sealing device

Abstract

To provide a sealing device that can remove air from the inside of a packaging bag. [Solution] The sealing device comprises a main body having a first annular portion formed in an annular shape, and a movable portion having a second annular portion formed in an annular shape, wherein the movable portion is movable relative to the main body to a contact position in which the second annular portion comes into contact with the first annular portion to form a chamber with the main body, and a standby position in which the second annular portion is separated from the first annular portion, wherein the movable portion is provided with a nozzle that is sandwiched between the first annular portion and the second annular portion when the movable portion is in the contact position, and at least one of the main body and the movable portion is provided with a vent for degassing from the inside of the chamber, and the nozzle, when sandwiched between the first annular portion and the second annular portion, is provided with a groove that allows the inside and outside of the chamber to pass through.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, a sealing device includes a main body portion having a first annular portion formed in an annular shape, and a movable portion having a second annular portion formed in an annular shape. The movable portion is movable relative to the main body portion between a contact position where the second annular portion is mated with the first annular portion to form a chamber with the main body portion, and a standby position where the second annular portion is separated from the first annular portion (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the sealing device according to Patent Document 1, the opening of a packaging bag is arranged inside the chamber, and the sealing device evacuates the inside of the chamber, whereby the inside of the packaging bag is evacuated. However, since the first annular portion and the second annular portion sandwich the packaging bag to close the inside of the packaging bag, the inside of the packaging bag is difficult to be evacuated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a sealing device that facilitates evacuation of the inside of a packaging bag.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] A sealing device comprises: a main body portion having a first annular portion formed in an annular shape, and a movable portion having a second annular portion formed in an annular shape, The movable part is a sealing device that can move relative to the main body between a contact position in which the second annular portion aligns with the first annular portion to form a chamber with the main body, and a standby position in which the second annular portion is separated from the first annular portion. The movable part is positioned at the contact position and includes a nozzle that is sandwiched between the first annular portion and the second annular portion. At least one of the main body and the movable part is provided with a vent for removing air from inside the chamber. The nozzle is sandwiched between the first annular portion and the second annular portion and includes a groove that allows passage between the inside and outside of the chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is an overall view of a sealing device according to one embodiment, showing the movable part in a standby position (a: perspective view, b: side view). [Figure 2] This is an overall view of the sealing device according to the same embodiment, showing the movable part in a state where it is in contact position (first contact position) (a: perspective view, b: side view). [Figure 3] Enlarged cross-sectional view of line III-III in Figure 1(a) [Figure 4] Enlarged cross-sectional view of line IV-IV in Figure 2(a) [Figure 5] Diagrams of the parts according to the same embodiment (a: perspective view of the movable part seen from below, b: perspective view of the main body seen from above) [Figure 6] Diagram of the nozzle according to the same embodiment (a: perspective view, b: enlarged cross-sectional view of line VI-VI in a) [Figure 7] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part of the sealing device according to the same embodiment (a: a diagram showing the state in which the nozzle is located at the first nozzle position and the movable part is located at the first contact position, b: a diagram showing the state in which the nozzle is located at the second nozzle position and the movable part is located at the second contact position) [Figure 8] Plan view of the sealing device according to the same embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 8: Enlarged cross-sectional view of the main section of the IX-IX line. [Figure 10]A longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part of a sealing device according to another embodiment (a: a diagram showing the state in which the nozzle is located at the first nozzle position and the movable part is located at the first contact position; b: a diagram showing the state in which the nozzle is located at the third nozzle position and the movable part is located at the second contact position) [Figure 11] Further diagrams of nozzles according to other embodiments (a: perspective view, b: enlarged cross-sectional view of line XI-XI in a) [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] In each drawing, the dimensions of components may be enlarged or reduced from their actual dimensions for the sake of clarity, and the dimensional ratios between drawings may not be consistent. Furthermore, in each drawing, some components may be omitted for the sake of clarity.

[0009] Terms including ordinal numbers such as "1st," "2nd," etc., are used to describe various components, but these terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from others, and the components are not particularly limited by these terms. Furthermore, the number of components including ordinal numbers is not particularly limited; for example, there may be only one. Also, the ordinal numbers used in the following specification and drawings may differ from the ordinal numbers described in the claims.

[0010] The following description will explain one embodiment of the sealing device with reference to Figures 1 to 9. Note that the following embodiment is provided as an example to aid in understanding the configuration of the sealing device, and is not intended to limit the configuration of the sealing device.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the sealing device 1 includes a main body part 2, a movable part 3 that is movable relative to the main body part 2 and forms a chamber 7 together with the main body part 2, a sealing part 5 that seals the packaging bag P1 by sandwiching it therebetween, a moving part 8 that connects the main body part 2 and the movable part 3 so that the movable part 3 can move relative to the main body part 2, and a first positioning part 9 capable of positioning the movable part 3. The movable part 3 is movable relative to the main body part 2 via the moving part 8 between a contact position in contact with the main body part 2 (for example, the position shown in Figure 2) and a standby position separated from the main body part 2 (for example, the position shown in Figure 1).

[0012] Further, the sealing device 1 includes a degassing device 6 for degassing the inside of the chamber 7, and a nozzle 4 that is sandwiched between the main body part 2 and the movable part 3 when the movable part 3 is located at the contact position and extends from the inside to the outside of the chamber 7. Thereby, the inside of the packaging bag P1 can be degassed.

[0013] In the following description, the first direction D1 is also referred to as the front-rear direction (first lateral direction) D1, and among the first direction D1, the arrow direction in the drawings is defined as the rear direction (depth direction), and the direction opposite to the arrow direction in the drawings is defined as the front direction (near side direction). The second direction D2 is also referred to as the left-right direction (second lateral direction) D2, and among the second direction D2, the arrow direction in the drawings is defined as the left direction, and the direction opposite to the arrow direction in the drawings is defined as the right direction. The third direction D3 is also referred to as the up-down direction D3, and among the third direction D3, the arrow direction in the drawings is defined as the upward direction, and the direction opposite to the arrow direction in the drawings is defined as the downward direction.

[0014] As described above, in the present embodiment, each of the directions D1 to D3 is defined as the direction viewed by a person who operates the sealing device 1 from the packaging bag P1 side. Note that the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are used for the convenience of description, and it goes without saying that in the actual product, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions may be reversed, or the front-rear direction may be replaced with the left-right or up-down direction (the left-right direction may be replaced with the front-rear or up-down direction, and the up-down direction may be replaced with the front-rear or left-right direction).

[0015] The moving part 8 includes a first link part 81 and a second link part 82 that connect the right end portions of the main body part 2 and the movable part 3 to each other, and a third link part 83 and a fourth link part 84 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 5) that connect the left end portions of the main body part 2 and the movable part 3 to each other. Each of the link parts 81, 82, 83, 84 includes a link 85, a first rotating part 86 that rotatably connects the link 85 to the main body part 2, and a second rotating part 87 that rotatably connects the link 85 to the movable part 3.

[0016] Thereby, when the movable part 3 moves relative to the main body part 2, the lower surface of the movable part 3 maintains a state parallel to the upper surface of the main body part 2. Note that in the present embodiment, the moving part 8 is constituted by a link mechanism, but is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the moving part 8 may be configured to include a hinge having two blades and a rotation shaft, where one blade is attached to the main body part 2 and the other blade is attached to the movable part 3. In such a configuration, the movable part 3 moves relative to the main body part 2 while rotating about the left-right direction D2 relative to the main body part 2.

