JP7743066B2 - Bag making device for horizontal form-fill-seal machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bag-making device in a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that forms strip-shaped packaging material into a cylindrical shape.

Patent Document 1 proposes a bag-making device for forming a strip-shaped packaging material (strip film) unwound from a roll of raw material into a cylindrical shape in packaging machines such as horizontal form-fill-and-fill machines. The bag-making device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of side guides spaced apart in the width direction, each of which includes a bottom plate that supports the bottom surface of the tubular film being formed into a cylindrical shape and a side plate that supports the sides of the tubular film. A guide is provided upstream of each side guide in the film feeding direction, and the strip-shaped film contacts the film entry edge of the guide and is fed downstream, thereby forming the film into a cylindrical shape.

Patent No. 3574947

From the perspective of reducing the workload of packaging machine operators and improving workability, there is a desire to simplify the process of setting film in bag-making equipment. However, the bag-making equipment disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires operators to manually form a strip of film into a cylindrical shape and then set the cylindrical film inside a pair of side guides, a cumbersome process, and no proposals have been made that take into account simplifying the film setting process. Furthermore, it has been pointed out that the way the film is set inside the side guides can vary depending on the operator's level of skill, resulting in differences in the quality of the bags and variations in the time required for the setting process.

The object of the present invention is to provide a bag making device for a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that can simplify the process of setting packaging materials.

The bag making device in the horizontal form-fill-seal machine of the present invention comprises:
A bag making device in a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that forms a strip-shaped packaging material (11) into a cylindrical shape during the conveying process,
a lower molding portion (23) having a gap (S) extending in the conveying direction of the tubular packaging material (11a) and capable of supporting the packaging material (11a) from below;
an upper molding section (25) movable between a spaced position above the lower molding section (23) and a molding position approaching the lower molding section (23);
and a lifting means (28) for moving the upper molding section (25) up and down.
The upper molding section (25) has a pair of side walls (30, 30) spaced apart in a width direction intersecting with the conveying direction of the packaging material (11, 11a), and is provided with inclined guide sections (30a, 30a) that are inclined downward from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction and that guide the strip-shaped packaging material (11) conveyed to the upper molding section (25) at the molding position between the pair of side walls (30, 30);
With the strip-shaped packaging material (11) positioned between the upper molding section (25) and the lower molding section (23) at the separated position, the upper molding section (25) is lowered toward the molding position by the lifting means (28), thereby pushing down the strip-shaped packaging material (11) so that both widthwise side sections hang down, and the strip-shaped packaging material (11) faces the inside of the both side walls (30, 30) while contacting the inclined guide sections (30 a, 30 a),
The wrapping material (11) is characterized in that it is configured so that the strip-shaped wrapping material (11) can be molded into a cylindrical shape by bringing the hanging edge portions of both sides of the wrapping material (11) close together and facing the gap (S) of the lower molding portion (23).
According to the invention of claim 1, with a strip-shaped packaging material positioned between the upper and lower forming sections spaced apart from each other, the upper forming section is lowered toward the forming position to press down the strip-shaped packaging material so that both widthwise sides hang down and face the inside of the pair of side walls, thereby simplifying the packaging material setting work. That is, the complicated work of passing the cylindrically formed packaging material through the upper and lower forming sections from the entrance to the exit is unnecessary, improving the workability of the packaging material setting work. Furthermore, there is no variation in the setting state of the packaging material into the upper and lower forming sections or the time required for the setting work depending on the skill level of the worker, making it possible to produce bags of consistent quality and preventing fluctuations in production efficiency.

The bag making device in the horizontal form-fill-seal machine of the present invention is:
A bag making device in a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that forms a strip-shaped packaging material (11) into a cylindrical shape during the conveying process,
a lower molding portion (23) having a gap (S) extending in the conveying direction of the tubular packaging material (11) and capable of supporting the packaging material (11) from below;
an upper molding section (25) movable between a spaced position above the lower molding section (23) and a molding position approaching the lower molding section (23);
and a lifting means (28) for moving the upper molding section (25) up and down.
The upper molding section (25) has a pair of side walls (30, 30) spaced apart in a width direction intersecting with the conveying direction of the packaging material (11, 11a), and is provided with inclined guide sections (30a, 30a) that are inclined downward from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction and that guide the strip-shaped packaging material (11) conveyed to the upper molding section (25) at the molding position between the pair of side walls (30, 30);
The packaging material (11a) is positioned between the upper molding portion (25) and the lower molding portion (23) in the separated position, and is formed into a cylindrical shape so that the hanging edge portions of both widthwise sides of the packaging material (11) are close to and face the gap (S) of the lower molding portion (23).The upper molding portion (25) is lowered to the molding position by the lifting means (28), so that the packaging material (11a) faces between the pair of side walls (30, 30), and the strip-shaped packaging material (11) comes into contact with the inclined guide portions (30a, 30a).
According to the invention of claim 2, the cylindrically formed packaging material positioned between the upper and lower forming sections, which are spaced apart from each other, is placed inside the upper and lower forming sections by lowering the upper forming section to the forming position, thereby simplifying the installation work of the packaging material. That is, the complicated work of passing the cylindrically formed packaging material from the entrance to the exit of the upper and lower forming sections is unnecessary, thereby improving the workability of the installation work of the packaging material. Furthermore, there is no variation in the installation state of the packaging material into the upper and lower forming sections or the time required for the installation work depending on the skill level of the worker, making it possible to produce bags of consistent quality and preventing fluctuations in production efficiency.

