Packaging equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel and improved article packaging device that can fill packaging bags with items that may leak liquid without contaminating the packaging bags. [Solution] The article packaging device comprises two flexible sheet plates arranged vertically with their surfaces facing each other, a conveying and covering means that attaches to one side near the mouth of a folded and placed packaging bag, raises the packaging bag so that the mouth is facing upward, moves it upward, and conveys the packaging bag so that the mouth is covered by the sheet plates from below, and the sheet plate bending means that bends the sheet plates so that the surfaces of the sheet plates over which the mouth is covered are pulled apart from each other, thereby widening the opening of the mouth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article packaging device that opens the mouth of a packaging bag, fills the packaging bag with an article (the object to be packaged), and packages it. In particular, the present invention relates to an article packaging device that can hygienically fill articles and can prevent the packaging bag from being soiled.

Background Art

[0002] In retail stores such as supermarkets, except for some, in consideration of business efficiency, foods and the like are not sold by so-called weighing, but are sold in various forms of packages. Among them, for example, there are forms in which sliced fish or meat products are placed on a styrofoam tray and covered with a wrapping film, but many products are sold in bagged form.

[0003] For the bagging operation, an automatic device is used for mass-produced products, but there is a problem that it cannot handle small-quantity, multi-variety products. And the packaging bags are supplied in a state of being folded and in a tightly stacked body with almost no gaps between individual pieces.

[0004] Therefore, it is first difficult to peel individual pieces from the stacked body, and the opening operation of expanding the mouth of the packaging bag is not easy. This problem becomes more prominent in packaging bags made of films of polymer materials such as polypropylene, which are widely used for packaging, because the surface is smooth and the friction is small.

[0005] As a technology for dealing with such problems, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a packaging bag supply device that can take out one by one the packaging bags arranged at the top of a stacked body of a plurality of stacked packaging bags and supply them to a device for filling the object to be packaged. However, the device disclosed here has a complicated structure and is suitable for a large amount of processing, but there is room for improvement in dealing with changes in the size of the packaging bag when the processing target is small-quantity and multi-variety.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an article packaging device proposed by the present inventor, in which an article is placed on a belt that wraps around the top and bottom of a belt support plate, the belt and the bag are covered together, and the bag is moved toward the opening of the bag while peeling the belt downwards from the article.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a device configuration proposed by the present inventor, which discloses a bagging device having a structure in which a suction pad is brought into contact with the vicinity of the opening of the topmost individual piece of stacked packaging bags, and a hopper for loading the packaged items into the packaging bags is integrated. The device of Patent Document 3 can pick up various packaging bags one by one, open them, and fill the packaged items into the packaging bags.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 4 also discloses a packaging bag opening device (article packaging device) proposed by the present inventor, which can pick up and open each packaging bag and fill the packaging bag with the packaged items via a filling pipe (hopper) having an input port for the packaged items. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-118173 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016034889 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-059551 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-144739 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] In the apparatus configuration described in Patent Document 4 above, where the packaged product is dropped from the upper input port of the filling tube (hopper), passes through the filling tube (hopper), and is filled into a packaging bag that is held open, if the packaged product is a food product that has been processed and cooked with a viscous sauce used to season the food, the sauce may adhere to the inner circumference of the filling tube and remain stuck to the inner surface of the filling tube. Furthermore, if a large amount of sauce remains on the inner surface, it may drip due to its own weight, and depending on the timing of its fall, it may adhere to the outer surface of the packaging bag, contaminating the packaging bag.

[0011] After developing the article packaging device described in Patent Document 4, the inventors of this application have diligently continued their research and development, and have now developed a new, improved article packaging device that is highly convenient and capable of filling packaging bags with items that may leak without contaminating the packaging bags.

[0012] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved novel article packaging device that can fill packaging items that may leak into packaging bags without contaminating the packaging bags. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The present invention, for achieving the above objective, is characterized by comprising: two flexible sheet plates arranged vertically with their faces facing each other; a conveying and covering means that adheres to one side near the mouth of a folded and placed packaging bag, raises the packaging bag so that the mouth is facing upward, moves it upward, and conveys the packaging bag so that the mouth is covered by the sheet plates from below; and a sheet plate bending means that bends the sheet plates so that the faces of the sheet plates over which the mouth is covered are pulled apart from each other, thereby enlarging the opening of the mouth.

