Hermeticity verification system and hermeticity verification method

Abstract

A hermeticity verification system (11) includes a hermeticity measurement device (13) disposed within a hermetically sealed enclosure. The hermeticity measurement device (13) includes a gas sensor (17), a device wireless communication circuit (19), a memory (21), an internal power supply (23), and a control device (25). The control device (25) is configured so as to: in accordance with an instruction from the outside received via wireless communication, acquire an initial measurement result by causing an initial-state gas parameter of a gas within the enclosure to be measured using the gas sensor (17); store an initial measurement date and time and the acquired initial measurement result in the memory (21); and, in accordance with an instruction received from the outside via wireless communication, transmit, to the outside, the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result stored in the memory, and transmit, to the outside, a current measurement result acquired by causing measurement of the gas parameter of the gas within the enclosure to be performed at the time of the instruction using the gas sensor.

Description

Sealing confirmation system and sealing confirmation method

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealability verification system and method for ensuring the sealability of a sealed enclosure.

[0002] Conventionally, for products, packages, and other enclosures that require a sealed internal space, their airtightness and tightness are inspected at the final stage of the production process to ensure their performance. A typical method for inspecting airtightness and tightness involves detecting minute pressure changes (of the order of several Pa / sec) inside the enclosure caused by leaks to detect defects in the enclosure. For example, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a method is often used in which a tracer gas or the like is filled inside the enclosure and defects are detected by detecting a pressure drop inside the package. Another method, as disclosed in Patent Document 3, involves transporting a package filled with a tracer gas or the like inside into a sealed container, reducing the ambient atmosphere inside the sealed container below the pressure inside the package, and detecting changes in the tracer gas concentration in the ambient atmosphere to detect defects. With this method, if sufficient inspection time is ensured, the amount of pressure drop and the amount of change in tracer gas concentration increase, allowing for detection of even smaller leaks.

[0003] JP 2005-315670 A JP 2021-66438 A JP 7-19986 A

[0004] However, as production capacity increases, the time required for each process must be reduced, and the time required to detect defects in enclosures such as packaging is often less than 10 seconds. Under these conditions, it is difficult to detect minute leaks of less than a few Pa per second.

[0005] Another problem is that the inspections performed during the production process as described above cannot detect defects that occur after shipment, such as damage to the enclosure due to an accident during transportation or intentional destruction of the enclosure.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to solve the problems present in the prior art and to make it possible to detect minute leaks from an enclosure or damage to an enclosure after shipment.

[0007] In view of the above object, the present invention provides, as a first aspect, a sealability verification system including a sealability measurement device to be placed in a sealed enclosure, wherein the sealability measurement device comprises a gas sensor that measures gas parameters of a gas within the enclosure, a device wireless communication circuit for wireless communication, a memory that stores at least a measurement date and time and a measurement result by the gas sensor, an internal power source, and a control device that controls operations of the gas sensor, the device wireless communication circuit, and the memory, wherein the control device is configured to: in accordance with an external instruction received through the device wireless communication circuit, cause the gas sensor to measure an initial state gas parameter of the gas within the enclosure to obtain an initial measurement result, store the initial measurement date and time and the obtained initial measurement result in the memory; and in accordance with an external instruction received through the device wireless communication circuit, transmit to an external device via the device wireless communication circuit the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result stored in the memory, as well as a current measurement result that is obtained by measuring the gas parameters of the gas within the enclosure using the gas sensor at the instructed time.

[0008] In the above-described sealability verification system, the sealability measurement device disposed within the enclosure includes a gas sensor, a device wireless communication circuit, a memory, and an internal power source. The gas sensor of the sealability measurement device disposed within the enclosure can measure gas parameters of the gas within the enclosure in accordance with external instructions transmitted via wireless communication by the device wireless communication circuit. Since there is no need to connect the external device issuing the instructions to the sealability measurement device via a wire, the gas parameters of the gas within the enclosure can be measured using the sealability measurement device disposed within the enclosure without compromising the sealability of the enclosure, and there is no need to move the external device and the enclosure together. Furthermore, in response to external instructions transmitted via wireless communication, the gas sensor of the sealability measurement device disposed within the enclosure can measure the gas parameters of the gas within the sealed enclosure at any time, and the measurement results and the measurement date and time can be stored in memory. Therefore, the gas parameters of the gas within the sealed package can also be accurately measured in its initial state, and the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement results can be stored in memory. In addition, at any time, such as after shipment, the initial measurement date and time stored in the memory and the initial measurement result can be sent to the outside via the device wireless communication circuit, and the current measurement result, which is the most recent measurement result by the gas sensor in the hermetic seal measurement device placed inside the enclosure, can be sent to the outside. The measurement interval can be determined from the initial measurement date and time and the date and time of the measurement instruction at any time, and the amount or rate of change of the gas parameter can be determined from the initial measurement result and the current measurement result, which is the most recent measurement result by the gas sensor in accordance with the measurement instruction at any time. For example, if the gas sensor measures the pressure or concentration of the gas as a gas parameter, the amount or rate of change of the gas pressure or concentration can be determined, making it possible to detect leaks from the enclosure and confirm the hermetic seal.

[0009] In the above-described sealability checking system, the gas sensor is preferably a pressure sensor that measures the pressure of a gas or a concentration sensor that measures the concentration of a gas.

[0010] In one embodiment, the memory has pre-stored prior information, and the prior information is at least one of the group consisting of location information regarding the location where the measurement by the gas sensor was performed, environmental information regarding the environment where the measurement by the gas sensor was performed, standard information regarding the sealing standard, identification information of the product using the enclosure, gas information regarding the gas sealed in the enclosure, and the volume within the enclosure.

