Packaging equipment

Abstract

To prevent packaging materials with thermosensitive heat-generating layers from developing color when being heat-sealed.SOLUTION: A packaging material 31 has a base material 32 and a thermosensitive color-sensitive layer 34 that is laminated on the base material 32. A storage part forming section 7 has a heating member 71 and a receiving member 72 disposed so as to face the heating member 71. In the packaging material 31 conveyed through the storage part forming section 7, the thermosensitive color-sensitive layer 34 is disposed further away from the heating member 71 than the base material 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a packaging device.

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-188314 (Patent Document 1) describes a direct thermal printing and packaging machine that uses wrapping paper formed of a first layer and a second layer with a coloring material applied on one side, causes the coloring material to develop color with a thermal print head and prints on one side of the wrapping paper, and then melts and seals the second layer of the wrapping paper with a seal heater to partition it into individual packaging bags.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The above document describes that when heat-sealing the wrapping paper, it should be heat-sealed at a temperature lower than the temperature of the thermal print head at which the wrapping paper does not develop color due to heat. Since it is required to select a second layer that melts at a temperature lower than the coloring material, the degree of freedom in material selection is low.

[0005] <00者00029>In the present disclosure, a technique is proposed that can suppress the coloring of a packaging material having a thermosensitive coloring layer when heat-sealing the packaging material.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The packaging apparatus according to this disclosure comprises a storage section forming unit that forms a storage section for a packaged object using a long sheet-like packaging material, and a printing unit that prints information related to the packaged object onto the packaging material. The packaging material has a base material and a heat-sensitive color-developing layer laminated on the base material. The storage section forming unit has a heating member and a receiving member positioned opposite the heating member, and the heating member and the receiving member pressurize the packaging material from both sides to form the storage section. In the packaging material being transported through the storage section forming unit, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer is positioned further away from the heating member than from the base material.

[0007] In the above-described packaging apparatus, the base material has a first surface on which a heat-sensitive color-developing layer is laminated and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the packaging material has a seal layer laminated on the second surface that is heated and melted by a heating element, and the temperature at which the seal layer melts may be higher than or equal to the temperature at which the heat-sensitive color-developing layer develops color.

[0008] In the above-described packaging apparatus, the printing unit has a thermal head, and in the packaging material being transported by the printing unit, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer may be positioned closer to the thermal head than to the substrate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the packaging apparatus of this disclosure, it is possible to suppress color development when heat-sealing the packaging material. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the packaging device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the printing section. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the housing section formation section. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of the housing section forming part of the comparative example. [Figure 5] This table shows the relationship between the temperature applied to the packaging material and the color development of the heat-sensitive color-developing layer. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the figures. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of them will not be repeated. It is intended from the outset that any configuration may be extracted from the embodiments and combined in any way.

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the packaging device 1 according to an embodiment. The packaging device 1 is used to package an object to be packaged. The object to be packaged is a pharmaceutical drug, specifically a solid pharmaceutical drug. Examples of solid pharmaceutical drugs include powders, granules, tablets, pills, and capsules. The object to be packaged is not limited to solid pharmaceutical drugs. The object to be packaged may be a semi-solid pharmaceutical drug or a liquid pharmaceutical drug.

[0013] Packaging device 1 is a drug packaging device for packaging drugs based on a prescription. A prescription is issued by a doctor to a patient. The prescription contains patient information and drug information. Patient information includes the patient's name and age. Drug information includes the drug name, quantity, usage, and dosage. Packaging device 1 is used to package the drug into single-dose portions based on such a prescription.

[0014] Packaging rolls 2 and 3 are attached to the packaging device 1. Packaging roll 2 consists of packaging material 21 wound in a roll shape. Packaging material 21 is fed out from packaging roll 2. Packaging roll 3 consists of packaging material 31 wound in a roll shape. Packaging material 31 is fed out from packaging roll 3.

