JP7359341B2 - Sheet material seal cutting method and sheet material seal cutting device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet material seal cutting method and a sheet material seal cutting apparatus in which sheet materials are welded and sealed while being fused and cut, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a sheet material seal cutting device that cuts a plurality of stacked sheet materials by cutting them by fusing and sealing them. The sheet material is sandwiched between ultrasonically vibrating tool horns and sealed by ultrasonic welding, and at the same time, the center of the sealed portion is cut by ultrasonic welding to create a bag such as a tea bag. The present invention relates to a seal cutting method and a seal cutting device for sheet materials.

Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of tea bags and the like, a seal cutting device has been used to seal a plurality of stacked sheet materials by ultrasonic welding and at the same time cut the center of the sealed portion by ultrasonic welding.

FIGS. 14(a), 14(b), and 14(c) show the conventional tea bag seal cutting process. In FIG. 14(a), a long packaging material 30 in which synthetic resin threads are knitted in a mesh pattern or non-woven fabric sheet materials is supplied from above to below, and the left and right ends of this packaging material 30 are The vertical sealing machines 41 are arranged to form vertical sealing lines 32, and the horizontal sealing machines form horizontal sealing lines 33 that cross the packaging material 30. After storing the contents 34 such as tea leaves inside the packaging material 30, as shown in FIG. At the same time, the horizontal seal line 36 is cut at the center in the vertical direction. As a result, the package 39 was manufactured as one tea bag as shown in FIG. 14(c) (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

FIG. 15 shows an external perspective view showing the positional relationship between the conventional packaging material 30 and the horizontal sealing machine 42. In FIG. 15, the packaging material 30 is applied to the base block 60, and a pair of presser plates 71 spaced apart are pressed and held by an air cylinder 71a. The horizontal sealing machine 42 is composed of a moving part 3 that reciprocates in the direction of the arrow by an air cylinder 3a, a disk-shaped anvil 1 attached to the tip of the moving part 3, and a tool horn 2 that vibrates ultrasonically. The distance between the pair of presser plates 71 is sufficient for the disk-shaped anvil 1 attached to the tip of the moving part 3 and the tool horn 2 that vibrates ultrasonically to pass through. When the anvil 2 is moved in the direction of the arrow, the anvil 1 and the tool horn 2 irradiate ultrasonic vibration energy with the packaging material 30 in between to form a seal line 36 and perform a seal and cut at the same time.

FIG. 16 shows a plan view of the packaging material 30 sandwiched between the anvil 1 and tool horn 2 of the horizontal sealing machine 42. In FIG. 16, the tool horn 2 is pressed toward the anvil 1 with a predetermined pressing force (F), and is ultrasonically vibrated in the pressing direction at a frequency of 15 kHz to 40 kHz and an amplitude of several microns to several tens of microns. There is. The anvil 1 is fixed vertically in the plane of FIG. 16 and does not rotate. When the moving unit 3 moves the anvil 1 and the tool horn 2 to the left in FIG. The packaging material 30 is irradiated with ultrasonic vibration energy.

17(a) shows a cross section of the packaging material 30 before seal cutting, that is, the AA cross section in FIG. 16, and FIG. 17(b) shows a cross section during seal cutting, that is, the BB cross section in FIG. 16. , FIG. 17(c) shows a cross section after seal cutting, that is, a CC cross section in FIG. 16, showing how the packaging material 30 is sealed.

In FIG. 17A before seal cutting, the packaging materials 30, which are a plurality of sheet materials, physically overlap. In FIG. 17B during seal cutting, the packaging material 30 is sandwiched between the anvil 1 and the ultrasonically vibrating tool horn 2, and the packaging material 30 is irradiated with ultrasonic vibration energy of the tool horn 2. The outer periphery of the anvil 1 is mountain-shaped with the maximum diameter at the center in the thickness direction, so the area between the tool horn 2 and the slope 1b on the outer periphery of the anvil 1 (the fine diagonal line in Fig. 17(b)) The packaging material 30 in the indicated area) is heated and melted by the ultrasonic vibration energy, and is sealed as a horizontal seal line 36. On the other hand, at a position where the peak 1a of the anvil 1 faces the tool horn 2, the packaging material 30 is cut by the pressing force (F) of the tool horn 2 and the ultrasonic vibration energy. When the horizontal seal line 36 is cut at the center, it contracts and creates a gap as shown in FIG. 17(c). In this manner, the conventional seal cutting device performs seal cutting on a plurality of stacked packaging materials 30.

Here, in a structure in which the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 face each other directly as shown in FIG. The range in which the anvil 1 pinches the packaging material 30 (pinching range H1) is wide. Therefore, the packaging material 30 sandwiched between the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1 is irradiated with ultrasonic energy over a wide range and melts in an amount sufficient for sealing. On the other hand, the tool horn 2 and the peaks 1a of the anvil 1 cut the melted packaging material 30 by the pressing force (F) of the tool horn 2 and ultrasonic vibration energy while pushing apart the melted portion of the packaging material 30. Therefore, the pressing force per unit area and the ultrasonic vibration energy per unit area at the position where the tool horn 2 and the peak 1a of the anvil 1 face each other are small, and the sharpness of the cut may be poor.

