JPH0811566B2 - Packaging equipment - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a packaging device for wrapping an object to be packaged represented by spherical vegetables such as lettuce with a packaging sheet.

[Conventional technology]

As a conceivable form for packaging this kind of spherical vegetables, etc., the article to be packaged is placed on an expanded packaging sheet, and each part of the peripheral edge of the packaging sheet is bent to form one part thereof. There is one that is concentrated in a place, heat-welded, and hermetically sealed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

In this way, only by hermetically sealing by heat-sealing, the finish of the heat-sealing part is not aesthetically pleasing, and in order to perform aesthetically pleasing packaging, each part of the packaging sheet is folded back in sequence. It is necessary to cover the outer peripheral surface of the object to be packaged and fix each folded part by an adhesive fixing means, and the process is performed manually.

However, manual work has a low work efficiency and is an obstacle to cost reduction, and there is room for further improvement.

An object of the present invention is to provide a product that has a good packaging finish and can improve work efficiency, and that can perform the part that is folded in one place on the object to be packaged accurately and without lowering work efficiency. is there.

[Means for solving the problem]

The characteristic configuration according to the present invention is such that a part of a plurality of portions in the peripheral portion of the packaging sheet on which the packaged object is placed is folded back to cover the packaged object, and the other part in the peripheral edge part that is folded back in advance is covered. Folding a plurality of wrapping tools corresponding to each part of the wrapping sheet, the wrapping tool switching between the working posture of the wrapping tool that maintains the folded state and the non-working posture of the wrapping tool that retracts to the standby position. One of the plurality of wrapping tools is provided with adhesive fixing means for fixing the folded state of each part, and the wrapping operation is performed and the wrapping operation is performed. In the final stage of operation, the wrapping device is configured to act on the adhesive fixing means to perform an adhesive fixing action,
In the wrapping operation, an adhesive fixing means holding device is provided which holds the adhesive fixing means and operates in synchronization with the wrapping tool to release the holding state of the adhesive fixing means in the adhesive fixing step. , Its effects are as follows.

[Action]

The operation of the wrapping tool other than the wrapping tool for folding and wrapping a part of the part to which the adhesive fixing means for fixing the folded state is applied will be described. That is, the wrapping tool folds a part of a plurality of parts in the peripheral part of the packaging sheet to cover the object to be packaged, and folds and folds the other part in the peripheral part that was previously folded and covered. Stay in the state. This state is the working posture of the wrapping tool. Then, while the next wrapping tool keeps its working posture until the other part is folded back and folded, the wrapping tool in the working posture is retracted to the standby position from immediately before the completion of the folded state. Switch to non-working posture.

Next, the operation of the wrapping tool for folding and wrapping a part of the part to which the adhesive fixing means for fixing the folded state is applied will be described. That is, when the wrapping tool is moved in a state in which a predetermined part of the wrapping tool (for example, the wrapping roller shown in the embodiment) is applied to the part, the predetermined part moves forward while folding back the part, A packaging sheet is put on the article to be packaged. On the other hand, the adhesive-fixing-means holding device moves the adhesive-fixing means toward the object to be packaged in synchronism with the operation in which the part to which the adhesive fixing means is applied is folded back on the object to be packaged, The holding action with respect to the adhesive fixing means is released at a stage in which the portion provided with the adhesive fixing means is folded over the other portions that are previously folded. Then, the wrapping device also acts on the adhesive fixing means by the wrapping operation that operates so as to fold the one part on the other parts that were previously folded, and the adhesive fixing means operates the adhesive fixing means. The applied part and the other part that precedes it are adhesively fixed.

