Sealing device and sealing control method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide: a sealing device that facilitates optimization work pertaining to sealing conditions, takes environmental protection into consideration, and achieves energy saving; and a method for controlling the sealing device. [Solution] A control unit (16) of a heat sealing device (10) combines a temperature parameter pertaining to the sealing temperature at which a packaging material is weldably melted by a heater block (11), a pressure parameter pertaining to the sealing pressure when the melted packaging material is sandwiched by the heater block, and a timing parameter pertaining to the sealing time from when the heater block is closed to when the packaging material is welded and opened, the control unit (16) forming unique temperature profiles for individual packaging materials. Packaging material data that is unique to the packaging material is prepared for each of a plurality of packaging materials, and a packaging material parameter bank provided with a plurality of items of the packaging material data is provided. Thus, when one piece of packaging material data in the packaging material parameter bank is designated by the control unit, it is possible to form a temperature profile that is optimized for the packaging material specified on the basis of the packaging material data and perform heat sealing.

Description

Sealing device and sealing control method

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing device and a method for controlling a seal in the sealing device.

[0002] Traditionally, packaging conditions for each packaging machine are carefully adjusted to suit the factory where it is installed, the size and type of packaging bags used, the items to be packaged in those bags, and other operating conditions. Similarly, the sealing devices built into packaging machines also undergo initial setup to finely adjust their sealing conditions. These sealing conditions are determined based on three factors related to the packaging material that makes up the packaged product: the sealing temperature at which the synthetic resin film material that makes up the packaging material is melted; the sealing pressure at which the melted film material is bonded together under a predetermined pressure; and the sealing time from melting the film material to bonding it together. The initial setup process begins with a rough estimate of the sealing temperature and sealing pressure at which the film material melts and bonds together. Furthermore, the sealing conditions are optimized by taking into account factors related to the film material's composition, such as whether the film material is composed of multiple laminated synthetic resin films, whether it is composed of a synthetic resin film layer with aluminum or other metal foil or paper attached, or whether it is composed of a single synthetic resin film layer, as well as other factors such as the thickness of each layer, the overall thickness of the film material, the temperature inside the factory where the packaging material will be installed, and the temperature of the packaged product produced using the packaging material. The optimization of the sealing conditions begins by setting multiple sealing conditions that slightly change the values ​​of each of the three elements, sealing temperature, sealing pressure, and sealing time, and then actually sealing the packaging material under each sealing condition until the single sealing condition that produced the best seal is found. Based on this single sealing condition, multiple heat-sealing trials are then performed, and the values ​​of each element related to the single sealing condition are fine-tuned. This determines a set of highly reproducible sealing conditions that can reproduce the sealing process that produced the best seal even when there are changes in the air temperature, the temperature inside the factory, or the number of items processed by the packaging machine, in other words, sealing conditions that are optimized for the sealing device incorporated into a specific packaging machine.In such optimization of sealing conditions, a packaging machine is usually temporarily assembled at a manufacturing factory to check the fit, then the packaging machine is disassembled and reassembled at a destination factory where the packaging machine will be used, and then a skilled worker in charge of adjusting the packaging machine conducts repeated trials over several days to several weeks based on his or her own experience and intuition so that the sealing device will operate stably throughout the year, adjusting the sealing conditions specific to the packaging material to be used for the packaged product to suit the destination factory where the packaging machine will be used, the usage conditions, etc. After the packaging machine is in operation at the destination factory, a worker at the destination factory who has received instruction on how to use the packaging machine from the skilled worker is responsible for daily maintenance, and further, when the packaging material is changed due to a change in the packaged product, the worker determines the sealing conditions specific to the packaging material to be used for the changed packaged product by repeating trials over several days to several weeks in the same manner as above.

[0003] No quotes

[0004] As described above, optimizing the sealing conditions for a sealing device requires repeated trials and fine-tuning over a long period of time, from delivery to the factory where the packaging machine will be operated until actual operation. This makes the process from delivery to operation extremely time-consuming. Furthermore, because the optimization process requires repeated trials, a large amount of packaging material is discarded with each trial, and the thermal energy consumed during each trial is enormous. Furthermore, because the optimization process relies on the experience and intuition of skilled workers, as described above, when an inexperienced worker performs the optimization process, they may misjudge the key points, resulting in poor welding, where the packaging material melts too much or does not melt completely. As a result of the optimization process performed by an inexperienced worker, repeated poor welding results in difficult adjustments, making it difficult to reach the optimal sealing conditions, and ultimately prolonging the trial and adjustment period. Furthermore, when there is a change in the specifications of the packaging material, or when the packaging material that has been used until now is changed to another material, new sealing conditions must be set for the new packaging material. This requires that the optimization work be carried out by the workers at the delivery destination, rather than by experienced workers at the manufacturer, who are unfamiliar with the adjustment work related to the sealing conditions, and this requires a lot of time and effort, which could result in more packaging being discarded and a lot of heat energy being consumed.

[0005] Therefore, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a sealing device that facilitates optimization work related to sealing conditions, takes environmental protection into consideration, and achieves energy savings, and also to provide a sealing control method related to said sealing device.

[0006] The sealing device according to claim 1 comprises at least a pair of sealers that are heated to a predetermined temperature and seal film-like packaging materials together or the packaging material to another package by welding; an opening / closing mechanism that presses the opposing sealers in directions opposite to each other with a predetermined pressure and opens and closes at a predetermined timing; and a control unit that controls the temperature of the sealers and also controls the operation of the opening and closing mechanism based on packaging data specific to the packaging material, the control unit being configured to combine a temperature parameter related to the sealing temperature at which the sealers melt the packaging material so that it can be welded, a pressure parameter related to the sealing pressure when the sealers sandwich the melted packaging material, and a timing parameter related to the sealing time from when the sealers close to when they weld the packaging material and open it; and when one of the packaging material data is designated from a packaging material parameter bank configured from a plurality of the packaging material data registered in advance in a predetermined memory area, Based on the packaging data read from the memory area, the control unit determines the values ​​of the sealing temperature related to the temperature parameter, the sealing pressure related to the pressure parameter, and the sealing time related to the timing parameter, and forms the temperature profile optimized for the packaging material, and in accordance with the temperature profile, the control unit heats the sealer to the sealing temperature, sandwiches the packaging material with the sealing pressure, and opens and closes the sealer at a predetermined timing related to the sealing time, thereby sealing the packaging material.

[0007] The sealing device according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage area is a cloud server virtually configured on the Internet.

