows each loop member 51 to deform as needed and hold the product in place. Therefore, for example, even if the height and protrusion of individual loop members 51 are increased to accommodate products 13 with varying heights, the opposing loop members 51 will deform to match the height of each product 13, and the product 13 can be held in place appropriately.

[0051] A loop member 51 with such a configuration may be configured as follows. Figure 7(a) is an unfolded view of the loop member 51, and Figure 7(b) is a diagram showing an example of a curved form for attachment to the mounting part 52.

[0052] As shown in Figure 7(a), the loop member 51 comprises a narrow, strip-shaped first portion 53 and a wide, strip-shaped second portion 54. The width of the first end portion 55 on the tip side of the first portion 53 (the end opposite to the second portion 54) should be wider than the width of the first portion 53, protruding on both sides in the width direction, and should be equal to the width of the second portion 54.

[0053] The first part 53 and the second end 56 of the second part 54 (the end opposite to the first part 53) are provided with two holes 57 at a predetermined distance apart. The predetermined distance should be equal to the distance between the two screw holes 52a provided in the mounting part 52 of the base belt part 50. When the first part 53 and the second part 54 are placed together with their sides aligned, the two holes 57 provided in each should overlap. In this embodiment, the holes 57 should be circular, and their diameter should be equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the screw holes 52a, making them oversized holes.

[0054] On the other hand, the second portion 54 has a rectangular opening 58 that extends in the longitudinal direction. The opening 58 is positioned so as to be closer to the second end 56 side with respect to the longitudinal direction of the second portion 54, and there is a region on the first portion 53 side where the opening 58 is not provided. This region where the opening 58 is not provided constitutes a part of the conveying surface 61.

[0055] When attaching the loop member 51 with the above configuration to the base belt section 50, as shown in Figure 7(b), the entire loop member is curved, and the first end 55 and the second end 56 are bent inward. Then, as shown in an enlarged view in Figure 6, when attaching the loop member 51 to the base belt section 50, the second end 56 is positioned on the front side in the conveying direction of the base belt section 50, and the first portion 53 is inserted into the curved internal space by passing through the opening 58 of the adjacent loop member 51 at the rear. The first portion 53 is then placed on top of the second end 56 of the rear loop member 51. With the pressing member 59 then placed on top of the first portion 53 in this state, the first end 55 and the second end 56 are fixed together using the fixing screw 60. As a result, the front and rear loop members 51 are attached in close proximity, weaving the belt together like a chain. With this configuration, the conveying surfaces 61 of adjacent loop members 51 can be placed in close proximity. Furthermore, by positioning one loop member 51 so that its end is inserted into the adjacent loop member, the outer surface of the loop member 51 does not reach the base belt portion, as in Patent Document 1, and the gap between adjacent front and rear curved loop members 51 can be reduced as much as possible. Also, because the gap between adjacent loop members 51 is small in this way, the entire surface of the product 13 can be pressed down as much as possible.

[0056] Furthermore, the shoulder portions 54a at both the left and right ends of the second portion 54 on the first portion 53 side overlap the second portion 54 of the adjacent loop member 51 (the belt-like portions 54b on both sides of the opening 58). Therefore, at least when the conveying surface 61 is pressed and the loop member 51 is deformed by being crushed, the shoulder portions 54a will be positioned to rest on the two belts on both sides of the opening 58 of the second portion 54 of the adjacent loop member 51. In this case, the two belt-like portions 54b of the adjacent loop member 51 located below will act as springs, and the product 13 can be supported as a whole.

[0057] In the product feeding device 15 with the above configuration, in the horizontally moving section below the product feeding belt 34, the curved portion of the loop member 51 hangs downward, and the conveying surface 61 of the curved portion, in particular, contacts the upper surface of the tubular packaging film 12, biasing the enclosed product 13 downward. In other words, the portion of the conveying surface 61 facing the product 13 indirectly contacts the product 13 via the packaging film 12, and when the height of the product 13 is higher than the height of the conveying surface 61 hanging down in an unloaded state, the conveying surface 61 elastically deforms and is lifted upward, and the reaction force and elastic restoring force bias the product 13 downward. As a result, the product 13 is positioned within the tubular packaging film 12.