The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that the strip-shaped packaging material (11) held by a robot hand (39) is transported from upstream in the conveying direction and positioned between the upper molding portion (25) and the lower molding portion (23) at the separated position.
According to the invention of claim 3, the task of positioning the strip-shaped packaging material between the upper and lower molding sections that are spaced apart from each other can be automated, thereby reducing the workload of the worker.

This invention simplifies the process of setting packaging materials in the bag-making machine, thereby reducing the workload of workers. Furthermore, regardless of the worker's level of skill, packaging materials can be set in the bag-making machine in a consistent state and variations in setting time can be reduced, allowing bags of consistent quality to be produced and preventing fluctuations in production efficiency.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a horizontal bag making and filling machine. 1 is a schematic plan view of a horizontal form-fill-seal machine showing a pair of plates in an open position. FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing the bag making apparatus, illustrating a state in which the upper and lower forming units are spaced apart from each other vertically and the pair of plates are spaced apart from each other horizontally. 1 is a schematic plan view of a bag making apparatus showing a pair of plates in a closed position. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the main part of the bag making device, showing the upper and lower forming units joined together. 10 is a process diagram showing the process of setting a film in a bag making section of the bag making device according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a process diagram showing the process of setting a film in a bag making section of a bag making device according to another embodiment.

Next, a preferred embodiment of the bag making device in the horizontal bag making and filling machine of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1 to 3 show a horizontal form-fill-seal machine equipped with a bag making device according to an embodiment of the invention. The horizontal form-fill-seal machine comprises a bag making device that takes a strip of film (strip-shaped packaging material) 11 drawn from a raw roll (packaging material supply source) 10, overlaps both longitudinal edge portions (both widthwise edge portions) in a folded state during the transport process to form a tubular film (tubular packaging material) 11a, a supply conveyor (not shown) that supplies articles toward the tubular film 11a at predetermined intervals, a vertical sealing device 12 that applies a vertical seal to the overlapped portion 11b of the folded tubular film 11a, and a horizontal sealing device (not shown) that sandwiches the tubular film 11a at the front and rear of the articles supplied into the tubular film 11a and applies a horizontal seal in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the tubular film 11a. The horizontal form-fill-seal machine is equipped with an approach angle adjustment device 13 in the film transport path between the web roll 10 and the bag making section 22 (described later) of the bag making device, which adjusts the approach angle of the strip film 11 toward the bag making section 22. A film supply device 14 is provided in the film transport path between the web roll 10 and the approach angle adjustment device 13, which transports the strip film 11 unwound from the web roll 10 toward the bag making section 22. The horizontal form-fill-seal machine of this embodiment is housed inside a housing 15 constructed by arranging a transparent panel or the like on the main body frame. One side of the film transport path for the strip film 11 and tubular film 11a is designated as the operating side of the horizontal form-fill-seal machine; this operating side is referred to as the front, and the opposite side as the back.

1 and 2, within the housing 15, multiple (two in this embodiment) loading shafts 16, on which the film roll 10 is rotatably loaded, are cantilevered and extend from the rear frame toward the front. The film supply device 14 and approach angle adjustment device 13 are disposed spaced apart from the loading shafts 16 to the right (the side closer to the vertical sealing device 12) in FIG. 1. The film supply device 14 includes a drive roller (guide roller) 17 driven by a drive motor such as a servo motor, a driven roller 18 capable of sandwiching the strip film 11 between itself and the drive roller 17, and a roller movement means (not shown) for moving the driven roller 18 toward and away from the drive roller 17. The roller movement means moves the driven roller 18 between a clamping position where the strip film 11 is sandwiched between itself and the drive roller 17 and a spaced position where a robot hand 39 of a robot 36 (described below) can pass between itself and the drive roller 17. Then, with the strip film 11 sandwiched between the drive roller 17 and the driven roller 18 that has moved to the sandwiching position, the drive roller 17 is driven to rotate, thereby pulling out the strip film 11 from the raw film roll 10 and sending it downstream.

