JPS6026450B2 - Method and device for inspecting the presence or absence of pinholes in sealed packages - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to vaporizable substances such as glucose injection, distilled water for injection, milk, and oil, and sublimated substances such as naphthalene (in this specification, these are referred to as vaporizable substances). It is called.

) for the presence or absence of pinholes (pinholes, cracks, etc.) in hermetically sealed packages made of synthetic resin, paper, metal, etc. Conventionally, a vacuum pinhole inspection has been used to test for the presence of pinholes in sealed packages of this type. It has been mainly used for inspection.

In this vacuum pinhole presence test, the sealed package is placed in an airtight inspection chamber, and after the inspection chamber is evacuated to a predetermined vacuum state, vacuum suction is shut off or stopped.
After that, the pressure rise in the test chamber is measured, and if the pressure rise value is higher than a predetermined reference value, the contents of the package are vaporized from there because there is a pinhole in the sealed package (vaporization is not defined as "vaporization" in this specification). For the vaporizable substance to change from a liquid state to a vapor or gas, or to sublimate from a solid state.

), it is determined that there is a pinhole when the pressure rise occurs, and when the pressure increase value is smaller than the reference value, it is determined that there is no pinhole. However, during the inspection, there is no means for effectively removing the substances that flowed into the inspection chamber from the pinholes of the package having pinholes, and the substances that remained in this way are During the next inspection, it vaporizes under vacuum again and acts as a disturbance (noise), so even if there are no pinholes in the sealed package for the next inspection, the pressure inside the inspection room will rise above the standard value and there will be pinholes. There is a drawback that it may be misjudged as
Furthermore, when the reference value is set to a large value in order to avoid such erroneous determinations, some packages with pinholes may be erroneously determined to have no pinholes due to dust. Furthermore, in addition to the fact that the substances that flowed out from the pinholes remain attached to the inspection room, if the above-mentioned vaporizable substances have adhered to the surface of the sealed package for some reason before the inspection, the vaporizable substances will also be removed during the inspection. Since it evaporates and acts as a disturbance, in this case as well, a sealed package without pinholes may be incorrectly determined to have a pinhole, and the substance that has flowed out from the surface of the sealed package may still remain in the inspection room. There was a drawback that it acted as a disturbance during the next inspection. In addition, in order to sufficiently remove the volatile substances remaining in the examination room after a test in preparation for the next test, the examination room must be vacuumed for a long time, which makes the test inefficient. Ta.

An object of the present invention is to promptly collect vaporized substances adhering to the inspection chamber or the surface of a sealed package in the inspection chamber before inspecting for the presence of pinholes, and to detect pinholes under virtually no disturbance. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for inspecting the presence or absence of pinholes in a sealed package, which can accurately determine the presence or absence of pinholes.

In accordance with the above object, the present invention provides a method for inspecting the presence of pinholes in a sealed package in which a vaporizable substance is sealed, in which the sealed package is placed in a test chamber, the test chamber is made airtight, and the interior of the test chamber is sealed. A vaporizing vacuum suction device installed in the inspection room is used to evacuate the vaporizable substance adhering to the first chamber and the surface of the sealed package, and the vaporized substance is transferred to a cooling device installed in the examination room. After substantially removing the vaporizable substances adhering to the inspection chamber and the surface of the sealed package by cooling and collecting them in a heat exchanger, the inspection chamber is isolated from the cooling heat exchanger. Create a predetermined vacuum state using a measurement vacuum suction device installed in the examination room,
After that, the vacuum suction in the examination room is shut off and the pressure rise in the examination room is measured. If the pressure rise value is above a predetermined reference pressure value, there is a pinhole, and if it is smaller than the reference pressure value, there is no pinhole. ``Inspection of the presence of pinholes in a sealed package, characterized by determining the presence of pinholes in a sealed package'' and ``Inspection of the presence of pinholes in a sealed package in which a vaporized monstrous substance is sealed, and an inspection room equipped with an inlet and an outlet for the sealed package. a first lid device that can airtightly close the inlet; a second lid device that can airtightly close the outlet; a vacuum suction device for vaporization; a cooling heat exchanger installed in a manner that can be shut off from the inspection chamber in order to cool and recover vaporized substances in the inspection chamber;
A measurement vacuum suction device installed in the examination room for evacuating the examination room to a predetermined vacuum state and then cutting off the vacuum suction in the examination room; An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for inspecting the presence or absence of pinholes in a sealed package, characterized by comprising a pressure measurement device connected to the inspection chamber for measurement.

