Method and apparatus for packaging sandwiches

Abstract

The present invention provides a sandwich packaging method and apparatus that can efficiently package sandwiches as individual items using strip-shaped packaging material drawn from a supply source. [Solution] The left and right edges of the strip-shaped film 11 guided along the transport path 12 are raised, and a seal is applied in the transport direction to the overlapping portion in a gable shape to form a tubular film 11b. The inner film 15 on which the sandwich 17 is placed is fed so as to overlap the strip-shaped film 11, supplying the sandwich 17 into the tubular film 11b at predetermined intervals. The tubular film 11b is cut in the width direction before and after the sandwich 17 to obtain a primary package 21, which is then rotated 90 degrees and passed to the packaging folding device 29. During the transport process by the packaging folding device 29, the left and right tubular extensions 26, 26 of the primary package 21 are folded along the inclined surface of the sandwich 17, and a seal is applied in the transport direction to the bottom extension to form a secondary package.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for packaging a sandwich, which involves wrapping a packaging material cylindrically around the periphery of a triangular sandwich and folding and sealing the packaging material extending from the edge of the sandwich.

Background Art

[0002] As a method and apparatus for packaging a triangular sandwich, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. In Patent Document 1, a sandwich is pushed toward the upper and lower extending portions of a film (packaging material) drawn from a film roll, the sandwich is wrapped around the body with the film, sealed, cut, and during the process of receiving the cylindrically wrapped and sealed sandwich on a transfer conveyor and conveying it downstream, at the extending portions extending left and right from the sandwich of the cylindrically wrapped film, the portions facing each inclined surface of the sandwich are bent along each inclined surface from the top, and the film extending outward from each side on the upstream side and the downstream side in the thickness direction of each inclined surface is folded along the inclined surface. On the bottom surface side of the sandwich, a seal is applied in the thickness direction of the sandwich at the extending base of the folded and extended portion of the film extending outward to obtain a packaged product of the sandwich.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the packaging method and apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the film wrapped around the preceding sandwich is sealed and cut, and the remaining sealed portion on the stretched part is moved to a position where it will not be used for packaging the next sandwich supplied by winding the film on the stretched part with a winding roller, so that the packaging form in which the top side of the sequentially film-covered sandwiches faces one sealed portion. For this reason, time is required for winding in one packaging cycle, which hinders the improvement of packaging capacity. Furthermore, since the film wound onto the winding roller is discarded, it results in film waste and an increase in the amount of discarded film, which is a drawback as it fails to meet the environmental demand for film reduction.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a sandwich packaging method and apparatus that can efficiently package sandwiches as individual packaged products using strip-shaped packaging material drawn from a supply source. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the intended objective, the first means is: A method for packaging a sandwich (17) with a triangular side (17a), A strip of packaging material (11) pulled from a supply source (10) is guided along a transport path (12) that supports and transports a sandwich (17) placed on packaging material (11, 11b) from below, and both ends (11a, 11a) in the width direction that intersect the transport direction of the strip of packaging material (11) are raised along the transport path (12). The sandwiches (17) are placed at predetermined intervals on the strip-shaped packaging material (11) with both ends (11a, 11a) raised, with the sides (17a) of the sandwiches (17) facing left and right, and the cut surface (17c) corresponding to the long side facing downwards, and then transported. The left and right edges (11a, 11a) of the strip-shaped packaging material (11) are overlapped at the top in a gusset shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped portion to form a cylindrical packaging material (11b). The cylindrical packaging material (11b) is cut in the width direction at an intermediate position between each sandwich (17) contained within the cylindrical packaging material (11b). The primary packaged product (21), in which the sandwich (17) is wrapped in packaging material (20), is transported to the pick-up position (23) with the opening (20a) of the primary packaged product (21) facing forward and backward in the transport direction. When transferring the primary packaged product (21) from the picking position (23) to the downstream packaging folding device (29), the orientation is changed so that the opening (20a) faces left and right during the transfer. In the packaging folding device (29), the primary packaged product (21) with the opening (20a) facing left and right and the cut surface (17c) facing downwards is held and conveyed at predetermined intervals. In the process of transporting the primary packaged product (21) with the packaging folding device (29), the packaging material (20) on one side and the other side that extends outward from the left and right edges of the sandwich (17) at the opening (20a) is sequentially folded along the inclined surface (17b) of the sandwich (17) facing the opening (20a), and the folded portion (27c) is sealed to obtain a secondary packaged product (62) in which the sandwich (17) is wrapped around the perimeter of the packaging material.

[0007] In order to solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the intended objective, the second means is: A method for packaging a sandwich (17) with a triangular side (17a), A strip of packaging material (11, 11b) is guided along a transport path (12) that supports and transports the sandwich (17) placed on the packaging material (11, 11b) from below, and both ends (11a, 11a) in the width direction that intersect the transport direction of the strip of packaging material (11) are raised along the transport path (12). In the aforementioned transport path (12), the strip-shaped packaging material (11) that is transported with the inner film (15) stacked on top of each other has the sandwich (17) placed at predetermined intervals with its side surface (17a) facing left and right, and the cut surface (17c) corresponding to the long side facing downwards. The left and right edges (11a, 11a) of the strip-shaped packaging material (11) are overlapped at the top in a gusset shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped portion to form a cylindrical packaging material (11b). The cylindrical packaging material (11b) is cut in the width direction together with the inner film (15) at an intermediate position between each sandwich (17) contained within the cylindrical packaging material (11b). The primary packaged product (21), in which the sandwich (17) is wrapped in packaging material (20), is transported to the pick-up position (23) with the opening (20a) of the primary packaged product (21) facing forward and backward in the transport direction. When transferring the primary packaged product (21) from the picking position (23) to the downstream packaging folding device (29), the orientation is changed so that the opening (20a) faces left and right during the transfer. In the packaging folding device (29), the primary packaged product (21) is held at predetermined intervals, with the opening (20a) facing left and right and the cut surface (17c) facing downwards, and conveyed. In the process of transporting the primary packaged product (21) by the packaging folding device (29), the packaging material (20) on one side and the other side that extends outward from the left and right edges of the sandwich (17) at the opening (20a) is sequentially folded along the inclined surface (17b) of the sandwich (17) facing the opening (20a), the folded portion (26c) is sealed so that the sandwich (17) is wrapped with packaging material, and the cut surface (17c) is covered with an inner film (15) to obtain a secondary packaged product (62).

[0008] The third method is characterized in that the inner film (15) is pulled out from the supply source (30) by the strip-shaped packaging material (11) and fed into the transport path (12) from the transport start end so as to overlap the strip-shaped packaging material (11).

[0009] In order to solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the intended objective, the fourth means is: A device for packaging a sandwich (17) with a triangular side (17a), A transport path (12) supports and transports the sandwich (17) placed on the packaging material (11, 11b) from below, A molding means (13) raises the left and right end edges (11a, 11a) in the width direction that intersects with the transport direction of the strip-shaped packaging material (11) that has been drawn out from the lower supply source (10) to the transport path (12), The left and right end edges (11a, 11a) of the strip-shaped packaging material (11) raised by the molding means (13) are overlapped at the top in a gusset shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped portion to form a cylindrical packaging material (11b) by a center sealing means (14), The article supply unit (18) places the sandwich (17) on the strip-shaped packaging material (11) in the region from the starting end of the transport path (12) until the left and right edges (11a, 11a) of the strip-shaped packaging material (11) overlap at the top, with the sides (17a) facing left and right and the cut surface (17c) corresponding to the long side facing downward. A cutting means (19) cuts the cylindrical packaging material (11b) in the width direction at an intermediate position of each sandwich (17) that is supplied from the article supply unit (18) and housed in the cylindrical packaging material (11b) at predetermined intervals, A transfer means (22) transports the primary packaged product (21), which is a sandwich (17) wrapped in packaging material (20) obtained by separation by the cutting means (19), with the opening (20a) of the primary packaged product (21) facing forward and backward. A transfer means (25) that picks up the primary packaged product (21) from the receiving means (22) and passes it to the downstream packaging material folding device (29), A direction changing means (58) that changes the direction of the primary packaged product (21) which is transferred to the packaging folding device (29) by the transfer means (25) so that the opening (20a) faces left or right, A holding conveyor (24) that individually holds and transports the primary packaged products (21) received from the transfer means (25) with the opening (20a) facing left and right and the cut surface (17c) facing downwards, The present invention is characterized by comprising a packaging material folding device (29) that, in the process of transporting a primary packaged product (21) on a holding conveyor (24), sequentially folds the packaging material (20) on one side and the other side that extends outward from the left and right edges of the sandwich (17) at the opening (20a) using a folding means (27) so as to follow the inclined surface (17b) of the sandwich (17) facing the opening (20a), and seals the folded portion (26c) with a sealing means (28) to obtain a secondary packaged product (62) in which the sandwich (17) is wrapped with packaging material. According to the first and fourth methods, the primary packaged product obtained by cutting the cylindrical packaging material before and after the sandwich supplied into the cylindrical packaging material is transferred to the packaging material folding device by changing the transport direction using the transfer means. This allows for efficient automatic packaging of individual sandwiches in a packaging form that looks the same as conventionally sold packaged products. Furthermore, as in the past, there is no need to prevent the remaining seal portion when wrapping the sandwich with the packaging material from being used for packaging the next sandwich, leading to a reduction in wasteful packaging material that would otherwise be discarded. In addition, since the sandwich is placed on the strip-shaped packaging material with the cut surface facing downwards, the cut surfaces can be neatly aligned when the sandwich is being supplied manually. Furthermore, since the device employs a form in which a tubular shape is formed and the overlapping portion of the strip-shaped packaging material is held in a gable shape at the top for transport, while a continuous seal is applied to the overlapping portion in the direction of transport, even triangular sandwiches made by sandwiching ingredients such as side dishes between slices of bread can be automatically packaged well, without the bread being compressed and losing its shape when covered by the packaging material, thus preventing a decrease in product value and resulting in visually appealing sandwich packaging. Moreover, since the transfer means lifts the individual primary packaging products obtained by cutting the front and back of the tubular packaging material into which the sandwiches are supplied and hands them over to the packaging material folding device, stable handover can be performed without misalignment or handover defects during the handover to the packaging material folding device.