[0008] A sealing device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the invention according to the second aspect, characterized in that the packaging data registered in the packaging parameter bank can be updated within the cloud server.

[0009] The sealing device according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealer is a heater block made of metal and formed into a substantially rectangular pillar having opposing sealing surfaces.

[0010] The sealing device of claim 5 is the invention of claim 1, characterized in that the sealer has a horn that ultrasonically vibrates in a predetermined frequency band and an anvil arranged opposite the horn.

[0011] The sealing device according to claim 6 is the invention according to claim 1, characterized in that a predetermined instantaneous current can be applied to the sealer.

[0012] A sealing device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the invention according to the first aspect, the sealer is configured so that a predetermined high-frequency induction current can be passed therethrough.

[0013] The sealing device of claim 8 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 1, multiple pairs of sealers are provided, and the number of times the opening and closing mechanism opens and closes per unit time is variable, so that the number of packaged products produced per unit time by sealing the packaging material can be adjusted.

[0014] The sealing device of claim 9 is the invention of claim 1, characterized in that a preheating unit is provided near the sealer to heat the sealed portion of the packaging material to be sealed by the sealer to a predetermined temperature before sealing.

[0015] The sealing device described in claim 10 is the invention described in claim 1, characterized in that a cooling section is provided near the sealer to cool the sealed portion of the packaging material sealed by the sealer to a predetermined temperature after sealing.

[0016] The sealing control method according to claim 11 is a sealing control method for packaging material that controls a sealing process in which film-like packaging materials are welded to each other or the packaging material is welded to another package in accordance with a predetermined temperature profile, wherein the temperature profile is configured by combining a temperature parameter related to a sealing temperature at which the packaging material is melted to be weldable, a pressure parameter related to a sealing pressure at which the melted packaging material is pressed, and a timing parameter related to a sealing time for melting and pressing the packaging material, based on packaging material data specific to the packaging material including at least physical property data related to the structure and composition of the film material that constitutes the packaging material and three-dimensional data related to the thickness of the film material and the sealed portion of the packaging material to be sealed, and when one piece of packaging material data is designated from a packaging material parameter bank composed of a plurality of packaging material data registered in advance in a predetermined memory area, values ​​of the sealing temperature related to the temperature parameter, the sealing pressure related to the pressure parameter, and the sealing time related to the timing parameter are determined based on the designated one piece of packaging material data, and the temperature profile optimized for the packaging material is formed, The sealing process is characterized by being performed by carrying out processing that includes a melting process for melting the packaging material according to the temperature profile, and a crimping process for crimping the packaging materials melted according to the temperature profile to each other or to crimp the packaging material to another package.

[0017] According to the sealing device of the present invention, a predetermined temperature profile capable of identifying a packaging material is formed by combining a temperature parameter related to the sealing temperature at which the sealer melts the packaging material to be weldable, a pressure parameter related to the sealing pressure applied when the sealer sandwiches the melted packaging material, and a timing parameter related to the sealing time from when the sealer closes to when the sealer welds the packaging material and opens it. Packaging material data capable of identifying the packaging material is prepared for each of a plurality of packaging materials, and a packaging material parameter bank is formed from the plurality of packaging material data. Thus, when one of the packaging material data is specified in the packaging material parameter bank, a temperature profile optimized for the packaging material identified based on the packaging material data is generated, and the packaging material is sealed according to the temperature profile. This allows the same sealing conditions to be applied to sealing devices equipped in packaging machines installed in various locations if the same packaging material is used. This facilitates setting the sealing conditions for a single packaging material, and facilitating optimization of the sealing conditions. Furthermore, the ease of optimization contributes to environmental protection by reducing the amount of packaging material consumed in sealing process trials, and the reduction in the number of trials reduces thermal energy consumption, thereby achieving energy savings.

[0018] Preferably, the storage area in which the packaging parameter bank is pre-registered is a virtual cloud server configured on the Internet, and the packaging material data in the packaging parameter bank can be updated. This allows sealing conditions to be downloaded from the cloud server and used for sealing devices equipped with packaging machines to be installed at various locations, provided the same packaging material is used. Therefore, sealing conditions used in a factory with similar conditions where a packaging machine was previously installed can be applied as initial values, making it easy to set sealing conditions for a specific packaging material and to easily optimize the sealing conditions. Furthermore, the ease of optimization contributes to environmental protection by reducing the amount of packaging material consumed in sealing process trials, and the reduction in the number of trials reduces thermal energy consumption and achieves energy savings. Furthermore, by linking new sealing conditions applied to the sealing device equipped with a newly installed packaging machine to the packaging material data, the packaging data can be updated. The sealing conditions can be further generalized based on the updated packaging data, allowing the sealing conditions to be adjusted to facilitate optimization.

[0019] More preferably, the sealing device according to the present invention is any sealing device that is configured to heat and melt the sealed portions of the packaging material, press them together to form a single unit, and then solidify them when cooled. Suitable sealing devices that can be used include a heat sealing device equipped with metal heater blocks with opposing sealing surfaces, an ultrasonic sealing device equipped with a horn that ultrasonically vibrates in a predetermined frequency band and an anvil positioned opposite the horn, an impulse sealing device that passes a predetermined instantaneous current through a sealer, heats the sealer with this instantaneous current and a high voltage applied to the sealer, and melts the sealed portion of the packaging material, and a high frequency sealing device that passes a predetermined high frequency induced current through a sealer, generates a high frequency electromagnetic field in the vicinity of the sealer, and heats and melts the inside of the sealed portion of the packaging material.

[0020] Furthermore, it is preferable to provide multiple sealers, and to adjust the packaging capacity of the packaging machine incorporating the sealing device, for example, when multiple grippers for gripping packaging bags are provided (e.g., two or three rows), accordingly. This allows the multiple sealers to seal multiple packaging materials in one sealing process, and the number of times the opening and closing mechanism opens and closes per unit time to be freely set, thereby enabling the number of packaged products produced per unit time by sealing the packaging materials to be manufactured. It is also preferable to provide a preheating unit near the sealer to preheat the sealed portion of the packaging material to a predetermined temperature before the sealing process, or a cooling unit near the sealer to cool the sealed portion of the packaging material to a predetermined temperature after the sealing process. This allows the performance capacity and configuration of the sealing device to be included as factors in the optimization of sealing conditions. Therefore, similar sealing conditions can be applied to sealing devices equipped on packaging machines installed in various locations if they use the same packaging material and have similar performance capacities or configurations. This makes it easy to set sealing conditions for a single packaging material, facilitating the optimization of those sealing conditions. Furthermore, since optimization work can be easily performed, consideration can be given to environmental protection by reducing the amount of packaging material consumed in trials related to the sealing process, and by reducing the number of trials, energy consumption can be reduced and energy savings can be achieved.

