JP3271182B2 - Method and apparatus for inspecting peel seal at container opening - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for judging whether or not a peel seal is properly performed in a peel seal step of closing an opening of a container filled with a fluid such as cream with a sealing piece. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for inspecting a peel seal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a container filled with a fluid such as a cream is subjected to a peel seal for closing an opening from the outside with a sealing piece such as a thin paper or a film, and then a cap is placed on the opening cylinder. I'm sullen.

[0003] Usually, the sealing piece is formed by punching a paper, a film or the like in advance into a contour along the opening edge of the container.
Therefore, in cosmetic manufacturers and the like, on a line for transporting the container, after filling the container with a fluid such as cream, a peel seal is applied by attaching a sealing piece from the outside to the opening edge of the container, and further, After the cap is attached to the opening cylinder of the container, it is carried out as a product.

[0004] In the above-mentioned maker's line, the operation of filling a container with a fluid is usually automated, and the operation of attaching a cap to the opening cylindrical portion of the container is also easy and automatic. However, only the peel seal relies on manual work, and at present, an operator picks up a seal piece prepared in advance one by one with a fingertip and covers it over the opening edge of the container.

[0005]

Therefore, the present inventors fill the container with the contents on a line of a maker or the like,
A method and an apparatus for automatically punching and forming a sealing piece from a film material each time at the opening edge of the container and automatically attaching the sealing piece to the opening edge of the container each time are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-163,873. No. 11-111799, which eliminates the need to manufacture and stock a large number of seal pieces in advance as in the prior art, and also makes it possible to automate the operation of the peel seal. Become.

[0006] Therefore, according to the technology which enables automation by the method and apparatus, it is possible to improve the line speed, and also to enable unmanned or labor-saving. However,
Since it is a mechanical device, it is not always possible to guarantee perfect work, and it must be anticipated that a defective peel seal may occur due to malfunction. If a malfunction of a mechanical device is overlooked, there is a problem that a large number of containers with bad peel seals are carried out until the malfunction is noticed.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method and apparatus for inspecting a peel seal at an opening of a container which solves the above problems.

Therefore, the present invention is configured as a method.
The first means is to peel off the container opening by attaching a seal piece punched out of the film material from the outside of the opening edge in a peelable manner, and then inspect the presence or absence or the attached state of the seal piece. Lowering the elevating body from above the container toward the sealing piece, and contacting the lower end of a pin provided on the elevating body so as to be slidable up and down and urged downward to the sealing piece. After lowering the elevating body further, the elevating body is moved to the bottom dead center position.
When the pin is relatively raised with respect to the elevating body at a position on the way to descend, it is determined that the pin is appropriate, and when the pin is lowered together with the elevating body, it is determined to be inappropriate. Change
The second means that the present invention is configured as a method
In the process of intermittently transferring containers filled with
Press and hold the strip-shaped film material against the opening edge of the container.
The sealing piece punched from the film material is
Perform a peel seal process attached to the opening edge, then
Smell in a configuration in which a cap is placed over the opening cylinder of the container
After the peel seal step and before the cap crown,
Method for inspecting the presence or absence of the seal piece or the attached state
Lowering the lifting body from above the container toward the sealing piece
At the same time as lowering, it is slidable up and down
The lower end of the pin which is urged downward and abuts against the seal piece
After squeezing, the elevating body is further lowered to
At the position where the lifting body descends to the bottom dead center position,
If the pin rises relatively to the lift,
Judged, improper if the pin descends with the lifting body
Is determined .

[0009] Further, the apparatus of the present invention is configured as a means for peeling the container at the opening as described above.
A device for carrying out the inspection method of Le, the opening film
A lifting / lowering body which is raised / lowered by lifting / lowering means above the peel-sealed container closed by a sealing piece comprising: a pin provided slidably in the vertical direction on the lifting / lowering body and having a lower end protruding below the lifting / lowering body; The present invention is characterized in that there are provided urging means for urging the pin downward, and judging means for sensing whether the pin has slid with respect to the elevating body.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Peeling Seal Method) FIG. 1 shows a novel peel sealing method performed prior to carrying out the inspection method of the present invention, and is provided for understanding the detailed description described later. As shown in FIG. 1A, for example, a container 1 has a circular container main body 2 formed of a synthetic resin or the like, and a cylindrical opening cylinder forming a neck extending from the container main body 2. And an opening edge 5 serving as a thick annular cut edge around the opening 4.
A male screw 3a is provided on the outer periphery of the opening cylindrical portion 3. The container 1 has a content 6 made of a plastic material such as cream or a granular material such as powder (generally referred to as a fluid).
Until the opening 4 is almost full. Such a filling operation of the contents 6 is automated on the transport line.

Subsequently, the container 1 filled with the contents 6 is
The container is transferred to the next stage for performing a peel seal by a conveyor or the like, where a plurality of containers 1 are arranged in a row with the opening edge 5 opened (container setting step).

