JPH0764341B2 - Container filling and sealing machine - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a filling and sealing machine that automatically fills a liquid container such as alcoholic beverages or juice into a packaging container and seals the opening. .

[Prior Art] In a filling and sealing machine for filling alcohol or juice into a multi-layered paper packaging container generally called a paper pack,
A temporary folding station that temporarily folds the filling opening in the upper part of the packaging container filled with these objects to be filled, a heating station that heats the peripheral edge of this opening, and a heated peripheral edge are brought into close contact with each other, and the upper opening is closed. And a press station for sealing. The packaging container is intermittently conveyed and stopped at each of these stations for a predetermined time.

In order to pour out an object to be filled, a packaging container to be packaged by a filling and sealing machine of this type is provided with a stopper in advance having a main body portion protruding to the outside of the packaging container and an adhesive portion adhered to the packaging container. There is one provided.

Further, in the packaging container provided with the stopper, a small hole is formed in the packaging container, the main body portion of the stopper is projected through the small hole, and the surface of the adhesive portion on the main body side is the inner surface of the packaging container. There is also a so-called internal plug for ultrasonic welding. In the case of this packaging container, paper powder or the like may be generated due to the vibration during ultrasonic super-welding. For this reason, a filling and sealing machine equipped with a cleaning device that cleans the inside of the packaging container before filling the object to be filled has been developed. In addition to removing foreign substances, it is also possible to remove the odor peculiar to the resin material of the packaging container. You can

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] According to the conventional filling and sealing machine, the cleaning device is arranged in one independent station for performing various packaging steps for completing packaging. Therefore, the packaging process becomes long and the filling and sealing machine becomes large. In particular, when the stations that form each packaging process are arranged in a circle and the packaging containers are conveyed along these stations by a turntable that rotates intermittently, the spacing between adjacent stations is narrow and a new cleaning device is required. Difficult to place.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a filling and sealing machine that has a compact structure and can efficiently charge an object to be charged.

[Means for Solving the Problem] A filling and sealing machine of the present invention has a hollow supporting member inserted into a packaging container and an ultrasonic vibration horn arranged outside the hollow supporting member, and is attached to a small hole on a side wall of the packaging container. A stopper welding device that supports the sealed stopper from the inside of the packaging container with a hollow support member and vibrates it from the outside with an ultrasonic vibrating horn to weld to the packaging container, and into the packaging container through the opening of the hollow support member. A cleaning means having a blow tube for blowing air onto the inner surface of the packaging container and a suction tube for sucking foreign matter blown off from the inner surface, and a predetermined amount of a predetermined amount on the packaging container with the spigot welded and the inside cleaned. A filling device for filling an object to be filled, and a sealing device for sealing a packaging container filled with the object to be filled, and a packaging container in which a spout is attached to a small hole in a side wall is a spout welding device and a filling device. Along with the sealing device The inside of the packaging container is cleaned by a blow pipe and a suction pipe inserted into the packaging container through the opening of the hollow support member when the stopper is welded by the stopper welding device. It

The cleaning means preferably comprises a double tube in which a blow tube is arranged in the suction tube.

[Operation] According to the filling and sealing machine of the present invention, the packaging container in which the spout is attached to the small hole is sequentially moved along the spout welding device, the filling device, and the sealing device. When the packaging container reaches the spout welding device, the spout is supported from the inside by the hollow supporting member, and at the same time, the blow pipe and the suction pipe of the cleaning means are inserted into the packaging container through the opening of the hollow supporting member, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted. A vibrating horn vibrates the spout from the outside of the packaging container at high speed. At this time, the air blown from the blow pipe sucks the foreign matter and the like blown from the inner surface of the packaging container as well as the paper dust and the like that generate vibrations at the mouth plug through the suction pipe to clean the inside of the packaging container. It Then, the packaging container in which the stopper is ultrasonically welded and the inside is cleaned is filled with a predetermined amount of the object to be filled by the filling device, and thereafter, the packaging device is sealed by the sealing device to complete the packaging container. .

When the cleaning means includes a double tube in which a blow tube is arranged in the suction tube, the foreign matter blown off by the blow tube is immediately sucked by the suction tube arranged in this peripheral portion, falls to the bottom and remains. There is no fear.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows the entire structure of a filling and sealing machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This filling and sealing machine 10 is formed in upper and lower two stages, and a bottom molding part 11 for flatly bending and sealing the bottom of a hollow prismatic paper packaging container having open both ends is arranged in the lower stage. In the upper stage, a filling and sealing unit 20 for filling a predetermined amount of an object to be filled such as alcoholic beverages or juice from the upper opening of the packaging container having a bottom portion, bending the upper portion, and sealing to complete the packaging container is arranged. There is.

