Automatic filling and packaging machine

Abstract

This invention provides an automatic filling and packaging machine that, while having a relatively simple and low-cost configuration, can accurately detect the jamming of filling material (foreign matter) into the sealing surface, thereby contributing to improved production efficiency with minimal waste. [Solution] The lateral sealing device 5 is configured to include a front lateral sealer 1001 and a rear lateral sealer 1002, and opening / closing mechanisms 1100 and 1200 that move them in the opening / closing direction. The opening / closing mechanism is configured to include a plurality of opening / closing link sections 103 and 104, and a plurality of electric motors M1 and M2 that drive the opening / closing link sections. The control device 10 is characterized by acquiring load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information of the electric motors at multiple timings during one cycle of the lateral sealing operation, and detecting whether or not foreign matter is caught in the lateral sealing surface based on the acquired load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information at the plurality of timings.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , , , , , , , ,

[0004]

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technology of an automatic packaging machine that automatically fills and packages a packaged material (contents, filling material) using a packaging film (packaging material).

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, there is an automatic filling and packaging machine that forms a belt-like packaging film into a substantially cylindrical shape to form a packaging bag with an upper opening, fills the contents (filling material, such as granular, powdery, liquid, food, food ingredients, etc.) from the upper opening, and then performs a horizontal seal to seal the upper opening. In this type of packaging machine, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1, a horizontal seal device that performs a horizontal seal has a configuration in which a pair of horizontally arranged horizontal sealers (relatively long heat seal elements extending in the horizontal direction) are opened and closed via a link mechanism or the like using a servo motor as a drive source. When the pair of horizontal sealers are closed, a horizontal seal (simultaneously sealing the upper horizontal seal of the lower packaging bag and the lower horizontal seal of the upper packaging bag) is applied while sandwiching the upper opening of the packaging bag, and then the lower packaging bag with the horizontal seal completed is passed between the pair of horizontal sealers in an open state where the interval between the pair of horizontal sealers is opened.

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, if the filling material (contents) bites into the seal surface, it will cause a seal defect, resulting in leakage of the filling material (contents) to the outside, poor appearance, and production of packaging bags that are not suitable as products (finished products).

[0005] Therefore, in a heat sealing apparatus that uses a servo motor as a drive source as described above, the following method is proposed in Patent Document 1, for example, as a method for detecting the jamming of the filler material into the sealing surface.

[0006] In other words, the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 detects the occurrence of jamming based on pulse signals from an encoder provided in the servo motor. This is because, for example, if filler material is present on the sealing surface, the movement of the lateral sealing bar (e.g., the contact position) changes compared to the normal case. As a result, the number of pulses (rotation amount) of the servo motor from the open position to the closed position of the lateral sealing bar changes compared to the normal case without jamming, and this change is detected to detect the occurrence of jamming.

[0007] However, with this method, there was a risk that the occurrence of jamming could not be accurately detected in the case of relatively soft foreign objects. Furthermore, when the seal bar is opened and closed via a link mechanism (toggle mechanism, power assist mechanism) as proposed by the applicant in Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-89920, even with a servo motor of the same output, the closing force (seal pressure) becomes very large. As a result, even if there is filler on the seal surface, it is easily crushed, causing the servo motor to rotate at a rate not significantly different from normal. Consequently, detection based on the number of pulses (rotation amount) of the servo motor from the open position to the closed position of the lateral seal bar may not accurately detect the presence of filler on the seal surface.

[0008] While it is conceivable to use image inspection to determine if any products are jammed, performing high-speed inspections of multiple rows would require expensive image processing systems, leading to high costs and making it difficult to implement easily.

[0009] This invention has been made in view of these various circumstances, and aims to provide an automatic filling and packaging machine that has a relatively simple and low-cost configuration, can accurately detect the jamming of filling material (foreign matter) into the sealing surface, and thereby contribute to improved production efficiency with less waste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The automatic filling and packaging machine according to the present invention is An automatic filling and packaging machine that produces packaging bags by wrapping each of the multiple rows of packaging films, which are conveyed vertically at a predetermined speed, around the outer circumference of a cylindrical former guide arranged along the vertical direction to form a roughly cylindrical shape, and overlapping the open side extending along the vertical direction in a gusset or envelope shape, applying a vertical seal to the overlapped portion of each packaging film using a vertical sealer to form a tubular packaging film, then applying a horizontal seal to a predetermined position on the tubular packaging film using a horizontal sealing device to form a packaging bag with an upward opening, filling the contents into the upward-opening packaging bag via a filling pipe, and then applying a horizontal seal to the upper part of the tubular packaging bag to seal the upward opening, The aforementioned lateral sealing device, A front-side lateral sealer and a corresponding rear-side lateral sealer are provided, which extend in the direction of the arrangement of multiple rows of packaging film and apply a lateral seal to the multiple rows of packaging film by sandwiching them from the opening and closing direction. An electric motor that drives the front side lateral sealer and the rear side lateral sealer, It consists of, The control device is Controlling the drive of the aforementioned electric motor, During one cycle of the lateral sealing operation in which the front and rear lateral sealers cyclically move closer together and further apart, load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information of the electric motor is acquired at multiple timings near where the front and rear lateral sealers are closest together, and based on the acquired load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information at the multiple timings, the presence or absence of foreign matter caught in the lateral sealing surface is detected. It is characterized by the following:

[0011] In the present invention, The control device is Without filling the contents, load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information is acquired at multiple timings in multiple cycles, and the average value or standard deviation is obtained from the acquired data for each timing, Based on the mean or standard deviation obtained at multiple time points, upper and lower limits are set for each time point. The presence or absence of foreign matter caught in the lateral sealing surface is detected based on whether the load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information obtained at multiple timings during the production of the packaging bag with the contents filled is outside the range of the upper and lower limits. It can be characterized as follows.

