Edge folding tape application device

Abstract

To provide an end part folding and tape applying device capable of folding an end part including a seal part of a bag body and applying a tape to a back surface of the bag body with a simple configuration without increasing the size of the device.SOLUTION: An end part folding and tape applying device includes: an inclined conveyor 31 having a conveyance surface 35 where an article W which is filled with a content A and is packaged by applying a lateral seal is placed in an inclined posture so that a lateral seal part 7 of the article W is positioned in a vertical direction, and can be conveyed; folding means 32 for folding an upper end part 5 including the lateral seal part 7 on the upper side of the article W placed on the conveyance surface 35 toward a back surface 3 side of the article W; transport means 33 for transporting the article W in which the upper end part 5 is kept folded by the folding means 32 in a lateral direction X along the conveying surface 35; and tape application means 50 for applying a tape T in the lateral direction X to the back surface 3 and the upper end part 5 of the article W in which the upper end part 5 is kept folded, according to the transportation of the article W in the lateral direction X by the transport means 33.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an end folding and tape sticking device that folds the end of a bag body and attaches a tape.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a type of packaging, a form in which ears are formed at the ends of a bag body by filling a packaging bag with a packaged object and performing a horizontal seal is known. For such a bag body, depending on the packaged object such as Western confectionery or Japanese confectionery, for the purpose of enhancing the elegance and aesthetics of the appearance of the bag body, one or both of the ears of the bag body are bent along the bottom surface, and a packaging form in which a strip of a predetermined width is wound around the bag body may be adopted. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a packaging form in which the ears of a bag body are bent and a strip is attached to the ears.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the packaging form in which a strip is wound around the bag body is manufactured by bending one or both ears of the bag body automatically packaged by a bag-making and filling packaging machine to the back side of the bag body and attaching the bent ears to the back of the bag body with glue or tape. However, at present, the bending of the ears of the bag body and the attachment with tape or the like are performed manually, and automation has been desired from the viewpoint of production efficiency and the like.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an end folding and tape sticking device that can fold the end including the seal part of the bag body and attach a tape to the back of the bag body with a simple configuration without increasing the size of the device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the edge-folding tape application device of the present invention takes the following measures. First, the invention according to claim 1 includes an inclined conveyor (31) having a conveying surface (35) on which an article (W) filled with contents (A) and sealed on the sides can be placed and conveyed in an inclined position such that the side-sealed portion (7) of the article (W) is positioned in the vertical direction intersecting the conveying direction, and a folding means (32) for folding the upper end portion (5) of the article (W) placed on the conveying surface (35) toward the back side (3) of the article (W). The device comprises: a folding means (32) for transporting the article (W), in which the upper end portion (5) is kept folded by the folding means (32), in a lateral direction (X) along the transport surface (35); and a tape application means (50) for applying tape (T) in a lateral direction (X) to the back surface (3) and the upper end portion (5) of the article (W), which remains folded as the article (W) is transported in a lateral direction (X) by the transport means (33).

[0007] According to the invention of claim 1, an article (W) filled with contents (A) and sealed on the side can be placed on the conveying surface (35) of an inclined conveyor (31) in an inclined position such that the side seal portion (7) is positioned vertically. As a result, the contents (A) slide downward along the conveying surface (35) due to their own weight, creating a space above the bag where the contents (A) are not located, thus preventing interference when folding the upper end (5) of the article (W). The article (W), which maintains an inclined position on the conveying surface (35), is folded by the folding means (32) so that the upper end (5) faces the back surface (3) of the article (W) and the side seal portion (7) faces the back surface (3) of the article (W). The article (W) is then transported laterally (X) along the conveying surface (35) by the transport means (33) while maintaining the state in which the upper end (5) is folded. In other words, the article (W) is transported such that the direction of the lateral seal is aligned with the transport direction. As the article (W) moves laterally (X), the tape application means (50) applies tape (T) laterally (X) to the folded upper end (5) and the back surface (3) of the article (W). Therefore, the folding and tape application of the upper end (5) including the lateral seal portion (7) of the article (W) can be performed automatically. Thus, an end-folding tape application device can be provided that can fold the end (5) including the seal portion (7) of a bag and apply tape (T) to the back surface (3) of the bag with a simple configuration.

