Packaging materials, packaging bodies, methods for manufacturing packaging bodies

Abstract

We provide novel packaging materials. [Solution] A packaging material, It contains microwave-absorbing material, When the area that is joined to other packaging materials is designated as the joining area, and the area other than the joining area is designated as the non-joining area, The microwave-absorbing material is distributed such that, when microwaves are irradiated onto the packaging material, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region is greater than the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the non-bonding region.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to packaging materials, packaging bodies, and methods for manufacturing packaging bodies. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a pouch with a spout. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2024-73048 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, conventional packaging materials such as pouches, which are made by joining multiple packaging materials together, have been manufactured.

[0005] Traditionally, packaging materials have been manufactured by joining multiple pieces of packaging material together to form a bag or similar shape that can hold the contents. In recent years, various materials have been considered for packaging, and the structure of packaging materials has also become more diverse.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for new manufacturing methods that differ from conventional methods, including joining multiple packaging materials to produce a package, and there is also a need for novel packaging materials that can accommodate these new packaging manufacturing methods.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention aims to provide a novel packaging material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A packaging material according to one aspect of the present invention is a packaging material, It contains microwave-absorbing material, When the area that is joined to other packaging materials is designated as the joining area, and the area other than the joining area is designated as the non-joining area, The microwave-absorbing material is distributed such that, when microwaves are irradiated onto the packaging material, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region is greater than the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the non-bonding region. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a novel packaging material can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the packaging material. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of the layered structure of the packaging material. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of microwave-absorbing materials in packaging materials. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of one example of the packaging structure. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a packaging manufacturing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a packaging manufacturing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a packaging manufacturing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the case where a shielding member is placed on a laminate of packaging materials. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims, as indicated by the claims.

[0012] To facilitate understanding of the description, the same constituent elements in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted. In addition, since the drawings are schematic diagrams for description, the scale of each member may differ from the actual scale. [Packaging material] A packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described. (1) Distribution of microwave absorbing material In a conventional method for manufacturing a package, a packaging material laminate obtained by laminating a plurality of film-shaped packaging materials is bonded by heating a bonding region using resistance heating and applying pressure as necessary, thereby forming a bag shape or the like. The inventor of the present invention focused on using microwaves instead of resistance heating as a heating means, and completed the present invention.

[0013] In this specification, microwave means an electromagnetic wave having a frequency of 0.3 GHz or more and 300 GHz or less.

[0014] In a conventional heating method using resistance heating, a portion in contact with a heat source of resistance heating and the vicinity thereof are heated by heat transfer, and it has been difficult to perform selective heating depending on the shape of the region to be heated. In addition, since heating is performed by heat transfer from a heat source, it is sometimes difficult to control the temperature profile when heating the bonding region.

[0015] In contrast, in the case of microwave heating, by selecting an irradiation region of microwaves, for example, it is possible to select a portion to be heated and a portion not to be heated. In addition, by changing the output of microwaves, the heating temperature and the temperature profile can be adjusted to desired conditions. For example, by irradiating high-output microwaves, the temperature can be raised rapidly in a short time. In addition, since the ambient temperature can be sufficiently lowered during microwave irradiation, stopping the microwave irradiation can stop heating and enable rapid cooling. Therefore, according to microwave heating, it is easy to selectively heat a desired region to achieve a desired temperature profile.

[0016] However, conventional packaging materials were made from materials that absorb very little microwave radiation, and therefore could not be applied to the manufacturing method of packaging using microwave heating.

[0017] The inventors of this invention have found that by including a microwave-absorbing material in the packaging material, the microwave-absorbing material can absorb microwaves and heat the packaging material. Therefore, the packaging material of this embodiment can include a microwave-absorbing material.

[0018] When manufacturing a package using packaging materials, it is required that the packaging materials be joined only in designated joining areas, and not in non-jointed areas outside of those areas. Therefore, it is required that the packaging materials be selectively heated only in the joining areas and their vicinity, and that areas outside of the joining areas are hardly heated at all.

[0019] Figure 1(A) shows a view of the packaging material 10 of this embodiment as seen from the joining surface 10A, which is the surface that joins with other packaging materials. As shown in Figure 1(A), in the packaging material 10 of this embodiment, the area that joins with other packaging materials is designated as the joining area 12, and the area other than the joining area 12 is designated as the non-joining area 13.

[0020] Furthermore, a single piece of packaging material can be folded along a fold line so that at least a portion overlaps, i.e., multiple pieces of packaging material are stacked, and the unconnected portions can be joined to form a bag-like packaging body. For this reason, one piece of packaging material and the other packaging material joined to that piece of packaging material may be contained within a single continuous piece of packaging material. Alternatively, one piece of packaging material and the other packaging material joined to that piece of packaging material may be separate pieces of packaging material.

[0021] The joining region 12 refers to the region on the joining surface 10A, which is the surface of the packaging material 10 that joins with other packaging materials, as shown in Figures 1(A), 3(A), etc., and includes the portion that is joined with other packaging materials. It refers to the entire region of the joining portion of the packaging material 10 in the thickness direction. The non-joining region 13 is the portion other than the joining region 12.

[0022] The arrangement of the joining region 12 is not particularly limited and can be selected according to the shape of the package manufactured using the packaging material 10 of this embodiment. For example, the joining region 12 may be arranged in at least a portion along the outer circumference of the packaging material 10. Arranging the joining region 12 in at least a portion along the outer circumference of the packaging material 10 means that the joining region can be arranged in at least a portion along the outer circumference of the packaging material 10 and joined in order to seal the portion that contains the contents, according to the shape of the package manufactured.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1(A), for example, the joining region 12 may be arranged in a ring along the outer circumference of the packaging material 10. By arranging the joining region 12 in a ring along the outer circumference of the packaging material 10, the entire outer circumference of the packaging material can be joined with other packaging materials, making it easy to manufacture a bag-shaped package. The packaging material 10 of this embodiment can also be used to manufacture various pouches such as three-side seal pouches, and packaging bodies such as pillow packaging. For the packaging materials used in these packaging bodies, the joining region 12 may be arranged in at least a portion along the outer circumference of the packaging material 10, or it may be arranged in a ring along the outer circumference. The joining region can then be joined so that the packaging body has a desired shape. For example, it may be joined along the outer edge other than the folded portion of the packaging material to produce various pouches, pillow packaging, etc.

[0024] Furthermore, in the packaging material 10 of this embodiment, the distribution of the microwave absorbing material 11 can also be selected. In the packaging material 10, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be distributed such that when microwaves are irradiated onto the packaging material, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region 12 is greater than the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the non-bonding region 13.

[0025] The microwave-absorbing material is distributed such that the amount of microwave absorption per unit area is greater in the bonded region 12 than in the non-bonded region 13. As a result, when the packaging material 10 is irradiated with microwaves, the bonded region 12 can be heated to a higher temperature than the non-bonded region 13. In other words, the bonded region 12 can be selectively heated.

[0026] The above microwave absorption per unit area refers to the microwave absorption per unit area at the bonding surface 10A.

[0027] Specifically, for example, in the packaging material 10 of this embodiment, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be distributed such that its concentration in the bonding region 12 is higher than its concentration in the non-bonding region 13.