[0012] In the present invention, the front side lateral sealer and the rear side lateral sealer are arranged in parallel and pressed against each other, and are characterized by being a sealing roll shape that rotates in opposite directions to apply a lateral seal to a tubular packaging film. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, an automatic filling and packaging machine can be provided that has a relatively simple and low-cost configuration, yet can accurately detect the jamming of filling material (foreign matter) into the sealing surface, thereby contributing to improved production efficiency with minimal waste. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing one example of the configuration of the bag-making section of a multi-row vertical pillow-filling packaging machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure schematically shows the operation of a pair of horizontal sealers according to the above embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic perspective view showing a pair of lateral sealing devices according to the above embodiment. [Figure 4](A) is a side view (viewed from arrow E in FIG. 3) showing the horizontal sealer closed state of a pair of horizontal sealing devices according to the same embodiment, and (B) is a side view (viewed from arrow E in FIG. 3) showing the horizontal sealer open state of a pair of horizontal sealing devices according to the same embodiment. [Figure 5] (A) is a view showing the closed state of the same opening and closing link portion (illustrated with the horizontal sealer and the slide guide portion separated), and (B) is a view showing the open state of the same opening and closing link portion (illustrated with the horizontal sealer and the slide guide portion separated). [Figure 6] It is an example of a diagram for explaining the timings T1, T2, ···, Tn during one cycle of the horizontal seal operation in the foreign object biting detection control according to the same embodiment over time (in a state where no foreign object is bitten). [Figure 7] It is an example of a flowchart executed by the control device according to the same embodiment (detection of foreign object (filling) biting in the horizontal seal portion). [Figure 8] It is an example of a diagram for explaining the timings T1, T2, ···, Tn during one cycle of the horizontal seal operation in the foreign object biting detection control according to the same embodiment over time (in a state where a relatively soft foreign object is bitten). [Figure 9] It is an example of a diagram for explaining the timings T1, T2, ···, Tn during one cycle of the horizontal seal operation in the foreign object biting detection control according to the same embodiment over time (in a state where a relatively hard foreign object is bitten). [Figure 10] It is an example of a flowchart executed by the control device according to the second embodiment of the present invention (detection of foreign object (filling) biting in the horizontal seal portion).

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a multi-column vertical pillow filling and packaging machine, which is an example of an automatic filling and packaging machine according to the present invention, will be described while referring to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by the embodiment described below.

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing one example of the configuration of the bag-making section of a multi-row vertical pillow-filling and packaging machine (automatic filling and packaging machine) according to one embodiment (first embodiment) of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a pair of horizontal sealers according to the same embodiment.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present invention, the automatic filling and packaging machine 1 (also referred to as the packaging machine) is described as a multi-row vertical automatic filling and packaging machine that, for example, slits a single strip of packaging film that is continuously conveyed at a predetermined speed to form three or more narrow rows of packaging film, wraps each of the packaging films around the outer circumference of filling pipes arranged vertically in multiple rows corresponding to the multiple rows of packaging film to form a substantially cylindrical shape, applies vertical seals to the left and right ends of each packaging film that extend along the vertical direction to form a tubular packaging film, applies horizontal seals to predetermined positions of the tubular packaging film to form a packaging bag with an upward opening, fills the packaging bag with contents (e.g., granular material, powder, liquid material, food, ingredients, etc.) via filling pipes, and then applies horizontal seals to the upper part of the tubular packaging bag to seal the upward opening and produce a packaging bag. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0018] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the filling and packaging section (bag making section) of a multi-row vertical automatic filling and packaging machine (multi-row vertical stick filling and packaging machine) (automatic filling and packaging machine) 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In each figure, the multi-row vertical stick filling and packaging machine indicated by reference numeral 2 is configured to continuously produce 6 stick packaging bags (vertical pillow-type packaging bags) at once in 6 parallel rows.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the automatic filling and packaging machine 1 is equipped with six hollow filling chutes 3 that serve as filling passages for the contents. These chutes are formed by winding multiple rows (six rows in Figure 1) of packaging film F2, each of which is narrowed by a slitting device (film slitter) 2 from a single wide strip of packaging film F1, into roughly cylindrical shapes. Furthermore, the upper opening of the filling chute 3 is supplied with a predetermined amount of filling material (contents) from a hopper (filling material container) (not shown) via a metering and supply device or the like.

[0020] Furthermore, the automatic filling and packaging machine 1 is equipped with a vertical sealing device 4 that overlaps and joins the left and right ends of the packaging film wrapped around the filling chute 3 to create a cylindrical packaging film.

[0021] Furthermore, the automatic filling and packaging machine 1 is equipped with a horizontal sealing device 5 that creates a packaging bag with an upper opening by applying a horizontal seal to the lower side of the packaging film that has been formed into a cylindrical shape by the vertical sealing device 4, and also creates a continuous packaging bag P1 by applying a horizontal seal to the upper side of the upper opening packaging bag that has been filled with contents via the filling chute 3.

[0022] In other words, since the tubular packaging film is continuous, the lateral sealing device 5 according to this embodiment simultaneously performs lateral sealing of the upper side of the preceding packaging bag (downstream in the direction of transport of the packaging film) and lateral sealing of the lower side of the following packaging bag (upstream in the direction of transport of the packaging film) adjacent to the preceding packaging film.