In addition, the conventional seal cutting device has a structure in which the pressing surface of the tool horn 2 slides on the surface of the packaging material 30, so the pressing surface of the tool horn 2 scrapes the surface of the packaging material 30, and the fine "powder 6" is applied to the packaging material. It sometimes adhered to the surface of 30.

Furthermore, the melted portion of the packaging material 30 may form a lump (hereinafter referred to as a "clump" at the manufacturing site) and adhere to one or both surfaces of the cut packaging material 30. there were. The generation of clumps will be explained with reference to FIGS. 18(a) to 18(d), which illustrate the mechanism by which clumps occur.

In Fig. 18, when the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 are moved in the direction of the leftward white arrow, the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 are moved within the pinching range (H1) where they face each other, as shown in Figs. 18(a) to (c). Then, the packaging material 30 melts, and a lump 70 is formed in which the melted portion accumulates. The tool horn 2 is ultrasonically vibrated with an amplitude of several microns to several tens of microns by an ultrasonic vibrating part (not shown) provided on the opposite side of the pressing surface, so that the clumps 70 are removed from the gap of several microns to several tens of microns. A part of the packaging material 30 separates little by little, slips between the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1, and adheres to the cut surface of one or both of the cut packaging materials 30 as lumps 7, as shown in FIG. 18(d). was there.

In addition, in FIGS. 16 and 18(a), (b), and (c), the pressing surface of the tool horn 2 scrapes the surface of the packaging material 30 and the fine powder 6 produced is on the surface of the packaging material 30. , the clumps 7 are shown attached to the cut surface of the cut packaging material 30.

These "powder 6" and "clumps 7" are unnecessary deposits on the seal-cut packaging material 30, and production quality deteriorated when "powder 6" and "clumps 7" were generated.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 19, other conventional seal cutting devices do not use the moving part 3, but instead of the moving part 3, the positions of both the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1 are fixed. Some devices employ a feeding section that horizontally moves a long sheet material 50 by pulling it in one direction using a pair of feeding rollers 5. The seal cutting device shown in FIG. 19 has the advantage that the floor space of the device is small when continuously seal cutting the long sheet material 50. However, the seal cutting device shown in FIG. 19 has a structure in which the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 face directly in front of each other, and a structure in which the pressing surface of the tool horn 2 slides on the surface of the sheet material 50 as shown in FIG. This is the same as the conventional seal cutting device explained with reference to FIG.

Therefore, the pressing force per unit area and the ultrasonic vibration energy per unit area at the position where the tool horn 2 and the peak 1a of the anvil 1 face each other are small, and the sharpness of the cut may be poor. It was the same that the surface scraped the surface of the sheet material 50 and produced fine powder 6, and that lumps 7 were generated and adhered to one or both surfaces of the cut sheet material 50.

FIGS. 20(a) to 20(d) illustrate and explain the mechanism by which clumps occur. As shown in FIGS. 20(a) to 20(c), when the sheet material 50 is pulled by the feed roller 5 and moves in the leftward direction as indicated by the white arrow, the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1 are in the pinching range (H1) where they face each other. The sheet material 50 melts, and a lump 70 is formed in which the melted portion accumulates. Since the cut portion of the sheet material 50 is in contact with the tool horn 2 over a wide area until it passes the pinching range (H1), the ultrasonic vibration of the tool horn 2 is transmitted to the cut portion of the sheet material 50. Due to this vibration, the molten resin in the clump pool 70 hangs down and adheres as clumps 7 to the cut surface of the sheet material 50 as shown in FIG. 20(d).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-312836 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-58621

The present invention has the following advantages: (1) The pressing force per unit area and the ultrasonic vibration energy per unit area at the position where the tool horn and the peak of the anvil face each other are large, and the pressing force of the tool horn is combined with the compressive force against the sheet material and tearing. Our first objective is to provide a sharp seal cutting method and seal cutting device that act as a force.

(2) To provide a seal cutting method and a seal cutting device that suppress the generation of "powder" from the surface of the sheet material and prevent the powder from adhering to the sheet material when seal cutting the sheet material. is the second challenge.

Furthermore, (3) it is a third object to provide a seal cutting method and a seal cutting device that suppress the occurrence of lumps and prevent lumps from adhering to the seal-cut sheet material when seal-cutting the sheet material. This is considered an issue.

The present invention provides (a) a disc-shaped anvil with a chevron-shaped outer periphery in cross section; (b) a tool horn having a columnar tip and a peripheral surface and an end surface; and (c) ultrasonic vibration of the tool horn. (d) a pressing portion that presses the outer periphery of the anvil with a predetermined pressing force while facing the corner portion where the peripheral surface and the end surface of the tool horn intersect; (f) using a seal cutting device having a moving unit that moves the tool horn and the anvil in a direction along the surface of the sheet material with the corner portions of the tool horn facing each other on the outer periphery; (g) the movable part pinches the sheet material between the outer periphery of the anvil and the corner of the tool horn; (g) the moving part moves the anvil and the tool horn that are vibrating ultrasonically in a direction along the surface of the sheet material; and (h) continuously applying ultrasonic vibrations of a tool horn to the sheet material to seal and cut the sheet material sandwiched between the anvil and the tool horn. The sheet material is sealed and cut at a position where the corner of the end face of the tool horn faces the outer periphery of the anvil.