[0028] By distributing the microwave-absorbing material 11 such that its concentration in the bonding region 12 is higher than its concentration in the non-bonding region 13, when the packaging material 10 is irradiated with microwaves, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region 12 can be made greater than that in the non-bonding region 13. Therefore, when the packaging material of this embodiment is irradiated with microwaves, the bonding region 12 can be heated to a higher temperature than the non-bonding region 13, and the bonding region 12 can be selectively heated.

[0029] When measuring the concentration of microwave-absorbing material in the bonded region 12 and the non-bonded region 13, for example, the packaging material 10 can be divided into a bonded region 12 and a non-bonded region 13. Then, after measuring the weight of the bonded region 12, the resin component can be removed by heat treatment or the like to separate only the microwave-absorbing material, determine the weight of the microwave-absorbing material, and calculate the concentration, which is the ratio of the weight of the microwave-absorbing material contained in the bonded region 12 to the total weight. The same procedure can be used to calculate the concentration in the non-bonded region 13, except that the measurement target is the non-bonded region 13.

[0030] The method for calculating the concentration of microwave-absorbing material in the bonded region 12 and the non-bonded region 13 is not limited to the procedure described above. For example, it may be calculated from the amount of microwave-absorbing material placed in each region during manufacturing.

[0031] For example, as shown in Figure 1(A), in the packaging material 10 of this embodiment, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be distributed only within the bonding region 12. In this case, the microwave absorbing material 11 does not need to be distributed within the non-bonding region 13.

[0032] Since the microwave-absorbing material 11 is distributed only within the bonding region 12, it is possible to selectively heat only the bonding region 12 and prevent the non-bonding region 13 from being heated.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1(B), for example, in the packaging material 10 of this embodiment, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be distributed not only in the bonding region 12 but also in a portion of the non-bonding region 13 near the bonding region 12. By distributing the microwave absorbing material 11 to the non-bonding region 13 near the bonding region 12, the bonding region 12 can be reliably heated to the desired temperature and bonded with other packaging materials. In this case, for example, by using a shielding member described later, the entire bonding region 12 can be reliably heated while reducing microwave absorption in the non-bonding region 13 and the heating associated with microwave absorption.

[0034] The distribution of the microwave-absorbing material in the packaging material 10 of this embodiment may be other than the configuration shown in Figures 1(A) and 1(B). For example, a small amount of microwave-absorbing material 11 may be included in the non-bonding region 13. In this case, when the packaging material 10 is irradiated with microwaves sufficient to raise the bonding region 12 to a temperature sufficient for bonding, the non-bonding region 13 may contain enough microwave-absorbing material 11 to keep the packaging material 10 at a temperature range where it does not melt. (2) Regarding the layers contained in the packaging material The following describes the layers that the packaging material of this embodiment can contain and the materials they are made of.

[0035] 2(A), 2(B) and 2(C) are cross-sectional views along the lamination direction of the layers of the packaging material.

[0036] The packaging material of the present embodiment, like the packaging material 200 shown in FIG. 2(A), may comprise a base material layer 21 and a sealant layer 22. That is, the packaging material 200 may have a structure in which the base material layer 21 and the sealant layer 22 are laminated. (2-1) Base material layer The base material layer 21 imparts rigidity to the packaging material and a package manufactured using the packaging material, and can have a barrier property that prevents permeation of gas and liquid.

[0037] The base material layer 21 may contain one or more resins selected from, for example, polyolefins and polyesters.

[0038] As the polyolefin, one or more types selected from, for example, polyethylene, ultra-low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, and the like can be used. As the polyester, for example, polyethylene terephthalate can be used.

[0039] The density ranges of ultra-low density polyethylene and the like in the present specification will be described. The density of ultra-low density polyethylene is 0.900 g / cm 3 or less. The density of low density polyethylene is 0.900 g / cm 3 or more and less than 0.925 g / cm 3 . The density of linear low density polyethylene is 0.900 g / cm 3 or more and less than 0.925 g / cm 3 . The density of medium density polyethylene is 0.925 g / cm 3 or more and less than 0.945 g / cm 3 . The density of high density polyethylene is 0.945 g / cm 3 or more, or 0.945 g / cm 3 or more and 0.980 g / cm 3 or less.

[0040] The resin used in the packaging material of this embodiment is not limited to petroleum-derived resins, and may be partially or entirely derived from bio-based resin materials. Taking polyethylene resin as an example, bio-based resin materials include, for example, biomass polyethylene produced using biomass-derived ethylene as a raw material. A method for producing biomass-derived polyethylene is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-511634. The polyethylene resin may also include commercially available biomass polyethylene (such as Green PE manufactured by Braschem). Resins other than polyethylene may also be biomass resins as described above.

[0041] The resin used in the packaging material of this embodiment may include mechanically recycled resin made from used resin products or so-called waste resin generated during the manufacturing process of resin products. Furthermore, the resin used in the packaging material of this embodiment may also include chemically recycled resin in place of, or in addition to, mechanically recycled resin.

[0042] The above explanation regarding the resin also applies to layers other than the base layer 21.

[0043] The base layer 21 may further contain additives such as antistatic agents, ultraviolet absorbers, plasticizers, lubricants, colorants, antiblocking agents, antioxidants, flame retardants, inorganic fillers, organic fillers, dyes, and pigments. Other layers described below may also contain the above additives other than resin. (2-2) Sealant layer The sealant layer 22 is a layer that can be melted by heat and welded to other components. In other words, the sealant layer 22 is a heat-sealable layer. For this reason, when packaging materials are laminated and subjected to a heating process as a laminate of packaging materials, the sealant layers may be arranged to face each other in the joining region of the packaging materials to be joined.

[0044] The sealant layer 22 may contain one or more resins selected from, for example, polyolefins, ethylene-acrylic copolymers, ethylene glycol-methacrylic acid copolymers, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and the like.

[0045] Examples of polyolefins include one or more selected from polyethylene, ultra-low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, polypropylene, ionomer polyethylene, and the like. (2-3) Adhesive layer For example, as shown in Figure 2(B), the packaging material 201 may also have an adhesive layer 23 between the base layer 21 and the sealant layer 22.

[0046] The adhesive layer 23 can bond together each layer of the packaging material.

[0047] Regarding the adhesive layer 23, a polyurethane-based adhesive can be used as the adhesive, from the viewpoint of providing a layer with excellent flexibility and bendability. The adhesive layer 23 may include an adhesive whose main component is one or more selected from, for example, polyether polyurethane resin, polyester polyurethane resin, and polyacrylate polyurethane resin.

[0048] The packaging material may be manufactured by a known lamination method, such as a dry lamination method, in which a sealant film and a base film are bonded together via an adhesive layer. The dry lamination method may be a non-solvent dry lamination method using a solvent-free adhesive. However, the packaging material may also be manufactured by a method in which the sealant film is directly extruded onto the base material and laminated.

[0049] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving recyclability, the resins in each layer of the packaging material may be polyolefin-based, and the adhesive layer 23 may also be a polyolefin-based adhesive resin. Examples of polyolefin-based adhesive resins include acid-modified polypropylene resins and acid-modified polyethylene resins.

