Bag making and packaging equipment

Abstract

To provide a bag-making and packaging device capable of securing a high bag-making capability in the bag-making and packaging device including the operation of folding a lower lateral seal portion T2.SOLUTION: A bag-making and packaging device comprises: a cylindrical member 31 for allowing a commodity to fall inside; a former for forming a film into a cylindrical shape; a conveying mechanism for conveying the film to the downstream side; a vertical sealing mechanism; a lateral sealing mechanism for forming a lower lateral seal portion T2 of the film; a folding member 92 for folding the lateral seal portion; and a control unit. The control unit moves the folding member 92 in a first direction to fold the lower lateral seal portion T2, and then moves the folding member 92 in a conveying direction of the film by the conveying mechanism.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] A bag-making and packaging apparatus that produces packaging bags with square bottoms has been known, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 3922928). In the apparatus of Patent Document 1, a plate that folds the bottom seal portion connected to the square bottom moves horizontally, folding the bottom seal portion onto the underside of the square bottom. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] As in the bag-making and packaging device of Patent Document 1, it is preferable that the plate that folds the horizontally sealed bottom seal portion (horizontal seal portion) return to its original position as quickly as possible so as not to interfere with the subsequent transport of the packaging material.

[0004] However, it is impossible to eliminate the time it takes for the plate to return to its original position from the position where the horizontal seal was folded, and some time is required. On the other hand, to ensure high bag-making capacity, it is desirable to avoid the plate becoming an obstacle to the transportation of packaging material as much as possible.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to ensure high bag-making capacity in a bag-making and packaging apparatus that performs the operation of folding horizontal seal portions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus is a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus that manufactures bags in which products are packaged. The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus includes a tubular member, a former, a conveying mechanism, a vertical sealing mechanism, a first member, a horizontal sealing mechanism, a second member, and a control unit. The tubular member is a tubular member into which products fall. The former is a member for forming sheet-like packaging material into a tubular shape. The packaging material is wrapped around the tubular member by the former. The conveying mechanism conveys the tubular packaging material downstream. The vertical sealing mechanism seals the seam of the tubular packaging material vertically. The first member contacts the tubular packaging material from the outside and forms the tubular packaging material into a rectangular tubular shape. The horizontal sealing mechanism seals the rectangular tubular packaging material horizontally to form a horizontal seal portion in the packaging material. The second member is a member that folds the horizontal seal portion. The control unit moves the second member in a first direction to fold the horizontal seal portion, and then moves the second member in the direction in which the packaging material is conveyed by the conveying mechanism.

[0007] In the bag-making and packaging apparatus of the first aspect, the control unit moves the second member in the packaging material conveyance direction after moving the second member to fold the horizontal seal. This makes it less likely that the second member will interfere with the conveyance of the packaging material, and increases bag-making capacity, compared to conventional bag-making and packaging apparatuses in which the second member does not move in the packaging material conveyance direction.

[0008] A bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus according to a second aspect is the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the control unit moves the second member in the conveying direction of the packaging material after folding the horizontal seal portion, and also moves the second member in a second direction that is the opposite direction to the first direction.

[0009] In a bag-making and packaging apparatus according to a second aspect, the control unit moves the second member in the conveyance direction of the packaging material and also moves the second member in the second direction after moving the second member to fold the horizontal seal. This allows the second member to leave the space downstream of the made bag in the conveyance direction at an early stage, further increasing bag-making capacity.

[0010] A bag-making and packaging apparatus according to a third aspect is the bag-making and packaging apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the control unit moves the second member in the first direction to fold the horizontal seal while stopping conveyance of the packaging material by the conveying mechanism. After folding the horizontal seal, the control unit moves the second member in the direction of conveyance of the packaging material and resumes conveyance of the packaging material by the conveying mechanism.

[0011] A third aspect of the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus is a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus that performs so-called intermittent packaging material conveyance. In this bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus, the control unit moves the second member in the packaging material conveyance direction after folding the horizontal seal, and resumes conveyance of the packaging material.

[0012] In conventional bag-making and packaging devices, the transport of the packaging material was paused until the member that folded the horizontal seal portion was removed from the packaging material transport path, but in the bag-making and packaging device of the third aspect, the transport of the packaging material can be resumed at an early timing by moving the second member that folded the horizontal seal portion in the transport direction of the packaging material.

[0013] A bag-making and packaging apparatus according to a fourth aspect is the bag-making and packaging apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the horizontal sealing mechanism has a first sealing jaw and a second sealing jaw, and a sealing jaw drive unit that drives the first sealing jaw and the second sealing jaw. The first sealing jaw and the second sealing jaw are arranged opposite each other with the cylindrical packaging material sandwiched therebetween. The sealing jaw drive unit has a first drive unit and a second drive unit. The first drive unit moves the first sealing jaw and the second sealing jaw along a first direction. The second drive unit moves the first sealing jaw and the second sealing jaw along the packaging material conveyance direction. The second drive unit further moves the second member in the packaging material conveyance direction.

[0014] In a bag-making and packaging apparatus according to a fourth aspect, the second drive unit of the sealing jaw drive unit of the horizontal sealing mechanism not only moves the first and second sealing jaws along the packaging material conveyance direction, but also moves the second member in the packaging material conveyance direction. In other words, the second drive unit moves both the first and second sealing jaws and the second member. This reduces the manufacturing costs of the bag-making and packaging apparatus.

[0015] A bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus according to a fifth aspect is the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus according to the fourth aspect, further comprising a third drive unit. The third drive unit is provided separately from the first drive unit. The third drive unit moves the second member in the first direction.