[0014] Preferably, the conveying and covering means attaches to the opposite side of the packaging bag near the opening while the packaging bag is moving upward, and pulls at least one of the one side and the opposite side of the opening to open the opening so that it can be covered by the sheet plate. The lower corners of the sheet plate may also be chamfered.

[0015] Preferably, the sheet plate bending means moves at least one of the sheet plates horizontally so that the surfaces of the sheet plate over which the opening is placed are pulled apart from each other, thereby bending the sheet plate so that the opening of the opening becomes substantially circular.

[0016] For example, the sheet plate bending means comprises a horizontal frame extending in the horizontal direction and an actuator for moving the sheet plate along the horizontal frame. Furthermore, the sheet plate bending means further comprises horizontal support plates that support each of the sheet plates on the horizontal frame, and the horizontal support plates are movably attached to the actuator, so that the sheet plates move along the horizontal frame as the horizontal support plates move.

[0017] Preferably, the horizontal support plate is attached to the sheet plate such that its end contacts the upper end of the sheet plate, and is positioned to close to the top of the sheet plate when the surfaces of the sheet plates are joined together. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] The article packaging apparatus of the present invention allows for the filling of packaging items that may leak without contaminating the packaging bags. Therefore, the packaging work can be performed hygienically, and an easy-to-use and highly convenient article packaging apparatus is provided. Furthermore, the article packaging apparatus of the present invention has a miniaturizable configuration and, through simple and efficient operation, enables hygienic packaging work to be performed easily, quickly, and efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a side view showing a configuration example of an article packaging device in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a plan view showing a configuration example of a single sheet plate 70. [Figure 3] It is a diagram for explaining a state where the surfaces of two sheet plates 70 are joined together and a state where the surfaces are separated and opened. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining the configuration and operation of the conveyance and covering operation unit 40. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining the configuration and operation of the conveyance and covering operation unit 40. [Figure 6] It is a schematic view of the mechanism of the conveyance and covering operation unit 40 as seen from above. [Figure 7] It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the horizontal frame (sheet plate bending operation unit) 50. [Figure 8] It is a diagram schematically showing the bent state of the sheet plate due to the operation of the horizontal frame (sheet plate bending operation unit 30).

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, such embodiment examples do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention will be described based on specific drawings.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration example of a packaging bag opening device in an embodiment of the present invention. The packaging bag opening device 1 includes two flexible sheet plates 70 that can be opened upward and are arranged vertically with their surfaces facing each other, a base table 10 on which the folded packaging bag 2 is placed, and a support column portion 20 that extends upward from the base table 10 and includes a conveyance and covering operation unit 40 that lifts the packaging bag 2 placed on the base table 10 and conveys it in the vertical (longitudinal) direction in which the support column portion 20 extends and covers it with the sheet plate 70, and a horizontal frame 50 that extends horizontally (laterally) from near the height of the top of the support column portion 20 and supports the sheet plate 70 so that it can be bent.

[0022] The horizontal frame 50 functions as a sheet plate bending mechanism that moves the sheet plate 70, over which the packaging bag 2 is placed, horizontally to open it. A vertical frame 80 is provided to support the horizontal frame 50.

[0023] Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of a single sheet plate 70. Figure 2(a) shows the basic shape of the sheet plate 70, which is a roughly rectangular, horizontally elongated, flexible resin thin plate. Figure 2(b) shows another example of the shape of the sheet plate 70, in which the corners on the lower end side of the sheet plate 70 are chamfered to make it easier to cover the packaging bag 2, compared to the shape in Figure 2(a).

[0024] When the sheet plate 70 bends to open the mouth 2a of the packaging bag 2, it adheres tightly to the inner surface of the mouth 2a and expands around almost its entire circumference, so that the mouth 2a of the packaging bag 2 opens without getting dirty. For example, if the packaged item is a food with sauce, and the packaged item touches the inner surface of the mouth 2a when being put into the packaging bag 2, it will only adhere to the sheet plate 70 and will not adhere to the packaging bag 2. After the packaged item is put in, the mouth 2a of the packaging bag 2 may be heat-sealed with a sealer or the like. In the packaging process, if the mouth 2a is dirty when heat-sealed, it will not be a marketable product. However, in this invention, the sheet plate 70 covers the inner surface of the mouth 2a, so that food items with sauce can be put in without directly touching the mouth 2a. In this way, by bending the protective sheet plate 70 to open the mouth 2a, it is possible to prevent dirt from adhering to the mouth 2a of the packaging bag 2.

