Bag filling and packaging device
The apparatus addresses the issue of insufficient space in conventional devices by lifting the bag's bottom to create a larger space, enhancing mixing efficiency of liquid and powder contents.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHIBUYA IND CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-07-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-12
AI Technical Summary
Conventional filling and packaging devices for bag bodies fail to secure a large enough space inside the bag for effective stirring and grasping of contents, particularly when dealing with liquids and powders in double bags.
A bag filling and packaging apparatus with a pressing member that lifts the bag's bottom, a lifting mechanism, suction means to hold the bag sides, and a moving mechanism to create a space by deforming the bag, allowing for a larger space to be formed inside the bag before sealing.
The apparatus effectively creates a larger space inside the bag, enabling better mixing of liquid and powder contents by allowing sufficient movement of the liquid, ensuring thorough mixing and agitation.
Smart Images
Figure 0007856893000001 
Figure 0007856893000002
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a filling and packaging device for a bag body, and more particularly to a filling and packaging device for a bag body that fills a bag body having an opening with contents and seals the bag body.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, there is known a filling and packaging device for a bag body having a holding means for holding a bag body made of a flexible material having an opening, a filling position for filling the bag body held by the holding means with contents through the opening, and a sealing means for sealing the opening (Patent Document 1). According to the filling and packaging device of Patent Document 1, when the opening is sealed after filling the bag body with contents, a space made of air is formed above the contents.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] Here, as reasons for forming a space above the contents, it is conceivable to sufficiently move the contents inside the bag body to perform good stirring, or to make it easier to grasp the remaining amount of the contents. However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, there is a problem that a large space meeting these purposes cannot be secured. In view of such problems, the present invention provides a filling and packaging device for a bag body that can form a larger space inside the bag body.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0005] That is, the bag filling and packaging apparatus according to claim 1 is a bag filling and packaging apparatus comprising: a holding means for holding a bag made of a flexible material having an opening formed therein; a filling means for filling the bag held by the holding means with contents through the opening; and a sealing means for sealing the opening, The system comprises a pressing member that contacts at least a portion of the bottom of a bag filled with the above contents, a lifting means for raising and lowering the pressing member, an adsorption means for adsorbing and holding the bag from both sides, and a moving means for moving the adsorption means, The above lifting mechanism raises the pressing member, thereby lifting at least a portion of the bottom of the bag. after , the above means of transport is the bag body Adhesion to the sides The sealing means is characterized by sealing the opening while the held suction means is moved outward. [Effects of the Invention]
[0006] According to the above invention, when at least a part of the bottom of the bag is lifted by the pressing member, the bottom of the bag deforms, which increases the surface area of the contents contained in the bag and makes the space formed above the contents larger. Furthermore, as the adsorption means moves outward, a large space can be formed inside the bag. By sealing the opening in this state, it becomes possible to create a large space inside the bag. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0007] [Figure 1] Plan view of the filling and packaging machine [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating the process of sealing the bag. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0008] The following describes the illustrated embodiment. Figure 1 shows a plan view of a filling and packaging device 2 that fills a flexible bag 1 with contents and then seals the bag 1. The filling and packaging device 2 is installed in a clean room with a clean interior. As shown in Figure 2, the bag 1 is formed by overlapping two flexible films, creating a sealed portion 1a on its outer edge by heat sealing or the like, and forming a storage portion inside the sealed portion 1a for storing contents. The top of the bag 1 is provided with an opening 1b formed by not welding the films together, and once the contents are filled through this opening 1b, the bag is then sealed. Furthermore, the bag 1 of this embodiment is a so-called double bag as shown in Figure 2, and is capable of containing liquid L and powder (not shown in Figure 2) as contents inside. Inside the bag 1, a liquid storage section 1A for containing the liquid L and a powder storage section 1B for containing the powder are formed, and these are separated by a fragile seal section 1c. When using the bag 1, the liquid storage section 1A and the powder storage section 1B are connected by breaking the fragile seal section 1c, thereby mixing the liquid L and the powder. In order to thoroughly mix the liquid L and powder inside the bag 1, it is desirable to allow the liquid L to move sufficiently within the bag 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, after filling the liquid storage section 1A with liquid L, a space S consisting of air is secured above the liquid L in the liquid storage section 1A. In other words, if sufficient space S is not formed inside the bag 1, the liquid L cannot move sufficiently inside the bag 1, and there is a risk that the mixing of the liquid L and the powder will be insufficient.