[0017] The first positioning part 9 can be switched between a positioning state for positioning the movable part 3 and a release state for releasing the positioning of the movable part 3. In the present embodiment, the first positioning part 9 includes a nozzle 4, a first abutting part 9a disposed on the main body part 2 and abutting against the nozzle 4, and a second abutting part 9b disposed on the movable part 3 and abutting against the nozzle 4. Further, the first abutting part 9a protrudes upward from the upper surface of the main body part 2, and the second abutting part 9b protrudes downward from the lower surface of the movable part 3.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the main body part 2 includes a first annular part 21 formed in an annular shape, a first extension part 23 extending from the first annular part 21 to the outside of the first annular part 21, a first support part 25 supporting the first annular part 21 and the first extension part 23, a degassing port 26 for degassing the inside of the chamber 7, and a discharge port 29 for discharging air to the outside of the sealing device 1. Further, the main body part 2 may include, for example, as in the present embodiment, a first attachment part 27 to which the nozzle 4 is attached.

[0019] The movable part 3 comprises a second annular portion 31 formed in an annular shape, a second extension portion 33 extending from the second annular portion 31 to the outside of the second annular portion 31, and a second support portion 35 that supports the second annular portion 31 and the second extension portion 33. The movable part 3 may also include a second mounting portion 37 to which the nozzle 4 is attached, for example, as in this embodiment.

[0020] The first annular portion 21 is formed in a rectangular shape. The first annular portion 21 has a first linear portion 21a at its front end that extends linearly in the left-right direction D2. The first annular portion 21 may be formed in a triangular or polygonal shape with pentagons or more, or in a circular shape such as a perfect circle, ellipse, semicircle, or semi-ellipse.

[0021] The second annular portion 31 is formed in a rectangular shape. The second annular portion 31 has a second linear portion 31a at its front end that extends linearly in the left-right direction D2. The shape of the second annular portion 31 is not particularly limited, but when the movable portion 3 is in the contact position, the second annular portion 31 is formed in the same shape as the first annular portion 21 so that it aligns with the first annular portion 21 in the up-down direction D3.

[0022] The first extension 23 extends linearly in the left-right direction D2 from the front end and left and right ends (left and right ends, respectively) of the first annular portion 21. As a result, the first extension 23 is aligned in a straight line with the first straight portion 21a of the first annular portion 21. Note that the first extension 23 is not limited to the front end and left and right ends of the first annular portion 21, but may also extend from a position away from the front end and from the left and right ends. Furthermore, the first extension 23 is not limited to a straight line, but may extend in a curved shape.

[0023] The second extension 33 extends linearly in the left-right direction D2 from the front end and left and right ends (left and right ends, respectively) of the second annular portion 31. As a result, the second extension 33 is aligned in a straight line with the second straight portion 31a of the second annular portion 31. The shape of the second extension 33 is not particularly limited, but when the movable portion 3 is in the contact position, the second extension 33 is formed to be the same shape as the first extension 23 so as to align with the first extension 23 in the vertical direction D3.

[0024] The first annular portion 21, the first extension portion 23, the second annular portion 31, and the second extension portion 33 are elastic and are made of an elastically deformable material such as rubber or sponge. As a result, the first annular portion 21, the first extension portion 23, the second annular portion 31, and the second extension portion 33 are elastically deformable by sandwiching the nozzle 4 or the packaging bag P1.

[0025] The first support portion 25 includes a first annular fixing portion 25a for fixing the first annular portion 21, a first extension fixing portion 25b (not shown) for fixing the first extension portion 23, and a first annular closing portion 25c for closing the inside of the first annular portion 21 in the vertical direction D3 (specifically, from below).

[0026] The first annular fixing portion 25a is formed in an annular and concave shape. In this embodiment, the first annular portion 21 fits inside the first annular fixing portion 25a, and a part of the first annular portion 21 (specifically, the upper part) protrudes outside the first annular fixing portion 25a. The first annular fixing portion 25a may have a gap between it and the first annular portion 21, and may also be flat or convex instead of concave.

[0027] The first extension fixing portion 25b is formed in a straight and concave shape. In this embodiment, the first extension portion 23 fits inside the first extension fixing portion 25b, and a part of the first extension portion 23 (specifically, the upper part) protrudes outside the first extension fixing portion 25b. The first extension fixing portion 25b may have a gap between it and the first extension portion 23, and may also be flat or convex instead of concave.

[0028] The second support portion 35 includes a second annular fixing portion 35a for fixing the second annular portion 31, a second extension fixing portion 35b (not shown) for fixing the second extension portion 33, and a second annular closing portion 35c for closing the inside of the second annular portion 31 in the vertical direction D3 (specifically, from above).

[0029] The second annular fixing portion 35a is formed in an annular and concave shape. In this embodiment, the second annular portion 31 fits inside the second annular fixing portion 35a, and a part of the second annular portion 31 (specifically, the lower part) protrudes outside the second annular fixing portion 35a. The second annular fixing portion 35a may have a gap between it and the second annular portion 31, and may also be flat or convex instead of concave.

[0030] The second extension fixing portion 35b is formed in a straight and concave shape. In this embodiment, the second extension portion 33 fits inside the second extension fixing portion 35b, and a part of the second extension portion 33 (specifically, the lower part) protrudes outside the second extension fixing portion 35b. The second extension fixing portion 35b may have a gap between it and the second extension portion 33, and may also be flat or convex instead of concave.

[0031] Then, as shown in Figure 4, when the movable part 3 is positioned in contact, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 come together via the nozzle 4, and the first extension part 23 and the second extension part 33 also come together (not shown in Figure 4). As a result, the main body part 2 and the movable part 3 form a chamber 7 with an internal space.

[0032] In this embodiment, the first annular portion 21, the second annular portion 31, the first ring-closing portion 25c, and the second ring-closing portion 35c form the chamber 7. Specifically, the first annular portion 21 and the first ring-closing portion 25c form recesses in the main body portion 2 and constitute a part (lower part) of the chamber 7, while the second annular portion 31 and the second ring-closing portion 35c form recesses in the movable portion 3 and constitute a part (upper part) of the chamber 7.

[0033] For example, the upper surface of the first annular portion 21 may be located on the same plane as the upper surface of the first annular closing portion 25c, and the lower surface of the second annular portion 31 may be located lower than the lower surface of the second annular closing portion 35c. Furthermore, the chamber 7 may be formed when the recess of the movable portion 3 formed by the second annular portion 31 and the second annular closing portion 35c is closed by the first annular portion 21 and the first annular closing portion 25c.

[0034] Furthermore, for example, the lower surface of the second annular portion 31 may be located on the same plane as the lower surface of the second annular closing portion 35c, and the upper surface of the first annular portion 21 may be located above the upper surface of the first annular closing portion 25c. In this configuration, the chamber 7 may be formed when the recess of the main body portion 2 formed by the first annular portion 21 and the first annular closing portion 25c is closed by the second annular portion 31 and the second annular closing portion 35c.

[0035] The degassing device 6 is, for example, a device that sucks in air, such as a vacuum pump or a fan. The degassing device 6 degasss the inside of the chamber 7 through the degassing port 26. For example, the degassing device 6 is connected to the degassing port 26 and the discharge port 29 by connecting pipes, etc. (not shown). The air inside the chamber 7 is discharged to the outside of the chamber 7 via the degassing port 26, and then discharged to the outside of the sealing device 1 via the discharge port 29.

[0036] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the sealing section 5 comprises a first sealing body 51 located on the main body 2, and a second sealing body 52 located on the movable section 3, which seals the packaging bag P1 by sandwiching the packaging bag P1 between itself and the first sealing body 51. The first sealing body 51 is located outside the first annular section 21, and the second sealing body 52 is located outside the second annular section 31. As a result, the sealing section 5 is located outside the chamber 7.