1, the approach angle adjustment device 13 has a swing arm 19 supported on the rear frame of the housing 15 so as to be swingable up and down around one longitudinal end as a fulcrum. Multiple (two in this embodiment) guide rollers 20, which can wrap around and guide the strip film 11, are supported at one end of the swing arm 19 in a cantilevered manner at the rear end, extending toward the front. The guide rollers 20, 20 are spaced apart by a distance that allows the robot hand 39 to pass through. Between the film supply device 14 and the approach angle adjustment device 13, an intermediate roller (guide roller) 21, which can wrap around and guide the strip film 11, is supported at one end of the swing arm 19 in a cantilevered manner from the rear frame of the housing 15 to extend toward the front. The strip film 11 wound around the intermediate roller 21 is then wound around the two guide rollers 20, 20 before reaching the bag making section 22 of the bag making device. The swing arm 19 is configured to swing so that the angle of entry of the strip film 11 into the bag making unit 22 from the guide roller 20 just before it reaches the bag making unit 22 can be adjusted. The film supply device 14 and entry angle adjustment device 13 are also configured to rotate and swing the drive roller 17 and swing arm 19 in a direction that pulls the drive roller 17 and swing arm 19 upstream from the bag making unit 22 (the opposite direction to the film transport direction), thereby applying tension to the strip film 11 as it reaches the bag making unit 22. The intermediate roller 21 is positioned so that the robot hand 39 can pass between the drive roller 17 and the guide roller 20 on the upstream side of the film transport path.

As shown in Figure 1, the bag making device includes a bag making unit 22 located to the right of the approach angle adjustment device 13. The bag making unit 22 includes a lower forming unit 23 extending along the transport path for the tubular film 11a, and an upper forming unit (forming means) 25 that, together with the lower forming unit 23, forms a forming path 24 for forming the strip film 11 into a tubular shape. The upper forming unit 25 is supported above the lower forming unit 23 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the lower forming unit 23 includes a pair of plates (support members) 26, 26 symmetrically positioned on either side of the center of the film transport line in the width direction. The pair of plates 26, 26 are moved toward and away from each other in the left-right (width direction) direction by an opening/closing means 27 configured to operate a link mechanism with an air cylinder. The opening/closing means 27 is configured to move the pair of plates 26, 26 between a closed position (see Figures 4 and 6(c)) in which the plates 26, 26 approach each other to form a gap S between the plates 26, 26 that allows the overlapping portion 11b of the tubular film 11a (the adjacent end edges of the packaging material) to pass through, and an open position (see Figures 2, 6(a) and (b)) in which the plates are spaced apart from the closed position.

4, each plate 26 of the lower molding section 23 includes a bed portion 26a that extends above the vertical sealing device 12 along the conveying path for the tubular film 11a in the closed position and supports articles supplied into the tubular film 11a from below via the film, and a support portion 26b that extends upstream from the bed portion 26a and forms the bottom surface of the molding path 24, supporting and guiding the lower part of the tubular film 11a in contact with it. The support portion 26b also supports articles supplied into the tubular film 11a from below via the film. The edge of each support portion 26b facing the other support portion 26b is an inclined edge 26c that moves away from the other support portion 26b as it moves upstream, and a V-shaped introduction portion is defined between the opposing inclined edges 26c in the closed position. The downstream end of the inclined edge 26c is located upstream of the upstream end of the bed portion 26a, and the gap S formed when the pair of plates 26 is in the closed position extends from the downstream end of the support portions 26b to the downstream end of the bed portions 26a. The vicinity of the longitudinal edge of the strip film 11, which is drawn from an entrance into the forming path 24 formed by the upper forming portion 25 and the lower forming portion 23 that have descended to a forming position described below, is folded downward via the inclined edges 26c, thereby forming the strip film 11 into a cylindrical shape and forming the overlapped portion 11b. The overlapped portion 11b passes through the gap S formed between the support portions 26b and the bed portions 26a, extends below the plates 26, and is transported downstream. When the pair of plates 26, 26 are in the open position, the inclined edges 26c, 26c are configured to be spaced apart by a distance greater than the distance between the pair of side walls 30, 30 of the upper molding portion 25 (see Figure 2).

