Tray Insertion Device and Packaging Machine

Abstract

To solve a problem that the conventional tray inserter has a complicated configuration because constructed to bend a tray into a V-shape and fill the same into a bag, and hence incurs an increase of a manufacturing cost and takes long time required in a process to fill the tray (task time).SOLUTION: A tray inserter 20 of the present invention comprises a delivery mechanism 23 that sucks a tray Y carried by a tray-transport conveyor 21 by a sucker 22 and rotates the same 90 degrees into delivery. By the sucker 22 of the delivery mechanism 23, the tray Y is depressed on a vertical hold plate 24, so that the tray Y depressed on the hold plate 24 is retained and held by a retainer rod 25 of a hold mechanism 26. The hold plate 24 is provided with a bag-opening hopper 27 below a lower end thereof. A lower portion of the bag-opening hopper 27 is inserted into a mouth of a carried bag X to open the mouth, so that the tray Y depressed on the hold plate 24 is pushed into the bag X by a pusher plate 28 of a push-in mechanism 29.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tray insertion device for inserting a tray into a bag and a packaging machine equipped with this tray insertion device. [Background technology]

[0002] Packaging machines that pack items placed on a tray into a bag are already known. In such packaging machines, the tray is first inserted into the bag, and then the bag is filled with the items. A tray insertion device that inserts the tray into the bag is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0003] The tray insertion device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with a pair of tray guides at a tray filling station, each of which has a leading end guide that narrows its leading end while inserting it into the mouth of a bag (packaging bag) or widens it while retreating, and a bending rod between the tray guides, each of which has a base end higher than the tray guide and a trailing end lower than the leading end of the tray guide. The device also has a rear feed piece that advances the tray supplied to the tray guide to a leading position, and a front feed piece that folds the tray at the leading position into a V-shape by the bending rod, fills the bag, and advances it, and is provided with a reciprocating feed rod that advances downward and retreats upward. Furthermore, the pouch filling station is provided with a pouch chute that enters and exits the bag mouth and deposits pouches into the valleys of the V-folded tray. As the tray advances toward the bag mouth, it is folded into a V-shape and filled into the bag. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-26218 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because the tray insertion device is designed to fold the tray into a V shape and fill the bag, it requires a folding rod that gradually folds the tray while guiding it with a tray guide, and also requires a tip guide that narrows the tip of the tray while inserting it into the bag opening and retreats while widening the gap between them, resulting in a complex structure and increased manufacturing costs.

[0006] In addition, since the trays must be folded precisely into a V shape, the time required for the tray filling process (task time) becomes longer, which may result in a significant reduction in the processing capacity of packaging machines and other machines equipped with this tray insertion device.

