Product supply mechanism in horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine

Abstract

To prevent a biting failure due to a positional deviation of a commodity and a drug packaging bag in a conveyance direction, and to stably and efficiently manufacture a pillow package.SOLUTION: A medicine supply location 36 is provided at locations of a pair of conveyance surfaces 2202 positioned downstream of an upper conveyance surface 2004 in a moving direction of a pusher 32, a pair of opening and closing plates 28 are provided which are movable between a closed position P1 that covers upper parts of the pair of conveyance surfaces 2202 from a location higher than a medicine packaging bag 14 supplied to the pair of conveyance surfaces 2202 to the medicine supply location 36 and a retreat position P2 where the pair of conveyance surfaces 2202 are retreated from above, before a commodity 12 reaches the medicine supply location 36, the pair of opening and closing plates 28 are placed in the closed position P1, and after the pusher 32 comes into contact with an upstream end of the commodity 12 and the medicine packaging bag 14 in the moving direction of the pusher 32, the pair of opening and closing plates 28 are set to the retreat position P2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a product supply mechanism in a horizontal form-fill-seal packaging machine.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In a horizontal form-fill-seal packaging machine, a packaging film is drawn out from a film roll by a film conveying device and sent downstream, the film is transferred in the horizontal direction while being formed into a tubular shape by a former, and products are sequentially supplied into the tubular film by a product supply mechanism. A longitudinal overlapping portion of the tubular film is subjected to center sealing, and further, end seals are respectively applied to the front and rear portions by an end sealing device so as to sandwich the product inside the tubular film, and cutting is performed. In this way, a pillow package enclosing the product is manufactured (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] By the way, in such a horizontal form-fill-seal packaging machine, when a drug packaging bag is packaged together with a product in a pillow package, the product supply mechanism needs to superimpose the product on the drug packaging bag and supply them into the tubular film. Conventionally, as such a product supply mechanism, there is used one that includes a pair of conveying surfaces arranged with a gap therebetween, a pusher that protrudes above the conveying surfaces from the gap, moves along the pair of conveying surfaces, and moves the product supplied to the conveying surfaces, a drug supply mechanism that supplies the drug packaging bag to the pair of conveying surfaces, and an upper conveying surface that is disposed with a gap through which the pusher can pass on the upstream side in the moving direction of the pusher relative to the drug supply position where the drug packaging bag is supplied, and that positions the product at a position separated above the conveying surfaces by a dimension larger than the thickness of the drug packaging bag. In this product supply mechanism, in a state where the drug packaging bag is supplied to the drug supply position, the product moved in the conveying direction by the pusher falls onto the drug packaging bag from the upper conveying surface by its own weight and is superimposed on the drug packaging bag, and then the superimposed product and drug packaging bag are conveyed on the pair of conveying surfaces by the pusher and supplied into the tubular film.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-224442 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, when the product moved by the pusher falls from the upper transport surface onto the drug packaging bag, the product falls with its downstream end in the transport direction tilted diagonally downward. As a result, the downstream end of the product in the transport direction may come into contact with the upstream end of the top surface of the drug packaging bag located at the drug supply point, or with the middle of the top surface of the drug packaging bag in the transport direction, potentially causing the product to push the drug packaging bag downstream from the drug supply point. Therefore, the upstream portion of the product in the transport direction is shifted further upstream than the upstream portion of the drug packaging bag in the transport direction, and the product overlaps with the drug packaging bag as it is transported downstream. As a result, misalignment of the product and the drug packaging bag in the transport direction can easily lead to improper gripping of the product or drug packaging bag at the end seal of the pillow packaging. Therefore, there is room for improvement in order to stably and efficiently manufacture pillow packaging using a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine. The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and the object of the present invention is to provide a product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine that is advantageous for stable and efficient production of pillow packaging by preventing jamming defects caused by misalignment of the product and the drug packaging bag in the transport direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objective, one embodiment of the present invention provides a product supply mechanism for a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine, comprising: a pair of conveying surfaces provided with a gap between them; a pusher that protrudes from the gap above the conveying surfaces and moves along the pair of conveying surfaces to move the products supplied to the conveying surfaces; a drug supply mechanism that supplies drug packaging bags to the pair of conveying surfaces; and an upper conveying surface positioned upstream of the drug supply location in the direction of movement of the pusher, with a gap through which the pusher can pass, and positioned above the conveying surfaces with dimensions greater than the thickness of the drug packaging bags, wherein the upper conveying surface is positioned downstream of the direction of movement of the pusher. The invention is characterized by providing a drug supply location at the location of the pair of transport surfaces on which the product is placed, and providing a pair of opening / closing plates at the drug supply location that are movable between a closed position that covers the top of the pair of transport surfaces from a point higher than the drug packaging bags supplied to the pair of transport surfaces with a gap through which the pusher can pass, and a retracted position that moves away from the top of the pair of transport surfaces, and providing a control unit that sets the pair of opening / closing plates to the closed position before the product reaches the drug supply location, and sets the pair of opening / closing plates to the retracted position after the pusher has come into contact with the product and the upstream end of the drug packaging bag in the direction of movement of the pusher, but before supplying the drug packaging bag to the drug supply location. Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the pair of opening and closing plates are provided at approximately the same height as the downstream end of the upper conveying surface in the direction of movement of the pusher. Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the pair of opening and closing plates are provided at the same height as the downstream end of the upper conveying surface in the direction of movement of the pusher, or at a height slightly lower than the downstream end. Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the entire upper surface of the pair of opening and closing plates is formed as a flat surface. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the pusher has a flat front surface perpendicular to the conveying direction, the front surface protrudes upward from the conveying surface, and its upper end is set at a height higher than the upper end of the product placed on the downstream end of the upper conveying surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by moving a product on a pair of opening / closing plates and a drug packaging bag supplied to a drug supply location in a synchronized transport direction using a pusher, the product falls by its own weight from between the pair of opening / closing plates that are moving to a retracted position onto the drug packaging bag which is moving in sync with the product. Alternatively, the product falls by its own weight onto a drug packaging bag that is moving synchronously with the product from the downstream end in the transport direction of a pair of opening / closing plates that are moving from the closed position to the retracted position. Alternatively, the product falls by its own weight onto a drug packaging bag that is moved synchronously with the product, from the downstream end in the transport direction of a pair of opening / closing plates located in the closed position. This ensures that the upstream ends of the product and the pushers on the drug packaging bag are aligned, and the product is placed on top of the drug packaging bag. Therefore, since the upstream end of the product in the transport direction and the upstream end of the drug packaging bag in the transport direction are transported in an overlapping state at the same position in the transport direction, it is possible to reliably prevent jamming of the product or drug packaging bag at the sealing portion of the pillow packaging (seal failure) caused by misalignment of the product and drug packaging bag in the transport direction, which is advantageous for stable and efficient production of pillow packaging using a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine. Furthermore, positioning the pair of opening and closing plates at approximately the same height as the downstream end in the direction of movement of the pusher on the upper conveying surface is advantageous for smoothly conveying goods from the upper conveying surface to the pair of opening and closing plates. Furthermore, if the pair of opening and closing plates are positioned at the same height as the downstream end of the pusher in the direction of movement on the upper conveying surface, or at a height slightly lower than the downstream end, it is advantageous for smoothly conveying goods from the upper conveying surface to the pair of opening and closing plates. Furthermore, forming the entire upper surface of the pair of opening and closing plates as a flat surface is advantageous not only for smoothly transporting goods along the upper surface of the pair of opening and closing plates, but also for reducing the component cost of the opening and closing plates. Furthermore, if the front of the pusher protrudes upward from the conveying surface, and its upper end is set at a height higher than the upper end of the product placed on the downstream end of the upper conveying surface, the front of the pusher will make more reliable contact with the product in the vertical direction, which is advantageous for conveying the product in a stable state using the pusher. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to an embodiment, where (A) is a plan view of the state in which a drug packaging bag is supplied to the drug supply location and the opening / closing plate is in the retracted position, and (B) is a view of (A) as seen by the arrow BB. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to an embodiment, where (A) is a plan view with the opening / closing plate in the closed position, and (B) is a view of (A) as seen through the line BB. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to an embodiment, where (A) is a plan view of the state in which the product has been moved onto the opening / closing plate located in the closed position, and (B) is a view of (A) as seen by the arrow BB. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to an embodiment, where (A) is a plan view of the state in which the product has fallen due to its own weight and is placed on the medicine, and the opening and closing plate is in the retracted position, and (B) is a view of (A) as seen by the arrow BB. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to an embodiment, where (A) is a view along the CC line in Figure 1(A), (B) is a view along the CC line in Figure 2(A), (A) is a view along the CC line in Figure 3(A), and (A) is a view along the CC line in Figure 4(A). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] First, we will describe the general configuration of a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine to which the product supply mechanism of this embodiment is applied. In the horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine, the packaging film is drawn from the film roll by a film conveying device and sent downstream. The film is then transported horizontally while being formed into a cylindrical shape by a cylinder maker, and the product supply mechanism of this embodiment sequentially supplies the product and the drug packaging bag into the cylindrical film in an overlapping state. A center seal is applied to the overlapping portion in the longitudinal direction of this tubular film, and then end seals are applied to the front and rear ends of the tubular film by an end sealing device, sandwiching the product inside. The film is then cut, and a pillow package containing the product and the drug packaging bag is manufactured.