In this state, as shown in FIG. 1B, a band-shaped film material 7 is set so as to straddle the containers 1 and 1 arranged in a line (film setting step). At this time, the film material 7 is placed near the opening edge 5 so as to face the opening edge 5 of the container 1.

As will be described later, from the state of FIG.
The film material 7 is pressed against the opening edge 5 by a pressing plate having an outer peripheral shape substantially along the opening edge 5 of the container 1, thereby holding the film material 7 (film holding step). Subsequently, the blade shape along the opening edge 5 of the container 1 is changed. When the film material 7 is punched along the opening edge 5 by a cylindrical hot blade (punching step), as shown in FIG. 1C, a sealing piece attached from the outside to the opening edge 5 by the punching piece. 8 are formed. Thereafter, the pressing plate and the hot blade are retracted from the opening edge 5 of the container 1 (retreat step). In addition, the container 1 provided with the sealing piece 8
Is sent to the next step, where the opening tubular portion 3 is covered with the cap 9.

(Peel Sealing Apparatus) The peel sealing method using the sealing piece 8 as described above is carried out by an apparatus as shown in FIGS. In one example of the illustrated apparatus, after the containers 1 are conveyed by a conveyor or the like, a plurality of containers 1 constitute a container line L arranged in a straight line on an intermittent transfer installation means 10 composed of a conveyor or the like, and are stopped. (The container setting step). In this container installation step, the operator may manually arrange the containers 1 side by side on the intermittent transfer installation means 10 to form the container row L. It is preferable to form the container row L by The container 1 is opened with the opening edge 5 facing upward.

Then, the strip-shaped film material 7 is fed out above the arranged container rows L. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the band-shaped film material 7 has a predetermined number (6 in the illustrated example).
Has a band width dimension exceeding the length of the container row L, and is intermittently transported in a direction intersecting the container row L, and is fed from one of the winding rolls 7a in the band longitudinal direction. Then, after passing above the container row L, it is taken up by the other take-up roll 7b. Therefore, the strip-shaped film material 7 unwound from the winding roll 7a is intermittently transported in the longitudinal direction of the strip, and then, when stopped, has the sealing piece 8 formed by the punching process.
And then the container group subjected to the peel seal is sent to the next inspection step by the intermittent transfer installation means 10, and the continuous band-shaped scraps in the band-shaped film material 7 are taken up by a winding roll. 7b. At this time, as shown in FIG.
, The container row L1 in the standby state sequentially in the transfer direction.
, And a row of containers L2 on which the peel seal is performed and a row of containers L3 on which the inspection is performed after the peel seal are formed. By doing so, the implementation of the peel seal and the inspection of the peel seal are performed intermittently and continuously. still,
Simultaneously with the winding of the scrap, the belt-like film material 7 is continuously fed out from the winding roll 7a, and a new film portion is transported toward the next container group.

A fixed frame 12 is fixedly mounted on the uppermost portion of the apparatus frame 11, and a cylinder 13 for achieving punching is mounted on the fixed frame 12. Further, on the lower surface of the fixed frame 12, cylinders 14 for achieving film holding are attached corresponding to the containers 1 arranged in a row. A movable frame 15 is provided below the fixed frame 12, and the movable frame 15 is vertically movable with respect to the apparatus frame 11 and the fixed frame 12 via a slide guide 16. 13 is connected by a connecting rod 17. Therefore, the moving frame 15 is always in a state of being lifted to an upper position by the cylinder 13 for achieving punching, and moves down when the cylinder 13 is operated.

On the moving frame 15, the containers 1
An operating unit 18 is detachably mounted corresponding to each of the cylinders 14 for achieving the film holding, and in the case of the illustrated example, six operating units 18 are mounted.

As shown in FIG.
Connects the mounting flange 19 and the fixing flange 20 disposed above and below by a rod 21, and connects the fixing flange 20 and the heating block 22 disposed below the fixing flange 20 by a rod 23, so that the mounting flange 19 and the fixing flange 20 are connected. And a piston rod 24 inserted through the heating block 22, and a tubular hot blade 25 attached to the heating block 22.

The piston rod 24 has a pressing plate 26 at the tip (lower end), and the pressing plate 26 has an outer peripheral shape substantially along the opening edge 5 of the container 1 (preferably, an outer shape matching the outer periphery of the opening edge 5). Pressure plate 26).
A tapered surface 27 whose outer diameter is gradually reduced toward the piston rod 24 is formed on the rear surface (upper surface) of the. Further, the piston rod 24 is slidably inserted into the heating block 22 via a bush, and
The piston rod 24 is slidably inserted through a guide cylinder 28, and the tail end (upper end) of the piston rod 24 is inserted upward through the insertion hole of the mounting flange 19, and a flanged nut 29 is inserted into the tail end. And an adjusting bolt 30 screwed to the nut 29 so as to be able to move forward and backward. A resilient biasing means 31 composed of a coil spring is externally inserted around the outer periphery of the piston rod 24, and is interposed in a compressed state between the flanged nut 29 and the guide cylinder 28. The adjustment bolt 30 is pressed against the cylinder rod 14a of the cylinder 14 for achieving film holding.