[0021] According to the sealing control method of the present invention, a predetermined temperature profile is formed based on packaging data specific to the packaging material to be sealed by welding film-like packaging materials to each other or to another package. A sealing process is performed in accordance with the temperature profile, which includes a melting process for melting the packaging material and a crimping process for crimping the melted packaging materials to each other or to another package. This makes it possible to easily set sealing conditions optimized for the packaging material in accordance with the temperature profile formed based on the packaging data specific to the packaging material. Therefore, performing the sealing process in accordance with the optimized sealing conditions can achieve energy savings and improve sealing quality. Furthermore, when one packaging material data is specified from a packaging parameter bank consisting of multiple packaging material data pre-registered in a predetermined memory area, values ​​are determined for a temperature parameter related to the sealing temperature at which the packaging material is melted to be weldable, a pressure parameter related to the sealing pressure at which the melted packaging material is pressed, and a timing parameter related to the sealing time for melting and pressing the packaging material, thereby determining the temperature profile optimized for the packaging material. As a result, the same sealing conditions can be applied to the sealing control method for the sealing devices equipped in packaging machines installed at various locations if the same packaging material is used, which improves the reproducibility of the sealing conditions for a single packaging material and makes it easy to optimize the sealing conditions.Furthermore, since optimization can be easily performed, consideration can be given to environmental protection by reducing the amount of packaging material consumed in sealing process trials, and reducing the number of trials can reduce thermal energy consumption and achieve energy savings.

[0022] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a sealing device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a sealing device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an outline of a control method for a sealing device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of DSC analysis used in the control method for a sealing device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a packaging material used in a sealing device according to a first embodiment before peak separation in a DSC analysis; and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a packaging material used in a sealing device according to a first embodiment after peak separation in a DSC analysis.

[0023] An embodiment of the sealing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the outline of the configuration of the sealing device according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the outline of the configuration of the sealer provided in the sealing device according to this embodiment.

[0024] As an example of a sealing device according to the present invention, a heat sealing device will be described below in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the heat sealing device 10 comprises a pair of heater blocks 11, 11 with their sealing surfaces 12 facing each other, a heat source 13 for heating the heater blocks 11, an opening / closing mechanism 15 equipped with arms 14, 14 for holding the heater blocks 11, 11 at their tips so that they can be moved toward or away from each other, and a control unit 16 for controlling the temperature of the heater blocks 11 and the operation of the opening / closing mechanism 15. The heat sealing device 10 can, for example, seal the opening of a packaging bag B, form a pillow-shaped packaging bag into a cylindrical shape, or weld and seal a film-like packaging material to the periphery of a packaging container by sandwiching the overlapping portions of heat-sealable packaging material between the sealing surfaces 12 of the heater blocks 11 heated by the heat source 13.

[0025] In addition to the heat sealing device 10 exemplified in this embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to ultrasonic sealing devices, impulse sealing devices, or high-frequency sealing devices. Instead of the heater block 11, the ultrasonic sealing device has a horn that ultrasonically vibrates in a predetermined frequency band and an anvil positioned opposite the horn. The horn and the anvil sandwich the sealed portion of the packaging material, and the horn applies vibration energy related to the ultrasonic vibration to the sealed portion, melting the sealed portion through frictional heating. The horn then presses the sealed portion against the anvil to unite and seal it. Instead of the heater block 11, the impulse sealing device has a sealer that can pass a predetermined instantaneous current. When an instantaneous current is passed through the sealer, a high voltage is applied to the sealer, causing the sealer to instantly heat up and melt the sealed portion, and the sealer then sandwiches and seals the sealed portion. The high-frequency sealing device has a sealer configured to allow a predetermined high-frequency induction current to flow therethrough instead of the heater block 11. When a high-frequency induction current is applied to the sealer, the high-frequency induction current forms a high-frequency electromagnetic field near the sealer, vibrating the atoms constituting the sealed portion, generating heat and melting the sealed portion. At this time, the sealer sandwiches and integrates the sealed portion, thereby sealing the sealed portion. Thus, without being limited to the heat sealing device exemplified in this embodiment, even if an ultrasonic sealing device, impulse sealing device, or high-frequency sealing device is used, the sealer is configured to heat the sealed portion of the packaging material, melt the sealed portion, sandwich and press the sealed portion, and seal it, so the sealing control method described below can be applied.

[0026] The heater block 11 is composed of a pair of columnar metal members. A flat, forward-projecting sealing surface 12 is formed on the opposing surfaces of the heater blocks 11. The sealing surface 12 may be processed to suit the packaging material to be sealed, such as a solid surface or a grooved surface with a predetermined crease. As shown in FIG. 1 , a first through-hole is provided on the opposite side of the sealing surface 12, allowing a heat source 13 to fit along the sealing surface 12. The heat source 13 is fixed in place within the first through-hole by a pressure bolt (not shown) from the opposite side of the heater block 11 toward the sealing surface. This allows the heat source 13 to be pressed against the sealing surface within the through-hole for tight contact. A thermal conductor 17 with a predetermined thermal conductivity may be disposed between the heat source 13 and the sealing surface 12 to quickly and uniformly heat the sealing surface 12. Furthermore, although the heater block 11 according to this embodiment is preferably made of iron, the present invention is not limited to this, and a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as copper, can be appropriately selected. Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to the configuration in which both of the paired heater blocks 11 are heated by the heat source 13 as shown in Fig. 1, but a configuration in which the heat source 13 is provided in one of the heater blocks 11 and the other heater block does not have the heat source 13, and only one heater block is heated, or a cooling device is provided in the other heater block, and one block is configured as a heater block that heats and the other block as a heat dissipation block that can dissipate or cool the sealing surface 12.