This increases the pressing force and ultrasonic vibration energy per unit area that the tool horn and the top of the anvil apply to the sheet material. Furthermore, the pressing force of the tool horn acts as a compressive force and a tearing force on the sheet material. Furthermore, we have realized a sharp seal cutting method and seal cutting device.

In addition, the seal cutting method and seal cutting device of the present invention include a disc-shaped anvil with a chevron-shaped outer periphery cross section and a corner portion of a columnar tip of a tool horn facing each other, and the anvil and tool horn cut a sheet material. The pinching range (pinching range) is made smaller. In addition, the area where the tool horn rubs (rubs) the surface of the sheet material is reduced. This suppresses the generation of "powder" caused by the pressing surface of the tool horn scraping the surface of the sheet material.

Moreover, the seal cutting method and seal cutting apparatus of the present invention reduce the range (pinching range) in which the sheet material is sandwiched between the anvil and the tool horn. This suppresses the growth of lumps and the generation of lumps between the pressing surface of the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1, and prevents lumps from adhering to the seal-cut sheet material.

In addition, while the outer peripheral surface of the anvil and the corner of the tool horn are facing each other, cut the sheet material in the direction along the surface of the sheet material so that the top of the anvil protrudes from the cut surface of the cut sheet material. The feeding unit drives the top of the anvil into the cut part between the pressing surface of the tool horn and the top of the anvil mountain, like driving a wedge, and pushes open the cut part of the sheet material to remove any lumps. The sheet material is divided into two parts so that the melted portion of the sheet material is quickly absorbed into the horizontal seal line where the sheet material is divided into two parts. The growth of the clumps and the generation of clumps are suppressed to prevent the clumps from adhering to the seal-cut sheet material.

The present invention provides a sheet material seal cutting method and seal cutting apparatus in which a corner of a pressing surface, which is an end surface of a columnar tip of a tool horn, is opposed to an outer periphery of a disc-shaped anvil having a chevron-shaped cross section. Using this configuration, (1) the pressing force (F) per unit area and the ultrasonic vibration energy per unit area are increased at the position where the peaks of the outer periphery of the tool horn and the anvil face each other. (2) The pressing force of the tool horn acts on the sheet material as a compression force and a tearing force. In this way, the pressing force is concentrated at the part where the corner of the ultrasonic tool horn hits the sheet material, the ultrasonic vibration energy is concentrated, and the component force of the pressing force acts as compressive force and tearing force on the sheet material. The first effect is to realize a seal cutting method and a seal cutting device that can sharply seal cut sheet materials.

In addition, the surface of the sheet material is rubbed by arranging the corner where the circumferential surface and end surface of the columnar tip of the tool horn intersect with the outer periphery of the disk-shaped anvil to reduce the pinching range. The contact area of the tool horn is reduced. This achieves the second effect of suppressing the generation of "powder" due to friction between the sheet material and the tool horn.

Furthermore, the corner where the circumferential surface and end surface of the column-shaped tip of the tool horn intersect is opposed to the outer circumferential surface of the disk-shaped anvil, and the range where the sheet material is sandwiched between the tool horn and the anvil (pinching range) is determined. is made small to suppress the growth of clumps and the generation of clumps, thereby preventing clumps from adhering to the seal-cut sheet material.

Also, the peak of the outer circumferential surface of the anvil is bitten into the cut surface cut between the corner of the end surface of the tool horn and the peak of the outer circumference of the anvil, as if driving a wedge, and the cut surface of the sheet material is pushed open. The third effect of preventing lumps from adhering to the seal-cut sheet material is achieved by allowing the melted portion of the sheet material that tends to accumulate in the lumps to be absorbed by the horizontal seal line.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a seal cutting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the tool horn, anvil, and sheet material of the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a vector exploded view of the pressing force applied to the sheet material during ultrasonic vibration by the tool horn according to the first embodiment of the present invention. (a) A view taken along the arrow D in FIG. 2 of the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and (b) a view taken along the arrow E shown in FIG. 2. (a) A sectional view of the sheet material before seal cutting by the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (b) A sectional view of the sheet material during seal cutting with the same anvil and tool horn, (c ) Cross-sectional view of the sheet material after seal cutting. (a) to (d) Transition diagrams showing a seal cutting process performed by the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between a tool horn, an anvil, and a sheet material of a seal cutting device according to a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an image diagram showing a state in which "clumps accumulate" in the seal cutting device according to a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a view taken in the direction of arrow G in FIG. 8, illustrating the movement of small "clumps" being absorbed into the melted portion of the horizontal seal line in the seal cutting device according to the modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between a tool horn, an anvil, and a sheet material of a seal cutting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing the positional relationship between a tool horn, an anvil, and a sheet material of a seal cutting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between a tool horn, an anvil, and a continuous sheet material of a seal cutting device according to a first modification of the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between a tool horn, an anvil, and a continuous sheet material of a seal cutting device according to a second modification of the second embodiment of the present invention. (a) (b) (c) A transition diagram showing a tea bag seal cutting process using a conventional seal cutting device. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the positional relationship between a packaging material and a horizontal sealing device of a conventional seal cutting device. (a) A plan view showing the positional relationship between the tool horn, anvil, and packaging material of a conventional seal cutting device. (a) A cross-sectional view before a seal is cut by a conventional seal-cutting device, (b) a cross-sectional view while the seal is being cut, and (c) a cross-sectional view after the seal is cut. An image diagram showing the mechanism by which lumps occur in a conventional seal cutting device. An external perspective view showing how "powder" and "clumps" are generated during work using another conventional seal cutting device. An image diagram showing the mechanism by which lumps occur in other conventional seal cutting devices.