[0058] Then, for example, the product 13 comes into contact with the conveying surface 61 of the loop member 51 via the packaging film 12, attempting to push the conveying surface 61 upward. At this time, the first portion 53 passes through the opening 58 of the adjacent loop member 51 on the opposite side and is located in the internal space of the adjacent loop member 51 on the opposite side, so it can deform in the direction of crushing without interference. Also, the second portion 54 can deform in the direction of crushing without interference because the first portion 53 of the adjacent loop member 51 enters the opening 58, and there are no adjacent loop members 51 between the belt-shaped portion 54b of the second portion 54, which is located on both sides of the opening 58, and the base belt portion 50. Therefore, even if there is variation in the height of the product 13, the loop member 51 that comes into contact with each product 13 deforms to match its height and can hold it down.

[0059] Furthermore, during actual operation, the loop member 51 is biased not directly upwards but diagonally backward along the conveying direction. As a result, the strip-shaped first portion 53 tilts slightly backward along the conveying direction, collapses while fitting neatly into the rear loop member 51, and the height of the conveying surface 61 is displaced.

[0060] Furthermore, if a loop member 51 is crushed, as described above, the second part 54 and the first part deform without contacting the adjacent loop members 51, so they do not interfere with the adjacent loop members 51, and the adjacent loop members 51 maintain a state of non-contact with the normal product 13, and if the product 13 does come into contact, they deform smoothly.

[0061] Furthermore, as described above, if the loop member 51 deforms in a way that causes it to collapse, the shoulder portions 54a at both the left and right ends of the second portion 54 on the first portion 53 side may come into contact with the second portion 54 of the adjacent loop member 51 (the belt-shaped portions 54b on both sides of the opening 58). When the second portion 54 of the adjacent loop member 51 is pressed and collapsed to some extent by the shoulder portions 54a, it has spring properties and supports the shoulder portions 54a and, consequently, the second portion 54 (conveying surface 61) above to some extent, but there is no member on the underside of the collapsed second portion 54 to suppress deformation. Therefore, it does not suppress the deformation of the loop member 51 above, as described in Patent Document 1. Moreover, if the loop member 51 is dented and the adjacent loop member 51 being pressed by the shoulder portions 54a is biased, the second portion 54 being pressed by the shoulder portions 54a can deform in a way that causes it to collapse because, as described above, there is no member on the underside to prevent deformation. Therefore, even if the loop member 51 is dented, it can be made so as not to affect the adjacent loop member 51. In other words, when product 13 comes into contact with the individual loop members 51, each member deforms independently, allowing them to hold down product 13.

[0062] In the embodiment described above, since each loop member 51 is attached to the base belt portion 50, if, for example, a loop member 51 is damaged due to aging or other reasons, only the damaged loop member needs to be replaced. Therefore, replacement work can be easily performed. Also, a small stock of replacement parts is required. Furthermore, the loop members 51 are preferably formed using belt material, which increases durability because they do not wear out or tear in the first place.

[0063] In the embodiment described above, the second portion 54 is positioned on the front side in the conveying direction, but the first portion 53 may also be positioned on the front side. However, since each loop member 51 may deform to tilt slightly backward when holding down the product, it is preferable to position the first portion 53 on the rear side as in the embodiment.

[0064] Furthermore, the second part 54 is provided with a rectangular opening 58, and the plane including the second end 56 is closed in a square shape. However, for example, the opening 58 may be a notched opening that is open on the side of the second end 56.

[0065] Furthermore, one or more slits or notches may be provided along the conveying direction in the conveying surface 61 of the second part 54, the belt-shaped part 54b, or the first part 53. In this case, the slits or notches provided in the conveying surface 61 and the first part 53 may be connected. Doing so makes the conveying surface 61 softer, which is preferable for gently pressing the product 13.

[0066] Furthermore, the slits may be formed in a zigzag or wavy shape, for example. The slits may also be holes of any shape, such as circular, rectangular, triangular, or star-shaped. Additionally, the slits do not necessarily have to be formed along the conveying direction.