[0037] The first seal body 51 is located further forward than the first annular portion 21 and the first extension portion 23, and extends in the left-right direction D2. The second seal body 52 is located further forward than the second annular portion 31 and the second extension portion 33, and extends in the left-right direction D2. The first seal body 51 is also equipped with a heater 51a that extends in the left-right direction D2 in order to heat and melt the packaging bag P1. Note that it is sufficient for at least one of the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 to be equipped with a heater 51a.

[0038] Incidentally, since the movable part 8 is composed of a link mechanism, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the movable part 3 moves relative to the main body 2 while maintaining a state in which the lower surface of the movable part 3 is parallel to the upper surface of the main body 2. This makes it possible to make the timing at which the entire first annular part 21 and the entire second annular part 31 come into contact, and the timing at which the entire first extension part 23 (not shown in Figures 3 and 4) and the entire second extension part 33 (not shown in Figures 3 and 4) come into contact, approximately the same.

[0039] Therefore, when the movable part 3 is in the contact position (see Figure 2), the entire first annular part 21 and the entire second annular part 31 can make uniform contact, and the entire first extension part 23 and the entire second extension part 33 can make uniform contact. Thus, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 can uniformly grip the nozzle 4 and the packaging bag P1, and the first extension part 23 and the second extension part 33 can uniformly grip the packaging bag P1.

[0040] Furthermore, when the movable part 3 is in the standby position (see Figure 1), it is positioned behind the main body 2, making the nozzle 4 easily visible when viewing the sealing device 1 from above. This makes it easier to insert the nozzle 4 into the packaging bag P1.

[0041] While not particularly limited, for example, as in this embodiment, the movable part 3 located in the standby position may be located away from the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 (specifically, the nozzle 4 located in the first nozzle position described later) in the rearward direction when viewed in the vertical direction D3. As a result, when the sealing device 1 is viewed from above, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is exposed, making the nozzle 4 easily visible.

[0042] As shown in Figure 6, the nozzle 4 extends in the longitudinal direction D1. In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction D1 is parallel to the front-rear direction (first transverse direction) D1. The nozzle 4 includes a groove portion 42 extending in the longitudinal direction D1, a first mounting portion 44 attached to a first mounting portion 27 (see Figure 5) of the main body portion 2, a second mounting portion 45 attached to a second mounting portion 37 (see Figure 5) of the movable portion 3, and a handle portion 46 positioned at the base end (rear end).

[0043] The groove 42 extends from the tip (front end) 41 of the nozzle 4 in the longitudinal direction D1. As a result, the groove 42 opens the tip surface of the nozzle 4, including the tip 41. The groove 42 is also formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the nozzle 4. As a result, the groove 42 opens the upper and lower surfaces of the nozzle 4. In this way, the groove 42 opens the outer surface of the nozzle 4 in directions intersecting the longitudinal direction D1 (for example, upward and downward).

[0044] The number, size, length, and direction of extension of the grooves 42 are arbitrary and not limited to the illustrated configuration. For example, the more grooves 42 there are, and the larger the size of the grooves 42, the greater the airflow rate of the air moving inside the grooves 42. Also, for example, the nozzle 4 may have grooves 42 on either the upper or lower surface.

[0045] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the first mounting portion 44 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the nozzle 4, and the first mounting portion 27 is formed in a concave shape from the upper surface of the first ring closing portion 25c of the main body portion 2 so that the first mounting portion 44 can be inserted into it. The first mounting portion 27 also extends in the front-rear direction D1 so that the first mounting portion 44 of the nozzle 4 can move in the front-rear direction D1.

[0046] The second mounting portion 45 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the nozzle 4, and the second mounting portion 37 is formed in a concave shape from the lower surface of the second ring closing portion 35c of the movable portion 3 so that the second mounting portion 45 can be inserted into it. The second mounting portion 37 also extends in the front-rear direction D1 so that the second mounting portion 45 of the nozzle 4 can move in the front-rear direction D1.

[0047] As shown in Figure 7, the first mounting portion 27 includes a first forward restricting portion 27a that restricts the forward movement of the nozzle 4 by contacting the first mounting portion 44 of the nozzle 4, and a first rearward restricting portion 27b that restricts the rearward movement of the nozzle 4 by contacting the first mounting portion 44 of the nozzle 4. In this embodiment, the first forward restricting portion 27a is the front end surface of the first mounting portion 27, which is a recess, and the first rearward restricting portion 27b is the rear end surface of the first mounting portion 27, which is a recess.

[0048] The second mounting portion 37 includes a second forward restricting portion 37a that restricts the forward movement of the nozzle 4 by contacting the second mounting portion 45 of the nozzle 4, and a second rearward restricting portion 37b that restricts the rearward movement of the nozzle 4 by contacting the second mounting portion 45 of the nozzle 4. In this embodiment, the second forward restricting portion 37a is the front end surface of the second mounting portion 37, which is a recess, and the second rearward restricting portion 37b is the rear end surface of the second mounting portion 37, which is a recess.

[0049] As shown in Figure 7(a), the nozzle 4 is positioned in the first nozzle position when the forward restricting portions 27a and 37a contact the front surfaces of the mounting portions 44 and 45. When the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 meet via the nozzle 4, and the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is positioned between the chamber 7 and the seal portion 5. In other words, when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is positioned closer to the chamber 7 than the seal portion 5.

[0050] As a result, the forward restricting portions 27a and 37a contact the nozzle 4 located at the first nozzle position, thereby restricting the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 from approaching the sealing portion 5. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the nozzle 4 from moving to a position where it is trapped by the sealing portion 5, thus preventing the sealing portion 5 from trapping the nozzle 4. The first nozzle position is the position where the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is closest to the sealing portion 5.

[0051] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7(b), the rear restricting portions 27b and 37b contact the rear surfaces of the mounting portions 44 and 45, causing the nozzle 4 to be positioned at the second nozzle position. When the nozzle 4 is at the second nozzle position, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is further away from the sealing portion 5 than at the first nozzle position. In this embodiment, when the nozzle 4 is at the second nozzle position, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is located inside the chamber 7. The second nozzle position is the position where the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is furthest from the sealing portion 5.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mounting portions 27 and 37 are formed in a concave shape and the mounted portions 44 and 45 are formed in a convex shape, but the mounting portions 27 and 37 may be formed in a convex shape and the mounted portions 44 and 45 may be formed in a concave shape. In this case, by having the mounted portions 44 and 45 extend in the front-rear direction D1, the nozzle 4 may be movable in the front-rear direction D1 relative to the main body portion 2 and the movable portion 3 between the first nozzle position and the second nozzle position.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the first contact portion 9a is positioned between the first annular portion 21 and the first seal body 51, and the second contact portion 9b is positioned between the second annular portion 31 and the second seal body 52. ​​As a result, the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b are positioned between the chamber 7 and the seal portion 5.

[0054] Then, as shown in Figure 7(a), when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b sandwich the nozzle 4 in the first nozzle position. As a result, the movable portion 3 is restricted from moving relative to the main body portion 2 so that the second contact portion 9b approaches the first contact portion 9a, and is positioned in the first contact position. Therefore, when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the first positioning portion 9 enters a positioning state that positions the movable portion 3 in the first contact position.

[0055] When the movable part 3 is in the first contact position, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 are joined via the nozzle 4, and the first extension part 23 and the second extension part 33 (not shown in Figure 7(a)) are joined, while the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 are separated.