In addition, in this specification, "cooling recovery" refers to freezing or liquefying a vaporizable substance and maintaining it in a frozen or liquid state. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for inspecting the presence of pinholes in sealed packages that can more efficiently inspect the presence of pinholes.

In accordance with this object, the present invention includes an examination chamber having an inlet and an outlet of a sealed package, a first lid device capable of airtightly closing the entrance, and a second lid device capable of airtightly closing the outlet. A plurality of unit bodies are disposed at intervals around a rotationally movable support base, and in the path of movement of the unit bodies there are provided a supply station for sealed packages to be inspected, a discharge station for defective sealed packages, and a station for sealing good products. A package delivery station is provided, and the inspection chamber of each front unit includes a vaporization vacuum suction device for vaporizing the vaporizable substances in the inspection chamber, and a vacuum suction device for vaporizing the vaporizable substance in the inspection chamber, and a vacuum suction device for evacuating the inspection chamber to a predetermined vacuum state and then performing the inspection. A measuring vacuum suction device for cutting off the vacuum suction in the chamber and a pressure measuring device for measuring the pressure increase in the test chamber after the vacuum suction is cut off are connected, and further, vaporized substances in the test chamber of each unit are connected. An apparatus for inspecting the presence or absence of pinholes in a sealed package, characterized in that a cooling heat exchanger for cooling and recovery is connected to the inspection chamber in a disconnectable manner.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, to explain the apparatus of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an examination chamber 1 has an inlet 11 and an outlet 1 on its upper and bottom walls.
2, the inlet 11 is provided with a first lid device 13 that can hermetically close it, and the outlet 12 is provided with a second lid device 14 that can hermetically close it.

The first lid device 13 is a lid 1 that is slidably provided with respect to the inlet 11 so as to open or airtightly close the inlet 11.
31 is of a type that can be opened and closed by pneumatic means such as a air cylinder operated by a solenoid valve (for example, gate type pneumatic valve VAP type manufactured by Japan Vacuum Technology Co., Ltd.). However, it is of course possible to use various known automatic or manual type fukurotakas as the lid device. The second lid device 14 has the same structure as the device 13. A vacuum suction device 2 is connected to the examination room 1 .

The vaporization vacuum suction device 2 includes a vacuum pump 21 connected to the examination chamber 1 through piping. Between the examination room 1 and the pump 21,
If necessary, a valve for maintenance and inspection (for example, manual valve 20) and a vacuum gauge 22 for checking the operating status of the vacuum suction device 2 can be connected as appropriate. A cold trap or other cooling heat exchanger 23 can be connected. In the vacuum suction device 2, a number (two in the example of the device shown in FIG. 1) of cold traps 31 and 32 for freezing and recovering vaporized substances are arranged in parallel to the circuit of the device 2.

It is desirable that the traps 31 and 32 be placed as close to the examination room 1 as possible so that vaporized substances within the examination room can be efficiently frozen and recovered. The traps 31 and 32 may be replaced by a single trap, but two or more traps may be arranged in parallel as shown in the figure, and the branch portions may be arranged according to the cold trap capacity, the degree of dryness in the examination room, etc. A valve (three-way solenoid valve 33 in the case shown) provided in either one
Alternatively, two or more traps can be made available for use at any time, either selectively or all at the same time. The traps 31 and 32 are detachably arranged so that they can be replaced at any time in case the vaporized substance becomes excessively frozen in the traps.

However, the traps 31, 32 may also be fixed in the device 2. In that case, a liquid receiver (not shown) or the like is arranged below the traps 31, 32, and when the vaporized substance freezes excessively, the frozen substance can be liquefied and taken out from the receiver. Furthermore, in order to speed up the liquefaction, a small heating device can be attached to the trap. In FIG. 1, manual valves 34, 35, 36, and 7 are valves that are closed when replacing the trap, etc.

It goes without saying that these valves and other valves can be automated as appropriate electromagnetic valves. The cold traps 31 and 32 are of a type that freezes vaporized substances, but may also be of a type that liquefies them.