[0023] Furthermore, the automatic filling and packaging machine 1 is equipped with a cutter device 6 for separating the continuous packaging bag P1 filled with the product into individual packaging bags, and a discharge slide 7 for discharging the separated individual packaging bags from the main body of the automatic filling and packaging machine 1. Furthermore, each packaging bag (P1 to P6 in Figure 3) is provided with a separate discharge slide 7. If the product is good, the individual packaging bag is discharged onto the good product discharge route (conveyor) 8. If the product is defective, the discharge route is switched according to a signal from the control device 10 that determines whether the product is good or defective. The system is configured to switch the discharge slide 7 for each product and discharge (collect) the defective individual packaging bag to the defective product collection box 9.

[0024] The packaging film can be, for example, a base film such as PET and a heat-sealable film such as polyethylene with a lower melting point than the base film, or a packaging film having a three-layer structure consisting of a base film, an intermediate film, and a heat-sealable film.

[0025] Here, an example of the configuration of the lateral sealing device 5 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the lateral sealing device 5 consists of a front lateral sealer (heat seal bar) 1001 and a rear lateral sealer 1002, which are arranged facing each other on both sides of the packaging bag F2. Then, the front horizontal sealer 1001 and the rear horizontal sealer 1002 are moved from their separated positions (initial position) in directions A and A', respectively, to sandwich the packaging film F2 between them and perform a horizontal seal between the packaging bag F2 and the packaging bag P (the state shown in Figure 2). At this point, the contents have not yet been filled into the top-opening packaging bag F2.

[0026] Once the above horizontal sealing process has begun and no leaks occur when the contents are filled, the contents are filled into the packaging bag F2 via the filling chute 3. Subsequently, the front horizontal sealer 1001 and the rear horizontal sealer 1002, while still holding the horizontal seal portion between packaging bag F2 and packaging bag P (as shown in Figure 2), move (descend) in directions B and B', respectively. As a result, packaging bag F1 and packaging bag P are transported (pulled out) downwards.

[0027] After this, the front side lateral sealer 1001 and the rear side lateral sealer 1002 are moved in directions C and C', respectively, so that the front side lateral sealer 1001 and the rear side lateral sealer 1002 are separated by a predetermined distance. In this separated state, the gap between the tip of the front side lateral sealer 1001 and the tip of the rear side lateral sealer 1002 is large enough to allow the packaging bag F2 to pass through. While remaining separated, the front side lateral sealer 1001 and the rear side lateral sealer 1002 are both moved (raised) in directions D and D', returning to their initial state and preparing for the next lateral sealing operation (preparing for lateral sealing of the upper opening of the packaging bag F2 in Figure 2).

[0028] In this embodiment, the opening and closing operations of the front and rear side sealers 1001 and 1002 (movement in directions A and A' is a closing operation, and movement in directions C and C' is an opening operation) are performed by the left opening / closing mechanism 1000 and the right opening / closing mechanism 1200, as shown in Figure 3. The vertical (up and down) movements of the front and rear side sealers 1001 and 1002 (movement in directions B and B' is a downward operation, and movement in directions D and D' is an upward operation) can be performed by, for example, a linear actuator (such as an air cylinder).

[0029] The front lateral sealer 1001 and the rear lateral sealer 1002 are mounted integrally with respect to the frame of the lateral sealing device 5, so as to be movable in the opening and closing direction (left and right direction) of Figure 2, and in the vertical direction of Figure 2, they move up and down relative to the frame of the automatic filling and packaging machine 1 in conjunction with the vertical movement of the lateral sealing device 5 by a linear actuator or the like (moving in directions B, B', D, and D' in Figure 2).

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, the left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100 is composed of a left-side opening / closing link section 103 and a left-side opening / closing motor (an electric motor such as a servo motor) M1. The left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100 and the right-side opening / closing mechanism 1200, the left-side opening / closing link section 103 and the right-side opening / closing link section 104, and the left-side opening / closing motor M1 and the right-side opening / closing motor M2 can be configured symmetrically with respect to the central plane on which they face each other (a vertical plane containing line XX in Figure 3). Therefore, here we will describe the left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100, the left-side opening / closing link section 103, and the left-side opening / closing motor M1 as representatives. Furthermore, the left-side opening / closing motor M1 and the right-side opening / closing motor M2 are configured to be driven and controlled independently by the control device 10.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5, the left-side opening / closing motor M1 is connected to the left-side opening / closing link section 103 via the rear-side opening / closing drive shaft 106, which transmits power through a gear mechanism or the like.

[0032] The rear opening / closing drive shaft 106, which is connected to the left opening / closing motor M1, is fixedly connected to one end (base end) of the drive link plate 110. When the left opening / closing motor M1 is rotationally driven, the drive link plate 110 rotates around the rear opening / closing drive shaft 106 as the center of rotation. This drive link plate 110 can be made, for example, from a rectangular, flat plate-like member.

[0033] Furthermore, a first connecting portion 112 is provided at the other end (tip side) of the drive link plate 110, and the first opening / closing link plate 111 is rotatably connected to this first connecting portion 112 via a bearing or the like.

[0034] The first opening / closing link plate 111 is made of, for example, a flat plate-like member formed in a roughly U-shape. In the plane view of Figure 5, it is positioned so that the opening portion of the U-shape faces upward, and the first connecting portion 112 is rotatably connected to one end (base end) of the first connecting portion 114, while the other end (tip end) is rotatably connected to one end (base end) of the pivot link plate 113 via a bearing or the like through the first connecting portion 114.

[0035] The pivot link plate 113 is rotatably supported on the frame 5A of the lateral sealing device 5 via a fixed pivot point 115, and bearings or the like. In other words, the pivot link plate 113 is supported on the frame 5A so as to be rotatable around the pivot point 115.