[0010] Next, the product supply mechanism of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1(A), the product supply mechanism 10 extends along the transport direction of the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14, and the product supply mechanism 10 transports the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 from left to right on the page. Although not shown in the diagrams, the upstream end of the product supply mechanism 10 is connected to the downstream end of the upstream conveyor that transports the product 12, and the downstream end of the product supply mechanism 10 is located inside the tubular film formed by the cylinder maker.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1(A), (B), and 5(A), the product supply mechanism 10 is composed of a base plate 16, a first guide 18, a product lifting section 20, a second guide 22, a supply conveyor 24, a drug supply mechanism 26, a pair of opening / closing plates 28, and a control unit 30. Product 12 is a food product such as baked goods, and as shown in Figures 1(A) and (B), in this embodiment it has a circular disc shape in plan view and has a width W1 and a height T1. In this embodiment, the width W1 of product 12 is the diameter. Further, the drug packaging bag 14 is a package containing a drug such as an oxygen scavenger or a desiccant, which is flat and has a rectangular shape in plan view, and has a width W2 and a thickness T2. In the present embodiment, the width W2 of the drug packaging bag 14 is the dimension between one set of opposing sides of the drug packaging bag 14, and the length of the drug packaging bag 14 is the dimension between the remaining set of opposing sides. In the present embodiment, the width W1 of the product 12 and the width W2 of the drug packaging bag 14 are formed to have substantially the same dimension. The width W1 of the product 12 may be formed to have a dimension smaller than the width W2 of the drug packaging bag 14. The type of the product 12 and the type of the drug are not limited to the present embodiment. Further, the shape of the product 12 in plan view may be any shape other than a circle, such as a rectangle, a triangle, or a polygon. Further, the shape of the drug packaging bag 14 in plan view may be any shape other than a rectangle, such as a circle, a triangle, or a polygon.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1(A), 1(B), and 5(A), the base plate 16 is composed of a pair of plate members that extend linearly in the conveying direction with a constant gap S1 in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the upper surfaces of the pair of plate members form a pair of base plate-side conveying surfaces 1602 extending on the same horizontal plane. The pair of base plate-side conveying surfaces 1602 are connected to the downstream end of the upstream conveying conveyor, and are the locations where the products 12 conveyed from the upstream conveying conveyor are transported. The gap S1 between the pair of base plate-side conveying surfaces 1602 is formed to have a dimension that allows a pusher 32, which will be described later, to pass therethrough.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1(A), 1(B), and 5(A), the first guide 18 is supported on the base plate 16, and includes a pair of first side guide surfaces 1802 that are parallel to each other and face each other in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and a pair of upper surfaces 1804 that extend in directions away from each other from the upper edges of the respective first side guide surfaces 1802. The pair of first lateral guide surfaces 1802 guide both sides of the product 12 in the width direction, and the dimension between the pair of first lateral guide surfaces 1802 is slightly larger than the width W1 of the product 12, so as to ensure that the product 12 is transported smoothly. Furthermore, the first guide 18 is provided with an adjustment mechanism (not shown) that allows the dimension between the pair of first lateral guide surfaces 1802 to be adjusted according to the width W1 of the product 12.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1(A) and (B), the product lifting unit 20 lifts the product 12 that has been transported from the pair of base plate side transport surfaces 1602 to an upper transport surface 2004 that is displaced above the pair of base plate side transport surfaces 1602. More specifically, the product lifting section 20 includes a pair of inclined conveying surfaces 2002 connected to a pair of base plate-side conveying surfaces 1602, which have an inclination that displaces upward as they reach the downstream side in the conveying direction, and a pair of upward conveying surfaces 2004 connected to the downstream ends of the pair of inclined conveying surfaces 2002 and extending on a horizontal plane. A gap S2 is continuously provided between the pair of