[0025] Figure 3 illustrates the state in which the surfaces of the two sheet plates 70 are joined together and the state in which the surfaces are separated and an opening is formed. As will be described later, the operation of the sheet plates 70 is as follows: the two sheet plates 70 are arranged vertically with their surfaces facing each other, and are attached to a horizontal frame 50 (not shown in Figure 3) via a horizontal support plate 51 that extends horizontally from the upper ends of the two vertically oriented sheet plates 70. The two sheet plates 70 can move between a state in which the surfaces are joined together (Figure 3(a)) and a state in which the surfaces are separated and the plate is bent (Figure 3(b)) by sliding the horizontal frame 50 (not shown in Figure 3). The horizontal support plate 51 supports the sheet plates 70 so that they can bend, and is connected, for example, only to the central part of the sheet plates 70 with an L-shaped fastener 52.

[0026] The base stand 10 is preferably a flat stand with legs, on which at least one (usually multiple stacked) folded packaging bags 2 are placed flat. Preferably, multiple packaging bags 2 are stacked and placed flat on the base stand 10. The base stand 10 is also fitted with support columns 20 and a drive unit 70. The drive unit 70 includes a power supply, pump, and control unit for driving the conveying / covering operation unit 40 and the lateral frame (sheet plate bending operation unit) 50.

[0027] The support column 20 is a linear actuator with one end fixed to the base 10 and extending upward (vertically) from the base 10. The linear actuator 20 is composed of a fixed shaft 21 extending vertically and a movable part 22 that moves linearly relative to the shaft 21 (in this case, linearly moving up and down). The movable part 22 is, for example, a cylinder driven by air pressure and is driven according to the air supply control by the drive device 70.

[0028] The transport and covering unit 40, which includes the support column 20, attaches to one side near the opening 2a of the folded and placed packaging bag 2, raises the packaging bag 2 so that the opening 2a is facing upwards, and transports it vertically upwards, covering the two sheet plates 70 from below, with their surfaces facing each other. Also, while the packaging bag 2 is moving upwards, it attaches to the opposite side near the opening 2a of the packaging bag 2, and by pulling at least one of the one side and the opposite side of the opening 2a, it opens the opening 2a so that the opening 2a of the packaging bag 2 can be covered by the sheet plate 70.

[0029] The horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism) 50 is a frame structure that extends horizontally (laterally) from near the top of the support column 20 and includes a horizontal linear actuator 30 that can move linearly in the horizontal direction (see Figure 8). The horizontal linear actuator 30 is composed of a shaft 31 that serves as a fixed guide extending horizontally (laterally) and a movable part 32 that moves linearly relative to the shaft 31 (in this case, linear movement sliding in the lateral direction). The sheet plate 70 is attached to the movable part 32 via a horizontal support plate 51 that extends horizontally.

[0030] Similar to the movable part 22 of the support column (linear actuator) 20, the movable part 32 of the horizontal linear actuator 30 is, for example, a cylinder driven by pneumatic pressure, and is driven according to the air supply control by the drive device 60.

[0031] As will be explained later, the horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism) 50 moves horizontally while bending the sheet plate 70 so that the surfaces of the sheet plate 70 that the opening 2a is placed over are pulled apart from each other, thereby opening the bag. As a result, the two sheet plates 70, which were closed with their surfaces touching, bend in a circular shape and open, and consequently enlarge the opening of the opening 2a of the packaging bag 2.

[0032] The transport and covering unit 40 adheres to one side near the opening 2a of a single packaging bag 2 that is folded and placed flat on the base stand 10, raises the packaging bag 2 so that the opening 2a is facing upwards, and moves it upwards. Furthermore, while the packaging bag 2 is moving upwards, the unit adheres to the opposite side of the opening 2a of the packaging bag 2, and pulls at least one of the one side and the opposite side of the opening 2a together to slightly open the opening 2a. The opening 2a of the packaging bag 2 is raised to a predetermined height position where two sheet plates 70 that are closed with their surfaces facing each other are positioned, and at that height position, the opening 2a is placed over the two sheet plates 70 that are closed with their surfaces facing each other.

[0033] The horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism) 50 moves horizontally while bending the sheet plate 70 so that the surfaces of the sheet plate 70, over which the opening 2a is placed, are pulled apart from each other, thereby opening the bag. The two sheet plates 70, which were closed with their surfaces together, bend into a circular shape and open, and consequently the opening 2a of the packaging bag 2 is also pushed open to match the opening shape of the sheet plate 70, opening to its maximum extent.