[0007] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a tray insertion device and a packaging machine that can simplify the structure and increase the tray filling speed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The tray inserting device of the present invention uses suction cups to hold the trays transported by the conveyor. Diagonally upwards: The device is characterized by comprising a transfer mechanism that rotates to transfer the tray, a holding mechanism that presses the tray against a holding plate using a suction cup of the transfer mechanism and holds the pressed tray on the holding plate using a pressure bar, a bag mouth opening hopper that is provided below the holding plate and has a lower end that is inserted into the bag mouth of the bag to open the bag mouth, and a pushing mechanism that pushes the tray held by the holding plate via the bag mouth opening hopper into the bag using a pushing plate. The packaging machine of the present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with the tray insertion device, and a filling hopper is provided at a packaged item filling position where the packaged item is filled into a bag with a tray inserted therein, and a pair of lower hopper sections that open and close are provided at the bottom of this filling hopper, and an opening piece is provided in one of the pair of lower hopper sections, and the tray is pushed aside by this opening piece to fill the packaged item so as not to interfere with the filling of the packaged item. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the tray insertion device of the present invention, a tray transported by a conveyor is rotated by the delivery mechanism and delivered to the holding plate, and is held down by the holding rod of the holding mechanism. Then, with the bag mouth opened by the bag mouth opening hopper, the tray can be pushed into the bag by the pushing plate of the pushing mechanism without bending it. This allows for a relatively simple structure, and the tray can be stored well in the bag. Also, since there is no need to bend the tray, the tray filling speed can be increased, and the processing capacity of a packaging machine or the like equipped with this tray insertion device can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a packaging machine equipped with a tray insertion device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bag opening mechanism of the packaging machine; [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a side view showing the operation of a bag opening mechanism of the packaging machine; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a tray inserting device of the present invention; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a delivery mechanism of the tray inserting device of the present invention; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a tray inserter of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a front view showing the holding mechanism and the bag opening hopper of the tray insertion device of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a side view showing the holding mechanism of the tray inserter of the present invention; [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the holding mechanism and bag opening hopper of the tray insertion device of the present invention; [Figure 10] A plan view of the bag opening hopper of the tray insertion device of the present invention. [Figure 11] A front view of the bag opening hopper of the tray insertion device of the present invention. [Figure 12] A side view of the bag opening hopper of the tray insertion device of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a front view and a partially enlarged side view showing a state in which a tray is inserted into the tray inserting device of the present invention. [Figure 14]FIG. 2 is a front view of the pushing mechanism of the packaging machine of the present invention; [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a front view of a filling hopper of a packaging machine according to the present invention; [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a simplified example of a biasing operation of a filling hopper of the packaging machine of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, a tray insertion device of the present invention and a packaging machine equipped with this tray insertion device will be described with reference to the drawings. 1, the packaging machine 1 is equipped with a tray insertion device 20 of the present invention that inserts a tray Y into a bag X, a filling hopper 80 that fills the bag X into which the tray Y has been inserted with packaged items (one or more items), and the like. The facility in which this packaging machine 1 is installed is equipped with a control device 2 that controls each of the components of the packaging machine 1 including the tray insertion device 20, and downstream of the packaging machine 1, an output conveyor 3 is disposed that conveys packaged bags X downstream.

[0012] In the packaging machine 1, eight pairs of clamp arms 4 are supported on the periphery of a circular rotor 5 serving as a conveying device, and a clamp 4a (see Figures 1, 7, etc.) that clamps both side edges of the bag X is provided at the tip of each clamp arm 4. The rotational driving force of a drive motor (not shown) disposed below the circular rotor 5 or the like is transmitted to the circular rotor 5 via an intermittent rotation transmission mechanism (not shown), causing the circular rotor 5 to intermittently rotate clockwise (in the direction of arrow R1) at a pitch of 45°, which corresponds to the circumferential spacing of the eight pairs of clamp arms 4.

[0013] The circular rotor 5 is provided with a bag supply position (1) for supplying empty bags X, a bag opening position (2) for opening the mouth of the bag X, a tray insertion position (3) for inserting a tray Y into the bag X, a push-in air blowing position (4) for firmly pushing the tray Y with an air injection pusher 75 and blowing air into the bag X to inflate the bag X, a packaged product filling position (5) for filling the bag X with the packaged product, a degassing position (6) for degassing the air in the bag X, a sealing position (7) for sealing the mouth of the bag X filled with the packaged product, and a cooling / conveying position (8) for cooling the sealed part of the bag X and conveying the sealed bag X. That is, the positions assigned to the circular orbit R of the circular rotor 5 include a tray insertion position (3) for inserting a tray Y into the bag X, and at the subsequent packaged product filling position (5), the bag X into which the tray Y has been inserted is filled with the packaged product. Although not shown, a printing device is provided between the bag supply position (1) and the bag mouth opening position (2) to print expiration dates and the like on the bags X. Also, in this embodiment, an air blowing position (4) is provided between the tray insertion position (3) and the packaged product filling position (5), but the air blowing operation may be provided as needed, and this operation may be omitted so that nothing is done at this position (5).

[0014] The circular rotor 5 rotates intermittently while stopping for a predetermined period of time at each of positions (1) to (8). That is, a bag X supplied to the clamp arm 4 at the bag supply position (1) is suspended with both side edges clamped by the clamps 4a and intermittently transported at 45° intervals along the circular orbit R around the outer region of the circular rotor 5 toward the cooling and carrying-out position (8). It goes without saying that this packaging machine 1 is not limited to eight positions.