[0011] In addition, at least one of the group consisting of the initial measurement results, the amount of gas in the enclosure determined from the initial measurement results, the amount of gas leaking from the enclosure, and information regarding compliance with standards regarding sealing can be stored in the memory.

[0012] The internal power source is preferably a wireless power supply circuit that generates power through wireless communication.

[0013] Preferably, the sealability verification system further comprises an external operation terminal disposed outside the enclosure, the external operation terminal having an input device, a clock unit, a display device, a processing unit, and a terminal wireless communication circuit, and in accordance with instructions input from the input device, acquires the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result stored in the memory of the sealability measurement device via the terminal wireless communication circuit and the device wireless communication circuit, and causes the control device to perform a measurement using the gas sensor to acquire the current measurement result using the gas sensor at the current measurement date and time, and the processing unit determines the sealability of the enclosure based on the acquired initial measurement date and time and the acquired current measurement date and time and the current measurement result. In this case, it is even more preferable that the external operation terminal further comprises a global positioning unit for measuring position information, and information about the measurement position acquired by the global positioning unit during measurement using the gas sensor is stored in the memory.

[0014] In one embodiment, the gas sensor is a concentration sensor that measures the concentration of a gas, and the processing device may determine the sealing ability of the enclosure based on the amount of change in the concentration of the gas to be measured measured by the gas sensor.

[0015] In another embodiment, the gas sensor may be a pressure sensor that measures gas pressure, and the processing unit may determine the sealing ability of the enclosure based on the amount of change in gas pressure inside the enclosure measured by the gas sensor.

[0016] The external operation terminal may have a display screen, and the result of the determination as to whether the sealing property of the enclosure satisfies a predetermined standard may be displayed on the display screen.

[0017] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for checking the hermeticity of a sealed enclosure, the method comprising: placing a hermeticity measuring device inside the enclosure, the hermeticity measuring device comprising a gas sensor for measuring gas parameters of a gas, a memory capable of storing measurement results by the gas sensor, and an internal power source; using a first external operation terminal to wirelessly cause the gas sensor of the hermeticity measuring device to measure initial state gas parameters of the gas inside the enclosure; acquiring an initial measurement result at an initial measurement date and time; storing the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result in the memory; and using the first external operation terminal or a second external operation terminal to perform a measurement at an arbitrary current date and time. and determining whether the hermeticity of the enclosure satisfies a predetermined standard for leakage based on the determined change in gas parameter over time, by wirelessly causing the gas sensor of the hermeticity measuring device to measure the gas parameters of the gas within the enclosure again, obtaining a current measurement result at a current measurement date and time, obtaining the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result stored in the memory, and using the first external operation terminal or the second external operation terminal to determine whether the hermeticity of the enclosure satisfies a predetermined standard for leakage based on the determined change in gas parameter over time.

[0018] In the above-mentioned method for confirming airtightness, the memory stores the type of gas sealed in the enclosure and the volume of the sealing portion of the enclosure, and the first external operation terminal or the second external operation terminal further acquires the type of gas and the volume of the sealing portion from the memory via wireless communication, and calculates the current amount of gas inside the enclosure and the amount of leakage from the enclosure to the outside from the acquired initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result, the acquired current measurement date and time and the current measurement result, and the acquired type of gas and volume of the sealing portion, and determines whether the airtightness of the enclosure meets a predetermined standard based on the calculated leakage amount.

[0019] The gas sensor may be a concentration sensor that measures the concentration of the gas sealed in the enclosure, or may be a pressure sensor that measures the pressure of the gas sealed in the enclosure.

[0020] It is preferable that the first external operation terminal or the second external operation terminal has a display screen, and the result of the determination as to whether the sealing property of the enclosure satisfies a predetermined standard is displayed on the display screen.

[0021] According to the system and method for verifying hermetic sealability of the present invention, the measurement interval can be determined from the initial measurement date and time and the current measurement date and time, which is the date and time specified at any timing, and the amount or rate of change of a gas parameter can be determined from the initial measurement result and the current measurement result at the current measurement date and time, which is the most recent measurement result. Therefore, for example, if a gas sensor measures gas pressure or concentration as a gas parameter, the amount and rate of change of the gas pressure or concentration can be determined, making it possible to detect leaks from the enclosure and verify hermetic sealability. Furthermore, since gas parameters can be measured within the enclosure without being limited to the manufacturing process, inspections equivalent to leak inspections can be performed over long periods of time without stopping the manufacturing line for inspection, making it possible to detect even minute leaks. Furthermore, it is also possible to detect damage to the enclosure after shipment, such as damage during transportation.

[0022] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the overall configuration of a sealability confirmation system according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a method for installing a sealability measurement device in the sealability confirmation system shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transparent perspective view showing a third embodiment of a method for installing a sealability measurement device in the sealability confirmation system shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the steps of a sealability confirmation method using the sealability confirmation system according to the present invention.

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a system and method for checking sealability according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] First, referring to Figure 1, the overall configuration of a sealability verification system 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The sealability verification system 11 includes a sealability measurement device 13 disposed within a sealed enclosure and an external operation terminal 15 disposed outside the enclosure, and is configured so that the sealability measurement device 13 can be operated using the external operation terminal 15 to measure gas parameters of the gas within the enclosure. Note that the sealability measurement device 13 and the external operation terminal 15 do not necessarily have to have a one-to-one correspondence; multiple different external operation terminals 15 may be used for one sealability measurement device 13, or one external operation terminal 15 may be used for a different number of sealability measurement devices 13.