[0036] In Figure 5, the pivot point 115 of the pivot link plate 113 is sandwiched between a second connecting portion 117 and a third connecting portion 120 on both sides in a substantially horizontal direction. The front link plate 116 is rotatably connected to this second connecting section 117 via a bearing or the like. The front link plate 116 is made of, for example, a flat plate-like member formed in a roughly U-shape. In the plane view of Figure 5, it is positioned so that the opening portion of the U-shape faces upward. One end (base end) is rotatably connected to the pivot link plate 113 via the second connecting portion 117, while the other end (tip end) is rotatably connected to the front lateral sealer 1001 via the front connecting portion 118, using a bearing or the like.

[0037] The front horizontal sealer 1001 is connected to the frame 5A via the front slide guide (linear guide) 108. In other words, the front horizontal sealer 1001 is supported by the frame 5A via the front slide guide (linear guide) 108 so that it can move freely along the horizontal direction (left-right direction) in Figure 5.

[0038] On the other hand, the rear link plate 119 is rotatably connected to the third connecting section 120 via a bearing or the like. The rear link plate 119 is made of, for example, a flat plate-like member formed in a roughly U-shape. In the plane view of Figure 5, the U-shaped opening is positioned facing downwards, and one end (base end) is rotatably connected to the pivot link plate 113 via the third connecting part 120, while the other end (tip end) is rotatably connected to the rear lateral sealer 1002 via the rear connecting part 121, through a bearing or the like.

[0039] The rear horizontal sealer 1002 is connected to the frame 5A via the rear slide guide (linear guide) 109. In other words, the rear horizontal sealer 1002 is supported by the frame 5A via the rear slide guide (linear guide) 109 so that it can move freely along the horizontal direction (left-right direction) in Figure 5.

[0040] Furthermore, since the first connecting portion 114, the second connecting portion 117, and the third connecting portion 120 are each positioned at the vertices of a triangle, and the pivot point 115 is positioned between the second connecting portion 117 and the third connecting portion 120, the shape of the pivot link plate 113 in the plane of Figure 5 is not limited to the approximately triangular shape shown in Figure 5, but can be any other shape.

[0041] The opening operation of the left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100, which widens the gap between the opposing ends of the front horizontal sealer 1001 and the rear horizontal sealer 1002, and the closing operation, which narrows the gap, will be explained. <Opening operation> With the left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100 (left-side opening / closing link section 103) configured as described above, when the left-side opening / closing motor M1 is rotated in a predetermined direction (opening direction: the direction in which the pair of horizontal sealers move apart from each other, clockwise in Figure 5(A)) from the closed state shown in Figure 5(A), the drive link plate 110 is rotated clockwise via the rear-side opening / closing drive shaft 106. Accordingly, the drive link plate 110 moves the first connecting portion 112 side (base end side) of the first opening / closing link plate 111 in a clockwise direction. As the base end of the first opening / closing link plate 111 moves, the first opening / closing link plate 111 acts to rotate the pivot link plate 113 clockwise around the pivot point 115. The clockwise rotation of this pivot link plate 113 acts on the front link plate 115, which is connected via the third connecting portion 117, causing the front lateral sealer 1001, which is connected to the front link plate 115 via the front connecting portion 118, to move along the front slide guide 108 to the left side in the left-right direction of Figure 5(A) (away from the rear lateral sealer 1002).

[0042] Simultaneously, the clockwise rotation of the pivot link plate 113 acts on the rear link plate 119, which is connected via the fourth connecting portion 120, causing the rear lateral sealer 1002, which is connected to the rear link plate 119 via the rear connecting portion 121, to move along the rear slide guide 109 to the right in the left-right direction of Figure 5(A) (away from the front lateral sealer 1001). Therefore, the front horizontal sealer 1001 and the rear horizontal sealer 1002 are moved in a direction that separates them from each other, transitioning to the open state shown in Figure 5(B).

[0043] <Closing operation> During the closing operation, the left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100 (left-side opening / closing link section 103) rotates the right-side opening / closing motor M1 in a predetermined direction (closing direction: the direction in which the pair of horizontal sealers approach each other, counterclockwise in Figure 5(B)) from the open state shown in Figure 5(B). This causes the drive link plate 110 to rotate counterclockwise via the rear-side opening / closing drive shaft 106. Accordingly, the drive link plate 110 moves the first connecting portion 112 side (base end side) of the first opening / closing link plate 111 in a counterclockwise direction. As the base end of the first opening / closing link plate 111 moves, the first opening / closing link plate 111 acts to rotate the pivot link plate 113 counterclockwise around the pivot point 115. The counterclockwise rotation of this pivot link plate 113 acts on the front link plate 115, which is connected via the third connecting portion 117, causing the front lateral sealer 1001, which is connected to the front link plate 115 via the front connecting portion 118, to move along the front slide guide 108 to the right side in the left-right direction of Figure 5(B) (towards the rear lateral sealer 1002).

[0044] Simultaneously, the counterclockwise rotation of the pivot link plate 113 acts on the rear link plate 119, which is connected via the fourth connecting portion 120, causing the rear lateral sealer 1002, which is connected to the rear link plate 119 via the rear connecting portion 121, to move along the rear slide guide 109 to the left side in the left-right direction of Figure 5(B) (towards the front lateral sealer 1001). Therefore, the front horizontal sealer 1001 and the rear horizontal sealer 1002 are moved in a direction that brings them closer together, and the device transitions to the closed state shown in Figure 5(A).