Preferably, a refrigerant passage 32 is provided from the pressing plate 26 through the piston rod 24, and the refrigerant passage 32 is communicated with a refrigerant jacket 33 formed in the guide cylinder 28. Although not shown, a coolant such as cooling water or cooling air is supplied to the coolant jacket 33, and always cools the pressing plate 26.

The hot blade 25 has a blade shape along the outer periphery of the opening edge 5 of the container 1 and normally surrounds the pressing plate 26, and the tail end of the hot blade 25 is connected to the heating block 22. It is externally fitted and detachably fixed by a set bolt 34. The heating block 22 has a built-in heater 34 and is configured to always heat the hot blade 25 to a predetermined temperature. The lower surface of the heating block 22 has a taper whose diameter gradually increases from the periphery of the piston rod 24 downward. A guide surface 36 is formed. This taper guide surface 36 is provided at a plurality of locations at intervals in the circumferential direction, for example, at four locations at equal intervals,
An outlet for the hot air passage 37 is provided. Although not shown, hot air is supplied to the hot air passage 37 from a compressor, a blower, or the like, and the hot air ejected from the outlet is diffused along the tapered guide surface 36 and the pressing plate 26
Press platen 26 and hot blade 2
5 squirts to the outside through the gap.

In order to detachably mount the mounting flange 19, the moving frame 15 forms a notch 38,
A step-like groove 39 is formed along the notch 38, and the step-like groove 3 is formed.
In a state where the side edge of the mounting flange 19 is fitted to the holding member 9, a pressing piece 40 overlapping the mounting flange 19 from above is fastened to the moving frame 15 by a bolt 41. Therefore,
When the bolt 41 is loosened, the mounting flange 19 is
8, the operating unit 18 can be removed from the moving frame 15 by pulling out the mounting flange 19 from the opening of the notch 38. On the other hand, when the operation unit 18 is mounted on the moving frame 15, the mounting flange 19 is
0 and the piston rod 24
After the adjustment bolt 30 is inserted into the lower side of the cylinder rod 14a in a state where it is pressed down against 1, the bolt 41 may be tightened to fasten the holding piece 40. As described above, since each of the operation units 18 is detachable from the movable frame 15 as a unit in an independent state,
Maintenance such as replacement of the hot blade 25 can be easily performed.

(Peel Sealing Method) A film holding step and a punching step relating to the peel seal will be described based on the above apparatus. In the illustrated example, the strip-shaped film material 7 is made of a heat-shrinkable film. As shown in FIG. 10A, the cylindrical hot blade 25 has a cylindrical blade shape slightly larger in diameter than the outer periphery of the opening edge 5 of the container 1, that is, a sufficiently large diameter. The heat blade 25 is moved from the direction facing the opening edge 5 toward the outer peripheral position of the opening edge 5 to punch out the film material 7, and a seal having an excess edge 8 a protruding from the outer periphery of the opening edge 7. A piece 8 is formed and the hot blade 2
By blowing hot air toward the surplus edge 8 at the time of punching by the 5, the surplus edge 8 is thermally contracted and tightened to the outer periphery of the opening edge 5.

FIG. 6 shows a film holding step.
When the film holding cylinder 14 is actuated, the piston rod 24 is pushed down by the cylinder rod 14a against the resilient urging means 31, and the pressing plate 26 moves the film material 7 to the opening edge 5 of the container 1. Press and hold. At this time, since the press platen 26 is cooled by the refrigerant in the refrigerant passage 32, the film material 7 does not shrink by heating.

FIG. 7 shows a punching step. In the state where the film material 7 is pressed against the opening edge 5 of the container by the pressing plate 26 as described above, the cylinder 13 for achieving punching is operated, and the connecting rod 17 is formed. At the same time, the moving frame 15 is lowered, whereby the hot blade 25 is lowered together with the portion of the operating unit 18 excluding the piston rod 24. At this time, since the piston rod 24 is urged by the resilient urging means 31 so as to abut the cylinder rod 14a of the cylinder 14 for achieving film holding fixed to the fixed frame 12, the piston rod 24 is used in the film holding step. It does not move up and down from the position and is kept in a fixed position.

Therefore, the hot blade 25 descending toward the outer periphery of the opening edge 5 of the container 1 punches out the film material 7 and, as shown in FIG. Is formed. At this time, the heating block 22 moves down together with the hot blade 25 to come close to the film material 7, and the hot air supplied to the hot air passage 37 passes through the gap between the tapered guide surface 36 and the tapered surface 27, and the excess edge 8 a
It is sprayed toward. Therefore, the excess edge 8 a is thermally contracted while being urged downward by the hot blade 25, so that it is tightened to the outer periphery of the opening edge 5. When the hot air is blown, the portion of the seal piece 8 excluding the surplus edge 8a is covered with the press platen 26 cooled by the refrigerant passage 32, so that it is not thermally contracted.