[0025] The sealability measuring device 13 includes a gas sensor 17 capable of measuring the state of gas within the enclosure, a device wireless communication circuit 19 for wireless communication with the external operation terminal 15, a memory 21 for storing various information, an internal power supply 23, and a control device 25. The gas sensor 17, the device wireless communication circuit 19, the memory 21, the internal power supply 23, and the control device 25 are preferably mounted on a single board, which is compact and easy to place within the packaging. The board on which the gas sensor 17, the device wireless communication circuit 19, the memory 21, the internal power supply 23, and the control device 25 are mounted may be housed in a housing. In this case, the housing has a structure that is breathable and does not block radio waves, and is configured to allow the gas sensor 17 to be open to the space within the enclosure while preventing substances other than the gas from directly contacting the board. If the housing structure alone is not sufficient to block substances other than the gas, a countermeasure may be taken by placing a filter around the gas sensor 17, whose shape and material do not affect the properties of the gas. For example, by placing a filter using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) around the gas sensor 17, it is possible to prevent water and oil from passing through and ensure that only gas comes into contact with the gas-contacting portion of the gas sensor 17.

[0026] Any suitable sensor can be used as the gas sensor 17 as long as it can measure the gas parameters of the gas within the enclosure. The gas parameters to be measured may be, for example, the pressure and concentration of the gas. In this case, a pressure sensor and a concentration sensor may be used as the gas sensor 17. A semiconductor strain gauge or a quartz oscillator may be used as the pressure sensor, and a quartz oscillator may be used as the concentration sensor.

[0027] The device wireless communication circuit 19 may be a communication module equipped with an antenna, a transmitter, a modulator, an amplifier, a filter, a demodulator, etc., and preferably an integrated circuit is used to reduce the size of the hermetic seal measurement device 13. However, the device wireless communication circuit 19 is not particularly limited as long as it enables wireless communication with the outside. The memory 21 may be a memory module capable of reading and writing data, and similarly, an integrated circuit is preferably used to reduce the size of the hermetic seal measurement device 13. However, the memory 21 is not particularly limited as long as it can store various information. The memory 21 is configured to store at least the date and time (year, month, day, hour, minute, second) of measurement by the gas sensor 17 and the measurement results. Furthermore, the memory 21 is configured to store prior information in advance. The prior information includes location information regarding the location where measurement by the gas sensor 17 was performed, environmental information regarding the environment where measurement by the gas sensor 17 was performed, standard information regarding the hermetic seal standard of the enclosure to be measured by the gas sensor 17, identification information of the product using the enclosure, gas information regarding the gas sealed within the enclosure, the volume of the space within the enclosure, and the appropriateness of the sealing state.

[0028] The location information may be, in detail, the latitude, longitude, altitude, etc. of the location where the measurement by the gas sensor 17 was performed. The environmental information may be, in detail, the air pressure, temperature, humidity, etc. of the location where the measurement by the gas sensor 17 was performed. The standard information may be, for example, the product guaranteed gas pressure, leakage standards, etc. The product information may be, for example, product identification information for identifying the product, such as the type, product name, model number, and product code of the product that uses the enclosure. The gas information may be, for example, the type, volume (amount), pressure, concentration, etc. of the gas sealed within the enclosure. Note that the type of gas includes a vacuum.

[0029] The internal power supply 23 supplies power for operation of the sealability measurement device 13. As the internal power supply 23, it is preferable to use a wireless power supply circuit that can supply power using electromagnetic waves such as radio waves for wireless communication from the external operation terminal 15. However, a general battery or cell may also be used as the internal power supply 23.

[0030] The control device 25 is connected to the gas sensor 17, the wireless communication circuit 19, and the memory 21, and controls the operations of these devices. The control device 25 can be configured by a central processing unit (CPU) that operates according to a pre-stored program.

[0031] The external operation terminal 15 is equipped with a terminal wireless communication circuit 27, an input device 29, a clock unit 31, a memory 33, a display device 35, a global positioning unit (GPS) 37, and an arithmetic processing unit 39, and is capable of giving instructions to the sealability measuring device 13 via the terminal wireless communication circuit 27 and the device wireless communication circuit 19 to control the operation of the sealability measuring device 13, measuring the gas parameters of the gas within the enclosure, and obtaining measurement results from the sealability measuring device 13.

[0032] The terminal wireless communication circuit 27 has a configuration similar to that of the device wireless communication circuit 19 and may use a communication module including an antenna, a transmitter, a modulator, an amplifier, a filter, a demodulator, etc. However, like the device wireless communication circuit 19, the terminal wireless communication circuit 27 is not particularly limited as long as it enables wireless communication with the sealability measurement device 13. The memory 33 is used to store data and programs and may use a memory module capable of reading and writing data and programs. However, the memory 33 is not particularly limited as long as it can store various information and programs. Programs include calculation programs and judgment programs executed by the arithmetic processing device 39. The arithmetic processing device 39 calculates, for example, the amount of gas leaking from the enclosure based on the measurement results and various information obtained from the sealability measurement device 13 in accordance with the calculation programs and judgment programs, and determines whether the leakage standards are met. These are required components.

[0033] Meanwhile, the following components may be provided as needed. The input device 29 is used to input numerical values, information, instructions, etc., and may be, for example, a keyboard or a touch panel. The clock unit 31 provides time information. The display device 35 is used to display the measurement results and preliminary information obtained from the sealability measuring device 13, as well as the calculation results and judgment results obtained from the measurement results and preliminary information by the calculation processing device 39. The global positioning unit 37 obtains location information of the external operation terminal 15 based on information from satellites.

