Bag dispensing and packaging system

Abstract

The present invention provides a bag feeding and packaging system that can quickly transfer bags sequentially from a bag forming machine to a gripping device. [Solution] A bag W with an open top is formed by applying a lateral seal to overlapping strip-shaped films F using a bag forming means 31 and cutting them, and the bag W is transported by bag transport means 35, 36 supporting a predetermined position P in the vertical direction of the bag W. The linear transport device 10 transports the bag W by having a pair of sliders 2a, 2b, one of a plurality of sliders 2a, 2b that can travel independently along the circuit 12, travel along the circuit 12 while gripping the bag W with gripping devices 4a, 4b attached to each slider 2a, 2b at positions spaced apart to the side of the circuit 12. The gripping devices 4a, 4b move along the transport direction of the bag W in a second bag transport path 17 which is connected in series with the first bag transport path 38 through which the bag transport means 36 transports the bag W, and grip a position different from the predetermined position P of the bag W supported by the bag transport means 36.

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bag feeding and packaging system that transfers bags by moving a slider in a linear motor. [[Background Art]]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a bag feeding and packaging system in which bags formed by a bag forming device are supplied to a bag feeding and packaging machine arranged nearby, gripped from both sides of the bag by a pair of gripping tools, filled with contents through the opening at the upper part of the bag, and then sealed by applying a seal to the upper part of the bag. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a bag making and packaging device. This bag making and packaging device folds and feeds a strip-shaped film pulled out from a raw roll such that both end edges of the film in the width direction of the film overlap at the upper side, and includes a bag making device that sandwiches the overlapping film with a pair of sealers at predetermined intervals in the film feeding direction to seal the film, and cuts the sealed parts to form bags. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses that the side of the formed bag is suction-held by a suction means, and the bag is delivered to a pair of gripping tools provided in the packaging device.

[0003] In the bag making and packaging device of Patent Document 1, the bag making device is arranged near the packaging device, and the formed bags are directly supplied to the packaging device. This eliminates the trouble of managing the number of bags, such as checking the remaining number of bags or additionally arranging bags. Therefore, it is only necessary to form as many bags as the number of packages, which improves the efficiency of the work process. [[Prior Art Literature]] [[Patent Literature]]

[0004] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-49046 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0005] However, the bag-making and packaging apparatus described in Patent Document 1 holds the bags formed by the bag-making apparatus by suction and changes the direction of transport of the bags during transport to the gripping device of the packaging apparatus, which limits the number of bags that can be supplied per minute. In particular, in continuous packaging where the packaging capacity per minute is high, the gripping device that receives the bags also moves continuously, so the method of changing the direction of transport of the bags during transport to the gripping device makes it difficult to quickly hand over the bags to the gripping device, making it even more difficult to increase the number of bags supplied per minute.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a bag feeding and packaging system that can quickly transfer bags, which are sequentially formed and sent from a bag forming device, to a gripping device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the bag packaging system of the present invention takes the following measures. First, the invention according to claim 1 includes a film transport means (34) that supports and transports a strip of film (F) drawn from a raw material roll (FR) such that the back surfaces of the film (F) overlap and the overlapping surfaces of the film (F) are aligned in the vertical direction, and a transverse sealing means (32) that seals the overlapping film (F) along the vertical direction with a gap in the front and back in the film feeding direction of the overlapping film (F) that is transported by the film transport means (34), and a cutting means that cuts the film. A bag forming means (31) forms a bag (W) with an opening at the top, or a bag forming means (31) forms a bag (W) with an opening at the top by applying a vertical seal to the lower end of the overlapping film (F) being fed by the film transport means (34) along the film feeding direction with a vertical seal means, and by applying the horizontal seal and cut to the film (F) with a gap in the front and back in the film feeding direction, and a bag forming means (31) forms a bag (W) with an opening at the top by supporting a predetermined position (P) in the vertical direction of the bag (W) formed by the horizontal seal means (32) and transporting the bag (W) The linear motor transport means (35, 36) and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), an endless circumferential circuit (12), and a plurality of sliders (2a, 2b) that can independently travel horizontally along the circumferential circuit (12). Of the plurality of sliders (2a, 2b), the sliders (2a, 2b) that form a pair in the direction of travel of the sliders (2a, 2b) are spaced apart to the side of the circumferential circuit (12), and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), an endless circumferential circuit (12 an endless circumferential circuit (12), and the linear motor drive provides a bag transport means (35, 36), an endless circumferential circuit (12), an endless circumferential circuit (12), an endless circumferential circuit (12) that can independently travel horizontally along the circumferential circuit (12 The system comprises a transport device (10), and a first bag transport path (38) through which a bag (W) supported by the bag transport means (36) is transported, and a second bag transport path (17) through which a bag (W) gripped by the gripping devices (4a, 4b) is transported, are connected in series, and the gripping devices (4a, 4b) are configured to move along the direction in which the bag transport means (36) transports the bag (W) as the sliders (2a, 2b) move, and to grip a position on the bag (W) that the bag transport means (36) is transporting at a position different from the predetermined position (P)

[0008] According to the invention of claim 1, a first bag transport path (38) through which bag transport means (35, 36) transports a bag (W) while supporting it, and a second bag transport path (17) through which gripping devices (4a, 4b) attached to sliders (2a, 2b) transport a bag (W) while gripping it, are connected in series. Furthermore, the bag (W), which has an opening at the top, is gripped by the gripping devices (4a, 4b) at a position different from a predetermined position (P) where it is supported by the bag transport means (36). This configuration allows the gripping devices (4a, 4b) to grip the bag (W) being transported by the bag transport means (36) while the sliders (2a, 2b) are moved so that the gripping devices (4a, 4b) move along the transport direction of the bag transport means (36). Therefore, the bag (W) can be transferred from the bag transport means (36) to the gripping devices (4a, 4b) without changing the orientation of the bag (W). Therefore, a bag-feeding and packaging system can be provided that allows the molded and sent bags (W) to be quickly transferred to the gripping devices (4a, 4b).

[0009] Next, the invention according to claim 2, which is dependent on claim 1, is that the bag transport means (35, 36) transports the bag (W) by supporting both sides of it with a pair of endless side belts (35a, 36a) that travel around in the film feeding direction at the same speed to each other.

[0010] According to the invention of claim 2, by making the pair of side belts (35a, 36a) that support the bag (W) move at the same speed, it is possible to suppress the shifting of both sides of the bag (W) being transported by the bag transport means (35, 36). Furthermore, the bag (W) can be transported while maintaining the orientation of the formed bag (W).

[0011] Next, the invention according to claim 3, which is dependent on claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of sliders (2a, 2b) comprises a cam follower (9) that can engage with a cam rail (27) arranged along the circumferential circuit (12), and a pair of claw members (5, 6) that constitute the gripping device (4a, 4b), wherein the pair of claw members (5, 6) separate from each other as the cam follower (9) engages with the cam rail (27) as the slider (2a, 2b) travels, and the slider As the sliders (2a, 2b) travel, the engagement between the cam follower (9) and the cam rail (27) is released, causing them to close together. Of the pair of sliders (2a, 2b), the forward slider (2a), which travels forward, is configured such that when the cam follower (9) disposed on the forward slider (2a) engages with the cam rail (27), the gripping device (4a) provided on the forward slider (2a) moves to a first position (Q) at a position different from the predetermined position (P) of the bag (W). 1) is controlled to travel in such a way that it can grasp the bag (W), and when the engagement between the cam follower (9) of the front slider (2a) and the cam rail (27) is released, the bag transfer means (36) is controlled to travel at the same speed as the speed at which the bag (W) is transferred, and of the pair of sliders (2a, 2b), the rear slider (2b) that travels to the rear is controlled so that when the cam follower (9) disposed on the rear slider (2b) engages with the cam rail (27), the rear The slider (2b) is controlled to travel so that the gripping device (4b) is located at a position different from the predetermined position (P) of the bag (W), and at a second position (Q2) which is located behind the first position (Q1) in the direction of transporting the bag (W). Furthermore, when the engagement between the cam follower (9) and the cam rail (27) of the rear slider (2b) is released, the bag transport means (35, 36) is controlled to travel at the same speed as the speed at which the bag (W) is transported.