[0016] In a bag-making and packaging apparatus according to a fifth aspect, a first drive unit that moves the first and second sealing jaws along the first direction, and a third drive unit that moves the second member in the first direction are separately provided. This allows the movement of the first and second sealing jaws in the first direction to perform horizontal sealing, and the movement of the second member in the first direction to fold the horizontal seal portion, to be performed at optimal timing, without using a complex link mechanism or the like.

[0017] A sixth aspect of the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus is the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus of any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the first direction is a direction along the horizontal direction, and the conveying direction of the packaging material by the conveying mechanism is a vertically downward direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the bag-making and packaging device of the present invention, the second member is less likely to interfere with the transport of packaging material, and bag-making capacity can be increased. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] A diagram showing a gusseted bag. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the main parts of the bag-making and packaging unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the main parts of the bag-making and packaging unit. [Figure 6] 10 is a perspective view of a horizontal sealing mechanism and a bag bottom forming mechanism mounted on a vertically movable stand. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the main components of the horizontal sealing mechanism and the bag bottom forming mechanism. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tubular member, the sealing jaws, and the lower gusset-forming member. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] Control block diagram. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the positions of the sealing jaws and folding members immediately after horizontal sealing. [Figure 13] 10 is a diagram showing the positions of the sealing jaws and the folding member immediately after the folding member folds the lower horizontal seal area. FIG. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the sealing jaws and the folding members are in the middle of descending after the folding members have folded the lower horizontal seal area. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the folding members fold the lower horizontal seal area, and then the sealing jaws and folding members finish descending and retreat from the space below the rectangular tubular film. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the sealing jaws and folding members are located at a home position. [Figure 17] 10 is a diagram showing the state of the sealing jaws of the bag-making and packaging device of Modification A during continuous bag making and before the horizontal sealing operation of the square tubular film. FIG. [Figure 18] 10 is a diagram showing the state of the bag-making and packaging device of modification A immediately after the sealing jaws and the lateral sealing operation of the square tubular film during continuous bag making. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] A description will be given of a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the terms "left" and "right" of the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 are based on the case where the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 is viewed from the front side.

[0021] (1) Overall configuration of the bag making and packaging equipment Figures 2 and 3 show an overall view of the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1. The bag-making and packaging apparatus 1 shown in these figures is a machine that packs products such as snack foods into bags, and is mainly composed of a bag-making and packaging unit 5 that packs the products into bags, a film supply unit 6 that supplies film F that will become the bags to the bag-making and packaging unit 5, and a control unit 100. Operation switches 7 are located on the front (one side) of the bag-making and packaging unit 5, and a liquid crystal display 8 that shows the operating status is located in a position that is visible to the user operating the operation switches 7.

[0022] 1 shows a gusset-type bag 50 manufactured by a bag-making and packaging apparatus 1. Bag 50 has four side surfaces 51 and one bottom surface 52, and is a stand-up pack that can stand on its own with bottom surface 52 as a support surface. In other words, a stand-up pack is a self-standing bag that has a bottom surface that serves as a support surface, like bag 50. Bag 50 is formed with an upper gusset (fold-in) G1, a lower gusset (fold-in) G2, four hem seal regions H1 to H4, a vertical seal region L1, an upper horizontal seal region T1, and a lower horizontal seal region T2.

[0023] Bag 50 is formed from a single rectangular sheet of film F by folding the film F at predetermined positions and then heat-sealing (thermal welding) the predetermined positions. More specifically, bag 50 is formed primarily through the following steps: The sheet of film F is formed into a rectangular tubular shape having four side surfaces: a right side surface, a front surface, a left side surface, and a rear surface. The four side surfaces of the rectangular tubular film F (hereinafter referred to as rectangular tubular film Fc) will later become the four side surfaces 51 of bag 50. Next, both edges of the film F that overlap due to being formed into a rectangular tubular shape are heat-sealed in the vertical direction to form vertical seal region L1. Next, the four corners of the rectangular tubular film Fc are heat-sealed in the vertical direction to form four hem seal regions H1 to H4. Next, the side surfaces of the rectangular tubular film Fc that face each other are folded inward of the rectangular tubular film Fc to form gussets G1 and G2. The formation of the bottom gusset G2 forms the bottom portion 52 of the bag 50. At the same time as the formation of the gussets G1 and G2, two horizontal seal regions T1 and T2 are formed by heat-sealing predetermined portions of the rectangular tubular film Fc in the horizontal direction. The upper horizontal seal region T1 defines the upper portion of the bag 50, and the lower horizontal seal region T2 defines the lower portion of the bag 50. In this manner, the bag 50 is manufactured.

[0024] (2) Details of each part of the bag making and packaging equipment Each part of the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1 will be described in detail below.

[0025] (2-1) Film supply unit The film supply unit 6 is a unit that supplies sheet-like film F to a forming mechanism 13 of the bag-making and packaging unit 5, which will be described later, and is provided adjacent to the bag-making and packaging unit 5. A film roll around which film F is wound is set in this film supply unit 6, and film F is unwound from this film roll.

[0026] (2-2) Bag making and packaging unit 4 and 5 show the main parts of the bag-making and packaging unit 5. FIG.