[0034] Any suitable device having a configuration capable of performing the above-described functions can be used as the external operation terminal 15. For example, the external operation terminal 15 may be a device designed as a dedicated device having the above-described configuration, or may be a smartphone or computer loaded with dedicated application software.

[0035] In the sealability verification system 11, the sealability measurement device 13 disposed within the enclosure includes a gas sensor 17, a device wireless communication circuit 19, a memory 21, and an internal power supply 23. The gas sensor 17 of the sealability measurement device 13 disposed within the enclosure can measure gas parameters of the gas within the enclosure in accordance with instructions transmitted wirelessly from the external operation terminal 15 via the wireless communication circuit. Since there is no need for a wired connection between the sealability measurement device 13 and the external operation terminal 15 that issues the instructions, measurement by the sealability measurement device 13 disposed within the enclosure can be performed without compromising the sealability of the enclosure by simply sealing the enclosure with the external operation terminal 15 disposed within the enclosure. Therefore, there is no need to move the external operation terminal 15, the enclosure, and the sealability measurement device 13 therein together. Furthermore, in response to instructions from the external operation terminal 15, the gas sensor 17 can measure the gas parameters of the gas within the sealed enclosure at any time, and the measurement results and the measurement date and time of the gas parameters measured by the gas sensor 17 can be stored in the memory 21. Therefore, the initial gas parameters of the gas inside the package can be accurately measured while the package is sealed, and the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement results can be stored in memory 21. Additionally, at any time, such as after shipment, the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement results stored in memory 21 can be sent to external operation terminal 15 via wireless communication, and the current measurement result, which is the most recent measurement result by gas sensor 17 of sealability measuring device 13 placed inside the enclosure, can be sent to external operation terminal 15. The measurement interval can be determined from the initial measurement date and time and the date and time of an instruction given at any time, and the amount and rate of change of the gas parameters can be determined from the initial measurement result and the current measurement result, which is the most recent measurement result by gas sensor 17 in accordance with the instruction given at any time. For example, if gas sensor 17 measures the pressure and concentration of the gas as gas parameters, the amount and rate of change of the gas pressure and concentration can be determined. Therefore, as described below, leakage from the enclosure can be detected and the sealability can be confirmed.

[0036] 2 to 4 show examples of placement of the sealability measuring device 13 inside various enclosures.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which a sealability measuring device 13 is disposed within an enclosure capable of maintaining a predetermined shape while a tracer gas at a predetermined pressure is sealed therein. In this embodiment, the enclosure is composed of a rigid housing 101 of the product and a sealing member 103, such as a cap, that seals an opening 101a in the housing. The sealing member 103 maintains the airtightness of the housing 101. Examples of products of this type include tanks and bottles containing gas. In this embodiment, the sealing member 103 serves as the housing, and its internal space includes a storage space 103b that communicates with the internal space of the product housing 101 via a communication hole 103a. The sealability measuring device 13, mounted on a substrate, is fixed within the storage space 103b so that the gas sensor is in contact with the gas within the internal space of the housing 101. In a product such as this embodiment, a tracer gas at a predetermined pressure may be sealed within the internal space, or the product gas may be treated as the tracer gas, or the internal space may be evacuated. When the internal space is evacuated, air is used as the tracer gas.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the sealability measuring device 13 is disposed within an enclosure by fixing the device 13 to one surface of a component (i.e., an enclosure) that forms a sealed space within the product. The product of this embodiment includes two bottomed cylindrical (cup-shaped) body members 201a and 201b and a partition member 203 that separates the space. The sealed space is formed by the single body member 201a and the partition member 203. In other words, the enclosure is formed by the body member 201a and the partition member 203, allowing the product's own structure to maintain airtightness without the use of a sealing member. Examples of products of this type include waterproof equipment. In this embodiment, the sealability measuring device 13 is mounted on a substrate and fixed to the surface of the partition member 203 facing the sealed space so that the gas sensor is in contact with the gas within the sealed space. In a product such as this embodiment, a tracer gas at a predetermined pressure may be sealed within the sealed space, or the sealed space may be evacuated and air may be used as the tracer gas.

[0039] 4 shows an embodiment in which the sealability measuring device 13 is disposed within an enclosure, such as a package whose contents take on an irregular shape. The product in this embodiment is a food product, and the enclosure 301 is a food package or vacuum pack that maintains airtightness. In this embodiment, a three-dimensional package 303 made of a breathable material serves as a housing, and the sealability measuring device 13 mounted on a substrate is disposed within the package 303. The package 303 containing the sealability measuring device 13 is disposed within the enclosure 301 together with the contents 305. In the case of a product such as this embodiment, a tracer gas at a predetermined pressure may be sealed within the interior space of the enclosure, or the interior space of the enclosure may be evacuated and air may be used as the tracer gas.

[0040] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the procedure of the method for checking the sealability using the sealability checking system 11 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

[0041] The enclosure may be a housing for a part of a product that needs to be sealed, a package for packaging the product, or the like. First, the enclosure is sealed with the sealability measurement device 13 placed inside (step ST1). The sealability measurement device 13 is preferably fixed to the inner surface of the enclosure, such as a housing or package. However, if the enclosure is a package and the sealability measurement device 13 is provided on a substrate and configured in a form surrounded by a housing or the like, the sealability measurement device 13 may be placed inside the enclosure together with the product packaged in the enclosure (package) without being fixed to the inner surface of the enclosure, and any appropriate arrangement is possible.