[0015] The packaging device 1 forms a sub-packaging bag 19 containing a drug by heat-sealing the packaging material 21 unwound from the packaging material roll 2 and the packaging material 31 unwound from the packaging material roll 3. The packaging materials 21 and 31 are in the form of long sheets. The packaging device 1 includes a packaging material conveying section 9. The packaging material conveying section 9 applies a driving force to the packaging materials 21 and 31 to convey the packaging materials 21 and 31. The packaging materials 21 and 31 are conveyed in their longitudinal directions. The arrows in Fig. 1 indicate the conveying direction DR of the packaging materials 21 and 31.

[0016] Guide rollers 11A, 12A, and 13A are provided in order from the upstream (the side closer to the packaging material roll 2) to the downstream (the side away from the packaging material roll 2) in the conveying direction DR of the packaging material 21. The guide rollers 11A, 12A, and 13A guide the conveyed packaging material 21 and have the function of applying a certain tension to the packaging material 21. Guide rollers 11B, 12B, and 13B are provided in order from the upstream (the side closer to the packaging material roll 3) to the downstream (the side away from the packaging material roll 3) in the conveying direction DR of the packaging material 31. The guide rollers 11B, 12B, and 13B guide the conveyed packaging material 31 and have the function of applying a certain tension to the packaging material 31.

[0017] The packaging device 1 includes a packaging section 5. The packaging section 5 includes a drug supply section 6, a container forming section 7, and a perforation forming section 8.

[0018] The drug supply section 6 supplies a drug between the packaging materials 21 and 31 conveyed by the packaging material conveying section 9. The tip of a hopper (not shown) is disposed between the packaging material 21 and the packaging material 31, and the drug is introduced between the packaging material 21 and the packaging material 31 from the tip of the hopper. The drug is supplied in the amount for one dose based on a prescription.

[0019] The container forming section 7 forms a container using the packaging materials 21 and 31 conveyed by the packaging material conveying section 9. The drug is contained in the container. After the drug is supplied from the drug supply section 6, the container forming section 7 heat-seals the packaging material 21 and the packaging material 31 to perform individual packaging, thereby forming a sub-packaging bag 19 which is a package containing the drug inside.

[0020] The stitch forming part 8 is provided in the accommodation part forming part 7. The stitch forming part 8 forms stitches extending in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction DR on the packaging materials 21 and 31 transported by the packaging material transport part 9. The stitches are formed by a plurality of pores continuously arranged in the short side direction of the packaging materials 21 and 31. The stitches are formed on the seal part where the packaging materials 21 and 31 are heat-sealed. The stitches are formed at positions that partition the adjacent sub-packaging bags 19 in the longitudinal direction of the packaging materials 21 and 31. By tearing the packaging materials 21 and 31 along the stitches, the adjacent sub-packaging bags 19 can be easily separated.

[0021] The packaging device 1 further includes a printing part 4. The printing part 4 prints predetermined information on the packaging material 31 unwound from the packaging material roll 3 and transported by the packaging material transport part 9. The predetermined information is information related to the drug. The printing part 4 is arranged upstream of the packaging part 5 in the transport direction of the packaging material 31. The printing part 4 prints information related to the drug on the packaging material 31 prior to the heat-sealing of the packaging materials 21 and 31 by the accommodation part forming part 7. Examples of the information related to the drug include the patient's name, administration time, drug name, and quantity.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the printing part 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the packaging material 31 has a base material 32, a seal layer 33, and a heat-sensitive coloring layer 34. The base material 32 has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The heat-sensitive coloring layer 34 is laminated on the first surface of the base material 32. The seal layer 33 is laminated on the second surface of the base material 32. The packaging material 31 has a laminated structure in which the seal layer 33, the base material 32, and the heat-sensitive coloring layer 34 are laminated in this order.

[0023] The base material 32 is, for example, made of paper. The base material 32 may be made of glassine paper. The thickness of the glassine paper is 30 g / m 2The substrate 32 may be made of film. The substrate 32 may be made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The thickness of the film may be 25 μm. The sealing layer 33 is made of a low melting point material such as polyethylene. The thickness of the sealing layer 33 may be 15 μm. The thickness of the sealing layer 33 may be less or greater than the thickness of the substrate 32. The heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 may be made of a material that develops color at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the sealing layer 33. The heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 may be formed by coating the first surface of the substrate 32 with a heat-sensitive material.