[0056] As a result, when the movable part 3 is in the first contact position, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 sandwich the nozzle 4 and the packaging bag P1, and the first extension part 23 and the second extension part 33 also sandwich the packaging bag P1, while the first sealing body 51 and the second sealing body 52 do not sandwich the packaging bag P1. Therefore, the inside of the packaging bag P1 can be degassed.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(b), when the nozzle 4 is in the second nozzle position, the nozzle 4 (specifically the tip portion 47) moves away from the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b. This allows the movable portion 3 to move relative to the main body portion 2 so that the second contact portion 9b approaches the first contact portion 9a, and becomes movable to the second contact position. Therefore, when the nozzle 4 is in the second nozzle position, the first positioning portion 9 releases the positioning of the movable portion 3 at the first contact position, and enters a released state in which the movable portion 3 can move to the second contact position.

[0058] When the movable part 3 is in the second contact position, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 come together, the first extension part 23 and the second extension part 33 (not shown in Figure 7(b)) come together, and the first sealing body 51 and the second sealing body 52 also come together. As a result, when the movable part 3 is in the second contact position, the first sealing body 51 and the second sealing body 52 sandwich the packaging bag P1. Therefore, the sealing part 5 can seal the packaging bag P1.

[0059] In this way, by displacing the nozzle 4 between the first nozzle position and the second nozzle position, the first positioning unit 9 switches between a positioning state in which the movable part 3 is positioned by the contact parts 9a and 9b, and a release state in which the positioning of the movable part 3 is released. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first positioning unit 9 is composed of the nozzle 4, the first contact part 9a, and the second contact part 9b.

[0060] Incidentally, when the movable part 3 is in the second contact position, the annular parts 21, 31 and the extensions 23, 33 elastically deform and come together more than when the movable part 3 is in the first contact position. Specifically, as the movable part 3 moves from the first contact position to the second contact position, the annular parts 21, 31 and the extensions 23, 33 elastically deform and come together further in the vertical direction D3 by the distance that the first seal body 51 (specifically, the heater 51a) and the second seal body 52 are separated when the movable part 3 is in the first contact position.

[0061] When the movable part 3 is in the standby position (see Figure 3), the vertical distance D3 between the upper surface of the first annular part 21 and the lower surface of the second annular part 31 is shorter than the vertical distance D3 between the upper surface of the first seal body 51 (specifically, the heater 51a) and the lower surface of the second seal body 52. ​​As a result, as the movable part 3 moves from the standby position to the first contact position, the second annular part 31 contacts the first annular part 21 before the second seal body 52 contacts the first seal body 51, as shown in Figure 7(a).

[0062] Furthermore, when the movable part 3 is in the standby position (see Figure 3), the vertical distance D3 between the upper surface of the first seal body 51 (specifically, the heater 51a) and the lower surface of the second seal body 52 is shorter than the vertical distance D3 between the upper surface of the first contact portion 9a and the lower surface of the second contact portion 9b. As a result, as the movable part 3 moves from the first contact position to the second contact position, the annular portions 21, 31 and the extension portions 23, 33 undergo elastic deformation, as shown in Figure 7(b). Consequently, the second seal body 52 comes into contact with the first seal body 51, while the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b do not come into contact.

[0063] Furthermore, when the movable part 3 is in the standby position (see Figure 3), the difference between the vertical distance D3 between the upper surface of the first annular part 21 and the lower surface of the second annular part 31, and the vertical distance D3 between the upper surface of the first contact part 9a and the lower surface of the second contact part 9b, is greater than or equal to the vertical dimension D3 of the nozzle 4 (specifically, the part sandwiched between the first contact part 9a and the second contact part 9b). As a result, as shown in Figure 7(a), when the first contact part 9a and the second contact part 9b sandwich the nozzle 4 in the vertical direction D3, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 come into contact (or come into contact and elastically deform in the vertical direction D3).

[0064] Furthermore, when the movable part 3 is in the standby position (see Figure 3), the difference between the vertical distance D3 between the upper surface of the first contact part 9a and the lower surface of the second contact part 9b, and the vertical distance D3 between the upper surface of the first seal body 51 (specifically, the heater 51a) and the lower surface of the second seal body 52, is shorter than the vertical dimension D3 of the nozzle 4 (specifically, the part sandwiched between the first contact part 9a and the second contact part 9b). As a result, as shown in Figure 7(a), when the movable part 3 is in the first contact position, the first contact part 9a and the second contact part 9b sandwich the nozzle 4 in the vertical direction D3, causing the upper surface of the first seal body 51 (specifically, the heater 51a) and the lower surface of the second seal body 52 to separate.

[0065] Furthermore, since the handle portion 46 is located outside the main body portion 2 and the movable portion 3, the nozzle 4 can be moved, for example, by pinching and operating the handle portion 46, while the movable portion 3 is in contact with the handle.

[0066] Next, the degassing method for the sealing device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Note that the following method is provided as an example to aid in understanding the degassing method of the sealing device 1, and is not intended to limit the degassing method of the sealing device 1.

[0067] For example, with the movable part 3 in the standby position, the packaging bag P1 is inserted between the main body 2 and the movable part 3, and the nozzle 4 is inserted into the packaging bag P1 through the opening P2 of the packaging bag P1. Then, as shown in Figures 7(a) and 8, when the nozzle 4 is positioned at the first nozzle position and the movable part 3 is moved to the first contact position, the first contact part 9a and the second contact part 9b sandwich the nozzle 4. As a result, the first positioning part 9 is in a positioning state that positions the movable part 3 at the first contact position.

[0068] Furthermore, when the movable part 3 is positioned at the first contact position, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 come together, forming the chamber 7. The packaging bag P1 is then sandwiched between the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 together with the nozzle 4, and also sandwiched between the first extension 23 (not shown in Figures 7 and 8) and the second extension 33.

[0069] At this time, the nozzle 4 located at the first nozzle position extends from the inside to the outside of the chamber 7. Since the tip 42a of the groove 42 is located outside the chamber 7 and the base end 42b of the groove 42 is located inside the chamber 7, the groove 42 extends from the inside to the outside of the chamber 7. As a result, the groove 42 allows the inside and outside of the chamber 7 to pass through, and the groove 42 can become a flow path that passes between the inside and outside of the chamber 7.

[0070] Then, for example, when an operating unit (not shown in Figure 8) is operated (for example, when a degassing instruction is input to the degassing input unit), the degassing device 6 (not shown in Figure 8) degasss the inside of the chamber 7. As a result, the air inside the packaging bag P1 moves to the chamber 7 via the groove 42, thus degassing the inside of the packaging bag P1.

[0071] Furthermore, while the packaging bag P1 is wider than the chamber 7, with a portion of the opening P2 of the packaging bag P1 positioned inside the chamber 7, the packaging bag P1 is sandwiched over its entire length in the width direction D2 by the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 and the first extension portion 23 and the second extension portion 33.

[0072] As a result, the first extension 23 and the second extension 33 close the portion of the packaging bag P1 outside the chamber 7, and the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31, along with the first extension 23 and the second extension 33, can close the inside of the packaging bag P1 in portions other than the groove 42. Therefore, even if the packaging bag P1 is wider than the chamber 7, the inside of the packaging bag P1 can be degassed. For example, the packaging bag P1 may be narrower than the chamber 7.

[0073] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 7(b), when the nozzle 4 is moved from the first nozzle position to the second nozzle position, the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b move away from the nozzle 4 located at the second nozzle position. As a result, the first positioning unit 9 switches from the positioning state to the release state.