3 to 5, the upper molding section 25 comprises a moving member 29 that is moved up and down by an elevating means 28 driven by a drive motor such as a servo motor, and a pair of side walls 30, 30 that extend downward from the moving member 29 and are arranged opposite each other and spaced apart in the left-right direction across the center of the film conveying line. The elevating means 28 is configured to move the upper molding section 25 between a spaced position (see Figure 3) where it is spaced upward from the lower molding section 23 by a distance that allows the robot hand 39 to pass through, and a molding position (see Figure 5) where it approaches the lower molding section 23 and the lower ends of the side walls 30, 30 abut against the upper surfaces of the support portions 26b, 26b of the lower molding section 23, forming the molding path 24 together with the support portions 26b, 26b. Each side wall 30 is formed with an inclined guide edge (inclined guide portion) 30a that slopes downward from the entrance to the forming path 24 toward the exit (from upstream to downstream in the film transport direction) and guides the strip film 11 drawn into the forming path 24 (transported to the upper forming section 25 of the forming position) between the pair of side walls 30, 30. Bag-making wings 31 extend outward from the inclined guide edge 30a. The strip film 11 supplied from above to the base ends of the pair of inclined guide edges 30a, 30a and bag-making wings 31, 31 on the film entry side abuts against and is guided by the inclined guide edge 30a and bag-making wings 31, and is transported downstream to be drawn into the forming path 24, where the strip film 11 is formed into a cylindrical shape.

The upper molding section 25 and the lower molding section 23 are positioned and fixed together by a locking means 32 at the molding position where the molding path 24 is formed. The locking means 32 includes engaging portions provided on the outer surfaces of each side wall 30 of the upper molding section 25 and retaining means provided on the support portions 26b of the lower molding section 23 for releasably engaging and retaining the engaging portions. When the pair of plates 26, 26 of the lower molding section 23 are moved from the open position to the closed position relative to the upper molding section 25 positioned at the molding position, the retaining means engages and retains the engaging portions, thereby positioning and fixing the upper molding section 25 and the lower molding section 23. Furthermore, when the retaining means releases the engagement of the engaging portions, the upper molding section 25 and the lower molding section 23 are released from their fixed position, allowing the pair of plates 26, 26 to move from the closed position to the open position and the upper molding section 25 to move to the separated position.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the vertical sealing device 12 includes a pair of feed rollers 33, 33 located below the bed portions 26a, 26a of the lower molding section 23, which sandwich the overlapping portion 11b of the tubular film 11a that is guided to extend downward through the gap S defined between the bed portions 26a, 26a in the closed position. The pair of feed rollers 33, 33 are configured to rotate in opposite directions to transport the tubular film 11a with the overlapping portion 11b sandwiched between the feed rollers 33, 33 downstream. The vertical sealing device 12 also includes a pair of sealing rollers 34, 34 disposed downstream of the feed rollers 33, 33, on either side of the overlapping portion 11b of the tubular film 11a. The heated pair of sealing rollers 34, 34 pressurize the overlapping portion 11b, thereby forming a vertical seal. The pair of sealing rollers 34, 34 are configured to open and close using an opening and closing mechanism (not shown), and when setting film in the bag making unit 22 or when the horizontal form-fill-seal machine is stopped, the sealing rollers 34, 34 are configured to move away from each other to open the overlapping section 11b.

As shown in Figure 3, a rail 35 is disposed at the front interior of the housing 15, above the positions of the loading shaft 16, film supply device 14, approach angle adjustment device 13, bag making section 22, and vertical sealing device 12. The rail 35 extends horizontally from the loading shaft 16 to a position beyond the vertical sealing device 12, and a robot 36 is suspended and supported on the rail 35. The robot 36 is configured to move back and forth along the rail 35 by a linear slide mechanism 37 operated by a drive motor such as a servo motor. The robot 36 may be an articulated robot having a robot hand 39 attached to a robot arm 38 and holding portions 40, 41 capable of holding the strip film 11. The robot hand 39 is cantilevered by the robot arm 38 and extends horizontally toward the rear by a predetermined length so that it can pull the held strip film 11 along the film transport path without interfering with the film supply device 14, the approach angle adjustment device 13, and the bag making unit 22. The robot 36 is configured to hold the leading end of the strip film 11 in the raw roll 10 loaded on the loading shaft 16 with the holding units 40, 41 of the robot hand 39, and to control the operation of the robot arm 38 while moving along the rails 35 using the linear slide mechanism 37 so that the tubular film 11a held by the holding units 40, 41 is pulled out from the raw roll 10 and positioned between the upper forming unit 25 and the lower forming unit 23, which are spaced apart from each other, in the bag making unit 22, via the film supply device 14 and the approach angle adjustment device 13. That is, the strip film 11 held by the robot hand 39 is transported while being wound around multiple rollers 17, 21, and 20 located on the film transport path from the raw roll 10 to between the upper forming section 25 and the lower forming section 23. In this embodiment, the robot 36 and linear slide mechanism 37 constitute a transport means that transports and positions the strip film 11 pulled out from the raw roll 10 from upstream in the transport direction between the spaced-apart upper forming section 25 and lower forming section 23 (plates 26, 26) in the bag making section 22. The movement position of the robot hand 39 in the extension direction of the rail 35 can be obtained by a pulse signal from an encoder attached to the drive motor of the linear slide mechanism 37.