[0027] The bag-making and packaging unit 5 is primarily composed of a forming mechanism 13, a conveying mechanism 14, a hem-forming mechanism 18, a vertical sealing mechanism 15, a horizontal sealing mechanism 17, a bag bottom-forming mechanism 19, upper gusset-forming members 93, 93, and a support frame 12 that supports these mechanisms and members. A casing 9 is attached around the support frame 12. The forming mechanism 13 forms the sheet-like film F fed from the film supply unit 6 into a rectangular tubular shape. The conveying mechanism 14 conveys the rectangular tubular film Fc formed into a rectangular tubular shape by the forming mechanism 13 downward. The hem-forming mechanism 18 forms hem seal regions H1 to H4 at the four corners of the rectangular tubular film Fc. The vertical sealing mechanism 15 heat-seals the overlapping portions of the rectangular tubular film Fc in the vertical direction. The horizontal sealing mechanism 17 heat-seals the portions of the rectangular tubular film Fc that will become the upper and lower ends of the bag 50 in the horizontal direction, thereby sealing the bag 50. The bag bottom forming mechanism 19 is a mechanism that forms the bottom portion 52 of the bag 50 of the rectangular tubular film Fc.

[0028] The horizontal sealing mechanism 17 and the bag bottom forming mechanism 19 are mechanisms mounted on a vertically movable stand 20 shown in FIG. 6, and are capable of moving up and down relative to the support frame 12 via rods 12a.

[0029] (2-2-1) Molding mechanism The forming mechanism 13 includes a cylindrical member 31 and a former 32 .

[0030] The tubular member 31 has a cylindrical upper portion. The lower portion of the tubular member 31 is rectangular, with a front, rear, right side, and left side. The tubular member 31 is cylindrical from its upper end to its center in the height direction, and its shape gradually changes to a rectangular tube from the center in the height direction toward its lower end. The tubular member 31 extends vertically and has open top and bottom ends. The tubular member 31 is positioned so as to vertically pass through an opening formed near the center of the top plate 29 of the support frame 12 and is fixed to the former 32 via a bracket (not shown). Products are dropped into the opening at the upper end of the tubular member 31 in predetermined amounts from the computerized scale 2 installed above the bag-making and packaging unit 5. The products fall inside the tubular member 31. The computerized scale 2 is a combination weighing device consisting of a feeder, a pool hopper, a weighing hopper, a collection and discharge chute, etc.

[0031] The former 32 is disposed near the upper portion of the tubular member 31 so as to surround the tubular member 31. The former 32 is shaped so that the sheet-like film F fed from the film supply unit 6 is formed into a cylindrical shape as it passes through the gap between the former 32 and the tubular member 31, and the film F is gradually formed into a rectangular tubular shape as it is transported toward the lower end. In other words, the former 32 is a member that wraps the sheet-like film F around the tubular member 31 and forms the film F into a cylindrical shape, forming a rectangular tubular film Fc. The former 32 is fixed to a base plate 33a of a support member 33 that is supported by the support frame 12 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

[0032] (2-2-2) Heme formation mechanism Hem forming mechanism 18 has a pair of hem forming units 70, 71 and a pair of hem sealing units 80, 81. Hem forming units 70, 71 are arranged symmetrically about tubular member 31 extending in the vertical direction, and are located below the joint between tubular member 31 and former 32. Hem sealing units 80, 81 are arranged symmetrically about tubular member 31 extending in the vertical direction, and are located directly below hem forming units 70, 71 and directly above pull-down belts 40, 41 (described later). Each hem sealing unit 80, 81 also has a pair of heater blocks 82, 82 and a heater block backing plate 83.

[0033] The heme formation mechanism 18 is publicly known, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-168931, and therefore a detailed description of the configuration will be omitted here.

[0034] When the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1 is in operation, the four corners of the rectangular tubular film Fc pass through a predetermined gap and are conveyed downstream. This causes creases to be formed in the four corners of the rectangular tubular film Fc, forming the hem seal regions H1 to H4 shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, when the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1 is in operation, the heater block 82 moves at a predetermined timing, and the sealing surface of the heater block 82 is pressed against the heater block backing plate 83, sandwiching the hem seal regions H1 to H4 of the rectangular tubular film Fc between them. This heat-seals the hem seal regions H1 to H4 of the rectangular tubular film Fc.

[0035] (2-2-3) Conveyor mechanism The transport mechanism 14 transports the rectangular tubular film Fc downstream and has a pair of pull-down belts 40, 41. The pull-down belts 40, 41 are supported by a support member (not shown) suspended from the top plate 29 of the support frame 12. The pull-down belts 40, 41 are arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides of the vertically extending tubular member 31, and serve to abut against the rectangular tubular film Fc wrapped around the tubular member 31, adsorbing and transporting the rectangular tubular film Fc downward.

[0036] (2-2-4) Vertical sealing mechanism The vertical sealing mechanism 15 vertically seals the seam of the packaging material, the rectangular tubular film Fc. The vertical sealing mechanism 15 is supported by a support member (not shown) suspended from the top plate 29 of the support frame 12. The vertical sealing mechanism 15 has a heater, a heater belt heated by the heater, and the vertical sealing mechanism 15 faces the front of the tubular member 31 and occupies approximately the same vertical position as the four heater blocks 82 of the hem seal units 80, 81 (see Figures 4 and 5). The vertical sealing mechanism 15 heats and seals the overlapping portions (seams of the packaging material) of the rectangular tubular film Fc wrapped around the tubular member 31 while pressing them against the front of the tubular member 31 with a constant pressure, thereby forming a vertical seal region L1 on the front portion of the rectangular tubular film Fc.

[0037] (2-2-5) Horizontal sealing mechanism 6 and 7 show the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 and the bag bottom forming mechanism 19 mounted on the vertically movable stand 20. Fig. 8 shows a side view showing the height positions of the main components of the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 and the bag bottom forming mechanism 19.

