JP6213221B2 - Inspection device for flexible packaging - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus for a flexible package.

  As a packaging body for packaging contents such as liquids, viscous bodies, powders, and solids, a flexible packaging body formed by stacking films and sealing their peripheral portions is known.

  The flexible package is manufactured, for example, by inserting a folded bottom film between two side films from the crease side and sealing the peripheral edge between the films in contact with each other. In such a flexible package, the bottom film can be spread and the two side films can be made self-supporting by forming a cylindrical shape at the bottom.

  In the bag with the airbag disclosed in Patent Document 1, a non-fused portion that is not sealed over a predetermined length in the height direction is provided inside the region where each film is sealed, and in this region, An airbag into which gas has been injected is formed.

  And since each side film becomes difficult to bend in an airbag and its vicinity with this airbag, when making a flexible packaging body self-support, the shape of the whole flexible packaging body does not collapse easily and it is easy to maintain self-supporting property. Further, when the flexible package is transported or the contents are taken out, the vicinity of the airbag functions as a handle, so that the bag with the airbag can be easily held by grasping this portion.

JP 2006-123931 A

  In order to ensure the function of such a self-supporting flexible package, an appropriate amount of air (gas) must be sealed in the airbag, and the periphery of the airbag must be securely sealed. In general, the air bag is sealed by sealing the opening of the storage unit for storing the contents and the gas inlet of the airbag in the same process after filling the contents. For this reason, it is preferable to provide an air sealing inspection process for inspecting that the gas is sealed in the airbag and that the airbag is securely sealed after the contents filling process.

  However, when such an air sealing inspection process is performed by a dedicated inspector palpating each flexible package, it is costly and the inspection accuracy is stable due to the inspector's experience and the fatigue state of the inspector. There was a risk of not.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to automate the air sealing inspection process of a flexible package by a simple mechanism and improve the inspection accuracy.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an inspection apparatus for a flexible packaging body having a storage portion for storing contents and a gas sealing portion for enclosing gas, the flexible packaging body having a predetermined interval therebetween. A guide part composed of two guides sandwiching an area between the storage part and the gas sealing part from each surface of the guide part, and a guide part for guiding the flexible packaging body in a direction in which the gas sealing part passes between the two guides of the guide part The gas sealing part passes between the two guides of the guide part by the guidance of the guide part, and the gas is sealed in the gas sealing part based on whether or not the flexible package is detached from the guide part. It is possible to inspect whether or not it is sealed.

  In addition, the flexible packaging body sandwiched between the guide sections is transported to the guiding section, and the conveying section is configured to transport both the flexible packaging body that has been detached from the guiding section by the guiding section and the flexible packaging body that has not been detached from the guiding section. The flexible package has passed or did not pass through a position that includes at least one of the position that passes when the flexible package is separated from the guide portion at the guide portion and the position that passes when the flexible package is not detached. And an inspection unit that performs an inspection by detecting the above, and the inspection may be performed by determining whether or not the flexible package has detached from the guide unit based on the inspection result of the inspection unit.

  In addition, the flexible packaging body sandwiched between the guide portions is transported to the guide portion, and the flexible packaging body is transported from the guide portion by the guide portion, and the flexible packaging is not detached from the guide portion by the guide portion. An inspection unit by further determining whether or not the flexible package has been detached from the guide unit based on whether the flexible package is transported by the transport unit or the other transport unit. May be performed.

  Further, the distance between the two guides of the guide portion may be variably settable.

  Further, the guide portion extends in a direction that is not parallel to the conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, so that the gas enclosure portion is filled with gas, and the portion including at least the gas enclosure portion of the sealed flexible package is provided. Further, it may be configured to move relative to a direction that is not parallel to the transport direction of the transport unit.

  Further, the guide unit extends in a direction in which the guide unit is separated from the conveyance direction of the conveyance unit, so that the gas is sealed in the gas enclosure unit and the sealed flexible packaging body is separated from the conveyance direction of the conveyance unit. May be configured to move to.

  According to the present invention, the air sealing inspection process of the flexible package can be automated by a simple mechanism, and the inspection accuracy can be improved.

They are the front view of a flexible package and a guide part, sectional drawing (a) seen from the AA 'direction, and the principal part enlarged view (b) of a cross section. It is the top view (a) and front view (b) of the inspection apparatus of the flexible package which concern on 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the attitude | position of the flexible package body which test | inspects with the inspection apparatus of the flexible package body which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the schematic which shows operation | movement of the test | inspection part which concerns on the inspection apparatus of the flexible package which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a top view of the inspection apparatus of the flexible packaging body which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

(Flexible package)
FIG. 1 shows an example of a flexible package 200 to be inspected by an inspection apparatus for a flexible package according to the present invention, and guides 400 and 401 constituting a part of the inspection apparatus.