As shown in Figure 6(a), the holding sections 40, 41 of the robot hand 39 consist of three holding sections 40, 41, 41: a middle holding section 40 that suctions the center section of the width of the strip film 11, and side holding sections 41, 41 that suction each side section of the width. The middle holding section 40 is configured to suction the film using negative pressure generated by air suction from the suction source, while the side holding sections 41 are configured as so-called ejector types that suction the film using negative pressure generated on the suction surfaces of the side holding sections 41 by air supplied from the main air supply source. The suction of the film is released by stopping the air supply from the main air supply source and assisting in breaking the negative pressure by supplying air from the auxiliary air supply source. The three holding sections 40, 41, 41 are configured so that their suction and release can be controlled independently, and by releasing the suction of the film by the two side holding sections 41, 41, the strip film 11 can be held (supported) in a state where both sides in the width direction hang down from the central section in the width direction of the strip film 11 that is suctioned by the middle holding section 40.

The robot 36 is configured to release the suction of the film by the two-side holding sections 41, 41 when a pulse signal from an encoder detects that the leading end of the strip film 11 held by the robot hand 39 has reached a position downstream above the location where the gap S is formed when the support sections 26b, 26b of the plates 26, 26 are in the closed position. After the suction by the side holding sections 41, 41 is released, the opening/closing means 27 moves the pair of plates 26, 26 from the open position to the closed position, and sandwiches the lower portions (edges) of the hanging portions e, e that hang down on both sides of the width of the strip film 11, the center of which is held by the middle holding section 40, between the pair of plates 26, 26 to form a cylindrical shape, and brings the both edge portions closer together to form the overlapping section 11b (see Figure 6(c)). That is, the opening/closing means 27 is configured to detect when the robot hand 39 has reached a position where the left and right hanging portions e, e of the strip film 11 can be sandwiched between the pair of plates 26, 26 where the gap S is formed, and then move the pair of plates 26, 26 from the open position to the closed position. Note that the height position of the strip film 11 pulled above the plates 26, 26 by the robot 36 is set to match the height position of the tubular film 11a to be formed in the bag making unit 22 (a position corresponding to the height dimension of the article).

Next, we will explain the operation of the bag making device in the horizontal bag making and filling machine of this embodiment.

When setting film in a horizontal form-fill-seal machine, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 6(a), the pair of plates 26, 26 in the lower molding section 23 are moved to the open position by the opening/closing means 27, and the upper molding section 25 is moved to a separated position away from the lower molding section 23 by the lifting means 28. In addition, the driven roller 18 of the film supply device 14 is moved to a separated position away from the drive roller 17 by the roller moving means. The leading end of the strip film 11 on the raw roll 10 is then sucked onto the robot hand 39 of the robot 36, and the robot 36 is moved along the rail 35 by the linear slide mechanism 37 while the robot arm 38 is controlled to change the height position of the robot hand 39. The strip film 11 pulled out from the raw roll 10 passes between the drive roller 17 and the driven roller 18, and the strip film 11 wound around the intermediate roller 21 is wound alternately around the two guide rollers 20, 20 of the approach angle adjustment device 13, and then positioned so that it reaches between the lower molding section 23 and the upper molding section 25 (see Figure 1).

When the robot hand 39 passes below the upper molding section 25 and both sides of the strip film 11 it is holding hang down, if the robot hand 39 detects that the hanging parts e, e have reached a position where they face the space between the pair of plates 26, 26 in the open position (above the area where the gap S is formed in the closed position), the movement of the robot 36 by the linear slide mechanism 37 is stopped, the upper molding section 25 is lowered toward the molding position by the lifting means 28, and the suction of the film by the both side holding sections 41, 41 of the robot hand 39 is released. 6(b), as the upper molding section 25 descends, the lower ends of the side walls 30, 30 come into contact with and press down on the strip film 11 from above, causing both left and right sides of the strip film 11, the center of which is sucked by the middle holding section 40, to hang down along the inside of the side walls 30, 30, and the central section of the strip film 11 sucked by the middle holding section 40 and the hanging portions e, e hanging down from both sides of the central section, each of which has a predetermined length continuous with the central section, are formed into a generally U-shape that opens downward and faces the inside of the side walls 30, 30. In addition, the strip film 11 reaching the upper molding section 25 comes into contact with the inclined guide edges 30a, 30a of the side walls 30, 30 and the base ends of the bag-making wings 31, 31 on the film entry side. When the suction force of the side holding portions 41, 41 is released, air is blown out from the side holding portions 41, 41 to break the negative pressure, and this air assists in folding both sides of the film strip 11.