[0074] Then, as the movable part 3 moves from the first contact position to the second contact position, the first sealing body 51 and the second sealing body 52 sandwich the packaging bag P1. As a result, when, for example, an operating part (not shown) is operated (for example, a sealing instruction is input to the sealing input part), the sealing part 5 seals the packaging bag P1.

[0075] For example, the device may not have an operating unit (seal input unit), and the sealing unit 5 may start sealing after a set time has elapsed following the start of degassing (the degassing device 6 has started operating). When the sealing of the packaging bag P1 is complete, the movable unit 3 moves from the second contact position to the standby position, and the degassed and sealed packaging bag P1 is removed.

[0076] Incidentally, the degassing device 6 degasss the inside of the chamber 7 when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position and the movable part 3 is in the first contact position, and continues to degass the inside of the chamber 7 until the nozzle 4 moves from the first nozzle position to the second nozzle position. This prevents air from entering the inside of the packaging bag P1 when the nozzle 4 is removed from the packaging bag P1. Furthermore, for example, the degassing device 6 may terminate degassing after the nozzle 4 has moved to the second nozzle position.

[0077] The sealing device 1 includes a control unit (not shown) that controls the degassing device 6. The control unit may be composed of, for example, a software circuit, or for example, a hardware circuit, or for example, a combination of a software circuit and a hardware circuit.

[0078] Next, the detailed configuration of nozzle 4 will be explained with reference to Figure 9. Note that the following configuration is illustrative and intended to aid in understanding the configuration of nozzle 4, and does not limit the possible configurations of nozzle 4.

[0079] As shown in Figure 9, the depth L1 of the groove 42 is greater than the width L2 of the groove 42. This prevents the packaging bag P1 from adhering tightly to the inner surface of the groove 42 of the nozzle 4, thus creating a gap between the packaging bag P1 and the inner surface of the groove 42. Therefore, the groove 42 of the nozzle 4 can form a flow path that allows air to pass between the inside and outside of the chamber 7 (not shown in Figure 9). Note that for at least one groove 42 of the nozzle 4, the depth L1 must be greater than the width L2.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the width direction D2 of the groove 42 is parallel to the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4, and the depth direction D3 of the groove 42 is parallel to the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4. In this embodiment, the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4 is parallel to the left-right direction (second lateral direction) D2, and the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4 is parallel to the up-down direction D3.

[0081] Furthermore, the length L3 in the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4 is longer than the length L4 in the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4. The length L4 in the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4 becomes shorter towards both ends of the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4. As a result, the nozzle 4 has a flattened shape when viewed in the length direction D1. The nozzle 4 is provided with corners 43 extending along the length direction D1 at both ends of the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4.

[0082] This prevents a gap P3 from forming between the packaging bag P1 and the end of the nozzle 4 in the width direction D2 when the packaging bag P1 is sandwiched between the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 with the nozzle 4 inserted. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air from entering the inside of the packaging bag P1 through the gap P3 between the packaging bag P1 and the end of the nozzle 4 in the width direction D2.

[0083] Furthermore, in a view along the length direction D1 (cross-section of the nozzle 4 in a plane perpendicular to the length direction D1), the radius of curvature r1 of the corner portion 43 is preferably 1.0 mm or less, and more preferably 0.5 mm or less. This prevents the formation of a gap P3 between the packaging bag P1 and the end of the nozzle 4 in the width direction D2.

[0084] Furthermore, although not particularly limited, the nozzle 4 may be made of resin, for example, and manufactured by injection molding. This makes it easy to manufacture a nozzle 4 having, for example, a corner portion 43 with a radius of curvature r1 close to 0 mm.

[0085] [1] Based on the above, the sealing device 1 of this embodiment is A main body 2 having a first annular portion 21 formed in an annular shape, It comprises a movable part 3 having a second annular portion 31 formed in an annular shape, The movable part 3 is a sealing device 1 that can move relative to the main body 2 between a contact position in which the second annular part 31 is joined with the first annular part 21 to form a chamber 7 with the main body 2, and a standby position in which the second annular part 31 is separated from the first annular part 21. The movable part 3 is positioned at the contact position and includes a nozzle 4 that is sandwiched between the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31. At least one of the main body 2 and the movable part 3 is provided with a vent 26 for degassing from inside the chamber 7. The nozzle 4 is sandwiched between the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 and has a groove 42 that allows passage between the inside and outside of the chamber 7. This configuration is preferable.

[0086] With this configuration, when the movable part 3 is in the contact position, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 sandwich the nozzle 4. At this time, the groove 42 of the nozzle 4 allows the inside and outside of the chamber 7 to pass through.

[0087] As a result, when the nozzle 4 is inserted into the packaging bag P1 through the opening P2 of the packaging bag P1, and the opening P2 of the packaging bag P1 is positioned inside the chamber 7, the groove 42 of the nozzle 4 allows the inside of the packaging bag P1 to pass through the inside of the chamber 7. Therefore, the inside of the packaging bag P1 can be degassed by degassing the inside of the chamber 7 through the degassing port 26.

[0088] [2] Furthermore, in the sealing device 1 described in [1] above, The depth L1 of the groove 42 is greater than the width L2 of the groove 42. This configuration is preferable.

[0089] With this configuration, since the depth L1 of the groove 42 is greater than the width L2 of the groove 42, it is possible to prevent the packaging bag P1 from adhering tightly to the inner surface of the groove 42 of the nozzle 4. This allows a gap to be formed between the packaging bag P1 and the inner surface of the groove 42. Therefore, the groove 42 of the nozzle 4 can form a flow path that allows air to pass between the inside and outside of the chamber 7.

[0090] [3] Furthermore, in the sealing device 1 described in [1] or [2] above, The main body portion 2 includes a first extension portion 23 that extends from the first annular portion 21 to the outside of the first annular portion 21, The movable portion 3 includes a second extension portion 33 that extends from the second annular portion 31 to the outside of the second annular portion 31 and aligns with the first extension portion 23 when the movable portion 3 is in the contact position. This configuration is preferable.

[0091] In this configuration, the first extension 23 extends outward from the first annular portion 21, and the second extension 33 extends outward from the second annular portion 31. When the movable portion 3 is in the contact position, the second extension 33 aligns with the first extension 23.

[0092] As a result, when the packaging bag P1 is wider than the chamber 7, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31, and the first extension portion 23 and the second extension portion 33 can clamp the packaging bag P1 along its entire length in the width direction D2, with a portion of the opening P2 of the packaging bag P1 positioned inside the chamber 7. Therefore, even if the packaging bag P1 is wider than the chamber 7, the inside of the packaging bag P1 can be degassed.

[0093] [4] Furthermore, in any one of the sealing devices 1 described in [1] to [3] above, The first seal body 51 is arranged in the main body portion 2, The movable part 3 is equipped with a second seal body 52 which is positioned between the first seal body 51 and the packaging bag P1, and seals the packaging bag P1 together with the first seal body 51. The first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 are elastically deformable elastic bodies, The movable part 3 is movable relative to the main body 2 between a first contact position in which the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 meet via the nozzle 4 and the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 are separated, and a second contact position in which the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 are elastically deformed to meet more than when the movable part 3 is in the first contact position and the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 meet. The sealing device 1 preferably includes a positioning unit (in this embodiment, a first positioning unit) 9 that can switch between a positioning state in which the movable part 3 is positioned at the first contact position and a release state in which the positioning of the movable part 3 at the first contact position is released and the movable part 3 can be moved to the second contact position.