[0034] The configuration and operation of the transport / covering unit 40 will be explained further.

[0035] Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the configuration and operation of the conveying and covering unit 40. The conveying and covering unit 40 includes a support unit (linear actuator) 20 as a component, which has a vertically extending shaft 21 and a movable part 22 that moves up and down relative to it. Furthermore, it includes a one-sided suction pad 41 that adheres to one side near the mouth 2a of the packaging bag 2, a support member 42 attached to one end to support the one-sided suction pad 41 on the movable part 22 of the linear actuator 20, a one-sided suction pad guide mechanism that rotates the one-sided suction pad 41 around the rotation axis A while moving it vertically, a opposite-sided suction pad 46 that adheres to the opposite side near the mouth 2a of the packaging bag 2, a support member 47 attached to one end to support the opposite-sided suction pad 46 on the movable part 22 of the linear actuator 20, and an opposite-sided suction pad guide mechanism that moves the support member 47 and the opposite-sided suction pad 46 connected thereto vertically and laterally.

[0036] Furthermore, the one-sided suction pad guide mechanism is configured to include a pair of guide rollers 44a and 44b attached to the other end of the support member 42 and arranged to extend perpendicularly from the rotation axis A, and a pair of guide plates 45a and 45b that guide and rotate the positions of the guide rollers 44a and 44b as the support member 42 moves up and down. The guide plates 45a and 45b are formed and arranged so that they rotate at a right angle (90 degrees) as the guide rollers 44a and 44b move up and down. The guide rollers 44a and 44b are attached to the same rotation axis and rotate synchronously.

[0037] The one-sided suction pad 41 is attached to the tip of one end of the support member 42, and the support member 42 has a hollow pipe inside which it is connected to a pump (not shown) that constitutes the drive unit 70, and the suction operation of the pump creates negative pressure inside the one-sided suction pad 41, causing the one-sided suction pad 41 to suck up the packaging bag 2.

[0038] The support member 42 is connected to the movable part 22 of the linear actuator 20, and the movement of the movable part 22 raises and lowers the support member 42 and the one-sided suction pad 41 attached thereto.

[0039] The one-sided suction pad guide mechanism rotates the support member 42 and the one-sided suction pad 41 attached thereto in conjunction with the raising and lowering movement of the support member 42.

[0040] Regarding the operation of the one-sided suction pad guide mechanism, specifically, in the process of rising from the state where the one-sided suction pad 41 attached to the support member 42 is in contact with and adsorbed to the packaging bag 2 at its lower limit position (position P1 in Figure 4), that is, the state where the one-sided suction pad 41 is adsorbed to one side of the packaging bag 2 lying on the base stand 10, as the support member 42 rises, the guide roller 44a comes into contact with the guide plate 45a, and due to its inclination, the guide roller 4 extending laterally 4a rotates 90 degrees vertically (downward), and guide roller 44b, which is perpendicular to guide roller 44a, rotates 90 degrees from vertically (upward) to horizontally. As the support member 42 rotates due to this rotational displacement, the one-sided suction pad 41 that is adhering to the packaging bag 2 also rotates 90 degrees, causing the packaging bag 2 to be raised vertically so that the opening 2a faces upward (position P2 in Figure 4), and then rises further in that state to the upper limit position near the placement height of the sheet plate 70 (position P3 in Figure 4).

[0041] The suction pad guide mechanism on the opposite side described above comprises a guide roller 48 attached to the other end of the support member 47, and a guide rail 49 that guides the position of the guide roller 48 and moves it laterally as the support member 47 moves up and down. The guide rail 49 is bent into a "V" shape and arranged so as the guide roller 48 moves up and down, the support member 47 slides laterally.

[0042] The opposite side suction pad 46 is attached to the tip of one end of the support member 47. The support member 47 has a hollow pipe inside which it is connected to a suction mechanism such as a pump or vacuum generator (not shown) that constitutes the drive unit 70 (see Figure 1). By creating negative pressure inside the opposite side suction pad 46 through the suction operation of the pump, the opposite side suction pad 46 sucks the packaging bag 2.

[0043] The support member 47 is connected to the movable part 22 of the linear actuator 20, and the movement of the movable part 22 raises and lowers the support member 47 and the suction pad 46 attached to it on the opposite side.

[0044] In Figure 5, the opposite side suction pad guide mechanism slides the support member 47 and the opposite side suction pad 46 attached thereto in a reciprocating direction as the support member 47 moves up and down.