[0067] Furthermore, although the embodiments and modifications described above are positioned above the transport path 14 and press down on the upper surface of the product 13, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to press down on one or both sides of the product 13.

[0068] Furthermore, the conveying surface of the discharge conveyor 16 may be set to the same height as the conveying surface of the upstream conveying path 14.

[0069] The base belt section 50 may be a wide product feed belt in which multiple (two or more) product feed belts 34 of the invention are arranged in parallel. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8, the multiple loop members 51 may be loop members 51 connected in the lateral direction. In the laterally connected loop members 51 shown in Figure 8, the long sides on the second section 54 side are connected, and the first ends 55 on the first section 53 side are separated. This allows the first ends 55 of laterally adjacent loop members 51 to be separated from each other, and can be individually inserted into the opening 58 of another loop member 51 adjacent in the vertical direction (direction of movement) and fixed on top of the second end 56 of that other loop member 51.

[0070] Furthermore, the multiple loop members 51 may be connected in the vertical direction, for example, as shown in Figure 9. In this case, the first end 55 of one loop member 51 and the second end 56 of the adjacent loop member 51 may be formed integrally. In a combined assembly of multiple loop members 51 with such a configuration, for example, the first end 55 provided on one end side is passed through the opening 58 of the loop member 51 located on the other end side, and all the remaining loop members 51 are passed through that opening 58. Next, the first end 55 is passed through the opening 58 of the second loop member 51 located from the other side, and all the remaining loop members 51 are passed through that opening 58. By repeating this process of weaving the loop members 51 while shifting them as they are inserted in order, the curved loop members 51 can be arranged in a line in the direction of movement. Each loop member 51 may be fixed by screw fastening using the holes 57.

[0071] While various aspects of the present invention have been described above using embodiments, it should be noted that these embodiments and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but rather to aid in understanding it. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations and manufacturing methods explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of the various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. Although the configurations for which patent protection is sought are specified in the appended claims, it should be noted that even configurations not currently specified in the claims may be claimed in the future. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 10: Pillow packaging machine 11: Packaging machine body 12: Packaging film 13: Products 14: Conveyor Route 15: Product feeding device 16: Discharge conveyor 17: Packaging 20: Top sealing device 32: Drive pulley 33: Driven pulley 34: Product feed belt 38: Drive motor 50: Base belt section 51: Loop member 52: Mounting part 53: Part 1 54:Second part 54a: Shoulder 55: First end 56:Second end 58: Opening 61: Conveyor surface

Claims

1. A product feed belt for a packaging machine that contacts the packaging film containing the product being transported, holds the product in place, and positions the product within the packaging film while moving it downstream, The product feed belt is provided with a drive mechanism that moves it along the product transport direction while in contact with the packaging film and holding the product in place. The product feeding belt comprises an endless base belt portion and a plurality of curved loop members arranged on the base belt portion along the conveying direction. The loop member is fixed to the base belt portion at both ends in a curved position. The loop member has an opening, A product feeding device wherein one end of the loop member is fixed to the base belt portion after passing through the opening of another adjacent loop member and entering the space between the other loop member and the base belt portion, and the one end of the loop member is configured to be deformable without interfering with the other loop member when the loop member is biased toward the base belt portion.

2. The loop member comprises a narrow, strip-shaped first portion and a wide, strip-shaped second portion, along the direction of movement of the product feed belt. The first portion is the one end side, The opening is provided in the second portion, The region located between the opening in the second portion and the first portion is configured to hold the product in place. The product feeding device according to claim 1.

3. The second portion is provided with belt-shaped portions on both sides of the opening in a direction intersecting the direction of movement of the product feed belt of the loop member, The product feeding device according to claim 2, wherein the belt-like portion is configured to contact and support a second portion of an adjacent loop member.

4. The product feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the adjacent ends of two adjacent loop members are fixed to the base belt portion in an overlapping state.

5. The product feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the loop member is configured such that one end is located on the rear side along the direction of movement of the base belt portion.

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