[0015] In the bag supply position (1), bags X are stacked in a bag box 11, and the stacked bags X are sucked one by one from the top by suction cups 12 and supplied to the clamps 4a, where the bags X are hung with both side edges clamped. In the bag mouth opening position (2), the opening suction cups 13 suck both the front and back sides of the bag X to open the bag mouth half-open, and an opening tool (spatula) 17 of the bag mouth opening mechanism 14 described below is inserted to widen the bag mouth. In the bag mouth opening position (2), the distance between the tips of the pair of clamp arms 4 is slightly reduced in order to open the bag mouth.

[0016] The bag-mouth opening position (2) is provided with a bag-mouth opening mechanism 14. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the bag-mouth opening mechanism 14 includes a swing arm 15 that reciprocates from the bag-mouth opening position (2) to the tray insertion position (3) and can be raised and lowered, a pair of parallel rotating shafts 16 that protrude horizontally (the direction of rotation of the circular orbit R) from the tip side of the swing arm 15, opening tools 17 that extend diagonally downward from each of the rotating shafts 16 to widen the bag mouth in the front-rear direction (the direction along the radial direction of the circular table), and links 18A, 18B for opening and closing the opening tool 17. The opening tool 17 includes a plate-shaped mounting member 17a attached to the rotating shaft 16, and an opening wire 17b in which two bent wires are attached to the mounting member 17a so as to extend diagonally downward and inward, for a total of four wires that open the bag mouth.

[0017] When the bag X intermittently stops at the bag mouth opening position (2), the opening tool 17 descends together with the swing arm 15, and the opening wire 17b is inserted into the bag mouth to open the bag mouth, as shown by the imaginary line in Fig. 3. Then, in this state, the opening tool 17 moves to the tray insertion position (3), and the bag mouth is kept open. In addition, in the tray insertion position (3), after the bag mouth opening hopper 27 described later descends and is inserted into the bag mouth, the opening tool 17 ascends together with the swing arm 15 and is returned to the original bag mouth opening position (2) to wait for the next bag X.

[0018] The tray insertion position (3) is provided with a tray insertion device 20 that inserts a tray Y into a bag X. As shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4, etc., the tray insertion device 20 includes a delivery mechanism 23 that uses suction cups 22 to suck the tray Y transported by a conveyor (tray transport conveyor) 21 and turns 90 degrees to deliver it, a holding mechanism 26 that presses the tray Y against a vertical holding plate 24 by the suction cups 22 of the delivery mechanism 23 and presses and holds the tray Y pressed against the holding plate 24 with a presser bar 25, a bag mouth opening hopper 27 that is inserted into the bag mouth of the bag X transported below the lower end of the holding plate 24 (tray insertion position (3)) to open the bag mouth, and a pusher mechanism 29 that pushes the tray Y pressed by the holding plate 24 into the bag X by a pusher plate 28.

[0019] 1, 4 and 5, in the delivery mechanism 23, a mounting base 31 on which a pair of suction cups 22 for adsorbing the tray Y are attached is attached to a piston rod of a slide air cylinder 32 so as to be able to move forward and backward. Furthermore, the slide air cylinder 32 is attached to a rotating arm 34. The base end of the rotating arm 34 is fixed to a rotating support shaft 33 which is rotatably supported on a support base 35 by a bearing 38. The base end of a rotating air cylinder 36 is attached to the support base 35 so as to be able to swing. The piston rod of the rotating air cylinder 36 and the rotating support shaft 33 are connected by a rotating arm 37, and the rotating support shaft 33 rotates as the piston rod moves forward and backward. As shown in FIG. 4, the tray Y transported by the conveyor (tray transport conveyor) 21 is attracted by the suction cups 22 and rotated 90 degrees via the rotating arm 34, after which the tray Y is pressed against the holding plate 24 which is arranged perpendicular to the installation surface (horizontal surface) on which the packaging machine 1 is installed, and then handed over.