[0045] Specifically, regarding the operation of the opposite-side suction pad guide mechanism, as the opposite-side suction pad 46 attached to the support member 47 rises from a reference position (position S1) at a predetermined horizontal distance from the one-side suction pad 41 at its lower limit position, the guide roller 48 rises along the guide rail 49 from its lower limit position. At the bent portion of the guide rail 49, the support member 47 and the opposite-side suction pad 46 move laterally along the shape of the bent portion, approaching the one-side suction pad 41. The opposite-side suction pad 46 approaches the rotated one-side suction pad 41 and the packaging bag 2 attached to it, contacts the opposite side of the packaging bag 2, and sucks and adheres to it (position S2). Furthermore, after adhering to the packaging bag 2, the opposite-side suction pad 46 slides in the opposite direction along the shape of the guide rail 49. In other words, the opposite-side suction pad 46 slides away from the one-side suction pad 41 while adhering to the packaging bag 2, rising while widening the opening 2a of the adsorbed packaging bag 2, until it reaches approximately the height at which the sheet plate 70 is positioned (position S3), and the opened packaging bag 2 is positioned with its opening 2a covering the sheet plate 70. Since the sheet plate 70 that is covered is closed with its surfaces facing each other, the opening of the opening 2a only needs to be a small opening, just enough to cover a thin plate.

[0046] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the mechanism of the conveying and covering unit 40 viewed from above. The guide rollers 44a and 44b of the conveying and covering unit 40, and another guide roller 48, are connected to the movable unit 22. As the movable unit 22 moves up and down, the guide rollers 44a and 44b of the conveying and covering unit 40 move along the guide plates 45a and 45b (not shown in Figure 4), causing the one-sided suction pad 41 to rotate, and the other guide roller 48 moves along the guide rail 49 (not shown in Figure 4), causing the opposite-sided suction pad 46 to move laterally. As the movable unit 22 rises, the opposite-sided suction pad 46 moves laterally away from the one-sided suction pad 41, opening the mouth 2a of the packaging bag 2 and placing it over the sheet plate 70.

[0047] The operation of the conveying and covering unit 40 described above is based on the operation of the packaging bag opening device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-144739, but other operating mechanisms may also be used.

[0048] The operation of the horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism) 50 will be explained.

[0049] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism) 50, and Figure 8 is a diagram schematically showing the bending state of the sheet plate due to the operation of the horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism 30). Figures 7(a) and 8(a) show the state in which the surfaces of the sheet plate 70 are joined together and closed, while Figures 7(b) and 8(b) show the state in which the sheet plate 70 is pulled apart and bent open.

[0050] The horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism) 50 slides the sheet plate 70, which is attached to the movable part 32 of the horizontal linear actuator 30, in the lateral direction. The two sheet plates 70 are attached to the movable part 32 via horizontal support plates 51 that extend horizontally. The horizontal support plates 51 are connected, for example, to the central part of the sheet plate 70 with L-shaped fasteners 52, thereby supporting the sheet plate 70 in a flexible manner.

[0051] When the transport / covering unit 40 operates and the opening 2a of the packaging bag 2 is covered by two sheet plates 70 with their surfaces facing each other and closed, the lateral frame (sheet plate bending unit) 50 moves the two sheet plates 70 laterally so that they are pulled apart from each other.

[0052] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, when the two sheet plates 70 are moved laterally to separate them while the opening 2a of the packaging bag 2 is covering them, the two sheet plates 70 bend in opposite arcs, and the opening 2a of the packaging bag 2 opens to its maximum diameter, resulting in an opening shape that is almost circular.

[0053] By opening the mouth 2a to its maximum diameter, a sufficiently wide opening can be obtained for loading the packaged items, and the packaged items can be dropped into the packaging bag 2 from directly above without using the conventional hopper (filling tube). Since a hopper (filling tube) is not used, contamination of the packaging bag due to liquid dripping from the inner surface of the hopper can be prevented.

[0054] Furthermore, the horizontal support plate 51 is attached to the sheet plate 70 such that its end contacts the upper end of the sheet plate 70, and is positioned to close to the top of the sheet plate 70 when the surfaces of the sheet plate 70 are joined together. In other words, when the surfaces of the sheet plate 70 are closed, the horizontal support plate 51 attached to the sheet plate 70 is also closed, and liquid dripping from above is blocked by the horizontal support plate 51, preventing contamination of the packaging bag 2.