[0008] Next, the invention according to claim 2, which is dependent on claim 1, comprises an article conveying conveyor (10) that conveys the article (W) from upstream toward the inclined conveyor (31), and a transfer means (20) that transfers the article (W) conveyed by the article conveying conveyor (10) to the inclined conveyor (31), wherein the inclined conveyor (31) has a first support part (36) that supports the lower end portion (6) of the article (W) that is transported laterally (X) along the conveying surface (35), and the same as the conveying surface (35). The invention is characterized by having a second support portion (39) which is arranged to be able to rise along the reference surface (R) from a position (Z2) below the first support portion (36) on the flat reference surface (R), and which supports the lower end portion (6) of the article (W) placed on the transport surface (35), and by raising the second support portion (39) to the same height position (Z1) as the first support portion (36), the article (W) is made to slide upward along the transport surface (35).

[0009] According to the invention of claim 2, articles (W) transported by an article transport conveyor (10) are placed on the transport surface (35) of an inclined conveyor (31) by a transfer means (20). This allows articles (W) transported from upstream to be placed in an inclined position. Furthermore, since the inclined conveyor (31) is equipped with a lifting means (40) having a second support part (39), articles (W) whose lower end (6) is supported by the second support part (39) can slide upward along the transport surface (35) in an inclined position. By raising the articles (W) in an inclined position at a speed above a certain level using the lifting means (40), an inertial force acts on the contents (A) filled in the bag, making it possible to more reliably position the contents (A) below the bag along the transport surface (35). Furthermore, by moving the second support portion (39) to the same height position (Z1) as the first support portion (36), the transfer means (33) can smoothly transfer the article (W) in the lateral direction (X).

[0010] Next, the invention according to claim 3, which is dependent on claim 2, is that the inclined conveyor (31) has a conveying end face (37) that extends upward along the reference surface (R) to the conveying surface (35) such that when the article (W) placed on the conveying surface (35) by the transfer means (20) slides upward by the lifting means (40), the upper end (5) of the article (W) protrudes upward on the reference surface (R), and the folding means (32) contacts the upper end (5) that protrudes upward from the conveying end face (37) from the surface (2) side of the article (W), and the thickness of the article (W) The invention is characterized by comprising: a first folding portion (41, 43) that folds the upper end portion (5) by moving in the direction; a second folding portion (42, 43) that has a contact surface (43a, 43b) that contacts the upper end portion (5) folded by the first folding portion (41, 43) from the outside, and the contact surface (43a, 43b) moves along the back surface of the conveying end surface (37) to fold the upper end portion (5) so that the lateral sealing portion (7) and the back surface (3) of the article (W) face each other, and the upper end portion (42, 43) that holds the upper end portion (5) between the conveying end surface (37) of the inclined conveyor (31) and the contact surface (43b).

[0011] According to the invention of claim 3, the inclined conveyor (31) is provided with a conveying end face (37) that is arranged to extend above the conveying surface (35) along a reference surface (R), and when the article (W) is slid upward along the conveying surface (35) by the lifting means (40), the upper end (5) is placed on the conveying surface (35) with its upper portion protruding above the conveying end face (37) in the plane direction of the reference surface (R). Furthermore, the folding means (32) is provided with a first folding portion (41, 43) and a second folding portion (42, 43), so that the upper end (5) of the article (W) is folded in two stages. The first folding portion (41, 43) contacts the upper end (5) of the article (W) that protrudes from the conveying end face (37) and moves in the thickness direction of the article (W). This allows the base point for folding the upper end (5) of the article (W) to be positioned. Then, the contact surfaces (43a, 43b) of the second folding portion (42, 43) come into contact with the folded upper end (5) from the outside and move along the back surface of the transport end surface (37), causing the upper end (5) to be folded. Furthermore, by holding the upper end (5) between the transport end surface (37) and the contact surface (43b), a fold is created, and the article (W) can be guided toward the tape application means (50) with the upper end (5) more securely folded. Thus, the configuration having a transport end surface (37) can assist in the operation of folding the upper end (5) of the article (W).

[0012] Next, the invention according to claim 4, which is dependent on claim 3, is characterized in that the tape-applying means (50) is arranged adjacent to the conveying end face (37) of the inclined conveyor (31), and the tape (T) is applied along the horizontal sealing portion (7) so as to span the horizontal sealing portion (7) at the upper end portion (5) of the article (W) and the back surface (3) of the article (W).