[0027] The heater blocks 11, 11 are provided with a second through-hole in addition to the first through-hole into which the heat source 13 is fitted, and a first temperature sensor 18 is fitted into the second through-hole. The first temperature sensor 18 is composed of a thermocouple equipped with a heat detection unit (not shown) at its tip that can detect the amount of heat near the sealing surface 12. This allows the first temperature sensor 18 to detect the amount of heat that is conducted and diffused from the heat source 13 toward the sealing surface 12. The first temperature sensor outputs a sealing surface temperature signal related to the temperature of the sealing surface 12 based on the amount of heat detected by the thermocouple of the heat detection unit to the control unit 16, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0028] The heat source 13 is a cartridge heater. The cartridge heater comprises a heating element formed by winding a heating wire, such as a nichrome wire, around a thermally conductive core rod, and a cylindrical case that houses the heating element. A thin-film thermal conductor may be attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical case. The heating element has a second temperature sensor 19 capable of detecting the heat quantity of the heating element. Like the first temperature sensor 18, the second temperature sensor 19 is preferably a thermocouple. This allows the second temperature sensor 19 to detect the heat quantity applied to the heater block 11 by the energized heating element. The second temperature sensor 19 outputs a heat source temperature signal, indicating the temperature of the heat source based on the heat quantity detected by the thermocouple, to the control unit 16, as shown in FIG. 2 . The heat detection unit provided in the first temperature sensor 18 or the second temperature sensor 19 is preferably a thermocouple, but is not limited thereto. It may be any device capable of detecting the heat quantity or the temperature based on the heat quantity.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2 , the control unit 16 receives a seal surface temperature signal from the heater block and a heat source temperature signal related to the heat source heating element. The control unit 16 is configured to automatically generate a temperature profile including a plurality of parameters, each set to a predetermined value, based on packaging data specific to the packaging material to be sealed. The control unit 16 then controls the temperature of the heater block 11 and the operation of the opening / closing mechanism 15 based on the generated temperature profile and the seal surface temperature signal and the heat source temperature signal fed back from the heater block 11. Here, the packaging material data includes at least physical property data related to the structure and composition of the film material constituting the packaging material, as well as three-dimensional data related to the thickness of the film material and the portion of the packaging material to be sealed. The physical property data includes data such as the raw materials and composition of the film material, whether it is a single-layer film material or a laminated film material, and, in the case of a laminated film material, whether it has an easily meltable layer made of synthetic resin that melts during sealing and a less meltable layer made of synthetic resin with a high melting point, metal foil such as aluminum, or paper that does not melt during sealing. The three-dimensional data refers to the thickness of the film material, and if the film material is a laminated material, data on the thickness of each layer, and further data on additional elements other than the film material in the sealed portion, such as the presence of synthetic resin tape or a portion where the film material is folded to increase its thickness. The temperature profile is a data set that serves as a reference when the control unit 16 controls the temperature of the heater block 11 and the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing mechanism 15. When the control unit 16 controls the temperature of the heater block 11 and the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing mechanism 15, the control unit 16 compares the seal surface temperature related to the seal surface temperature signal fed back from the heater block 11 with the heat source temperature related to the heat source temperature signal and performs correction control, which are set in advance.The set parameters are mainly a temperature parameter relating to the sealing temperature at which the heater block 11 melts the packaging material so that it can be welded, a pressure parameter relating to the sealing pressure when the heater block 11 sandwiches the melted packaging material, and a timing parameter relating to the sealing time from when the opening / closing mechanism 15 closes the heater block 11, welds the packaging material, to when it opens the heater block 11. The control unit 16 controls the temperature of the heater block 11 and the operation of the opening / closing mechanism 15 based on the values ​​of at least these three parameters, allowing the heat-sealing device 10 to perform a heat-sealing process that is optimized for a specific packaging material.

[0030] The packaging material data is stored in a predetermined memory area and can be read by the control unit 16 according to the packaging material to be sealed. In this embodiment, the predetermined memory area is a virtual cloud server 20 installed on the Internet to which a packaging machine incorporating the heat-sealing device 10 is connected. However, the predetermined memory area is not limited to the cloud server 20. It is preferable that the storage area be selected arbitrarily depending on the specifications of the heat-sealing device 10, such as a memory provided in the heat-sealing device 10, a storage medium such as a hard disk, or a memory card that can be inserted into or removed from the heat-sealing device 10. As shown in FIG. 3, a packaging material parameter bank 21 is formed in the storage area. The packaging material parameter bank 21 is configured by registering and storing multiple pieces of packaging material data in advance. The control unit 16 reads the packaging material data from the packaging material parameter bank according to the packaging material to be sealed, and automatically sets values ​​related to temperature parameters, pressure parameters, and timing parameters based on the packaging material data. A temperature profile combining these parameters is automatically set in the control unit 16. This makes it possible to provide a general-purpose heat-sealing device 10 that can change settings as desired depending on the packaging material, rather than a device that is specialized for a single packaging material and has optimized sealing temperature and pressure, as in conventional heat-sealing devices. Furthermore, by using a memory card or a cloud server and the Internet, even if the specifications of the packaging material are changed or if new packaging materials are updated, packaging material data for the new packaging materials can be easily added and input into the heat-sealing device 10.

[0031] Preferably, a preheating unit (not shown) may be installed upstream of the heater block 11 along the conveying path of the packaging material in the packaging machine, or a cooling unit (not shown) may be installed downstream of the heater block 11. The preheating unit is configured to preheat the packaging material and packaged product to a predetermined temperature before heat sealing. This allows the sealed portion of the packaging material sandwiched between the heater blocks 11 to be maintained at a constant temperature, preventing the sealing state from becoming unstable due to environmental temperatures such as the air temperature in the factory and the temperature of the packaged product, and stabilizing the sealing quality of the sealed portion. The cooling unit is configured to cool the packaging material and packaged product within a predetermined time after heat sealing. This allows the seal strength of the sealed portion to be controlled by changing the cooling time of the sealed portion, for example, by rapidly cooling the sealed portion of the molten packaging material or by slowly cooling the sealed portion in a manner similar to natural heat dissipation.

[0032] A method for controlling the heat-sealing device 10 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a method for controlling the heat-sealing device according to this embodiment.

[0033] 3, equipment data is registered in advance in the control unit 16 of the heat-sealing device 10. The equipment data is composed of at least data relating to the configurations of the packaging machine and the heat-sealing device 10, and data relating to the environmental temperature measured by the heat-sealing device 10.

[0034] The configuration data includes values ​​related to the processing capacity of the packaging machine and the heat-sealing device 10. Specifically, this is the number of packaged products that a packaging machine can produce per unit time, such as 20 to 70 per minute, and the number of packaged products that the heat-sealing device can process per unit time, which is related to this number of packaged products. This includes, for example, whether the packaging machine has a single gripper 30 for gripping packaging bags, a dual gripper consisting of two pairs of grippers 30 arranged side by side, or three or more pairs of grippers arranged side by side, a value related to the number of pairs of grippers 30, and a value related to the number of pairs of heater blocks 11 arranged side by side to correspond to the number of pairs of grippers 30. Other configuration data also includes data related to the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11 that clamps the sealed portion of the packaging material. The data relating to the sealing surface 12 includes a numerical value relating to the area of ​​the sealing surface 12, and a numerical value relating to the load of surface pressure applied to the packaging material when the heater block 11 clamps the packaging material, depending on the shape of the pattern formed on the sealing surface 12, such as a solid pattern with no irregularities or a pattern with predetermined lines engraved on it. More preferably, data such as whether the heat-sealing device 10 is provided with a preheating section, and to what degree Celsius the sealed portion of the packaging material is preheated in the preheating section, or whether a cooling section is provided, and to what degree Celsius and for how long the sealed portion of the packaging material is cooled in the cooling section may be added.