(First embodiment of the present invention)
In the first embodiment of the present invention, a sharp seal cutting device will be described.

FIG. 1 shows an external perspective view of a seal cutting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The shapes of many components of the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention are basically the same as those of the conventional seal cutting device shown in FIG. Since the same components are given the same reference numerals, explanations of those components will be omitted. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the tool horn 2, anvil 1, and sheet material 31 of the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In the seal cutting device of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the direction of the tool horn 2 is inclined by a predetermined angle (θ) with respect to the anvil 1, and as shown in FIG. The feature is that the corner (edge) 2c where the circumferential surface 2a and end surface 2b of the cylindrical tip intersect are opposed to each other.

By tilting the orientation of the tool horn 2 by a predetermined angle (θ) with respect to the outer periphery of the disk-shaped anvil 1, a corner (edge) is created where the circumferential surface 2a and end surface 2b of the cylindrical tip of the tool horn 2 intersect. 2c faces the outer periphery of the disc-shaped anvil 1, and the sheet material 31 is sandwiched between the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the outer periphery of the disc-shaped anvil 1.

The cylindrical portion at the tip of the tool horn 2 is ultrasonically vibrated in the axial direction by an ultrasonic vibrator (not shown). Further, a predetermined pressing force (F) is applied to the tool horn 2 in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion at the tip by a pressing portion (not shown), thereby pressing the sheet material 31 sandwiched between the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1. The tool horn 2 and anvil 1 are moved by the moving unit 3 to the left side in FIG. 2, that is, in the moving direction indicated by the white arrow. The pressing force (F) and the ultrasonic vibration energy of the tool horn 2 are transmitted from the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 to the sheet material 31, melting the sheet material 31 and performing welding (sealing) and fusing (cutting). At the same time, seal cuts are made continuously toward the left side in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged sectional view of the positional relationship between the tool horn 2, the sheet material 31, and the anvil 1 during seal cutting. In FIG. 3, the pressing force (F) acting on the tool horn 2 is concentrated at a position facing the anvil 1. The vector of the pressing force (F) acts as a component force (Fy) toward the center of the anvil 1 and a component force (Fx) in the plane direction along the surface of the sheet material 31.
Note that since the tool horn 2 vibrates ultrasonically in small increments, the force (f) when the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 ultrasonically vibrates and hits the sheet material 31 on the anvil 1 is equal to Similar to the pressure (F), it acts as a component force (fy) toward the center of the anvil 1 and a component force (fx) in the plane direction along the surface of the sheet material 31.

Therefore, the resultant force of the component forces (Fy) and (fy) directed toward the center of the anvil 1 acts on the sheet material 31 as a compressive force in the thickness direction and crushes the sheet material 31. The resultant force of the component forces (Fx) and (fx) in the plane direction acts as a force that tears the crushed sheet material 31 on the anvil 1 along the surface of the sheet material 31. As a result, the sheet material 31 is fused between the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1 and cut with good sharpness.

In the present invention, (1) the pressing force (F) acting on the tool horn 2 is concentrated at a position facing the anvil 1; (2) The resultant force of the component forces (Fy) and (fy) directed toward the center of the anvil 1 acts on the sheet material 31 as a compressive force in the thickness direction and crushes the sheet material 31. The resultant force of the component forces (Fx) and (fx) in the plane direction acts as a force that tears the crushed sheet material 31 along the surface of the sheet material 31 on the anvil 1, so that the sheet material 31 can be sharply cut. It can be cut.

By the way, in the conventional orientation of the tool horn 2 and anvil 1, the packaging material compressed by the pressing force (F) and the hitting force (f) caused by ultrasonic vibration is placed between the tip end surface of the tool horn 2 and a certain range of the anvil 1. 30, the packaging material 30 was simply irradiated with ultrasonic vibration, and the packaging material 30 was welded (sealed) and melted (cut) with the ultrasonic vibration energy. In the conventional example shown in FIG. 15, the pressing force (F) in the axial direction of the tool horn 2 is all compressive force (Fy) that presses a plurality of stacked packaging materials 30 together, and as shown in FIG. 3 of the present invention, There was no tearing force (Fx) that would tear the plurality of stacked sheet materials 31 from each other.