inclined conveying surfaces 2002 and the pair of upward conveying surfaces 2004, with dimensions that allow the pusher 32, which will be described later, to pass through. In other words, the pair of upward conveying surfaces 2004 are positioned upstream of the drug supply point 36, where the drug packaging bags 14 described later are supplied, with a gap S2 through which the pusher 32 can pass. The dimensions of the surfaces are larger than the thickness T2 of the drug packaging bags 14, and the surfaces are configured to position the product 12 above the pair of conveying surfaces 2202 described later. Furthermore, the pair of first lateral guide surfaces 1802 are provided with openings (not shown) that accommodate both sides of the product lifting section 20, and measures are taken to prevent interference between the pair of first lateral guide surfaces 1802 and the product lifting section 20 when the dimension between the pair of first lateral guide surfaces 1802 is adjusted by the adjustment mechanism described above.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1(A), (B), and 5(A), the second guide 22 is supported on the base plate 16 and extends from below near the upstream end of the upper transport surface 2004 to the downstream end in the transport direction of the product supply mechanism 10. The second guide 22 comprises a pair of transport surfaces 2202, a pair of second lateral guide surfaces 2204, and a pair of upper surfaces 2206. The pair of conveying surfaces 2202 extend on a horizontal plane at a position below the pair of upper conveying surfaces 2004, and are provided with a gap S3 through which the pusher 32 can pass. A pair of second lateral guide surfaces 2204 are provided extending upward from both widthwise edges of a pair of conveying surfaces 2202, facing each other parallel to one another, and guiding both widthwise sides of the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14. In this embodiment, as described above, the width W1 of the product 12 and the width W2 of the drug packaging bag 14 are formed to be approximately the same size. Therefore, the distance between the pair of second lateral guide surfaces 2204 is slightly larger than the width W1 of the product 12 and the width W2 of the drug packaging bag 14, so that the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 can be transported smoothly. Furthermore, if the width W1 of the product 12 is smaller than the width W2 of the drug packaging bag 14, the spacing between the pair of second lateral guide surfaces 2204 only needs to be slightly larger than the width W2 of the drug packaging bag 14, and in this case as well, the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 will be transported smoothly. The pair of upper surfaces 2206 extend in a direction away from each other from the upper edges of the pair of second lateral guide surfaces 2204 and extend along the same horizontal plane.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1(A), (B), and 5(A), the supply conveyor 24 transports the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 into the inside of the tubular film. The supply conveyor 24 is composed of an endless chain (not shown) provided along the entire length of the product supply mechanism 10 below the gap S1 in the base plate 16, a drive sprocket (not shown) and a driven sprocket (not shown) around which the endless chain is wrapped, a motor (not shown) that rotates the drive sprocket, and a plurality of pushers 32 provided at regular intervals on the endless chain. Multiple pushers 32 are provided so as to protrude upward from the aforementioned gaps S1, S2, and S3, and the motor rotates an endless chain so that the multiple pushers 32 move along the base plate side conveying surface 1602, a pair of inclined conveying surfaces 2002, a pair of upward conveying surfaces 2004, and a pair of conveying surfaces 2202. The pusher 32 has a flat front surface 3202 perpendicular to the conveying direction. The front surface 3202 protrudes upward from the conveying surface 2202, and its upper end 3204 is set at a height higher than the upper end of the product 12 placed on the downstream end of the upper conveying surface 2004, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3(B). This ensures that the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 contacts the product 12 over its height, allowing the product 12 to be conveyed in a stable state. In this way, the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 pushes the product 12 in the conveying direction, causing the product 12 to move along the respective conveying surfaces 1602, 2002, 2004, and 2202 in the conveying direction. Also, the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 pushes the drug packaging bag 14 in the conveying direction, causing the drug packaging bag 14 to move along the conveying surface 2202 in the conveying direction.