[0094] With this configuration, the movable part 3 is positioned at the first contact position when the positioning part 9 is in a positioning state that positions the movable part 3. As the movable part 3 is positioned at the first contact position, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 come together via the nozzle 4, while the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 separate. As a result, the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31 sandwich the nozzle 4 and the packaging bag P1, while the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 do not sandwich the packaging bag P1, thus allowing the inside of the packaging bag P1 to be degassed.

[0095] Furthermore, when the positioning unit 9 is released from positioning the movable unit 3, the movable unit 3 becomes movable to the second contact position. As the movable unit 3 is positioned at the second contact position, the first annular unit 21 and the second annular unit 31 elastically deform and come together more than when they were in the first contact position, and the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 also come together. As a result, the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 can sandwich the packaging bag P1, and thus the packaging bag P1 can be sealed.

[0096] [5] Furthermore, in the sealing device 1 described in [4] above, The positioning portion 9 comprises a first contact portion 9a located on the main body portion 2 and in contact with the nozzle 4, and a second contact portion 9b located on the movable portion 3 and in contact with the nozzle 4. The nozzle 4 is movable between a first nozzle position in contact with the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b, and a second nozzle position away from the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b. The first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b position the positioning portion 9 in the positioning state by sandwiching the nozzle 4 located at the first nozzle position, while releasing the positioning portion 9 from the nozzle 4 located at the second nozzle position. This configuration is preferable.

[0097] With this configuration, when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b contact the nozzle 4, thereby sandwiching the nozzle 4. As a result, the positioning portion 9 enters a positioning state. When the nozzle 4 is in the second nozzle position, the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b move away from the nozzle 4. As a result, the positioning portion 9 enters a release state. In this way, by positioning the nozzle 4 in the first nozzle position and the second nozzle position, the positioning portion 9 can be switched between a positioning state and a release state.

[0098] [6] Furthermore, in any one of the sealing devices 1 described in [1] to [5] above, It is located outside the chamber 7 and includes a sealing part 5 that seals the packaging bag P1 by sandwiching it between them. The nozzle 4 is movable relative to at least one of the main body 2 and the movable part 3 between a first nozzle position in which the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is located between the inside of the chamber 7 and the sealing part 5, and a second nozzle position in which the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is further away from the sealing part 5 than the first nozzle position. At least one of the main body 2 and the movable part 3 is provided with restricting parts (in this embodiment, forward restricting parts) 27a, 37a that contact the nozzle 4 located at the first nozzle position, thereby restricting the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 from approaching the sealing part 5. This configuration is preferable.

[0099] With this configuration, the nozzle 4 is movable relative to at least one of the main body 2 and the movable part 3 between a first nozzle position where the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is located between the inside of the chamber 7 and the seal part 5, and a second nozzle position where the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is further away from the seal part 5 than in the first nozzle position. Furthermore, since the restricting parts 27a and 37a of at least one of the main body 2 and the movable part 3 contact the nozzle 4 when it is in the first nozzle position, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is prevented from approaching the seal part 5.

[0100] This restricts the nozzle 4 from moving closer to the sealing portion 5 from the first nozzle position, thus preventing the nozzle 4 from moving to a position where it is trapped by the sealing portion 5. Therefore, the sealing portion 5 can prevent it from trapping the nozzle 4.

[0101] [7] Furthermore, in any one of the sealing devices 1 described in [1] to [6] above, The length L3 in the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4 is longer than the length L4 in the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4. The length L4 of the nozzle 4 in the thickness direction D3 is shorter towards both ends in the width direction D2. The nozzle 4 has corner portions 43 extending along the length direction D1 at both ends in the width direction D2. This configuration is preferable.

[0102] In this configuration, the length L3 in the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4 is longer than the length L4 in the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4, and the length L4 in the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4 becomes shorter towards both ends of the width direction D2. The nozzle 4 is provided with corners 43 at both ends of the width direction D2.

[0103] As a result, when the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 sandwich the packaging bag P1 with the nozzle 4 inserted inside the packaging bag P1, it is possible to suppress the formation of a gap between the corner portion 43 of the nozzle 4 and the packaging bag P1. Therefore, it is possible to suppress air from entering the inside of the packaging bag P1 from the gap between the corner portion 43 of the nozzle 4 and the packaging bag P1.

[0104] It should be noted that the sealing device 1 is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment described above, nor is it limited to the effects and benefits described above. Furthermore, the sealing device 1 can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, one or more of the configurations and methods described below may be arbitrarily selected and adopted in the configuration according to the embodiment described above.

[0105] (A) In the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the depth L1 of the groove 42 is greater than the width L2 of the groove 42. However, for example, the depth L1 of the groove 42 may be less than or equal to the width L2 of the groove 42.

[0106] (B) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the main body 2 is provided with a first extension 23, and the movable part 3 is provided with a second extension 33. However, for example, the main body 2 may not be provided with a first extension 23, and the movable part 3 may not be provided with a second extension 33, and the packaging bag P1 may be sandwiched only by the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31.

[0107] (C) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is positioned between the chamber 7 and the sealing portion 5. However, for example, when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the nozzle 4 may be positioned in a position where it is sandwiched between the sealing portion 5 (i.e., the sealing portion 5 overlaps with the nozzle 4 in the sandwiching direction D3).

[0108] In such a configuration, for example, as in the above embodiment, the sealing device 1 may be configured to include a mechanism for moving the nozzle 4. Then, after the nozzle 4 is moved away from the sealing part 5 by the mechanism, the sealing part 5 seals the packaging bag P1.

[0109] (D) In ​​addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, when the movable part 3 is in the second contact position, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is located inside the chamber 7 (specifically, in the second nozzle position). However, for example, when the movable part 3 is in the second contact position, the nozzle 4 may be sandwiched between the first annular part 21 and the second annular part 31, and the groove 42 may be configured to allow passage between the inside and outside of the chamber 7.

[0110] (D-1) As an example of such a configuration, although not particularly limited, the sealing device 1 may have the configuration shown in Figure 10.

[0111] As shown in Figure 10, the sealing device 1 includes a second positioning unit 10 that positions the nozzle 4 at a third nozzle position (the position shown in Figure 10(b)) where the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 is located between the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31, thereby separating it from the contact portions 9a and 9b. As a result, when the movable portion 3 is at the second contact position, the nozzle 4 is sandwiched between the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31, and the groove portion 42 (not shown in Figure 10) allows the inside and outside of the chamber 7 to pass through.

[0112] Although not particularly limited, as shown in Figure 10, for example, the second positioning part 10 may be configured to include a ball plunger 10a having a spring and a ball installed at the upper end of the spring, and a hole 10b into which the upper part of the ball is inserted. Alternatively, the main body part 2 may be configured to have the ball plunger 10a below the first mounting part 27, and the first mounting part 44 may be configured to have the hole 10b on its lower surface.

[0113] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 10(b), the nozzle 4 may be positioned at the third nozzle position by the ball entering the hole 10b and catching on the hole 10b. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 10(a), the nozzle 4 may be made movable in the forward / backward direction D1 from the third nozzle position by the ball receiving a load, causing the spring to compress and the ball to exit the hole 10b.

[0114] With this configuration, as shown in Figure 10(a), when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, and as shown in Figure 10(b), when the nozzle 4 is in the third nozzle position, the groove 42 of the nozzle 4 forms a flow path that connects the inside and outside of the chamber 7. As a result, when the nozzle 4 is inserted into the packaging bag P1 and the opening P2 of the packaging bag P1 is positioned inside the chamber 7, the groove 42 of the nozzle 4 becomes a flow path that connects the inside of the packaging bag P1 and the inside of the chamber 7.