[0024] The packaging material 31 may be thermal paper, not limited to the examples described above. Thermal paper develops color when heated to approximately 80-90°C. Therefore, in the case of thermal paper, the temperature at which the sealing layer 33 melts is higher than or equal to the temperature at which the thermal color-developing layer 34 develops color.

[0025] The printing unit 4 includes a thermal head 41 and a platen roller 42. The thermal head 41 has a heating element. The platen roller 42 supports the packaging material 31. The thermal head 41 and the platen roller 42 are positioned opposite each other with the packaging material 31 in between.

[0026] The printing unit 4 uses a thermal head 41, which is a printing head, to heat the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 of the packaging material 31, thereby causing the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 to develop color. The thermal head 41 is pressed against the platen roller 42 via the packaging material 31, and in this state, the heating element of the thermal head 41 is heated, so that predetermined information related to the pharmaceutical product being packaged is printed on the packaging material 31 for each individual package.

[0027] In the packaging material 31 that is transported with the printing unit 4, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 is positioned closer to the thermal head 41 than to the substrate 32.

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the housing section forming section 7. Note that the perforation forming section 8 is omitted from the illustration in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the packaging material 21 has a base material 22 and a sealing layer 23. The packaging material 21 has a laminated structure in which the base material 22 and the sealing layer 23 are laminated. The packaging material 21 does not have a heat-sensitive color-developing layer. The packaging material 21 does not change color even when heated.

[0029] The base material 22 may be made of, for example, OPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene). The thickness of the base material 22 may be 25 μm. The sealing layer 23 may be made of, for example, polyethylene. The thickness of the sealing layer 23 may be 15 μm.

[0030] The housing section forming section 7 includes a heating element 71 and a receiving element 72. The heating element 71 has a built-in heater and is heated by the heater. The receiving element 72 is a member that receives the heating element 71. The receiving element 72 does not have a heat-generating structure and is basically kept at room temperature. The heating element 71 and the receiving element 72 are arranged facing each other with the packaging material 21 and packaging material 31 in between.

[0031] The heating element 71 may be, for example, aluminum plated with electroless nickel-phosphorus-PTFE (fluororesin) composite plating. The receiving element 72 may be, for example, silicone rubber with a hardness of 30 degrees to which a fluorofiber sheet is baked.

[0032] With the heating element 71 heated by the heater, the heating element 71 and the receiving element 72 are driven by a drive source (not shown) to pressurize the packaging materials 21 and 31 from both sides, causing the seal layer 23 of packaging material 21 and the seal layer 33 of packaging material 31 to heat-seal and form a containment section. The drug is contained within the containment section. The containment section forming section 7 packages the drug, which is the object to be packaged, one package at a time.

[0033] In the packaging materials 21 and 31 being transported in the containment section forming section 7, packaging material 21 is positioned closer to the heating member 71, and packaging material 31 is positioned closer to the receiving member 72. The seal layer 23 of packaging material 21 and the seal layer 33 of packaging material 31 face each other. The seal layers 23 and 33 that are on the inside of packaging materials 21 and 31 are overlapped. When the seal layers 23 and 33 receive heat from the heating member 71, they melt and thermally fuse together, forming the containment section.

[0034] In the packaging material 31, the sealing layer 33 is positioned closer to the heating element 71 than the base material 32, and is positioned closest to the heating element 71. In the packaging material 31, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 is positioned further away from the heating element 71 than the base material 32, and is positioned furthest away from the heating element 71. The heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 faces the receiving member 72. The heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 is positioned at the location where the heat generated by the heater of the heating element 71 is least likely to be conducted. The amount of heat transferred from the heating element 71 to the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 is less than the amount of heat transferred from the heating element 71 to the sealing layers 23 and 33.