[0038] The horizontal sealing mechanism 17 is disposed below the tubular member 31 and is supported by the support frame 12. The horizontal sealing mechanism 17 is primarily composed of a pair of sealing jaws 90, 90. The sealing jaws 90, 90 reciprocate back and forth in a horizontal plane, moving toward and away from each other, by operating the sealing jaw drive motor 121 shown in FIG. 7. More specifically, the sealing jaws 90, 90 move symmetrically back and forth in synchronization with each other, with the rectangular tubular film Fc being conveyed downward as the axis. The sealing jaws 90, 90 then clamp the rectangular tubular film Fc when they are closest to each other. Hereinafter, the position shown in FIG. 16 (described later) will be referred to as the retracted position of the sealing jaws 90, 90, and the position shown in FIG. 12 will be referred to as the advanced position of the sealing jaws 90, 90.

[0039] Each sealing jaw 90 has an internal heater. The heater heats the sealing surface (the surface facing each other during lateral sealing) of each sealing jaw 90, and the portions of the rectangular tubular film Fc sandwiched between the sealing jaws 90, 90 that are to be transversely sealed are heat-sealed, forming an upper transverse seal region T1 and a lower transverse seal region T2. With a single clamping operation, the sealing jaws 90, 90 simultaneously form the upper transverse seal region T1 of the bag 50 produced first and the lower transverse seal region T2 of the bag 50 produced next, among two consecutive bags 50, 50 produced by the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1. One of the sealing jaws 90 has a built-in cutter (not shown), which cuts transversely in the center of the portion heat-sealed by a single clamping operation. This cutting separates the bags 50 one by one from the rectangular tubular film Fc extending vertically.

[0040] (2-2-6) Bag bottom forming mechanism The bag bottom forming mechanism 19 is mainly composed of a pair of left and right lower gusset forming members 91, 91 and a folding member 92.

[0041] (2-2-6-1) Lower gusset forming member The lower gusset forming members 91, 91 are plate-like members having a triangular shape in a plan view and are disposed above the sealing jaws 90, 90. The lower gusset forming members 91, 91 serve to form lower gussets G2 on the right and left side surfaces of the rectangular tubular film Fc.

[0042] The lower gusset forming members 91, 91 are connected to a drive mechanism including a cam mechanism, a first air cylinder 91a, etc., and reciprocate left and right in a horizontal plane so as to move toward and away from each other. In particular, the cam mechanism serves to synchronize the movement of the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 with the movement of the sealing jaws 90, 90. That is, the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 reciprocate between a retracted position where they are separated from each other and an advanced position where they are close to each other (see Figures 9 and 10).

[0043] More specifically, the bottom gusset forming members 91, 91 reciprocate in synchronization with each other at the same cycle, and move symmetrically about the axis of the rectangular tubular film Fc that is transported in the vertical direction.

[0044] As the left bottom gusset forming member 91 moves rightward from the retracted position to the advanced position, it contacts the left side surface of the rectangular tubular film Fc near the top of the portion that will become the bottom transverse seal area T2, and folds the contacted portion inward of the rectangular tubular film Fc. Similarly, as the right bottom gusset forming member 91 moves leftward from the retracted position to the advanced position, it contacts the right side surface of the rectangular tubular film Fc near the top of the portion that will become the bottom transverse seal area T2, and folds the contacted portion inward of the rectangular tubular film Fc. This forms bottom gussets G2 on the right and left side surfaces of the rectangular tubular film Fc.

[0045] (2-2-6-2) Folding member 6 and 7, the portion of the folding member 92 that contacts the lower transverse seal area T2, which is continuous with the bottom surface 52 of the bag 50, is plate-shaped along a horizontal plane. This portion is located above the sealing jaws 90 and at a height position below the lower gusset-forming members 91 (see FIG. 8). The folding member 92 serves to fold the lower transverse seal area T2 formed by the sealing jaws 90 toward the bottom surface 52 of the bag 50, which is formed by the lower gusset-forming members 91.

[0046] The folding member 92 is connected to a drive mechanism consisting of a second air cylinder 92a and other components, and moves back and forth in a horizontal plane. That is, the folding member 92 moves back and forth between a retracted position (see Figure 12) away from the front portion of the rectangular tubular film Fc and an advanced position (see Figure 13) close to the front portion of the rectangular tubular film Fc. Here, one of the horizontal forward and backward directions is referred to as the first direction, and the other as the second direction.

[0047] Furthermore, the folding member 92 moves up and down together with the sealing jaws 90, 90 and the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 as the vertically movable stand 20 moves up and down.

[0048] After the sealing jaws 90, 90 have completed the sealing operation and the cutter has separated the upper transverse seal area T1 and the lower transverse seal area T2 (see FIG. 12), the folding member 92 moves to the forward position shown in FIG. 13. When the folding member 92 reaches the forward position shown in FIG. 13, it folds the lower transverse seal area T2 of the bag 50 toward the bottom surface 52. This folding operation by the folding member 92 folds the lower transverse seal area T2 so that it is parallel to the bottom surface 52, and the bag 50 becomes a stand-up pack.

[0049] The movement of the folding member 92 shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 subsequent to FIG. 13 will be described in detail later.

[0050] (2-2-7) Upper gusset forming member The upper gusset forming members 93, 93 are disposed below the sealing jaws 90, 90. The upper gusset forming members 93, 93 serve to form gussets G1 on the right and left side surfaces of the rectangular tubular film Fc.

[0051] The upper gusset forming members 93, 93 are connected to a drive mechanism that moves the lower gusset forming members 91, 91, and reciprocate left and right in a horizontal plane so as to move toward and away from each other. The upper gusset forming members 93, 93 and the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 move integrally by a first air cylinder 91a. Specifically, the upper gusset forming members 93, 93 reciprocate in synchronization with each other at the same cycle, moving symmetrically left and right around the axis of the rectangular tubular film Fc being transported in the vertical direction.