  The flexible package 200 is configured by sealing and overlapping predetermined portions of the first side film 201, the second side film 202, and the bottom film 203. As the material of the film, for example, a laminate including resin or aluminum and having a certain rigidity can be used. As an example of a laminated body, the laminated body which has a layer structure of a polyethylene terephthalate / aluminum / nylon / low-density polyethylene toward the inside from the exterior of a package can be mentioned.

  The flexible packaging body 200 inserts the bottom film 203 folded in half between the first side film 201 and the second side film 202, which are overlapped, from the crease side, and seals the peripheral portions of the films in contact with each other. Thus, they are integrally formed. The flexible package 200 further includes a storage portion 205 and a gas sealing portion 206 surrounded by a seal region 208 shown by hatching in FIG. The storage unit 205 is an area for storing the content 207 to be packaged by the flexible package 200. The gas sealing portion 206 is a region that is not sealed over a predetermined length in the vertical direction of the flexible package 200 and is a region where gas is sealed.

  The flexible package 200 is self-supporting with the bottom film 203 as a bottom surface by spreading the bottom film 203 and forming the first side film 201 and the second side film 202 into a cylindrical shape on the side where the bottom film 203 is sealed. It is possible to make it. Furthermore, since the flexible packaging body 200 makes it difficult for the first side film 201 and the second side film 202 to be bent at the gas sealing section 206 and in the vicinity thereof by the gas sealing section 206, the flexible packaging body 200 is free-standing. In addition, the shape of the entire flexible package 200 is not easily broken, and the independence is easily maintained. Further, when the flexible package 200 is transported or the contents are taken out, the vicinity of the gas sealing portion 206 functions as a handle, so that the flexible package 200 can be easily held by grasping this portion.

  Moreover, the flexible packaging body 200 may be provided with a pouring part 204 whose opening is planned for pouring the contents. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the pouring part 204 is a first side film. It is formed by attaching a spout member between 201 and the second side film 202.

  FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of a main part of a cross section of the flexible package 200 in which the contents 207 are injected into the storage unit 205 and the gas is sealed in the gas sealing unit 206.

  Guides 400 and 401 are components of the inspection device for a flexible package according to the present invention. Although details will be described later, at the time of inspection, a seal region 208 between the storage portion 205 and the gas sealing portion 206 of the flexible package is sandwiched at a predetermined interval.

(First embodiment)
An inspection apparatus 101 for a flexible package according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2A is a top view of the inspection apparatus 101 and the flexible package 200 to be inspected, and FIG. 2B is a front view thereof. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines BB ′, CC ′, and DD ′ of FIG. 2, showing the posture of the flexible package 200 that is inspected by the inspection apparatus. The inspection apparatus 101 includes a belt conveyor 300 that is a conveying unit, and guides 400 and 401 that are guide units. The inspection apparatus 101 is divided into an introduction unit 402, a guidance unit 403, and an inspection unit 404.

  The belt conveyor 300 conveys the flexible package 200 sandwiched between the guides 400 and 401 by the introduction unit 402 to the guide unit 403 described later, and the flexible package 200 and the guides separated from the guides 400 and 401 by the guide unit 403. Any flexible package 200 that has not detached from 400 and 401 has a function of conveying it to the inspection unit 404. In the present embodiment, the belt conveyor 300 which is a well-known technique composed of an annular belt 301 driven by a motor or the like and a roller 302 is used. It can be employed as a conveying means.

  The belt conveyor 300 moves the belt 301 in the right direction (X direction) in FIG. 2 by being driven by a motor (not shown). The flexible package 200 to be inspected is transported in the X direction in which the belt 301 is driven by being placed on the upper surface of the belt 301 with its side face directed up and down.

  The guides 400 and 401 are substantially rod-shaped members that are arranged so as to sandwich a region between the storage unit 205 and the gas sealing unit 206 from each surface of the flexible package 200 with a predetermined interval. The distance CL provided between the two guides 400 and 401 shown in FIG. 1B is, for example, wider than the thickness h1 of the seal region 208 and larger than the thickness h2 of the gas enclosure 206 filled with gas. Set thin.