[0010] In order to solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the intended objective, the fifth means is: A device for packaging a sandwich (17) with a triangular side (17a), A transport path (12) on which the strip-shaped packaging material (11) drawn from the lower supply source (10) is placed and transported, A molding means (13) is provided in the transport path (12) and raises the left and right end edges (11a, 11a) in the width direction that intersects with the transport direction of the transported strip-shaped packaging material (11), The left and right end edges (11a, 11a) of the strip-shaped packaging material (11) raised by the molding means (13) are overlapped at the top in a gusset shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped portion to form a cylindrical packaging material (11b) by a center sealing means (14), An inner film supply means (16) supplies a strip-shaped inner film (15) on top of the strip-shaped packaging material (11) being transported along the transport path (12), An article supply section (18) is provided upstream of the position where the left and right edges (11a, 11a) of the strip-shaped packaging material (11) overlap in a gable shape, and the inner film (15) has an article supply section (18) on which the sandwich (17) is placed with the side surface (17a) facing left and right and the cut surface (17c) corresponding to the long side facing downward, A cutting means (19) cuts the tubular packaging material (11b) together with the inner film (15) in the width direction at an intermediate position of each sandwich (17) that is supplied from the article supply unit (18) and housed in the tubular packaging material (11b) at predetermined intervals, A transfer means (22) transports the primary packaged product (21), which is a sandwich (17) wrapped in packaging material (20) obtained by separation by the cutting means (19), with the opening (20a) of the primary packaged product (21) facing forward and backward. A transfer means (25) that picks up the primary packaged product (21) from the receiving means (22) and passes it to the downstream packaging material folding device (29), A direction changing means (58) that changes the direction of the primary packaged product (21) which is transferred to the packaging folding device (29) by the transfer means (25) so that the opening (20a) faces left or right, A holding conveyor (24) that individually holds and conveys the primary packages (21) received from the transfer means (25) with the opening (20a) facing left and right and the cut surface (17c) facing downward, In the process of conveying the primary package (21) by the holding conveyor (24), the packaging materials (20) on one side and the other side that extend outward from the left and right edges of the sandwich (17) at the opening (20a) are sequentially folded along the inclined surface (17b) of the sandwich (17) facing the opening (20a) by folding means (27), and the folded portion (26c) is sealed by sealing means (28), so that the periphery of the sandwich (17) is wrapped with a packaging material and the cut surface (17c) is covered with an inner film (15) to obtain a secondary package (62). The packaging material folding device (29) is provided. According to the second means and the fifth means, in addition to the effects obtained by the first means and the fourth means, an inner film for preventing contamination can be conveyed together with the packaging material, and the sandwich package with the cut surface covered with the inner film can be automatically packaged. In addition, since the sandwich package with an inner film can be obtained by automatic packaging, even in the case of a product in which a viscous material is exposed on the cut surface, a high-quality package can be obtained without reducing the product value.

[0011] The sixth means is characterized in that the inner film supply means (16) is configured to draw out the strip-shaped inner film (15) from a supply source (30) below the conveyance path (12) and feed it toward the start end of the conveyance of the conveyance path (12). According to the sixth means, by pulling out the strip-shaped inner film and overlapping it on the strip-shaped packaging material for conveyance, a packaged product with an inner film can be easily obtained.

[0012] The seventh means is that the inner film supply means (16) has a guide surface (16b) upstream of the starting end of the conveyance path (12), and the guide surface (16b) is configured to support the inner film (15) fed toward the starting end of the conveyance path (12) from below, and the sandwich (17) is an article supply unit (18) placed on the inner film (15) supported on the guide surface (16b). According to the seventh means, since the cut surface of the sandwich is directly placed on the inner film supported by the guide surface upstream of the conveyance path of the strip-shaped packaging material whose left and right edge portions are raised, it is possible to prevent the adhesive substances exposed on the cut surfaces of the inner film and the sandwich from rubbing and spreading while adhering to the inner film. In addition, since the sandwich can be supplied in the region before the side of the strip-shaped packaging material rises and is conveyed, the article supply unit is a space without obstacles, and the manual supply work is good. Also, the cut surface of the sandwich can be aligned with an appropriate position with respect to the inner film.

[0013] The eighth means is that the transfer means (25) includes a plurality of hands (52) that pick up the primary packages (21) conveyed to the picking position (23) at predetermined intervals one after another. The hand (52) is configured to change the orientation of the opening (20a) from front and back to left and right and deliver the primary package (21) to the holding conveyor (24). According to the eighth means, since the primary packages sequentially conveyed to the picking position are transferred to the packaging material folding device one after another by a plurality of hands, the processing capacity can be improved.

Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, the sandwich can be efficiently and automatically packaged as individual packages in a packaging form that looks the same as the commercially available bagged sandwich packages.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view showing a packaging device. [Figure 2] This is a schematic plan view showing a packaging device. [Figure 3] This is a schematic perspective view of the main components of a packaging device, from the inner film supply means to the lateral sealing means. [Figure 4] This is a front view of the inner film supply mechanism as seen from the upstream side. [Figure 5] This is a front view of the cutting blade of the cutting device, seen from the downstream side. [Figure 6] This is a schematic perspective view showing the transfer mechanism. [Figure 7] This is a schematic perspective view of the packaging folding device as seen from the upstream side. [Figure 8] This is a schematic perspective view of the packaging folding device, taken from a different direction than in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing the process of packaging sandwiches. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram showing the process of folding the tubular extension portion of a cylindrical film that is wrapped around a sandwich. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Next, a preferred embodiment of the sandwich packaging method and apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. The sandwich 17 to be packaged is made by placing ingredients between two square slices of bread and cutting them along the diagonal, so that the side surface 17a is triangular in shape with a long side and two short sides (see Figure 9), and the ingredients are exposed on the cut surface 17c corresponding to the long side. If the exposed ingredients are sticky ingredients that tend to adhere to the packaging material, it may be necessary to attach an inner film 15, which is a stain-preventing sheet that covers the cut surface 17c, to the inside of the packaging material. [Examples]