[0050] Examples of acid-modified polypropylene resins include maleic anhydride graft-modified polypropylene resins. Maleic anhydride graft-modified polypropylene resins are resins in which polypropylene resins are graft-modified with maleic anhydride.

[0051] Examples of polypropylene resins include homopolypropylene, block polypropylene, random polypropylene, and propylene-α-olefin copolymers. Examples of α-olefins include ethylene and 1-butene.

[0052] Examples of acid-modified polyethylene resins include maleic anhydride graft-modified polyethylene resins. Maleic anhydride graft-modified polyethylene resins are resins in which polyethylene resins are graft-modified with maleic anhydride.

[0053] Polyethylene resins include high-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and linear low-density polyethylene obtained by copolymerizing ethylene and α-olefins. Examples of α-olefins include ethylene, 1-butene, and 1-hexane. (2-4) Gas barrier film For example, as shown in Figure 2(C), the packaging material 202 may also have a gas barrier film 24. The gas barrier film 24 can be bonded to the substrate layer 21 or the sealant layer 22 by an adhesive layer 23.

[0054] The gas barrier film 24 may have, for example, a barrier substrate layer 241 and a barrier layer 242.

[0055] The barrier substrate layer 241 may contain the materials described in the substrate layer 21.

[0056] The barrier layer 242 has the function of reducing the permeation of oxygen and water vapor, thereby improving the storage stability of the contents. The barrier layer 242 may contain, for example, an inorganic oxide, or one or more selected from aluminum oxide and silicon oxide.

[0057] The barrier layer 242 may be, for example, a vapor-deposited layer of an inorganic oxide. That is, the barrier layer 242 may be formed on the surface of the barrier substrate layer 241 by a vapor deposition method such as physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition.

[0058] Furthermore, the barrier layer 242 may contain a metal instead of, or in addition to, the inorganic oxide. As the metal, one or more types selected from aluminum, stainless steel, etc., can be used. The barrier layer 242 may also have a layer of inorganic oxide and a layer of metal.

[0059] The barrier layer 242 may include a barrier-type overcoat layer formed by coating methods such as roll coating, gravure roll coating, kiss coating, etc., or printing methods such as gravure printing, offset printing, transfer printing, etc. As the overcoat layer, a gas barrier coating film containing a resin composition of a metal alkoxide and a water-soluble polymer may be used. Alternatively, as the overcoat layer, a silane coupling agent may be added to a mixture of a metal alkoxide and a water-soluble polymer to form a gas barrier coating film containing these resin compositions. (2-5) Printing layer The packaging material may also have additional printing layers between the base layer 21 and the sealant layer 22, or on the surface of the base layer 21 opposite to the surface facing the sealant layer 22. The packaging material may also have multiple printing layers.

[0060] The printed layer includes images consisting of characters, patterns, symbols, and combinations thereof. The printed layer can be formed using printing methods such as gravure printing, offset printing, and flexographic printing.

[0061] The packaging material used in the packaging manufacturing method of this embodiment may also have any additional layers, such as a heat-resistant layer, a coating layer, or an anchor coating layer, in addition to the base layer, sealant layer, adhesive layer, gas barrier film, and printing layer described above.

[0062] Furthermore, the packaging material can be configured to have multiple layers of each layer, such as the sealant layer 22 and the adhesive layer 23, depending on the required properties. For example, it may have two or more layers of sealant layer 22, or multiple layers of each layer.

[0063] The packaging material of this embodiment may contain only polyolefin resin as the resin material. By containing only polyolefin resin as the resin material of the packaging material of this embodiment, it is possible to improve recyclability by eliminating the need to separate the resin during recycling.

[0064] Furthermore, when the packaging material contains only polyolefin resin as the resin material, the difference in softening and melting points between the layers of the packaging material is small, making bonding difficult with conventional bonding methods using resistance heating. In contrast, with the packaging material of this embodiment, selective heating can be performed by microwave heating, making bonding easy even when the difference in softening points between the layers of the packaging material is small. (2-6) Microwave Absorbing Materials The packaging material contains a microwave-absorbing material that absorbs microwaves and generates heat.

[0065] The microwave-absorbing material may be present in particulate form in any of the layers of the packaging material. In this case, the microwave-absorbing material may be present in only one layer of the packaging material, or in multiple layers. For example, the sealant layer 22, which is required to reach a particularly high temperature when irradiated with microwaves, or a layer adjacent to the sealant layer 22, may contain the microwave-absorbing material.

[0066] Furthermore, the microwave absorbing material may be arranged in the form of a film. Specifically, for example, a film of the microwave absorbing material may be placed on the surface of the substrate layer 21 facing the sealant layer 22, or on the surface of the sealant layer 22.

[0067] The microwave absorbing material can be selected according to the frequency of the microwaves used, the temperature at which the bonding area of ​​the packaging material is heated, etc., and is not particularly limited. As the microwave absorbing material, one or more types selected from, for example, zinc oxide, silicon carbide, titanium oxide, barium titanate, barium zirconate titanate, lead titanate, potassium niobate, hydrated aluminum silicate, inorganic materials having crystal water such as alkali metal hydrated aluminosilicates, and inorganic materials having crystal water such as alkaline earth metal hydrated aluminosilicates can be used.

[0068] The crystal structure of titanium dioxide is not particularly limited; for example, it may be anatase or rutile.

[0069] In this specification, alkali metals include one or more selected from lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr). Alkaline earth metals are used in a broad sense and include one or more selected from beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra).

[0070] An example of the arrangement of microwave-absorbing materials in a packaging material having the laminated structure shown in Figure 2(A) will be explained using Figures 3(A), 3(B), and 3(C). Figures 3(A), 3(B), and 3(C) correspond to cross-sectional views along line AA in Figure 1(A). Figures 3(A), 3(B), and 3(C) all use the example of a packaging material having a base layer 21 and a sealant layer 22 placed on the base layer 21, as shown in Figure 2(A), but other layers such as an adhesive layer 23 may also be included.

[0071] In the packaging material of this embodiment, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be placed within the sealant layer 22, for example, as shown in Figures 3(A), 3(B), and 3(C). That is, the sealant layer 22 may contain the microwave absorbing material 11.

[0072] The sealant layer 22 is a layer for bonding with other packaging materials. Therefore, by including the microwave-absorbing material 11 in the sealant layer 22, the sealant layer 22 can be efficiently heated when irradiated with microwaves, resulting in a particularly strong bond with other packaging materials.

[0073] For example, as shown in Figure 3(A) of the packaging material 300, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be placed on the surface 21A of the base layer 21 facing the sealant layer 22, or it may be placed within the sealant layer 22.

[0074] In Figure 3(A), an example is shown in which the microwave absorbing material 11 is embedded within the sealant layer 22 and distributed so as not to reach the joint surface 10A, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be distributed throughout the entire thickness of the sealant layer 22.

[0075] Furthermore, the microwave absorbing material 11 may also be partially distributed within the non-bonded region 13. For example, it may be arranged within the non-bonded region 13 such that the thickness of the region where the microwave absorbing material 11 is distributed is thinner than that of the bonded region 12.