After the sealing piece 8 is formed by punching from the film material 7 and the sealing piece 8 is attached to the opening edge 5 of the container 1, the cylinder for achieving the punching is operated in the reverse operation as described above. 13 to return to the hot blade 2
5 is retracted and raised, and the cylinder 14 for holding the film is moved back, whereby the piston rod 24 is raised by the resilient urging means 31 and the pressing plate 26 is retracted and raised. Then, the row of containers 1 each having the sealing piece 8 attached thereto is transferred to the next step by a transporting means or the like, and the film material 7 that forms a scrap after punching the sealing piece 8 is transferred to the take-up roll 7b. A new film portion is unwound from the winding roll 7a while being taken up, and is transferred toward the upper side of the next container group transferred by the intermittent transfer installation means 10, thereby completing one cycle of the peel seal implementation.

(Another Embodiment of Peel Sealing Apparatus) FIG. 8
9 shows another embodiment of the peel seal device. Basic explanation of the peel seal method is shown in FIGS.
This embodiment is the same as the embodiment described above in that the excess piece 8a is formed in the seal piece 8 in the punching step, and the excess piece 8a is thermally contracted and tightened to the outer periphery of the opening edge 5 of the container 1. Since the configuration is the same as that of the embodiment, only the configuration different from the above embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 8, the moving frame 15
Although it is vertically movable with respect to the apparatus frame 11 and the fixed frame 12 via the slide guide 16, it is not a cylinder 13 as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, but a rack-and-pinion system, As in the case of the bolt / nut method, a mechanism for converting the rotational movement into the elevating movement of the moving frame 15 is employed, and constitutes an elevating driving means including an electronically controllable electric motor (not shown).

The heating blade 25 is detachably attached to the heating block 22, and the heating blade 22 is attached to the fixing flange 20.
To the mounting flange 19, thereby constituting the operating unit 18. Therefore, the piston rod 24 slidably inserted into the operation unit 18 includes a stopper 45 for stopping the piston rod 24 in a state where the pressing plate 26 at the distal end is slightly protruded from the hot blade 25, and a spring receiving member. A spring means 47 composed of a compression coil spring is interposed between the portion 46 and the mounting flange 19. Therefore, the pressing plate 26 is moved by the resilient means 47 to the hot blade 25.
Although it is stopped by a stopper 45 at a predetermined position protruding from the piston, the piston rod 24 is configured to be able to retreat backward against the resilient means 47 so as to push the pressing plate 26 into the hot blade 25.

Container 1 installed in intermittent transfer installation means 10
An upper member 48 and a lower member 49 composed of a pair of horizontal plates are vertically arranged with a gap between each other and a pressing plate 26 of the operation unit 18. , 50 are supported by a guide rod 51 movably up and down, and a resilient means 52 composed of a compression coil spring externally inserted into the guide rod 51 is interposed in the upper and lower members 48, and the upper member 48 is connected to the lower member. It is supported so as to maintain the gap with respect to 49. Therefore, the upper member 48 can be pushed down so as to overlap the lower member 49 against the resilient means 52. In such a configuration, the band-shaped film material 7 is passed through the gap between the upper and lower members 48 and 49, and openings 48a and 49a are opened in the upper and lower members 48 and 49 corresponding to the respective operation units 18. The openings 48a and 49a have an inner diameter that allows the press platen 26 and the hot blade 25 to be inserted, or an inner diameter that is sufficiently larger than the inner diameter.

The moving frame 15 has a cylindrical guide body 5.
The push rod 54 is supported slidably in the vertical direction through the push rod 3, and the pressing portion 55 at the distal end is positioned lower than the pressing plate 26 and faces the upper member 48. A stopper 56 for stopping the pushing rod 54 is provided, and a spring means 58 composed of a compression coil spring is interposed between the spring receiving portion 57 and the guide body 53.
Therefore, although the stopper 56 stops at the position where the pressing portion 55 faces the upper member 48 by the resilient means 58, the pushing rod 54 can be raised against the resilient means 58. It is.

Other configurations are the same as those described above in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

The operation based on this device is shown in FIG. The moving frame 15 is moved by an elevation driving means (not shown).
Is lowered, first, the pressing portion 55 of the pressing rod 54
Is in contact with the upper member 48 and pushes down the upper member 48 against the resilient means 52, so that the film material 7 between the upper and lower members 48 and 49
Is clamped from above and below. That is, the spring force of the resilient means 58 of the pushing rod 54 is applied to the resilient means 52 of the guide rod 51.
And depresses the upper member 48. The purpose of holding the film material 7 from above and below is to prevent the film material 7 from wrinkling in the film holding step and the punching step described later. It is preferable that one or both of the upper and lower members 48 and 49 are provided with a flow passage for a coolant such as cooling water therein to be cooled.