[0012] According to the invention of claim 3, the cam rail (27) arranged along the circuit (12) on which the sliders (2a, 2b) travel engages with the cam follower (9) provided on the sliders (2a, 2b), causing the claw members (5, 6) to separate, and the gripping devices (4a, 4b) attached to each slider (2a, 2b) to sequentially grip the first position (Q1) and the second position (Q2) of the bag (W) being transported by the bag transport means (36). Therefore, the structure of the transport device can be made simpler. Furthermore, the forward slider (2a) and the rear slider (2b) are controlled to travel in accordance with the timing of the bag (W) being transported by the bag transport means (36), so that the pair of claw members (5, 6) separate and close, thereby enabling the bags (W) to be transported sequentially and continuously.

[0013] Next, the invention according to claim 4, which is dependent on claim 3, is such that the pair of claw members (5, 6) of the front slider (2a) are arranged so that their tips face rearward in the direction of transporting the bag (W), and the pair of claw members (5, 6) of the rear slider (2b) are arranged so that their tips face forward in the direction of transporting the bag (W), and the bag transport means (35, 36) are arranged downstream of the lateral sealing means (32) and include a first bag transport means (35) that transports the bags (W) sequentially, and a means connected to the first bag transport means (35) that sends out the preceding bag ( The system includes a second bag transfer means (36) that sequentially transfers bags (W) at a faster speed than the first bag transfer means (35) so that the transfer interval (L) between the preceding bag (Wa) and the following bag (Wb) that is sent out immediately after it is increased, and the speed of the second bag transfer means (36) is set such that the pair of claw members (5,6) on the rear slider (2b) grips the preceding bag (Wa) from the rear side, while the pair of claw members (5,6) on the front slider (2a) corresponding to the following bag (Wb) grips the following bag (Wb) from the front side.

[0014] According to the invention of claim 4, the tip portions of a pair of claw members (5,6) attached to the front slider (2a) extend toward the rear in the direction of transporting the bag (W), and the tip portions of a pair of claw members (5,6) attached to the rear slider 2b that travels to the rear extend toward the front in the direction of transporting the bag (W), thereby enabling the bag (W) being transported by the second bag transport means (36) to be gripped sequentially from the front and rear. Furthermore, by widening the transport distance (L) between the preceding bag (Wa) and the following bag (Wb), the pair of claw members (5,6) that grip the preceding bag (Wa) from the rear and the pair of claw members (5,6) that grip the following bag (Wb) from its front can enter together between the preceding bag (Wa) and the following bag (Wb). In other words, after the gripping device (4b) on the rear slider (2b) grips the preceding bag (Wa) from the rear, the gripping device (4a) on the front slider (2a) can then continuously grip the following bag (Wb) from the front. Therefore, the bags (W) can be transported sequentially and more efficiently.

[0015] Next, the invention according to claim 5, which is dependent on claim 1, is provided with an opening region (22) for opening the top of the bag (W), a filling region (23) for filling the bag (W) with contents, and a sealing region (24) for sealing the top of the bag (W) after filling with contents, all located along the peripheral circuit (12) of the linear transport device (10).

[0016] According to the invention of claim 5, a bag (W) held by a pair of sliders (2a, 2b) can move from the opening region (22) to the sealing region (24) without stopping. That is, at least the transfer of the bag (W), the opening of the bag (W), and the filling of contents can be performed continuously. Therefore, compared to intermittent operation, the packaging capacity can be improved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The present invention provides a bag feeding and packaging system that can quickly transfer bags, which are sequentially formed and sent from a bag forming device, to a gripping device. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS]

[0018] [Figure 1] Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a bag feeding and packaging system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Fig. 2 is a front view of the bag feeding and packaging system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a state where a cam follower of a front slider engages with a cam rail in a receiving area. [Figure 4] Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a state where a cam follower of a rear slider engages with the cam rail in the receiving area. [Figure 5] Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of bag supply and the receiving area. [Figure 6] Fig. 6(A) is a diagram showing a state where an upper portion of a bag is opened. Fig. 6(B) is a diagram showing a state where a filling nozzle enters the opened bag. [Figure 7] Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a configuration for releasing holding of a bag in a discharge area. [DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS]

[0019] The present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the bag feeding and packaging system according to the present embodiment is a bag feeding and packaging system that performs continuous packaging by filling contents from an upper part of a packaging bag W while transferring the bag W by a linear conveying device 10. The contents filled into the bag W are, for example, powder and granular materials.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the bag feeding packaging system comprises a film transfer conveyor 34 serving as a film transfer means for transferring a belt-shaped film F drawn out from a raw fabric roll FR in a folded and overlapped state. On the downstream side thereof, a rotary sealing device 31 is provided as a bag forming means for forming a bag W having an open top. Further, a first bag transfer conveyor 35 and a second bag transfer conveyor 36 are provided as bag transfer means for transferring the bag W formed by the bag forming means while supporting the same, and a first bag transfer path 38 for transferring the bag W by the bag transfer means is set. The bag W delivered from the second bag transfer conveyor 36 is conveyed by the linear conveying device 10. That is, the film transfer means, the bag forming means, and the bag transfer means are arranged on the upstream side of a receiving area 21 described later to perform a pretreatment step of forming the folded and overlapped film F into a bag shape and supplying the same.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the linear conveying device 10 has a peripheral circuit 12 which is constituted by straight paths 13, 14 and curved paths 15, 16 and extends in the horizontal direction. The peripheral circuit 12 is constituted by a rail formed of a side peripheral surface in which an electromagnetic coil is embedded, and sliders 2a and 2b described later travel on the side peripheral surface. In a plan view, the first straight path 13 and the second straight path 14 having the same length are arranged in parallel in the peripheral circuit 12, and the peripheral circuit 12 is constituted by connecting both ends of each of the straight paths 13, 14 via semicircular curved paths 15, 16. In the present embodiment, a first curved path 15 is connected to a terminal end R of the first straight path 13 and a starting end of the second straight path 14, and a second curved path 16 is connected to a terminal end of the second straight path 14 and a starting end of the first straight path 13.