When the upper molding section 25 descends to the molding position, the hanging portions e, e of both sides of the film strip 11, which are pressed down by the side walls 30, 30, extend downward from within the side walls 30, 30, and extend downward between the support portions 26b, 26b of the pair of plates 26, 26 in the open position of the lower molding section 23 (see Figure 6(b)). When the opening/closing means 27 moves the pair of plates 26, 26 from the open position to the closed position, as shown in Figure 6(c), the edge portions of the hanging portions e, e of the film strip 11 are sandwiched between the support portions 26b, 26b to mold the film into a tubular shape, and the longitudinal edge portions of the film strip 11 are brought closer together and overlapped in a folded manner, with the overlapping portion 11b extending below the plates 26, 26. When the pair of plates 26, 26 move to the closed position, the upper molding section 25 and the lower molding section 23 are positioned and fixed by the locking means 32 and united, and with the film facing the inside of the upper molding section 25 and the top of the lower molding section 23, the two molding sections 25, 23 form a molding path 24 that molds the strip film 11 into a cylindrical shape.

Next, the linear slide mechanism 37 moves the robot 36 downstream, and the feed rollers 33, 33 rotate at a low speed. The tubular film 11a held by the middle holding portion 40 of the robot hand 39 is transported downstream. When the overlapping portion 11b (closed end edges) of the tubular film 11a, guided by the gap S formed between the bed portions 26a, 26a of the plates 26, 26, is fed between the feed rollers 33, 33 of the vertical sealing device 12, the feed rollers 33, 33 also transport the tubular film 11a downstream. Then, when the overlapping portion 11b passes between the sealing rollers 34, 34, the rotation of the feed rollers 33, 33 is stopped, and the middle holding portion 40 of the robot hand 39 releases the film from its suction. The downstream movement of the robot 36 also stops.

With the driven roller 18 of the film supply device 14 moved to the clamping position, the drive roller 17 is rotated in reverse, and the swing arm 19 of the approach angle adjustment device 13 is swung in a direction pulling the film upstream from the bag making section 22 (the opposite direction to the film transport direction). As a result, the strip film 11 reaching the bag making section 22 comes into tensioned contact with the inclined guide edges 30a, 30a of the side walls 30, 30 of the upper forming section 25 and the bag making wings 31, 31, and the strip film 11 is set in a state where it can be pulled into the forming path 24 in a taut state without slack.

In the bag making device of the horizontal form-fill-seal machine of the embodiment, the bag making section 22, which forms the strip film 11 into a tubular shape, is divided into an upper forming section 25 and a lower forming section 23. The strip film 11 is positioned between the upper forming section 25 and the lower forming section 23, which are spaced apart from the lower forming section 23. The upper forming section 25 is lowered toward the forming position to press down both sides of the strip film 11 so that it hangs down. The pair of plates 26, 26 in the lower forming section 23 are then moved from the open position to the closed position, sandwiching the hanging portions e, e so that they overlap and form the film into a tubular shape, and forming an overlapping section 11b by bringing both end edges of the hanging portions e, e close together, with the overlapping section 11b facing the gap S between the plates 26, 26, so that the film faces the forming path 24 formed by the combined upper and lower forming sections 25, 23. In other words, there is no need for workers to perform the cumbersome task of passing the tubular film from the entrance to the exit of the forming path 24. This simplifies the film setting process, improving workability and reducing the worker's workload. Furthermore, the upper forming section 25 actively presses down both sides of the strip film 11 so that they hang down, facing between the side walls 30, 30, and restricts the outward movement of the hanging portions e, e in the width direction. This allows the pair of plates 26, 26 to effectively form the film into a tubular shape and form the overlapping portion 11b. This prevents the time required for setting up the film from varying depending on the worker's skill level, which can lead to fluctuations and a decrease in production efficiency. It also allows the film to be set in a consistent state in the bag making section 22, enabling the production of bags of consistent quality.

In addition, in the horizontal form-fill-seal machine of the embodiment, the pair of plates 26, 26 of the lower forming section 23 have bed portions 26a, 26a that double as a transport bed that supports articles via the film above the vertical sealing device 12. The overlapping portion 11b (closed end edges) extending downward from the plates 26, 26 formed when the pair of plates 26, 26 are moved from the open position to the closed position is guided through the gap S between the pair of plates 26, 26 to the feed rollers 33, 33 and seal rollers 34, 34 of the vertical sealing device 12. This simplifies the process of setting the film in the vertical sealing device 12. This eliminates the need for the complicated process of inserting the overlapping portion 11b of the tubular film 11a into the narrow gap in the transport bed from the upstream opening and setting it so that it reaches the feed rollers and seal rollers. This improves the workability of the film setting process and prevents a decrease in production efficiency due to variations in the time required to set the film in the vertical sealing device 12 depending on the level of operator skill.