[0013] According to the invention of claim 4, the tape application means (50) is arranged adjacent to the transport end face (37) of the inclined conveyor (31). This makes it easy to set the position for applying the seal so that when the article (W) is transported laterally (X) from the transport end face (37), the tape (T) straddles the lateral seal portion (7) at the folded upper end (5) and the back surface (3) of the article (W). In addition, the distance over which the article (W) with the folded upper end (5) is transported toward the tape application means (50) can be shortened, thus simplifying the device. Furthermore, by applying the tape (T) along the lateral seal portion (7), the tape can be applied with the upper end (5) neatly folded, thereby improving the aesthetic appeal of the article (W). [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The present invention provides an edge-folding tape application device that can fold the edges of a bag, including the sealing portion, and apply tape to the back surface of the bag with a simple configuration without increasing the size of the device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing an article according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of an edge-folding tape application device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the end folding mechanism. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the end folding mechanism. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the process of folding the edges using the first folding section. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the process of folding the edges using the second folding section. [Figure 7] This is a front view of the tape application mechanism. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of a modification to the hand section of a transfer robot. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] This embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the article W according to this embodiment is a bagged product formed by filling a tubular film with multiple packaged articles (contents A), such as Japanese confectionery individually packaged in film, arranged and placed on a carton tray B, and then performing vertical and horizontal seals for pillow packaging. On the surface where the carton tray B is located, that is, on the back surface 3 of the article W, a vertical seal portion 4 is formed, and horizontal seal portions 7 are formed at the upper end portion 5 and the lower end portion 6.

[0017] The end folding and tape pasting device according to this embodiment is a device that folds the end (for example, the upper end portion 5) of the article W filled with the contents A and subjected to horizontal sealing to the back surface 3 side, and pastes a tape T on the folded end and the back surface 3 of the article W.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the end folding and tape pasting device includes an article conveying conveyor 10, a transfer robot 20, an end folding transfer mechanism 30, and a tape pasting mechanism 50. The transfer robot 20 is arranged adjacent to the side of the article conveying conveyor 10 when viewed from the conveying direction, and the end folding transfer mechanism 30 and the tape pasting mechanism 50 are arranged on the opposite side. The end folding and tape pasting device also includes a control unit (not shown) that issues operation commands to each mechanism.

[0019] The article conveying conveyor 10 constitutes a conveying surface 12 by an endless belt, and is a belt conveyor that conveys the article W placed on the conveying surface 12 at predetermined intervals toward the inclined conveyor 31 described later from the upstream. Above the article conveying conveyor 10, a detection camera (not shown) for detecting the orientation of the article W with respect to the conveying direction is disposed. Also, the article conveying conveyor 10 can convey the article W placed on the conveying surface 12 by the transfer robot 20 downstream after the tape is pasted on the back surface 3.

[0020] The transfer robot 20 (transfer means) is a multi-joint robot comprising a rotatably connected arm 21 and a hand portion 23 rotatably mounted on the tip of the arm 21, and is configured to allow the hand portion 23 to move freely within its operating range. As shown in Figure 4, the hand portion 23 is equipped with a plurality (four in this embodiment) of suction devices 25 and is configured to hold an item W by suction. Furthermore, the hand portion 23 can change its suction position in accordance with the orientation of the item W detected by the detection camera.

[0021] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the end-folding transfer mechanism 30 comprises an inclined conveyor 31, a folding means 32, and a transfer means 33. The inclined conveyor 31 has a transport surface 35 on which the article W is placed, and a plate-shaped first support part 36 located on the lower end side of the transport surface 35. The transport surface 35 is inclined, and is configured to allow the article W to be placed and transported in an inclined position such that the lateral sealing portion 7 of the article W is positioned in the vertical direction intersecting the transport direction. The transport direction of the article W placed on the transport surface 35 of the inclined conveyor 31 is the lateral direction X, and the article W is transported so that the sealing direction of the lateral sealing portion 7 faces the transport direction. The first support part 36 supports the lower end portion 6 of the article W, which is transported in the lateral direction X along the transport surface 35 by the transfer means 33, with a support surface 36a that intersects with the transport surface 35. A placement position P1 is set on the transport surface 35 for the article W to be placed by the transfer robot 20. Furthermore, a transport end face 37 is provided that extends above the placement position P1 along a reference plane R which is in the same plane as the transport surface 35. The transport end face 37 is provided such that when the article W placed at the placement position P1 moves upward along the transport surface 35 by the lifting means 40 described later, the upper end 5 of the article W protrudes above the transport end face 37 on the reference plane R.