[0022] Multiple sliders 2a and 2b are arranged on the circuit 12, and each slider 2a and 2b can independently travel horizontally on the circuit 12 by linear motor drive. Here, the direction of travel of the sliders 2a and 2b on the circuit 12 is defined as the front-rear direction. The sliders 2a and 2b have four wheels 18, and these wheels 18 roll along the circuit 12 to move, with two wheels 18 provided on each of the upper and lower sides of the main body of the sliders 2a and 2b. In addition, each of the sliders 2a and 2b has a permanent magnet embedded in its main body, and is configured to travel independently on the circuit 12 without falling off the side surface of the circuit 12 by exciting an electromagnetic coil embedded in the rail by a command from the control unit (not shown). In this embodiment, the sliders 2a and 2b are paired, with the front slider 2a traveling at the front in the direction of travel and the rear slider 2b traveling at the rear, and they circulate the circuit 12 in the same direction.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, sliders 2a and 2b each include a support arm 3 and gripping devices 4a and 4b disposed on the support arm 3. The support arm 3 is attached to the upper part of sliders 2a and 2b so as to extend laterally along the circumferential track 12. In this embodiment, when each slider 2a and 2b travels along the first straight path 13 or the second straight path 14, each support arm 3 extends the same length from the sliders 2a and 2b toward the outer circumference of the circumferential track 12 so as to be perpendicular to the first straight path 13 or the second straight path 14. With this configuration, the sliders 2a and 2b can travel along the circumferential track 12 with the support arms 3 spaced apart in the front-rear and rear-rear directions of travel of the sliders 2a and 2b.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the support arm 3 is fitted with a pair of claw members that constitute the gripping devices 4a and 4b. The claw members are paired by a first claw portion 5 and a second claw portion 6. The first claw portion 5 is fixed to the tip of the support arm 3 so as to extend in the direction of travel of the sliders 2a and 2b. The second claw portion 6 is positioned on the outside of the first claw portion 5, spaced further away from the circumferential circuit 12, and is positioned opposite the first claw portion 5. The second claw portion 6 is positioned on one end of the first rotating arm 7, which is formed in a roughly L shape. The first rotating arm 7 is rotatably supported near the center of the support arm 3 and is biased by a coil spring so that the second claw portion 6 presses against the first claw portion 5. The other end of the first rotating arm 7 abuts against one end of the second rotating arm 8, which is formed in a roughly L shape. The second rotating arm 8 is also rotatably supported by the support arm 3, and a cam follower 9 is provided on the other end of the second rotating arm 8. The cam follower 9 can engage with a cam rail 27 arranged along the circumferential circuit 12 in the receiving area 21. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pair of claw members (first claw portion 5 and second claw portion 6) are configured such that as the sliders 2a and 2b move, the cam follower 9 engages with the cam rail 27, causing them to separate from each other, and as the sliders 2a and 2b move, the engagement between the cam follower 9 and the cam rail 27 is released, causing them to close together.

[0025] In the direction of travel of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b, the pair of claw members attached to the forward slider 2a, which travels forward, have the tips of the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 extending so that they face backward in the direction of gripping and transporting the bag W, thus forming the front gripping device 4a. The pair of claw members attached to the rear slider 2b, which travels backward, have the tips of the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 extending so that they face forward in the direction of gripping and transporting the bag W, thus forming the rear gripping device 4b. As a result, the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 on the pair of sliders 2a and 2b, respectively, constitute a pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b that grip the bag W from the front and rear sides. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the first position Q1 and the second position Q2 set on the upper part of the bag W are gripped by the gripping devices 4a and 4b.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, a second bag transport path 17 for transporting bags W is provided along the circumferential circuit 12 of the linear transport device 10. The second bag transport path 17 is a path through which bags W are transported along the first straight path 13, the first curved path 15, and the second straight path 14 of the circumferential circuit 12, as sliders 2a and 2b, which are arranged front to back on the circumferential circuit 12, travel while their distance from each other is controlled to form a pair, and a pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b, supported by support arms 3 on the front to back of the sliders 2a and 2b, grip the bags W.

[0027] The second bag transfer path 17 is configured to pass through a processing area located along the circumferential circuit 12. The processing area includes a receiving area 21 for receiving bags W formed from strip-shaped film F in the pre-processing step, an opening area 22 for opening the top of the received bags W, and a filling area 23 for inserting a filling nozzle 42 from the top of the opened bag W to fill the inside of the bag W with its contents. Furthermore, downstream of the filling area 23, there is a post-processing area consisting of a sealing area 24 for applying a heat seal to the top of the bag W containing its contents to seal it, and a discharge area 25 for releasing the grip on the sealed bag W and discharging the bag W to the downstream discharge conveyor 50.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a film transfer means is provided upstream of the receiving area 21. The film transfer means supports and transfers the strip-shaped film F, which is continuously drawn from the raw material roll FR at a constant speed corresponding to the packaging capacity, so that the back surfaces of the sealant-coated film F overlap and the overlapping surfaces are aligned in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, a plurality of feed rollers 37, a bag maker 30, and a film transfer conveyor 34 are provided downstream of the raw material roll FR. The strip-shaped film F is fed to the bag maker 30 by the feed rollers 37 and folded in half via the bag maker 30 so that both left and right edges are facing upwards. The film transfer conveyor 34 is a side belt conveyor, and a pair of endless side belts 34a on the left and right sides travel around in the film feeding direction at the same speed to each other. The film transfer conveyor 34 supports and transfers the film F folded by the bag maker 30 from both sides by the endless side belts 34a.

[0029] A rotary sealing device 31 is provided downstream of the film transfer conveyor 34 (film transfer means). The rotary sealing device 31 comprises a plurality of pairs of rotary sealers 32 (lateral sealing means) with their rotation axes oriented vertically, and a cutting blade (cutting means) not shown. The rotary sealing device 31 forms a bag with an opening at the top by applying a lateral seal with the rotary sealers 32 to the overlapping films F that are passed by the film transfer means, leaving gaps in the front and back in the film feeding direction, and cutting them with the cutting blade. In this embodiment, a command from the control unit (not shown) causes one of the plurality of pairs of rotary sealers 32, which rotate at a predetermined speed, to grip and heat seal the overlapping films F sent from the film transfer conveyor 34 at predetermined intervals along the vertical direction intersecting the film feeding direction, and cutting them with the cutting blade embedded in the rotary sealer 32.

[0030] The bag forming means may also be configured to include a vertical sealing means. In this case, the lower end of the overlapping films F, which are fed by the film transfer means, is sealed vertically with the vertical sealing means along the film feeding direction, and the film F is sealed horizontally with the horizontal sealing means and cut with the cutting means, leaving a gap in the front and back in the film feeding direction, thereby forming a bag with an opening at the top.

[0031] Downstream of the rotary sealer 32, that is, downstream of the rotary sealing device 31, a first bag transfer conveyor 35 (first bag transfer means) and a second bag transfer conveyor 36 (second bag transfer means) are arranged in order as bag transfer means. The first bag transfer conveyor 35 and the second bag transfer conveyor 36 are each side belt conveyors having a pair of endless belts on the left and right. The pair of endless side belts 35a and 36a travel in a circular motion along the first bag transfer path 38 in the direction of bag transfer along the bag W at the same speed. The direction of bag transfer along the first bag transfer path 38 coincides with the direction of film feeding of the film transfer conveyor 34. The first bag transfer conveyor 35 receives bags W formed by separating the folded film F by the rotary sealing device 31, with their tops open, and supports both overlapping sides of the bags W between the pair of endless side belts 35a, and transfers them sequentially toward the second bag transfer conveyor 36. The first bag transfer conveyor 35 transfers the bags W at a constant speed that is approximately the same as or slightly faster than the film transfer conveyor 34.

[0032] The second bag transfer conveyor 36 is connected to the first bag transfer conveyor 35 and is installed as a bag supply device. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the second bag transfer conveyor 36 sequentially receives the bags W sent from the first bag transfer conveyor 35 and supports the received bags W at a predetermined position P from the left and right by a pair of side belts 36a. In this embodiment, the central part of the bag W in the vertical direction is set as the predetermined position P supported by the second bag transfer conveyor 36. The frictional force of the second bag transfer conveyor 36 is set higher than that of the side belts 35a of the first bag transfer conveyor 35.