Subsequently, when the moving frame 15 is lowered, the pressing plate 2 located at the lowermost end of the operation unit 18 is moved.
After the film 6 has entered the opening 48a of the upper member 48, the film 6 passes through the opening 49a of the lower member 49 and is pressed against the opening edge 5 of the container 1 while pressing the film material 7 (film holding step). At this time, since the film material 7 is sandwiched between the upper and lower members 48 and 49 as described above, it is assumed that the pressing plates 26 in the plurality of operating units 18 and 18 are arranged temporarily.
Do not descend simultaneously and simultaneously and a plurality of pressing plates 26 press the film material 7 with a time lag therebetween, the pressing plate 26 that has descended first presses the entire film material 7 When the other pressing plate 26 comes into contact with the film material 7, the film material 7
The occurrence of wrinkles on the surface is prevented. During the lowering of the moving frame 15, the pushing rod 54 is moved by the elastic means 5.
8 and slides relative to the moving frame 15, and the pressing member 55 keeps pushing the upper member 48.

When the moving frame 15 is further lowered, the hot blades 25 are opened by the openings 48 of the upper and lower members 48, 49.
a, 49a, the film material 7 is punched out, and the excess edge 8 is formed in the same manner as in the embodiment shown in FIGS.
In addition to forming the seal piece 8 provided with a, the excess edge 8a is thermally contracted by hot air and tightened to the outer periphery of the opening edge 5 of the container 1 (punching step). During the lowering of the moving frame 15, the piston rod 24 of the pressing plate 26 slides relatively to the hot blade 25 against the resilient urging means 31, and the film material 7 (the sealing piece 8) is pressed by the pressing plate 26. ) Opening edge 5
Keep pressing. Further, the pushing rod 54 slides against the resilient means 58 and keeps pushing the upper member 48 by the pushing portion 55 in the same manner as described in the film holding step.

After the above steps are completed, when the moving frame 15 is raised by the lifting / lowering driving means, the hot blade 25, the pressing plate 26, and the pushing rod 54 are raised to the original position by the reverse operation. Return to. That is, the hot blade 25 rises together with the moving frame 15 and is pulled out from the openings 48a and 49a of the upper and lower members 48 and 49. When the spring of the resilient urging means 47 is extended by the raising of the moving frame 15 and the stopper 45 of the piston rod 24 is brought into contact with the mounting flange 19, the piston rod 24 provided with the pressing plate 26 is raised together with the moving frame 15. Further, when the spring of the resilient means 58 is extended by the rise of the moving frame 15 and the stopper 56 is brought into contact with the guide body 53, the pushing rod 54 provided with the pressing portion 55 is raised together with the moving frame 15, whereby The member 48 is raised by the resilient means 52, and retreats from the lower member 49 to move the upper and lower members 48, 4
A gap is formed between the holes 9 so that the scraps of the film material 7 can be wound up after punching.

(Another Embodiment of Peel Sealing Method) FIG.
0 (B) shows another embodiment of the peel seal method. When the pressing plate 26 is lowered with the lowering of the piston rod 24 as described above, the film material 7 is pressed and held against the opening edge 5 of the container 1 ( In the film holding step), the film material 7 is brought into contact with a fluid (content) 6 such as cream filled in the container 1. Then, as described above, the heating blade 25 is moved down together with the heating block 22 to form the sealing piece 8 by punching out the film material 7 along the outer peripheral edge of the opening edge 5 (punching step). Is adhered to the fluid 6 while being attached to the opening edge 5 from the outside, in other words, a temporary fixing adhesive state.

For this reason, in this case, it does not matter whether or not the film material 7 is heat-shrinkable. Therefore, the structure of the apparatus does not matter whether or not the hot air path 37 and / or the refrigerant path 32 exist. Further, in the illustrated example, a configuration is shown in which the film material 7 is punched along the outer peripheral edge of the opening edge 5 by the hot blade 25. In this case, the film material 7 may be punched out at a position between the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the opening edge 5.

(Still Another Embodiment of the Peel Sealing Method)
FIG. 10C shows still another embodiment of the peel seal method, in which a welding means 7a capable of thermally welding the opening edge 5 of the container 1 and the film material 7 to each other is provided. In the illustrated example, the welding means 7 a is constituted by a heat-sensitive adhesive provided on the lower surface of the film material 7, but the heat-sensitive adhesive may be provided on the end face of the opening edge 5 of the container 1. Further, when using the synthetic resin container 1, the material of the film material 7 may be selected so that the container 1 and the film material 7 can be thermally welded to each other. Regardless. It does not matter whether the film material 7 is heat-shrinkable.

Therefore, the peripheral edge of the sealing piece 8 is heated and pressed against the opening edge 5 of the container 1 by the heating pressing portion 42 formed in a part of the pressing plate 26 or a part of the hot blade 25, and thereby the sealing piece 8 Is welded to the end face of the opening edge 5.