[0052] Each upper gusset forming member 93 folds the side surface of the rectangular tubular film Fc inward, thereby forming gussets G1 on the right and left side surfaces of the rectangular tubular film Fc (see FIG. 1).

[0053] (2-2-8) Vertically movable stand The vertically movable base 20 is a base that plays a role in vertically moving the sealing jaws 90, 90 of the horizontal sealing mechanism 17, as well as vertically moving the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 and folding members 92 of the bag bottom forming mechanism 19. As shown in Figure 6, the vertically movable base 20 is supported by two rods 12a via sliders 20a so as to be vertically movable. The upper and lower ends of the rods 12a are fixed to the support frame 12.

[0054] The vertically movable base 20 is moved up and down by a link and crank mechanism (not shown) and a vertical drive motor 122. By controlling the vertical drive motor 122 with the control unit 100, the vertically movable base 20 moves up and down in a reciprocating manner, and the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 and the bag bottom forming mechanism 19 mounted on the vertically movable base 20 also move up and down in a reciprocating manner. In other words, the vertical drive motor 122 and the link and crank mechanism (not shown) function as part of the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 and as part of the bag bottom forming mechanism 19.

[0055] (2-3) Control Unit The control unit 100 is realized by a computer. The control unit 100 includes a control and arithmetic unit and a storage device. The control and arithmetic unit can be a processor such as a CPU or a GPU. The control and arithmetic unit reads a program stored in the storage device and performs predetermined image processing and arithmetic processing in accordance with the program. Furthermore, the control and arithmetic unit can write the results of calculations to the storage device and read information stored in the storage device in accordance with the program. Figure 11 shows various functional blocks realized by the control and arithmetic unit. The storage device can be used as a database.

[0056] As shown in Figure 11, the control unit 100 is connected to motors and heaters for the film supply unit 6, conveying mechanism 14, hem forming mechanism 18, vertical sealing mechanism 15, etc., as well as the sealing jaw drive motor 121, first air cylinder 91a, second air cylinder 92a, and up-down drive motor 122 for the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 and bag bottom forming mechanism 19, and controls each actuator.

[0057] (3) Operation of the bag-making and packaging device (3-1) Overall operation When the conveying mechanism 14 is driven, the film F is unwound from the film roll of the film supply unit 6 and guided to the forming mechanism 13. In the forming mechanism 13, the sheet-like film F unwound from the film roll travels along the surface of the former 32, and as it passes through the gap between the former 32 and the tubular member 31, it is wrapped around the outer surface of the upper part of the cylindrical former 32, and as it is conveyed downward, it is gradually formed into a square tubular film Fc.

[0058] Next, the rectangular tubular film Fc reaches the hem forming mechanism 18. In the hem forming units 70, 71, the rectangular tubular film Fc is folded to form four hem seal regions H1-H4. Thereafter, the hem seal regions H1-H4 formed in the hem forming units 70, 71 are heat-sealed as they pass through the hem sealing units 80, 81.

[0059] In addition, the vertical sealing mechanism 15, which is located at approximately the same height as the hem sealing units 80, 81, heat seals the area of the angular tubular film Fc that will become the vertical seal area L1 at approximately the same time as the hem sealing units 80, 81 heat seal the hem seal areas H1 to H4 of the angular tubular film Fc.

[0060] Next, the rectangular tubular film Fc passes through the tubular member 31 and descends to the height of the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 and bag bottom forming mechanism 19. The horizontal sealing mechanism 17 applies a horizontal heat seal to a predetermined portion of the rectangular tubular film Fc. At this time, the control unit 100 temporarily stops the conveyance of the rectangular tubular film Fc by the conveyance mechanism 14. In other words, the control unit 100 causes the conveyance mechanism 14 to convey the rectangular tubular film Fc intermittently.

[0061] Before heat sealing by the horizontal sealing mechanism 17, the upper gusset forming members 93, 93 and the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 each move from their respective retracted positions to their respective advanced positions. As a result, the right and left side surfaces of the rectangular tubular film Fc are stably folded inside the rectangular tubular film Fc. Furthermore, the right and left side surfaces of the rectangular tubular film Fc are also folded inside the rectangular tubular film Fc by contacting the lower gusset forming members 91, 91.

[0062] Meanwhile, the sealing jaws 90, 90 synchronize their forward movement with the upper gusset forming members 93, 93 and the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 via a cam mechanism, so they reach their forward positions simultaneously with the upper gusset forming members 93, 93 and the lower gusset forming members 91, 91. When in the forward position, the sealing jaws 90, 90 clamp and heat-seal a predetermined portion of the rectangular tubular film Fc. At this time, the block of goods falls from the computer scale 2 through the tubular member 31 and accumulates within the rectangular tubular film Fc. After completing the sealing operation, the sealing jaws 90, 90, while still containing the goods, horizontally cut the predetermined portion of the heat-sealed rectangular tubular film Fc with a built-in cutter. This separates the preceding bag 50 from the following bag 50. The lower portion of the heat-sealed portion separated by the cutting operation becomes the upper horizontal seal portion T1 of the preceding bag 50. On the other hand, of the portions heat-sealed by the sealing jaws 90, 90, the upper portion separated by the above-mentioned cutting operation becomes the bottom horizontal seal region T2 of the subsequent bag 50. When the above-mentioned folding operation is completed, the upper gusset-forming members 93, 93 and the lower gusset-forming members 91, 91 each retract from their respective advanced positions to their respective retracted positions. Meanwhile, the sealing jaws 90, 90 retract from their advanced positions to their retracted positions separately from the upper gusset-forming members 93, 93 and the lower gusset-forming members 91, 91.