[0033] The second bag transfer conveyor 36 transfers bags W at a constant speed faster than the first bag transfer conveyor 35, such that the distance L (transfer interval) between the preceding bag Wa supported by the second bag transfer conveyor 36 and the following bag Wb sent out from the first bag transfer conveyor immediately after it widens. Specifically, the speed of the second bag transfer conveyor 36 is set such that the pair of claw members (first claw portion 5 and second claw portion 6) on the rear slider 2b grip the preceding bag Wa from the rear side, while the pair of claw members (first claw portion 5 and second claw portion 6) on the front slider 2a corresponding to the following bag Wb are spaced to grip the following bag Wb from the front side. In this way, by widening the front-to-back distance L between the preceding bag Wa and the following bag Wb, the pair of claw members (first claw portion 5 and second claw portion 6) constituting the gripping devices 4a and 4b can enter between the preceding bag Wa and the following bag Wb being transported by the side belt 36a of the second bag transfer conveyor 36. In this embodiment, the front-to-back distance L between the preceding bag Wa sent to the second bag transfer conveyor 36 and the following bag Wb supported by the first bag transfer conveyor 35 is set to a distance that allows the rear gripping device 4b, which grips the preceding bag Wa from the rear, and the front gripping device 4a, which grips the following bag Wb from the front, to enter together between the preceding bag Wa and the following bag Wb.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a first bag transfer path 38 is set up from the first bag transfer conveyor 35 to the receiving area 21, through which bags W supported by the side belts 35a and 36a of the first bag transfer conveyor 35 and the second bag transfer conveyor 36 are sequentially transferred. This first bag transfer path 38 and the second bag transfer path 17, through which bags W gripped by the grippers 4a and 4b are transferred, are connected in series. In other words, in the receiving area 21, the first bag transfer path 38 and the second bag transfer path 17 are connected on a single line, and the direction in which the bags W are transferred in the first bag transfer path 38 and the second bag transfer path 17 coincides. For example, in this embodiment, the bag transfer path from the film transfer conveyor 34, which includes the first bag transfer path 38, to the second bag transfer conveyor 36, and the second bag transfer path 17 along the first straight path 13 are provided on a straight line.

[0035] <Receiving area> As shown in Figure 1, the receiving area 21 is located along the first straight path 13 and is the area where a pair of grippers 4a and 4b receive flat bags W from the second bag transfer conveyor 36. The receiving area 21 is equipped with a bag supply device (second bag transfer conveyor 36) and a bag receiving device for a pair of front and rear sliders 2a and 2b to receive bags W formed in the pre-processing step. Specifically, a cam rail 27 is provided on the upper side of the circumferential circuit 12. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the sliders 2a and 2b travel through a specific area on the first straight path 13, the cam followers 9 of the sliders 2a and 2b come into contact with the cam rail 27, causing the second claw portion 6 to separate from the first claw portion 5, and the sliders 2a and 2b travel through a predetermined section. Then, when the sliders 2a and 2b have completed their journey over a predetermined distance, the cam follower 9 no longer contacts the cam rail 27, and the second claw portion 6 presses against the first claw portion 5 by the spring. That is, the negative force of the coil spring disposed on the first rotating arm 7 causes the bag W to be gripped by the gripping devices 4a and 4b, which consist of the second claw portion 6 and the first claw portion 5. The positions where the bag W is gripped by the gripping devices 4a and 4b are different from the predetermined position P where the second bag transfer conveyor 36 supports the bag W. For example, the first position Q1 set on the front side of the upper part of the bag W and the second position Q2 set on the rear side of the upper part of the bag W are gripped by the gripping devices 4a and 4b.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, in the receiving area 21, when the cam follower 9 disposed on the front slider 2a engages with the cam rail 27, the front slider 2a is controlled to move such that the gripping device 4a on the front slider 2a can grip the bag W at a first position Q1 that is different from the predetermined position P. Furthermore, when the engagement between the cam follower 9 on the front slider 2a and the cam rail 27 is released, the front slider 2a is controlled to move at the same speed as the second bag transfer conveyor 36 that transfers the bag W.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, when the cam follower 9 disposed on the rear slider 2b engages with the cam rail 27, the rear slider 2b is controlled to move such that the gripping device 4b on the rear slider 2b can grip the bag W at a second position Q2, which is a position different from the predetermined position P on the bag W and is located further rear than the first position Q1. In addition, when the engagement between the cam follower 9 on the rear slider 2b and the cam rail 27 is released, the rear slider 2b is controlled to move at the same speed as the second bag transfer conveyor 36 transfers the bag W.

[0038] Each slider 2a, 2b enters the receiving area 21 based on timing information for when the rotary sealer 32 cuts the overlapping film F, and feeding information for the bag W obtained from the rotation pulses of encoders attached to the film transfer conveyor 34, the first bag transfer conveyor 35, and the second bag transfer conveyor 36. Then, each slider 2a, 2b accelerates and decelerates to match the arrival timing of the bag W, which is supported by the side belt 36a of the second bag transfer conveyor 36 and transported at a constant speed, and grips the bag W with the paired gripping devices 4a, 4b. Specifically, first, by accelerating and decelerating the slider 2a, which travels forward among the pair of sliders 2a and 2b in the receiving area 21, the gripping device 4a of the front slider 2a grips the front upper part (first position Q1) of the bag W extending upward from the side belt 36a of the second bag transfer conveyor 36 while the cam follower 9 of the front slider 2a is in contact with the cam rail 27. Subsequently, by accelerating and decelerating the slider 2b, which travels backward, the gripping device 4b of the rear slider 2b grips the rear upper part (second position Q2) of the bag W extending upward from the side belt 36a of the second bag transfer conveyor 36 while the cam follower 9 of the rear slider 2b is in contact with the cam rail 27. When the pair of sliders 2a and 2b grip the bag W with the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b, they maintain a distance between the front and rear sliders 2a and 2b that corresponds to the width of the bag W, and travel at a constant, uniform speed toward the downstream side of the first straight track 13.

[0039] <Aperture area> As shown in Figure 1, the opening region 22 is located downstream of the receiving region 21 along the first straight path 13 and is the region that opens the top of the flattened bag W. An opening device (not shown) is provided in the opening region 22 to open the top of the bag W, which is gripped by a pair of grippers 4a and 4b, to the largest extent along the first straight path 13. The opening device comprises a rotating body (not shown) that rotates around a vertical axis and a plurality of suction devices (not shown) arranged at regular intervals around the outer circumference of the rotating body. The opening device rotates the rotating body forward in the transport direction to coincide with the arrival timing of the front slider 2a, so that the suction devices come into contact with the vicinity of the top of the bag W during transport and suction the outermost film F of the two overlapping films F in the bag W for a predetermined time. As a result, the top of the bag W can be opened, as shown in Figure 6(A).

[0040] Furthermore, in the opening region 22, the top of the bag W can be opened by reducing the distance between the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b, that is, the distance between the pair of front gripping device 4a and rear gripping device 4b. Specifically, when the two films F are separated by the suction device, the movement speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b is accelerated or decelerated to reduce the distance between the front slider 2a and the rear slider 2b. Once the bag W is opened, the pair of sliders 2a and 2b travel at the same speed toward the end of the first straight path 13 while maintaining the narrowed distance between them. As a result, the bag W is transported along the first straight path 13 toward the downstream filling region 23 with its top opening Wt in its widest state.

[0041] <Filling area> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the filling area 23 is located downstream of the opening area 22 along the first curved path 15, and is the area where a filling nozzle 42, described later, enters the inside of the bag W in order to fill the contents into the bag W. A filling device 40 for filling the contents into the bag W is provided near the top of the filling area 23 and the first curved path 15. The filling device 40 comprises a rotating body (not shown) and a plurality (9 in total) of filling nozzles 42 arranged on the rotating body. In a plan view, the rotating body is located on the inner circumference side of the first curved path 15 and rotates at a constant speed corresponding to the packaging capacity, driven by a motor (not shown). The plurality of filling nozzles 42 are arranged along the first curved path 15 at positions equidistant from the rotation axis of the rotating body and at equiangled intervals. Each filling nozzle 42 can revolve together with the rotating body due to the rotation of the rotating body and move sequentially at a constant speed along the second bag transfer path 17 along the first curved path 15. As each filling nozzle 42 rotates, a cam mechanism (not shown) allows it to slide vertically relative to the rotating body, enabling it to move up and down relative to the rotating body. Although not shown, the filling device 40 also includes a supply mechanism that supplies contents into the filling nozzle 42 at a predetermined position where the lower end (tip) of the filling nozzle 42 is higher than the upper end of the bag W.