[0009] The above-described filling and packaging apparatus 2 is provided along a conveying means 3 for conveying the bag body 1 and includes a liquid filling means 4 for filling a liquid L into a liquid storage section 1A formed in the bag body 1, a first temporary sealing means 5 for temporarily sealing an opening 1b formed in the liquid storage section 1A, a first permanent sealing means 6 for permanently sealing the temporarily sealed opening 1b, a first cooling means 7 for cooling the sealed opening 1b, a powder filling means 8 for filling powder into a powder storage section 1B, a second temporary sealing means 9 for temporarily sealing an opening 1b formed in the powder storage section 1B, a second permanent sealing means 10 for permanently sealing the temporarily sealed opening 1b, and a second cooling means 11 for cooling the sealed opening 1b. The above-mentioned conveying means 3 is composed of multiple rotary tables, arranged in the following order from the upstream side: first transfer wheel 3a, liquid filling wheel 3b, second transfer wheel 3c, powder filling wheel 3d, and third transfer wheel 3e. Furthermore, the above-mentioned conveying means 3 is not limited to one composed of multiple rotating wheels, but can also be a conventionally known one such as a conveyor, and the conveying path may be straight, elliptical, or a combination of these.
[0010] Each of the above-mentioned rotating wheels is provided with holding means 12 for holding the bag body 1 at equal intervals, and the bag body 1 is transported while being intermittently stopped by the liquid filling means 4 and the first temporary sealing means 5. Furthermore, between adjacent rotating wheels, the holding means 12 of the upstream rotating wheel and the holding means 12 of the downstream rotating wheel simultaneously grip the bag 1, allowing for the transfer of the bag 1. The detailed configuration of the transport means 3 is publicly known and therefore will not be explained, nor will the configurations of the liquid filling means 4 and the powder filling means 8 be explained. Figure 2 illustrates the first temporary sealing means 5 provided along the liquid-filling wheel 3b, and the space-forming means 13 provided at the same location as the first temporary sealing means 5 to form a space S inside the bag 1. A predetermined amount of liquid L is filled into the liquid storage section 1A of the bag 1 by the liquid filling means 4, and the liquid filling wheel 3b intermittently transports the bag 1, which is held by the holding means 12, while stopping it for a predetermined time. The holding means 12 provided on the liquid-filled wheel 3b consists of a plurality of gripping members 12a that grip the position of the opening 1b of the seal portion 1a formed on the upper part of the liquid-containing portion 1A formed in the bag body 1. Furthermore, the holding means 12 is equipped with a spacing adjustment means (not shown) that brings the gripping members 12a closer together and further apart. For example, when the bag 1 is located at the liquid filling position where the liquid filling means 4 is provided, the gripping members 12a are brought closer together, separating the films that make up the opening 1b to open the opening 1b, and allowing the filling nozzle of the liquid filling means 4 to be inserted into the opening 1b. Similarly, when the holding means 12 positions the bag body at the first temporary sealing position where the first temporary sealing means 5 is provided, the spacing adjustment means brings the gripping members 12a closer together, maintaining the opening 1b in an open state, and allowing air to flow into the liquid storage section 1A from the opening 1b.
[0011] The first temporary sealing means 5 described above consists of a pair of heating plates 5a positioned opposite each other, sandwiching the two films that make up the bag 1. The heating plates 5a sandwich the opening 1b, thereby welding the films together in the sandwiched portion and sealing the opening 1b. In this embodiment, due to processing time constraints, the opening 1b is sealed in two stages by the first temporary sealing means 5 and the first permanent sealing means 6. However, if the processing time can be arbitrarily set, the sealing operation can be performed in a single step. Furthermore, since the opening 1b is heated after sealing, the first cooling means 7 is provided at the first cooling position to cool the sealed portion.