In the bag making device of the horizontal form-fill-seal machine of the embodiment, the robot 36 positions the strip film 11 between the upper and lower molding sections 25 and 23, which are spaced apart vertically, in the bag making section 22. This automates the process of setting the film in the bag making section 22, thereby reducing labor. Furthermore, the robot 36 positions the strip film 11 between the upper and lower molding sections 25 and 23, and the strip film 11 is then formed into a cylindrical shape by the upper and lower molding sections 25 and 23. This automates the process from pulling the strip film 11 above the pair of plates 26, 26 to forming it into a cylindrical shape, further improving production efficiency. Furthermore, the use of the robot 36 (robot hand 39) makes it easy to accommodate changes to the height of the strip film 11 positioned between the upper and lower molding sections 25 and 23 when changing packaging sizes. Furthermore, by using the robot 36, the configuration for positioning the strip film 11 between the upper molding section 25 and the lower molding section 23 (above the pair of plates 26, 26) can be simplified compared to when a transfer device or the like is used.

(Regarding another embodiment)
Next, a bag making device in a horizontal form-fill-seal machine according to another embodiment will be described, focusing only on the differences from the embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used to designate the same components as those previously described, and detailed descriptions will be omitted. In the embodiment, the pair of plates 26, 26 are moved from the open position to the closed position after the upper forming section 25 is lowered from the separated position to the forming position, but the bag making device in the horizontal form-fill-seal machine according to another embodiment differs in that this operation is reversed.

In another embodiment, the locking means for positioning and fixing the upper molding portion 25 and the lower molding portion 23 is not shown, but a holding means is arranged on the pair of plates 26, 26 at a position that can engage and hold an engaging portion provided on the upper molding portion 25 that is lowered from the separated position to the molding position relative to the pair of plates 26, 26 in the closed position.

As shown in Figure 7(a), when performing film setting work in this alternative embodiment, as in the embodiment, the upper molding unit 25 is moved to the separated position, the pair of plates 26, 26 are moved to the open position, and the driven roller 18 is moved to the separated position. Then, the strip film 11 adsorbed to the robot hand 39 of the robot 36 is pulled from the raw roll 10 and positioned between the upper molding unit 25 and the lower molding unit 23. When the robot hand 39 passes below the upper molding unit 25 and both sides of the held strip film 11 are released from suction by the side holding units 41, 41 described below, the hanging portions e, e of the robot hand 39 reach a position where they face between the pair of plates 26, 26 in the open position. The linear slide mechanism 37 stops moving the robot 36, and the side holding units 41, 41 of the robot hand 39 release the film from suction.

When the film is released from suction by the side holding portions 41, 41, both widthwise sides of the film strip 11 hang down from the widthwise center portion held by the middle holding portion 40, as shown in Figure 7(b), and the extensions of the hanging portions e, e that extend downward from within the side walls 30, 30 face between the support portions 26b, 26b of the pair of plates 26, 26 in the open position. When the opening/closing means 27 moves the pair of plates 26, 26 from the open position to the closed position, as shown in Figure 7(c), the edges of the hanging portions e, e of the film strip 11 are sandwiched between the support portions 26b, 26b, forming the film into a tubular shape, and the longitudinal edges of the film strip 11 are overlapped in a palm-to-palm manner, with the overlapping portion (closed both edge portions) 11b facing the gap S between the plates 26, 26 and extending below the plates 26, 26. When the pair of plates 26, 26 move to the closed position, the lifting means 28 lowers the upper molding section 25, and the left and right sides of the strip film 11 are pushed and smoothed by the side walls 30, 30 to mold it so that it fits along the side walls 30, 30. When the upper molding section 25 reaches the molding position, the film faces the inside of the upper molding section 25 and the upper side of the lower molding section 23, and a molding path 24 is formed by both molding sections 25, 23 to mold the strip film 11 into a cylindrical shape (see Figure 7(d)). Furthermore, the strip film 11 reaching the upper molding section 25 comes into contact with the inclined guide edges 30a, 30a of the side walls 30, 30 and the base ends of the bag-making wings 31, 31 on the film entry side. When the upper molding section 25 descends to the molding position, the upper molding section 25 and the lower molding section 23 are positioned and fixed in place by the locking means 32. The operations after positioning and fixing the upper and lower molding parts 25, 23 are the same as in the example.

The bag making device in the horizontal form-fill-seal machine according to another embodiment also achieves the same effects as the embodiment.