[0042] The filling nozzle 42 moves at a constant speed and, for each bag W gripped by the pair of grippers 4a and 4b, enters the bag W from the top and fills it with its contents, and exits the bag W after filling is complete. Specifically, when the pair of sliders 2a and 2b are traveling near the boundary between the first straight path 13 and the first curved path 15, the filling nozzle 42 begins to descend from above the second bag transport path 17, and the tip of the filling nozzle 42 begins to enter the bag W through the opening Wt. The area in which the sliders 2a and 2b move with the tip of the filling nozzle 42 inside the bag W becomes the filling area 23. Then, when the pair of sliders 2a and 2b are traveling along the first curved path 15, the tip of the filling nozzle 42 enters the bag W and it circles around, filling the bag W with its contents via the filling nozzle 42. Once the contents have been filled into the bag W, the tip of the filling nozzle 42 exits the bag W by rising before the pair of sliders 2a and 2b exit the first curved path 15 onto the second straight path 14.

[0043] In this embodiment, the speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b that transport the bag W is controlled so that the filling nozzle 42 and the bag W move together in the first curved path 15 as the bag W rotates at a constant speed. The pair of sliders 2a and 2b move along the first curved path 15 in response to the rotational movement of the filling nozzle 42, separating the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b to narrow the opening Wt of the bag W once the filling nozzle 42 has finished entering the bag W in the filling area 23, and maintaining a state in which the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b are evenly separated from the filling nozzle 42 in the front and rear directions.

[0044] When filling the bag W with contents, the movement speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b is accelerated and decelerated, so that the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b that grip the bag W move away from the filling nozzle 42. As a result, as shown in Figure 6(B), the opening Wt at the top of the bag W is narrowed by pulling both ends of the bag W from the front and rear. Subsequently, the movement speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b is controlled to be constant, the same as the movement speed of the filling nozzle 42, in order to maintain the size of the narrowed opening Wt. The pair of sliders 2a and 2b move continuously from just before the gripping devices 4a and 4b grip the bag W until at least the contents have been filled.

[0045] Once the contents have been filled into the bag W and the filling nozzle 42 has exited the bag W, the movement speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b is controlled to widen the distance between the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b by an amount equivalent to the outer diameter of the filling nozzle 42. By separating the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b from each other, the opening Wt of the bag W is further narrowed, making it more difficult for the contents to flow out of the bag W. The movement speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b is then controlled to maintain the size of the further narrowed opening Wt.

[0046] After the bag W passes through the filling area 23, the movement speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b is controlled so that the distance between the pair of grippers 4a and 4b widens, and the opening Wt of the bag W is closed. Downstream from the filling area 23, as shown in Figure 1, a sealing area 24 and a discharge area 25 are provided as a post-processing area where post-packaging processing is performed on the bag W from which the filling nozzle 42 has exited. The pair of sliders 2a and 2b travel along the second straight path 14 with the opening Wt of the bag W closed and taut, and transfer the bag W to the sealing area 24.

[0047] <Sealing area and discharge area> The sealing area 24 is located along the second straight path 14 and is an area where the upper part of the bag W, which is stretched out by widening the distance between the pair of grippers 4a and 4b, is sealed and sealed. A sealing device (not shown) that seals the upper part of the bag W is provided in the sealing area 24. The sealing device has a pair of sealing blocks that are longer than the width of the bag W. The sealing block grips the upper part of the bag W along the conveying direction so that it does not interfere with the grippers 4a and 4b, thereby sealing the bag. The sealing block moves along the second straight path 14 with the conveyed bag W, sealing the upper part of the bag W, and when the sealing of the bag W is complete, it separates from the bag W and returns to its original position. The sealed bag W is sent to the discharge area 25.

[0048] The discharge area 25 is the area where the gripping devices 4a and 4b release the grip on the bag W and discharge the bag W. A discharge device 51 is provided in the discharge area 25 to release the grip on the sealed bag W and discharge the bag W. As shown in Figure 7, the discharge device 51 comprises a cam rail 52 and a cylinder 53, which are provided on the upper side of the circumferential circuit 12. The cam rail 52 is provided to extend along the second straight path 14. As shown by the solid line in Figure 7, when the cylinder 53 is operated, the discharge device 51 is configured to simultaneously push the cam followers 9 provided on the sliders 2a and 2b toward the inside of the circumferential circuit 12. That is, the operation of the cylinder 53 causes the first rotating arm 7 to rotate against the spring force via the second rotating arm 8, and the second claw portion 6 is separated from the first claw portion 5. The length of the cam rail 52 is set to be longer than the width of the widest bag W among those being handled. Once the gripping of the bag W by the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b is released, the bag W is placed on the discharge conveyor 50 and transported.

[0049] The control unit controls the movement of sliders 2a and 2b. For example, it issues drive commands to operate the rotary sealer 32 of the rotary sealing device 31 in the pre-processing step for forming the bag W, controls the unwinding of the film F from the raw material roll FR, and controls the transfer of the bag W by the side belt conveyor. The control unit also controls the synchronization between the bag supply device (second bag transfer conveyor 36) and the linear transport device 10 so that the grippers 4a and 4b can grip the bag W being transported by the bag supply device. Furthermore, when the pair of sliders 2a and 2b transfer the bag W to the opening area 22, the control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of each slider 2a and 2b so that the distance between the front and rear sliders 2a and 2b narrows. Furthermore, when the front slider 2a enters the first curved path 15 and the filling nozzle 42 has finished inserting into the opening Wt of the bag W, the control unit controls the acceleration and deceleration of the front and rear sliders 2a and 2b so that they move apart from each other. The control unit also issues a drive command to activate the cylinder 53 when the pair of sliders 2a and 2b transfer the bag W to the discharge area 25, releasing the grip of the bag W from the grippers 4a and 4b. The control unit also controls the filling device 40 to fill the contents into the bag W from the filling nozzle 42.

[0050] Next, the flow of the transfer of bags W by the bag packaging system according to this embodiment and the processing performed on bags W during transfer will be described. As shown in Figure 2, first, a strip of film F is continuously drawn from the raw material roll FR by the feed roller 37 and sent to the bag maker 30. The strip of film F is folded in half via the bag maker 30 so that both left and right edges are facing upwards. The folded film F is sealed on the overlapping back surface and is supported on both sides (surface) by a pair of side belts 34a of the film transfer conveyor 34 as it is transferred. When the film F is transferred to the rotary sealing device 31 by the film transfer conveyor 34, the rotary sealer 32 (lateral sealing means) heat seals the film F at predetermined intervals in the feeding direction, and the film F is cut by a cutting blade (cutting means). This forms a bag W with an opening at the top. The formed bag W is passed in a flattened state to the first bag transfer conveyor 35 and supported on both sides by a pair of side belts 35a.

[0051] The flattened bags W, transported by the first bag transport conveyor 35, are transferred to the second bag transport conveyor 36 and supported from both sides by a pair of side belts 36a. The bags W are supported at their central part (a predetermined position P) in the vertical direction, such that the top of the bag W extends between the pair of side belts 36a. The second bag transport conveyor 36 transports the bags W at a constant speed faster than the first bag transport conveyor 35. This widens the distance L between the preceding bag Wa and the following bag Wb.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5, each slider 2a and 2b is controlled to move such that a rear gripping device 4b, attached to the rear slider 2b to grip the leading bag Wa from the rear, and a front gripping device 4a, attached to the front slider 2a to grip the trailing bag Wb from the front, enter between the leading bag Wa and the trailing bag Wb.