[0020] As shown in Figs. 1, 4, 6 to 9, the holding mechanism 26 and the bag mouth opening hopper 27 are fixed to a lifting support rod 46 by a bracket 43 and move up and down together with the lifting support rod 46. As shown in Fig. 6, the lifting support rod 46 is movable at the solid line position and the imaginary line position of a link mechanism 49, and moves up and down while being guided so as to be freely raised and lowered by a support guide pipe 48 erected on a base 47. The holding mechanism 26 includes a vertical holding plate 24 against which the tray Y is pressed by the suction cup 22 of the delivery mechanism 23, and a pressing rod 25 that presses the tray Y pressed against the holding plate 24 and holds it vertically. As shown in Fig. 12, the holding plate 24 is attached vertically to a front portion 41a of an inverted U-shaped fixed plate 41 attached to the back of the bag mouth opening hopper 27 so as to protrude upward. As shown in the plan view of FIG. 9, the holding plate 24 is set in the center of the bag opening hopper 27 in the longitudinal direction so as to protrude upward.

[0021] Incidentally, the surface of the holding plate 24 has irregularities 24a (simply shown in Figures 6, 7, etc.) formed over almost the entire surface on which the tray Y is held. Also, both side portions 24b of the holding plate 24 are bent slightly toward the front to guide the held tray Y so that it does not move to the sides. Also, the lower portion 24c of the holding plate 24 extends into the inside of the bag-mouth opening hopper 27 and is formed into an inverted trapezoid shape with a narrower lower portion, so that the lower portion 24c of the holding plate 24 also smoothly guides the tray Y from the back side.

[0022] As shown in Figs. 7 to 9, the V-shaped presser bar 25, which presses down and holds the tray Y pressed against the holding plate 24, has its base end attached to a rotating shaft 53, and a pair of presser bars 25 are provided on the left and right. The rotating shaft 53 is rotatably supported on the mounting plate 42 by a bearing 54. A swing arm 55 is attached to the end of the rotating shaft 53, and the end of the swing arm 55 is connected to a piston rod of a rotating cylinder 56 that is swingably attached to the mounting plate 42. By retracting the piston rod of the rotating cylinder 56, the presser bar 25 rotates and can be moved between a position where it presses down the tray Y pressed against the holding plate 24 and a position where it is separated from the holding plate 24 to the front side.

[0023] 4, 6 to 8, etc., the pushing mechanism 29 includes a pushing air cylinder 60 supported by cylinder support frames 57, 58, 59 assembled to extend laterally from the upper part of the lifting support rod 46, and a pushing plate 28 attached via a mounting plate 61 to the tip of the rod of the pushing air cylinder 60. The pushing plate 28 is disposed directly above the tray Y held by the holding plate 24, and when the rod of the pushing air cylinder 60 extends and the pushing plate 28 descends, the tray Y held by the holding plate 24 is pushed into the bag X. Here, as shown in the enlarged partial side view of Figure 13, the lower end (lower end surface) 28a of the pushing plate 28 is formed so that it slopes downward as it moves away from the holding plate 24 so that it can abut against the side of the tray Y, and a notch is formed so that the flange of the tray Y can fit in.When the pushing plate 28 descends, the tray Y is pushed in while maintaining contact with the holding plate 24.

[0024] As shown in Figures 6, 7, 10 to 12, the bag mouth opening hopper 27 includes a metal hopper upper body 51 constituting the hopper body, hopper inner guide plates 62, 63 made of thick resin sheets attached to the inner surface of the hopper upper body 51 so as to extend downward from the front and rear sides and guide the tray Y downward from the front and rear, and beak-shaped lower opening and closing plates 64, 65 pivoted to the lower left and right sides of the hopper upper body 51 so as to be able to open and close left and right. The bag mouth opening hopper 27 is also provided with a bag mouth width expanding mechanism 66 that opens and closes the lower opening and closing plates 64, 65 left and right, as will be described later. An inverted L-shaped hopper mounting member 52 is attached to the upper side of the hopper upper body 51, and this hopper mounting member 52 is fixed to the bracket 43, so that the entire bag mouth opening hopper 27 is suspended from the lift support rod 46.