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the sandwich packaging apparatus according to the embodiment includes a transport path 12 that supports and transports a sandwich 17 placed on a strip-shaped film (strip-shaped packaging material) 11 drawn from a lower packaging material roll (supply source) 10 from below, a molding means 13 that raises the left and right end edges 11a, 11a in the width direction intersecting the transport direction of the strip-shaped film 11 guided by the transport path 12, and the raised left and right end edges 11a, 11a of the strip-shaped film 11 are overlapped in a gusset shape at the top, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapping portion to form a tubular film The system includes a center sealing means 14 for forming a tubular packaging material 11b, an inner film supply means 16 for feeding a strip-shaped inner film 15 onto a flat strip-shaped film 11 between the raised left and right end edges 11a, 11a, and an article supply unit 18 located upstream of the position where the left and right end edges 11a, 11a of the strip-shaped film 11 overlap in a gable shape, for placing a sandwich 17 with triangular side surfaces 17a onto the inner film 15 before it overlaps onto the strip-shaped film 11 being transported along the transport path 12. The sandwich 17 is placed on the inner film 15 in a position where the two inclined surfaces 17b, 17b on which the short sides are located face forward and backward in the transport direction, with the cut surface 17c on which the long side is located facing downward, with the side surfaces 17a facing left and right in the width direction (see Figure 9). The packaging apparatus also includes a cutting means 19 that cuts the tubular film 11b in a width direction intersecting the transport direction together with the inner film 15 at an intermediate position of each sandwich 17 contained (supplied) in the tubular film 11b at predetermined intervals, and a receiving means 22 that transports the primary packaged product 21, in which the sandwich 17 is wrapped with a tubular film (packaging material) 20 of a predetermined length that has been cut from the continuous tubular film 11b by the cutting means 19, downstream with the opening 20a of the primary packaged product 21 facing forward and backward. The system includes a transfer means 25 that picks up the primary packaged product 21, which has been transported to the pick-up position 23 by the transfer means 22, from the transfer means 22 and changes the transport direction by 90 degrees (changing it so that the opening 20a faces left and right) before handing it over to the downstream holding conveyor 24. The holding conveyor 24 is configured to intermittently transport the primary packaged product 21 received from the transfer means 25, each individually held in a position where the openings 20a, 20a of the cylindrical film 20 face left and right and the cut surface 17c of the sandwich 17 faces downward.The packaging device also includes a packaging folding device 29, which has a folding means 27 that, when the primary packaged product 21 being transported by the holding conveyor 24 is intermittently stopped, sequentially folds the tubular extensions 26, 26 on one side and the other side that extend outward from the edge of the sandwich 17 in the cylindrical film 20 of the primary packaged product 21 along the inclined surfaces 17b, 17b facing the openings 20a, 20a of the sandwich 17, and a lateral sealing means (sealing means) 28 that folds the tubular extensions 26 and seals across the bottom extensions (folded parts) 26c that extend from the left and right outer edges 17f of the cut surface 17c of the sandwich 17.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the inner film supply means 16 includes a film feed means 31 consisting of a pair of rotating rollers that pull out the inner film 15 from the film roll 30, and a film roll (supply source) 30, which is a roll of transparent film made of a strip-shaped inner film 15, that is rotatably supported below the transport path 12, and a suction belt conveyor 16a disposed downstream of the transport start end of the transport path 12. The suction belt conveyor 16a has a plurality of suction ports arranged in a row toward the direction of travel of the endless belt so as to attract the inner film 15 with the negative pressure of the suction means and provide transport force. The inner film 15 is supported from below in the upper horizontal travel region on which the endless belt travels, with the upper surface of the endless belt as a guide surface 16b, and the inner film 15 attracted by the suction action of the suction belt is fed toward the transport path 12 at the same speed as the transport speed of the transport path 12, so as to be placed on top of the strip-shaped film 11 that is guided by the transport path 12.

[0019] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, above the guide surface 16b, there is a mounting guide 32 that guides the sandwich 17 so that its outer sides in the overlapping direction are contained within the width range of the inner film 15, which is supported from below by the guide surface 16b. Specifically, the spacing of the mounting guide 32 is adjusted so that the sandwich 17 is placed on the inner film 15 so that the center of the width dimension of the inner film 15 coincides with the center of the thickness dimension of the sandwich 17. The mounting guide 32 comprises a pair of plate-shaped guide members 32a, 32a spaced apart to the left and right, and both guide members 32a, 32a are inclined so that the distance between them increases as they move upward. The lower ends of both guide members 32a, 32a are positioned so that the sandwich 17 is placed in the center in the width direction of the inner film 15 by the opposing pair of guide members 32a, 32a, and the left and right outer parts in the overlapping direction on the bottom side of the sandwich 17 are guided. In this embodiment, the guide surface 16b corresponds to the article supply unit 18 that places the sandwich 17 on the inner film 15 before it is placed on top of the strip-shaped film 11, and the article supply unit 18 may include a placement guide 32. Furthermore, the pair of guide members 32a, 32a are configured to be spaced apart by position adjustment means according to the overlap dimension of the bread slices in the sandwich 17 in the overlapping direction (thickness direction).

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, a conveyor 33 that circulates on an endless belt is arranged downstream of the inner film supply means 16, and belt conveyors 34 and 35 support and transport the packaging material (strip film 11 or tubular film 11b) on which the sandwich 17 is placed on the upper surface (conveying surface) 34a and 35a of the belt, which runs horizontally. The conveyor 33 comprises a first conveyor 34 located on the upstream side and a second conveyor 35 located on the downstream side. The molding means 13 is arranged at the transport starting end of the first conveyor 34. Below the conveyor 33, a packaging material feed means 36 is arranged, which consists of a packaging material roll 10 in which the strip film 11 is wound into a roll shape, and a pair of rotating rollers that pull the strip film 11 out of the packaging material roll 10 and supply it toward the upstream end of the molding means 13 (the transport starting end of the strip film 11). In this embodiment, the molding means 13 and the conveying conveyor 33 form the conveying path 12. The conveying height of the conveying path 12 (height of the belt upper surfaces 34a, 35a) is preferably set to be approximately the same level as or slightly lower than the height of the guide surface 16b, so that the overlapping state can be maintained without shifting when the inner film supply means 16 stacks the inner film 15 on top of the strip-shaped film 11 and conveys it.