However, the type that freezes is preferable. It goes without saying that other cooling heat exchangers having a similar function (a function of freezing or liquefying vaporized substances and cooling and recovering them) can be used in place of the cold trap.

The examination chamber 1 is further connected to a measuring vacuum suction channel 4 and a pressure measuring device 5.

The vacuum suction device 4 includes a vacuum pump 41 pipe-connected to the examination room 1, an electromagnetic valve 42 connected between the examination room 1 and the pump 41, and a pressure switch 4 for operating the valve 42.
3.

When the examination chamber 1 is evacuated to a predetermined vacuum state by the pump 41, the pressure switch 43 is activated to close the valve 42, and the vacuum suction of the examination chamber 1 is stopped or cut off. In addition, as means for stopping the vacuum suction in the examination room 1 when the examination room 1 reaches a predetermined vacuum state, an appropriate pressure gauge is used instead of the pressure switch 43, and a manual operation is used instead of the electromagnetic valve 42. Any other suitable means may be used, such as using a valve, monitoring the pressure gauge and closing a manual valve. Further, between the inspection chamber 1 and the pump 41, a valve for maintenance and inspection, etc., and a vacuum gauge 44 for checking the operating status of the vacuum suction device 4 can be connected as necessary. A cold trap or other cooling heat exchanger 45 for protecting the pump can be connected nearby.

The pressure measurement bag hawk 5 is connected to the inspection chamber 1 and the vacuum suction stop valve 42.
A pressure sensor 51 is connected to a pipe from the inspection room to inspect the pressure rise in the chamber 4 and convert it into an electric current, an amplifier 62 amplifies the input from the pressure sensor, and an amplifier 62 that amplifies the input from the amplifier 52. A meter relay 53 which displays and stores a predetermined reference value for pinhole presence/absence determination and outputs a signal indicating whether the input from the amplifier is greater than or less than the reference value; A display 54 is provided which displays whether there is a pinhole or not according to an input from the pinhole.

Therefore, the presence or absence of a pinhole can be determined by monitoring the meter relay 53 by an operator who has memorized the reference value, or by simply checking the display 54. Note that the display 54 may be provided with a display section that receives a signal from the pressure switch 43 and indicates whether or not an inspection is being performed (in other words, indicates whether the solenoid valve 42 is opened or closed).

In addition, the display 54 automatically controls the solenoid valves appropriately installed in the vacuum suction device, the solenoid valves of the lid devices 13 and 14, etc. in response to the signal from the meter relay 53 or amplifier 52 and/or the signal from the pressure switch 43. By having a built-in controller, the inspection process can be automated. As the pressure measuring device, a simple pressure gauge or other appropriate means may be used instead of the structure of the device described above.

Note that valves 38 and 46 are provided to close the device 4 while the device 2 is in use, and to close the diamond counterfeit 2 while the device 4 is in use.

The valves 38 and 46 can also be automated as electromagnetic valves. Next, an example of the method of the present invention using the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be explained.

The exit 12 of the inspection chamber 1 is closed by the lid device 14, the inlet 11 is opened by the lid device 13, and after placing the sealed package A to be inspected into the chamber 1 from this entrance, the entrance 11 is opened. Make the closed room 1 airtight.

Further, the valve 38 of the vacuum suction device 2 is opened, and the valve 46 of the vacuum suction device 4 is closed. Thereafter, the inside of the examination chamber 1 is evacuated using the vacuum suction device 2 for vaporization, and the vaporizable substances adhering to the surface of the package A (and the vaporizable substances that may be adhering to the inside of the chamber 1) are vaporized. The substances are cooled and collected in cold wraps 31 and 32 arranged in the device 2, and the vaporizable substances on the surface of the package A (and the vaporizable substances that may be attached inside the room) are substantially removed. , the valve 38 is closed and the valve 46 is opened. After that, the inside of the examination chamber 1 is brought into a predetermined vacuum state by the vacuum suction device 4 for measurement, and then the vacuum suction of the examination chamber 1 is shut off. Thereafter, the pressure rise in the examination chamber 1 is measured by the pressure measurement device 5, and if the pressure rise value is greater than or equal to a preset reference value for determining the presence or absence of a pinhole, it is determined that there is a pinhole, and if it is small, it is determined that it is a type of pinhole. judge. After the above determination, the exit 12 of the inspection chamber 1 is opened to allow the package A after inspection to fall outside the room.