4(a) shows a left side view seen from the direction of arrow D in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4(b) shows a right side view seen from the direction of arrow E in FIG. 2. 4(a) and (b), the pressing force (F) of the tool horn 2 and the ultrasonic vibration energy are concentrated at the position where the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the outer periphery of the anvil 1 face each other. I can see that

The corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 is a curved surface, and the outer periphery of the anvil 1 is also a curved surface. The sheet material 31 is sandwiched between these curved surfaces facing each other. The sheet material 31 sandwiched between the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the slope 1b on the outer periphery of the anvil 1 is heated by ultrasonic vibration energy, melts, and is welded (sealed). Further, the sheet material 31 is cut by fusing at a position where the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the peak 1a of the outer periphery of the anvil 1 face each other.

FIG. 5(a) shows a cross-sectional view before seal cutting by the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5(b) shows welding (sealing) and fusing (cutting) during seal cutting. ) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the main part where the seal cutting is performed, and FIG. 5(c) shows a cross-sectional view after seal cutting.

Although it will be repeated, in this embodiment, the sheet material 31 is sandwiched between the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the peak 1a of the outer periphery of the anvil 1. Then, the sheet material 31 is ultrasonically welded between the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the slope 1b on the outer periphery of the anvil 1 to form a horizontal seal line 36, and the corner (edge) of the tool horn 2 is The sheet material 31 is separated by ultrasonic cutting at a position where the peak 2c and the peak 1a of the outer periphery of the anvil 1 face each other.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the pinching range (H2) is small. As can be seen by comparing the cross-sectional view of the sheet material 31 in FIG. 5(b) and the cross-sectional view of the packaging material 30 produced by the conventional seal cutting device in FIG. 16(b), FIG. The pressing force (F) and ultrasonic vibration energy are concentrated at one point.

In this embodiment, since the way the tool horn 2 is applied to the anvil 1 and the sheet material 31 is different from the conventional method, the pressing force (F) and ultrasonic vibration energy applied to the tool horn 2 are concentrated and act on the seal cut part. Good sharpness.

The tool horn 2 vibrates ultrasonically with an amplitude of several microns to several tens of microns, and repeats expansion and contraction of the distance from the outer periphery of the anvil 1. The tool horn 2 and anvil 1 are moved to the left side in FIG. 2 by the moving section 3. Therefore, when the distance between the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 increases, the sheet material 31 enters between the tool horn 2 and anvil 1, and when the distance between the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 decreases, the sheet material 31 enters between the tool horn 2 and anvil 1. Cut the material 31.

According to this embodiment, (1) the pressing force (F) and ultrasonic vibration energy are concentrated at the position where the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the peak 1a of the outer periphery of the anvil 1 face each other. (2) By tilting the tool horn 2, the component force (Fy) of the pressing force (F) is made to act as a tearing force that tears the plurality of stacked sheet materials 31 from each other. A component force (fy) of the force (f) with which the corner portion (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 strikes the sheet material 31 also acts as a tearing force that tears the sheet materials 31 apart.

As a result, not only the pressing force is concentrated, but also the ultrasonic vibration energy is concentrated, and the pressing force acts as compressive force and tearing force, achieving the first effect of cutting the sheet material with a sharp edge. ing.

FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d) are transition diagrams showing the seal cutting process performed by the seal cutting apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the process shown in FIG. 6(a), the right end of the sheet material 31 rides on the outer periphery of the anvil 1, the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 presses the right end surface of the sheet material 31 with a pressing force (F), and the tool Horn 2 starts ultrasonic vibration. In the process shown in FIG. 6(b), the moving unit 3 moves the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1 from the right end of the sheet material 31 toward the center while maintaining the positional relationship in which they face each other. At this time, the sheet material 31 is welded (sealed) to form a horizontal seal line 36 of a constant width. At the same time, the widthwise center of the horizontal seal line 36 is melted (cut) by the tool horn 2 and anvil 1, and a seal cutting operation is performed. Then, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 are moved to the left end of the sheet material 31 while maintaining the positional relationship in which they face each other, and the seal cutting operation is completed. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6(d), the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 are separated from the sheet material 31 and moved to the preparation position for the operation shown in FIG. 6(a). Repeat step d).

Conventionally, the entire end face 2b of the tool horn 2 slid on the surface of the sheet material 31, but the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 come into contact with the sheet material 31 only at the corners (edges) of the tool horn 2. 2c and the peak 1a on the outer periphery of the anvil 1 face each other and the vicinity thereof. Since the other end surfaces 2b of the tool horn 2 are not in contact with the sheet material 31, the generation of "powder" is suppressed by the end surface 2b of the tool horn 2, and powder does not adhere to the surface of the sheet material 31. is gone.

Furthermore, in the present invention, since the sheet material 31 is melted in a narrow range where the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the outer periphery of the anvil 1 face each other, the clumps remain small and do not grow, and the lateral seal of the sheet material 31 is melted. It is absorbed by the melted portion that becomes line 36. This suppresses the growth of lumps and part of them from slipping between the tool horn 2 and anvil 1, and prevents "clumps" from adhering to the cut end surface of the sheet material 31.