(Example of change)
The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the examples and the like, and can be modified as follows, for example. Furthermore, the configurations described in the examples and the like are not limited to the following modifications, and various embodiments can be adopted within the scope of the gist of the present invention.
(1) In the examples, the strip film 11 held by the robot 36 is pulled out from the raw roll 10 and transferred between the upper and lower forming sections 25 and 23, which are spaced apart vertically. However, a configuration can also be adopted in which the strip film 11 is pulled out to the upstream side of the bag making section 22 by a transfer device, and then received by the robot 36 and positioned between the upper and lower forming sections 25 and 23.
(2) In the examples, the strip film 11 is positioned between the upper and lower molding sections 25 and 23, which are spaced apart vertically, by the robot 36. However, a configuration can also be adopted in which the strip film 11 is positioned between the upper and lower molding sections 25, 23 by a transfer device (transfer means) that moves a holding member equipped with a film holding section back and forth in the film conveyance direction. Furthermore, the task of positioning the strip film 11 between the upper and lower molding sections 25, 23 can be performed by an operator. Even in this case, the operator does not need to pass the tubular film 11a through the molding path 24, thereby reducing the workload.
(3) The upper molding section 25 can be detachably replaced with a different size according to the size of the bag to be formed into a cylindrical shape. In addition, the bag-making wings 31 of the upper molding section 25 may be configured so that the angle of inclination is adjustable.
(4) In the examples, the pair of plates 26, 26 are configured to move from the open position to the closed position when the leading end of the strip film 11 has been transported above the support portions 26b, 26b of the pair of plates 26, 26. However, the pair of plates 26, 26 may also be configured to move from the open position to the closed position when the leading end of the strip film 11 has been transported above the bed portions 26a, 26 upstream of the feed rollers 33, 33.

(5) In the examples, the pair of plates 26, 26 of the lower molding section 23 are configured to also serve as a transport bed that supports articles above the vertical sealing device 12, but the plates 26, 26 only need to have at least the support portions 26b, 26b.
(6) The pair of feed rollers 33, 33 can be configured to open and close in conjunction with the opening and closing of the lower molding section 23, and a configuration can be adopted in which the polymerized portion 11b of the tubular film 11a formed as the lower molding section 23 closes is clamped between the pair of closing feed rollers 33, 33.
(7) In the examples, the robot 36 is configured to transport the tubular film 11a to a position where the polymerized portion 11b passes the sealing rollers 34, 34 of the vertical sealing device 12, and then release the suction of the film by the middle holding portion 40. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the suction of the film by the middle holding portion 40 is released at a position where the polymerized portion 11b is clamped by the feed rollers 33, 33, and thereafter the tubular film 11a is transported downstream only by the feed rollers 33, 33 that clamp the polymerized portion 11b.

11 Strip film (strip packaging material), 11a Cylindrical film (cylindrical packaging material)
23 Lower molding part, 25 Upper molding part, 28 Lifting means, 30 Side wall 30a Slanted guide edge (slanted guide part), 39 Robot hand, S Gap

Claims (3)

A bag making device in a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that forms strip-shaped packaging material into a cylindrical shape during the conveying process,
a lower molding portion having a gap extending in a conveyance direction of the cylindrical packaging material and capable of supporting the packaging material from below;
an upper molding part movable to a spaced position spaced above the lower molding part and to a molding position approaching the lower molding part;
and a lifting means for moving the upper molding section up and down,
the upper forming section has a pair of side walls spaced apart in a width direction intersecting with a conveying direction of the packaging material, and is provided with an inclined guide section that is inclined downward from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction to guide the strip-shaped packaging material conveyed to the upper forming section at the forming position between the pair of side walls,
With a strip-shaped packaging material positioned between the upper molding section and the lower molding section at the separated position, the upper molding section is lowered toward the molding position by the lifting means, thereby pushing down the strip-shaped packaging material so that both widthwise side portions hang down, and the strip-shaped packaging material faces the inside of both side walls while contacting the inclined guide sections,
A bag making device for a horizontal form-fill-seal machine, characterized in that it is configured to be able to form strip-shaped packaging material into a cylindrical shape by bringing the hanging edge portions of both sides of the packaging material closer together and facing the gap in the lower molding section. A bag making device in a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that forms strip-shaped packaging material into a cylindrical shape during the conveying process,
a lower molding portion having a gap extending in a conveyance direction of the cylindrical packaging material and capable of supporting the packaging material from below;
an upper molding part movable to a spaced position spaced above the lower molding part and to a molding position approaching the lower molding part;
and a lifting means for moving the upper molding section up and down,
the upper forming section has a pair of side walls spaced apart in a width direction intersecting with a conveying direction of the packaging material, and is provided with an inclined guide section that is inclined downward from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction to guide the strip-shaped packaging material conveyed to the upper forming section at the forming position between the pair of side walls,
a bag making device for a horizontal form-fill-seal machine, characterized in that the packaging material is positioned between the upper molding section and the lower molding section in the separated position, and is formed into a cylindrical shape so that the hanging edge portions of both widthwise sides of the packaging material are close to each other and face the gap in the lower molding section; and by lowering the upper molding section to the molding position by the lifting means, the packaging material is brought into contact with the pair of side walls, and the strip-shaped packaging material comes into contact with the inclined guide section. A bag making device for a horizontal form-fill-seal machine as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the strip-shaped packaging material held by a robot hand is transferred from upstream in the conveying direction and positioned between the upper forming section and the lower forming section at the separated position.