[0035] The environmental temperature data includes values ​​related to the environmental temperature surrounding the heat-sealing device, such as the air temperature in the factory where the packaging machine and heat-sealing device are installed, and the temperature of the packaged product before it is transferred to the heat-sealing device. The environmental temperature data is preferably configured to acquire the ever-changing environmental temperature at a predetermined interval. The above-mentioned equipment data is data related to the initial values ​​used when setting the temperature parameters, pressure parameters, and timing parameters when automatically setting a temperature profile. By combining the equipment data pre-registered in the control unit 16 with packaging material-specific data acquired separately by the control unit 16, a temperature profile specific to a specific packaging material that is optimized for the heat-sealing device 10 can be created.

[0036] The control unit 16 controls the amount of heat applied to the heater block 11 by the heat source 13 in accordance with the seal surface temperature obtained from a first temperature sensor 18 disposed between the heater block 11 and the seal surface 12 and the heat source temperature detected by a second temperature sensor 19 provided on the heat source 13, and performs processing related to the heating control of the heater block 11. To this end, the first temperature sensor 18 outputs a seal surface temperature signal related to the seal surface temperature to the control unit 16, and the second temperature sensor 19 outputs a heat source temperature signal related to the heat source temperature to the control unit 16.

[0037] The control unit 16 compares the heat source temperature signal obtained from the second temperature sensor 19 of the heat source 13 with the sealing surface temperature signal obtained from the first temperature sensor 18 near the sealing surface 12 to determine whether to heat the sealing surface 12 or wait for heat dissipation from the sealing surface 12, and controls the heat quantity of the heat source 13 or the temperature based on the heat quantity. This determination process uses a temperature profile including multiple parameters set to predetermined values ​​based on packaging material data specific to the packaging material to be sealed. As described above, the packaging material data specific to the packaging material is composed of physical property data and three-dimensional data. The physical property data is data related to at least the structure and composition of the film material constituting the packaging material. More specifically, the physical property data includes data on the raw materials and composition of the film material, whether it is a single-layer material consisting of a single film material or a laminated material consisting of thin films, and, in the case of a laminated material, whether it has an easily meltable layer made of synthetic resin that melts during sealing and a less meltable layer made of synthetic resin with a high melting point that does not melt during sealing, metal foil such as aluminum, or paper. The three-dimensional data is data related to the thickness of the film material and the sealed portion of the packaging material. More specifically, it includes the thickness of the film material, and if the film material is a laminated material, the numerical values ​​related to the thickness of each layer. It also includes data related to additional elements in the sealed portion, such as synthetic resin tape or a portion where the film material is folded to increase its thickness. A packaging parameter bank containing multiple pieces of packaging material data is stored in a virtual cloud server 20 on the Internet, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . A single piece of packaging material data read from the packaging parameter bank 21 is downloaded from the cloud server 20 and imported into the control unit 16. As described above, the temperature profile refers to a data set that serves as a reference when the control unit 16 controls the temperature of the heater block 11 and the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing mechanism 15. The parameters are primarily composed of temperature parameters, pressure parameters, and timing parameters. By combining the values ​​of these parameters for each packaging material to be sealed, a data set specific to the packaging material can be created that is optimized for the packaging material to be sealed.The parameters are not limited to the three parameters of temperature, pressure, and timing described below, and other parameters may be used.

[0038] The temperature parameter is a value related to the sealing temperature at which the heater block 11 melts the packaging material so that it can be welded. An initial value for the sealing temperature is calculated based on physical property data related to the packaging material data, and the initial value is corrected based on the three-dimensional data and applied to the temperature parameter. Here, the physical property data is separate from the heat-sealing device 10 of this embodiment and is composed of values ​​obtained by a predetermined thermal analysis method. There are known several thermal analysis methods depending on the physical properties of the object to be detected. In this embodiment, the physical property data are various numerical values ​​obtained from thermal analysis using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), which detects the heat flow difference with a reference material and can examine transitions such as melting, glass transition, and crystallization of the sample, as well as reactions and thermal history, and measure specific heat capacity. A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) applies a constant amount of heat per unit time to a reference material and a sample, captures the thermal properties of the sample relative to the reference material as a temperature difference, and measures endothermic and exothermic reactions due to changes in the state of the sample. DSC thermal property measurements are known as a measurement method that can grasp not only the state change reaction of a film material when it is simply heated and melted, but also the phase transition and crystallization of the film material. For example, DSC thermal property measurements can obtain a DSC curve such as that shown in Figure 4 for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a commonly used crystalline polymer. On the graph, the horizontal axis represents temperature (T), the vertical axis represents heat flow (mW), and the melting point (Tm) represents the melting point. The DSC curve shows the process of heating the PET film relative to room temperature in the measurement chamber. Specifically, the DSC curve shown in Figure 4 indicates that when thermal energy is applied from room temperature to the PET film material under test, the PET film melts when the melting point (Tm) of 257.8°C is exceeded. It also indicates that the total amount of thermal energy required to melt the PET film is 36.1 mJ / mg. At this time, applying a predetermined pressure to the PET film material allows for good welding. In this way, by using DSC analysis, it is possible to obtain data specific to each packaging material, indicating how much heat energy needs to be applied from the heated heater block 11 to optimally weld the packaging material to be sealed.