[0076] The sealant layer 22 may have multiple layers. For example, as shown in Figure 3(B) for the packaging material 301, it may have two layers: a first sealant layer 221 and a second sealant layer 222. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 3(C) for the packaging material 302, the sealant layer 222 may have a first sealant layer 221, a second sealant layer 222, and a third sealant layer 223. The sealant layer 22 may be composed of four or more layers.

[0077] In this case, the first sealant layer 221 may be arranged to include the bonding surface 10A of the packaging material 10, and the microwave absorbing material 11 may be placed within the second sealant layer 222. That is, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be distributed in the other sealant layers 22, excluding the first sealant layer 221, which is the sealant layer including the bonding surface 10A, which is the outermost surface of the packaging material 10. The other sealant layers 22, excluding the first sealant layer 221, refer to, for example, the second sealant layer 222 or the third sealant layer 223.

[0078] By placing the microwave-absorbing material 11 inside the second sealant layer 222 or the third sealant layer 223 of the packaging material 10, the distance from the bonding surface 10A to the microwave-absorbing material 11 can be increased. Therefore, even when the packaging material 10 is irradiated with microwaves and the sealant layer 22 is heated, exposure of the microwave-absorbing material 11 to the surface of the packaging material 10 can be prevented. Furthermore, exposure of the microwave-absorbing material 11 can be prevented, for example, from coming into contact with the contents of the package.

[0079] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 3(D) for the packaging material 303, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be placed on the surface 22A of the sealant layer 22, i.e., the bonding surface 10A of the packaging material 10. By placing the microwave absorbing material 11 on the surface 22A of the sealant layer 22, when microwaves are irradiated, the microwave absorbing material 11 is heated, and the surface 22A of the sealant layer 22 can be directly heated. This allows for selective heating of the surface 22A of the sealant layer 22, reducing the impact of heating on other layers.

[0080] The microwave-absorbing material 11 may be placed in a layer other than the sealant layer 22.

[0081] The microwave-absorbing material 11 can be dispersed in a dispersion medium such as water-based ink or alcohol to form a slurry, which can then be printed to position it at a desired location.

[0082] Therefore, if the packaging material has a printed layer, the microwave-absorbing material 11 may be printed at the same time as the design is printed on the printed layer, and the microwave-absorbing material 11 may be placed within the printed layer. Alternatively, the microwave-absorbing material 11 may be placed in a substrate layer 21 other than the printed layer, in an adhesive layer, or between layers.

[0083] However, the microwave-absorbing material 11 generates heat by absorbing microwaves when irradiated with microwaves, causing a portion of the sealant layer 22 located at the bonding surface 10A to melt or otherwise dissolve. For this reason, it is preferable that the microwave-absorbing material 11 be located within the sealant layer 22 or positioned such that the distance to the sealant layer 22 is short. [Packaging] As shown in Figure 4, the packaging 41 of this embodiment may have multiple packaging materials 101 and 102 according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The packaging materials 101 and 102 are joined at the joining region 12. The packaging materials 101 and 102 are not joined at the non-joining region 13, and can form a bag-shaped packaging capable of containing contents 42. The packaging materials 101 and 102 may be formed by folding a single packaging material along a fold line and overlapping them. That is, the packaging materials 101 and 102 may be contained within a single continuous packaging material. Alternatively, the packaging materials 101 and 102 may be separate and distinct packaging materials.

[0084] The packaging is not limited to the example shown in Figure 4, and may include three or more packaging materials.

[0085] The contents 42 can be placed inside the packaging 41 to form a packaged product 40. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the packaged product 40 along a plane passing through its center.

[0086] By joining multiple pieces of packaging material according to one aspect of this disclosure at a joining region, a packaging body can be formed, such as a sachet, gusset, various pouches such as three-sided pouches, four-sided pouches, standing pouches, and retort pouches, tubes such as laminated tubes, and pillow packaging. The packaging body of this embodiment may further have a spout or a zipper.

[0087] The shape of the packaging in this embodiment is not limited to the form shown in Figure 4, and can have any shape depending on the application. The contents to be filled into the packaging can include food, liquids, pharmaceuticals, electronic components, and the like. [Manufacturing method for packaging] The method for manufacturing the packaging of this embodiment will now be described. Note that, as the packaging material, a packaging material according to one aspect of this disclosure may also be used; therefore, matters already described will be omitted from further explanation.

[0088] The packaging manufacturing method of this embodiment may include a heating step of irradiating a laminate of packaging materials, which is formed by stacking multiple sheets of packaging material, with microwaves to heat the bonding areas of the packaging materials.

[0089] The manufacturing method of the packaging according to this embodiment will be described step by step below. (1)Heating process In the heating process, microwaves can be irradiated onto a laminate of packaging materials, which consists of multiple layers of packaging material. The microwave irradiation conditions in the heating process are not particularly limited, and microwave irradiation can be performed to achieve a desired temperature profile depending on the material of the laminate of packaging materials used.

[0090] When manufacturing a package, the joining regions of the packaging material can be selectively heated to soften or melt a portion of the packaging material, thereby joining the materials together. When manufacturing a package, it is preferable not to heat the non-joining regions, which are areas where the packaging materials are not joined.

[0091] The packaging material used in the packaging manufacturing method of this embodiment contains a microwave-absorbing material. Therefore, by irradiating a laminate of packaging materials with microwaves, the packaging materials and the laminate of packaging materials can be heated.

[0092] In the packaging material 10 used in the packaging manufacturing method of this embodiment, the distribution of the microwave absorbing material 11 can also be selected. In the packaging material 10, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be distributed such that when the packaging material is irradiated with microwaves, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region 12 is greater than the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the non-bonding region 13.

[0093] Therefore, by irradiating a laminate of packaging materials containing packaging materials with microwaves, the bonding region can be selectively heated, and the temperature of the bonding region can be raised to the temperature necessary for bonding the packaging materials together.

[0094] In the packaging material 10, the microwave absorbing material 11 may be distributed such that its concentration in the bonding region 12 is higher than its concentration in the non-bonding region 13.

[0095] The heating process may be carried out with a shielding member 61 that can reduce microwave transmission positioned to cover at least a portion of the non-bonded region 13 of the packaging material laminate 100, as shown in Figure 8.

[0096] Figure 8 shows the packaging material laminate 100 and the shielding member 61 after the shielding member 61 has been placed on the laminate. The view is along the lamination direction between the laminate 100 and the shielding member 61.

[0097] By placing the shielding member 61 in at least a portion of the non-jointed region 13, the amount of microwaves irradiated onto the non-jointed region 13 can be reduced, thereby particularly preventing the non-jointed region 13 from being heated. Furthermore, because the area irradiated with microwaves can be precisely controlled, the accuracy of the position and shape of the boundary line between the joined and unjointed parts of the packaging material in the package obtained after the heating process can be improved.

[0098] The shielding member can reduce microwave transmission by, for example, reflecting microwaves. Reducing microwave transmission means that the amount of microwaves irradiated onto the surface of the packaging material laminate 100 is reduced compared to when the shielding member 61 is not installed.

[0099] Figure 8 shows an example in which two packaging materials, packaging material 101 and packaging material 102, are laminated together as a packaging material laminate 100, but the invention is not limited to this form. The packaging material laminate subjected to the heating process may, for example, contain three or more packaging materials according to the shape of the package being manufactured.