[0053] The bags W being transported by the second bag transport conveyor 36 are gripped by a pair of grippers 4a and 4b in the receiving area 21. As shown in Figure 3, first, the cam follower 9 of the front slider 2a contacts the cam rail 27, causing the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 to separate from each other. While the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 of the front slider 2a are separated, the front slider 2a is controlled to move so that it can grip the upper part (first position Q1) of the bag W supported by the second bag transport conveyor 36 from the front. Accordingly, the gripper 4a of the front slider 2a moves along the second bag transport path 17, and at the moment when the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 of the front slider 2a are closed, the front gripper 4a grips the upper part of the bag W from the front.

[0054] Next, as shown in Figure 4, the cam follower 9 of the rear slider 2b contacts the cam rail 27, causing the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 to separate from each other. While the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 of the rear slider 2b are separated, the rear slider 2b is controlled to move so that it can grip the upper part (second position Q2) of the bag W supported by the second bag transfer conveyor 36 from the rear. Accordingly, the gripping device 4b of the rear slider 2b moves along the second bag transfer path 17, and at the moment when the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 of the rear slider 2b are closed, the rear gripping device 4b grips the upper part of the bag W from the rear.

[0055] As shown in Figure 1, when a flattened bag W is gripped by a pair of grippers 4a and 4b, a pair of sliders 2a and 2b supporting these grippers 4a and 4b travel along the first straight path 13 at a distance corresponding to the width of the bag W. When the bag W is moved to the opening region 22, the movement speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b is controlled so that the distance between the pair of grippers 4a and 4b narrows. At this time, a suction device in the opening device (not shown) comes into contact with the upper part of the bag W during transport and suctions the outermost film F of the two overlapping films F in the bag W for a predetermined time. As the distance between the pair of grippers 4a and 4b narrows, the top of the bag W can be opened (see Figure 6(A)). The pair of sliders 2a and 2b move to the end of the first straight path 13 while maintaining the bag W in its most open state.

[0056] Just before the pair of sliders 2a and 2b enter the filling area 23, the filling nozzle 42 begins to descend from above by the cam mechanism. As the filling nozzle 42 begins to descend, its tip enters the bag W through the opening Wt when slider 2a begins to enter the first curved path 15. When the tip of the filling nozzle 42 has finished descending and the pair of sliders 2a and 2b are traveling along the first curved path 15, the contents are filled into the bag W from the filling nozzle 42. At this time, the movement speed of the pair of sliders 2a and 2b is controlled so that the distance between the pair of gripping devices 4a and 4b widens. As a result, the front and rear sides of the bag W are pulled apart from each other, and the opening Wt of the bag W narrows (see Figure 6(B)).

[0057] When the filling of the contents into the bag W is completed in the filling area 23, the filling nozzle 42 rises and exits the bag W. The movement speed of the front slider 2a is then controlled so that the distance between the front and rear gripping devices 4a and 4b widens. This further narrows the opening Wt of the bag W. When the front slider 2a enters the second straight path 14 from the first curved path 15, the movement speed of the front slider 2a is controlled so that the distance between the front and rear gripping devices 4a and 4b widens further. This closes the opening Wt of the bag W. The pair of sliders 2a and 2b travel along the second straight path 14, maintaining the closed and taut opening Wt of the bag W, and transport the bag W to the sealing area 24.

[0058] When the bag W is transferred to the sealing area 24, a sealing device (not shown) seals the top of the bag W. The pair of sliders 2a and 2b travel along the second straight track 14, maintaining the distance between the front and rear sliders 2a and 2b. The sealed bag W is then transferred to the discharge area 25. In the discharge area 25, the discharge device 51 releases the grip of the bag W from the grippers 4a and 4b and discharges the bag W to the discharge conveyor 50. After releasing the grip of the bag W, the pair of sliders 2a and 2b return to the first straight track 13 via the second curved track 16.

[0059] The bag-feeding and packaging system according to the above embodiment has the following effects. (1) The first bag transfer path 38, through which the first bag transfer conveyor 35 and the second bag transfer conveyor 36 (bag transfer means) support and transfer the bag W, and the second bag transfer path 17, through which gripping devices 4a and 4b attached to sliders 2a and 2b grip and transfer the bag W, are connected in series. The bag W, which has an opening at the top, is gripped by the gripping devices 4a and 4b at a position different from the predetermined position P supported by the second bag transfer conveyor 36. This configuration allows the gripping devices 4a and 4b to move along the transfer direction of the bag transfer means 36 while the sliders 2a and 2b are moved, thereby gripping the bag W being transferred by the second bag transfer conveyor 36. Therefore, the bag W can be transferred from the second bag transfer conveyor 36 to the gripping devices 4a and 4b without changing the orientation of the bag W. Thus, a bag feeding and packaging system can be provided that can quickly transfer the formed and sent bags to the gripping devices. (2) The first bag transfer conveyor 35 and the second bag transfer conveyor 36 can prevent the two sides of the bag W being transferred from shifting relative to each other by making their respective paired side belts 35a and 36a move at the same speed. In addition, the bags W can be transferred while maintaining the orientation of the formed bags W. (3) When the cam rail 27, which is arranged along the circuit 12 on which the sliders 2a and 2b travel, engages with the cam follower 9 provided on the sliders 2a and 2b, the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 (a pair of claw members) separate apart, and the gripping devices 4a and 4b attached to each slider 2a and 2b can sequentially grip the first position Q1 and the second position Q2 of the bag W being transported by the second bag transport conveyor 36. Thus, the structure of the transport device can be made simpler. Furthermore, by controlling the movement of the front slider 2a and the rear slider 2b so that the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 separate and close in time with the timing when the bag W is being transported by the second bag transport conveyor 36, the bags W can be transported sequentially and continuously. (4) The tip portions of the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 attached to the front slider 2a extend toward the rear in the direction of gripping and transporting the bag W, and the tip portions of the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 attached to the rear slider 2b that travels behind extend toward the front in the direction of gripping and transporting the bag W. This configuration allows the bag being transported by the second bag transport conveyor 36 to be gripped sequentially from the front and rear. (5) By widening the transfer interval L between the preceding bag Wa and the following bag Wb being transported by the second bag transfer conveyor 36, the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 that grip the preceding bag Wa from the rear, and the first claw portion 5 and the second claw portion 6 that grip the following bag Wb from the front, can enter together between the preceding bag Wa and the following bag Wb. That is, after the gripping device 4b of the rear slider 2b grips the preceding bag Wa from the rear, the gripping device 4a of the front slider 2a can then continuously grip the following bag Wb from the front. Therefore, bags can be transported sequentially and continuously more efficiently. (6) By gripping the bag W, which has an opening at the top, at a position (e.g., the top of the bag) different from a predetermined position P (e.g., the center of the bag) supported by the second bag transfer conveyor 36 (bag transfer means) using gripping devices 4a, 4b attached to sliders 2a, 2b, the path along which the second bag transfer conveyor 36 supports and transports the bag W and the path along which the gripping devices 4a, 4b move with the movement of sliders 2a, 2b can be arranged in parallel, thereby saving space for the entire apparatus. (7) In the above embodiment, the bag W, held by the pair of sliders 2a and 2b, can move from the receiving area 21 to the sealing area 24 without stopping. That is, at least the transfer of the bag W, the opening of the bag W, and the filling of contents can be performed continuously. Therefore, compared to the case of intermittent operation, the packaging capacity can be improved. (8) In a bag-feeding and packaging machine that uses pairs of gripping devices attached at regular intervals to an endless chain or the like to grip and transport bags, and then fills and packages the bags with contents, if the packaging specifications change to change the width size of the bags, it was necessary to change the mounting position of each gripping device on the chain. However, when a linear conveying device is adopted as in the above embodiment, there is an advantage that the specifications can be adapted to changes in the size of the bags W by controlling the distance between the front and rear sliders 2a and 2b. (9) Furthermore, when forming a bag W from a strip of film F, if a lateral seal is applied in a direction intersecting the film feeding direction, the bag size can be changed simply by controlling the spacing between the lateral seals in the front and rear directions in the film feeding direction. (10) In the above embodiment, each bag W being transported along the direction of travel of the sliders 2a and 2b by the second bag transfer conveyor 36, which is a side belt conveyor, is grasped by the gripping devices 4a and 4b as each slider 2a and 2b moves, thereby allowing the bags W to be transported to the next processing step without stopping the transport of the bags W. This provides a margin for processing time (cycle time) by the processing device located downstream. Furthermore, if all processing, such as bag transfer, bag opening, and product filling and discharge, is performed continuously, the processing (packaging) capacity per minute in bag packaging can be improved. (11) The bag packaging system does not require a cam mechanism to be installed on each slider 2a, 2b for tilting the support arm 3 in the direction of travel of the sliders 2a, 2b. Instead, the system controls the travel position of the front and rear sliders 2a, 2b to adjust the distance between the front and rear gripping devices 4a, 4b, thereby simplifying and reducing the weight of the structure of each slider 2a, 2b. (12) The gripping devices 4a and 4b grip the bag W along the direction of travel, so that the seal block can clamp any part of the bag W within the height range from the upper edge of the bag W to the gripping devices 4a and 4b that are gripping the bag W. (13) In the discharge area 25, the length of the cam rail 52 is set to be longer than the width of the widest bag W among those being handled, and by bringing the cam rail 52 into contact with the cam follower 9 through the operation of the cylinder 53, the gripping devices 4a and 4b attached to the pair of front and rear sliders 2a and 2b can simultaneously release the gripping of the bags W. Therefore, when changing packaging specifications with different bag widths, it is possible to respond simply by changing the movement control program of the sliders 2a and 2b. In addition, the gripping of the bags can be released simultaneously while the sliders are running continuously. (14) In the receiving area 21, by installing only one cam rail 27, the cam followers 9 provided on the front and rear sliders 2a and 2b engage with the cam rail 27, so that the gripping devices 4a and 4b attached to the pair of sliders 2a and 2b can grip the moving bag W while being held in order by the side belt 36a (second bag transfer conveyor 36). Thus, a simple structure can be achieved, and the bags W can be transported sequentially.