[0039] Here, let's take a film material used in packaging, where the sealable portion is a laminated material with several layers stacked together. When the sealable portions are placed face-to-face, the opposing layers are easily meltable layers that melt with little thermal energy and can be easily sealed. The easily meltable layers are layered with multiple, less meltable layers that require a lot of thermal energy to melt and maintain the shape of the packaging. When this is subjected to DSC analysis, a single graph with an ambiguous melting point Tm is output, as shown in Figure 5. This is because the melting points Tm of the easily meltable and less meltable layers differ depending on the materials that make up each layer, and these are output in an overlapping manner. When the analysis results are subjected to a dispersion process in which a specific coefficient is applied to separate the melting points Tm for each material that makes up each layer and convert them into discrete values, the melting points Tm0, Tm1, Tm2, ​​and Tm3 can be obtained for each layer of the film material, in order from the lowest temperature, as shown in Figure 6. The multiple melting points Tm obtained by these DSC analyses are linked to each material constituting each layer, collected as physical property data to be included in the packaging data, and registered in the packaging parameter bank.The control unit 16 then automatically determines temperature parameters related to the sealing temperature based on the melting point Tm of the desired constituent material to be melted out of the multiple melting points Tm included in the physical property data, and the values ​​related to the total thickness of the entire film material related to the packaging material and the thicknesses of the easy-melt layer and the difficult-melt layer included in the three-dimensional data.

[0040] The control unit 16 controls the temperature of the heater block 11 based on the determined temperature parameters, taking into account the temperature of the packaged product to be heated, the factory ambient temperature, and the sealing surface temperature and heat source temperature fed back from the heater block 11. This allows the control unit 16 to maintain the sealing surface temperature of the heater block 11 at a temperature optimized for the packaging material to be sealed, and to perform a process of melting the easy-to-melt layer of the packaging material so that it can be welded. Furthermore, after the temperature parameters are set in the control unit 16, they are continuously corrected from moment to moment by incorporating values ​​related to the environmental temperature around the sealed portion of the packaging material, such as the temperature of the packaged product and the air temperature in a factory where a packaging machine equipped with a heat-sealing device is installed, in addition to values ​​related to the sealing surface temperature or heat source temperature fed back from the heater block 11. In other words, when the heater block 11 or the packaged product is cold, or when the factory is cold, a large amount of heat needs to be applied to the packaging material, and therefore more thermal energy is required to maintain the seal surface temperature, and conversely, when the heater block or the packaged product is hot, or when the factory is warm, less heat needs to be applied to the packaging material, and therefore less thermal energy is required to maintain the seal surface temperature. Thus, with respect to the melting point Tm of the easy-to-melt layer, the temperature parameter is not a fixed value, but a value that can be corrected in accordance with temperature changes such as the temperature of the heater block, the packaged product, or the heat-sealing device, the room temperature of the factory, and the air temperature.

[0041] The pressure parameter is a value related to the sealing pressure when the heater block 11 sandwiches and welds the melted packaging material. The sealing pressure is the surface pressure when the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11 sandwiches the sealed portion of the packaging material, and is the load applied per unit area. The sealing pressure varies depending on the area of ​​the sealing surface 12, the shape of the sealing surface side (e.g., whether the sealing surface 12 is smooth or has a score), as well as the contact area between the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11 and the sealed portion of the packaging material, such as whether the sealed portion of the packaging material is folded to form a stepped shape, or whether the sealed portion is processed by sandwiching tape or the like to make it easier to open, but the sandwiched tape or the like forms a stepped portion in the sealed portion. The surface pressure of the sealing surface 12 is measured in advance and linked to data related to the model number of the heater block 11 and the shape of the packaging bag formed from the packaging material, and is registered in a memory area of ​​the control unit 16 or the cloud server 20, etc. In this way, the pressure parameter is a value that is set depending on the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11 or the portion to be sealed of the packaging material or packaging bag.

[0042] The timing parameter is a value related to the sealing time during which a series of sealing process steps are performed, from when the opening / closing mechanism 15 closes the heater block 11, to when the heater block 11 welds the packaging material, when sealing pressure is applied to the packaging material to weld it, and when the opening / closing mechanism 15 opens the heater block 11. The sealing time is determined based on equipment data composed of data related to the configuration of the packaging machine and the heat-sealing device 10 and data related to the environmental temperature measured by the heat-sealing device 10, by multiplying three-dimensional packaging data including values ​​related to the total thickness of the packaging material to be sealed, the thickness of an easily meltable layer made of an easily meltable synthetic resin or the like, and the thickness of a less easily meltable layer made of an insoluble synthetic resin, metal foil, paper, or the like, a temperature parameter related to a correction value based on the sealing temperature at which the sealed portion of the packaging material melts and the actual temperature of the heater block 11, and a pressure parameter at which the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11 sandwiches the packaging material by a predetermined coefficient. Furthermore, after being set in the control unit 16, the timing parameters are continuously corrected from moment to moment by incorporating data related to the temperature of the packaged product, the air temperature in the factory where a packaging machine equipped with the heat-sealing device 10 according to this embodiment is installed, and other environmental temperature data related to the area around the sealed portion of the packaging material measured by the heat-sealing device 10. That is, when the heater block 11 or the packaged product is cold, or when the factory is cold, a larger amount of heat needs to be applied to the packaging material, and therefore more thermal energy is required to maintain the sealing surface temperature. Conversely, when the heater block 11 or the packaged product is hot, or when the factory is warm, less heat needs to be applied to the packaging material, and therefore less thermal energy is required to maintain the sealing surface temperature. Thus, the timing parameters are values ​​determined based on the values ​​related to the temperature parameter and pressure parameter, and can be further corrected in accordance with the temperature parameter, which has a value that can be corrected in accordance with temperature changes such as the temperature of the heater block 11, the sealing surface 12, the packaged product, or the heat-sealing device 10, the factory room temperature, and the air temperature.

[0043] Using a temperature profile including values ​​for the temperature parameters, pressure parameters, and timing parameters as a reference, the control unit 16 compares the sealing surface temperature signal obtained from the first temperature sensor 18 located near the sealing surface 12 with the heat source temperature signal obtained from the second temperature sensor 19 of the heat source 13 to determine whether the heat source 13 should heat the sealing surface 12 or wait for heat to be released from the sealing surface 12, controls the amount of thermal energy that the heat source 13 applies to the heater block 11, and controls the sealing surface temperature based on that amount of thermal energy. This allows the control unit 16 to perform control processing to maintain the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11 at a predetermined temperature that is optimal for welding film-like packaging materials to each other or for welding the packaging material to other packages. Additionally, the control unit controls the sealing time from when the opening / closing mechanism 15 closes the heater block 11 and the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11 welds the film-like packaging materials together or the packaging material to another package until the opening / closing mechanism 15 opens the heater block 11, based on the temperature of the sealing surface 12 monitored by the sealing surface temperature signal and the heat source temperature signal and the above-mentioned temperature profile, in association with the process of controlling the sealing surface temperature based on the amount of heat energy applied by the heat source 13 to the heater block 11. This allows the control unit 16 to perform a process related to the optimized sealing process in which the heater block 11 melts the easily meltable layer in the sealed portion of the packaging material and welds the packaging materials together or the packaging material to another package.