Furthermore, as described above, since the sheet material 31 contacts only the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2, the melted portion generated in the seal-cut portion of the sheet material 31 is immediately absorbed into the tool horn after the seal cut. Move away from 2. As a result, the melted portion of the sheet material 31 after the seal cut is less susceptible to the ultrasonic vibrations of the tool horn 2, and the drooping of the melted portion due to the ultrasonic vibrations is suppressed, thereby eliminating the occurrence of lumps.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 is formed of a curved surface, and the outer periphery of the anvil 1 is also formed of a curved surface. Since the sheet material 31 is sandwiched between the opposing curved surfaces and sealed by ultrasonic vibration, the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 are worn only at the opposing curved surfaces. Therefore, for example, by providing a rotary drive part in the tool horn 2 that can rotate the tool horn 2 around its axis, and rotating the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1 in the circumferential direction, new parts that are not worn out can be replaced. Can perform sharp seal cuts. This will extend the life of the tool horn and anvil.

(Modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention)
FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a modification of the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the modification shown in FIG. 7, the angle of inclination of the tool horn 2 with respect to the anvil 1 is made larger than in FIG. 2, which shows the seal cutting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. When the inclination angle of the tool horn 2 is increased, the tearing force (Fx), which is a component of the pressing force (F) of the tool horn 2, becomes larger. In addition, the force (f) that hits the surface of the sheet material 31 due to the ultrasonic vibration of the pressing surface of the tool horn 2 is divided into components in the same way as the pressing force (F), and the tearing force of the sheet material 31 is increased. Become.

In addition, by increasing the inclination angle of the tool horn 2 with respect to the anvil 1, the range where the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 come into contact with the sheet material 31 is limited to the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the peak 1a of the outer periphery of the anvil 1. limited to a narrower range of This further prevents the tool horn 2 from scraping the surface of the sheet material 31 and generating "powder".

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a lump 70 formed near the peak 1a of the anvil 1 facing the edge 2c of the tool horn 2 in the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 9, a clump pool 70 formed near the peak 1a of the anvil 1 facing the edge 2c of the tool horn 2 is divided into left and right sides at the peak 1a of the anvil 1, and the clumps 70 are separated into the left and right sides of the peak 1a of the anvil 1, and The image shows how the melt is absorbed into the melted part surrounded by the slope 1b on the outer circumferential surface, as indicated by small white arrows.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, (1) a "seal-cutting method with good sharpness" and a "seal-cutting device with good sharpness" have been realized; (2) "a seal-cutting method that does not generate powder" and " He explained that he had realized a ``sticker cutting device that does not generate powder,'' and (3) ``a seal cutting method that does not generate clumps'' and ``a seal cutting device that does not generate clumps.''

Note that the moving unit described in the first embodiment of the present invention seats the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1 with the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 facing the outer periphery of the anvil 1. Any device that allows relative movement in the direction along the surface of the material 31 may be used. Therefore, instead of moving the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 toward the sheet material 31 in the moving section, the moving section 3 may move the sheet material toward the tool horn 2 and the anvil 1.

Further, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the tip of the tool horn 2 is cylindrical, but the shape of the tip is not limited to the cylindrical shape, but may be a prismatic shape as shown in FIG. 19 of the conventional example. Even if the tip of the tool horn has a prismatic shape, if the corner (edge) and the outer periphery of the anvil face each other, the portion where the sheet material is pressed and pinched is limited to a narrow range, which is explained in the first embodiment. The effect of suppressing the generation of "powder" and "clumps" can be obtained.

(Second embodiment of the present invention)
FIG. 10 shows a plan view of a seal cutting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of its appearance. 10 and 11, the tip of the tool horn 2 is made into a prismatic shape, and the tool horn 2 is attached with a slight inclination to the surface (horizontal surface in FIG. 10) formed by the continuous sheet material 51 before cutting. A continuous sheet material 51 is sandwiched between a corner (edge) 2c of the horn 2 and the anvil 1. Further, a pair of feed rollers 5 downstream of the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 pull the continuous sheet material 51 downward from the position where the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 face each other (lower left in FIG. 10), and the tool horn 2 The peak 1a of the anvil 1 is wedge-shaped in the cut surface of the continuous sheet material 51 cut at the corner (edge) 2c of the anvil 1, and the peak 1a of the anvil 1 is made to protrude from the pair of continuous sheet materials 51 that have just been cut. The distance between the cut surfaces is forcibly widened. The peak 1a of the anvil 1 serves as a "blade" for cutting the continuous sheet material 51, so in FIGS. There is.

In the sheet cutting device of the second embodiment of the present invention, by forcibly widening the interval between the pair of cut and separated continuous sheet materials 51, the continuous sheet materials 51 melt and form small "clumps". Even if it is formed, the anvil 1 is divided into two parts at the peak 1a so that the two halves of the "lump pool" are absorbed into the melted portions of the continuous sheet material 51 that become the horizontal seal lines 36. In this way, the sheet cutting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention suppresses the occurrence of "clumps" more than the first embodiment of the present invention.