[0100] The shielding member 61 can be placed on the surface of the packaging material laminate 100 that is irradiated with microwaves. The shielding member 61 may be placed in direct contact with the packaging material laminate 100. Alternatively, the shielding member 61 may be placed away from the packaging material laminate 100 so that a gap is created between the shielding member 61 and the packaging material laminate 100. However, it is preferable to select a distance between the shielding member 61 and the packaging material laminate 100 that creates a gap so that the irradiated microwaves do not penetrate into the gap between the shielding member 61 and the packaging material laminate 100. The distance between the shielding member 61 and the packaging material laminate 100 may be constant or may vary depending on the location.

[0101] The shielding member 61 may cover the entire non-jointed region 13, or it may cover only a part of the non-jointed region 13. For example, when microwaves are irradiated, parts of the non-jointed region 13 that can be controlled to a temperature such that they do not join the packaging material 101 and the packaging material 102, even if they are not covered by the shielding member 61, do not need to be covered by the shielding member 61. In addition, the shielding member 61 may be provided with through holes of a size that does not allow microwaves to pass through, and the non-jointed region 13 does not need to be covered in the areas where such through holes are provided.

[0102] The heating step in the packaging manufacturing method of this embodiment can also be performed to join the remaining joined area after filling the contents into the packaging material laminate 100, which is partially joined. For this reason, the shielding member 61 may have a recess on the surface facing the packaging material laminate 100 that corresponds to the bulge caused by the contents filled inside the packaging material laminate 100. (1-1) Regarding shielding members (Regarding thickness) The thickness of the shielding member 61 can be selected according to the material of the shielding member 61, the microwave frequency, the shape of the packaging material laminate 100, etc. For this reason, the shielding member 61 may be as thin as a film, only a few millimeters thick, or it may be a plate material, i.e., a plate-like body, with a thickness of several centimeters.

[0103] Within the shielding member 61, the thickness of the shielding member 61 does not need to be constant; it may vary in location to control the amount of microwave transmission, etc. (Regarding shape) The shielding member 61 is provided to reduce the amount of microwave irradiation to the non-jointed region 13 and to irradiate the jointed region 12 with microwaves. For this reason, the shielding member 61 can have a shape that matches the jointed region 12 and the non-jointed region 13.

[0104] Figure 8 shows an example in which a bonding region 12 is provided along sides 100A, 100B, and 100C of a packaging material laminate 100, which is formed by stacking two packaging materials 101 and 102. Therefore, in Figure 8, the bonding region 12 along sides 100A, 100B, and 100C is exposed, while the shielding member 61 is rectangular so that the other non-bonding region 13 can be covered.

[0105] For example, the packaging manufacturing method of this embodiment can also be used when joining the packaging material laminate 100 along the edge 100D after the contents have been placed inside the packaging. In this case, the shape of the shielding member 61 can be selected so that a joining area can be set along the edge 11D.

[0106] The width of the joining area 12 is not particularly limited and can be selected according to the required strength of the packaging and the materials of the packaging materials 101 and 102. Furthermore, the width of the joining area 12 can be selected according to the specifications of the packaging being manufactured; it may be constant or vary depending on the location.

[0107] The shielding member 61 can be made of, for example, a metal plate. If the shielding member 61 is made of a metal plate, the corners 610 of the plate may be chamfered, as shown in Figure 8.

[0108] When metal materials are irradiated with microwaves, electrons may concentrate at sharp edges and other pointed parts, causing sparks. On the other hand, by chamfering the edges and reducing the number of sharp parts, sparks can be prevented.

[0109] The shielding member 61 may be shaped to cover a portion of the joining area 12. In this case, the shielding member 61 may be positioned to cover a portion of the joining area 12 during the heating process.

[0110] If the shielding member 61 covers a portion of the joining region 12, the portion of the shielding member 61 that covers the joining region 12 may be made transparent to microwaves.

[0111] Specifically, for example, the portion of the shielding member 61 that covers the joint area 12 may be provided with multiple through-holes that transmit microwaves.

[0112] Furthermore, the material of the part of the shielding member 61 that covers the joint area 12 may be a material with high microwave transmittance, such as resin or glass.

[0113] By positioning the shielding member 61 to cover a portion of the joining area 12, it becomes possible to press the packaging material laminate 100 with the shielding member 61. Therefore, when heated in the heating process, the packaging material 101 and the packaging material 102 contained in the packaging material laminate 100 can be brought closer together in the joining area 12, and pressure can be applied simultaneously, resulting in a particularly strong bond after the heating process.

[0114] When through-holes are provided in the portion of the shielding member 61 that covers the joint area 12, the size of the through-holes, such as the inner diameter, is not particularly limited and can be selected according to the thickness of the shielding member 61 and the microwave frequency to allow microwaves to pass through. By selecting the inner diameter of the through-holes and the density in which the through-holes are arranged, the degree to which microwaves pass through the shielding member 61 can be selected, and the degree to which the joint area 12 is heated can also be selected.

[0115] Through-holes may also be provided in the portion of the shielding member 61 that covers the non-jointed region 13. However, it is preferable to select the size and density of the through-holes provided in the non-jointed region 13 so that microwaves do not pass through or their transmission is reduced. By providing through-holes in the non-jointed region 13, the weight of the shielding member 61 can be reduced, improving workability during packaging manufacturing.

[0116] If the shielding member 61 covers at least a portion of the joint area 12, and the material of the part covering the joint area 12 and the part covering the non-joint area 13 are different, the part covering the joint area 12 may be separable from the part covering the non-joint area 13. Alternatively, the part covering the joint area 12 may be made of a separate material from the shielding member 61, and the material of the part covering the joint area 12 and the shielding member 61 may be able to move or otherwise operate independently.

[0117] The shielding member 61 can also have its surface properties selected to enhance its microwave reflection characteristics. For example, it can be mirror-polished. Alternatively, a coating layer can be applied to its surface. The coating layer may be applied to all surfaces of the shielding member 61, or only to some surfaces. Depending on the function of the coating layer, the surfaces of the shielding member 61 to which the coating layer is applied can be selected. (Regarding the materials for the shielding members) The shielding member 61 is installed on the surface of the packaging material laminate 100, and it is sufficient if it reduces the microwaves irradiated onto the surface of the packaging material laminate 100. Therefore, the material of the shielding member 61 can be any material that can reduce the transmission of microwaves. The shielding member 61 may absorb microwaves or reflect microwaves. In particular, it is preferable that the shielding member 61 can reflect microwaves. This is because by reflecting microwaves, the shielding member 61 can reduce the heating of the non-jointed area 13 of the packaging material laminate 100 due to the shielding member 61 absorbing microwaves and being heated, and it is particularly effective in preventing partial melting or welding. For this reason, as already explained, the shielding member 61 may be a metal plate. Metal materials have excellent microwave reflection properties, so by making the shielding member 61 a metal plate, the transmission of microwaves can be particularly reduced. In addition, by making the shielding member 61 a metal plate, it is possible to make a highly durable member that can prevent damage even with repeated use.

[0118] The shielding member 61 may include one or more materials selected from, for example, iron, stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, copper alloy, etc.

[0119] The shielding member may also have a coating layer on its surface. The coating layer may include one or more materials selected from, for example, resin, ceramic, carbon, and metal.