[0017] As shown in Figures 1(A), (B), and 5(A), the drug supply mechanism 26 supplies drug packaging bags 14 to a pair of transport surfaces 2202. The drug supply mechanism 26 comprises an adsorption head 34 and a transfer robot (not shown). The suction head 34 adsorbs the drug packaging bag 14 by negative pressure, and releases the adsorption of the drug packaging bag 14 when the negative pressure is released. The transfer robot moves the suction head 34 in three directions: along the X axis, along the Z axis, and around the Z axis. For example, the transfer robot includes an unillustrated vertical movement mechanism for moving the suction head 34 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) relative to the horizontal plane, an unillustrated horizontal movement mechanism for moving it in a direction parallel to the transport direction of the supply conveyor 24 (X-axis direction), and an unillustrated rotational movement mechanism for rotating it around the Z-axis. Since various conventionally known robots can be used as such transport robots, a detailed explanation of the configuration will be omitted.

[0018] The control unit 30, described later, controls the suction head 34 and the transfer robot to, for example, use the suction head 34 to pick up a drug packaging bag 14 supplied from a drug packaging bag supply unit (not shown) located adjacent to the product supply mechanism 10. The suction head 34 is then moved to a drug supply location 36 located on a pair of transport surfaces 2202 downstream of the direction of movement of the pusher 32 on the upper transport surface 2004, and the suction head 34 is released to supply the drug packaging bag 14 to the drug supply location 36. In this embodiment, the transfer robot aligns the width direction of the drug packaging bag 14, which has been picked up by the suction head 34, with a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and supplies the drug packaging bag 14 to the drug supply point 36 (a pair of transport surfaces 2202). Therefore, the drug packaging bag 14 is placed on the pair of transport surfaces 2202, straddling the gap S3 between the pair of transport surfaces 2202, and is transported on the pair of transport surfaces 2202 with the portions of the drug packaging bag 14 closest to both sides in the width direction resting on the pair of transport surfaces 2202.

[0019] As shown in Figures 2(A) and 5(B), the pair of opening / closing plates 28 are provided at the drug supply location 36 so as to be movable between a closed position P1 that covers the pair of transport surfaces 2202 from a point higher than the drug packaging bags 14 supplied to the pair of transport surfaces 2202, with a gap S4 through which the pusher 32 can pass, and a retracted position P2 that moves away from the top of the pair of transport surfaces 2202, as shown in Figures 1(A) and 5(A). In this embodiment, the pair of opening / closing plates 28 are provided at the same height as the downstream end of the upper transport surface 2004 in the direction of movement of the pusher 32, or at a height slightly lower than the downstream end, and the entire upper surface 2802 of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 is formed as a flat surface. As shown in Figures 5(A)-(D), the movement of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 between the closed position P1 and the retracted position P2 is performed by a pair of actuators 38 provided on the upper surface 2206 of a pair of second guides 22, and the operation of the pair of actuators 38 is controlled by a control unit 30. Various conventionally known actuators 38, such as air cylinders, can be used as such actuators 38.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1(A), the control unit 30 monitors a detection signal from an unshown detection unit that detects the goods 12 supplied to the product supply mechanism 10 from the downstream end of the upstream transport conveyor, and the amount of movement of the goods 12 by the supply conveyor 24 (the amount of rotation of the motor of the supply conveyor 24). The control unit 30 recognizes the position of the product 12 in the transport direction (in other words, the position of the pusher 32 in the transport direction) based on these detection signals and the amount of movement of the product 12. The control unit 30 then controls the operation of the drug supply mechanism 26 to supply the drug packaging bag 14 to the drug supply location 36 and the opening and closing operation of the pair of opening / closing plates 28, based on the position of the recognized product 12 (position of the pusher 32).

[0021] Next, the operation of the product supply mechanism 10 will be specifically explained with reference to Figures 1-5. As shown in Figures 1(A), (B), and 5(A), the control unit 30 sets the pair of opening / closing plates 28 to the retracted position P2 before supplying the drug packaging bag 14 to the drug supply location 36. Then, the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 of the supply conveyor 24 comes into contact with the upstream end of the product 12 in the direction of movement of the pusher 32, causing the product 12 to move in the transport direction. The product 12 then moves from the base plate side transport surface 1602 to the product lifting section 20, and then rises towards the upper transport surface 2004 by the product lifting section 20 (inclined transport surface 2002). In this state, the control unit 30 supplies drug packaging bags 14 to the drug supply points 36 of the pair of transport surfaces 2202 from between the pair of opening / closing plates 28 located in the retracted position P2 using the drug supply mechanism 26.

[0022] Next, as shown in Figures 2(A), (B), and 5(B), the control unit 30 sets the pair of opening / closing plates 28 to the closed position P1 before the product 12, which is moved by the pusher 32, reaches the drug supply point 36. The product 12 is then further lifted by the product lifting unit 20 via the pusher 32 and moved to the upper transport surface 2004, approaching the pair of opening / closing plates 28 located in the closed position P1.