[0045] The front horizontal sealer 1001 and the rear horizontal sealer 1002 move toward each other, and by sandwiching the upper end of the top-opening packaging bag that has been filled with contents, a horizontal seal is performed (Figures 4(A), 5(A)). Then, the front horizontal sealer 1001 and the rear horizontal sealer 1002 move toward each other, creating a gap through which the next connected packaging bag can pass. The front horizontal sealer 1001 and the rear horizontal sealer 1002 then move upward and return to their initial position (original position) in order to perform a horizontal seal on the upper end of the next packaging bag (Figures 4(B), 5(B)).

[0046] Although the operation of the right-side opening / closing mechanism 1200 (right-side opening / closing link section 104) will not be explained here, it is configured to move symmetrically with respect to the central plane X (see Figure 3) on which the left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100 (left-side opening / closing link section 103) described above faces.

[0047] As described above, according to this embodiment, by arranging the left-side opening / closing link section 103 and the right-side opening / closing link section 104 (left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100, right-side opening / closing mechanism 1200), which are composed of a link mechanism combining relatively thin, flat link plates (110, 111, 113, 116, 119), at the ends of a pair of front-side lateral sealers 1001 and rear-side lateral sealers 1002 that are facing each other, the front-to-back space (vertical space and left-to-right space in Figure 4) of the lateral sealing device 5 can be significantly reduced, thereby improving the space-saving (especially in the depth direction) and the freedom of installation layout of the automatic filling and packaging machine 1. Furthermore, since the left-side opening / closing link section 103 and the right-side opening / closing link section 104 (left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100 and right-side opening / closing mechanism 1200), which are movable parts requiring maintenance, are located at the ends of the lateral sealing device 5, maintainability can be greatly improved.

[0048] As described above, this embodiment provides a user-friendly multi-row vertical filling and packaging machine that offers a low-cost and compact configuration while enhancing maintainability and flexibility in installation layout.

[0049] Furthermore, the left-side opening / closing mechanism 1100 (right-side opening / closing mechanism 1200) according to this embodiment uses a toggle mechanism equipped with multiple links and slides (drive link plate 110 → first opening / closing link plate 111 → pivot link plate 113 → front link plate 115 and rear link plate 119 → front slide guide 108 and rear slide guide 109) to close a pair of lateral sealers (front lateral sealer 1001, rear lateral sealer 1002), thereby generating a large closing force through the link mechanism (toggle mechanism, force assist mechanism).

[0050] However, as described in the problem to be solved, when the lateral seal bar is opened and closed via a link mechanism (toggle mechanism, power assist mechanism), the closing force (seal pressure) becomes very large, so even if there is filler on the sealing surface, it will be easily crushed, and even if there is filler on the sealing surface, the servo motor will rotate at almost the same rate as under normal conditions, and there is a risk that detection based on the number of pulses (amount of rotation) of the servo motor from the open position to the closed position of the lateral seal bar will not be able to accurately detect whether the filler is jammed on the sealing surface.

[0051] Therefore, in this embodiment, the jamming of raw material (filling material) into the sealing surface of a sealing device using a servo motor as the driving source for the heat seal operation is accurately detected, and this is achieved with a relatively simple and low-cost configuration that suppresses the addition of parts for detection, thereby leading to improved productivity and cost reduction.

[0052] In this embodiment, the detection of raw material (filling material) jamming into the sealing surface is performed based on the following method (concept). (1) The automatic filling and packaging machine basically performs vertical sealing, horizontal sealing, and filling operations of raw materials (filling material, contents) through cyclical motion, thereby performing filling and packaging of raw materials (filling material, contents). (2) In a device that performs heat sealing by servo motor drive, every multiple cycles, The servo motor current value (torque value) during the opening and closing operation of the horizontal sealers (front horizontal sealer 1001, rear horizontal sealer 1002), or the current position information fed back from the encoder part of the servo motor, is collected and accumulated at predetermined intervals, and the average value and standard deviation are calculated from the collected and accumulated data for each interval. In this case, it is desirable to operate the automatic filling and packaging machine when no raw materials are jammed (for example, with the filling operation turned OFF) and collect and accumulate data. (3) Set upper and lower limits based on the mean and standard deviation obtained at multiple time points. (4) Subsequently, it is determined for each cycle whether the same data obtained from the automatic filling and packaging machine during the production of the packaging bags falls outside the range of these upper and lower limits, and the number of times it falls outside the range of these upper and lower limits is counted. (5) If this count exceeds a number set arbitrarily, it is determined that the device is jammed.

[0053] In this way, during one cycle of the horizontal sealer's opening and closing operation (horizontal sealing operation), the presence or absence of jammed filler (foreign object) is determined multiple times at multiple timings (multiple points), and data is collected and accumulated over multiple cycles. This reduces false detections due to variations in collected data while improving the accuracy of detecting whether or not jammed filler (foreign object) is present.

[0054] Furthermore, by performing data collection, aggregation, and resetting of upper and lower limits at each timing (point) at arbitrary timings (for example, during warm-up or restart of the packaging machine before production begins) or at regular intervals, it becomes possible to achieve highly accurate judgments that take into account changes over time.

[0055] Therefore, in this embodiment, for example, electric motors (left-side opening / closing motor M1 and right-side opening / closing motor M2) are placed at both ends of the horizontal sealers 1001 and 1002, and the control device 10 acquires information related to the torque (strain) during sealing operation (load torque-related information) from the drive current values ​​of each electric motor. Alternatively, it acquires current position information and rotation angle position information (these are also referred to as rotation angle-related information) output from the encoder section of the electric motor. Alternatively, the control device 10 can be configured to receive signals from a sensor (such as a strain gauge) attached to the output shaft (rotating shaft) of the electric motor, and based on these signals, the control device 10 can acquire information related to the torque (strain) during the sealing operation (load torque-related information).