[0055] As the horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism) 50 slides, the one-sided suction pad 41 and the opposite-sided suction pad 46, which are attached to the sheet plate 70, also move. At this time, the suction action of the suction pads 41 and 46 is not performed, and they follow the movement of the movable part 32 in a free state.

[0056] With the opening 2a fully open, the packaged item is placed directly above and contained within the packaging bag 2. The packaging bag 2 containing the packaged item is then removed from the bent sheet plate 70 by the operator. Subsequently, the transport / covering unit 40 descends to the position of the base stand 10, and the one-sided suction pad 41 again sucks up the opening 2a on one side of the packaging bag 2, which is lying flat on the base stand 10, and the above operation is repeated. The movable part 32 of the horizontal frame 50 also returns to its original initial position. In this way, the packaging bags 2 are picked up one by one, opened, placed over the sheet plate 70, and the opening of the packaged item is expanded to its maximum diameter, and this operation is repeated. The packaging bag opening device of the present invention can accommodate various sizes and materials of packaging bags by adjusting the size of the sheet plate 70.

[0057] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to fill packaging bags with items that may leak without contaminating the bags. Therefore, a product packaging device is provided that allows for hygienic bagging work, is easy to use, and offers high convenience. Furthermore, the product packaging device of the present invention has a miniaturizable configuration and, through simple and efficient operation, enables easy, quick, and efficient hygienic bagging work.

[0058] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and any design changes that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention, including various modifications and alterations that can be conceived by a person with ordinary skill in the art of the present invention, are also included in the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0059] 1: Packaging bag opening device, 2: Packaging bag, 2a: Mouth, 10: Base, 20: Support column (linear actuator), 21: Shaft, 22: Movable part (cylinder), 30: Horizontal linear actuator, 31: Shaft, 32: Movable part (cylinder), 40: Vertical frame, 40: Conveying / covering mechanism, 41: One-sided suction pad, 42: Support member, 44a: Guide roller, 44b: Guide roller, 45a: Guide plate, 45b: Guide plate, 46: Opposite-sided suction pad, 47: Support member, 48: Guide roller, 49: Guide rail, 50: Horizontal frame (sheet plate bending mechanism), 51: Horizontal support plate, 52: L-shaped fastener, 53: Guide rod, 60: Drive device, 70: Sheet plate, 80: Vertical frame

Claims

1. Two flexible sheet plates arranged vertically with their surfaces facing each other, A conveying and covering means that attaches to one side near the opening of a folded and placed packaging bag, raises the packaging bag so that the opening is facing upwards, moves it upwards, and conveys the packaging bag so that the opening is placed over the sheet board from below, with the sheet boards facing each other. The system includes a sheet plate bending means that flexes the sheet plate so that the surfaces of the sheet plate over which the opening is placed are pulled apart from each other, thereby enlarging the opening of the opening, The sheet plate bending means is characterized by bending the sheet plate so that the opening of the mouth becomes substantially circular by moving at least one of the sheet plates horizontally so that the surfaces of the sheet plate over which the mouth is placed are pulled apart from each other.

2. Two flexible sheet plates arranged vertically with their surfaces facing each other, A conveying and covering means that attaches to one side near the opening of a folded and placed packaging bag, raises the packaging bag so that the opening is facing upwards, moves it upwards, and conveys the packaging bag so that the opening is placed over the sheet board from below, with the sheet boards facing each other. The system includes a sheet plate bending means that flexes the sheet plate so that the surfaces of the sheet plate over which the opening is placed are pulled apart from each other, thereby enlarging the opening of the opening, The sheet plate bending means is characterized by comprising a horizontal frame extending in the horizontal direction and an actuator for moving the sheet plate along the horizontal frame.

3. The article packaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conveying and covering means attaches to the opposite side of the packaging bag near the opening while the packaging bag is moving upward, and pulls at least one of the one side and the opposite side of the opening to open the opening so that the opening can be covered with the sheet plate.

4. The article packaging device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower corner of the sheet plate is chamfered.

5. The article packaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sheet plate bending means further comprises a horizontal support plate that supports each of the sheet plates on the horizontal frame, the horizontal support plate is movablely attached to the actuator, and the sheet plates move along the horizontal frame as the horizontal support plate moves.

6. The article packaging device according to claim 5, wherein the horizontal support plate is attached to the sheet plate such that its end contacts the upper end of the sheet plate, and is positioned to close to the upper part of the sheet plate when the surfaces of the sheet plates are joined together.

Images