[0022] As shown in Figure 4, a lifting mechanism 40 is configured on the lower side of the placement position P1 of the transport surface 35 along the reference plane R, consisting of an air cylinder 38 and a plate-shaped second support part 39 attached to the air cylinder 38. The second support part 39 supports the lower end 6 of the article W placed on the transport surface 35 with a support surface 39a that intersects with the transport surface 35. The second support part 39 can move vertically along the reference plane R (transport surface 35) by the extension and retraction operation of the air cylinder 38. When the transfer robot 20 transfers the article W to the placement position P1, the second support part 39 is located at a height position Z2 on the reference plane R that is lower than the first support part 36 (see Figure 3). The lifting mechanism 40 is configured to slide the article W upward along the transport surface 35 by raising the support surface 39a of the second support part 39 along the reference plane R to the same height position Z1 as the support surface 36a of the first support part 36.

[0023] The folding mechanism 32 consists of a first cylinder 41, a second cylinder 42 attached to the first cylinder 41 via a connecting member, and a contact portion 43 attached to the second cylinder 42 via a connecting member. The contact portion 43 is formed by bending a metal plate-like member into a U-shape along its longitudinal direction, and has an intermediate surface 43a and an upper surface 43b and a lower surface 43c that face each other above and below the intermediate surface 43a. The longitudinal direction of the contact portion 43 is along the transverse direction X, and its length is set to be shorter than or approximately the same as the transverse direction X of the transport end surface 37. The upper surface 43b of the contact portion 43 has a protrusion 43d that extends in the longitudinal direction. The folding mechanism 32 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the contact portion 43 and the transverse direction X of the transport end surface 37 are approximately parallel. The folding means 32 moves in a direction Y that intersects the reference plane R so that the second cylinder 42 and the contact portion 43 cross near the upper end of the conveying end face 37 by the extension and retraction of the first cylinder 41, and the contact portion 43 can move along the reference plane R on the back side of the conveying end face 37 by the extension and retraction of the second cylinder 42.

[0024] The folding mechanism 32 is configured to fold the upper end portion 5, including the upper lateral seal portion 7, of the article W placed on the transport surface 35 toward the back surface 3 of the article W in two stages. As shown in Figure 5, the contact portion 43 is waiting at a position spaced upward from the transport end surface 37 in the direction Y intersecting the reference surface R, and when the article W slides upward along the transport surface 35 by the lifting mechanism 40, the first cylinder 41 is activated and moves downward along the direction Y intersecting the reference surface R. As a result, the lower surface 43c of the contact portion 43 comes into contact with the upper end portion 5 of the article W that protrudes upward from the transport end surface 37 in the plane direction of the reference surface R from the surface 2 side of the article W, moves in the thickness direction of the article W, and folds the upper end portion 5. The upper end portion 5 is folded along the intermediate surface 43a of the contact portion 43. This configuration, in which the upper end portion 5 is folded by bringing the lower surface 43c of the contact portion 43 into contact, corresponds to the "first folding portion".

[0025] As shown in Figure 6, when the contact portion 43 moves downward along the direction Y intersecting the reference plane R by the operation of the first cylinder 41, the upper surface 43b is positioned slightly below the reference plane R. From this state, the contact portion 43 can move along the plane direction of the conveying surface 35 (reference plane R) by the operation of the second cylinder 42. As a result, the intermediate surface 43a (contact surface) of the contact portion 43 comes into contact with the folded upper end portion 5 from the outside, that is, from above in the plane direction of the reference plane R, causing the upper end portion 5 to fold further. Then, the upper surface 43b (contact surface) of the contact portion 43 comes into contact with the upper end portion 5 and moves along the back surface of the conveying end surface 37. As a result, the upper end portion 5 is folded so that the lateral seal portion 7 and the back surface 3 of the article W face each other, and the upper end portion 5 is held between the conveying end surface 37 of the inclined conveyor 31 and the upper surface 43b of the contact portion 43. Thus, the configuration that further folds the upper end portion 5, which has been folded by the first folding portion, and holds the folded upper end portion 5 corresponds to the "second folding portion".