[0021] As shown in Figures 2 and 9, the molding means 13 is equipped with a pair of packaging guides 37, 37 spaced apart to the left and right in the width direction, and the pair of packaging guides 37, 37 are configured to be adjustable in position according to the overlap dimensions of the sandwich 17. Each packaging guide 37 is equipped with a support portion 37a that extends along the transport path 12 and guides the strip-shaped film 11 downwards, and a rising portion 37b that extends upwards from the left and right of the support portion 37a so as to move away from the other packaging guide 37, and the upstream guide edge portion 37c of the rising portion 37b is inclined toward the front (downstream) in the transport direction as it moves upwards. The strip-shaped film 11 supplied to the upstream end of the molding means 13 by the packaging material dispensing means 36 is guided by the guide edges 37c, 37c of the rising parts 37b, 37b at both left and right end edges 11a, 11a, and the strip-shaped film 11 raised upward by the rising parts 37b, 37b is guided downstream. In addition, the strip-shaped film 11 between the end edges 11a, 11a is supported from below by the support parts 37a, 37a, and the end edges 11a, 11a are formed into an inverted V shape and conveyed downstream. It is desirable that the upper surfaces of the support parts 37a, 37a be set at a height level slightly lower than or approximately the same as the guide surface 16b of the inner film supply means 16 and the conveying surface of the conveying conveyor 33.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, downstream of the molding means 13 and above the second conveyor 35 (transport conveyor 33), a superposition guide means 38 is provided to guide the left and right end edges 11a, 11a of the raised strip-shaped film 11 to overlap in a gable shape. The superposition guide means 38 comprises a pair of plates 38a, 38a spaced apart on the left and right sides in the width direction with the center of the film transport line in between. The left and right end edges 11a, 11a of the strip-shaped film 11 are introduced into the gap formed between the pair of plates 38a, 38a, thereby forming the strip-shaped film 11 into a tubular shape and overlapping the left and right end edges 11a, 11a in a gable shape. At the upstream end of the superposition guide means 38, in the width direction center, round bar-shaped guide members 39, 39 extending vertically at predetermined intervals are provided, and the superposition portion of the tubular film 11b is guided by both guide members 39, 39 to extend upward by a predetermined superposition width. A pair of feed rollers 40 are provided to grip the overlapping portion of the tubular film 11b, which extends upward from the gap between the pair of plates 38a, 38a and is guided downstream, and to convey it downstream. Further downstream of the feed rollers 40, a center sealing means 14 is provided, which has a pair of seal rollers provided on both sides of the overlapping portion of the tubular film 11b. By gripping the overlapping portion with the pair of seal rollers and heating and welding it, a continuous seal is applied to the overlapping portion in the conveying direction, forming a vertical seal portion 41 (see Figure 9). The overlapping guide means 38, feed rollers 40, and center sealing means 14 are provided with a height adjustment means 42 that allows the support base 43 to be raised and lowered by a slide guide (not shown) provided on one side of the conveying path 12 in the second conveyor 35. This configuration allows the height position of the overlapping guide means 38, feed rollers 40, and center sealing means 14 relative to the conveying surface of the second conveyor 35 to be adjusted according to the height dimension of the sandwich 17 placed with its cut surface 17c facing downward.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the cutting means 19 is arranged downstream of the second conveyor 35. The cutting means 19 comprises a pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b that face each other vertically across the transport path 12 of the tubular film 11b transported by the second conveyor 35, an opening and closing moving means 44 that moves the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b closer to and further apart from each other, a reciprocating moving means 45 that moves the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b back and forth in the transport direction, and a cutting blade 46. The cutting means 19 is configured to perform a so-called box motion operation by operating the opening / closing moving means 44 and the reciprocating moving means 45, causing the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b to move closer to each other from an initial position where they are furthest apart from each other across the transport path 12, clamping the sandwiched position in the tubular film 11b, cutting the tubular film 11b at an intermediate position between the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b with the cutting blade 46, moving downstream in the transport direction of the tubular film 11b while clamped, and then moving apart from each other to return to the initial position. The cutting means 19 is equipped with a cutting blade 46 on one of the clamping bodies 19a that cuts the tubular film 11b clamped by the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b in a direction intersecting the transport direction. As shown in Figure 5, the cutting blade 46 has a pair of notch-forming blades (notch-forming sections) 47, 47 spaced apart on the left and right sides of the center in the width direction, and these are arranged on the downstream side of the cutting blade 46 in the direction of transport of the tubular film 11b. When the tubular film 11b is cut, it is configured to form opening notches 48 on both sides of the vertical seal section 41 formed on the tubular film 20 of the primary packaging product 21 that is separated from the tubular film 11b (see Figure 9). The notch-forming blades 47 are fixed to the cutting blade 46 by fixing means such as bolts so that they can be attached, detached, replaced and their position adjusted in the width direction.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a belt-type transfer means 22 is installed downstream of the cutting means 19, with its transport level matching that of the second conveyor 35. The transfer means 22 comprises an upstream discharge conveyor 49 and a downstream transfer conveyor 50. The discharge conveyor 49 transports the tubular film 11b and primary packaged product 21 fed from the second conveyor 35 downstream, while the transfer conveyor 50 is configured to intermittently transport the primary packaged product 21 fed from the discharge conveyor 49 to the pick-up position 23 of the transfer means 25. The opposing ends of the second conveyor 35 and the discharge conveyor 49, which are located on either side of the cutting means 19, are configured such that when the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b move toward the clamping position to clamp the tubular film 11b, they move apart from each other to allow the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b to pass, and when the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b move apart from each other, they move closer to each other, enabling smooth transfer of the sandwich 17 inside the tubular film 11b from the second conveyor 35 to the discharge conveyor 49. Furthermore, the belt speed of the discharge conveyor 49 is set to be faster than the belt speed of the second conveyor 35, so that the end of the tubular film 11b can be reliably separated as a primary packaged product 21 and transported downstream.

[0025] In the transport path 12 downstream from the molding means 13, the left and right end edges 11a, 11a of the strip-shaped film 11 are raised upward, and product guides 51 are provided to support the left and right outer sides of the tubular film 11b in accordance with the overlap dimensions of the sandwiches 17 contained in the film. The product guides 51 include a first side guide 51a provided on the side of the transport path 12 in the first conveyor 34 to the second conveyor 35, and a second side guide 51b provided on the side of the transport path 12 in the discharge conveyor 49. A pair of side guides 51a, 51b are provided on both the left and right sides of the transport path of the conveyors 34, 35, and 49, and each side guide 51a, 51b is configured to be spaced apart according to the overlap dimensions of the sandwiches 17.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 6, the transfer means 25 is provided to pick up the primary packaged product 21, which has been transported to the pick-up position 23 on the transfer conveyor 50 with the openings 20a, 20a facing forward and backward, and then intermittently stopped, and transfer it to the holding conveyor 24 with the transport direction changed by 90 degrees. The transfer means 25 is composed of a first handling section 53 and a second handling section 54, each equipped with a hand 52 consisting of a pair of gripping bodies 52a, 52a that move closer to and further away from each other so as to be able to hold the primary packaged product 21 between them from the thickness direction of the sandwich 17. The primary packaged product 21 is sequentially transported to the pick-up position 23, and the first handling section 53 and the second handling section 54 take turns picking it up from the transfer conveyor 50, changing the direction of the transport of the primary packaged product 21 by 90 degrees so that the opening 20a faces the left and right sides of the holding conveyor 24 at the transfer destination, and then handing it over to the holding conveyor 24. In other words, the transfer means 25 is equipped with a direction changing means 58 that changes the direction of the primary packaged product 21 that is being handed over from the receiving means 22 to the holding conveyor 24.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the configuration of the first handling section 53 and the second handling section 54 are the same. Therefore, the configuration of the first handling section 53 will be described in detail, and the same reference numerals will be used for the same components of the second handling section 54, and the description will be omitted. The first handling section 53 includes a forward / backward movement mechanism 55 that reciprocates the hand 52 between the transfer conveyor 50 and the holding conveyor 24, a lifting mechanism 56 that moves the hand 52 in the vertical direction, and a left / right movement mechanism 57 that moves the hand 52 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the forward / backward movement mechanism 55. The forward and backward movement mechanism 55 has a holder 55b that moves by a slide mechanism 55a consisting of a linear actuator driven by a servo motor, and a lifting mechanism 56 driven by a linear actuator consisting of an air cylinder located to the side of the holder 55b, and a left and right movement mechanism 57 located below a bracket 56a that moves up and down by the lifting mechanism 56, which has a holder 57b located below it that moves in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the forward and backward movement mechanism 55. Furthermore, below the left and right movement mechanism 57 there is a holder 57b for a slide mechanism 57a driven by a linear actuator consisting of an air cylinder, and this holder 57b is movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the forward and backward movement mechanism 55. A horizontal rotation means (direction changing means) 58 consisting of a rotary cylinder is located on the holder 57b. Furthermore, a rotating holder 58a, which is disposed on the rotor of the rotary cylinder and rotates horizontally, is provided with an opening / closing mechanism 59 such as a parallel opening / closing type air chuck, and a hand 52 that is supported by the opening / closing mechanism 59 so as to be movable between a holding position and a release position of the sandwich 17. That is, the hand 52 is configured to move forward and backward, left and right, and up and down by operating the forward and backward movement mechanism 55, the left and right movement mechanism 57, and the lifting mechanism 56, and the opening / closing mechanism 59 moves the pair of gripping bodies 52a, 52a from a holding position that approaches to hold the primary package 21 to a release position that separates from the primary package 21 to release it.Furthermore, the hand 52 is rotated horizontally by the horizontal rotation means 58 to a pick-up position in which the opening 20a of the primary package 21 is oriented front to back at the pick-up position 23, and the primary package 21, with its sides 17a, 17a facing left and right in the overlapping direction of the sandwich 17, can be held from both sides in the overlapping direction, and a hand-off position in which the opening 20a of the held primary package 21 is oriented left and right, and the sides 17a, 17a of the sandwich face front and back in the conveying direction. The primary package 21 is reoriented by the horizontal rotation of the hand 52 before being handed over to the holding conveyor 24. The first handling section 53 and the second handling section 54 are configured such that the forward and backward movement mechanisms 55, 55 are positioned above both conveyors 50, 24 at a predetermined distance apart to the left and right, and the forward and backward movement mechanism 55, the left and right movement mechanism 57, and the lifting mechanism 56 are operated and controlled so that the hands 52, 52 do not interfere with each other when moving between the pick-up position 23 and the receiving section 60.

[0028] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the packaging folding device 29, located downstream of the transfer conveyor 50, intermittently transports the primary packaged goods 21 received from the transfer means 25, with the opening 20a facing left and right and the cut surface 17c of the sandwich 17 facing downwards, by holding them individually on the holding conveyor 24. The sandwiches 17 transported by the holding conveyor 24 are transported in a posture where the inclined surfaces 17b, 17b face left and right (the side surfaces 17a, 17a face front and back in the transport direction). During the transport process of the sandwiches 17 by the holding conveyor 24, when the holding conveyor 24 is intermittently stopped, the first processing station S1, second processing station S2, third processing station S3, and fourth processing station S4 are arranged in order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction to perform various processing such as folding the tubular extensions 26, 26 that extend left and right from the edge of the sandwich 17 in the cylindrical film 20, intersecting the transport direction, along the inclined surfaces 17b, 17b of the sandwich 17, and sealing the folded parts 26b, 26c.

