JP2885993B2 - Packaging equipment for agricultural products - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a packaging device for crops, which wraps a spherical packaged object (eg, vegetables such as lettuce or cabbage, or fruits such as melon or apple) in a packaging sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As the above-mentioned packaging apparatus, there is one disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-133710. In this packaging apparatus, a packaging table (7 in FIG. 1 of the above publication) for placing a packaging sheet is provided with an opening (8 in FIG. 1 of the above publication) into which a spherical object to be packaged falls. Then, the packaging sheet is placed on the packaging table, and the article to be packaged is dropped into the opening from above. As a result, the object to be packaged pulls in the packaging sheet, and the object to be packaged is supported by the lower support base (58 in FIG. 1 of the above-mentioned publication) while being lightly wrapped in the packaging sheet.
Next, as shown in FIG. 4 of the above publication, the support for supporting the packaged object is lowered to a predetermined position, and the packaged sheet is wrapped about half. Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 of the above-mentioned publication, a holding member (12, 16 in FIGS. 2 and 5 of the above-mentioned publication) arranged on the lateral side
However, the package material is advanced to the packaged object side, the upper portion of the packaging sheet in the packaged object is pinched and narrowed by the holding member, and the packaged object is wrapped in the packaging sheet.

[0003]

The vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage, to which the packaging apparatus of the present invention is applied are not limited to those in which the leaves are not opened and are not very open, and for example, the leaves are entirely changed depending on the growing condition. Some of them are slightly open. The present invention is directed to a packaging device for agricultural products or the like, in which, for example, even in a packaged object in which leaves are slightly open, the upper portion of the packaging sheet in the packaged product is appropriately sandwiched and narrowed by a clamping member. It is intended to be.

[0004]

A feature of the present invention resides in the following configuration in a packaging device for agricultural products or the like. A support base for receiving and supporting the spherical packaged object, and a holding member capable of sandwiching and narrowing down a packaging sheet covering the packaged object, and lowering the support base supporting the packaged object to a predetermined position. The first operating means, the holding member is advanced to the object to be packaged with respect to the support table lowered to a predetermined position, the upper portion of the packaging sheet in the object to be packed is narrowed by the holding member, and the object to be packaged is packed. A second operating means for wrapping the packaged object, and a squeezing means having an opening through which the wrapped sheet and the wrapped sheet are passed above the sandwiching member; and It is configured to be able to expand and contract freely.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when an article to be packaged is placed on the upper side of the packaging sheet and dropped into the opening of the squeezing means, the package is drawn in the packaging sheet while the diameter of the squeezing means is increased. The package is received and supported by the lower support while being lightly wrapped in the packaging sheet. Thereafter, the wrapping sheet is pressed toward the object to be packaged by the reduced diameter of the squeezing means that has been increased in diameter, and the wrapping sheet is further squeezed by the squeezing means. In this state, when the support is lowered to a predetermined position, The holding member advances toward the object to be packaged with the lowering of the support base, and the holding member sandwiches and narrows the upper portion of the packaging sheet in the object to be packaged, and the object to be packaged is wrapped in the packaging sheet.

As described above, the packing sheet is pressed by the squeezing means toward the object to be wrapped by the lowering operation of the support table supporting the object to be wrapped, and is thereby squeezed.
For example, even in the case of an object to be packaged in which the leaves are generally open, the leaves are closed to some extent together with the packaging sheet by the squeezing means. In this way, for example, even if the leaves are likely to open entirely, by closing the packaging sheet and the leaves in advance,
Thereafter, when the holding member is advanced to the object to be packaged and the upper portion of the packaging sheet is sandwiched and narrowed down, the upper portion of the packaging sheet is securely held without coming off from the holding member. The narrowing of the upper part is reliably performed.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, for example, even if the leaf is slightly open, the packaging sheet and the leaf are closed in advance by the squeezing means, so that the packaging is performed. The upper portion of the sheet is securely clamped without detaching from the clamping member, and the narrowing of the upper portion of the packaging sheet by the clamping member is reliably performed, so that packaging of the article to be packaged can be reliably performed, The packaging performance of a packaging device for agricultural products and the like was able to be improved.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the flow of the entire packaging in the packaging device of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 5A, after the previous packaging is completed, one packaging sheet 1 cut to a predetermined length is placed on the packaging table 2. Next, the packaged object A (for example,
Opening 2 of packing table 2 with spherical vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage)
When dropped into a, the article to be packaged A falls on the lower support 3 while being slightly wrapped in the packaging sheet 1. In this state, when the operator pushes a start switch (not shown), the support base 3 is lowered as shown in FIG.
Operating means).