[0035] The thermal head 41 of the printing section 4 may be heated to a higher temperature than the heating element 71 of the housing section forming section 7. The thermal head 41 may also be a heat source with a higher temperature than the heater of the heating element 71. Heat at a temperature higher than that of the heating element 71 may be transferred from the thermal head 41 to the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34. However, even if the thermal head 41 is heated to a higher temperature than the heating element 71, the sealing layer 33 of the packaging material 31 is not pressurized when passing through the printing section 4, and the time spent passing through the printing section 4 is short, so melting of the sealing layer 33 in the printing section 4 is suppressed.

[0036] In the packaging apparatus 1 of the embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 3, the packaging material 31 has a base material 32 and a heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 laminated on the base material 32. The storage section forming section 7 has a heating member 71 and a receiving member 72 positioned opposite the heating member 71. In the packaging material 31 being transported by the storage section forming section 7, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 is positioned further away from the heating member 71 than from the base material 32.

[0037] The packaging material 31 has a heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34, and by the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 developing color, predetermined information related to the drug is printed on the packaging material 31. Therefore, printing can be done on the packaging material 31 without using an ink ribbon. This allows for a miniaturization of the printing unit 4. The work of loading an ink ribbon into the packaging device 1 can be eliminated. Since no used ink ribbons are generated, there is no need for collection work, and there is no need to manage personal information on the ink ribbon.

[0038] In the housing section forming section 7, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 is positioned away from the heating element 71. This prevents the heat necessary for color development from being transferred to the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 when heat sealing is performed to heat-fuse the seal layers 23 and 33, thus preventing the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 from developing color. This suppresses the development of color in the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 when heat-sealing the packaging material 31 having the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34. It can be used not only with seal layers 33 that melt at a temperature lower than the temperature at which the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 develops color, thus improving the freedom of material selection.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, the packaging material 31 has a sealing layer 33, and the temperature at which the sealing layer 33 melts may be higher than the temperature at which the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 develops color. In this case, even if the packaging material 31 is heated to a temperature at which the sealing layer 33 can melt in the housing portion forming portion 7, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 is positioned away from the heating member 71, so the amount of heat necessary for color development is not transferred to the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34. Therefore, the color development of the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 can be suppressed.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, in the packaging material 31 being transported by the printing unit 4, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 may be positioned closer to the thermal head 41 than to the substrate 32. In this way, heat can be efficiently transferred from the thermal head 41 to the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34, so that the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 can be reliably colored in the printing unit 4 and the necessary information can be printed on the packaging material 31.

[0041] The thermal head 41 may be heated to a higher temperature than the heating element 71. By increasing the amount of heat transferred to the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 in the printing section 4, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 can be reliably colored.

[0042] In the explanation above, we have described an example in which flat packaging materials 21 and 31 unwound from two packaging rolls 2 and 3 are heat-sealed to form a dispensing bag 19, but the explanation is not limited to this example. A dispensing bag 19 may also be formed by heat-sealing a folded packaging material. In this case, the folded packaging material may be fed out from a packaging roll in which the pre-folded packaging material is wound into a roll. Alternatively, a mechanism for folding the packaging material may be provided between the packaging roll and the packaging section 5, so that the packaging material fed out from the packaging roll is folded upstream of the packaging section 5.

[0043] When using folded packaging material, a heat-sensitive color-developing layer is formed on half of the packaging material in the short direction (width direction) of the long sheet-like packaging material before folding. This packaging material is then folded in half and used, and in the storage section forming section 7, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer is positioned at the position furthest from the heating element 71, as in Figure 3. In this way, the effect of suppressing the color development of the heat-sensitive color-developing layer during heat sealing can be obtained in the same manner.

[0044] The receiving member 72 may be left at ambient temperature without temperature control, or it may be cooled. The receiving member 72 may be cooled by any method. For example, it may be cooled by heat exchange with a cooling medium, such as water cooling or air cooling. Alternatively, any temperature control device for cooling the receiving member 72, such as a Peltier element that transfers heat when an electric current is applied, may be provided on the receiving member 72. [Examples]

[0045] The following describes the examples. Experiments were conducted to confirm the color development of the packaging materials in the examples and comparative examples when they were heated and pressurized between the heating element 71 and the receiving element 72. In the examples, the packaging materials 21 and 31 were placed between the heating element 71 and the receiving element 72 as shown in Figure 3.