[0012] The above-described space forming means 13 includes a pressing member 21 that abuts at least a part of the bottom of the bag body 1 filled with the above-described content, a lifting means (not shown) for lifting and lowering the pressing member 21, a suction means 22 for sucking and holding the bag body 1 from both sides, and a moving means (not shown) for moving the suction means 22. The above-described pressing member 21 is a member having a substantially U-shaped cross section provided below the bag body 1, and is provided so as to be vertically movable by a lifting means such as an air cylinder. The above-described pressing member 21 is located at a substantially central portion of the bag body 1, and is provided such that the opening 21b of the U-shaped cross section faces upward. Also, the width of the pressing member 21 only needs to be such that it can lift the substantially central portion of the bag body 1, and it does not need to occupy the entire width of the bag body 1. The above-described pressing member 21 is retracted to the lowered position by the lifting means as shown in FIG. 2(A) until the bag body 1 reaches the first temporary sealing position. When the bag body 1 stops at the first temporary sealing position, it is located at the raised position as shown in FIGS. 2(B) and (C), and is configured to lift the central portion of the bottom of the bag body 1 upward.
[0013] The above-described suction means 22 is constituted by a pair of suction pads 22a provided at positions facing each other with the bag body 1 interposed therebetween. The above-described moving means is constituted by an air cylinder or the like, and is configured to move the suction pads 22a forward and backward in the horizontal direction. The above-described suction pads 22a are provided at a substantially central height of the bag body 1 as shown in FIG. 2(A), and are provided at positions offset in the horizontal direction as shown in the front view. With such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 2(B), when the above-described moving means moves the suction means 22 to move and sandwich the bag body 1, each suction pad 22a is configured to suck and hold the two films constituting the bag body 1. When the moving means moves the suction means 22 in the direction of separating them from the state shown in FIG. 2(C), the films adsorbed by the suction pads 22a are configured to separate from each other.
[0014] The operation of the sealing means and space forming means 13 in the first temporary sealing means 5 described above will be explained below. Figure 2(A) shows the state immediately after the bag 1 is positioned at the first temporary sealing position, and the heating plate 5a of the first temporary sealing means 5 is shown before it clamps the opening 1b of the bag 1. At this time, the pressing member 21 is positioned in a retracted position so as not to come into contact with the bag body 1 which has been lowered by the lifting mechanism, and the suction mechanism 22 also maintains a state in which the suction pad 22a is separated from the bag body 1 by the moving mechanism. When the bag 1 is positioned at the first temporary seal position, it is suspended by the holding means 12, and therefore the bag 1 is slightly bulging due to the liquid L it is filled with. However, as shown in the side view, the thickness of its cross-section remains approximately constant. At this time, the liquid level of the liquid L filled in the liquid filling means 4 is located at a height near the upper opening 1b of the bag 1, in other words, a sufficiently large air space S is not formed inside the bag 1.
[0015] Figure 2(B) shows the state in which the pressing member 21 is raised by the lifting mechanism, lifting the bottom of the bag 1, and the suction pad 22a of the suction mechanism 22 is adsorbing and holding the film of the bag 1. At this time, the first temporary sealing mechanism 5 remains open and on standby. When the pressing member 21 lifts the center of the bottom of the bag 1 upwards, the bag 1 deforms, and the film in the lifted portion spreads outwards, sagging as shown in the side view. As a result, the volume of the lower part of the liquid storage section 1A of the bag 1 increases, the liquid level of the liquid L stored in the liquid storage section 1A decreases, and the surface area of the liquid L increases. This creates a space S above the liquid L due to the air flowing in through the opening 1b. As the pressing member 21 deforms the bag 1 in this manner, the suction pad 22a of the suction means 22 then approaches the bag 1 by the moving means and holds the film from both sides by suction.