As shown in FIG. 2, this packaging container 5, which is hereinafter referred to as a carton, includes a lower portion 6 which is flatly sealed along a ruled line formed in advance in a desired shape and an appropriate ruled line formed in a desired shape in advance. Has an upper part 7 that is sealed like a roof along
A small hole 8 is formed in the upper part of the hole, in which a normal plug is fitted. The spout is attached through this small hole 8 before filling the filling object.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the carton 5 is attached to the bottom molding part 11 that seals the bottom 6 of the carton 8.
Turret 12 with mandrel 12a of a book protruding radially
Is arranged, and this turret is intermittently rotated in the direction of arrow X shown in FIG. Around the periphery of the turret 12, a mounting position A for mounting the carton 5 in order along the rotation direction of the turret, a heating position B for arranging a heater 13 for heating the peripheral portion of the opening of the bottom 6 of the carton, and a predetermined position. The folding position C at which the folding device 14 for folding the bottom portion 6 along the folding line is arranged, the pressing position D at which the pressing device 15 for sealing the heated and folded bottom portion 6 is arranged, and the bottom portion. A take-out position E for taking out the sealed carton is arranged. In addition, at the mounting position A and the take-out position E of the bottom molding portion 11, the mandrel 12a projects from the side opening of the filling and sealing machine 10 and can be easily approached. This state is shown in FIG.

In the bottom molding portion 11, when the turret 12 stops at the mounting position A, the carton 5 having both ends opened is mounted on the mandrel 12 with the upper portion 7 first. The mounting of the carton 5 may be performed automatically by an appropriate mechanism or may be performed manually. Further, it is preferable to provide each mandrel 12a with a stopper capable of adjusting the carton insertion depth.

When the turret 12 rotates and reaches the heating position B aligned with the heater 13, hot air is blown from the heater to a desired portion at the bottom of the carton, and the resin layer on the inner surface of the carton is heated. At the folding position C, which is further rotated and aligned with the folding device 14, the bottom portion 6 is folded along a predetermined folding line, and is further rotated to the press position D while maintaining this state by a guide rail (not shown). The bottom 6 of the carton 5 is firmly compressed between the tip of the mandrel 12 and the pressing device 15 by the pressing device 15 arranged at the pressing position D, and is sealed in a flat shape. The carton 5 with the bottom portion 6 sealed is taken out from the bottom molding portion 11 at the take-out position E, and then sent to the filling seal portion 20 arranged on the upper side of the filling and sealing machine.

3 and 4 show the filling seal portion 20. The filling / seal portion 20 includes eight carton pedestals 21 (see FIGS. 3 and 4).
A rotary drive mechanism or a turntable in which two (only two are shown in the figure) are fixed at equal intervals is arranged, and a circular guide rail 22 for supporting the carton is fixedly installed below the pedestal 21. This turntable is intermittently rotated in the direction of arrow Y by the same drive source as the turret 12 of the bottom molding unit 11, and the carton 5 mounted on the pedestal 21 is guided by the guide rail 22.
Is transported along.

A mounting station for mounting the carton 5 on the receiving table 21 in order along the transportation path of the carton 5 formed by the guide rails 22.
23, a stopper device station 24 for mounting the stopper 4 in the small hole 8 of the carton, a temporary folding station 25 for temporarily folding the upper part of the carton 5, and a welding station 26 for welding the stopper 4 to the carton 5. It is arranged. Further, on the downstream side of the transport path, there are a filling station 27 for injecting a predetermined amount of the object to be filled into the carton 5, a heating station 28 for heating a predetermined portion of the upper portion 7, and a sealing station 29 for sealing the upper portion 7. The completed carton 5 is placed and discharged from the discharge station 30.

In this embodiment, the spout 4 is inserted from the inside into the small hole 8 of the carton at the spout mounting station 24. However, the spigot 4 is inserted in advance in the mounting station 23 or before this. Good. As shown in FIG. 4, the spigot 4 has a cylindrical small-diameter main body protruding outward through a small hole 8 to bond a large-diameter disc-shaped adhesive portion to a carton.
The surface of the adhesive portion adjacent to the main body is ultrasonically adhered to the inner surface of the carton, which is a so-called internal attachment type.

The temporary folding device 32 arranged in the temporary folding station 25 has a frame 33 that is vertically moved by an appropriate driving means such as an air cylinder. At the lower end of the frame 33, a pair of triangular folding plates 33b for folding inward the side surface adjacent to the spout of the carton 5 are pivotally mounted. These folding plates 33b are connected to the driving means via appropriate links 33a, and fall inward when the frame 33 is lowered.