[0063] Meanwhile, the folding member 92 of the bag bottom forming mechanism 19 moves to the forward position immediately after the front sealing jaw 90 starts to retreat, and folds the lower horizontal seal area T2 formed by the sealing jaws 90, 90 toward the bottom portion 52 of the bag 50 formed by the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 (see Figure 13).

[0064] (3-2) Details of the operation of the folding member of the bag bottom forming mechanism 12 to 16, the folding down operation of the lower horizontal seal area T2 by the folding member 92 after the horizontal sealing operation and the subsequent movement of the folding member will be described in detail. The first and second directions shown in Figs. 12 to 16 are one and the other of the front and rear directions along the horizontal direction, and the conveying direction is the vertical downward direction.

[0065] Figure 12 shows the state when the sealing jaws 90, 90 begin to retract from the advanced position to the retracted position after the lateral sealing operation and the cutting operation by the cutter are completed. When the folding member 92 moves in the first direction from the retracted position shown in Figure 12 to the advanced position shown in Figure 13, the lower transverse seal area T2 is folded down so that the lower transverse seal area T2 becomes parallel to the bottom surface portion 52. The folding member 92 also receives heat from the sealing jaws 90 and transfers that heat to the lower transverse seal area T2 and the bottom surface portion 52. As a result, the lower transverse seal area T2 is fixed to the bottom surface portion 52, and the bag 50 becomes a stand-up pack.

[0066] Thereafter, the control unit 100 lowers the vertically movable base 20, thereby lowering the sealing jaws 90, 90 and the folding member 92, and, as shown in Fig. 14, continues to move the sealing jaws 90, 90 to the retracted position using the sealing jaw drive motor 121, and starts to move the folding member 92 in the second direction toward the retracted position using the second air cylinder 92a. This opens up a space below the rectangular tubular film Fc on which the bottom surface portion 52 is formed, so the control unit 100 resumes conveying the rectangular tubular film Fc in the conveying direction (downward).

[0067] 15 shows the state in which the sealing jaws 90,90 and folding members 92 have reached their retracted positions, leaving a completely empty space below the rectangular tubular film Fc. The control unit 100 then raises the vertically movable base 20, returning the sealing jaws 90,90, lower gusset-forming members 91,91, and folding members 92 to a height position for performing horizontal sealing (the home position shown in FIG. 16). The horizontal sealing mechanism 17, bag bottom-forming mechanism 19, and upper gusset-forming members 93,93 then repeat the same operations to continue intermittently forming bags 50.

[0068] (4) Adjustment of the gap between the tubular member and the lower gusset forming member and sealing jaw When making gusset-type bags 50, the size of the gap between the lower end of the tubular member 31 and the lower gusset-forming members 91, 91 and the sealing jaws 90, 90 has a significant impact on the appearance. If the gap is too small, problems such as damage to the film, pinholes in the film, and interference between parts occur. Conversely, if the gap is too large, the bottom surface of the bag cannot be formed cleanly, and the appearance of the bag deteriorates. To prevent such problems, the height position of the tubular member 31 has traditionally been adjusted using shims.

[0069] However, it is troublesome to adjust the shim every time the bag size changes and the cylindrical member 31 is replaced with one of a different size.

[0070] Therefore, in the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the vertically movable base 20 on which the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 and the bag bottom forming mechanism 19 are mounted can be moved up and down, and the height positions of the tubular member 31, the lower gusset forming members 91, 91, and the sealing jaws 90, 90 shown in Figures 9 and 10 are adjusted by the vertical drive motor 122 that moves the vertically movable base 20. While the gap G12 between the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 and the sealing jaws 90, 90 shown in Figure 10 is constant, the dimension of the gap G11 between the tubular member 31 and the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 shown in Figure 10 can be adjusted using the vertical drive motor 122.

[0071] When the cylindrical member 31 is replaced with a cylindrical member 31 of a different size, the worker adjusts the height using the operation switches 7 or the touch panel liquid crystal display 8. Also, when the film F is replaced with a film F of a different thickness or hardness, the worker similarly adjusts the height and uses the vertical drive motor 122 to adjust the size of the gap G11.

[0072] (5) Features (5-1) The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 of the above embodiment is a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 that manufactures bags 50 in which products are packaged. The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 includes a tubular member 31, a former 32, a conveying mechanism 14, a vertical sealing mechanism 15, a hem forming mechanism 18, lower gusset forming members 91, 91 and upper gusset forming members 93, 93, a horizontal sealing mechanism 17, a folding member 92, and a control unit 100. The tubular member 31 is a tubular member into which products fall. The former 32 is a member for forming the sheet-like film F into a tubular shape. The former 32 wraps the film F around the tubular member 31. The conveying mechanism 14 conveys the tubular film F (rectangular tubular film Fc) downstream. The vertical sealing mechanism 15 seals the seam of the rectangular tubular film Fc vertically. The hem forming mechanism 18 and bottom gusset forming members 91, 91 contact the tubular film F from the outside and form the tubular film F into a rectangular tubular shape. The horizontal sealing mechanism 17 seals the rectangular tubular film Fc horizontally to form the bottom horizontal seal region T2. The folding member 92 is a member that folds the bottom horizontal seal region T2. As shown in FIG. 13 , the control unit 100 moves the folding member 92 in a first direction along the horizontal direction to fold the bottom horizontal seal region T2, and then moves the folding member 92 in the direction in which the rectangular tubular film Fc is conveyed by the conveying mechanism 14.