[0016] Figure 2(C) shows the state in which the adsorption means 22 has spread the film of the bag 1 outwards. From the state shown in Figure 2(B), the adsorption means 22 separates the adsorption pad 22a from the bag body 1 by the moving means. As a result, the film adsorbed on the adsorption pad 22a is pulled outwards. As a result, the volume of the liquid storage section 1A near the center expands further, the liquid level of the liquid L stored in the liquid storage section 1A drops further, and the surface area of the liquid L expands further. This causes more air to flow in above the liquid L through the opening 1b, and the volume of the space S made up of this air expands.
[0017] Once the space S is formed inside the bag 1 in this way, the spacing adjustment means of the gripper 12 is activated to widen the spacing of the gripping members 12a, thereby bringing the films of the opening 1b, which were previously separated, into close contact. Next, when the heating plate 5a of the first temporary sealing means 5 is activated and the opening 1b is sealed by welding, the suction means 22 releases the suction of the film by the suction pad 22a, and the pressing member 21 is lowered by the lifting means and detached from the bag body 1. When the opening 1b is sealed in this manner, gas leakage from the liquid storage section 1A ceases, and a sufficient space S of air is formed above the liquid L contained in the liquid storage section 1A. Subsequently, the bag 1 is transported to the first sealing means 6 by the liquid filling wheel 3b, where the temporarily sealed opening 1b is reheated and welded to completely seal the opening 1b, and the first cooling means 7 cools the sealed opening 1b.
[0018] Subsequently, the bag 1 is moved from the liquid filling wheel 3b to the powder filling wheel 3d by the conveying means 3, and powder is supplied to the powder storage section 1B of the bag 1 through the opening 1b by the powder filling means 8, while the opening 1b is sealed by the second temporary sealing means 9 and the second permanent sealing means 10. In this embodiment, the second temporary sealing means 9 is not provided with the space forming means 13 described above, and the space S described above is not formed with respect to the powder containment portion 1B. Then, once the opening 1b of the powder storage section 1B is sealed, the bag 1 is transported to the next process by the transport means 3.
[0019] According to the filling and packaging apparatus 2 of this embodiment, the space forming means 13 makes it possible to stably form a space S consisting of air above the liquid L, which is the contents, inside the liquid storage portion 1A of the bag 1. By forming a space S inside the liquid storage section 1A in this way, it becomes possible to move the liquid L around within the liquid storage section 1A, and when the liquid storage section 1A and the powder storage section 1B are connected and the liquid L and powder are mixed, it becomes possible to efficiently agitate them. In particular, when the bag body 1 is a double bag having a liquid storage section 1A and a powder storage section 1B, as in this embodiment, it was difficult to form the desired space S in the liquid storage section 1A even if the spacing between the holding members that hold both ends of the bag body 1 was made different, as in Patent Document 1.
[0020] In the above embodiment, the bag 1 is a so-called double bag with a liquid storage section 1A and a powder storage section 1B, but it may also be a single bag with only one storage section. In this embodiment, the space-forming means 13 is used for the liquid storage section 1A containing the liquid L, but it may be used similarly for the powder storage section 1B. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, by making the movement of the lifting means for raising and lowering the pressing member 21 and the moving means for the suction means 22 adjustable by a servo motor, it becomes possible to arbitrarily adjust the size of the space S formed in the housing 1A. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0021] 1 bag 1A liquid storage section 1B Powder containment section 1b Opening 2. Filling and packaging device 3. Conveying means 5 First temporary sealing means 13 Space forming means 21 Pressing member 22 Suction means
Claims
1. A bag filling and packaging apparatus comprising: a holding means for holding a bag made of a flexible material having an opening formed therein; a filling means for filling the bag held by the holding means with contents through the opening; and a sealing means for sealing the opening, The system comprises a pressing member that contacts at least a portion of the bottom of a bag filled with the above contents, a lifting means for raising and lowering the pressing member, an adsorption means for adsorbing and holding the bag from both sides, and a moving means for moving the adsorption means, A bag filling and packaging apparatus characterized in that the lifting means raises the pressing member to lift at least a portion of the bottom of the bag, and then the moving means moves the suction means that is adsorbing and holding the side of the bag outwards, while the sealing means seals the opening.
2. The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of movement of the pressing member by the lifting means and / or the amount of movement of the suction means by the moving means can be adjusted.