Therefore, when the carton 5 is stopped at the temporary folding station 25, the frame 32 is lowered onto the carton 5. The opposite side walls on the top of the carton 5 are folded plates 33b.
Is folded inward from both sides, and the upper part of the carton is temporarily folded like a roof. Carton 5 provisionally folded in this way
Is transported to the welding station 26 while gradually returning to its original shape due to its elasticity.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the welding station 26, the normal ultrasonic welding device 35 and the carton 5 are moved upward to move the stopper 4 into place.
And an air cylinder 38 for aligning with the ultrasonic welding device.

This ultrasonic welding device is inserted into the carton 5 and the stopper 4 is inserted.
A hollow support member that supports the anvil 36 from the inside,
An ultrasonic vibrating horn 37 that vibrates the spout at high speed.
When the carton 5 is raised by the actuating cylinder 38 via the rod 38a, the anvil 36 is inserted into the upper opening of the carton and the ultrasonic vibrating horn 31 moves in the direction of the anvil 36 to the position indicated by the imaginary line. As a result, the tip of the ultrasonic horn 36 is fitted into the stopper 4 attached to the carton 5, and the stopper 4 is vibrated. The frictional heat generated by this high-speed vibration melts the resin layer on the inner surface of the carton 5, and the spout 4 and the carton 5 are liquid-tightly adhered to each other.

The cleaning device 40 removes foreign matters such as paper dust and odor that may remain inside the carton 5 by the vibration of the stopper 4 by the ultrasonic welding device 35.
It is located in.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cleaning device 40 is an ultrasonic welding device.
35, which is a suction pipe or lead pipe 41 inserted into the opening of the anvil 36, and the lead pipe 41.
A blow pipe or blow pipe 42 disposed within 41. The lead pipe 41 is connected to a suitable vacuum pressure source such as a blower via a flexible pipe 43. The blow pipe 42 is connected to an appropriate air pressure source, and a nozzle 42a is attached to the tip portion. This nozzle 4
2a is projected from the tip of the lead pipe 42 and fixed at the center position of the lead pipe inner hole.

The lead pipe 41 of the cleaning device 40 is attached to the working cylinder 45 via the bracket 44.
45 moves up and down along the guide rod 45a. A scale 41a is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the lead pipe 41, and the mounting position of the bracket 44 can be changed to a position corresponding to the capacity of the carton 5 based on the scale 41a.

When the carton 5 conveyed from the temporary folding station 25 stops at the welding station 26, the carton 5 is lifted by the operating cylinder 38 via the rod 38a, and the upper part thereof is fitted onto the anvil 36. When the stopper 4 of the carton reaches the position where it is aligned with the ultrasonic vibration horn 37, the horn 37 is moved toward the carton and the stopper 4 is attached to the tip thereof.
Are engaged and then actuated. The spout 4 supported by the anvil 36 is vibrated at a high speed, and the heat generated by the friction with the inner surface of the carton partially melts both contact portions to bond them to each other.

Furthermore, the working cylinder 45 of the cleaning device 40 is lowered when the carton 5 is raised to weld the spigot 4. The lead pipe 41 is inserted into the carton 5 through the opening of the anvil 36, and aseptic air is ejected from the nozzle 42a at the tip of the blow pipe toward the inner surface of the carton, and foreign matter adhering to the inner surface of the carton is blown by the ejected air. Can be raised. These foreign substances are sucked into the lead pipe 42 communicating with the vacuum pressure source together with the odor of the resin material. Since the lead pipe 41 is inserted into the carton 5 together with the nozzle 42a and the opening of the lead pipe is arranged inside this, even a relatively large foreign matter is immediately sucked and does not remain inside. This nozzle 42a
And the cleaning process in the carton 5 by the lead pipe 41
With an appropriate valve mechanism, it can be performed in either one or both of the descending step and the ascending step of the lead pipe 41.

The carton 5 from which foreign matters and odors have been removed is moved to the filling station 25.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the filling station 27 is provided with a tank 48 for containing the object to be filled. A filling pipe 48a is extended from the tank 48, and a required amount of the filling object is filled from the filling pipe while the carton 5 is stopped.

The carton filled with the required amount of the filling object is sent to the sealing station 29 via the heating station 28.

The heating device 42 disposed in the heating station 27 is inserted inside the carton 5 and has a heating part 42 that blows out hot air from the peripheral part thereof to heat the resin layer on the inner surface of the carton 5.

At the sealing station 29, a sealing device 50 for sealing the upper part of the carton 5 like a roof is arranged. This sealing device 50 is a pair of clamp plates that press-contact the upper end of the carton 5.
51 and a pair of claw members 52 that press inwardly the side surface adjacent to the spout on the top of the carton, and when the sealing device 50 is lowered onto the carton, the claw members 52 move inside the side wall on the top of the carton. While pressing in one direction, at the same time, the clamp plate 51 firmly presses the upper end portions against each other. Therefore, the carton 5 whose upper portion is temporarily folded into a roof and which is further heated is completely sealed at the sealing station 29, and the filling object is completely enclosed inside the discharging station.
Delivered from 30. A supporting table 60 for holding the completed carton 5 is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 3.