[0029] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the holding conveyor 24 has a receiving section 60 for primary packaged products 21 on the upstream end of the endless belt 24a which runs intermittently by a driving means, and a discharge section 61 for secondary packaged products 62, in which the sandwich 17 is covered and sealed with film, on the downstream end of the conveying section. Supports 63 capable of individually holding and conveying the primary packaged products 21 are arranged on the endless belt 24a at predetermined intervals. The support body 63 comprises a receiving surface 63a on which the cut surface 17c of the sandwich 17 is placed and supported, and a pair of clamping members 63b, 63b arranged in the front and rear directions of the conveying direction of the holding conveyor 24, with the opening 20a facing left and right, capable of clamping and holding the primary packaged product 21 placed on the receiving surface 63a from the overlapping direction of the sandwich 17. In the receiving section 60, the support body 63 is positioned with the receiving surface 63a facing upward, and the pair of clamping members 63b, 63b spaced apart in the front and rear directions of the conveying direction, expanding beyond the overlapping dimension of the sandwich 17 to allow the acceptance of the primary packaged product 21. In addition, an expansion means 64 is provided in the receiving section 60 to move the distance between the pair of clamping members 63b, 63b to the aforementioned release position. The clamping members 63b, 63b are biased toward each other by an elastic member such as a compression spring, and in the state in which the clamping members 63b, 63b are held by the expanding means 64, the sandwich 17 can be held without losing its shape. In addition, the discharge section 61 is provided with a release means 65 that moves the clamping members 63b, 63b holding the sandwich 17 apart to the release position of the sandwich 17. Then, the clamping members 63b, 63b biased by the elastic member by the release means 65 move apart from each other, and the secondary packaged product (final product) 62 in which the cut surface 17c is covered with the inner film 15 and the sandwich 17 is wrapped and sealed with film is released. The discharge section 61 is provided with an extrusion means 66 that horizontally pushes the secondary packaged product 62, which has been released from the pair of clamping members 63b, 63b, out from between the pair of clamping members 63b, 63b. The secondary packaged product 62 pushed out by the extrusion means 66 is then transported to a subsequent process by a discharge conveyor 67, which is arranged in parallel on one side of the holding conveyor 24.

[0030] The first processing station S1 and the third processing station S3, and the second processing station S2 and the fourth processing station S4, each process different tubular extensions 26, 26, and the various processing means installed in stations S1, S3 and S2, S4 are arranged in reverse on the left and right sides of the transport path. Therefore, the configuration of the first processing station S1 and the second processing station S2 will be described, and the same processing means etc. installed in the third processing station S3 and the fourth processing station S4 will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first processing station S1 is equipped with a bending member 68 that, when the holding conveyor 24 is intermittently stopped, folds downward the upper extension 26a of one of the left and right openings 20a, 20a of the primary packaged product 21 that is held and transported by the support 63, so as to follow the inclined surface 17b of the sandwich 17. The bending member 68 slides between a retracted position, which is spaced away above the transport path, and an advanced position, which is closer to the transport path, by the actuation means. It also moves forward and downward toward one of the inclined surfaces 17b of the sandwich 17, pushing down the upper extension 26a from the top edge (edge) 17d side of the sandwich 17 and folding it downward along the inclined surface 17b. In addition, at the first processing station S1, a pair of folded extensions (folded parts) 26b, 26b are formed so as to extend from the front and rear edges (inclined edges 17e) in the transport direction of the sandwich 17 by the downward folding of the upper extension 26a, and side sealing means 73 are provided to form vertical side sealing parts 72 (see Figure 10).

[0031] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 7, the second processing station S2 is provided with a folding member 69 that alternately folds the pair of folded extensions 26b, 26b, which are formed by folding the upper extension 26a downward with the bending member 68, onto the upper extension 26a. The folding member 69 is composed of a pair of thin, plate-like folding pieces 69a, 69a that are spaced apart to the left and right, and the folding pieces 69a, 69a are alternately moved by an operating means between a spaced-away position and a folded position where parts of both folding pieces 69a, 69a overlap vertically. The operating means is configured to move one folding piece 69a to the folded position, and then move the other folding piece 69a to the folded position with a delay, thereby alternately folding the left and right folded extensions 26b, 26b along the inclined surface 17b. Furthermore, the second processing station S2 is provided with a lateral sealing means 28 on the opposite side of the transport path from the position where the folding member 69 is installed. This means folds the folded extensions 26b, 26b with the folding member 69 so that the upper extension 26a, lower extension 26d and the left and right folded extensions 26b, 26b of the cylindrical extension 26 overlap and protrude from one of the left or right edges 17f of the cut surface 17c of the sandwich 17. The lateral sealing means 28 is provided with a sealing bar that seals (lateral seals) the base of the protruding part of the bottom extension 26c along the edge 17f of the cut surface 17c so as to intersect with the vertical sealing part 41, thereby forming a lateral sealing part 70. In addition, in the embodiment, the second processing station S2 is equipped with a cutting blade (not shown) on the lateral sealing means 28, and when the lateral sealing portion 70 is formed by the lateral sealing means 28, a collection means 71 is provided to cut off the portion of the bottom extension portion 26c that protrudes outward from the lateral sealing portion 70, and to collect the resulting scraps with a suction nozzle 74. The collection means 71 may be provided in either the second processing station S2 or the fourth processing station S4, or in both the second processing station S2 and the fourth processing station S4. The bending member 68 and the folding member 69 constitute the folding means 27 for the cylindrical extension portion 26.

[0032] Next, the operation of the sandwich packaging device according to the embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 9, the strip-shaped film 11 pulled out from the packaging roll 10 by the packaging material dispensing means 36 is guided to the upstream end of the forming means 13. The forming means 13 raises the left and right edges 11a, 11a in the width direction of the strip-shaped film 11, and the film between the left and right edges 11a, 11a is guided toward the conveyor 33 by a guide width on the lower surface set to correspond to the overlap dimensions of the sandwich 17. The film is then transported downstream along the transport path 12 while being supported from below by the conveyor 33. The raised left and right edges 11a, 11a are introduced above the transport path 12 via the guide members 39, 39 into the gap between the pair of plates 38a, 38a in the overlapping guide means 38, overlapping in a gable shape, and the overlapping portion is gripped by the feed rollers 40, 40 and transported downstream. The overlapping portion is continuously sealed in the transport direction by the center sealing means 14, and a vertical sealing portion 41 is formed in the overlapping portion.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 9, the strip-shaped inner film 15 pulled out from the film roll 30 by the film dispensing means 31 is guided by the inner film supply means 16 to the upstream end which is the film pull-in side of the molding means 13, and the inner film 15 is supported from below while being held in place by the guide surface 16b of the inner film supply means 16 and transported downstream. The guide surface 16b of the inner film supply means 16 serves as the article supply section 18, and the sandwich 17 is placed on the inner film 15, which is placed on the guide surface 16b and supported on its lower surface, with its sides 17a, 17a facing left and right and its cut surface 17c facing downward. The sandwich 17 placed on the guide surface 16b is guided by the placement guide 32 on its left and right lower sides and placed in the center in the width direction of the inner film 15 (see Figure 4).

[0034] As shown in Figure 9, the inner film supply means 16 feeds the inner film 15 on which the sandwich 17 is placed so that it overlaps the upper part of the center in the width direction of the strip-shaped film 11, whose left and right edges 11a, 11a are raised by the molding means 13. In the transport path 12, the sandwiches 17 placed on the inner film 15 at predetermined intervals overlap the strip-shaped film 11 and are transported downstream, and the periphery of the sandwiches 17 is covered with the tubular film 11b formed by the overlapping guide means 38.