[0115] Furthermore, even after the nozzle 4 is positioned at the third nozzle position, the degassing device 6 may continue degassing, for example. Specifically, as shown in Figure 10(a), the degassing device 6 starts degassing when the nozzle 4 is at the first nozzle position and the movable part 3 is at the first contact position, and thereafter the nozzle 4 is moved from the first nozzle position to the third nozzle position, the movable part 3 is moved from the first contact position to the second contact position, and the degassing device 6 may maintain degassing until at least the sealing part 5 begins sealing the packaging bag P1.

[0116] This further suppresses air from entering the packaging bag P1 by continuing to degas the inside of the chamber 7 until the sealing of the packaging bag P1 begins. Although not particularly limited, for example, even if there is a small gap in the packaging bag P1 sandwiched between the sealing bodies 51 and 52, it is possible to suppress air from entering the packaging bag P1 through that gap.

[0117] For example, the degassing device 6 may be configured to terminate degassing after the movable part 3 is in the second contact position and the sealing part 5 has started sealing. Alternatively, for example, the degassing device 6 may be configured to terminate degassing after the movable part 3 is in the second contact position and the sealing part 5 has completed sealing the packaging bag P1.

[0118] In Figure 10, the nozzle 4 is configured to be movable between the first nozzle position and the second nozzle position relative to the main body 2 and the movable part 3. However, the nozzle 4 may also be configured to be movable between the first nozzle position and the third nozzle position relative to at least one of the main body 2 and the movable part 3. In such a configuration, for example, the nozzle 4 may be positioned at the third nozzle position by the rear restricting parts 27b and 37b contacting the rear surfaces of the mounting parts 44 and 45. That is, the second positioning part 10 may be configured to consist of the rear restricting parts 27b and 37b and the mounting parts 44 and 45.

[0119] (E) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the degassing device 6 is configured to terminate degassing when the nozzle 4 moves from the first nozzle position to the second nozzle position. However, the degassing device 6 may also be configured to continue degassing even after the nozzle 4 has moved from the first nozzle position to the second nozzle position. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the degassing device 6 may be configured to continue degassing even after the nozzle 4 has moved from the first nozzle position.

[0120] (F) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the length L3 in the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4 is longer than the length L4 in the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4. However, for example, the length L3 in the width direction D2 of the nozzle 4 may be less than or equal to the length L4 in the thickness direction D3 of the nozzle 4.

[0121] (G) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the length L4 of the nozzle 4 in the thickness direction D3 is configured to be shorter towards both ends of the width direction D2. However, the length L4 of the nozzle 4 in the thickness direction D3 may be constant, for example, or it may be longer towards both ends of the width direction D2.

[0122] (H) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the nozzle 4 is configured to have corners 43 extending along the length direction D1 at both ends in the width direction D2. However, for example, the nozzle 4 may be configured not to have corners 43. For example, the nozzle 4 may be configured to have ends at both ends in the width direction D2 with a radius of curvature r1 greater than 1.0 mm when viewed in the length direction D1.

[0123] (I) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 (the tip 42a of the groove 42) is located outside the chamber 7. However, for example, if the tip 42a of the groove 42 is located at the tip 41 of the nozzle 4, then when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the tip 41 of the nozzle 4 (the tip 42a of the groove 42) may be located in a position that overlaps with the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31.

[0124] In this configuration, the tip 42a of the groove 42 opens the interior of the groove 42 in the longitudinal direction D1 of the groove 42, thereby allowing the groove 42 to connect the inside of the chamber 7 to the outside of the chamber 7 (specifically, the inside of the packaging bag P1). At this time, the groove 42 constitutes part of the flow path that connects the inside of the chamber 7 to the outside of the chamber 7. For example, if the tip 42a of the groove 42 is separated from the tip 41 of the nozzle 4, then when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the tip 42a of the groove 42 should be positioned outside the chamber 7.

[0125] (J) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the base end 42b of the groove 42 is located inside the chamber 7. However, for example, if the base end 42b of the groove 42 is located at the base end of the nozzle 4, then when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the base end of the nozzle 4 (the base end 42b of the groove 42) may be located in a position that overlaps with the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31.

[0126] In this configuration, the base end 42b of the groove 42 opens the interior of the groove 42 in the longitudinal direction D1 of the groove 42, thereby allowing the groove 42 to connect the inside of the chamber 7 to the outside of the chamber 7 (specifically, the inside of the packaging bag P1). At this time, the groove 42 constitutes part of the flow path that connects the inside of the chamber 7 to the outside of the chamber 7. For example, if the base end 42b of the groove 42 is located away from the base end of the nozzle 4, then when the nozzle 4 is in the first nozzle position, the base end 42b of the groove 42 should be located inside the chamber 7.

[0127] (K) In the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the nozzle 4 is configured to have a handle portion 46. However, for example, the nozzle 4 may be configured not to have a handle portion 46. And, for example, the base end of the nozzle 4 may always be located inside the chamber 7.

[0128] (L) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the sealing part 5 is equipped with a heater 51a and seals the packaging bag P1 by heating and pressure. However, for example, the sealing part 5 may be configured to seal the packaging bag P1 by ultrasonic vibration and pressure.

[0129] (M) In the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the degassing device 6 is arranged inside the main body 2. However, for example, the degassing device 6 may be arranged inside the movable part 3. In such a configuration, the movable part 3 may be provided with a degassing port in the second ring closing part 35c, and the degassing device 6 may degas the inside of the chamber 7 via the degassing port. The movable part 3 may also be provided with an outlet 29 connected to the degassing device 6 in the second support part 35.

[0130] (N) Alternatively, for example, the sealing device 1 may be configured not to include a degassing device 6. In such a configuration, the sealing device 1 may be configured to include, for example, a connecting part that connects to the degassing device. For example, by connecting the connecting part to the degassing device, the degassing device and the degassing port 26 are connected, and the degassing device 6 can degas the inside of the chamber 7 via the degassing port 26.

[0131] (O) Alternatively, the nozzle 4 may be configured such that grooves 42 are formed on both sides by creating an uneven shape (wave shape) with a certain thickness, as shown in Figure 11. Although not particularly limited, at least the portion of the nozzle 4 shown in Figure 11 having grooves 42 may be manufactured by, for example, press molding.

[0132] (P) In the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the first contact portion 9a protrudes upward from the upper surface of the main body portion 2, and the second contact portion 9b protrudes downward from the lower surface of the movable portion 3. However, for example, the first contact portion 9a may be located on the same plane as the upper surface of the main body portion 2. Also, the second contact portion 9b may be located on the same plane as the lower surface of the movable portion 3.

[0133] (Q) In the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b are located between the chamber 7 and the sealing portion 5 and are arranged to overlap in a vertical view D3. However, for example, the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b may be located inside the chamber 7. Alternatively, for example, the first contact portion 9a and the second contact portion 9b may be arranged to be separated in a vertical view D3.

[0134] (R) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the first positioning unit 9 is composed of a nozzle 4, a first contact unit 9a arranged on the main body 2 and in contact with the nozzle 4, and a second contact unit 9b arranged on the movable unit 3 and in contact with the nozzle 4. However, the first positioning unit 9 is not limited to this configuration.

[0135] (R-1) For example, the first positioning unit 9 may be configured such that it is displaceable between a protruding position where it protrudes from the main body 2 toward the movable part 3 and a retracted position where the amount of protrusion from the main body 2 is less than that of the protruding position, and is held by the main body 2 at each position, and the protruding part, when held in the protruding position it contacts the movable part 3 to put the positioning unit 9 into a positioning state, and when held in the retracted position it moves away from the movable part 3 to release the positioning unit 9.