[0026] The transfer means 33 is a plate-shaped pushing member that stands upright relative to the transport surface 35, and is arranged to be movable laterally in the X direction along the transport surface 35 by driving a servo motor or the like. When the pushing member moves laterally in the X direction and comes into contact with one side of the article W whose upper end 5 is folded, the article W, with its folded upper end 5 maintained, can be transferred laterally in the X direction along the transport surface 35 from the placement position P1.

[0027] As shown in Figure 7, the tape application mechanism 50 is configured with a tape winding section 52, a tape cutting section 53, and a tape application section 54, which are arranged on the support surface 51a of a frame 51 located on the rear side of the end folding transfer mechanism 30. The support surface 51a of the frame 51 is inclined to intersect with the transport surface 35 of the inclined conveyor 31, and the upper end of the support surface 51a is adjacent to the upper end of the transport surface 35 of the inclined conveyor 31. The tape T is appropriately selected, for example, a single-sided tape in which an adhesive is laminated on a strip-shaped plastic film via a primer. In addition, a tape of any width is selected depending on the size of the item W and the material of the bag.

[0028] A tape winding section 52 for setting the tape roll is provided on the lower side of the support surface 51a of the frame 51, and a tape cutting section 53 for cutting the tape T to a predetermined length (for example, the width dimension of the item W) is provided near the center of the support surface 51a. The tape winding section 52 is rotatably supported on the support surface 51a and is configured to rotate by a driving force such as a servo motor to feed the tape T toward the tape cutting section 53. In addition, multiple guide rollers 56 are provided in the path for feeding the tape T from the tape winding section 52 to the tape cutting section 53.

[0029] Above the tape cutting section 53, a tape application section 54 is provided for attaching the cut tape T to the back surface 3 of the article W at the upper end of the support surface 51a of the frame 51. The tape application section 54 is equipped with a suction belt 57 and a pulley 59. The pulley 59 rotates due to a driving force such as a servo motor, allowing the suction belt 57 to revolve along a predetermined path. The suction belt 57 then holds the side of the cut tape T opposite to the adhesive side, causing the tape T to wait at a standby position P2 adjacent to the transport end surface 37. The feeding path of the tape T is curved so as to merge with the transport path of the article W placed on the inclined conveyor 31 at the standby position P2, and the tape T is fed so that the back surface 3 of the article W and the adhesive side of the tape T face each other. In this configuration, as the article W is moved laterally X by the transport means 33, the suction belt 57 is moved in sync with the movement of the article W, and the tape T is attached laterally X from the portion detached from the transport end surface 37 to the back surface 3 and the upper end 5 of the article W, which maintains a folded state at the upper end 5. This configuration of attaching the tape T to the back surface 3 and the upper end 5 of the article W corresponds to the "tape application means". In this embodiment, the tape T is attached along the lateral sealing portion 7 so as to span the lateral sealing portion 7 at the upper end 5 of the article W and the back surface 3 of the article W.

[0030] Furthermore, a pressing roller 61 is provided downstream of the waiting position P2 of the tape T at the upper end of the frame 51, which contacts the back surface 3 of the article W. A regulating guide 62 is provided on the side of the inclined conveyor 31 opposite the pressing roller 61, with the conveying surface 35 in between, and extends along the lateral direction X of the conveying surface 35 (see Figure 2). The pressing roller 61 presses and supports the folded upper end 5 of the article W and the tape T attached to the back surface 3. The regulating guide 62 supports the article W, which has been pressed by the pressing roller 61, from the opposite side. This prevents the tape T from peeling off and allows the article W to be transported laterally in the lateral direction X while maintaining the state in which the tape T is attached.

[0031] The control unit stores and updates information such as the item feeding information obtained from encoder pulses attached to the item transport conveyor 10, and detection information regarding the orientation of the items W on the transport surface 12 detected by the detection camera, as needed. The control unit also issues operation commands (control) to the hand section 23 of the transfer robot 20, etc., based on the information acquired by the detection camera. Furthermore, the control unit issues operation commands (control) to each cylinder and electric motor in the end folding transport mechanism 30, the drive motor in the tape application mechanism 50, etc.