[0073] In this bag-making and packaging apparatus 1, the control unit 100 moves the folding members 92 in the conveyance direction of the rectangular tubular film Fc after moving the folding members 92 to fold the bottom transverse seal region T2. This makes it less likely that the folding members 92 will interfere with the conveyance of the rectangular tubular film Fc, compared to conventional bag-making and packaging apparatuses in which the folding members 92 do not move in the conveyance direction of the rectangular tubular film Fc, thereby increasing bag-making capacity.

[0074] (5-2) In the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, the control unit 100 causes the folding members 92 to fold at the bottom transverse seal region T2, and then moves the folding members 92 in the conveyance direction of the rectangular tubular film Fc, and further moves the folding members 92 in a second direction, which is the opposite direction to the first direction (see FIGS. 14 and 15). This allows the folding members 92 to leave the space downstream in the conveyance direction of the rectangular tubular film Fc at an early stage, further improving bag-making capacity.

[0075] (5-3) The bag making and packaging apparatus 1 of the above embodiment is a bag making and packaging apparatus that performs so-called intermittent film conveyance. The control unit 100 stops conveyance of the rectangular tubular film Fc by the conveyance mechanism 14, and moves the folding member 92 in a first direction to fold the bottom transverse seal region T2. After folding the bottom transverse seal region T2, the control unit 100 moves the folding member 92 in the conveyance direction of the rectangular tubular film Fc, and resumes conveyance of the rectangular tubular film Fc by the conveyance mechanism 14.

[0076] In conventional bag-making and packaging devices, the conveyance of the square tubular film was paused until the member that folded the horizontal seal portion was removed from the conveyance path of the square tubular film. However, in the bag-making and packaging device 1 of the above embodiment, the folding member 92 that folded the lower horizontal seal portion T2 is moved in the conveyance direction of the square tubular film Fc, making it possible to resume the conveyance of the square tubular film Fc at an early timing.

[0077] (5-4) In the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 includes a pair of sealing jaws 90, 90 and a sealing jaw drive unit that drives the pair of sealing jaws 90, 90. The sealing jaw drive unit includes a sealing jaw drive motor 121 fixed to the vertically movable base 20 and a vertical drive motor 122 that moves the vertically movable base 20 up and down. The sealing jaw drive motor 121 moves the pair of sealing jaws 90, 90 along a first direction as shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. The vertical drive motor 122 moves the pair of sealing jaws 90, 90 along the conveyance direction of the rectangular tubular film Fc as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16. The vertical drive motor 122 further moves the folding member 92 in the conveyance direction of the rectangular tubular film Fc as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16.

[0078] As described above, in the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, the vertical drive motor 122 not only moves the pair of sealing jaws 90, 90 along the conveyance direction, but also moves the folding member 92 in the conveyance direction. In other words, the vertical drive motor 122 both moves the pair of sealing jaws 90, 90 and moves the folding member 92. This reduces the manufacturing costs of the bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1.

[0079] (5-5) In the bag-making and packaging apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, a second air cylinder 92a that reciprocates the folding member 92 in the first direction is provided in addition to the sealing jaw drive motor 121 that moves the pair of sealing jaws 90, 90 along the first direction. This allows the movement of the pair of sealing jaws 90, 90 in the first direction and the movement of the folding member 92 in the first direction to be performed at optimal timing, respectively, without using a complex link mechanism or the like. Specifically, each movement can be performed as shown in FIGS. 12 to 16.

[0080] (6) Variations Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0081] (6-1) Variation A The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 of the above embodiment is a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus that performs so-called intermittent film transport, but the present invention can also be applied to a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus that performs so-called continuous film transport.

[0082] Furthermore, when continuously conveying the rectangular tubular film Fc, it is preferable to make the descending speed of the sealing jaws 90, 90 during continuous bag making slightly slower than the conveying speed of the rectangular tubular film Fc in order to flatten the bottom surfaces of the bags.

[0083] Conventionally, when making gusset-type bags, a process for flattening the bottom of the bag is included. In this process, a pair of sealing jaws is closed at a height position as close as possible to the bottom end of the tubular member, thereby forming a flat bottom of the bag that conforms to the shape of the bottom end of the tubular member. In other words, the height position of the bottom end of the tubular member and the height position at which the sealing jaws are horizontally moved are brought close to each other, thereby reducing the gap between the two, thereby forming a flat bottom of the bag. However, this conventional method assumes that the conveyance of the rectangular tubular film is stopped when the pair of sealing jaws are closed. In continuous bag-making processes in which rectangular tubular film is continuously fed, the sealing jaws must be moved in the conveyance direction to match the film feed when closing the pair of sealing jaws in order to avoid film jams due to interference between the sealing jaws and the film. As a result, the height position of the sealing jaws during horizontal sealing is separated from the bottom end of the tubular member, making it impossible to form a flat bottom of the bag.

[0084] One effective way to solve this problem is to make the descending speed of the sealing jaws 90, 90 slightly slower than the conveying speed of the rectangular tubular film Fc during continuous bag making. If the descending speed of the sealing jaws 90, 90 is set slightly slower than the conveying speed of the rectangular tubular film Fc, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the bottom surface of the rectangular tubular film Fc is pressed against the upper surfaces of the pair of sealing jaws 90, 90, causing the lower part of the rectangular tubular film Fc to sag (see Figure 18). Then, the lower surface of the rectangular tubular film Fc pressed against the upper surfaces of the sealing jaws is heated by the sealing jaws, forming a flat bottom for the bag. In this way, by setting the descending speed of the sealing jaws 90, 90 slightly slower than the conveying speed of the rectangular tubular film Fc, the bottom of the gusseted bag can be made flat even during continuous bag making. This increases the capacity to make gusseted bags, and is expected to improve productivity.