[0056] The control device 10 is configured to include, for example, a CPU, various memories such as ROM and RAM, various input / output interfaces, etc., and is configured to control the drive control of various electric motors, filling operations, and other operations of the automatic filling and packaging machine 1 based on input information from the operation panel, etc.

[0057] The control device 10 monitors load torque-related information (or current position information, rotation angle position information, rotation angle-related information) during the actual sealing operation at multiple timings (points) during one cycle of the opening and closing operation (lateral sealing operation) of the lateral sealers (front lateral sealer 1001, rear lateral sealer 1002). If it detects that the value during the actual sealing operation exceeds the normal value and reaches a predetermined value (abnormal value), it is configured to determine that a filling material (foreign object) has become jammed into the sealing surface.

[0058] For example, the control device 10 executes the flowchart shown in Figure 7. The timings T1 to Tn described below can be, for example, the timings shown in Figure 6. For example, T1 can be the timing when the horizontal sealers (front horizontal sealer 1001, rear horizontal sealer 1002) begin to clamp the sealing surface in a predetermined position, Tn can be the timing when the horizontal sealers (front horizontal sealer 1001, rear horizontal sealer 1002) are closest to each other, and T2 can be a predetermined timing between T1 and Tn. The timings T1 to Tn can be obtained, for example, based on the elapsed time from a predetermined time based on the operating speed of the packaging machine 1, based on the drive command value of the electric motor of the control device 10, based on the rotation angle signal from the encoder unit, or based on the detection signal from the position detection sensor attached to the drive mechanism of the horizontal sealing bar.

[0059] In step 1 (labeled S in the diagram; the same applies hereafter), the packaging machine 1 is started. However, the filling mechanism is kept inactive so that no contents are filled.

[0060] In step 2, the packaging machine 1 is operated to produce empty bags, and the operator visually checks the finished packaging bags while setting various sealing conditions for the packaging machine (seal temperature, sealing speed (film feed speed), etc.). The conditions set by the operator are input to the control device 10 from the control panel or other means.

[0061] In step 3, at timing T1, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LT1-1 (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1). The same can be done for the right opening / closing motor M2 (and so on).

[0062] In step 4, at timing T2, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LT1-2 (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1).

[0063] In step 5, at timing Tn, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LT1-n (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1). Note that n corresponds to the number of predetermined timings during one cycle of the lateral sealing operation (lateral sealer opening and closing operation). Although omitted from step 4 onwards, the same steps as in step 4 are repeated from T2 to Tn until Tn in step 5 (the same applies hereafter). Steps 3 through 5 are performed, for example, during the first cycle of the lateral sealing operation (lateral sealer opening and closing operation).

[0064] Step 6 onwards is performed, for example, during the second cycle of the lateral sealing operation (lateral sealer opening and closing operation). In step 6, at timing T1, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LT2-1 (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1).

[0065] In step 7, at timing T2, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LT2-2 (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1).

[0066] In step 8, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LT2-n (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1) at timing Tn.

[0067] Step 9 onwards is performed during the Nth cycle of the lateral sealing operation (lateral sealer opening and closing operation). In step 9, at timing T1, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LTN-1 (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1).

[0068] In step 10, at timing T2, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LTN-2 (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1).

[0069] In step 11, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LTN-n (load torque related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1) at timing Tn. Here, N refers to the Nth cycle of the lateral sealing operation (lateral sealer opening and closing operation). Steps 6-9 are repeated from the first cycle to the Nth cycle (and so on).

[0070] In the following step 12, For each timing interval, the average load torque of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (LTAv-1, LTAv-2, ..., LTAv-n) is used, and an upper limit correction value (Hα-1, Hα-2, ..., Hα-n) and a lower limit correction value (Lα-1, Lα-2, ..., Lα-n) are added to each to calculate and set the upper limit (HLT-1, HLT-2, ..., HLT-n) and lower limit (LLT-1, LLT-2, ..., LLT-n) of the load torque of the lateral seal opening / closing motor.

[0071] In step 13, the filling mechanism is turned ON (activated) to start filling the contents and begin production of packaged bags filled with contents.

[0072] In step 14, the bite detection count KMC is reset to 0.

[0073] In step 15, the load torque LT-1 of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1) is detected at timing T1. If LT-1 is outside the range from LLT-1 to HLT-1, the jamming detection count KMC is incremented by 1.

[0074] In step 16, the load torque LT-2 of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1) is detected at timing T2. If LT-2 is outside the range from LLT-2 to HLT-2, the jamming detection count KMC is incremented by 1 (KMC+1 → KMC).

[0075] In step 17, the load torque LT-n of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1) is detected at timing Tn. If LT-n is outside the range from LLT-n to HLT-n, the jamming detection count KMC is incremented by 1 (KMC+1 → KMC).

[0076] In step 18, it is determined whether the bite detection count KMC exceeds the pre-set bite detection value KMP. If NO, proceed to S19; if YES, proceed to S20.

[0077] In S19, the bite detection count KMC is reset, and the system returns to S14 to perform bite detection in the next cycle.

[0078] In step 20, the machine determines that a foreign object has become lodged in the lateral seal during the cycle. The packaging machine then performs the pre-set actions for abnormal jamming (e.g., abnormal alarm, machine stop, defective packaging bags for the cycle) as instructed by the control device 10, and returns to S14. If the abnormal action includes machine stop, the packaging machine is stopped in S20. Figure 8 shows an example of the appearance of the lateral seal surface when a relatively soft foreign object is caught, and Figure 9 shows an example of the appearance of the lateral seal surface when a relatively hard foreign object is caught.