[0035] The sandwiches 17 contained within the tubular film 11b are transported by the conveyor belt 33 downstream, and at an intermediate position between each sandwich 17 contained within the tubular film 11b at predetermined intervals, the tubular film 11b is cut by the cutting means 19 in a width direction intersecting the transport direction, and the tubular film 20 is separated into a primary packaged product 21 with the opening 20a of the tubular film 20 facing front to back. When the tubular film 11b is cut by the cutting means 19, the tubular film 11b is held by the pair of clamping bodies 19a, 19b and moved toward the transport direction of the tubular film 11b, at which point the cutting blade 46 of the cutting means 19 cuts the tubular film 11b in a width direction intersecting the transport direction. Since the transport speed of the discharge conveyor 49 is faster than that of the second conveyor 35, when the tubular film 11b is cut by the cutting means 19, the downstream end is pulled downstream and the film becomes taut. As a result, the cut edge does not become slanted or uneven, and there are no cutting defects. The resulting primary packaged product 21 is neatly separated from the end of the tubular film 11b and transported downstream without variations in cut size (see Figure 9). When the tubular film 11b is gripped and cut by the cutting means 19, the opposing ends of the second conveyor 35 and the discharge conveyor 49 are separated from each other to allow the cutting means 19 to move. Furthermore, when the tubular film 11b is cut by the cutting blade 46, the notch-forming blades 47, 47 provided on the cutting blade 46 form opening notches 48 on both sides of the vertical seal portion 41 at the open end of the tubular film 20 in the primary packaged product 21. Furthermore, as the pair of clamping bodies 19a and 19b move apart, the opposing ends of the second conveyor 35 and the discharge conveyor 49 move closer to each other, ensuring a stable transfer of the subsequent sandwich 17 between the two conveyors 35 and 49. The primary packaged product 21 transported by the discharge conveyor 49 is supported from the left and right outer sides by side guides 51b, and is sent to the transfer conveyor 50 without shifting its transport position from side to side.

[0036] When it is detected that the primary package 21 has been transported to the pick-up position 23 on the transfer conveyor 50, the transfer conveyor 50 stops transporting the primary package 21 with its opening 20a facing forward or backward in the transport direction. The primary package 21, stopped at the pick-up position 23, is sequentially held and picked up by the two hands 52 of the transfer means, and the forward / backward movement mechanism 55 and left / right movement mechanism 57 are activated to transfer it to the holding conveyor 24 in the packaging folding device 29. At the pick-up position 23 on the transfer conveyor 50, the pair of gripping bodies 52a, 52a of the hands 52 hold and pick up the primary package 21 by sandwiching both outer sides in the overlapping direction of the sandwich 17, and before transferring it to the holding conveyor 24, the hands 52 are rotated horizontally by 90 degrees by the horizontal rotation means 58 to change the orientation of the primary package 21 from the direction in which the opening 20a faces forward or backward to the direction in which it faces left or right (see Figure 10).

[0037] When the holding conveyor 24 is intermittently stopped, the primary packaged product 21 is placed on the receiving surface 63a between the pair of clamping members 63b, 63b with respect to the support 63 positioned in the receiving section 60, with the opening 20a facing left and right and the cut surface 17c facing downward. The primary packaged product 21, having been passed to the support 63, passes through the first processing station S1 to the fourth processing station S4 in the packaging material folding device 29, where the tubular extensions 26, 26 of the left and right-facing openings 20a, 20a are folded along the inclined surfaces 17b, 17b of the sandwich 17, and the folded portions of the film (folded extensions 26b, bottom extensions 26c) are side-sealed or lateral-sealed to seal the sandwich package, thereby obtaining a sealed secondary packaged product 62. Furthermore, at the second processing station S2, the recovery means 71 cuts off the portion of the lateral seal portion 70 formed at the base of one of the bottom extension portions 26c that protrudes outward, and the resulting scraps are collected into a waste collection box or the like.

[0038] To further explain the processing at the first processing station S1 to the fourth processing station S4, as shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, at the first processing station S1, the primary packaged product 21 has its upper extension portion 26a of the tubular extension portion 26 extending to one side of the sandwich 17 bent by the bending member 68 so as to follow the inclined surface 17b. Then, the side seal portion 72 is formed on the front and rear folded extension portions 26b, 26b formed on the tubular extension portion 26 by the side seal means 73.

[0039] In the second processing station S2, the left and right folded extensions 26b, 26b are alternately folded by the folding member 69 so as to follow the inclined surface 17b, so that the left and right folded extensions 26b, 26b are folded on the outside of the upper extension 26a which has already been folded along the inclined surface 17b. The upper extension 26a and the left and right folded extensions 26b, 26b that are folded along the inclined surface 17b are then pressed from the folded surface side by the folding member 69 to maintain the folded state toward the inclined surface 17b, and a lateral sealing portion 70 is formed by the lateral sealing means 28 near the protruding base of the bottom extension 26c which extends from the edge 17f of the cut surface 17c and is folded so that the film overlaps, so as to cross the bottom extension 26c. Furthermore, the portion outside the lateral sealing portion 70 is cut by a cutting blade (not shown) attached to the lateral sealing means 28, and the separated excess portion is collected as scraps by the collection means 71.

[0040] At the third processing station S3 and the fourth processing station S4, the same processing steps as the folding and sealing of the tubular extension portion 26 performed at the first processing station S1 and the second processing station S2 are carried out. That is, at the third processing station S3, the primary packaged product 21 has the tubular extension portion 26 extending to the left and right of the sandwich 17, and the upper extension portion 26a of the tubular extension portion 26 extending to the other side is folded by the bending member 68 so as to follow the inclined surface 17b, and the side seal portion 72 is formed on the folded extension portions 26b, 26b formed by the folding of the upper extension portion 26a by the side seal means 73. Furthermore, in the fourth processing station S4, the folding member 69 alternately folds the left and right overlapping extensions 26b, 26b along the inclined surface 17b, and the lateral sealing means 28 applies a lateral seal near the protruding base of the bottom extension 26c extending from the other edge 17f of the cut surface 17c, thereby forming a lateral sealing portion 70.

[0041] At the fourth processing station S4, the lateral sealing means 28 forms a lateral sealing portion 70, sealing the film surrounding the sandwich 17. The sealed secondary packaged product 62 is then transported as a sandwich packaged product to the discharge station 61 of the holding conveyor 24. There, the pair of clamping members 63b, 63b that hold the sandwich 17 in the overlapping direction are expanded, releasing the sandwich packaged product 62 from their holding. At the discharge station 61, the sandwich packaged product 62, now released from the support 63, is pushed out by the extrusion means 66 to the discharge conveyor 67 and sent to the outside by the discharge conveyor 67. At the fourth processing station S4, the bottom extension portion 26c extending outward from the lateral sealing portion 70 is not cut. That is, the lateral sealing means 28 does not have a cutting blade, and the portion outside the lateral sealing portion 70 is not cut. Furthermore, on the other side (left side in the illustration), the open edge of the bottom extension 26c has opening notches 48, 48 formed on both sides of the vertical seal portion 41.

[0042] According to the embodiment, the tubular film 11b is pulled out from the packaging roll 10, its left and right edge portions 11a, 11a are raised, and these left and right edge portions 11a, 11a are overlapped in a gusset shape to form a vertical seal portion 41. At the midpoint of each sandwich 17 contained within the tubular film 11b, the tubular film 11b is cut in the width direction, and the resulting primary packaged product 21 is sent out on the discharge conveyor 49 with its opening 20a facing forward and backward. The primary packaged product 21, which has been sent from the discharge conveyor 49 to the transfer conveyor 50, is then transferred to the packaging folding device 29 by the transfer means 25. During this time, the opening 20a of the primary packaged product 21 is changed so that it faces left and right from the forward and backward direction of the transport, and is placed on the holding conveyor 24 of the packaging folding device 29. During the transport process on the holding conveyor 24, the opening 20a of the primary packaged product 21 faces left and right, and the tubular extensions 26 extending left and right from the edges of the sandwich 17 are folded and packaged. This allows for efficient automatic packaging of individual sandwiches in a packaging manner that is equivalent in appearance to conventionally sold sandwiches. Furthermore, since the sandwich 17 is supplied within the tubular film 11b, there is no need to wind up the film with the seal portion remaining in the stretched section, as in conventional devices, and discard it as excess film so that it is not used for packaging the next sandwich 17. This not only reduces packaging costs but also contributes to reducing plastic waste. In addition, by sealing the film surrounding the sandwich 17 with vertical seal portions 41 and horizontal seal portions 70, the quality deterioration of the bread and fillings due to exposure to the outside air during distribution until the sandwich packaged product is sold in stores can be suppressed, thus extending the quality retention time and contributing to a reduction in food waste. Furthermore, the trimmings removed from one of the bottom extensions 26c extending from the edge 17f of the sandwich 17 can be automatically collected in the collection unit, making the disposal of the trimmings easier.