[0023] Next, as shown in Figures 3(A), (B), and 5(C), the product 12 is pushed by the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32, moving it from the upper transport surface 2004 onto the pair of open / close plates 28 in the closed position P1, and then moving further along the open / close plates 28 in the transport direction. Eventually, the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 comes into contact with the upstream end of the drug packaging bag 14 in the direction of movement of the pusher 32, and the drug packaging bag 14 is moved along the transport surface 2202 from the drug supply point 36 in the transport direction by being pushed by the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32. In other words, the product 12 located on a pair of opening / closing plates 28 in the closed position P1, and the drug packaging bag 14 located on the transport surface 2202 below the pair of opening / closing plates 28 in the closed position P1 (in other words, directly below the product 12), are moved synchronously (i.e., simultaneously and at the same transport speed) in the transport direction by the front surface 3202 of a single pusher 32. Here, the control unit 30 maintains the closed position P1 of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 until the pusher 32 passes through the pair of opening / closing plates 28. Then, after the pusher 32 has passed through the pair of opening / closing plates 28, the control unit 30 sets the pair of opening / closing plates 28 to the retracted position P2.

[0024] Eventually, as shown in Figures 4(A), (B), and 5(D), the product 12 is moved by the pusher 32 and falls by its own weight from the downstream end in the transport direction of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 at the closed position P1 onto the drug packaging bag 14, which is moved synchronously with the product 12 by the pusher 32, and ends up overlapping the drug packaging bag 14. As a result, the upstream end of the pusher 32 on the drug packaging bag 14 aligns with the product 12, and the product 12 is placed on top of the drug packaging bag 14. In other words, since the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 move synchronously in the transport direction, the upstream portion of the product 12 in the transport direction is shifted further upstream than the upstream portion of the drug packaging bag 14 in the transport direction, preventing the product 12 from overlapping the drug packaging bag 14 and being transported downstream in the transport direction. Then, the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 are supplied into the tubular film formed by the cylinder maker by being moved downstream in the conveying direction along the conveying surface 2202 by the pusher 32 while overlapping without shifting position in the conveying direction. In this embodiment, the upstream end of the product 12 in the transport direction and the upstream end of the drug packaging bag 14 in the transport direction are brought together by the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32, so that the upstream ends of the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 in the transport direction are transported in a state where they are superimposed at the same position in the transport direction. As mentioned above, a center seal and an end seal are applied to the tubular film, and then it is cut to produce a pillow package containing the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14.

[0025] In this embodiment, the control unit 30 maintains the closed position P1 of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 until the pusher 32 passes through the pair of opening / closing plates 28, and then sets the pair of opening / closing plates 28 to the retracted position P2 after the pusher 32 has passed through the pair of opening / closing plates 28. However, the timing for moving the pair of opening / closing plates 28 from the closed position P1 to the retracted position P2 is after the pusher 32 has come into contact with the upstream end of the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 in the direction of movement of the pusher 32, and before the drug packaging bag 14 is supplied to the drug supply point 36.

[0026] In this case, the actions by which the product 12 falls from the pair of opening / closing plates 28 onto the drug packaging bag 14 by its own weight include the following three types: (Operation 1) As the pair of opening and closing plates 28 move to the retracted position P2, the product 12 falls by its own weight onto the drug packaging bag 14, which moves in sync with the product 12. As a result, the upstream ends of the pushers of the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 coincide, and the product 12 is placed on top of the drug packaging bag 14. (Operation 2) As the pair of opening / closing plates 28 move from the closed position P1 to the retracted position P2, the product 12 falls by its own weight onto the drug packaging bag 14, which is moving in sync with the product 12. As a result, the upstream ends of the pushers of the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 coincide, and the product 12 is placed on top of the drug packaging bag 14. (Operation 3) This is the same as in the embodiment described above. The product 12 falls by its own weight onto the drug packaging bag 14, which is moved in sync with the product 12, from the downstream end in the transport direction of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 located at the closed position P1. As a result, the upstream end of the pusher of the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 coincide, and the product 12 is placed on top of the drug packaging bag 14.