  The introduction unit 402 sandwiches a region between the storage unit 205 and the gas sealing unit 206 of the flexible package 200 conveyed by the belt conveyor 300. As shown in FIG. 2, the guides 400 and 401 in the introduction unit 402 have a height that can sandwich the region between the storage unit 205 and the gas sealing unit 206 of the flexible package 200 that is placed and conveyed on the belt conveyor 300. , Extending in parallel with the transport direction (X direction) and connected to the guide unit 403.

  The guide unit 403 guides the flexible package 200 in a direction in which the gas sealing unit 206 of the flexible package 200 passes between the guides 400 and 401. In the inspection apparatus 101, the guide unit 403 has the guides 400 and 401 extending in the upward direction (Z direction) not parallel to the transport direction (X direction) of the belt conveyor 300, whereby gas is sealed in the gas sealing unit 206. In addition, at least a portion including the gas sealing portion 206 of the sealed flexible packaging body 200 is configured to move relative to the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 300.

  The guiding unit 403 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Since the guides 400 and 401 extend in the guide unit 403 upward (Z direction) not parallel to the transport direction (X direction), the posture of the flexible package 200 transported to the guide unit 403 by the belt conveyor 300 is gas. When gas is enclosed and sealed in the enclosing portion 206, a guide is provided so that the gas enclosing portion is positioned above the storage portion from the posture A with the side face in the vertical direction along with the conveyance through the posture B. The posture C gradually changes from 400 and 401. That is, since the gap CL between the guides 400 and 401 is set to be smaller than the thickness h2 of the gas sealing portion 206, the flexible packaging body 200 cannot pass between the guides 400 and 401. While being conveyed by the conveyor 300, the gas sealing unit 206 is pulled up in a direction (Z direction) not parallel to the conveying direction by the guides 400 and 401 at the same time. As a result, the gas sealing unit 206 moves relative to the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 300, and the flexible package 200 changes its posture.

  On the other hand, when no gas is sealed in the gas sealing part 206 or when the gas sealing part 206 is not sealed, the thickness of the gas sealing part 206 is thinner than h2 or thinner than h2 by slight pressing. For this reason, the gas sealing unit 206 is not pulled up by the guides 400 and 401 in a direction (Z direction) that is not parallel to the transport direction, and slips through the guides 400 and 401. As a result, the flexible package 200 is detached from the guides 400 and 401, the posture of the flexible packaging 200 cannot be changed, and the state of the posture A with the side face directed in the up-and-down direction is maintained, and is conveyed to the inspection unit described later. become.

  In addition, as shown to (a) of FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the guides 400 and 401 are extended | stretched also with respect to the direction (Y direction) parallel to the horizontal surface (XY plane) of the belt conveyor 300. FIG. Thereby, when the flexible packaging body 200 changes its posture, the distance that the lower side surface moves in contact with the belt 301 of the belt conveyor 300 can be reduced, so that distortion of the belt 301 can be reduced. it can.

  The inspection unit 404 transports the flexible package 200 while maintaining the postures C and A, regardless of whether the flexible package 200 is detached from the guides 400 and 401 or not in the guide unit 403. For this reason, in the inspection unit 404, the guides 400 and 401 are extended at a height at the end of the guide unit 403 in parallel with the conveyance direction (X direction) of the belt conveyor 300.

  In the inspection unit 404, the flexible package has passed through a position including at least one of a position that passes when the flexible package 200 leaves the guides 400 and 401 in the guide unit 403 and a position that passes when the flexible package 200 does not leave. By detecting that the gas does not pass through, it is checked whether or not the gas is sealed in the gas sealing portion 206 and sealed. In the inspection apparatus 101 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the inspection unit 404 includes first sensors 501 arranged in a different direction from the belt conveyor 300 in the conveyance direction (X direction) and The second sensor 502 is configured. The first sensor 501 is higher than the upper surface of the flexible package in the posture A state on the belt 301, and the guides 400 and 401 are suspended from the guides 400 and 401 by setting a position lower than the height of the guide 400 and 401 as a detection range. It is arranged so that the passage of the flexible packaging body 200 in the posture C can be detected. The second sensor 502 uses the height between the upper surface and the lower surface of the flexible packaging body 200 in the posture A state on the belt 301 as a detection range, thereby allowing the flexible packaging body 200 in the postures A and C to pass. It is arranged so that it can be detected. By configuring in this manner, the first sensor 501 can detect the passage of the flexible packaging body 200 in the posture C state with the flexible packaging body 200, and the second sensor 502 does not depend on the posture of the flexible packaging body 200, The passage itself can be detected. By combining the detection results of the first sensor 501 and the second sensor 502, it is possible to detect whether the flexible package 200 has passed in the posture A or C. The flexible package 200 that has passed in the state of posture C is determined as a non-defective product in which gas is sealed in the gas sealing portion 206 and is sealed, and the flexible package 200 that has passed in the state of posture A is a defective product that is not. It is possible to perform inspection of the gas injection unit 206. The first sensor 501 and the second sensor 502 only need to be able to detect that the flexible package 200 has passed through the vicinity, and for example, an optical sensor can be used.