[0043] According to the embodiment, the film is lifted upward and formed into a cylindrical shape. The overlapping portion of the film is held in a gable-like manner while being transported, and a continuous seal is applied to the overlapping portion in the direction of transport. As a result, even triangular sandwiches 17 made by sandwiching ingredients such as prepared foods between slices of bread can be automatically packaged without the sandwich 17 becoming deformed or covered by the film. The front and back of the cylindrical film 11b into which the sandwich 17 is supplied are cut, and the resulting individual primary packaged products 21 are held and lifted by the hand 52 from the thickness direction of the sandwich 17 using the transfer means 25 and directly handed over to the holding conveyor 24 of the packaging material folding device 29. As a result, misalignment of the sandwich 17 during transfer is less likely to occur, and stable handover can be achieved. Furthermore, since the product guides 51 support the sandwich 17 from both sides at intervals corresponding to the overlap dimensions of the sandwich 17 on both sides of the transport path of the tubular film 11b, the sandwich 17 is supported from both sides by the film rising from both the left and right outer sides in the direction of overlap of the sandwich 17. This prevents the overlap of the sandwich 17 from spreading or falling apart during the transport process, maintaining the overlap state of the sandwich 17 and enabling stable transport. Moreover, the transfer means 25 can sequentially pick up the primary packaged products 21 that are being transported to the pick-up position 23 using multiple hands 52, 52 and transfer them to the holding conveyor 24 of the packaging material folding device 29 without interruption, thus enabling a sandwich packaging method with increased processing capacity.

[0044] According to the embodiment, the tubular film 11b is cut at an intermediate position between each sandwich 17, which is placed at predetermined intervals on the inner film 15 that is transported on top of the strip-shaped film 11, to obtain the primary packaged product 21. This allows for automatic packaging of the sandwich 17 with the cut surface 17c covered by the inner film 17 for preventing soiling. Furthermore, since a sandwich package can be obtained in which the inner film 15, which acts as a soil-preventing sheet, is attached to the inside corresponding to the cut surface 17c of the sandwich 17, a sandwich package with high commercial value can be obtained. Moreover, since the inner film 15 is fed by adsorption to the strip-shaped film 11, which has raised edges 11a, 11a on both the left and right ends, the inner film 15 can be fed so that it overlaps in the correct position in line with the location of the cut surface 17c of the sandwich 17 relative to the strip-shaped film 11. Furthermore, when the tubular film 11b is cut, opening notches 48, 48 are formed on both sides of the vertical seal portion 41 formed on the tubular film 20 in the primary packaging product 21, thereby obtaining a sandwich package with excellent opening properties.

[0045] According to the embodiment, the sandwich 17 is placed on the inner film 15 on the guide surface 16b, which is an open (free) space above the molding means 13. Therefore, the work area is not obstructed by the packaging guides 37, 37 that guide the rising portion of the strip-shaped film 11, and the work efficiency of the worker supplying the sandwich 17 is not impaired. Furthermore, in the article supply unit 18, the bottom side of the sandwich 17, which is placed with the cut surface 17c facing downwards, can be supported by the placement guide 32 and placed on the inner film 15. This allows the sandwich 17 to be placed in an appropriate position, centered in the width direction of the strip-shaped film 11.

[0046] Next, a sandwich packaging apparatus in the second embodiment will be described. The packaging apparatus in the second embodiment is a configuration in which an inner film supply means 16 is not provided, which automatically pulls out the inner film 15 from the film roll 30 and overlaps it with the strip film 11 at the upstream end of the strip film 11 pulled in by the forming means 13, but the other configurations are the same. That is, in the packaging apparatus in the second embodiment, the strip film 11 pulled out from the packaging roll 10 is supplied to the forming means 13, where the left and right end edges 11a, 11a of the strip film 11 are raised by a pair of packaging guides 37, 37 in the forming means 13, the left and right end edges 11a, 11a guided to the top are overlapped in a gusset shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped part to form a tubular film 11b. Then, in the left and right intermediate parts where the left and right end edges 11a, 11a are raised by the pair of packaging guides 37, 37 of the forming means 13, the lower surface of the strip film 11 is guided by a support part 37a. The sandwiches 17 are placed at predetermined intervals on a strip-shaped film 11, with the support portion 37a of the molding means 13 positioned as the article supply section 18, and the support portion 37a is guided downstream. In this second embodiment, the article supply section 18 has an upward-extending space between the pair of packaging guides 37, 37 of the molding means 13, and the raised portions 37b, 37b, which are the lower edges of the packaging guides 37, 37, function as placement guides 32 that support the left and right sides of the bottom of the sandwich 17 and guide it to the center in the width direction when the sandwich 17 is placed on the strip-shaped film 11. That is, in the packaging device of the second embodiment as well, the sandwiches 17 are placed on the strip-shaped film 11 with the cut surface 17c facing downwards, with the left and right end edges 11a, 11a raised, so that the worker can easily supply the sandwiches 17. In addition, both the first and second embodiments can obtain similar effects and advantages.

[0047] (Example of change) The present invention is not limited to the configurations shown in the examples, and can be modified as follows, for example. Furthermore, various embodiments can be adopted within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, not limited to the following modified examples, for the configurations described in the examples. (1) The inner film 15 used in the example is attached in relation to the ingredients of the sandwich 17 being packaged, and its use or non-use should be selected depending on the type of sandwich 17. (2) The inner film 15 is supplied in a strip-shaped sheet layered on top of the strip-shaped film 11 that wraps the sandwich 17, but the inner film 15 may be attached to the strip-shaped film 11 and supplied as the packaging material. (3) Regardless of whether an inner film is supplied or not, the article supply unit 18 can be set to an appropriate position in the upper open area until the left and right end edges 11a, 11a of the strip-shaped film 11 overlap at the top, so that the packaging material does not obstruct the supply of the sandwich 17 when supplying at least the sandwich 17. For example, the article supply unit 18 (corresponding to the support part 37a of the molding means 13) can be provided so as to place the sandwich 17 on the inner film 15 that has been fed in so as to overlap the strip-shaped film 11 in the portion where the left and right end edges 11a, 11a are raised upward by the molding means 13. (4) The position at which the inner film 15 begins to overlap the strip film 11 is not limited to the upstream end of the molding means 13 as in the embodiment, but may be overlapped in the path of the strip film 11 being pulled from the packaging roll 10 before it is molded by the molding means 13. At a minimum, the overlapping should occur between the strip film 11 and the inner film 15 until the item supply unit 18 is located in the transport path 12 that supports and transports the sandwich 17 placed on the strip film (strip packaging material) 11 from below. (5) The conveying conveyor 33 that supports and transports the sandwich 17 placed on the strip-shaped film (strip-shaped packaging material) 11 from below is composed of a first conveyor 34 and a second conveyor 35 made of an endless belt. However, in the transport path 12, a plate-shaped bed or the like that supports and guides the lower surface of the film up to the cutting means 19, and any appropriate configuration can be adopted so as not to hinder the transport of the tubular film 11b containing the sandwich 17. (6) When forming the opening notch 48, in this embodiment a V-shaped notch is formed, but various shapes of notches that can serve as a starting point for cutting guides can be used, such as U-shaped, semicircular, trapezoidal or U-shaped, or straight or short perforations, and a notch forming blade 47 corresponding to the notch can be used. (7) The transfer means 25 is designed to hold and pick up the primary packaged product 21 with a pair of gripping bodies 52a, 52a, but various configurations can be adopted to transport the primary packaged product 21 to the packaging folding device 29, such as by suction to pick up the primary packaged product 21 or by scooping it up. (8) The orientation change of the primary package 21 by the transfer means 25 is performed by horizontally rotating the hand 52 that picked up the primary package 21, but any appropriate form such as horizontally rotating the transfer conveyor 50 can be adopted. That is, the transfer means 25 includes means (handling parts 53, 54) for moving the primary package 21 from the transfer conveyor 50 to the packaging folding device 29 and an orientation change means (horizontal rotation means 58) for changing the orientation of the primary package 21, and the timing of the orientation change can be anytime during the period from when the primary package 21 that has been transported to the transfer conveyor 50 is handed over to the packaging folding device 29. (9) In the embodiment, in the secondary packaging by the packaging folding device 29 after obtaining the primary packaged product 21, only one bottom extension portion 26c was cut outside the lateral seal portion 70, but a configuration in which both the left and right bottom extension portions 26c, 26c are cut can be adopted. (10) In this embodiment, a side seal portion 72 is formed on the folded extension portion 26b in the secondary packaging using the packaging material folding device 29, but whether or not this is adopted can be selected depending on the type of sandwich 17. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 10 Packaging roll (supply source), 11 Strip film (strip packaging material, packaging material), 11a Edge portion 11b Tubular film (tubular packaging material, packaging material), 12 Conveyor path, 13 Molding means 14 Center sealing means, 15 Inner film 16 Inner film supply means, 17 Sandwich, 17a Side, 17b Inclined surface 17c Cut surface, 18 Article supply section, 19 Cutting means, 20 Tube film (packaging material) 20a Opening, 21 Primary packaged product, 22 Transfer means, 23 Pickup position 24 Holding conveyor, 25 Transfer means, 26c Bottom extension (folding part) 27 Folding means, 28 Transverse sealing means (sealing means), 29 Packaging material folding device 30 Film roll (supply source), 52 Hand, 58 Horizontal rotation means (direction changing means) 62. Secondary packaging products (sandwich packaging products)