[0042] Next, the first external operation terminal 15 is used to transmit an instruction to measure the initial state gas parameters of the gas inside the enclosure to the hermetic seal measurement device 13 via the terminal wireless communication circuit 27. The control device 25, upon receiving the instruction via the device wireless communication circuit 19, causes the gas sensor 17 to measure the initial state gas parameters of the gas inside the enclosure (step ST2). The method for generating the measurement instruction is not particularly limited. For example, the measurement instruction may be generated by an operator inputting it via the input device 29 when the enclosure is placed near the first external operation terminal 15, or the first external operation terminal 15 may automatically generate the measurement instruction according to a program. Furthermore, the method for bringing the enclosure closer to the first external operation terminal 15 is not particularly limited. For example, the enclosure may be brought closer to the first external operation terminal 15 by being transported by a transport device or the like, or the operator carrying the first external operation terminal 15 may move closer to the first external operation terminal 15.

[0043] When the gas sensor 17 completes measuring the gas parameters of the gas in the initial state, the control device 25 stores the measurement result of the initial state together with the initial measurement date and time, which is the measurement date and time of the initial state, as the initial measurement result in the memory 21 (step ST3). In the illustrated embodiment, the initial measurement date and time is obtained by transmitting date and time information acquired from the clock unit 31 of the external operation terminal 15 to the sealability measuring device 13 via the terminal wireless communication circuit 27 along with an initial state measurement command, and the transmitted date and time information is stored in the memory 21 as the initial measurement date and time. However, date and time information input by the operator via the input device 29 of the external operation terminal 15 may also be transmitted to the sealability measuring device 13. Alternatively, the sealability measuring device 13 may be provided with a clock unit, and the control device 25 may acquire date and time information from the clock unit of the sealability measuring device 13 and store it in the memory 21 as the initial measurement date and time when causing the gas sensor 17 to measure the gas parameters of the gas in the initial state.

[0044] When storing the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result in the memory 21, in addition to the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result, other information may be stored as prior information in the memory 21. The prior information may be stored in the memory 21 at the same time as the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result are stored in the memory 21, or may be stored before or after the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result are stored in the memory 21. The prior information may include location information regarding the location where the measurement was performed by the gas sensor 17, environmental information regarding the environment where the measurement was performed by the gas sensor 17, standard information regarding the sealing standard of the enclosure that is the target of measurement by the gas sensor 17, identification information of the product that uses the enclosure, gas information regarding the gas sealed in the enclosure, the volume of the space within the enclosure, and whether the sealing state is appropriate.

[0045] The above steps are preferably performed during the manufacturing of the enclosure product or before shipping. If there are standards for the pressure or concentration of the gas sealed in the enclosure, performing the above-described measurements before shipping makes it possible to determine whether the initial measurement results meet the standards, and also makes it possible to perform the above measurements as an inspection to detect defective sealing and exclude detected defective products from shipping.

[0046] Next, at any timing, a measurement instruction for the gas parameters of the gas in the enclosure at the current date and time is transmitted to the hermeticity measurement device 13 via wireless communication. The control device 25, receiving the measurement instruction via the device wireless communication circuit 19, causes the gas sensor 17 to measure the gas parameters of the gas in the enclosure at the current date and time (step ST4). The measurement instruction may be generated using the first external operation terminal 15 that issued the initial measurement instruction, or may be generated using a second external operation terminal 15 different from the first external operation terminal 15. For example, when issuing a measurement instruction before shipment, the first external operation terminal 15 can be used, allowing measurement to be performed using the same external operation terminal. When issuing a measurement instruction on the receiving side after shipment, using the second external operation terminal 15 eliminates the need to move the first external operation terminal 15 along with the movement of the product, improving convenience. In the following description, the first external operation terminal or the second external operation terminal that generates a measurement instruction at any timing will simply be referred to as the "external operation terminal 15."

[0047] When the gas sensor 17 completes measuring the gas parameters of the gas at the current date and time, the control device 25 acquires the current measurement result from the gas sensor 17, and transmits the initial measurement date and time, the initial measurement result, and the current measurement result stored in the memory 21 to the external operation terminal 15 via the device wireless communication circuit 19. The external operation terminal 15 acquires the initial measurement date and time, the initial measurement result, and the current measurement result from the sealability measuring device 13 via the terminal wireless communication circuit 27, acquires the current date and time as the current measurement date and time from the clock unit 31, and calculates the change in the gas parameters or the leakage amount from the initial measurement date and time and the current measurement date and time and current measurement result using the arithmetic processing device 39 to determine whether the sealability of the enclosure satisfies the standard (step ST5). In a preferred embodiment, the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result acquired from the sealability measuring device 13 and the current measurement result acquired from the sealability measuring device 13 are displayed on the display device 35 along with the current measurement date and time. Furthermore, it is preferable that the display device 35 also displays the judgment result as to whether or not the sealing property of the enclosure satisfies the standard (hereinafter referred to as the "sealing property judgment result").