  The inspection unit 404 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows a state where the flexible package 200 in which the gas is sealed in the gas sealing unit 206 and is sealed passes through the inspection unit 404 while maintaining the posture C. FIG. In this case, both the first sensor 501 and the second sensor 502 detect that the flexible package 200 has passed, and it is determined that the flexible package 200 is a non-defective product.

  On the other hand, FIG. 4B shows a state where the flexible packaging body 200 in which no gas is sealed in the gas sealing section 206 or is not sealed passes through the inspection section 404 in the posture A state. In this case, the first sensor 501 does not detect that the flexible package 200 has passed, the second sensor 502 detects that the flexible package 200 has passed, and the flexible package 200 is a defective product. Determined. The inspection apparatus 101 may further include a mechanism that separates the conveyance path of the flexible package 200 into non-defective products and defective products based on the determination result in the inspection unit 404.

(Second Embodiment)
An inspection apparatus 102 for a flexible package according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a top view of the inspection apparatus 102. The inspection apparatus 102 includes a first belt conveyor 600 that is a first conveyance unit, a second belt conveyor 700 that is a second conveyance unit, and two guides 800 and 801 that are guide units. The inspection apparatus 102 is divided into an introduction unit 802 and a guidance unit 803.

  The first belt conveyor 600 conveys the flexible package 200 sandwiched between the guides 800 and 801 by the introduction unit 802 to the guide unit 803 and also removes the flexible package 200 separated from the guides 800 and 801 by the guide unit 803. It has a function to convey. The second belt conveyor 700 has a function of conveying the flexible package 200 that has not been detached from the guides 800 and 801 by the guide portion 803. The first belt conveyor 600 and the second belt conveyor 700 are arranged adjacent to each other as shown in FIG. In the inspection apparatus 102, similarly to the inspection apparatus 101, a belt conveyor that is a well-known technique is used for the first and second transport units. Good.

  The first belt conveyor 600 and the second belt conveyor 700 move the belts 601 and 701 to the right (X direction) in the drawing by being driven by a motor (not shown). The flexible package 200 to be inspected is transported in the direction in which the belt is driven by being placed on the upper surfaces of the belts 601 and 701 with the side surfaces thereof directed upward and downward.

  The guides 800 and 801 are substantially rod-shaped members that are arranged so as to sandwich a region between the storage unit 205 and the gas sealing unit 206 from each surface of the flexible package 200 with a predetermined interval. The gap CL provided between the guides 800 and 801 is set to be wider than the thickness h1 of the seal region 208 and thinner than the thickness h2 of the gas sealing portion 206 in which gas is sealed.

  Since the introduction unit 802 has the same configuration as the introduction unit 402 disclosed in the inspection apparatus 101, the description thereof is omitted.

  The guiding portion 803 guides the flexible packaging body in a direction in which the gas sealing portion 206 of the flexible packaging body 200 passes between the guides 800 and 801. In the inspection apparatus 102, the flexible packaging body in which the gas is sealed and sealed in the gas sealing portion 206 by the guides 800 and 801 extending in the direction (Y direction) away from the transport direction (X direction) of the transport portion. 200 is configured to move in a direction away from the conveying direction of the first belt conveyor 600.

  The inspection apparatus 102 will be described with reference to FIG. The flexible package 200 sandwiched between the two sandwich guides 800 and 801 in the region between the storage unit 205 and the gas sealing unit 206 by the introduction unit 802 is conveyed to the guide unit 803 by the first belt conveyor 600. When gas is sealed in the gas sealing unit 206 and hermetically sealed, the flexible package 200 moves from the first belt conveyor 600 to the second belt conveyor 700 along with conveyance. That is, since the gap CL provided between the guides 800 and 801 is set to be thinner than the thickness h2 of the gas sealing part 206, the gas sealing part 206 cannot pass between the guides 800 and 801, and is flexible. Since the portion including the gas sealing portion 206 of the package 200 is conveyed by the first belt conveyor 600 while being restricted by the movement of the guides 800 and 801, the flexible package 200 moves relative to the conveyance direction. Thus, the flexible package 200 moves from the first belt conveyor 600 to the second belt conveyor 700 adjacent thereto.