In this case, an opening 23 of the charging section 23 described later is used.
The packaging sheet 1 is squeezed at the outer edge of a. As described later, a plurality of rubber plate-shaped squeezing means 11 are provided below the opening 2a so as to surround the packaged object A.
1 further squeezes the packaging sheet 1.

Next, a pair of plate-like holding members 14 arranged on the lower side of the packaging table 2 are shown in FIGS. 5 (c) and 6 (a).
As shown in (1), the sheet proceeds to the packaging sheet 1 side, and the upper portion 1a of the packaging sheet 1 is sandwiched and narrowed down (corresponding to the second operation means). Thereby, the article to be packaged A is almost completely wrapped in the packaging sheet 1. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6A, the pair of disk cutters 28 advances along the upper surface of the holding member 14, and the upper portion 1a of the packaging sheet 1 is cut off.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the adhesive tape 4 cut to a predetermined length is placed over the upper end of the packaging sheet 1 and the end of the holding member 14, and FIG. The adhesive tape 4 is pressed from above by the sponge member 16 as shown in FIG. In a state where the adhesive tape 4 is pressed by the sponge member 16, the holding member 14 is opened as shown in FIG. 7A, and the sponge member 16 is pressed again to the package A, and the adhesive tape 4 is pressed. The package sheet 1 is securely brought into close contact with the packaging sheet 1. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7B, the support 3 is operated to lie down, and the packaged object A is released to the slide 15 and collected. One package is thus completed, and the state of the packaged object A after the packaging is completed is shown in FIG.
It is shown in (c).

Next, the structure for raising and lowering the support table 3 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a first support frame 6 is vertically slidably mounted on a pair of left and right guide rails 5 arranged below the opening 2a of the packaging table 2.
Second support frame 1 fixed on top of support frame 6
7, the support 3 is supported via a spring 7 for absorbing shock. The support base 3 is a flat plate-shaped flat plate 4
The sides are bent upward. An operation arm 8 swingable about the horizontal axis P1 is connected to the first support frame 6 by a pin and a long hole structure, and an operation cylinder 9 for swinging the operation arm 8 up and down is provided. I have.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a pair of holding arms 18 are swingably supported around the horizontal axis P3 at the left and right ends of the second support frame 17. Holding arm 18
A horizontally long sponge 18a is attached to the tip of
A spring 19 is provided for urging the left and right holding arms 18 to swing toward the center support 3. The first support frame 6 is provided with an operation arm 21 that is switched between a vertical position shown in FIG. 1 and a horizontal position shown in FIG. 2 by a motor 20. Both ends of the operation arm 20 and lower ends of the left and right holding arms 18 are provided. Are connected by a link 22.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIG. 5 (a), a loading portion 23 made of a hard rubber plate having an opening 23a having a diameter smaller than that of the opening 2a of the packaging table 2 opens the packaging table 2. It is attached at the position of the hole 2a. When packaging the packaged object A with the packaging device, the packaged product A is too large, the area of the packaging sheet 1 is insufficient, and a state that sufficient packaging cannot be performed occurs, or conversely, the packaged product A is too small. There is a case where the packaging sheet 1 is too large and does not become clean packaging. Therefore, the inner diameter of the opening 23a of the input section 23 is
The size of the article to be packaged A passing through is set so as not to hinder the packaging apparatus and to enable the packaging to be performed neatly.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 (b), a squeezing means 11 is disposed between the opening 2 a of the packaging table 2 and the support table 3. The squeezing means 11 is made of a rubber plate and has a trapezoidal shape in a plan view, and a plurality of squeezing means 11 are provided below the opening 2a so as to surround the packaged object A.