[0079] The upper limit correction value (Hα-n) and the lower limit correction value (Lα-n) can be calculated based on the standard deviation of the load torque value at each timing during teaching (steps 3 to 11), or they can be set arbitrarily by the operator. For example, if the standard deviation θ is calculated and 3θ is set as the upper and lower limits, The upper limit correction value for timing 1 is (Hα-1) = +(3θ / 2), The lower limit correction value for timing 1 is (Lα-1) = -(3θ / 2), The upper limit of timing 1 is (HLT-1) = (LTAv-1) + (3θ / 2), The upper limit of timing 1 can be set to (LLT-1) = (LTAv-1) - (3θ / 2).

[0080] Thus, according to this embodiment, during one cycle of the lateral sealing operation (opening and closing operation for lateral sealing of the front lateral sealer 1001 and the rear lateral sealer 1002), the presence or absence of jammed filler (foreign object) is determined multiple times at multiple timings T1 to Tn (multiple points), and by collecting and accumulating data over multiple cycles, it is possible to improve the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of jammed filler (foreign object) while reducing false detections due to variations in collected data.

[0081] Furthermore, by performing data collection, aggregation, and resetting of upper and lower limits at each timing (point) at arbitrary timings (for example, during warm-up or restart of the packaging machine before production begins) or at regular intervals, it becomes possible to achieve highly accurate judgments that take into account changes over time.

[0082] As described above, according to this embodiment, an automatic filling and packaging machine can be provided that has a relatively simple and low-cost configuration, can accurately detect the jamming of filling material (foreign matter) into the sealing surface, and thereby contribute to improved production efficiency with minimal waste.

[0083] <Second Example> This embodiment has a basic configuration similar to the example described in the first embodiment above, but the control device 10 describes an example in which it acquires current position information and rotation angle position information (also referred to as rotation angle-related information) output from the encoder sections of the respective electric motors (left opening / closing motor M1 and right opening / closing motor M2) that drive the opening and closing of the horizontal sealers 1001 and 1002. In this embodiment, the control device 10 executes, for example, the flowchart shown in Figure 10.

[0084] Steps 101 and 102 are the same as steps 1 and 2.

[0085] In step 103, at timing T1, the control device 10 acquires and stores the rotation angle LA1-1 (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1). The same can be done for the right opening / closing motor M2 (and so on).

[0086] In step 104, at timing T2, the control device 10 acquires and stores the rotation angle LA1-2 (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1).

[0087] In step 105, at timing Tn, the control device 10 acquires and stores the load torque LA1-n (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1). Steps 103 to 105 are performed, for example, in the first cycle of the lateral sealing operation (lateral sealer opening and closing operation).

[0088] Steps 106 onwards are performed, for example, during the second cycle of the lateral sealing operation (lateral sealer opening and closing operation). In step 106, at timing T1, the control device 10 acquires and stores the rotation angle LA2-1 (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1).

[0089] In step 107, at timing T2, the control device 10 acquires and stores the rotation angle LA2-2 (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1).

[0090] In step 108, at timing Tn, the control device 10 acquires and stores the rotation angle LA2-n (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1).

[0091] Steps 109 onwards are performed during the Nth cycle of the lateral sealing operation (lateral sealer opening and closing operation). In step 109, at timing T1, the control device 10 acquires and stores the rotation angle LAN-1 (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1).

[0092] In step 110, at timing T2, the control device 10 acquires and stores the rotation angle LAN-2 (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1).

[0093] In step 111, at timing Tn, the control device 10 acquires and stores the rotation angle LAN-n (current position information, rotation angle position information, and rotation angle-related information) of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1).

[0094] In the following step 112, For each timing interval, the average value of the rotation angle of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (LAAv-1, LAAv-2, ..., LAAv-n) is used, and an upper limit correction value Hα and a lower limit correction value Lα are added to each value to calculate and set the upper limit (HLA-1, HLA-2, ..., HLA-n) and lower limit (LLA-1, LLA-2, ..., LLA-n) of the rotation angle of the lateral seal opening / closing motor for each timing interval.

[0095] In step 113, the filling mechanism is turned ON (activated) to start filling the contents and begin production of packaging bags filled with contents.

[0096] In step 114, the bite detection count KMC is reset to 0.

[0097] In step 115, the rotation angle LA-1 of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1) is detected at timing T1. If LA-1 is outside the range from LLA-1 to HLA-1, the jamming detection count KMC is incremented by 1 (KMC+1 → KMC).

[0098] In step 116, the rotation angle LA-2 of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left opening / closing motor M1) is detected at timing T2. If LA-2 is outside the range from LLA-2 to HLA-2, the jamming detection count KMC is incremented by 1 (KMC+1 → KMC).

[0099] In step 117, the load torque LA-n of the lateral seal opening / closing motor (left-side opening / closing motor M1) is detected at timing Tn. If LA-n is outside the range from LLA-n to HLA-n, the jamming detection count KMC is incremented by 1.

[0100] In step 118, it is determined whether the bite detection count KMC exceeds the pre-set bite detection value KMP. If NO, proceed to S119; if YES, proceed to S120.

[0101] In S119, the bite detection count KMC is reset, and the system returns to S114 to perform bite detection in the next cycle.

[0102] In step 120, the machine determines that a foreign object has become lodged in the lateral seal during the cycle. The packaging machine then performs the pre-set actions for abnormal jamming (e.g., abnormal alarm, machine stop, defective packaging bags for the cycle) as instructed by the control device 10, and returns to S14. If the abnormal action includes machine stop, the packaging machine is stopped in S20.