When filling beverages such as alcoholic drinks or juices with the filling and sealing device 10, the mandrels 12a of the turret 12 arranged in the bottom molding unit 11 in the lower stage are provided with one carton 5a each.
Put on. As shown in FIG. 2, while the turret 12 rotates intermittently and is conveyed through the heating position B, the folding position C and the pressing position D, the bottom of the carton 5 is flatly bent and sealed. . The carton 5 whose bottom is molded is removed from the mandrel 12a at the take-out position E of the bottom molding part and moved to the upper filling seal part 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the carton 5 is mounted on the pedestal 21 with the upper opening at the mounting station 23 of the filling and sealing section 20, the bottom is supported by the guide rails 22 and the cartons are sequentially rotated by the turntable. . When the carton 5 with the plug 4 attached to the small hole 8 reaches the welding station 26 via the temporary folding station 25, the carton 5 is moved by the differential cylinder 38.
Is raised and the spout 4 is welded. At this time, the welding device
The cleaning device 40 installed in the 35 is lowered and the lead pipe
Foreign matter and odor in the carton are removed by the 41 and the blow pipe 42.

After this, the filling station 27 is filled with the required amount of beverage, the sealing station 28 seals the upper opening, and it is sent from the discharge station 30 to the support table 60.

The filling and sealing machine 10 includes a bottom molding unit 11 and a filling and sealing unit 20.
Both have a circular carton conveying path and are divided into upper and lower stages, and a welding device 35 of the welding station 26 is equipped with a cleaning device 40 having a simple structure for removing foreign matters and odors in the carton 5. And has an extremely compact structure. Further, the welding of the spout 4 and the state inside the carton 5 are simultaneously performed at the welding station 26, and the beverage is efficiently filled and sealed in a short time.

[Effects of the Invention] As apparent from the above, according to the filling and sealing machine of the present invention,
By incorporating a cleaning device into the fusing device, it is possible to simultaneously suck in paper dust, etc. generated when fusing the spouts together with foreign matter adhering to the inside of the packaging container, and with a compact structure, it is extremely efficient. Can be manufactured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the entire structure of a filling and sealing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view of the bottom molding part of the filling and sealing machine of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is the filling of FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a filling seal portion of the sealing machine, FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view thereof, FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of a welding device of the filling seal portion, and FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view of a cleaning device. 4 ... Port stopper, 5 ... Carton, 6 ... Bottom, 7 ... Top, 8 ... Small hole, 10 ... Filling seal device, 11 ... Bottom molding unit, 20 ... Filling seal unit, 26 ... … Welding station,
35: welding device, 40: cleaning device, 41: lead pipe, 42: blow pipe, 42a: nozzle.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A hollow support member to be inserted into a packaging container and an ultrasonic vibrating horn arranged outside the hollow supporting member, and a plug attached to a small hole on a side wall of the packaging container is hollow from the inside of the packaging container. A stopper welding device which is supported by a supporting member and is vibrated from the outside by an ultrasonic vibration horn to be welded to this packaging container, and is inserted into the packaging container through an opening of the hollow supporting member,
A cleaning means having a blow pipe for blowing air to the inner surface of the packaging container and a suction pipe for sucking foreign matter blown off from the inner surface, and a predetermined amount of the object to be filled in the packaging container whose mouth plug is welded and whose inside is cleaned And a sealing device for sealing the packaging container filled with the object to be filled, and the packaging container with the spout attached to the small hole in the side wall is equipped with the spout welding attachment, the filling device and the sealing device. The packaging container is sequentially moved along with, and when the stopper is welded by the stopper welding device, the inside of the packaging container is cleaned by the blow pipe and the suction pipe inserted into the packaging container through the opening of the hollow support member. Will be
Container filling and sealing machine. 2. The filling and sealing machine according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning means includes a double pipe in which a blow pipe is arranged in a suction pipe. 3. A turntable, on which a packaging container is placed and which is intermittently rotated, is provided, and the spout welding device, the filling device, and the sealing device are sequentially arranged along the rotation direction of the turntable. The filling and sealing machine according to claim 2. 4. The spout has a main body protruding through the small hole to the outside of the packaging container, and an adhesive portion having a diameter larger than the small hole, and the main body has the ultrasonic vibration. The filling and sealing machine according to claim 2 or 3, which is vibrated by a horn and the surface of the adhesive portion on the main body side is welded to the inner surface of the packaging container.