Further, since the continuous sheet material 51 is in contact with the tool horn 2 only at the corner (edge) 2c, the melted portion generated in the cut portion of the continuous sheet material 51 is immediately transferred to the feed roller 5 after being cut. It is pulled away from the tool horn 2 and is not affected by the ultrasonic vibrations of the tool horn 2. This prevents the melted portion from hanging down due to ultrasonic vibration and suppresses the formation of lumps.

Furthermore, in the second embodiment of the present invention, since the outer periphery of the anvil is formed by a curved surface, by rotating in the circumferential direction, a sharp seal cut can be performed at a new unworn part. This makes it possible to extend the life of the anvil.

Note that, also in the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to employ a tool horn having a cylindrical tip as described in the first embodiment. Even in this case, the part where the sheet material is pressed and sandwiched between the corner (edge) of the tool horn and the anvil is limited to a narrow range, so the generation of "powder" and "clumps" is suppressed. be able to. When the tip is cylindrical, the corners (edges) of the tool horn are formed by curved surfaces, so for example, the tool horn 2 can be rotated in the circumferential direction by a rotary drive unit that can rotate the tool horn around its axis. By rotating, it is possible to make sharp seal cuts in new, unworn areas, extending the life of the tool horn.

(First modification of the second embodiment of the present invention)
FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the tool horn, the anvil, and the sheet material of the seal cutting device according to the first modification of the second embodiment of the present invention. In the first modified example of FIG. 12, the inclination with respect to the horizontal plane formed by the continuous sheet material 51 before cutting of the tool horn 2 is more important than in FIGS. The angle is increasing. Thereby, the same effect as the modification of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7 can be achieved.

(Second modification of the second embodiment of the present invention)
FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the tool horn 2, anvil 1, and continuous sheet material 51 of a seal cutting device according to a second modification of the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second modification shown in FIG. 13, the tool horn 2 is installed in a state where it is not inclined with respect to the surface (horizontal surface in FIG. 13) formed by the continuous sheet material 51 before cutting, and the corner (edge) of the tool horn 2 is A continuous sheet material 51 is sandwiched between the anvil 2c and the outer periphery of the anvil 1.

Even in this form, by pulling the continuous sheet material 51 downward (lower left in FIG. 13) from the position where the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 face each other with the feed roller 5, the corner (edge ) After cutting the continuous sheet material 51 in step 2c, the peak 1a of the anvil 1 is inserted into the cut surface in a wedge shape, and the peak 1a of the anvil 1 is made to protrude from the pair of continuous sheet materials 51 that have just been cut, and then cut. The distance between the cut surfaces can be forcibly widened.

Since the peak 1a of the anvil 1 serves as a "blade" for cutting the continuous sheet material 51, it is also explained in FIG. 13 that "(the continuous sheet material 51) is opened where the blade comes out."

As a result, in the second modification as well, the "lump pool" formed by melting the continuous sheet material 51 is divided into two at the peak 1a of the anvil 1, and the bisected "clump pool" is formed at the horizontal seal line 3 of the continuous sheet material 51. As in the second embodiment of the present invention, the generation of "clumps" is suppressed by being absorbed by the melted portions.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13, even in the second modification, since the continuous sheet material 51 is in contact only at the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2, the occurrence of the occurrence of damage occurs in the seal-cut portion of the continuous sheet material 51. Immediately after being cut, the molten portion is pulled away from the tool horn 2 by the feed roller 5 and is not affected by the ultrasonic vibrations of the tool horn 2. This prevents the melted portion from hanging down due to ultrasonic vibration, and suppresses the formation of lumps as in the second embodiment of the present invention.

Note that, as shown in FIG. 13, in the second modification, the entire end surface of the tool horn 2 is in contact with the surface of the continuous sheet material 51. However, the continuous sheet material 51 is pressed between the tool horn 2 and anvil 1 only at the location where the corner (edge) 2c of the tool horn 2 and the peak 1a of the outer periphery of the anvil 1 face each other; At the location, the continuous sheet material 51 is simply sliding on the surface of the tool horn 2 without being pressed. Further, the end surface of the tool horn 2 that is in contact with the continuous sheet material 51 is smooth and has a small coefficient of friction. Therefore, the surface of the continuous sheet material 51 is not scraped by the end face of the tool horn 2, and no "powder" is generated.

The present invention can be applied to a seal cutting method and a seal cutting device that cut a pair of stacked sheet materials while sealing them. It can also be applied when cutting a single sheet material without overlapping the sheets with good sharpness and without producing "flour" and "clumps".

Note that the present invention can be applied to a seal cutting operation for edging the outer periphery of a sheet material or a nonwoven fabric sheet material in which a single sheet of synthetic resin thread is knitted in a mesh shape. By edging the outer periphery of a sheet material or nonwoven fabric sheet material in which synthetic resin threads are knitted in a mesh pattern, the fibers will not fray at the outer periphery of the sheet. By applying the present invention, it is possible to perform seal cutting with good sharpness and without adhesion of powder or lumps.