The first line shown on the left side of the center line in FIG.
In this embodiment, the heating pressing portion 42a is formed on the pressing plate 26, and although not shown, a heating means is provided on the pressing plate 26 (accordingly, the refrigerant passage 32 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6). Is not provided). Then, as described above, the pressing plate 26 is lowered together with the lowering of the piston rod 24, and the film material 7 is moved by the heating pressing portion 42a to the opening edge 5 of the container 1.
During the pressing and holding (film holding step), the film material 7 and the opening edge 5 of the container 1 are welded to each other. Subsequently, as described above, the heat blade 25 is lowered together with the heating block 22 to punch out the film material 7 along the outer peripheral edge of the opening edge 5 to form a seal piece 8 (punching step). The peripheral edge of the seal piece 8 is welded to the opening edge 5 as described above.

The second line shown on the right side of the center line in FIG.
In the embodiment, the heat pressing portion 42a is formed on the hot blade 25. For example, by forming the inner peripheral portion of the hot blade 25 near the blade edge portion 25a thick so as to have a small diameter, the step-like heating pressing portion 42a is formed. Therefore, as described above, the pressing plate 26 is lowered together with the lowering of the piston rod 24, and the film material 7 is transferred to the container 1 by the heat pressing portion 42a.
(The film holding step), and then the heating blade 25 is lowered together with the heating block 22 as described above, and the film material 7 is punched along the outer peripheral edge of the opening edge 5 by the cutting edge 25a. When the seal piece 8 is formed (punching step), the heat pressing portion 42 of the hot blade 25 is further formed.
a presses the peripheral edge of the sealing piece 8 against the end face of the opening edge 5 of the container 1 and heats it, thereby forming the sealing piece 8
The peripheral edge of the seal piece 8 is welded to the opening edge 5 while being attached to the opening edge 5 from the outside.

(Peel Seal Inspection Apparatus) After the peel seal is applied as described above, the container 1 is inspected for the presence or absence of the sealing piece 8 or the attached state. That is, even if it is intended to perform the peel seal due to the malfunction of the peel seal device as described above, the seal piece 8 may not actually be present at the opening edge 5 of the container 1. I do. In addition, even when the sealing piece 8 is present, it may not be properly attached to the opening edge 5 of the container 1, so that the state is inspected. That is, FIG.
In the case where the surplus edge 8a is attached to the opening edge 5 by thermally contracting the excess edge 8a as shown in FIG. 10A, whether or not the thermal contraction is properly performed is inspected, and as shown in FIG. In the case where the peripheral edge of the sealing piece 8 is thermally welded to the opening edge 5 of the container 1, it is inspected whether the thermal welding is properly performed. Further, even in the case where the seal piece 8 is merely placed on the opening edge 5 of the container 1 as shown in FIG. 10B, the container 1 is not sufficiently filled with a fluid (content) such as cream. And check if it is empty.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, at the place where the row of containers L on which the peel seal has been applied is intermittently transferred by the intermittent transfer setting means 10, an elevating body 51 which can move up and down above the group of containers is provided. Have been. The elevating body 51 is vertically movably connected to a fixed frame 52 fixed to the apparatus frame 11 via a slide guide 53, and is driven up and down by elevating means 54. In the case of the illustrated example, the slide guide 53 includes a cylindrical body 55 provided on the fixed frame 52,
A guide rod 56 guided by the cylindrical body 55 is formed, and the elevating body 51 is suspended by the guide rod 56, but is not limited to such a configuration. Further, in the case of the illustrated example, the lifting / lowering means 54 is a cylinder 5 mounted on the fixed frame 52.
7 and a cylinder rod 58 for suspending the elevating body 51 so as to be able to move forward and backward. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a rack and pinion equipped with an electronically controllable electric motor or the like is provided. Or a mechanism such as a bolt and nut method may be used. In other words, any mechanism may be used as long as the lifting / lowering body 51 is driven to move up and down according to a predetermined stroke.

The lifting / lowering body 51 is provided with a pin 5 provided slidably in the vertical direction and having a lower end protruding below the lifting / lowering body 51.
9 are provided. The number of the pins 59 is 6 (in the illustrated example, 6) of the containers 1 constituting the container row L3 on which the peel seal has been performed.
(Corresponding to six pieces) (in the example shown in the figure), and a contact portion 60 swelling in a hemispherical shape provided at the tip is arranged downward from the elevating body 51 toward each container 1.

As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 11A, the pin 59 is slidably inserted into a guide cylinder 61 provided to penetrate the elevating body 51 in the vertical direction. The flange 62 provided in the middle part in the direction is brought into contact with the upper surface of the elevating body 51 to constitute a positioning means 63 for regulating the lowering position of the pin 59. Therefore, pin 5
Numeral 9 does not lower from the positioning position but can rise from the positioning position. The pin 59 is urged downward by the urging means 64. In the illustrated example, the urging means 64 is constituted by a weight 66 externally fitted to the tail 65 of the pin 59 extending above the flange 62, but the weight is increased by increasing the mass of the pin 59 itself. The urging means 64 equivalent to a weight may be constituted, and the urging means 64 may be constituted by a spring or the like.