[0032] Next, the process of applying tape T to an article W using the edge-folding tape application device according to this embodiment will be explained. The article W, which is a bagged product, is placed on the conveying surface 12 of the article conveying conveyor 10 from upstream and conveyed (see Figure 2). The detection camera detects the article W on the arriving conveying surface 12. Based on the detection information of the article W, the transfer robot 20 adjusts the orientation of the hand unit 23 to match the orientation of the article W and holds the article W with the hand unit 23. Then, the held article W is transferred to the placement position P1 on the conveying surface 35 of the inclined conveyor 31 (see Figure 3).

[0033] When the item W is moved to the placement position P1, the air cylinder of the lifting means 40 is activated by a drive command from the control unit, and the second support part 39 that supports the lower end portion 6 of the item W rises to the same height position Z1 as the first support part 36 (see Figure 4). That is, the second support part 39 slides upward along the reference plane R so that the height of the support surface 39a of the second support part 39 and the support surface 36a of the first support part 36 become the same. The item W moves to a position where its upper end portion 5 protrudes above the transport end surface 37 on the reference plane R. The contents A inside the bag of the item W are shifted downward along the transport surface 35 due to their own weight and the upward sliding movement of the item W.

[0034] As the article W moves upward from the placement position P1 along the transport surface 35, the first cylinder 41 of the folding mechanism 32 is activated by a drive command from the control unit, and the contact portion 43, which was waiting above the transport end surface 37 in the direction Y intersecting the reference surface R, moves downward (see Figure 5). As a result, the upper end portion 5 of the article W that protrudes upward from the transport end surface 37 in the plane direction of the reference surface R is folded. At this time, the upper surface 43b of the contact portion 43 is approximately parallel to the transport end surface 37 and is located slightly below the reference surface R (see Figure 6). Then, the second cylinder 42 is activated, and the contact portion 43 moves along the back surface of the transport end surface 37 until the protrusion 43d is locked to the upper end of the transport end surface 37. As a result, the upper end portion 5 of the article W is folded so that the lateral seal portion 7 and the back surface 3 of the article W face each other. At this time, the folded upper end portion 5 is sandwiched between the upper surface 43b of the contact portion 43 and the back surface of the transport end portion 37, and the folded state is maintained.

[0035] Meanwhile, the tape application mechanism 50 holds the tape T, which has been cut to a predetermined length (the width of the article W), by suction, and keeps the tape T in standby position P2 (see Figure 7).

[0036] When the upper end 5 of the article W at the placement position P1 is folded, the end-folding transfer mechanism 30 activates the transfer means 33 in response to a drive command from the control unit, and transfers the article W laterally in the X direction along the transport surface 35 of the inclined conveyor 31. The lower end 6 of the article W being transferred is supported by the first support part 36 (see Figure 3). In conjunction with this, the suction belt 57 is moved in sync with the transfer of the article W, and the tape T, which was waiting at the standby position P2, is moved so that it faces the back surface 3 of the article W being transferred. Then, from the part that has left the transport end surface 37, that is, the part of the article W that protrudes from the side edge of the transport end surface 37, the tape T is attached along the lateral sealing part 7 so as to straddle the folded upper end 5 and the back surface 3 of the article W (see Figure 7). The article W is supported by the press roller 61 and the regulating guide 62 and is transferred to the downstream side of the inclined conveyor 31.

[0037] The transfer robot 20 uses its hand section 23 to hold the item W to which the tape T is attached, and places it on the transport surface 12 downstream of the item transport conveyor 10. The item W is then transported downstream of the item transport conveyor 10 (see Figure 2).