[0048] In this way, the sealability of the enclosure can be confirmed based on the judgment results from the external operation terminal 15. If the gas parameters of the gas in the enclosure as of the current measurement date and time are obtained before shipment and the sealability judgment result of the enclosure is obtained, products that are not suitable for shipment can be rejected based on the sealability judgment result. Furthermore, if the gas parameters of the gas in the envelope as of the current measurement date and time are obtained after shipment (e.g., at the time of delivery or immediately before use) and the sealability judgment result of the enclosure is obtained, defects that occurred during transportation, etc., can be detected and the use of defective products can be prevented. Furthermore, rather than obtaining the sealability judgment result with only a single inspection, the gas parameters can be measured over the transportation time within the factory and after transportation time after shipment to judge the sealability. This allows for more time to check for leaks, eliminating the need to stop the production line for a long time. Therefore, even minute leaks can be detected without slowing down the manufacturing or shipping speed.

[0049] The sealability determination result may be transmitted to the sealability measuring device 13 via the terminal wireless communication circuit 27, and the sealability determination result received via the device wireless communication circuit 19 may be stored in the memory 21 of the sealability measuring device 13 (step ST6). By storing the latest sealability determination result in the memory 21 of the sealability measuring device 13 in this way, it becomes possible to know whether the product is suitable for use by obtaining the sealability determination result from the memory 21 before using the product.

[0050] Next, a more detailed description will be given of the procedure for determining the hermetic seal from the measurement results obtained by the gas sensor 17. The following describes, as examples, a case in which the hermetic seal of a vacuum-depressurized enclosure is determined based on the measurement results of the pressure (gas pressure) in the internal space, and a case in which the hermetic seal of an enclosure that has been sealed with a tracer gas sealed in it is determined based on the measurement results of the concentration of the tracer gas.

[0051] First, a procedure for determining the hermeticity of an enclosure will be described using the example of a product in which the enclosure shown in FIG. 2 is sealed in a vacuum state. In this case, a pressure sensor is used as the gas sensor 17. In the product shown in FIG. 2, for example, after the enclosure, casing 101, is evacuated, a sealing member 103 containing a hermeticity measurement device 13 is attached to the casing 101 to seal the enclosure. Next, before shipping from the factory, an initial pressure measurement is performed within the sealed enclosure, and the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result are stored in memory 21. Prior information may also be stored in memory 21. Next, at an arbitrary timing, a pressure measurement within the enclosure at the current measurement date and time is performed, and the external operation terminal 15 wirelessly acquires the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result stored in memory 21, as well as the current measurement result at the current measurement date and time measured by the gas sensor 17 at an arbitrary timing. At this time, the external operation terminal 15 may also wirelessly acquire the prior information stored in memory 21.

[0052] The change in pressure inside the enclosure is determined from the initial measurement result and the current measurement result, and the measurement time interval is determined from the initial measurement date and time and the current measurement date and time. If the product related to the enclosure to be measured is identified in advance, the volume of the sealed portion inside the enclosure is known, and the current amount of gas sealed inside the enclosure (hereinafter referred to as the "sealed current gas amount") can be determined from the change in pressure, assuming air as a tracer gas. If the enclosure is vacuum-depressurized, the initial amount of gas inside the enclosure is approximately zero, so the determined sealed current gas amount is the leakage amount. The leakage amount per unit time can be determined from the determined leakage amount and the determined measurement time interval. If the product related to the enclosure to be measured is identified in advance, the leakage standard is also known. Therefore, for example, if the product standard specifies a leakage amount or leakage amount per unit time equal to or less than a predetermined value X, compliance with the leakage standard can be determined by determining whether the leakage amount or leakage amount per unit time is equal to or less than X, and the sealing quality of the enclosure can be evaluated and confirmed based on the results. If the leakage standard is set as "the internal pressure of the enclosure must be X or less," the current measured pressure can be compared with X to determine whether the standard is met.

[0053] While the above description has been given using an example in which the enclosure is evacuated, the hermeticity measuring device 13 can also be used to determine the hermeticity of the enclosure when a predetermined pressure of gas is sealed inside the enclosure. In this case, the initial gas pressure is stored in memory 21 as the initial measurement result, so the initial amount of gas sealed (hereinafter referred to as the "sealed initial gas amount") can be determined from the predetermined type of sealed gas, the sealed volume, and the initial measurement result. The current amount of gas sealed, i.e., the sealed current gas amount, can be determined from the predetermined type of sealed gas, the sealed volume, and the current gas pressure inside the enclosure as the current measurement result. Therefore, by calculating the leakage amount from the difference between the sealed initial gas amount and the sealed current gas amount, it can be determined whether the leakage standard is met and the hermeticity can be confirmed. For example, if the product specifications specify that the leakage amount or leakage amount per unit time must be less than or equal to a predetermined value X, it is possible to determine whether the leakage amount or leakage amount per unit time conforms to the leakage standard by determining whether the leakage amount or leakage amount per unit time is less than X. If the product specifications specify a guaranteed gas pressure, it is possible to determine whether the currently measured gas pressure conforms to the guaranteed gas pressure, and the sealing ability of the enclosure can be judged based on the results.

[0054] Furthermore, if the memory 21 stores environmental information such as atmospheric pressure, temperature, and relative humidity at the time of initial measurement, and location information such as longitude, latitude, and altitude, as prior information, obtaining this information along with the environmental information and location information for the current measurement location enables correction of the measurement value based on changes in the environment or location, thereby enabling a more accurate determination of hermeticity. Furthermore, the memory 21 stores product information such as the product type and model, the type of sealing gas, the sealing volume, and product specifications as prior information. By acquiring this prior information from the memory 21 at any time during measurement, the external operation terminal 15 itself can acquire this information, thereby preventing product mix-ups and misidentification of product specifications. However, if this prior information is not stored in the memory 21, the operator may input the product information, the sealing gas type, the sealing volume, and the product specifications into the external operation terminal 15 using the input device 29.