Further, a judging means 67 is provided above the urging means 64, and detects whether the pin 59 has slid (raised) with respect to the elevating body 51. Determination means 67
In the illustrated example, the limit switch 68 disposed above the weight 66 is fixed to the elevating body 51 via the support means 69, and the pin 59 is raised with respect to the elevating body 51. When the weight 66 is lifted and the limit switch 68 is brought into contact with the limit switch 68, the rising of the pin 59 is detected. However, a photoelectric tube or another structure may be used. Anything can be detected as long as it can be detected.

(Inspection Method Based on Peel Seal Inspection Apparatus) In the above configuration, the presence or absence of the sealing piece 8 in the container group forming the container row L3 or the attached state is determined by the lifting / lowering means 54. The body 51 is lowered within a predetermined stroke range. That is, the elevating body 51 is configured as shown in FIG.
It is lowered from the top dead center position P1 shown in (A) to the bottom dead center position P2 shown in FIGS. 11 (B) and 11 (C).

FIG. 11 (B) shows a case where a sealing piece 8 is attached to the opening edge 5 of the container 1 in an appropriate state. In this case, the elevating member moves down from the top dead center position P1. 5
After the contact portion 60 of the pin 59 that descends following the contact member 4 contacts the seal piece 8, the elevating body 54 is further lowered to the bottom dead center position P <b> 2, and the pin 59 moves relative to the elevating body 54. To rise. That is, the pin 59 is located at an intermediate position while the elevating body 54 descends from the top dead center position P1 to the bottom dead center position P2.
Abuts on the seal piece 8. Then, while the elevating body 54 further descends from the halfway position to the bottom dead center position P2, the pin 59 does not descend following the elevating body 54 with the contact portion 60 abutting on the seal piece 8. , Relative to the elevating body 54. Then, the limit switch is actuated and the relative rise of the pin 59 is detected by the determining means 67, whereby the peel seal is determined to be “appropriate”. For this reason,
In the case of the seal piece 8 having the heat-shrinked surplus edge 8a as shown in FIG. 10 (A), the attachment due to the heat shrinkage is determined to be “proper”. Further, in the case of the seal piece 8 whose peripheral edge is thermally welded as shown in FIG. 10 (C), the attachment by thermal welding is determined to be “appropriate”. Further, in the case of the sealing piece 8 merely placed on the opening edge 5 as shown in FIG. 10B, the container 1 is sufficiently filled with a fluid (content) such as cream, and the sealing piece is placed thereon. 8 exists and is determined to be “proper”.
In addition, depending on such a difference in the attachment mode of the seal piece 8,
The urging force of the urging means 64 can be appropriately changed.

FIG. 11C shows a case where the sealing piece 8 is not attached to the opening edge 5 of the container 1 in an appropriate state. In this case, the elevating body 54 is moved downward from the top dead center position P1. After the contact portion 60 of the pin 59 abuts on the seal piece 8 at the halfway position while descending to the dead center position P2, the pin 59 is moved while the elevating body 54 is further lowered from the halfway position to the lower dead center position P2. Moves down following the elevating body 54 while making the contact portion 60 enter the inside of the container 1. Then, since the limit switch 68 does not operate, the determination means 67 detects that the pin 59 has been lowered together with the lifting / lowering body 54, thereby determining that the peel seal is "inappropriate". For this reason, in the case of the sealing piece 8 having the surplus edge 8a that has been thermally shrunk as shown in FIG. 10A, the sealing piece 8 is pushed into the inside of the container 1 by the contact portion 60 of the pin 59. Is determined to be “inappropriate”. FIG.
Also in the case of the seal piece 8 whose peripheral edge is heat-welded as in (C), since the seal piece 8 is pushed into the inside of the container 1 by the contact portion 60 of the pin 59, the attachment by the heat welding is “inappropriate”. Is determined. Further, in the case of the seal piece 8 just placed on the opening edge 5 as shown in FIG. 10B, it is assumed that the container 1 is not sufficiently filled with the fluid (content) and is in an “empty” state. The sealing piece 8 is moved by the contact portion 60 of the pin 59 to the container 1.
, Is also determined to be “inappropriate”. Alternatively, irrespective of the manner in which the seal piece 8 is attached,
If the sealing piece 8 does not exist in the first place at the opening edge 5 of the container 1, it is determined to be “inappropriate” because the pin 59 enters while the contact portion 60 is embedded in the fluid in the container. As described above, the urging force of the urging means 64 can be appropriately changed according to the difference in the attachment mode of the sealing piece 8 and the difference in the viscosity of the fluid in the container.