[0085] (6-2) Variation B As described in the explanation of variant A above, conventionally, in bag making and packaging devices that use intermittent film conveyance, a pair of sealing jaws are closed at a height position as close as possible to the lower end of the tubular member, thereby forming a flat bottom surface of the bag that conforms to the shape of the lower end of the tubular member.

[0086] Furthermore, in order to prevent tucks or wrinkles from occurring in the transverse seal area, the pair of sealing jaws must be closed slowly.

[0087] However, if the speed at which the pair of sealing jaws closes is slowed, the height of the sealing jaws at the start of horizontal sealing must be lowered accordingly, or the film may become jammed. This means that the pair of sealing jaws must close at a certain speed, sacrificing the aesthetic appearance of the bag.

[0088] To achieve these conflicting goals of preventing film jams and ensuring a beautiful bag appearance, it is necessary to determine the optimum height position of the sealing jaws when horizontal sealing begins. The function of the bag-making and packaging device of variation B is to automatically calculate this.

[0089] The bag-making and packaging apparatus of Modification B sets the time required for a pair of sealing jaws to close, and automatically calculates the optimal height position of the sealing jaws at the start of horizontal sealing using factors such as the film feed speed and the time it takes for the sealing jaws to reach the film as they close. In other words, with the bag-making and packaging apparatus of Modification B, when the operator adjusts the speed at which the pair of sealing jaws close, the optimal height position of the sealing jaws at the start of horizontal sealing is determined accordingly, and automatic control is performed to start horizontal sealing at that height position. This prevents the film from clogging, and maintains the appearance of the bags.

[0090] (6-3) Variation C In the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, the vertical drive motor 122 and link-crank mechanism that move the vertically movable stand 20 up and down play the role of moving the sealing jaws 90, 90 of the horizontal sealing mechanism 17 up and down, as well as moving the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 and upper gusset forming members 93, 93 and folding member 92 of the bag bottom forming mechanism 19 up and down.

[0091] However, instead of such a configuration, a servo motor or air cylinder for moving the folding member 92 in the conveying direction may be provided in addition to the vertical drive motor 122 for moving the sealing jaws 90, 90 and the lower gusset forming members 91, 91 up and down.

[0092] (6-4) Variation D In the above embodiment, the hem-forming mechanism 18, the lower gusset-forming members 91, 91, and the upper gusset-forming members 93, 93 contact the tubular film F from the outside to form the film F into a rectangular tubular shape, but the member that forms the rectangular tubular film Fc may be one of these members or a different member. For example, the hem-forming mechanism 18 may be omitted.

[0093] (6-5) Variation E In the above embodiment, after the lower horizontal seal area T2 is folded down by the folding member 92, as shown in Figure 14, the control unit 100 lowers the sealing jaws 90, 90 and the folding member 92 and begins to move the folding member 92 in the second direction toward the retracted position.

[0094] However, depending on the conveying speed of the rectangular tubular film Fc and the necessary timing for resuming conveying, it is not necessary to immediately start moving the folding member 92 in the second direction. After the vertically movable stand 20 on which the folding member 92 is mounted has finished descending, the folding member 92 may be moved in the second direction and returned to the retracted position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1 Bag making and packaging equipment 14 Transport mechanism 15 Vertical sealing mechanism 17 Horizontal sealing mechanism 18 Heme formation mechanism 31 Cylinder member 32 Forma 90 Seal Joe 91 Lower gusset forming member (first member) 91a No. 1 air cylinder 92 Folding member (second member) 92a No. 2 air cylinder 93 Upper gusset forming member (first member) 100 control section 121 Seal jaw drive motor (first drive unit) 122 Vertical drive motor (second drive unit) T2 Lower horizontal seal area (horizontal seal area) [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0096] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3922928

Claims

1. A bag making and packaging device that produces bags in which products are packaged, a cylindrical member through which the product falls; a former that winds a sheet-like packaging material around the cylindrical member to form the packaging material into a cylindrical shape; a conveying mechanism that conveys the cylindrical packaging material downstream; a vertical sealing mechanism that vertically seals the seam of the cylindrical packaging material; a first member that contacts the tubular packaging material from the outside and shapes the tubular packaging material into a rectangular tube; a horizontal sealing mechanism that seals the rectangular tubular packaging material horizontally to form a horizontal seal portion in the packaging material; a second member that folds the horizontal seal portion; A control unit; Equipped with the control unit moves the second member in a first direction to fold the horizontal seal portion, and then moves the second member in a conveying direction of the packaging material by the conveying mechanism; the horizontal sealing mechanism includes a first sealing jaw and a second sealing jaw that are arranged opposite each other with the cylindrical packaging material sandwiched therebetween, and a sealing jaw drive unit that drives the first sealing jaw and the second sealing jaw, the sealing jaw driving unit includes a first driving unit that moves the first sealing jaw and the second sealing jaw along the first direction, and a second driving unit that moves the first sealing jaw and the second sealing jaw along a conveying direction of the packaging material, The second driving unit further moves the second member along a conveying direction of the packaging material. Bag making and packaging equipment.

2. the control unit, after folding the horizontal seal portion, moves the second member in a conveyance direction of the packaging material and also moves the second member in a second direction that is a direction opposite to the first direction. The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus according to claim 1.

3. the control unit moves the second member in the first direction to fold the horizontal seal portion while stopping the conveyance of the packaging material by the conveyance mechanism, and after folding the horizontal seal portion, moves the second member in the conveyance direction of the packaging material and causes the conveyance mechanism to resume conveyance of the packaging material. The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a third drive unit that is separate from the first drive unit and moves the second member in the first direction; The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

5. the first direction is a direction along the horizontal direction, The conveying direction of the packaging material by the conveying mechanism is a vertical downward direction. The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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