[0025] Next, the bag mouth opening hopper 27 will be described in detail. First, the upper hopper body 51 is substantially octagonal in plan view (however, it is a substantially flat shape with a horizontal length), and it tapers downward. Further, a notch 51a is formed in the front surface portion of the upper hopper body 51 so as not to interfere when the tray Y is transferred from the transfer mechanism 23, but this notch 51a may be provided as necessary. A band member 67 is arranged along the outer surface of the upper hopper body 51 at a position closer to the lower part thereof, and the inner guide plates 62 and 63 of the hopper are assembled to the upper hopper body 51 by mounting screws 68 and the like.

[0026] Also, hinges 70 are attached to both lower side surfaces of the upper hopper body 51, and the upper parts of the lower opening and closing plates 64 and 65 are attached to the lower parts of these hinges 70. Further, left and right link members 71 and 72 that are substantially U-shaped in plan view are attached to the hinges 70, and an interlocking projection 72a is inserted into a long hole 71a formed at the tip of the left and right link members 71 and 72, so that the tips of the left and right link members 71 and 72 are interlocked vertically and swingably connected. When the left and right link members 71 and 72 swing, the lower opening and closing plates 64 and 65 are configured to open and close in conjunction. Also, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a connecting piece 71b extending laterally is attached to one of the link members 71, and the end of the extending and retracting rod that extends and retracts from the lower hopper opening and closing air cylinder 73 is connected to this connecting piece 71b. By the extension and retraction of this extending and retracting rod, the lower opening and closing plates 64 and 65 are interlocked to open and close. Note that the base end of the lower hopper opening and closing air cylinder 73 is swingably attached to the hopper mounting member 52.

[0027] Then, the bag mouth width expanding mechanism 66 extends the retractable rod of the lower hopper opening / closing air cylinder 73 to close the lower ends of the lower opening / closing plates 64, 65, and then the entire bag mouth opening hopper 27 descends to insert the lower parts of the lower opening / closing plates 64, 65 into the bag mouth of the bag X that has moved to the tray insertion position (3) and stopped intermittently. From this state, the retractable rod of the lower hopper opening / closing air cylinder 73 is retracted (pulled up), so that the lower ends of the lower opening / closing plates 64, 65 open to the left and right, widening the bag mouth to open in the width direction of the bag X. Note that Fig. 10 shows only the inner hopper guide plates 62, 63 and the lower ends of the lower opening / closing plates 64, 65, and the closed state of the lower opening / closing plates 64, 65 is shown by solid lines, and the open state is shown by imaginary lines.

[0028] As described above, in the tray insertion position (3), the lower part of the bag mouth opening hopper 27 (the lower parts of the hopper internal guide plates 62, 63 and the lower opening and closing plates 64, 65) is inserted into the bag mouth that has been opened in advance by the opening device 17, and then, as shown simply in Figures 10 and 11, the bag mouth is widened so as to open in the width direction by the bag mouth width widening mechanism 66 consisting of the lower opening and closing plates 64, 65, etc. Then, in this state, as shown in Figure 13, the pusher plate 28 descends, and the tray Y pressed against the holding plate 24 is pushed into the bag X.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 14, the push-in air blowing position (4) is provided with an air injection pushing mechanism 74 having an air injection pushing tool 75 that can be raised and lowered and has a flow path formed therein for passing air. In this embodiment, an L-shaped mounting bracket 76 is attached to the lift support rod 46, and a mounting plate 77 is horizontally attached to the mounting bracket 76. A support shaft 78 with an air passage is vertically fitted into the tip of the mounting plate 77 so as to be liftable and lowerable, and an air injection pushing tool 75 is attached to the lower end of the support shaft 78. Furthermore, a pushing tool lifting cylinder 79 is vertically assembled to the mounting plate 77 in parallel with the support shaft 78, and the retractable rod of the pushing tool lifting cylinder 79 is connected to the support shaft 78. When the bag X stops intermittently at the push-in air blowing position (4), the lift support rod 46 descends and the air injection pushing tool 75 is inserted into the bag mouth, and air is sprayed into the bag X. Furthermore, as the retractable rod of the pusher lift cylinder 79 extends, the air injection pusher 75 descends further and the tray Y is inserted all the way into the bag X (below).