[0027] In this case, if (operation 1) or (operation 2) is chosen, the timing of moving the pair of opening / closing plates 28 from the closed position P1 to the retracted position P2 can be accelerated compared to the case of (operation 3). Therefore, if (operation 1) or (operation 2) is selected, the timing of supplying the drug packaging bags 14 to the drug supply point 36 can be accelerated compared to (operation 3), which increases the transport speed of the product 12 and drug packaging bags 14 by the product supply mechanism 10, thus providing an advantage in efficiently manufacturing pillow packaging using a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine.

[0028] As described above, according to this embodiment, a drug supply location 36 is provided at a location on a pair of transport surfaces 2202 located downstream in the direction of movement of the pusher 32 on the upper transport surface 2004. The drug supply location 36 is provided with a pair of open / close plates 28 that can move between a closed position P1 that covers the top of the pair of transport surfaces 2202 from a point higher than the drug packaging bags 14 supplied to the pair of transport surfaces 2202, with a gap through which the pusher 32 can pass, and a retracted position P2 that moves away from the top of the pair of transport surfaces 2202. The pair of open / close plates 28 are set to the closed position P1 before the product 12 reaches the drug supply location 36, and the pair of open / close plates 28 are set to the retracted position P2 after the pusher 32 contacts the product 12 and the upstream end of the drug packaging bag 14 in the direction of movement of the pusher 32, but before the drug packaging bag 14 is supplied to the drug supply location 36. Therefore, by using the pusher 32 to move the product 12 on the pair of opening / closing plates 28 and the drug packaging bag 14 supplied to the drug supply location 36 in a synchronized manner in the transport direction, the product 12 falls by its own weight from between the pair of opening / closing plates 28 that are moving to the retracted position P2 onto the drug packaging bag 14 which is moving in sync with the product 12. Alternatively, the product 12 falls by its own weight onto the drug packaging bag 14, which is moving in sync with the product 12, from the downstream end in the transport direction of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 that are moving from the closed position P1 to the retracted position P2. Alternatively, the product 12 falls by its own weight onto the drug packaging bag 14, which is moved synchronously with the product 12, from the downstream end in the transport direction of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 located at the closed position P1. As a result, the upstream end of the pusher on the product 12 and the drug packaging bag 14 are aligned, and the product 12 is placed on top of the drug packaging bag 14. Therefore, since the upstream end of product 12 and the upstream end of the drug packaging bag 14 are transported at the same position in the transport direction, it is possible to reliably prevent the problem that occurred in the conventional method, where the upstream portion of product 12 was shifted further upstream in the transport direction than the upstream portion of the drug packaging bag 14, causing product 12 to overlap the drug packaging bag 14 and be transported downstream. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent improper jamming (seal failure) of the product 12 or drug packaging bag 14 at the sealing portion of the pillow packaging body caused by misalignment of the product 12 and drug packaging bag 14 in the transport direction, which is advantageous for stable and efficient production of pillow packaging bodies using a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pair of opening and closing plates 28 are provided at the same height as the downstream end of the upper conveying surface 2004 in the direction of movement of the pusher 32, or at a height slightly lower than the downstream end. This is advantageous for smoothly conveying the product 12 when it moves from the upper conveying surface 2004 to the upper surface 2802 of the pair of opening and closing plates 28, even if the outer circumference of the lower part of the product 12 is angular. Furthermore, since the entire upper surface 2802 of the pair of opening and closing plates 28 is formed as a flat surface, it is advantageous not only for smoothly transporting the product 12 along the upper surface 2802 of the pair of opening and closing plates 28, but also, as will be explained below, there is no need to form an inclined surface on the pair of opening and closing plates 28 to smoothly guide the product 12, which is advantageous in reducing the component cost of the opening and closing plates 28.