In the initial state, as shown in FIG. 1, the operation arm 21 is operated in the up and down posture, and the left and right holding arms 18 are operated to open left and right. In this state, the to-be-packaged article A to be charged is lightly inserted into the opening 23a of the charging section 23. In this case, if it is difficult to insert the package A, it can be determined that the package A is too large for the packaging device or that the leaves are too open. Therefore, in such a case, it is necessary for the operator to manually close the opened leaf to the closed side, partially remove the leaf, or prepare another small-diameter packaged object A. Conversely, when the article A to be inserted is lightly inserted into the opening 23a of the input section 23, and the article A is too easily inserted, it can be determined that the article A is too small for the packaging device. . Therefore, in such a case, the operator needs to prepare another large-diameter packaged object A.

As described above, based on the inner diameter of the opening 23a of the input unit 23, the leaf is manually closed to the closing side or another packaged object A is prepared, and the like. 5A and FIG. 1, the operator pushes the package A slightly into the opening 23a of the input unit 23 from above, as shown in FIG. The package A is dropped. As a result, the packaging sheet 1 is pressed against the lateral side surface of the packaged object A by the elastic pressing action of the input unit 23, and the leaves of the packaged object A that tend to open are tightened to the closed side, and the packaged object A is closed. While pulling in the packaging sheet 1, the auxiliary squeezing member 11 is slightly pushed and spread and falls on the support base 3.

Next, an operator operates a start switch (not shown).
Is operated, the operation arm 21 is switched to the left and right posture as shown in FIG. 2, and the right and left holding arms 18 swing toward the package A by the urging force of the spring 19, and the left and right holding arms 18 The sponge 18a is pressed to the left and right of the packaged object A. As described above, the packaged object A is
Is held so that the packaged object A does not float from the support base 3.

Thereafter, the operating cylinder 9 contracts and the support base 3 is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 5B and FIG. 2, and stops at that position (corresponding to the first operating means). In this case, when the article to be packaged A is lowered with the support 3 in a state of being held by the support 3, the squeezing means 1 is moved with the lowering.
1 is the lateral side of the packaged object A and the upper part 1 of the packaging sheet 1
Since a is sequentially pressed to the center side, the packaging sheet 1 is securely pressed and adhered to the lateral side surface of the packaged object A, and the upper portion 1a of the packaging sheet 1 is narrowed down.

The elongated holes 22a of the link 22 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are used to hold the object A to be packaged by the holding arm 18 as shown in FIG. The holding arm 18 is manually extended left and right so that the packaged object A can be taken out.

As described above, the support 3 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
2 and stops at the position shown in FIG.
4, the upper portion 1a of the packaging sheet 1 is sandwiched (corresponding to a second operating means), the upper portion 1a of the packaging sheet 1 is cut off by the disc cutter 28, and the adhesive tape 4
Is pasted.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7A, the structure in which one package is completed and the packaged object A is discharged from the support base 3 to the side as shown in FIG. explain. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the support portion 10 having a U-shaped cross section is supported by the second support frame 17 via a spring 7, and swingably around the horizontal axis P <b> 2 of the support portion 10. Three bases 3a are connected. In this case, the base 3 of the support 3
The bottom of “a” is not in contact with the bottom of the support 10, and in the state shown in FIG. 3, the support 3 can freely swing right and left on the paper surface.