[0044] The sealing process consists of a melting process and a crimping process, which are performed by the heater block 11, which maintains a constant temperature for the sealing surface 12. Throughout the sealing process, the control unit 16 controls the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing mechanism 15 according to the timing parameters of the temperature profile. The melting process is a process in which the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11, which is maintained at a predetermined temperature according to the temperature parameters of the temperature profile, sandwiches and melts the sealed portion of the packaging material. The crimping process is a process in which the opening and closing mechanism 15 presses the sealing surfaces 12 of the heater block 11 toward each other according to the pressure parameters of the temperature profile, thereby integrating the melted sealed portions of the packaging material. Through the sealing process consisting of the melting process and the crimping process, the heater block 11 can weld the sealed portion of the packaging material.

[0045] In addition to the temperature, pressure, and timing parameters, if a preheating process is performed before the heat-sealing process using a heater block to preheat the packaging material to a predetermined temperature, preheating parameters for the preheating process may be set. If a cooling process is performed after the heat-sealing process to rapidly cool the sealed portion of the packaging material, cooling parameters for the cooling process may be set. The preheating parameters are values ​​that detect the ambient air temperature around the heat-sealing device 10 and the temperature of the packaging material during the preheating process to heat the packaging material to a predetermined preheat temperature, and then correct the amount of heat energy to be applied to the packaging material before the heat-sealing process. By incorporating the preheating parameters into the temperature profile, the range of change in the heat energy applied to the packaging material in the sealing process following the preheating process is reduced and quantified, allowing the temperature and timing parameters to be corrected compared to a sealing process without preheating. The cooling parameters are values ​​that are used to detect the ambient air temperature around the heat-sealing device 10 and the temperature of the packaging material during the cooling process of cooling the sealed portion of the packaging material after sealing, and to correct how much thermal energy is absorbed and radiated from the packaging material after the heat-sealing process. By incorporating the cooling parameters into the temperature profile, the processing items change, such as whether a cooler is used to absorb or radiate thermal energy in the cooling process following the sealing process, and therefore the values ​​of the temperature parameters and timing parameters are corrected compared to when the packaging material is allowed to cool naturally after the sealing process.

[0046] As described above, the temperature profile, which includes temperature parameters, pressure parameters, timing parameters, preheating parameters, and cooling parameters, is compared with the actual temperature of the heater block 11 based on the sealing surface temperature signal and the heat source temperature signal input to the control unit 16. Based on the comparison between the temperature profile and the actual temperature, if the actual temperature exceeds predetermined thresholds that represent the upper and lower limits of the tolerance range set based on the values ​​set in the initial temperature profile, the values ​​of each parameter are corrected to form a corrected temperature profile. In this way, the control unit 16 maintains the heater block 11 at a predetermined corrected temperature based on the corrected temperature profile, which is corrected by feedback of the actual temperature of the heater block 11, and corrects control of the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing mechanism 15 in accordance with the corrected heater block temperature. The corrected temperature profile corrects the timing parameters of the temperature profile, thereby correcting the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing mechanism 15 throughout the sealing process. Furthermore, in the melting process, the heater block 11, maintained at a predetermined corrected temperature according to the corrected temperature parameters corrected by the corrected temperature profile, clamps and melts the sealed portion of the packaging material, and in the crimping process, the opening and closing mechanism 15 presses the heater blocks 11 in directions opposite to each other according to the corrected pressure parameters corrected by the corrected temperature profile, thereby integrating the sealed portion of the melted packaging material.

[0047] Furthermore, the temperature profile and the corrected temperature profile are not limited to being used by the control unit 16 to feedback and control the temperature of the heater block 11, but may also be collected via the Internet and stored in the cloud server 20. The cloud server 20 has a packaging parameter bank 21 that stores multiple pieces of packaging material data specific to the packaging material. For each piece of packaging material data stored in the packaging parameter bank 21, a temperature profile and a corrected temperature profile related to the heat-sealing device 10 incorporated into a specific packaging machine are linked, and the data are classified and accumulated in the packaging parameter bank 21 to form big data of parameters related to the temperature profile or the corrected temperature profile that takes into account the installation conditions, operating conditions, etc. of the heat-sealing device 10 for each piece of packaging material data. This makes it possible, for example, to extract temperature parameters related to the sealing temperature from the big data related to the collected temperature profile or the corrected temperature profile, and obtain a corrected sealing temperature related to the corrected temperature profile obtained by actually measuring the initial value of the sealing temperature related to the temperature profile based on physical property data determined through DSC analysis for each specific packaging material, when the heat-sealing device 10 incorporated into a packaging machine is actually operated at a factory. Because the correction temperature profile is linked to the packaging material data stored in the packaging material parameter bank 21, the initial sealing temperature set under ideal conditions and the corrected sealing temperatures obtained by operating the heat-sealing device 10 under various conditions become extremely useful data when heat-sealing the same packaging material using the same type of heat-sealing device 10. By feeding back this data to the heat-sealing device 10 incorporated in each packaging machine connected to the cloud server 20, it is possible to obtain the initial sealing temperature based on the physical property data of the packaging material and an appropriate correction value for the sealing temperature for heat-sealing devices 10 with similar factory environments, such as size and temperature. In this way, by creating big data related to the correction temperature profile and updating the correction value for the sealing temperature, it is possible to improve the reproducibility of heat sealing and perform stable sealing regardless of the installation location of the heat-sealing device 10.By improving the reproducibility of heat sealing, even inexperienced workers can perform optimization work to minimize welding defects just like experienced workers, thereby shortening the trial and adjustment period. Furthermore, even if there is a change in the specifications of the packaging material, packaging material data related to the new sealing conditions can be downloaded and applied from the packaging material parameter bank 21 in the cloud server 20, thereby shortening the trial and adjustment period, reducing the amount of packaging material that is wasted, and achieving energy conservation. Furthermore, even if the use conditions and temperature conditions of a specific synthetic resin film material related to packaging material become strictly restricted in the future from the perspective of environmental protection, appropriate sealing conditions can be easily provided by reflecting the large amount of accumulated correction data on the initial values ​​of the physical property data obtained by subjecting the film material to DSC analysis.