[0060] <Example of changes> The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiments above, and various modifications, additions, and deletions are possible without altering the essence of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, as a bag forming means, a bag W is formed by folding a strip of film F so that the back surfaces of the sealed strips of film F overlap and the edges of both ends of the strips of film F overlap at the top, and then transporting the film F on the side belt 34a of the film transport conveyor 34, applying lateral seals at two locations in the transport direction of the film F, and cutting the film F. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the bag W may be formed using other methods. For example, a bag W may be formed by supporting and transporting strips of film F drawn from each of two raw material rolls with the sealant surfaces of each film F overlapping and the overlapping surfaces of both films F aligned in the vertical direction, applying vertical seals continuously along the transport direction of the film F to the underside of both films F, and then cutting the film F. Regarding the vertical sealing device, since it seals the film F continuously while feeding it, it is preferable to employ a sealing method in which a pair of sealing bodies, such as a rotary sealer, rotate in the film feeding direction while sealing. However, a sealing method in which a bar-shaped sealing block moves in the film feeding direction while sandwiching the film F may also be employed. Similarly, for the horizontal sealing device, a sealing method in which a bar-shaped sealing block moves in the film feeding direction while sandwiching the film F may also be employed, not limited to a rotary sealer. Other methods such as ultrasonic sealing and heat-sealing are also possible. (2) The above embodiment shows an example in which a side belt conveyor is used for the film transfer means and the bag transfer means. These side belt conveyors may be configured to transport the film F while sucking it through the holes by providing multiple holes in an endless side belt and arranging suction pads on the inner circumference of the side belt. This prevents the bags from shifting position when they are transported. (3) The bag supply device may be configured such that the bag W is picked up by a suction device and passed to the grippers 4a and 4b. For example, the second bag transfer means may be configured such that instead of a pair of side belts, a plurality of suction devices move sequentially in the bag feeding direction, approaching the bag W from the side, and picking up the bag W near the center of one side of the bag W as they move in the bag feeding direction to pass the bag W to the grippers 4a and 4b, after which the suction is released and the devices move away from the bag W to the side and return to the upstream side. When a film F made of a material with low rigidity is used for packaging, the other side of the bag W may be supported by a side plate or the like as needed to prevent the top of the bag W from collapsing. (4) In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which side belt conveyors are used for the film transfer means and the first bag transfer means, respectively. Alternatively, for example, a system can be adopted in which one or more pairs of rollers are used to sandwich and support the folded film F from both sides, and the pairs of rollers are rotated as needed to feed the film. (5) While the film F drawn from the raw material roll FR is being transported in strip form before it is formed, the film F may be printed on with a printing device, and the quality of the printing may be determined with a printing inspection device. In addition, if necessary, a dancer roller may be provided downstream of the printing device and / or the printing inspection device to store the printed and / or inspected film F, thereby compensating for the difference in capacity between the upstream and downstream processing. (6) The travel speed of each slider may be controlled based on information obtained by detecting marks attached to the strip-shaped film F at regular intervals in the feeding direction of the film F, or position information regarding the front end of the bag W obtained by a camera or the like, in order to eliminate any timing discrepancies in when the gripping devices 4a and 4b grip the bag W as it is being sent by the side belt conveyor. (7) The gripping devices 4a, 4b and the cam mechanisms for opening and closing the gripping devices 4a, 4b are not limited to this embodiment, and various structures can be adopted. For example, a cam mechanism dedicated to opening and closing the gripping device 4a attached to the front slider 2a and a cam mechanism dedicated to opening and closing the gripping device 4b attached to the rear slider 2b may be provided, so that the bag W can be gripped simultaneously from both the front and rear. (8) In the above embodiment, the first position Q1 and the second position Q2 for gripping the bag W are set on the upper part of the bag W, and the gripping devices 4a and 4b are shown to grip only the upper part of the bag W at two points from the front and back of the bag W. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and various methods can be used to grip the part that is not supported by the bag transport means. That is, the first position Q1 and the second position Q2 can be arbitrarily set at various positions on the bag, different from the predetermined position P. For example, the upper and lower parts of the bag W may be gripped at two points each from the front and back of the bag W. (9) The gripping devices 4a and 4b may be configured such that the tips of the pair of claw members face downward, and the pair of claw members grip both ends of the upper opening of the bag W from above the bag. In this case, the bag W can be gripped without widening the distance between the bags W before and after they are transported by the first bag transport conveyor 35 (first bag transport means) and the second bag transport conveyor 36 (second bag transport means). In this case, there is no need to provide two side belt conveyors that transport the bags W at different speeds, so the bag transport means can be configured with a single side belt conveyor. (10) The contents to be filled by the bag packaging system are not limited to powders or granules, but may also be liquids, for example. (11) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the packaging processing areas were arranged on two straight paths 13, 14 and one curved path 15 of the linear conveying device 10. However, the system is not limited to this, and for example, a bag packaging system in which the entire processing area is arranged on only one straight path may also be used. Alternatively, some processing areas may be arranged on a conveying device different from the linear conveying device. When filling contents into a bag by inserting a filling nozzle into the bag on a straight path, it is preferable to move the filling nozzle downstream in the direction of travel of the slider while it is inside the bag, and then return the filling nozzle to its original position after filling the contents, as this can increase the processing capacity. (12) In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the travel path on which the sliders 2a and 2b travel is formed into a single ring as the peripheral circuit 12 of the linear transport device 10. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, a peripheral circuit may be constructed in which a part of the travel path is branched into multiple travel paths arranged in parallel, and after relatively time-consuming processing (e.g., filling processing) is performed on each of the parallel travel paths, the two paths are merged into a single peripheral circuit, thereby reducing the time difference required for the preceding and succeeding processing steps. If a part of the peripheral circuit is branched, it is not necessary to move each filling nozzle to the downstream side. (13) In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which one side of the bag W is adsorbed by a straight path 13 as the device for opening the bag W. However, it is not limited to this, and various means can be used to open the bag W. For example, both sides of the bag W may be adsorbed by the adsorption means and opened. (14) In the above embodiment, an example of continuous packaging was shown in which all processes of handing over the bag W, opening the bag W, and filling and discharging the product are performed in a continuous manner. However, for example, only the filling of the contents may be performed continuously, and the other processes may be performed in an intermittent manner. Alternatively, some of the other processes, or all of the processes, may be performed in an intermittent manner. (15) In the above embodiment, a method was shown in which the top of each bag W is sealed in the sealing area 24, but the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the tops of multiple bags W lined up along a straight path may be sealed together. Also, the sealing device may be a method in which the tops of the bags W are sealed with a pair of rotary sealers while the bags W are being transported. (16) The bag packaging system according to the present invention also includes a bag packaging system that has additional processing steps such as inspection, printing, and cooling, in addition to the transfer of bags W, opening of bags W, and product filling and discharge processing. (17) In the above embodiment, one example shown is a configuration in which the distance between the front and rear gripping devices 4a and 4b is widened simply by controlling the movement of the front and rear sliders 2a and 2b when the filling nozzle 42 enters the bag W in the first curved path 15. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and a configuration can also be adopted in which the distance between the front and rear gripping devices 4a and 4b is adjusted by using a mechanism such as a cam mechanism to tilt the support arms 3 attached to the front slider 2a and / or rear slider 2b in a direction that separates the front and rear gripping devices 4a and 4b. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] F: Film FR: Roll of raw material L: The distance in the front-to-back direction between the preceding bag and the following bag supported by the second bag transfer means (transfer interval). P: Designated position Q1: First position Q2: Second position W: Bag Wa: Previous bag Wb: Rear bag Wt: Opening 2a: Front slider (pair of sliders) 2b: Rear slider (pair of sliders) 3: Support arm 4a: Front gripping device (a pair of gripping devices) 4b: Rear gripping device (a pair of gripping devices) 5: First claw portion (a pair of claw members) 6: Second claw portion (a pair of claw members) 7: First rotating arm 8: Second rotating arm 9: Cam follower 10: Linear transport device 12: Circuit 13: First straight track 14: Second straight track 15: First curved track 16: Second curved path 17: Second bag transfer path 21: Receiving area 22: Opening area 23: Filling area 24: Sealing area 25: Discharge area 27: Cam rail 30: Bag maker 31: Rotary sealing device (bag forming means) 32: Rotary sealer (sealing means) 34: Film transfer conveyor (film transfer means) 34a: Side belt 35: First bag transfer conveyor (first bag transfer means) 35a: Side belt 36: Second bag transfer conveyor (second bag transfer means) 36a: Side belt 37: Feed roller 38: First bag transfer path 40: Filling device 42: Filling nozzle 50: Discharge conveyor 51: Discharge device 52: Cam rail 53: Cylinder