[0055] Next, a procedure for determining the hermeticity of an enclosure will be described using the example of a product that uses the packaging shown in FIG. 4 as an enclosure. Here, a gas concentration sensor is used as the gas sensor 17. The product is, for example, food, and the enclosure is food packaging. Food packaging often uses airtight packaging to prevent mold growth and food oxidation, and the packaging is filled with a sealed gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen before sealing. If the packaging has a defect, such as a poor seal or a pinhole, air can enter from the outside and replace the sealed gas, reducing the concentration of the sealed gas. Such changes in the concentration of the sealed gas result in changes in viscosity and average molecular weight. Therefore, a quartz crystal resonator, whose output changes depending on changes in viscosity and average molecular weight, can be used as a concentration sensor.

[0056] In the product shown in FIG. 4 , for example, a package 303 containing a sealability measurement device 13 is placed inside an enclosure 301, which is a package, and the enclosure 301 is filled with a sealing gas such as carbon dioxide gas, and then the package is sealed. Next, before shipping from the factory, the concentration of the sealing gas in the enclosure in an initial state is measured using the sealing gas as a tracer gas, and the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result are stored in the memory 21. Prior information may also be stored in the memory 21. Next, at an arbitrary timing, the concentration of the sealing gas in the enclosure at the current measurement date and time is measured, and the external operation terminal 15 wirelessly acquires the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result stored in the memory 21, as well as the current measurement result at the current measurement date and time measured by the gas sensor 17 at an arbitrary timing. At this time, the external operation terminal 15 may also wirelessly acquire the prior information stored in the memory 21.

[0057] The change in the concentration of the sealed gas inside the enclosure is determined from the initial measurement result and the current measurement result, and the measurement time interval is determined from the initial measurement date and time and the current measurement date and time. If the product related to the enclosure to be measured is specified in advance, the sealed volume inside the enclosure is known, and the current sealed gas amount can be determined from the change in the concentration of the sealed gas. Furthermore, since the initial sealed gas concentration is stored in memory 21 as the initial measurement result, the initial sealed gas amount sealed inside the enclosure at the initial state can be determined from the predetermined sealed volume and the initial measurement result. By determining the leakage amount of the sealed gas from the difference between the initial sealed gas amount and the current sealed gas amount, it is possible to evaluate and confirm the hermeticity of the enclosure by determining whether the leakage standard is met. For example, if the product specifications specify that the leakage amount or leakage amount per unit time must be less than a predetermined value X, it is possible to determine whether the leakage amount or leakage amount per unit time conforms to the leakage standard by determining whether the leakage amount or leakage amount per unit time is less than X. If the product specifications specify a guaranteed gas concentration, it is possible to determine whether the currently measured concentration of the sealed gas conforms to the guaranteed gas concentration, and the sealing ability of the enclosure can be judged based on the results.

[0058] If the memory 21 stores environmental information such as atmospheric pressure, temperature, and relative humidity at the time of initial measurement, and location information such as longitude, latitude, and altitude, as prior information, obtaining this information along with the environmental and location information for the current measurement location enables correction of the measurement value based on changes in the environment or location, enabling a more accurate assessment of the sealability. Furthermore, the memory 21 stores product information such as the product type and model, the type of sealing gas, the sealing volume, and product specifications as prior information. By acquiring this prior information from the memory 21 at any time during measurement, the external operation terminal 15 itself can acquire this information, thereby preventing product mix-ups and misidentification of product specifications. However, if this prior information is not stored in the memory 21, the operator may input the product information, the sealing gas type, the sealing volume, and the product specifications into the external operation terminal 15 using the input device 29.

[0059] The measurement of gas parameters and determination of hermeticity at any timing as described above can be performed before shipment from the factory as a hermeticity inspection at the time of shipment, at the customer's side after shipment as a hermeticity inspection at the time of acceptance, or immediately before use as a hermeticity inspection before use. In addition, since it is possible to take measurements at long intervals, it is possible to detect minute leaks without slowing down production speed.

[0060] While the present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated embodiments, it is not limited to these embodiments and various modifications and variations can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the illustrated embodiments, a pressure sensor or a concentration sensor is used as the gas sensor 17. However, other types of sensors that measure gas parameters other than pressure and concentration may also be used as the gas sensor 17. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiments, the external operation terminal 15 is provided with a clock unit 31, and the initial measurement date and time and the current measurement date and time are provided by the external operation terminal 15. However, instead of or in addition to the external operation terminal 15, a clock unit may be provided in the sealability measuring device 13, and the initial measurement date and time and the current measurement date and time may be provided by the clock unit of the sealability measuring device 13. Furthermore, in the above description, the determination result of the sealability of the enclosure is displayed on the display device 35 of the external operation terminal 15. However, instead of or in addition to displaying the result on the display device 35, the result may be transmitted from the external operation terminal 15 to the sealability measuring device 13 via wireless communication and stored in the memory 21 of the sealability measuring device 13. If the judgment result of the airtightness of the enclosure to be measured is stored in memory 21, it is possible to detect whether the enclosure meets the leakage standard by simply reading out the judgment result of the airtightness from memory 21, for example, without performing a measurement using gas sensor 17 immediately before using the product, and to prevent the use of defective products.