Therefore, the container 1 determined to be “appropriate”
It is sent to the next step, and the cap 9 is covered with the opening cylindrical portion 3. On the other hand, if it is determined that the container is “inappropriate”, the operation of the apparatus is stopped there, and the operator removes the container that is determined to be inappropriate. The "inappropriate" determination signal from the determination means 67 is preferably used as a means for notifying the worker of the fact by turning on a warning light or generating an alarm from an alarm device. It is preferable that the apparatus is configured to automatically stop the operation in response to the “inappropriate” determination signal.

[0054]

According to the present invention, in the peel sealing step of closing the opening of the container 1 filled with a fluid such as cream with the sealing piece 8, it is automatically determined whether or not the peel sealing is properly performed. Has the effect of being able to make a determination.

Further, if the peel seal step is performed by the peel seal method based on the apparatus as in the above-described embodiment, it is not necessary to manufacture and stock a large number of seal pieces in advance as in the related art. In each case, a sealing piece 8 is automatically punched and formed from the film material 7 to the opening edge 5 of the container 1 filled with the contents 6, and at the same time, the sealing piece 7 is automatically inserted into the opening edge 5 of the container 1. There is an effect that it can be attached to the

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an example of a novel peel sealing method performed prior to carrying out the inspection method of the present invention, and (A)
Is a perspective view showing the installed container, (B) is a perspective view showing a state where a film material facing the opening edge of the container is installed,
(C) is a perspective view showing a state in which a sealing piece has been attached to the opening edge of the container from the outside after the film holding step and the punching step.

FIG. 2 is an overall front view showing an example of an apparatus for performing a peel seal method.

FIG. 3 is an overall front view showing an example of an apparatus for performing the inspection method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of a device incorporating a device for carrying out the peel seal method and a device for carrying out the inspection method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation unit in the peel seal device.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a film holding step by an operation unit in the peel seal device.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a punching step by an operating unit in the peel seal device.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the peel seal device.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a film holding step and a punching step in another embodiment of the peel seal device.

10A and 10B show each embodiment of the peel seal method, wherein FIG. 10A is a longitudinal sectional view showing the operation of the first embodiment, FIG. 10B is a longitudinal sectional view showing the operation of the second embodiment,
(C) is a longitudinal sectional view showing the operation of the third embodiment, showing the first example on the left side of the center line and the second example on the right side of the center line.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the inspection method of the present invention,
(A) is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the elevating body is at the top dead center position and before descending, and (B) is a case where the elevating body descends to the bottom dead center position and the peel seal is determined to be “proper”. Longitudinal section,
(C) is a longitudinal sectional view when the elevating body descends to the bottom dead center position and the peel seal is determined to be “inappropriate”.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container 5 Opening edge 6 Contents 7 Film material 7a Welding means 8 Seal piece 8a Excess edge 12 Fixed frame 51 Elevating body 52 Fixed frame 53 Slide guide 54 Elevating means 59 Pin 60 Contact part 63 Positioning means 64 Energizing means 67 Judgment means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A 54-30983 (JP, U) JP-A 1-59842 (JP, U) (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01M 3/36 B65B 57/02

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A seal opening punched from a film material is peelably attached from the outside of an opening edge to peel-seal an opening of a container, and thereafter, the presence or absence of the sealing piece or the attached state is inspected. A method of lowering a lifting / lowering body from above a container toward a sealing piece, and contacting a lower end of a pin slidably provided in the lifting / lowering body in a vertical direction and biased downward to the sealing piece. After that, lower the elevating body further until the elevating body reaches the bottom dead center position.
In the lower part of the container opening, the pin is determined to be appropriate when the pin is relatively raised with respect to the elevating body, and is determined to be inappropriate when the pin is lowered together with the elevating body. Peel seal inspection method. 2. A process for intermittently transferring a container filled with a fluid.
In the opening of the container
Pressed and held on the edge, punched from the film material
Sealing process of attaching the sealed pieces to the opening edge of the container
And then put a cap on the open cylinder of the container.
In the closing structure, the cap is provided after the peel sealing step.
Before the crown, the presence or absence of the sealing piece
A method for inspecting the condition, in which the lifting body is lowered from above the container toward the sealing piece.
A vertically movable body is provided on the elevating body.
The lower end of the pin urged toward the seal piece
Later, by further lowering the elevating body, the elevating body
In the middle position of descending to the bottom dead center position,
When it rises relatively to the elevating body, it is determined to be appropriate,
When the pin is lowered together with the elevating body, it is determined to be inappropriate.
The peel seal at the container opening.
Inspection method . 3. A container opening according to claim 1 or 2,
A lifting / lowering body that is raised and lowered by lifting / lowering means above a peel-sealed container whose opening is closed by a sealing piece made of a film, and is vertically slidable on the lifting / lowering body. And a pin having a lower end protruding below the elevating body,
A peel seal at the container opening, comprising: urging means for urging the pin downward, and determination means for sensing whether the pin has slid with respect to the elevating body. Inspection equipment.