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the housing section forming section 7 of the comparative example. In the comparative example, packaging materials 21 and 31 were placed between the heating member 71 and the receiving member 72, as shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, in the comparative example, contrary to the example, packaging material 31 was placed closer to the heating member 71 and packaging material 21 was placed closer to the receiving member 72. In the packaging material 31 of the comparative example, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 was placed closer to the heating member 71 than the base material 32, placed as close to the heating member 71 as possible, and placed facing the heating member 71. That is, in the comparative example, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 was placed in a position where the heat generated by the heater of the heating member 71 was most easily conducted.

[0047] Figure 5 is a table showing the relationship between the temperature applied to the packaging material 31 and the color development of the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 in the examples and comparative examples. Figure 5 summarizes whether or not the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 develops color when the heating element 71 is heated to 80°C to 140°C.

[0048] As shown in Figure 5, in the comparative example, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 developed color when the heating element 71 was heated to 110°C or higher. On the other hand, in the embodiment, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 did not develop color even when the heating element 71 was heated to 130°C, and the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 developed color when the heating element 71 was heated to 140°C.

[0049] If the sealing layers 23 and 33 are made of polyethylene, they begin to melt at a temperature load of about 110°C, so the temperature of the heating element 71 in the housing forming section 7 can be raised to, for example, about 125°C. In the comparative example, when the heating element 71 is heated to 125°C, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 develops color. In contrast, in the embodiment, even when the heating element 71 is heated to 125°C, the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 does not develop color. In the embodiment, conditions can be met for heat-sealing the packaging material to heat-seal the sealing layers 23 and 33 without causing the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 to develop color.

[0050] Therefore, when the packaging materials 21 and 31 are placed between the heating element 71 and the receiving element 72, it has been shown that by placing the heat-sensitive color-developing layer 34 away from the heating element 71, as in the embodiment, the color development during heat sealing of the packaging material can be suppressed.

[0051] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of this invention is indicated not by the above description but by the claims, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1 Packaging device, 2,3 Packaging material rolls, 4 Printing section, 5 Packaging section, 6 Drug supply section, 7 Storage section forming section, 8 Perforation forming section, 9 Packaging material conveying section, 11A,11B,12A,12B,13A,13B Guide rollers, 19 Packaging bag, 21,31 Packaging material, 22,32 Substrate, 23,33 Seal layer, 34 Heat-sensitive coloring layer, 41 Thermal head, 42 Platen roller, 71 Heating element, 72 Receiving element, DR Conveying direction.

Claims

1. A storage section forming section that forms a storage section for accommodating an object to be packaged using a long sheet-like packaging material, A packaging apparatus comprising a printing unit positioned upstream of the storage unit forming unit in the direction of transport of the packaging material, which prints information related to the object to be packaged onto the packaging material, The packaging material comprises a base material and a heat-sensitive color-developing layer laminated on the base material. The aforementioned housing portion forming portion is A heating element that is heated by a heater, It does not have a heat-generating structure, and has a receiving member positioned opposite the heating member, The heating member and the receiving member pressurize the packaging material from both sides to form the receiving portion. The aforementioned printing unit is It has a thermal head, By using the thermal head to develop the color of the heat-sensitive color-developing layer, information regarding the object to be packaged is printed onto the packaging material. Furthermore, the packaging device is The receiving portion forming portion is configured such that the heat-sensitive color-developing layer in the conveyed packaging material is positioned further away from the heating member than the substrate and facing the receiving member. A packaging apparatus in which the printing section is configured such that the heat-sensitive color-developing layer in the conveyed packaging material faces the thermal head.

2. The substrate has a first surface on which the heat-sensitive color-developing layer is laminated, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The packaging material has a sealing layer laminated on the second surface, which is heated and melted by the heating element. The packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature at which the sealing layer melts is equal to or greater than the temperature at which the heat-sensitive color-developing layer develops color.

Images