[0136] (R-2) Alternatively, for example, the first positioning unit 9 may be configured such that it is displaceable between a protruding position where it protrudes from the movable unit 3 toward the main body 2 and a retracted position where the amount of protrusion from the movable unit 3 is less than that of the protruding position, and is held by the movable unit 3 at each position, and the protruding part, when held in the protruding position, contacts the main body 2 to put the positioning unit 9 into a positioning state, while when held in the retracted position, it moves away from the main body 2 to release the positioning unit 9.

[0137] (R-3) Alternatively, for example, the first positioning unit 9 may be detachably attached to the main body 2 (or movable part 3) and include a clamping portion that is sandwiched between the main body 2 and the movable part 3, wherein the clamping portion, when attached to the main body 2 (or movable part 3) and sandwiched between the main body 2 and the movable part 3, puts the positioning unit 9 into a positioning state, while detaching from the main body 2 (or movable part 3) releases the positioning unit 9.

[0138] (R-4) Alternatively, for example, the sealing device 1 may be configured without a first positioning portion 9 (specifically, a first contact portion 9a and a second contact portion 9b). In such a configuration, for example, with the nozzle 4 sandwiched between the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31, the movable portion 3 may be positioned at a first contact position by applying a first load, and then the movable portion 3 may be positioned at a second contact position by applying a second load that is greater than the first load.

[0139] (S) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the nozzle 4 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction D1 relative to at least one of the main body 2 and the movable part 3 between the first nozzle position and the second nozzle position. However, for example, the nozzle 4 may be configured not to be movable in the front-rear direction D1 relative to at least one of the main body 2 and the movable part 3. In such a configuration, for example, the nozzle 4 may be fixed at the first nozzle position, and the sealing device 1 may not have a first contact part 9a and a second contact part 9b. Also, for example, the base end of the nozzle 4 may be connected to the main body 2 or the movable part 3 so as to be rotatable about an axis in the left-right direction D2.

[0140] (T) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the sealing portion 5 is located outside the chamber 7. However, for example, the sealing portion 5 may be located inside the chamber 7.

[0141] (U) In addition, in the sealing device 1 according to the above embodiment, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 are configured to be elastically deformable elastic bodies. However, for example, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 may be configured to be rigid bodies that do not elastically deform.

[0142] In such a configuration, for example, the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 may be configured to have a recess for sandwiching the nozzle 4 when joined together. Alternatively, in such a configuration, for example, the first seal body 51 may be movable relative to the main body portion 2 (or the second seal body 52 may be movable relative to the movable portion 3). This makes it possible to switch between a joined state and a separated state of the first seal body 51 and the second seal body 52 when the first annular portion 21 and the second annular portion 31 are joined together.

[0143] (V) For example, the order in which each step, such as the operation, procedure, step, and stage, of the method and apparatus shown in the claims, specification, and drawings can be performed in any order, as long as the result of the previous step is not used in the later step. For example, even if "first," "next," etc. are used for convenience in the explanation, it does not mean that it is necessary to perform them in that order. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0144] 1...Sealing device, 2...Main body, 3...Movable part, 4...Nozzle, 5...Sealing part, 6...Degassing device, 7...Chamber, 8...Movement part, 9...First positioning part, 9a...First contact part, 9b...Second contact part, 10...Second positioning part, 10a...Ball plunger, 10b...Hole, 21...First annular part, 21a...First straight part, 23...First extension part, 25...First support part, 25a...First annular fixing part, 25b...First extension fixing part, 25c...First ring closing part, 26...Degassing port, 27...First mounting part, 27a...First forward restricting part, 27b...First rear restricting part, 29...Discharge port, 31...Second annular part, 31a...Second straight part, 33...Second extension part, 35...Second support part, 35a...Second annular fixing part, 35b...Second extension fixing part, 35c...Second ring closing part, 37...Second mounting part, 37a...Second forward restricting part, 37b...Second rear restricting part, 41...Tip, 42...Groove, 42a...Tip, 42b...Base end, 43...Corner, 44...First mounting part, 45...Second mounting part, 46...Handle part, 47...Tip part, 51...First seal body, 51a...Heater, 52...Second seal body, 81...First link part 82...Second link section, 83...Third link section, 84...Fourth link section, 85...Link, 86...First rotation section, 87...Second rotation section, D1...First direction (first lateral direction, front-back direction, length direction), D2...Second direction (second lateral direction, left-right direction, width direction), D3...Third direction (up-down direction, thickness direction, depth direction), P1...Packaging bag, P2...Opening, P3...Gap

Claims

1. A main body having a first annular portion formed in a ring shape, It comprises a movable part having a second annular portion formed in an annular shape, The movable part is a sealing device that can move relative to the main body between a contact position in which the second annular portion meets the first annular portion to form a chamber with the main body, and a standby position in which the second annular portion is separated from the first annular portion. The movable part is provided with a nozzle that is sandwiched between the first annular portion and the second annular portion when the movable part is in the contact position, At least one of the main body and the movable part is provided with a vent for removing air from inside the chamber. The sealing device comprises a nozzle that is sandwiched between the first annular portion and the second annular portion and has a groove that allows the inside and outside of the chamber to pass through.

2. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the groove is greater than the width of the groove.

3. The main body portion includes a first extension portion that extends from the first annular portion to the outside of the first annular portion, The sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable portion comprises a second extension portion that extends from the second annular portion to the outside of the second annular portion and aligns with the first extension portion when the movable portion is in the contact position.

4. The first seal body is disposed on the main body, The movable part comprises a second sealing body which is positioned between itself and the first sealing body to sandwich the packaging bag and seal the packaging bag together with the first sealing body, The first annular portion and the second annular portion are elastically deformable elastic bodies, The movable part is movable relative to the main body between a first contact position in which the first annular portion and the second annular portion meet via the nozzle and the first seal body and the second seal body are separated, and a second contact position in which the first annular portion and the second annular portion are elastically deformed to meet more than when the movable part is in the first contact position and the first seal body and the second seal body are in contact. The sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a positioning unit that can switch between a positioning state in which the movable part is positioned at a first contact position and a release state in which the positioning of the movable part at the first contact position is released and the movable part is moved to a second contact position.

5. The positioning portion comprises a first contact portion disposed on the main body and in contact with the nozzle, and a second contact portion disposed on the movable portion and in contact with the nozzle. The nozzle is movable between a first nozzle position in contact with the first and second contact portions and a second nozzle position away from the first and second contact portions. The sealing device according to claim 4, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion place the positioning portion in the positioning state by sandwiching the nozzle located at the first nozzle position, and the positioning portion is released by moving away from the nozzle located at the second nozzle position.

6. It is located outside the chamber and has a sealing part that sandwiches and seals the packaging bag, The nozzle is movable relative to at least one of the main body and the movable part between a first nozzle position in which the tip of the nozzle is located between the inside of the chamber and the sealing portion, and a second nozzle position in which the tip of the nozzle is further away from the sealing portion than the first nozzle position. The sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the main body and the movable part is provided with a restricting part that contacts the nozzle located at the first nozzle position, thereby restricting the tip of the nozzle from approaching the sealing part.

7. The length of the nozzle in the width direction is longer than the length of the nozzle in the thickness direction. The length of the nozzle in the thickness direction becomes shorter towards both ends in the width direction. The sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nozzle has corners extending along the length direction at both ends in the width direction.

Images