1 Disc-shaped anvil 1a Peak of the outer periphery of the disc-shaped anvil 2 Tool horn 2a Peripheral surface 2b of the tool horn End face 2c of the tool horn Corner (edge) of the tool horn
3 Moving part 5 Feed roller 6 Powder 7 Clumps 70 Clumps 30 Packaging materials 31, 50 Sheet materials 51 Continuous sheet materials

Claims (8)

A seal cutting method for sheet material,
A disc-shaped anvil with a chevron-shaped outer circumference,
a tool horn having a columnar tip and a peripheral surface and an end surface;
an ultrasonic vibrator that ultrasonically vibrates the tool horn;
a pressing part that presses the outer periphery of the anvil with a predetermined pressing force while facing a corner where the peripheral surface and the end surface of the tool horn intersect;
Using a seal cutting device having a moving part that moves the tool horn and the anvil in a direction along the surface of the sheet material with the corner of the tool horn facing the outer periphery of the anvil,
The pressing portion sandwiches the sheet material between the outer periphery of the anvil and the corner of the tool horn,
The moving unit moves the anvil and the ultrasonically vibrating tool horn in a direction along the surface of the sheet material,
Sealing and cutting the sheet material sandwiched between the anvil and the tool horn by continuously applying ultrasonic vibrations of the tool horn to the sheet material;
A seal cutting method for sheet material, which is characterized by the following. A seal cutting method for sheet material,
A disc-shaped anvil with a chevron-shaped outer circumference,
a tool horn having a columnar tip and a peripheral surface and an end surface;
an ultrasonic vibrator that ultrasonically vibrates the tool horn;
a pressing part that presses the outer periphery of the anvil with a predetermined pressing force while facing a corner where the peripheral surface and the end surface of the tool horn intersect;
While the outer periphery of the anvil and the corner of the tool horn are facing each other, cut the sheet material in a direction along the surface of the sheet material so that the peak of the anvil protrudes from the cut surface of the sheet material. Using a seal cutting device that has a feeding section that sends out the
using the pressing part to sandwich a sheet material between the outer periphery of the anvil and the corner of the tool horn;
Using the feeding unit, the sheet material is cut between the anvil and the ultrasonically vibrating tool horn in a direction along the surface of the sheet material, so that the peak of the anvil protrudes from the cut surface of the sheet material. Feed out the sheet material like this,
Sealing and cutting the sheet material sandwiched between the anvil and the tool horn by continuously applying ultrasonic vibrations of the tool horn to the sheet material;
A seal cutting method for sheet material, which is characterized by the following. 3. The sheet material seal cutting method according to claim 1, wherein the tool horn has a cylindrical tip. 3. The sheet material seal cutting method according to claim 1, wherein the tool horn has a prismatic tip. A seal cutting device for sheet material,
A disc-shaped anvil with a chevron-shaped outer circumference,
a tool horn having a columnar tip and a peripheral surface and an end surface;
an ultrasonic vibrator that ultrasonically vibrates the tool horn;
a pressing part that presses the outer periphery of the anvil with a predetermined pressing force while facing a corner where the peripheral surface and the end surface of the tool horn intersect;
a moving part that moves the tool horn and the anvil in a direction along the surface of the sheet material, with a corner of the tool horn facing the outer periphery of the anvil;
Using the pressing part, sandwiching the sheet material between the outer periphery of the anvil and the corner of the tool horn,
using the moving unit to move the anvil and the tool horn that is ultrasonically vibrating in a direction along the surface of the sheet material;
The sheet material is configured to continuously apply ultrasonic vibrations of the tool horn to the sheet material to seal and cut the sheet material sandwiched between the anvil and the tool horn. Seal cutting device. A seal cutting device for sheet material,
A disc-shaped anvil with a chevron-shaped outer circumference,
a tool horn having a columnar tip and a peripheral surface and an end surface;
an ultrasonic vibrator that ultrasonically vibrates the tool horn;
a pressing part that presses the outer periphery of the anvil with a predetermined pressing force while facing a corner where the peripheral surface and the end surface of the tool horn intersect;
While the outer periphery of the anvil and the corner of the tool horn are facing each other, cut the sheet material in a direction along the surface of the sheet material so that the peak of the anvil protrudes from the cut surface of the sheet material. It has a sending unit that sends out the
Using the pressing part, sandwiching the sheet material between the outer periphery of the anvil and the corner of the tool horn,
Using the feeding unit, the sheet material is cut between the anvil and the ultrasonically vibrating tool horn in a direction along the surface of the sheet material, so that the peak of the anvil protrudes from the cut surface of the sheet material. Feed out the sheet material like this,
The sheet material is configured to continuously apply ultrasonic vibrations of the tool horn to the sheet material to seal and cut the sheet material sandwiched between the anvil and the tool horn. Seal cutting device. 7. The sheet material seal cutting device according to claim 5, wherein the tool horn has a cylindrical tip. 7. The sheet material seal cutting device according to claim 5, wherein the tool horn has a prismatic tip.

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