[0030] The pair of opening and closing plates 28 may be provided at approximately the same height as the downstream end of the upper conveying surface 2004 in the direction of movement of the pusher 32. In that case, if the outer periphery of the lower part of product 12 is formed as a curved or inclined surface, product 12 will be transported smoothly from the upper transport surface 2004 to the pair of opening / closing plates 28 without the outer periphery of the lower part of product 12 interfering with the upstream end of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 in the transport direction. Furthermore, if the lower outer circumference of the product 12 is angular, it is preferable to form an inclined surface on the upper surface 2802 of the pair of opening / closing plates 28 that gradually rises towards the downstream side in the conveying direction, so that when the product 12 is conveyed from the upper conveying surface 2004 to the pair of opening / closing plates 28, the lower outer circumference of the product 12 is guided by the inclined surface of the pair of opening / closing plates 28, thereby ensuring that the product 12 is conveyed smoothly.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the case in which the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 protrudes upward from the conveying surface 2202 and its upper end 3204 is set at a height higher than the upper end of the product 12 placed on the downstream end of the upper conveying surface 2004 has been described. However, the upper end 3204 of the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 may be set at a height lower than the upper end of the product 12 placed on the downstream end of the upper conveying surface 2004. In other words, for the product 12 to be transported by the pusher 32, it is sufficient that the upper end 3204 of the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 is higher than the lower end of the product 12 placed on the downstream end of the upper transport surface 2004. However, in this embodiment, the front surface 3202 of the pusher 32 makes more reliable contact with the product 12 in the vertical direction, which is advantageous for transporting the product 12 in a stable state by the pusher 32. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 10 Product supply organization 12 products 14 Drug packaging bags 16 Base plate 1602 Base plate side conveying surface 18 Guide 1 1802 First lateral guide surface 1804 Top surface 20 Product price increase section 2002 Inclined conveying surface 2004 Upper conveying surface 22 Guide 2 2202 Pair of conveying surfaces 2204 A pair of second lateral guide surfaces 2206 Pair of upper surfaces 24 Supply conveyor 26. Drug supply mechanism 28 pairs of opening and closing plates 2802 Top surface 30 Control Unit 32 Pusher 3202 Front 3204 Top 34 Suction Heads 36 Drug supply locations 38 Actuators W1 Product width T1 Product height W2 Width of drug packaging bag T2 Drug packaging bag thickness P1 blockage position P2 Evacuation position S1 Gap between the two base plate side transport surfaces 1602 S2 Gap in the product lifting section 20 S3 Gap between the pair of transport surfaces 2202 S4 Gap between the pair of opening / closing plates 28 at the closed position P1

Claims

1. A product supply mechanism for a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine, comprising: a pair of conveying surfaces provided with a gap between them; a pusher that protrudes from the gap above the conveying surfaces and moves along the pair of conveying surfaces to move the products supplied to the conveying surfaces; a drug supply mechanism that supplies drug packaging bags to the pair of conveying surfaces; and an upper conveying surface positioned upstream of the drug supply location where the drug packaging bags are supplied, with a gap through which the pusher can pass, and positioned at a location larger than the thickness of the drug packaging bag and higher than the conveying surfaces, wherein the product supply mechanism for a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine comprises: a pair of conveying surfaces provided with a gap between them; a pusher that protrudes from the gap above the conveying surfaces and moves along the pair of conveying surfaces to move the products supplied to the conveying surfaces; a drug supply mechanism that supplies drug packaging bags to the pair of conveying surfaces; and an upper conveying surface positioned upstream of the drug supply location in the direction of movement of the pusher, with a gap that allows the pusher to pass through, and which positions the products at a location larger than the thickness of the drug packaging bag and higher than the conveying surfaces. The drug supply location is provided at the location of the pair of conveying surfaces located downstream in the direction of movement of the pusher on the upper conveying surface. At the drug supply location, a pair of opening and closing plates are provided that are movable between a closed position that covers the top of the pair of transport surfaces from a point higher than the drug packaging bags supplied to the pair of transport surfaces, with a gap through which the pusher can pass, and a retracted position that moves away from the top of the pair of transport surfaces. A control unit is provided that sets the pair of opening / closing plates to the closed position before the product reaches the drug supply location, and sets the pair of opening / closing plates to the retracted position after the pusher contacts the product and the upstream end of the drug packaging bag in the direction of movement of the pusher, but before supplying the drug packaging bag to the drug supply location. A product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine, characterized by the following features.

2. The pair of opening and closing plates are provided at the same height as the downstream end of the upper conveying surface in the direction of movement of the pusher. Product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to claim 1.

3. The pair of opening and closing plates are provided at the same height as the downstream end of the upper conveying surface in the direction of movement of the pusher, or at a height lower than the downstream end. Product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to claim 1.

4. The entire upper surface of the pair of opening and closing plates is formed as a flat surface. Product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to feature 3.

5. The pusher has a flat front surface perpendicular to the conveying direction, The aforementioned front surface protrudes upward from the conveying surface, and its upper end is set at a height higher than the upper end of the product placed on the downstream end of the upper conveying surface. Product supply mechanism in a horizontal bag-making, filling, and packaging machine according to claim 1.

Images