[0120] As the resin, one or more types selected from fluororesins such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and fluoroethylene propylene (FEP), as well as silicone rubber, silicone resin, polyimide, and polysulfone, can be used.

[0121] As for the ceramic, one or more types selected from aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon oxide, etc., can be used.

[0122] As for the carbon (carbon material), one or more types selected from carbon nanotubes, graphite, diamond-like carbon, etc., can be used.

[0123] The coating layer may contain multiple types of materials, such as a composite of polyimide, polysulfone, and ceramic particles.

[0124] By having a coating layer on its surface, the shielding member 61 can be made more durable and given new functions such as heat resistance and chemical resistance.

[0125] For example, the coating layer can be made to contain fluororesin or ceramic to enhance heat resistance and chemical resistance. The coating layer can also be made to contain silicone rubber or silicone resin to enhance durability and heat resistance, and reduce friction with the packaging material laminate 100.

[0126] The coating layer may be arranged to cover the entire surface of the shielding member 61, or it may be arranged only on a part of the surface of the shielding member 61, such as the surface of the shielding member 61 that is irradiated with microwaves. Depending on the material and function of the coating layer 61, the portion of the shielding member 61 on which the coating layer is placed can be selected. (1-2) Regarding support members As shown in Figures 6 and 7, during the heating process, the support member 62 may be placed on the side of the packaging material laminate 100 opposite to the side on which the shielding member 61 is placed. The packaging material laminate 100 can also be sandwiched between the shielding member 61 and the support member 62.

[0127] The support member 62 can be any member capable of supporting the packaging material laminate 100 or the shielding member 61, and its material is not particularly limited. For example, the support member 62 may have the same configuration as the shielding member 61 already described. In this case, the support member 62 may cover at least a portion of the non-joined region 13 of the packaging material laminate 100.

[0128] Since the support member 62 has the same configuration as the shielding member 61, it is possible to prevent microwaves reflected from the surface of a microwave irradiation chamber or the like from being irradiated from the opposite side of the packaging material laminate 100 from the side on which the shielding member 61 is placed. In particular, by having the support member 62 cover at least a portion of the non-jointed region 13, the amount of microwaves irradiated onto the non-jointed region 13 from the side on which the support member 62 is placed can be particularly reduced.

[0129] The shape and size of the support member 62 are not particularly limited and can be selected to support the packaging material laminate 100. The shape and size of the support member 62 may be selected to cover, for example, at least a portion of the non-joined area 13, or to cover, for example, the entire surface of the packaging material laminate 100 opposite to the surface on which the shielding member 61 is placed.

[0130] By performing the above heating process, the bonding region of the packaging material laminate 100 is heated, and the packaging material 101 and packaging material 102 contained in the packaging material laminate 100 can be bonded together.

[0131] During the heating process, while the packaging material laminate 100 is irradiated with microwaves, non-jointed areas 13 and the like of the packaging material laminate 100 other than the jointed areas 12 may be cooled as needed. The method of cooling the non-jointed areas 13 and the like is not particularly limited; the non-jointed areas 13 may be cooled by bringing a pipe circulating cooling water into contact with them, or by blowing cold air onto the non-jointed areas 13.

[0132] When manufacturing packaging, the heating process can be carried out in multiple stages. Specifically, for example, the heating process may be carried out to join only a portion of the joining area of ​​the packaging, then the contents may be filled into the packaging, and then the heating process may be carried out again to join the remaining joining area. In other words, the heating process can be carried out multiple times in the method of manufacturing packaging. (2) Other processes The packaging manufacturing method of this embodiment may also include any other steps besides the heating step, such as a pressurizing step or a placement step. (2-1) Pressurization process The packaging manufacturing method of this embodiment may further include a pressurizing step of pressurizing the packaging material laminate with respect to the joining region.

[0133] By performing a pressurizing process, the packaging material 101 and the packaging material 102 contained in the packaging material laminate 100 can be brought into close contact at the joining region 12 and firmly joined.

[0134] The timing of the pressurization process is not particularly limited; the timing and duration can be selected to ensure sufficient bonding strength in the bonded area. The pressurization process may be performed so as to overlap with the heating process in some way, or it may be performed after the heating process. For example, the pressurization process may be started before the heating process begins, continued during the heating process, and ended after the heating process is completed.

[0135] In the pressurizing process, the packaging material laminate 100 can be pressurized along the lamination direction of the packaging materials contained within it. In the pressurizing process, the packaging material laminate 100 may also be pressurized, including the non-joined areas. The method of pressurizing the packaging material laminate 100 in the pressurizing process is not particularly limited; for example, it may be pressurized by passing the packaging material laminate between rollers. In addition, in the pressurizing process, the packaging material laminate 100 may be pressurized by a shielding member 61, or it may be pressurized while heating the packaging material laminate 100 with a heat sealing bar. In the pressurizing process, the packaging material laminate 100 may be pressurized by multiple means; for example, the means of pressurizing may be changed midway through the pressurizing process.

[0136] If a pressurizing step is performed after a heating step, the packaging material laminate 100 may be heated again during the pressurizing step. In this case, since the pressurizing step is performed immediately after heating in the heating step, there is no need to heat to an excessively high temperature, so for example, the pressurizing step may be performed by resistance heating. (2-2) Placement process In the placement step, the shielding member 61 can be placed on the packaging material laminate 100 so as to cover at least a portion of the non-bonded area 13. The placement step can be performed before the heating step.

[0137] The specific method of the placement process is not particularly limited, but for example, the shielding member 61 may be supplied along the transport path in which the packaging material laminate 100 is being transported, and placed so as to cover the non-joined area 13 of the packaging material laminate 100.

[0138] Alternatively, the shielding member 61 can be fixed in advance inside a chamber or the like that irradiates microwaves along the transport path of the packaging material laminate 100. The shielding member 61 may then be positioned on the packaging material laminate 100 when the packaging material laminate 100 passes below the shielding member 61 or when the transport of the packaging material laminate 100 is stopped below the shielding member 61, when viewed along the direction of microwave irradiation. In this case, when the packaging material laminate 100 reaches a predetermined position relative to the shielding member 61, the transport of the packaging material laminate 100 may be temporarily stopped and the heating process may be performed by irradiating it with microwaves.

[0139] During the arrangement process, the distance between the shielding member 61 and the packaging material laminate 100 may be varied.

[0140] During the placement process, the support member 62 may also be placed on the packaging material laminate 100. [Equipment for manufacturing packaging] An example of the configuration of the packaging manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7. Since Figures 6 and 7 are modified examples of the packaging manufacturing apparatus, the explanation will mainly use Figure 5, and use Figures 6 and 7 as needed. The packaging manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment can be used to carry out a packaging manufacturing method according to one aspect of this disclosure. For this reason, some explanations of matters already described will be omitted.

[0141] As shown in Figure 5, the packaging manufacturing apparatus 50 of this embodiment may have a heating device 500 that includes an oscillator 53 that emits microwaves.

[0142] The following describes each device. (1)Heating device The heating device 500 can heat the bonding area of ​​the packaging material 101 and packaging material 102 by irradiating the packaging material laminate 100, which is made up of multiple layers of packaging material, packaging material 101 and packaging material 102, with microwaves.