After the above test is completed, the outlet 12 is closed again to make the test room 1 airtight, the valve 46 is closed and the valve 38 is opened to activate the vaporization vacuum suction device 2 and the cold traps 31 and 32, and the packaging is packed during the test. It is desirable to cool and collect the vaporized substances remaining in the room that have vaporized through the pinholes in Body A in preparation for the next examination.

Of course, the vaporization and measurement vacuum suction devices may each use the other's vacuum suction circuit, vacuum pump, etc. as its own circuit, vacuum pump, etc.

However, for example, when a vacuum suction device for vaporization is used as a vacuum suction device for measurement, it is naturally desirable to connect the pressure measurement device at a position closer to the examination room than the cold trap disposed in the vacuum suction device for vaporization.

Next, a description will be given of a device that can perform a pinhole presence inspection more efficiently than the above-mentioned device.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a plan view of a portion of this example device.

That is, a plurality of unit bodies 10 consisting of an examination chamber 1 having the same configuration as in the apparatus shown in FIG. A feeding station 102 for packaging A, a defective sealed packaging discharging station 103 and a good sealed packaging discharging station 104 are arranged at intervals around the support base 101 of the unit body 10, and in the movement path of the unit body 10.
is provided.

A vacuum suction device 2 for vaporization similar to that in the device shown in FIG. (Not shown in Figure 2). Furthermore, unit body 1
A measuring vacuum suction device 4 and a pressure measuring device 5 similar to those in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 are connected to the inspection chamber 1 of No. 0. (Not shown in Figure 2). The vacuum suction device 2, 4
and cold traps 31, 32 and pressure measuring device 5
is arranged, for example, on the rotation support base 101.

Each of the above-mentioned vacuum suction device, each set of cold trap, and each pressure measurement device may be provided one for each unit body 10, but one or two or more may be provided for a larger number of unit bodies 101 as appropriate. Of course, they may be connected so that they can be shared.

Note that when it is desirable to discharge the package A having a clearly large pinhole at a stage before the station 103, the discharge station for the package A having a large pinhole is located between the supply V supply station 102 and the discharge station 103. 105 may be provided. At the supply station 102, a supply device 106 connected to the production line L of the packaging body A is installed as needed.

The supply device 106 distributes and arranges the packages A sent in a line from the line L to the feeding end of a conveyor 1061 serving as a lot station in order to collect the packages A into a lot A' consisting of a plurality of packages A. A device 1062 and a stopper device 10 that stops the package A in the middle of the conveyor 1061 until a predetermined lot of packages is completed.
63, and lot A' that came out from the stopper device 1063.
and a device 1064 for pushing the unit body 10 disposed at the station 102 to the entrance of the examination room. The sorting device 1062 has a passage 1062a for the package A, and one end is rotatably attached to the delivery end of the line L.
Rotating arm 10 with Ikebata facing conveyor 1061
62A, and an appropriate driving means (not shown) for rotating this arm so as to sort the packages. The stopper device 1063 detects whether or not a predetermined number of packages A has reached the stopper 1063a that can be raised and lowered into the lot A' passage by a drive means (not shown) and this stopper, and raises the stopper when the predetermined number has reached the stopper 1063a. Appropriate means (not shown), such as an optical turtle tube switch and a limit switch, are provided for the purpose of increasing the speed.
The extrusion device 1064 includes a stopper wall 1064a provided at the end of the conveyor 1061, a bushier 1064b for pushing out the lot A' along the stopper wall, and appropriate means (not shown) such as a shear cylinder for driving the busher. At the stations 103, 104, and 105, appropriate conveyors (not shown) are provided for receiving and transporting the lot A' dropped from the unit body 10.

Therefore, the units arriving at the station 102 are combined one after another.