[0038] <Effects of the Embodiment> (1) According to the end-folding tape application device of the above embodiment, an article W filled with contents A and sealed horizontally can be placed on the conveying surface 35 of the inclined conveyor 31 in an inclined position such that the horizontal seal portion 7 is positioned vertically. As a result, the contents A slide downward along the conveying surface 35 due to its own weight, creating a space above the bag where the contents A is not located, thus preventing interference when folding the upper end portion 5 of the article W. The article W, which maintains an inclined position on the conveying surface 35, is folded by the folding means 32 so that the upper end portion 5 faces the back surface 3 of the article W and the horizontal seal portion 7 faces the back surface 3 of the article W. The article W is transported in the horizontal direction X along the conveying surface 35 by the transport means 33 while maintaining the state in which the upper end portion 5 is folded. That is, the article W is transported so that the direction of the horizontal seal is aligned with the transport direction. As the article W moves laterally in the X direction, the tape application mechanism 50 (tape application means) applies tape T laterally in the X direction to the folded upper end 5 and the back surface 3 of the article W. Therefore, the folding and tape application of the upper end 5, including the lateral sealing portion 7 of the article W, can be performed automatically. Thus, an end-folding tape application device can be provided that allows the end of a bag body, including the lateral sealing portion 7 (for example, the upper end 5), to be folded and tape T to be applied to the back surface 3 of the bag body with a simple configuration. (2) In the above embodiment, the articles W transported by the article transport conveyor 10 are placed on the transport surface 35 of the inclined conveyor 31 by the transfer robot 20 (transfer means). This allows the articles W transported from upstream to be in an inclined position. Furthermore, since the inclined conveyor 31 is equipped with a lifting means 40 having a second support part 39, the articles W whose lower end 6 is supported by the second support part 39 can slide upward along the transport surface 35 in an inclined position. By raising the articles W at a speed above a certain level in an inclined position using the lifting means 40, an inertial force acts on the contents A filled in the bag, making it possible to more reliably position the contents A below the bag along the transport surface 35. In addition, by moving the support surface 39a of the second support part 39 to the same height position Z1 as the support surface 36a of the first support part 36, the transport means 33 can smoothly transport the articles W in the lateral direction X. (3) The inclined conveyor 31 is equipped with a transport end face 37 that is arranged to extend above the transport surface 35 along the reference surface R, and when the article W is slid upward along the transport surface 35 by the lifting means 40, the upper end 5 is placed on the transport surface 35 with its upper end protruding above the transport end face 37 in the plane direction of the reference surface R. Furthermore, the folding means 32 is equipped with a contact portion 43 that constitutes a first folding portion and a second folding portion, so that the upper end 5 of the article W is folded in two stages. The contact portion 43 comes into contact with the upper end 5 of the article W that protrudes from the transport end face 37 and moves in the thickness direction of the article W. This allows the base point for folding the upper end 5 of the article W to be positioned. Then, the intermediate surface 43a (contact surface) of the contact portion 43 comes into contact with the folded upper end 5 from the outside (above in the plane direction of the reference surface R), and the contact portion 43 moves along the back surface of the transport end face 37, so that the upper end 5 is folded. Furthermore, by holding the upper end portion 5 between the transport end surface 37 and the upper surface 43b (contact surface), a fold is created, and the article W can be guided toward the tape application portion 54 with the upper end portion 5 more securely folded. Therefore, the configuration having a transport end surface 37 can assist in the folding operation of the upper end portion 5 of the article W. (4) The tape application section 54 (tape application means) of the tape application mechanism 50 is arranged adjacent to the transport end face 37 of the inclined conveyor 31. This makes it easy to set the application position of the tape T so that when the article W is transported laterally X from the transport end face 37, the tape T straddles the lateral sealing section 7 of the folded upper end 5 and the back surface 3 of the article W. In addition, the distance over which the article W with the folded upper end 5 is transported toward the tape application section 54 can be shortened, thus simplifying the device. Furthermore, by applying the tape T along the lateral sealing section 7, the tape can be applied with the upper end 5 neatly folded, thereby improving the aesthetic appeal of the article W. (5) In the above embodiment, the upper end portion 5 of the article W can be attached to the back surface 3 of the article W with tape over the width direction. This allows the upper end portion 5 of the article W to be more securely fixed to the back surface 3, and the folded state on the back surface 3 side of the article W can be maintained. Thus, the aesthetic appeal of the bag can be improved. (6) By setting the position of the seal on the article W such that the tape T reliably straddles the horizontal seal portion 7 and the back surface 3 of the article W, the folded upper portion 5 can be reliably fixed to the back surface 3 of the article W even with the narrow tape T.