Claims

1. A method of packaging a sandwich with triangular sides, A strip of packaging material is guided along a transport path that supports and transports sandwiches placed on packaging material from below, and both ends of the strip of packaging material in the width direction that intersect with the transport direction in the transport path are raised. The sandwiches are placed at predetermined intervals on the strip-shaped packaging material with both ends raised, with the sides of the sandwiches facing left and right, and the cut surface corresponding to the longer side facing downwards, and then transported. The left and right edges of the aforementioned strip-shaped packaging material are overlapped at the top in a gable shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped portion to form a cylindrical packaging material. The cylindrical packaging material is cut in the width direction at the midpoint of each sandwich contained within it. The primary packaged sandwich, with the sandwich wrapped in packaging material, is transported to the pick-up position with the opening of the primary package facing forward and backward in the transport direction. When transferring the primary packaged product from the picking position to the downstream packaging folding device, the orientation is changed so that the opening faces left or right during the transfer. In the aforementioned packaging folding device, primary packaged products, with the openings facing left and right and the cut surfaces facing downwards, are held and transported at predetermined intervals. In the process of transporting the primary packaged product using the aforementioned packaging folding device, the packaging material on one side and the other side extending outward from the left and right edges of the sandwich at the opening are sequentially folded along the inclined surface of the sandwich facing the opening, and the folded portion is sealed to obtain a secondary packaged product in which the sandwich is wrapped in packaging material. A sandwich packaging method characterized by the following features.

2. A method of packaging a sandwich with triangular sides, A strip of packaging material is guided along a transport path that supports and transports sandwiches placed on packaging material from below, and both ends of the strip of packaging material in the width direction that intersect with the transport direction in the transport path are raised. In the aforementioned transport path, the strip-shaped packaging material, which is transported with the inner film stacked on top of each other, has sandwiches placed at predetermined intervals with their sides facing left and right, and the cut surface corresponding to the longer side facing downwards. The left and right edges of the aforementioned strip-shaped packaging material are overlapped at the top in a gable shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped portion to form a cylindrical packaging material. The cylindrical packaging material is cut in the width direction together with the inner film at the midpoint of each sandwich contained within the cylindrical packaging material. The primary packaged sandwich, with the sandwich wrapped in packaging material, is transported to the pick-up position with the opening of the primary package facing forward and backward in the transport direction. When transferring the primary packaged product from the picking position to the downstream packaging folding device, the orientation is changed so that the opening faces left and right during the transfer. In the aforementioned packaging folding device, the primary packaged products, with the openings facing left and right and the cut surfaces facing downwards, are held and transported at predetermined intervals. In the process of transporting the primary packaged product using the aforementioned packaging folding device, the packaging material on one side and the other side extending outward from the left and right edges of the sandwich at the opening are sequentially folded along the inclined surface of the sandwich facing the opening, the folded portion is sealed, the sandwich is wrapped around the edges of the packaging material, and the cut surface is covered with an inner film to obtain a secondary packaged product. A sandwich packaging method characterized by the following features.

3. The sandwich packaging method according to claim 2, characterized in that the inner film is pulled out from the supply source by a strip-shaped packaging material and fed in from the starting end of the transport path so as to overlap with the strip-shaped packaging material.

4. A device for packaging sandwiches with triangular sides, A transport path that supports and transports sandwiches placed on packaging material from below, A molding means for raising the left and right edges in the width direction that intersects with the conveying direction of the strip-shaped packaging material that has been drawn out from the lower supply source to the conveying path, The left and right edges of the strip-shaped packaging material raised by the molding means are overlapped at the top in a gable shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped portion to form a cylindrical packaging material, and A product supply unit places a sandwich on the strip-shaped packaging material in the region from the starting end of the transport path until the left and right edges of the strip-shaped packaging material overlap at the top, with the sides facing left and right and the cut surface corresponding to the long side facing downward. A cutting means for cutting the cylindrical packaging material in the width direction at an intermediate position of each sandwich supplied from the article supply unit and contained in the cylindrical packaging material at predetermined intervals, A transfer means for transporting the primary packaged product, which is a sandwich wrapped in packaging material obtained by separation using the cutting means, with the opening of the primary packaged product facing forward and backward, A transfer means that picks up the primary packaged product from the receiving means and hands it over to a downstream packaging material folding device, A direction changing means for changing the orientation of the primary packaged product, which is transferred by the transfer means to the packaging folding device, so that the opening faces left or right, A holding conveyor that individually holds and transports the primary packaged products received from the transfer means, with the openings facing left and right and the cut surfaces facing downwards, The packaging folding device comprises, in the process of transporting a primary package on the holding conveyor, a folding means sequentially folds the packaging material on one side and the other side that extends outward from the left and right edges of the sandwich at the opening so as to follow the inclined surface of the sandwich facing the opening, and then seals the folded portion with a sealing means to obtain a secondary package in which the sandwich is wrapped with packaging material. A sandwich packaging device characterized by the following features.

5. A device for packaging sandwiches with triangular sides, A transport path for placing and transporting strip-shaped packaging material drawn from a lower supply source, A molding means is provided in the transport path and raises both left and right edges in the width direction intersecting the transport direction of the strip-shaped packaging material being transported, The left and right edges of the strip-shaped packaging material raised by the molding means are overlapped at the top in a gable shape, and a vertical seal is applied to the overlapped portion to form a cylindrical packaging material, and An inner film supply means that supplies a strip-shaped inner film on top of the strip-shaped packaging material being transported along the transport path, An article supply section is provided upstream of the position where the left and right edges of the aforementioned strip-shaped packaging material overlap in a gable shape, and the inner film has an article supply section on which a sandwich is placed with its sides facing left and right and the cut surface corresponding to the long side facing downwards, A cutting means for cutting the cylindrical packaging material together with the inner film in the width direction at an intermediate position of each sandwich supplied from the article supply unit and contained in the cylindrical packaging material at predetermined intervals, A transfer means for transporting the primary packaged product, which is a sandwich wrapped in packaging material obtained by separation using the cutting means, with the opening of the primary packaged product facing forward and backward, A transfer means that picks up the primary packaged product from the receiving means and hands it over to a downstream packaging material folding device, A direction changing means for changing the orientation of the primary packaged product, which is transferred by the transfer means to the packaging folding device, so that the opening faces left or right, A holding conveyor that individually holds and transports the primary packaged products received from the transfer means, with the openings facing left and right and the cut surfaces facing downwards, The packaging folding device comprises, in the process of transporting a primary package on the holding conveyor, a folding means sequentially folds the packaging material on one side and the other side that extends outward from the left and right edges of the sandwich at the opening so as to follow the inclined surface of the sandwich facing the opening, and the folded portion is sealed with a sealing means to obtain a secondary package in which the perimeter of the sandwich is wrapped in packaging material and the cut surface is covered with an inner film. A sandwich packaging device characterized by the following features.

6. The sandwich packaging apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the inner film supply means is configured to draw a strip-shaped inner film from a supply source below the transport path and feed it toward the transport start end of the transport path.

7. The sandwich packaging apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the inner film supply means is provided with a guide surface upstream of the transport start end of the transport path, the guide surface is configured to support the inner film being fed toward the transport start end of the transport path from below, and the sandwich is placed on the inner film supported on the guide surface.

8. The transfer means comprises a plurality of hands that take turns picking up the primary packaged products that are transported to the picking position at predetermined intervals. The sandwich packaging apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the hand is configured to change the orientation of the opening from front to back to left to right in order to transfer the primary packaged product to the holding conveyor.

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