Claims

1. A film transfer means for supporting and transporting a strip of film drawn from a raw material roll, such that the back surfaces of the film overlap and the overlapping surfaces of the film are aligned in the vertical direction, A bag forming means that forms a bag with an opening at the top by applying a horizontal seal to the overlapping films along the vertical direction with a gap in the front and rear in the film feeding direction of the films being fed by the film transport means, and cutting the films with a cutting means, or by applying a vertical seal to the lower end of the overlapping films being fed by the film transport means with a vertical seal along the film feeding direction, and applying the horizontal seal and cutting to the films with a gap in the front and rear in the film feeding direction, and forming a bag with an opening at the top, A bag transfer means for supporting a predetermined position in the vertical direction of the bag formed by the lateral sealing means and for transporting the bag, A linear conveying device comprising an endless circuit, and a plurality of sliders that can independently travel horizontally along the circuit by linear motor drive, wherein a pair of sliders, one in front and one behind in the direction of travel of the sliders, travel along the circuit at positions spaced apart to the side of the circuit, gripping the bags with gripping devices attached to each slider, thereby conveying the bags. The first bag transport path through which bags supported by the bag transport means are transported, and the second bag transport path through which bags gripped by the gripping device are transported, are connected in series. A bag-feeding and packaging system in which the gripping device moves along the direction in which the bag transporting means transports the bag as the slider moves, and grips a position in the bag being transported by the bag transporting means that is different from the predetermined position.

2. The bag feeding and packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the bag transport means transports the bag by supporting both sides of the bag with a pair of endless side belts that travel around in the film feeding direction at the same speed to each other.

3. Each of the plurality of sliders comprises a cam follower that can engage with a cam rail arranged along the circumferential circuit, and a pair of claw members that constitute the gripping device. The pair of claw members are configured such that they separate from each other when the cam follower engages with the cam rail as the slider moves, and close together when the engagement between the cam follower and the cam rail is released as the slider moves. Of the pair of sliders, the forward slider is controlled to travel such that when the cam follower disposed on the forward slider engages with the cam rail, the gripping device on the forward slider can grip a first position on the bag that is different from the predetermined position, and when the engagement between the cam follower on the forward slider and the cam rail is released, the bag transport means is controlled to travel at the same speed as the speed at which the bag is transported. The bag feeding and packaging system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, of the pair of sliders, the rear slider that travels to the rear is controlled to travel such that when the cam follower disposed on the rear slider engages with the cam rail, the gripping device provided on the rear slider can grip a second position on the bag that is different from the predetermined position on the bag and is located to the rear of the first position in the direction of bag transport, and when the engagement between the cam follower of the rear slider and the cam rail is released, the bag transport means is controlled to travel at the same speed as the speed at which the bag is transported.

4. The pair of claw members provided in the front slider are arranged such that their tips face backward in the direction of transporting the bag. The pair of claw members provided in the rear slider are arranged such that their tips face forward in the direction of transporting the bag. The bag transfer means is A first bag transfer means is disposed downstream of the aforementioned lateral sealing means and sequentially transfers the bags, The system includes a second bag transfer means connected to the first bag transfer means, which sequentially transfers bags at a faster speed than the first bag transfer means so as to increase the transfer interval between the preceding bag sent out by the first bag transfer means and the subsequent bag sent out one after it. The bag-feeding and packaging system according to claim 3, wherein the speed of the second bag transfer means is set such that the pair of claw members in the rear slider grip the preceding bag from the rear side, and the pair of claw members in the front slider corresponding to the following bag are spaced apart so that they can grip the following bag from the front side.

5. The bag-feeding and packaging system according to claim 1, wherein an opening area for opening the top of a bag, a filling area for filling the bag with contents, and a sealing area for sealing the top of a bag after it has been filled are provided at positions along the circumferential circuit of the linear conveying device.

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