[0143] The heating device 500 may include a chamber 51, an oscillator 53 that emits microwaves, and a waveguide 52 that transmits the microwaves emitted by the oscillator 53 to the chamber 51.

[0144] The chamber 51 may have an opening 510 for loading and unloading the packaging material laminate 100. The size of the opening 510 is preferably selected to prevent microwaves transmitted into the chamber 51 from leaking to the outside.

[0145] The shape and material of the chamber 51 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, if the end of the waveguide 52 and the packaging material laminate 100 are in close proximity to prevent microwave leakage to the outside, the heating device 500 does not need to have a chamber 51.

[0146] Therefore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, for example, the packaging manufacturing apparatus 60 and packaging manufacturing apparatus 70, the heating device 600 does not need to have a chamber 51. In this case, the heating device 600 can have an oscillator 53 and a waveguide 52.

[0147] Furthermore, a chamber or the like may be provided to cover the entire packaging manufacturing apparatus. In this case, the chamber or the like may have an opening for loading and unloading the packaging material laminate 100, and the heating device 600 may have an oscillator 53 and a waveguide 52, and may also be equipped with a known horn antenna.

[0148] The waveguide 52 only needs to be able to transmit microwaves, and can be made of materials such as metal. If the waveguide 52 is a metal tube, a ceramic window that can transmit microwaves may be provided at the end of the waveguide 52 as needed to prevent foreign matter from entering the waveguide. A coaxial cable or other electrical wire may be used for part or all of the waveguide 52.

[0149] The oscillator 53 can be selected according to the microwave frequency used, but for example, one or more types selected from gyrotrons, magnetrons, klystrons, traveling wave tubes, etc. may be used. The oscillator 53 may be equipped with a control device (not shown) to control the microwave frequency and output. (2) Shielding member installation device The packaging manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment may also include a shielding member installation device. The shielding member installation device can install a shielding member 61 that reduces microwave transmission so as to cover at least a portion of the non-jointed area 13 other than the jointed area 12 of the packaging material laminate 100.

[0150] The shielding member installation device only needs to be able to install the shielding member 61 so as to cover at least a portion of the non-jointed areas of the packaging material laminate 100 other than the jointed areas when microwaves are irradiated, and its configuration is not particularly limited.

[0151] The shielding member installation device can, for example, install the shielding member 61 on the packaging material laminate 100 upstream of the chamber 51, which is the area irradiated with microwaves, or within the chamber 51, in the transport direction of the packaging material laminate 100. The shielding member installation device may also recover the shielding member 61 downstream of the chamber 51, which is the area irradiated with microwaves, in the transport direction of the packaging material laminate 100, and reuse it.

[0152] The shielding member installation device may simply involve placing the shielding member 61 on the packaging material laminate 100, or it may involve sandwiching the packaging material laminate 100 between the support member 62 and the shielding member 61, thereby installing the shielding member 61 on the packaging material laminate 100.

[0153] Furthermore, the shielding member installation device may have a shielding member 61 fixed in the area to be irradiated with microwaves. By fixing the shielding member 61 within the area to be irradiated with microwaves, the shielding member 61 can be installed so as the packaging material laminate 100 passes below the shielding member 61, it covers at least a portion of the non-bonded area.

[0154] Furthermore, as shown in the packaging manufacturing apparatus 60 in Figure 6, the shielding member installation device 65 may be configured to allow the shielding member 61 to move along the double-headed arrow B in the area irradiated with microwaves. By moving the shielding member 61 along the double-headed arrow B, the distance between the shielding member 61 and the packaging material laminate 100 can be increased while the packaging material laminate 100 is being transported, preventing the shielding member 61 from coming into contact with the packaging material laminate 100 and causing damage. After a predetermined area of ​​the packaging material laminate 100 reaches the area irradiated with microwaves and the transport of the packaging material laminate 100 is stopped, the shielding member installation device 65 can move the shielding member 61 to shorten the distance between the shielding member 61 and the packaging material laminate 100. This allows a portion of the packaging material laminate 100 to be covered by the shielding member 61, reducing the amount of microwaves irradiated onto the surface of the packaging material laminate 100. After irradiating with microwaves and heating, the shielding member installation device 65 may move the shielding member 61 to increase the distance between the shielding member 61 and the packaging material laminate 100.

[0155] As shown in Figure 6, the packaging manufacturing apparatus 60 may be configured such that a support member 62 is placed on the side of the packaging material laminate 100 opposite to the side on which the shielding member 61 is placed, and the shielding member installation device 65 moves the support member 62 together with the shielding member 61. The shielding member installation device 65 can move the support member 62 along the double arrow C, for example.

[0156] As shown in Figure 6, while the packaging material laminate 100 is being transported, the shielding member installation device 65 may increase the distance between the shielding member 61 and the support member 62 and the packaging material laminate 100. This prevents the shielding member 61 and the support member 62 from coming into contact with the packaging material laminate 100 and being damaged. After a predetermined area of ​​the packaging material laminate 100 reaches the area irradiated with microwaves and the transport of the packaging material laminate 100 is stopped, the shielding member installation device 65 can move the shielding member 61 and the support member 62. In this case, the distance between the shielding member 61 and the support member 62 may be shortened to sandwich the packaging material laminate 100. This covers a portion of the upper and lower surfaces of the packaging material laminate 100 with the shielding member 61 and the support member 62, reducing the amount of microwaves irradiated to the non-jointed areas of the packaging material laminate 100. After irradiating with microwaves and heating, the shielding member installation device 65 may move the shielding member 61 and the support member 62 to increase the distance between the shielding member 61 and the support member 62 and the packaging material laminate 100.

[0157] If the packaging manufacturing apparatus 60 has a support member 62, the support member 62 may be driven by a device other than the shielding member installation device 65.

[0158] The configuration of the shielding member installation device 65 is not particularly limited, but it may include, for example, a motor or cylinder or other drive device for linearly moving the shielding member 61 and the support member 62. The shielding member installation device 65 may also have guides as needed.

[0159] Since the shielding member 61 and the support member 62 have already been explained, their explanation will be omitted here.

[0160] The heating device may, if necessary, include a cooling device for cooling non-jointed areas other than the jointed area in the microwave irradiation area, such as inside the chamber 51. The cooling device may consist of piping that circulates cooling water in contact with the non-jointed area 13, etc., or it may be designed to blow cold air. It may also be designed to cool the temperature inside the chamber 51 and the microwave irradiation area. (3) Pressurizing device The packaging manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment may further include a pressurizing device 54 for pressurizing the packaging material laminate 100 in the joining region.

[0161] By applying pressure to the joining area with the pressurizing device 54, the packaging material 101 and the packaging material 102 contained in the packaging material laminate 100 can be brought into close contact at the joining area and firmly joined.

[0162] The pressurizing device 54 may, for example, be configured to pressurize the packaging material laminate 100 by passing it between rollers, as shown in Figure 5. The pressurizing device 54 may also have a heating device to heat the packaging material laminate 100 as needed.