[0030] As shown in Fig. 15, at the filling position (5) for filling the bag X with the tray Y inserted with the packaged product, a filling hopper 80 for filling the packaged product is attached to a lifting rod 82 via a mounting part 81, and the filling hopper 80 moves up and down. The upper hopper part 83 of the filling hopper 80 is filled with the packaged product at a predetermined timing. In addition, a pair of lower hopper parts 84, 85 below the upper hopper part 83 are each pivoted by a hinge 88 so that the lower opening side opens and closes. These lower hopper parts 84, 85 are opened and closed by an opening / closing air cylinder 86 via a link mechanism 87.

[0031] A tongue-shaped opening piece 84a extending diagonally downward is formed in the center of the lower end of one of the lower hopper sections 84. When the filling hopper 80 descends and the lower hopper section 84 is opened, the tray Y is biased to one side (the tray Y may be biased to one side by bending or bending the opening piece 84a) so as not to interfere with the filling of the packaged articles, as shown simply in Fig. 16(a) to (c) , and the packaged articles are filled.

[0032] At the deaeration position (6), a deaeration device 90 deaerations the air inside the bag X, for example by clamping the bag X from the sides with a pair of sponge bodies 91 approaching each other. At the sealing position (7), the open end of the deaeration bag X is heat-sealed by a sealing device 92. The sealed portion, whose temperature has increased due to the heat sealing, is cooled by a seal cooling device 93 provided at the cooling / carry-out position (8). Then, when the sealed portion has been cooled, the clamps 4a are separated and the bag X is carried out on the carry-out conveyor 3.

[0033] With the above-described configuration, the tray Y conveyed by the conveyor 21 by the tray insertion device 20 of the packaging machine 1 is rotated 90 degrees by the delivery mechanism 23 and delivered to the holding plate 24, where it is pressed by the presser bar 25 of the holding mechanism 26. Then, with the bag mouth opened by the bag mouth opening hopper 27, the tray Y can be pressed into the bag X by the presser plate 28 of the presser mechanism 29 without bending it into a V shape.

[0034] Furthermore, the above-mentioned configuration allows a relatively simple structure, which makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the device. Also, since there is no need to fold the tray Y into a V shape, the speed at which the tray Y is filled can be increased, and the processing capacity of the packaging machine 1 can be improved. Another advantage is that, since the tray is inserted as described above, it is possible to use a tray Y that is less likely to bend into a V shape. Also, since the tray Y can be inserted while the bag X is held vertically, and the bag X can be filled with the packaged items in the next section with the bag X also vertically oriented, the processing capacity of the packaging work can be improved.

[0035] In the tray insertion device 20, the lower end surface of the pusher plate 28 of the push-in mechanism 29 slopes downward as it moves away from the holding plate 24, and a notch is formed so that the flange of the tray Y can fit in, so that, despite the simple configuration, the tray Y can be pushed in while maintaining good contact with the holding plate 24 when the pusher plate 28 descends. Also, the tray Y held down by the holding plate 24 by the delivery mechanism 23 is held down by the pressure bar 25, so that the pusher plate 28 of the push-in mechanism 29 can insert the tray Y into the bag X without any hindrance, even though the tray Y is held down by the pressure bar 25.

[0036] Furthermore, since the unevenness 24a is formed on the surface of the holding plate 24, even when the tray Y is pressed by the pressing bar 25, the contact area of ​​the tray Y with the holding plate 24 can be made relatively small, and air can be interposed between the tray Y and the holding plate 24. Therefore, when the tray Y is inserted by the pushing plate 28 of the pushing mechanism 29, the tray Y can be inserted smoothly.