[0039] <Example of changes> The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiments above, and various modifications, additions, and deletions are possible without altering the essence of the invention. (1) The hand portion 23 of the transfer robot 20 may be configured to include a pressing member 27 that can contact the upper side of the article W, as shown in Figure 8. For example, when the transfer robot 20 transfers the article W to the inclined conveyor 31, the article W, which is held by the suction device 25, is placed on the conveying surface 35 of the inclined conveyor 31, and the upper side of the article W is pressed toward the conveying surface 35 with the pressing member 27. This allows the air inside the bag of the article W to move downward, making it easier to fold the upper end 5 of the article W. (2) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the articles W that have been transported on the article transport conveyor 10 are transferred to the inclined conveyor 31 by the transfer robot 20. However, it is also possible to transport the articles W on a conveyor with an inclined transport surface without using the transfer robot 20. (3) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the article W transferred to the inclined conveyor 31 is slid upward by the lifting means 40. However, it is also possible to not provide the lifting means 40 and to place the article W so that the upper end 5 of the article W protrudes above the conveying end surface 37 from the beginning. (4) The area over which the tape T is attached to the upper end 5 and back surface 3 of the article W may extend over the entire width of the article W or the upper end 5, or it may be set to be shorter than the width of the article W or the upper end 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] A: Contents B: Carton tray P1: Placement position P2: Standby position R: Reference surface T: Tape W: Item 2: Front side 3: Back side 4: Vertical sealing section 5: Top end 6: Bottom end 7: Side sealing section 10: Material conveying conveyor 12: Conveying surface 20: Transfer robot (transfer means) 23: Hand unit 25: Suction device 27: Pressing member 30: End folding transfer mechanism 31: Inclined conveyor 32: Folding means 33: Transfer means 35: Conveying surface 36: First support part 37: Conveying end surface 39: Second support part 40: Lifting means 41: First cylinder (first folding section) 42: Second cylinder (second folding section) 43: Contact part (first folded part, second folded part) 43a: Intermediate surface (contact surface) 43b: Top surface (contact surface) 43c: Bottom surface 50: Tape application mechanism 52: Tape winding paper section 53: Tape cutting section 54: Tape application section 57: Suction belt 61: Pressing roller

Claims

1. An inclined conveyor having a conveying surface capable of transporting items that have been filled with contents, sealed on the sides, and packaged in bags, in an inclined position such that the side-sealed portion of the item is positioned in the vertical direction intersecting the transport direction, A folding means for folding the upper end portion of the article placed on the transport surface, including the upper lateral sealing portion, toward the back side of the article, A transport means for transporting the article, whose upper end is folded in the state maintained by the folding means, laterally along the transport surface, An end-folding tape application device comprising: a tape application means for applying tape laterally to the back surface and the upper end of an article, which maintains a folded state as the article is moved laterally by the transport means; and the tape application means for applying tape laterally to the upper end of the article.

2. An article conveying conveyor that transports the aforementioned articles from upstream toward the inclined conveyor, The system includes a transfer means for transferring the articles being transported by the article transport conveyor to the inclined conveyor, The aforementioned inclined conveyor is A first support portion that supports the lower end of the article being transported laterally along the transport surface, The end-folding tape application device according to claim 1, further comprising: a lifting means that is disposed on a reference plane coplanar with the conveying surface, from a position below the first support portion so as to be able to rise along the reference plane, and has a second support portion that supports the lower end of the article placed on the conveying surface, and that the article can be slid upward along the conveying surface by raising the second support portion to the same height as the first support portion.

3. The aforementioned inclined conveyor is The transport end surface has a transport end surface that extends upward along the reference surface to the transport surface, such that when the article placed on the transport surface by the transfer means slides upward by the lifting means, the upper end of the article protrudes upward on the reference surface. The aforementioned folding means is A first folding portion is provided that contacts the upper end portion that protrudes upward from the conveying end face from the surface side of the article and bends the upper end portion by moving in the thickness direction of the article, The end-folding tape application device according to claim 2, comprising: a contact surface that contacts the upper end bent by the first folding portion from the outside, the contact surface moves along the back surface of the conveying end surface to fold the upper end so that the lateral sealing portion and the back surface of the article face each other, and a second folding portion that holds the upper end between the conveying end surface of the inclined conveyor and the contact surface.

4. The aforementioned tape application means is It is arranged adjacent to the conveying end face of the inclined conveyor, The end-fold tape application device according to claim 3, characterized in that the tape is applied along the horizontal seal portion so as to span the horizontal seal portion at the upper end of the article and the back surface of the article.

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