[0048] In the heat-sealing device 10 according to this embodiment, in order to appropriately control the temperature of the sealing surface 12 of the heater block 11, the control unit 16 reads packaging material-specific data from a predetermined storage area and automatically sets a temperature profile based on the packaging material data. The temperature profile is configured by setting, in a predetermined combination for each packaging material, values ​​related to temperature parameters for the heater block 11 to appropriately melt the packaging material, pressure parameters for the heater block 11 to appropriately unite the packaging material, and timing parameters related to the sealing time and sealing timing involved in the series of sealing processes in which the heater block 11 melts, unites, and releases the packaging material. This minimizes the adjustment work required for each heat-sealing device 10 when using the same packaging material, making it easy to optimize the sealing conditions for that packaging material. Furthermore, among such sealing conditions, for values ​​that change depending on the sealing of the packaging material, such as the processing capacity of the packaging machine equipped with the heat-sealing device 10, the temperature of the factory where the packaging machine is installed, and the temperature of the packaged product, a corrected temperature profile is formed that includes corrected values ​​obtained by correcting the initial settings of each parameter related to the temperature profile based on the sealing surface temperature signal and heat source temperature signal input from the heater block 11 to the control unit 16, and this corrected temperature profile is fed back to the temperature control of the heater block 11 and the opening and closing operation control of the opening and closing mechanism 15. In this way, even after the optimization work has been performed, the temperature of the heater block 11, which changes from moment to moment, can be monitored based on the sealing surface temperature signal and heat source temperature signal that are fed back, and the temperature of the heater block 11 can be precisely controlled by feeding back the monitored status, thereby preventing the heater block 11 from overheating the sealed portion of the packaging material or preventing poor welding due to insufficient heating.

[0049] Furthermore, with the heat-sealing device 10 according to this embodiment, the packaging material used in the packaging machine is subjected to DSC analysis in advance to measure and calculate the peak temperature at which the packaging material begins to melt. These temperature values ​​are then stored in the packaging material parameter bank 21 provided on the cloud server 20. This allows packaging machines or heat-sealing devices 10 installed in various locations and factories to connect to the cloud server 20 via the Internet and easily obtain packaging material data for desired packaging materials from the packaging material parameter bank 21, which contains a wealth of packaging material data. This allows optimization of the heat-sealing device 10 with consistent quality regardless of the operator's level of proficiency, improving the reproducibility of heat sealing for specific packaging materials.

[0050] Furthermore, the heat sealing device 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to a configuration in which it is incorporated into a packaging machine, but can also be applied to machines that manufacture packaging bags from film-like packaging material, such as bag making machines and bag making and packaging machines, and further, can be applied not only to horizontal sealing devices that seal packaging material across or seal the opening of a packaging bag, but also to vertical sealing devices that overlap both widthwise ends of film-like packaging material and seal the overlapping portions to form a cylindrical shape.

[0051] 10...heat sealing device, 11...heater block, 12...sealing surface, 13...heat source, 14...arm, 15...opening / closing mechanism, 16...control unit, 17...thermal conductor, 18...first temperature sensor, 19...second temperature sensor, 20...cloud server, 21...packaging material parameter bank, B...packaging bag.

Claims

1. A device comprising: at least a pair of sealers that are heated to a predetermined temperature and seal film-like packaging materials together or that weld and seal the packaging material to other packages; an opening / closing mechanism that presses the opposing sealers in opposite directions with a predetermined pressure and opens and closes at a predetermined timing; and a control unit that controls the temperature of the sealers and the operation of the opening / closing mechanism in accordance with a predetermined temperature profile based on packaging data specific to the packaging material, the temperature profile being a combination of a temperature parameter related to the sealing temperature at which the sealers melt the packaging material so that it can be welded, a pressure parameter related to the sealing pressure when the sealers sandwich the melted packaging material, and a timing parameter related to the sealing time from when the sealers close to when they weld and open the packaging material; and when one of the packaging material data is designated from a packaging material parameter bank composed of a plurality of the packaging material data registered in advance in a predetermined memory area, a control unit that determines values ​​for the sealing temperature associated with the temperature parameter, the sealing pressure associated with the pressure parameter, and the sealing time associated with the timing parameter based on the packaging data read from the memory area, thereby forming the temperature profile optimized for the packaging material; and in accordance with the temperature profile, the control unit heats the sealer to the sealing temperature, sandwiches the packaging material with the sealing pressure, and opens and closes the sealer at predetermined timings associated with the sealing time, thereby sealing the packaging material.

2. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the storage area is a cloud server virtually configured on the Internet.

3. The sealing device according to claim 2, wherein the packaging data registered in the packaging parameter bank can be updated within the cloud server.

4. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein said sealer is a heater block made of metal and consisting of a generally rectangular pillar having opposing sealing surfaces.

5. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the sealer has a horn that ultrasonically vibrates in a predetermined frequency band, and an anvil disposed opposite the horn.

6. The sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that a predetermined instantaneous current can be applied to the sealer.

7. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the sealer is configured to be capable of passing a predetermined high frequency induction current.

8. The sealing device described in claim 1, characterized in that multiple pairs of sealers are provided, and the number of times the opening and closing mechanism opens and closes per unit time is variable, making it possible to adjust the number of packaged products produced per unit time by sealing the packaging material.

9. The sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that a preheating unit is provided near the sealer to heat the portion of the packaging material to be sealed by the sealer to a predetermined temperature before sealing.

10. A sealing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that a cooling section is provided near the sealer to cool the sealed portion of the packaging material to a predetermined temperature after sealing.

11. A packaging sealing control method for controlling a sealing process in which film-like packaging materials are welded together or the packaging material is welded to another package in accordance with a predetermined temperature profile, wherein the temperature profile is configured based on packaging data specific to the packaging material, including at least physical property data related to the structure and composition of the film material that constitutes the packaging material, and three-dimensional data related to the thickness of the film material and the sealed portion of the packaging material to be sealed, by combining a temperature parameter related to the sealing temperature at which the packaging material is melted so that it can be welded, a pressure parameter related to the sealing pressure at which the melted packaging material is pressed, and a timing parameter related to the sealing time for melting and pressing the packaging material, wherein when one piece of packaging data is designated from a packaging parameter bank composed of multiple pieces of packaging data registered in advance in a predetermined memory area, the values ​​of the sealing temperature related to the temperature parameter, the sealing pressure related to the pressure parameter, and the sealing time related to the timing parameter are determined based on the designated packaging data, and the temperature profile optimized for the packaging material is formed, a sealing control method characterized by performing processing related to the sealing process, which comprises a melting process for melting the packaging material in accordance with the temperature profile, and a crimping process for crimping the packaging materials melted in accordance with the temperature profile to each other or to crimp the packaging material to another package.

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