[0061] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 Sealing check system 13 Sealing measurement device 15 External operation terminal 17 Gas sensor 19 Device wireless communication circuit 21 Memory 23 Internal power supply 25 Control device 27 Terminal wireless communication circuit 29 Input device 31 Clock unit 33 Memory 35 Display device 37 Global positioning unit 39 Processing unit

Claims

1. A sealability verification system including a sealability measurement device to be placed inside a sealed enclosure, the sealability measurement device comprising: a gas sensor that measures gas parameters of a gas inside the enclosure; a device wireless communication circuit for wireless communication; a memory that stores at least the date and time of measurement and the measurement results of the gas sensor; an internal power source; and a control device that controls the operation of the gas sensor, the device wireless communication circuit, and the memory, wherein the control device is configured to, in accordance with an external instruction received through the device wireless communication circuit, cause the gas sensor to measure initial gas parameters of the gas inside the enclosure to obtain initial measurement results, store the initial measurement date and time and the obtained initial measurement results in the memory, and, in accordance with an external instruction received through the device wireless communication circuit, transmit to the outside via the device wireless communication circuit the initial measurement results and the initial measurement date and time stored in the memory, as well as a current measurement result obtained by measuring the gas parameters of the gas inside the enclosure using the gas sensor at the instructed time.

2. The seal confirmation system according to claim 1, wherein the gas sensor is a pressure sensor that measures the pressure of a gas or a concentration sensor that measures the concentration of a gas.

3. The airtightness verification system of claim 1, wherein the memory stores prior information in advance, the prior information being at least one of the following: location information regarding the location where the measurement by the gas sensor was performed; environmental information regarding the environment where the measurement by the gas sensor was performed; standard information regarding airtightness standards; identification information for a product that uses the enclosure; gas information regarding the gas sealed within the enclosure; and volume within the enclosure.

4. The sealability verification system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the group consisting of the initial measurement results, the amount of gas in the enclosure determined from the initial measurement results, the amount of gas leaking from the enclosure, and information regarding compliance with sealability standards is stored in the memory.

5. The seal confirmation system according to claim 1, wherein the internal power source is a wireless power supply circuit that generates power through wireless communication.

6. The sealability confirmation system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an external operation terminal arranged outside the enclosure, the external operation terminal having an input device, a clock unit, a display device, a processing unit, and a terminal wireless communication circuit, and in accordance with instructions input from the input device, acquires the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result stored in the memory of the sealability measuring device through the terminal wireless communication circuit and the device wireless communication circuit, and causes the control device to perform measurement using the gas sensor to acquire the current measurement result using the gas sensor at the current measurement date and time, and the processing unit determines the sealability of the enclosure based on the acquired initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result and the acquired current measurement date and time and the current measurement result.

7. The sealability verification system according to claim 6, wherein the external operation terminal further comprises a global positioning unit for measuring position information, and when measurement is performed by the gas sensor, information regarding the measured position obtained by the global positioning unit is stored in the memory.

8. A sealability confirmation system as described in claim 6, wherein the gas sensor is a concentration sensor that measures the concentration of a gas, and the processing unit determines the sealability of the enclosure based on the amount of change in the concentration of the gas being measured measured by the gas sensor.

9. The sealability verification system of claim 6, wherein the gas sensor is a pressure sensor that measures gas pressure, and the processing unit determines the sealability of the enclosure based on the amount of change in gas pressure within the enclosure measured by the gas sensor.

10. A sealability confirmation system as described in claim 6, wherein the external operation terminal has a display screen, and the result of the determination as to whether the sealability of the enclosure satisfies a predetermined standard is displayed on the display screen.

11. A method for checking the hermeticity of a sealed enclosure, comprising: placing a hermeticity measuring device inside the enclosure, the hermeticity measuring device comprising a gas sensor for measuring gas parameters of a gas, a memory capable of storing measurement results by the gas sensor, and an internal power source; using a first external operation terminal, causing the gas sensor of the hermeticity measuring device to measure initial state gas parameters of the gas inside the enclosure via wireless communication, and obtaining initial measurement results at an initial measurement date and time; storing the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement results in the memory; at an arbitrary current date and time, using the first external operation terminal or a second external operation terminal, causing the gas sensor of the hermeticity measuring device to measure the gas parameters of the gas inside the enclosure via wireless communication, and obtaining current measurement results at a current measurement date and time; and obtaining the initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement results stored in the memory. A method for confirming airtightness, characterized in that, in the first external operation terminal or the second external operation terminal, a change in a gas parameter over time is calculated from the acquired initial measurement date and time and the acquired current measurement date and time and the acquired current measurement result, and based on the calculated change in the gas parameter over time, it is determined whether the airtightness of the enclosure satisfies a predetermined leakage standard.

12. A method for confirming sealability as described in claim 11, wherein the memory stores the type of gas sealed in the enclosure and the volume of the sealing portion of the enclosure, and the first external operation terminal or the second external operation terminal further acquires the type of gas and the volume of the sealing portion from the memory via wireless communication, and determines the current amount of gas inside the enclosure and the amount of leakage from the enclosure to the outside from the acquired initial measurement date and time and the initial measurement result, the acquired current measurement date and time and the acquired current measurement result, and the acquired type of gas and volume of the sealing portion, and determines whether the sealability of the enclosure meets a predetermined standard based on the acquired leakage amount.

13. The method for checking hermetic seal according to claim 11, wherein the gas sensor is a concentration sensor that measures the concentration of the gas sealed within the enclosure.

14. The method for checking hermetic seals according to claim 11, wherein the gas sensor is a pressure sensor that measures the pressure of the gas sealed within the enclosure.

15. A method for checking sealability as described in any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the first external operation terminal or the second external operation terminal has a display screen, and the result of the determination as to whether the sealability of the enclosure satisfies a predetermined standard is displayed on the display screen.

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