  On the other hand, when no gas is sealed in the gas sealing part 206 or when the gas sealing part 206 is not sealed, the thickness of the gas sealing part is thinner than h2 or thinner than h2 by slight pressing. For this reason, the gas sealing portion 206 slips between the guides 800 and 801. As a result, the flexible package 200 is detached from the guides 800 and 801 and cannot be moved to the second belt conveyor 700 but is conveyed by the first belt conveyor 600.

  Therefore, in the inspection apparatus 102, when the flexible package 200 that has passed through the guide portion 803 is conveyed by the second belt conveyor 700, the non-defective product in which the gas is sealed in the gas sealing portion 206 and is sealed. If it is conveyed by the first belt conveyor 600, it can be determined that the product is not defective.

  As described above, by using the inspection device for the flexible packaging body of the present invention, it is possible to automate the inspection of whether or not the gas is enclosed in the gas sealing portion 206 of the flexible packaging body 200 and is sealed by a simple mechanism. Therefore, the cost can be reduced and the inspection accuracy can be improved as compared with the conventional case.

  Further, the interval CL between the two guides may be set variably. Thereby, the inspection apparatus 101 and the inspection apparatus 102 can easily cope with various flexible packaging bodies in which the thickness of the gas sealing portion 206 is different.

  The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above two. What is necessary is just to be able to judge the quality based on whether the gas sealing part 206 slips through between two guides, and each component of these embodiments may be appropriately converted or omitted. In addition, the present invention is applicable as long as the flexible package has the gas sealing portion 206, and does not have a bottom film, and only the first side film 201 and the second side film 202 are sealed. What was formed may be sufficient and there may not be extraction parts 204, such as a spout member.

  The inspection apparatus for a flexible package according to the present invention is useful for an inspection apparatus for a flexible package having a gas injection part.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101,102 Inspection apparatus of flexible package 200 Flexible package 201 1st side film 202 2nd side film 203 Bottom film 204 Outflow part 205 Storage part 206 Gas enclosure part 207 Contents 208 Seal area | region 300, 600, 700 Belt conveyor 301, 601, 701 Belt 302 Roller 400, 401, 800, 801 Guide 402, 802 Introduction unit 403, 803 Guide unit 404 Inspection unit 501 First sensor 502 Second sensor

Claims (6)

An inspection apparatus for a flexible package having a storage unit for storing contents and a gas sealing unit for sealing gas,
A guide portion comprising two guides sandwiching a region between the storage portion and the gas sealing portion from each surface of the flexible packaging body at a predetermined interval;
A guide part for guiding the flexible package in a direction in which the gas sealing part passes between two guides of the guide part;
Gas is sealed in the gas sealing part based on whether the gas sealing part slips between the two guides of the guide part due to the guidance of the guiding part and the flexible packaging body is detached from the guide part. An inspection device for a flexible package, which makes it possible to inspect whether or not it is sealed. The flexible package sandwiched between the guide portions is transported to the guide portion, and both the flexible package separated from the guide portion by the guide portion and the flexible package not separated from the guide portion are transported. A transport section to perform,
The flexible package has passed or passed through a position that includes at least one of a position that passes when the flexible package is separated from the guide portion in the guide portion and a position that passes when the flexible package is not detached. An inspection unit that performs the inspection by detecting that there was not,
The inspection apparatus for a flexible packaging body according to claim 1, wherein the inspection is performed by determining whether the flexible packaging body is detached from the guide portion based on a detection result of the inspection portion. A transport unit that transports the flexible package sandwiched between the guide units to the guide unit, and transports the flexible package separated from the guide unit by the guide unit;
And further comprising another transport section for transporting the flexible package that has not been detached from the guide section by the guide section,
2. The inspection according to claim 1, wherein the inspection is performed by determining whether the flexible package has been detached from the guide unit based on which of the transport unit and the other transport unit is transported. Inspection device for flexible packaging.   The inspection apparatus of the flexible package body in any one of Claims 1-3 which can set the distance between the two guides of the said guide part variably.   The guide portion extends at least the gas-sealed portion of the flexible packaging body in which gas is sealed in the gas-sealed portion and sealed by extending the guide portion in a direction not parallel to the transport direction of the transport portion. The inspection apparatus of the flexible package body of Claim 2 or 3 comprised so that the part to include may move relatively with respect to the conveyance direction of the said conveyance part.   The guide portion extends in a direction away from the transport direction of the transport portion, so that the flexible packaging body in which gas is sealed and sealed in the gas sealing portion is transported in the transport portion. The inspection apparatus of the flexible package of Claim 2 or 3 comprised so that it may move in the direction away from.

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