[0037] Also, the bag mouth opening hopper 27 is provided with a bag mouth width expanding mechanism 66 that opens the bag mouth in the width direction of the bag X, so the tray Y can be inserted into the bag X without any trouble without bending the tray Y. Also, since the bag mouth opening hopper 27 is not simply inserted into the bag mouth but has a bag mouth width expanding mechanism 66 that expands the bag mouth in the width direction of the bag X, the tray Y can be expanded to make it easier to insert the tray Y into the bag mouth according to the shapes of the tray Y and the bag mouth.

[0038] A filling hopper 80 is provided at the filling position (5) for the packaged goods, and an opening piece 84a provided on this filling hopper 80 widens the bag mouth, and the tray Y can be shifted to one side of the bag mouth to fill the packaged goods without interfering with the filling of the packaged goods. With this configuration, the bag X containing the tray Y can be satisfactorily filled with the packaged goods, and since the tray Y is not forcibly folded, damage to the tray Y can be minimized.

[0039] In this embodiment, the arrangement of the packaging machine 1 and the tray insertion device 20 is not particularly limited. For example, in Fig. 1, the tray insertion device 20 is disposed in front of the clamp arm 4 located at the tray insertion position (3), but it may be disposed at a right angle to the tray insertion position (3) or at an incline. In addition, in this embodiment, the packaging machine 1 is a so-called rotary type packaging machine having a circular circulating conveying path, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the packaging machine 1 may be a so-called linear type having a linear conveying path, etc. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] The present invention is useful in various tray insertion devices and packaging machines that pre-insert a tray into a bag to be filled with a packaged item. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 Packaging machine 2. Control device 5. Circular rotor (transport device) 11 bag box 14 Bag opening mechanism 17 Opening tool (spatula) 20 Tray Insertion Device 21 Conveyor (tray transport conveyor) 22 sucker 23 Delivery Mechanism 24 Holding plate 24a unevenness 25 Presser bar 26 Retention mechanism 27 Bag opening hopper 28 Push-in plate 28a Lower end (lower end surface) 29 Push mechanism 32 Slide Air Cylinder 34 Rotating Arm 36 Rotational Air Cylinder 46 Lifting support rod 51 Hopper upper body 56 Rotating Cylinder 62, 63 Hopper inner guide plate 64, 65 Lower opening plate 66 Bag mouth width expansion mechanism 73 Air cylinder for opening and closing the lower hopper 74 Air injection pushing mechanism 75 Air Injection Press 78 Support shaft 79 Push-in tool lift cylinder 80 Filling hopper 84, 85 Lower hopper section 84a opening piece 86 Opening and closing air cylinder X bag Y Tray

Claims

1. A delivery mechanism that uses suction cups to pick up trays transported by a conveyor and rotates diagonally upward to deliver them. a holding mechanism that presses the tray against a holding plate by a suction cup of the delivery mechanism and holds the pressed tray on the holding plate by a pressing bar; a bag opening hopper provided below the holding plate and having a lower end inserted into a bag opening of the bag to open the bag opening; a pushing mechanism for pushing the tray held by the holding plate into a bag by a pushing plate through the bag opening hopper; A tray insertion device comprising:

2. A tray insertion device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the surface of the retaining plate is formed with irregularities to reduce the contact area with the tray.

3. The tray insertion device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower end of the pusher plate has a notch formed on the holding plate side for the flange of the tray to fit into, and a slope is formed adjacent to this notch that becomes downward as it moves away from the holding plate.

4. A tray insertion device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the bag mouth opening hopper is provided with a bag mouth width expanding mechanism that widens the bag mouth so as to open in the width direction of the bag.

5. A packaging machine equipped with the tray insertion device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A packaging machine characterized in that a filling hopper is provided at a packaged item filling position where the packaged item is filled into a bag with a tray inserted therein, and a pair of lower hopper sections that open and close are provided at the bottom of this filling hopper, and an opening piece is provided in one of the pair of lower hopper sections, and the tray is pushed aside by this opening piece to fill the packaged item so as not to interfere with the filling of the packaged item.

6. 6. The packaging machine according to claim 5, wherein, at the air pushing position, an air injection pushing mechanism is provided which includes an air injection pushing tool which can be raised and lowered and has an air passage formed therein for passing air.

Images