When station 105 is not in use, unit body 1
0 arrives at station 102 from station 103 until it leaves there, the inspection is performed according to the above-mentioned procedure, and defective sealed package lot A' with pinholes is inspected at station 103.
Lot A' without pinholes is sent out at station 104. After the unit body 10 passes through the station 104 and before the next lot A' is introduced into the inspection chamber, the inspection chamber 1 after inspection is transferred to the apparatus 2 and the trap 3.
It is desirable to dry it at 1.32. When a package A having a large pinhole is to be discharged at the station 105, the presence or absence of a pinhole is inspected according to the above-described procedure while the unit body 10 arrives from the station 102 to the station 105 and leaves there. Lot A with large pinholes is discharged at station 105, lot A' with small pinholes is discharged at station 103,
Lot A' without pinholes is delivered at station 104.

As described above, according to the present invention, before inspecting for the presence or absence of pinholes,
A pin for a simple sealed package that can quickly collect vaporized substances attached to the inspection room or the surface of the sealed package in the inspection room and accurately determine the presence or absence of pinholes under virtually no disturbance. The present invention has the advantage of providing a method and apparatus for inspecting the presence of holes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an example of an apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention.
The figure is a partially cutaway schematic side view of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a part of another embodiment. A...Sealed package, 1...Inspection room, 1
1...Entrance, 12...Exit, 13...
...First lid device, 14...Second lid device, 2...Vacuum suction device for vaporization, 31, 32...
...Cold Trab (cooling heat exchanger), 4...
... Vacuum suction device for side adjustment, 5 ... Pressure side adjustment device, 10 ... Unit body, 101 ... Support base, 102 ... Supply V supply station, 103 ,10
5... Discharge station, 104... Delivery station. Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for inspecting the presence of pinholes in a sealed package in which a vaporizable substance is sealed, the method comprising: placing the sealed package in an inspection chamber;
The inspection chamber is made airtight and the interior thereof is evacuated using a vaporization vacuum suction device connected to the inspection chamber to vaporize the vaporizable substances adhering to the inspection chamber and the surface of the sealed package. The substance is cooled and recovered in a cooling heat exchanger connected to the inspection chamber to substantially remove the vaporizable substances adhering to the inspection chamber and the surface of the sealed package, and then the inspection chamber is cooled. The test chamber is brought into a predetermined vacuum state using a measuring vacuum suction device connected to the test chamber, and then the vacuum suction in the test chamber is cut off to reduce the pressure inside the test chamber. A pinhole in a sealed package, characterized in that the increase in pressure is measured, and if the pressure increase value is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference pressure value, it is determined that there is a pinhole, and if it is smaller than the reference pressure value, it is determined that there is no pinhole. Presence inspection method. 2. A device for inspecting the presence of pinholes in a sealed package containing a vaporizable substance, including an inspection chamber equipped with an inlet and an outlet for the sealed package, and a first lid device capable of airtightly closing the inlet.
a second lid device capable of airtightly closing the outlet; a vaporization vacuum suction device connected to the test chamber for vaporizing the vaporizable substance in the test chamber; a cooling heat exchanger connected to the examination room so as to be shut off; and a cooling heat exchanger connected to the examination room for evacuating the inside of the examination room to a predetermined vacuum state and then shutting off vacuum suction to the examination room. A sealed package comprising: a vacuum suction device for judgment, and a pressure measuring device connected to the test chamber for measuring a pressure increase in the test chamber after the vacuum suction is shut off. Pinhole presence inspection device. 3. A plurality of unit bodies each including an examination chamber having an inlet and an outlet of a sealed package, a first lid device that can hermetically close the entrance, and a second lid device that can hermetically close the outlet, A supply station for sealed packages to be inspected, a discharge station for defective sealed packages and a delivery station for good sealed packages are arranged at intervals around a rotatably movable support base in the path of movement of said unit body. established,
The examination room of each unit includes a vaporization vacuum suction device for vaporizing vaporizable substances in the examination room, and a vacuum suction device for evacuating the examination room to a predetermined vacuum state and then cutting off the vacuum suction in the examination room. A vacuum suction device for measurement and a pressure measurement device for measuring the pressure rise in the examination chamber after the vacuum suction is shut off are connected, and a cooling heat source is connected to the unit for cooling and recovering vaporized substances in the examination chamber of each unit. 1. An apparatus for inspecting the presence or absence of pinholes in a sealed package, characterized in that an exchanger is connected to the inspection chamber in a disconnectable manner.