[0163] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, for example, a heat seal bar can be used as the pressurizing device 64. A heat seal bar, also known as a heat sealer, is a device that can pressurize and heat the joining region of the packaging material laminate 100 using upper and lower seal bars. By using a heat seal bar, it is possible to easily pressurize along the joining region of the packaging material laminate 100 and heat it at the same time.

[0164] Furthermore, as shown in the packaging manufacturing apparatus 70 in Figure 7, the pressurizing device 74 may be installed within the area irradiated with microwaves. In this case, the pressurizing device 74 may have a pair of plate-like bodies 741 and a drive device 742 that changes the distance between the pair of plate-like bodies 741. When pressurizing is performed by the pressurizing device 74, the drive device 742 shortens the distance between the pair of plate-like bodies 741, allowing the laminated packaging material 100 to be sandwiched and pressurized. After pressurizing is complete, the pressurizing device 74 uses the drive device 742 to increase the distance between the pair of plate-like bodies 741, making it possible to transport the laminated packaging material 100.

[0165] The configuration of the drive unit 742 is not particularly limited, but it may include, for example, a motor or cylinder for linearly moving a pair of plate-shaped bodies 741. The drive unit 742 may also include guides as needed.

[0166] The pair of plate-like bodies 741 can be formed from, for example, a material that can transmit microwaves, such as resin or glass. Alternatively, the pair of plate-like bodies 741 may be formed from metal and have through holes that can transmit microwaves.

[0167] Therefore, by applying microwave irradiation while the packaging material laminate 100 is pressurized by a pair of plate-like bodies 741, pressurization and heating can be performed simultaneously on the bonding region of the packaging material laminate 100.

[0168] In the packaging manufacturing apparatus 70 shown in Figure 7, the pair of plate-shaped bodies 741 in the pressurizing device 74 may be integrated with a shielding member 61 and a support member 62, and pressurization may be performed by the shielding member 61 and the support member 62. In Figure 7, due to paper width limitations, an example of a single pressurizing device 74 is shown, but multiple pressurizing devices 74 may be installed depending on the size of the joining area, etc. Furthermore, the packaging manufacturing apparatus 70 shown in Figure 7 may also have additional pressurizing devices 54 and 64, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, outside the area irradiated with microwaves, and pressurization may be performed in multiple stages.

[0169] Examples of embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows: <1> Packaging material, It contains microwave-absorbing material, When the area that is joined to other packaging materials is designated as the joining area, and the area other than the joining area is designated as the non-joining area, The microwave-absorbing material is distributed such that, when microwaves are irradiated onto the packaging material, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region is greater than the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the non-bonding region. <2> The microwave-absorbing material is distributed such that its concentration in the bonding region is higher than its concentration in the non-bonding region. <1> The packaging materials listed. <3> A base layer and a sealant layer are laminated together. The sealant layer contains the microwave absorbing material, <1> or <2> The packaging materials listed. <4> The joining region is located in at least a portion of the outer circumference, <1> ~ <3> Packaging materials as described in any of the following. <5> It contains only polyolefin resins as the resin material. <1> ~ <4> Packaging materials as described in any of the following. <6> The microwave absorbing material is distributed only within the bonding region. <1> ~ <5> Packaging materials as described in any of the following. <7> <1> ~ <6> It contains multiple pieces of packaging material as described in any of the following: A package in which the aforementioned packaging material is joined at the aforementioned joining region. <8> The process includes a heating step in which microwaves are irradiated onto a laminate of packaging materials, which is formed by stacking multiple sheets of packaging material, to heat the bonding areas of the packaging materials. The aforementioned packaging material contains a microwave-absorbing material. When the areas of the packaging material other than the bonded areas are designated as non-bonded areas, A method for manufacturing a package, wherein the microwave-absorbing material is distributed such that, when microwaves are irradiated onto the packaging material, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region is greater than the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the non-bonding region. <9> The heating step is carried out with a shielding member installed to reduce microwave transmission so as to cover at least a portion of the non-bonded region of the packaging material laminate. <8> A method for manufacturing the packaging described above. <10> The shielding member is a metal plate. <9> A method for manufacturing the packaging described above. <11> The bonding region further comprises a pressing step of pressing the packaging material laminate, <8> ~ <10> A method for manufacturing a package as described in any of the following. [Explanation of symbols]

[0170] 10 Packaging materials 10A joint surface 100 Packaging material laminate 100 Packaging material laminate 100A side 100B side 100C side 100D side 101 Packaging materials 102 Packaging materials 11 Microwave Absorbing Materials 12 Joint area 13 Non-bonded area 200 Packaging materials 201 Packaging materials 202 Packaging materials 21 Base material layer 21A Surface facing the sealant layer 22. Sealant layer 22A surface 221 First sealant layer 222 Second sealant layer 223 Third sealant layer 23 Adhesive layer 24 Gas Barrier Film 241 Barrier substrate layer 242 Barrier layer 300 Packaging materials 301 Packaging materials 302 Packaging materials 303 Packaging materials 40 Packaging products 41 Packaging 42 Contents 50 Packaging manufacturing equipment 500 Heating device 51 Chamber (heating device) 510 Opening 52 Waveguide (heating device) 53 Oscillator (heating device) 54 Pressurizing device 60 Packaging manufacturing equipment 61 Shielding member 610 corner 62 Support member 600 Heating device 64 Pressurizing device 65 Shielding Member Installation Device 70 Packaging manufacturing equipment 74 Pressurizing device 741 Plate-like body 742 Drive unit B Double arrow C Double arrow

Claims

1. Packaging material, It contains microwave-absorbing material, When the area that is joined to other packaging materials is designated as the joining area, and the area other than the joining area is designated as the non-joining area, The microwave-absorbing material is distributed such that, when microwaves are irradiated onto the packaging material, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region is greater than the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the non-bonding region.

2. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the microwave absorbing material is distributed such that its concentration in the bonding region is higher than its concentration in the non-bonding region.

3. A base layer and a sealant layer are laminated together. The packaging material according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sealant layer contains the microwave absorbing material.

4. The packaging material according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bonding region is located in at least a portion of the outer circumference.

5. The packaging material according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the resin material contains only a polyolefin resin.

6. The packaging material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the microwave absorbing material is distributed only within the bonding region.

7. A plurality of sheets of the packaging material according to claim 1 or claim 2, A package in which the aforementioned packaging material is joined at the aforementioned joining region.

8. The process includes a heating step in which microwaves are irradiated onto a laminate of packaging materials, which is formed by stacking multiple sheets of packaging material, to heat the bonding areas of the packaging materials. The aforementioned packaging material contains a microwave-absorbing material. When the areas of the packaging material other than the bonded areas are designated as non-bonded areas, A method for manufacturing a package, wherein the microwave-absorbing material is distributed such that, when microwaves are irradiated onto the packaging material, the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the bonding region is greater than the amount of microwave absorption per unit area in the non-bonding region.

9. The method for manufacturing a package according to claim 8, wherein the heating step is carried out with a shielding member that reduces the transmission of microwaves installed so as to cover at least a portion of the non-bonded region of the laminated packaging material.

10. The method for manufacturing a package according to claim 9, wherein the shielding member is a metal plate.

11. A method for manufacturing a package according to any one of claims 8 to 10, further comprising a pressurizing step of pressurizing the laminate of the packaging material with respect to the bonding region.

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