A state in which the spring 12 extends beyond the free length over a portion of the base 3a of the support 3 adjacent to the horizontal axis P2 and a portion of the support 10 at a height substantially equal to the horizontal axis P2. It is erected in. Thus, even if the support table 3 swings rightward and leftward in the drawing from the working posture shown in FIG.
2 is pulled, and the support 3 is returned to the posture shown in FIG. 3, and the support 3 is moved in the posture shown in FIG.
Is held.

With the above structure, as shown in FIG. 6A, when one package is completed, the operation arm 21 is switched to the up and down posture, and the left and right operation arms 18 are opened (the state shown in FIG. 1). 2), the support base 3 is further lowered from the position shown in FIG. As a result, the operation plate 3b fixed to the base 3a of the support 3 as shown in FIG.
a, the support base 3 is turned sideways around the horizontal axis P2. When the support base 3 is operated to lie down in this way, the articles A to be packaged are transferred from the support base 3 to the slide 15 and taken out.

When the above operation is completed, the operation cylinder 9
As a result, the support 3 is raised to the original position shown in FIGS. In such a state, the operation plate 3b of the support 3 is separated upward from the rubber roller 13a, so that the support 3 is changed from the state shown in FIG. Return, spring 12
The support table 3 converges to the position shown in FIG.

[Alternative Embodiment] In the above embodiment, the charging section 23 is formed of a hard rubber plate, but the charging section 23 may be formed of an elastic resin. For a packaging device of a different specification in which the size of the support 3, the size of the packaging sheet 1 placed on the packaging table 2, and the size of the packaging object are different, the opening of the inner diameter different from FIG. Hole 2
What is necessary is just to prepare the input part 23 which has 3a, and attach the input part 23 to the packaging device of another specification. In the above-described embodiment, the packaging sheet 1 is sealed with the adhesive tape 4. However, after cutting the upper portion 1a, the packaging sheet 1 is heated and the packaging sheet 1 is welded to seal the packaging sheet 1. The present invention may be applied to a simple packaging device. The present invention may be applied to a packaging apparatus in which the upper portion 1a of the packaging sheet 1 sandwiched by the sandwiching members 14 is melted by heating with a heater, instead of the disk cutter 28 as shown in FIG. .

In the claims, reference numerals are provided for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in the attached drawings.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the vicinity of a support table showing a state in which an object to be packaged is put into an opening of a packaging table and dropped on the support table.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which left and right holding arms hold an article to be packaged from a state shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the vicinity of a support table showing a state where left and right holding arms are holding an article to be packaged.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which the support is further lowered from the state shown in FIG. 2 and the support is turned sideways to release an article to be packaged;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the flow of packaging from the insertion of the packaged object into the opening to the narrowing of the packaging sheet by the holding member.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the flow of packaging from the cutting of the upper part of the packaging sheet to the pressing of the adhesive tape by the sponge member.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the flow of packaging from the opening operation of the holding member to the release of the packaged object, and the state in which packaging is completed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 packaging sheet 1a upper part of packaging sheet 2 packaging table 2a opening of packaging table 3 support table 11 drawing means A packaged object

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65B 11/48 B65B 11/54

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A spherical packaged object (A) is received and supported.
Support (3), and a packaging system for covering the packaged object (A).
Holding member (1) that can sandwich and narrow the sheet (1)
4), the support table (3) supporting the packaged object (A) is positioned at a predetermined position.
A first operating means for lowering to the predetermined position, and the holding means (3) lowered to the predetermined position.
The member (14) is advanced toward the packaged object (A), and
Packaging sheet in the packaged object (A) by the holding member (14)
(1a) to narrow down the upper part (1a)
Second operation means for wrapping the package (A) in the packaging sheet (1);
And the package sheet (1) is covered on the upper side of the holding member (14).
Squeezing means (1) having an opening through which the package (A) passes
1), and the opening of the throttle means (11) is
A farm that is configured to be able to expand and contract in the radial direction of the packaged object (A)
Packaging equipment for crops .