[0103] The upper limit correction value (Hα-n) and the lower limit correction value (Lα-n) can be calculated based on the standard deviation of the rotation angle at each timing during teaching (steps 103 to 111), or they can be set arbitrarily by the operator. For example, if the standard deviation θ is calculated and 3θ is set as the upper and lower limits, The upper limit correction value for timing 1 is (Hα-1) = +(3θ / 2), The lower limit correction value for timing 1 is (Lα-1) = -(3θ / 2), The upper limit of timing 1 is (HLA-1) = (LAAv-1) + (3θ / 2), The upper limit of timing 1 can be set to (LLA-1) = (LAAv-1) - (3θ / 2).

[0104] Thus, according to this example, during one cycle of the lateral sealing operation (opening and closing operation for lateral sealing of the front lateral sealer 1001 and the rear lateral sealer 1002), the presence or absence of jammed filler (foreign object) is determined multiple times at multiple timings T1 to Tn (multiple points), and by collecting and accumulating data over multiple cycles, it is possible to reduce false detections due to variations in collected data while improving the accuracy of detecting the presence or absence of jammed filler (foreign object).

[0105] Furthermore, by performing data collection, aggregation, and resetting of upper and lower limits at each timing (point) at arbitrary timings (for example, during warm-up or restart of the packaging machine before production begins) or at regular intervals, it becomes possible to achieve highly accurate judgments that take into account changes over time.

[0106] In this example, timings T1 to Tn can be obtained, for example, based on the elapsed time from a predetermined time based on the operating speed of the packaging machine 1, based on the drive command value of the electric motor of the control device 10, or based on the detection signal from the position detection sensor attached to the drive mechanism of the horizontal sealing bar.

[0107] As described above, this example provides an automatic filling and packaging machine that, while having a relatively simple and low-cost configuration, can accurately detect the jamming of filling material (foreign matter) into the sealing surface, thereby contributing to improved production efficiency with minimal waste.

[0108] In the above embodiment, an example of producing packaging bags with 6 rows was used for explanation, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to any number of rows, one or more.

[0109] Furthermore, while the above embodiment illustrates a configuration in which a link mechanism such as a toggle mechanism is used to open and close the horizontal sealer with an electric motor, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can also be applied to configurations in which a horizontal sealer is opened and closed with an electric motor via a mechanism that does not use a toggle mechanism or the like.

[0110] Furthermore, in the present invention, the front side lateral sealer and the rear side lateral sealer can be arranged in a sealing roll shape, pressed against each other and parallel to one another, and rotated in opposite directions to apply a lateral seal to a tubular packaging film.

[0111] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative examples for illustrating the present invention, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0112] 1: Automatic filling and packaging machine (multi-row vertical pillow filling and packaging machine) F1: Packaging film 2: Film slitter F2: Film slit in each row 3: Filling chute 4: Vertical sealing device 5: Lateral sealing device P1: Packaging bags (P1~P6 from left to right) 6: Cutter device 7: Loading slide 8: Good product transport route (conveyor) 9: Defective product collection box (defective product collection container) 10: Control device 1001: Front side sealer 1002: Rear side sealer 1100: Left side (first horizontal seal) opening and closing mechanism 1200: Right side (second horizontal seal) opening and closing mechanism M1: First lateral seal opening / closing motor (left lateral seal opening / closing motor) M2: Second lateral seal opening / closing motor (right lateral seal opening / closing motor) P1: Packaging bag in the first row P2: Packaging bags in the second row P3: Packaging bag in the third row P4: Packaging bag in the 4th row P5: Packaging bag in the 5th row P6: Packaging bag in the 6th row

Claims

1. An automatic filling and packaging machine that produces packaging bags by wrapping each of the multiple rows of packaging films, which are conveyed vertically at a predetermined speed, around the outer circumference of a cylindrical former guide arranged along the vertical direction to form a roughly cylindrical shape, and overlapping the open side extending along the vertical direction in a gusset or envelope shape, applying a vertical seal to the overlapped portion of each packaging film using a vertical sealer to form a tubular packaging film, then applying a horizontal seal to a predetermined position on the tubular packaging film using a horizontal sealing device to form a packaging bag with an upward opening, filling the contents into the upward-opening packaging bag via a filling pipe, and then applying a horizontal seal to the upper part of the tubular packaging bag to seal the upward opening, The aforementioned lateral sealing device, A front-side lateral sealer and a corresponding rear-side lateral sealer are provided, which extend in the direction of the arrangement of multiple rows of packaging film and apply a lateral seal to the multiple rows of packaging film by sandwiching them from the opening and closing direction. An electric motor that drives the front and rear side lateral sealers, It consists of, The control device is Controlling the drive of the aforementioned electric motor, During one cycle of the lateral sealing operation in which the front and rear lateral sealers move closer together and further apart, load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information of the electric motor is acquired at multiple timings near where the front and rear lateral sealers are closest together, and based on the acquired load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information at the multiple timings, the presence or absence of foreign matter caught in the lateral sealing surface is detected. An automatic filling and packaging machine characterized by the following features.

2. The control device is Without filling the contents, load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information is acquired at multiple timings in multiple cycles, and the average value or standard deviation is obtained from the acquired data for each timing, Based on the mean or standard deviation obtained at multiple time points, upper and lower limits are set for each time point. The presence or absence of foreign matter caught in the lateral sealing surface is detected based on whether the load torque-related information or rotation angle-related information obtained at multiple timings during the production of the packaging bag with the contents filled is outside the range of the upper and lower limits. The automatic filling and packaging machine according to feature 1.

3. The front and rear side lateral sealers are positioned in parallel and pressed against each other, and rotate in opposite directions to form a sealing roll that applies a lateral seal to the tubular packaging film. A multi-row automatic filling and packaging machine as described in claim 1 or 2.

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