Therefore, by adopting a mode in which each of the plurality of wrapping tools is folded back for each part, it is possible to automatically wrap each part and wrap it in a state of being overlapped, and the adhesive fixing means is provided. By providing an adhesive fixing means holding device that operates in synchronization with the wrapping operation of the wrapping device that acts on the applied part, for example, wrapping the adhesive fixing means applied to the part of the packaging sheet Compared to a form in which a part of the wrapping tool is folded back and covered with an adhesive to fix the adhesive fixing means by the wrapping operation of the wrapping tool, the predetermined adhesive fixing means during the wrapping operation of the wrapping tool. It is possible to prevent displacement / movement from the posture, and the adhesive fixing means when the adhesive fixing means is released from the adhesive fixing means holding device and is subjected to the adhesive fixing action by the wrapping tool. It can maintain the posture of the stage to a predetermined bonding position.

〔The invention's effect〕

As a result, it is possible to automatically and efficiently perform aesthetically pleasing packaging by folding each part of the packaging sheet, and prevent unexpected displacement movement of the adhesive fastening means during the wrapping operation to achieve a good adhesive fastening action. It is possible to improve the aesthetics of the foldable packaging.

Moreover, since the adhesive fixing means is applied before the wrapping device corresponding to this part is actuated, for example, the last folded part is folded over the other part that was folded earlier. Compared with the case where the adhesive fixing means is applied at the final stage, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to finely adjust the position of the adhesive fixing means regardless of the size of the packaged object.

〔Example〕

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 10, the packaging device (A) is
A packaging workbench (1) and a packaged object holding mechanism (2) provided at a packaging work position on the packaging workbench (1).
A wrapping device (B) including a receiving stand (3) and a wrapping mechanism (4), and an adhesive fixing means supplying device (6) for applying an adhesive fixing means (6) to the packaging sheet (5) placed at the packaging operation position ( 7) and a packaging sheet supply device (36) for automatically supplying the packaging sheet (5) to the packaging operation position in a spread state. Here, as the object to be packaged (C), spherical vegetables such as lettuce are targeted, but other shapes may be used.

Next, the packaged object holding mechanism (2), the receiving stand (3),
The wrapping device (B) such as the wrapping mechanism (4) will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the holding mechanism (2) moves the first moving member (10) and the second moving member (11) up and down on the vertical sliding shaft (9) which also serves as a column. It fits as much as possible, and a compression spring (12) is interposed between the two (10) and (11) to maintain a constant interval. At the upper end of the sliding shaft (9), a receiving stand (3) for receiving the article to be packaged (C) is provided, and the receiving stand (3) mainly has an arm portion (3a) protruding in four directions on the outer circumference of the disc. Equipped.
On the other hand, the four arms (13) are extended radially while being positioned below the arm portions (3a) with respect to the top plate of the first moving member (10), and the four arms are also extended. (13) and the four arm portions (3a) are connected by four bending links (14), respectively. A holding arm (2A) is pivotally supported on the tip of the arm portion (3a) so as to be vertically swingable,
The arms (2A) are respectively linked to the bending links (14), and as the bending links (14) bend and swing, the object to be packaged (C) placed on the receiving base (3) is held by the holding arms. Hold at (2A). The holding arm (2A) has an arcuate shape in a side view along the outer peripheral surface of the article to be packaged (C) from the base end portion to the tip end portion pivotally supported by the arm portion (3a), and has a flat surface. The shape is such that the lateral width of the intermediate portion between the base end portion and the tip end portion is wide as seen, and gradually narrows toward the base end portion and the tip end portion. Therefore, fixing and holding of the article to be packaged (C) is good. Further, the tip of the holding arm (2A) is curved outward so that it does not bite into and damage the outer peripheral surface of the article to be packaged (C) when it comes into contact with the article to be packaged (C). There is. One end of a balance-type drive arm (15) that swings up and down is linked to the side surface of the second moving member (11), and the balance-type drive arm (15) is connected to the other end of the balance-type drive arm (15). Is connected to a crank arm (16) for vertically swinging, and the crank arm (16) is attached to an output shaft of a drive motor (17) to move the second moving member (11) up and down. Therefore, when the second moving member (11) is moved upward from the state where the holding arm (2A) is opened, first,
The second moving member (11) presses the compression spring (12) and the pressing force pushes up the first moving member (10). Then, due to the bending of the bending link (14), the holding arm (2A) rises and swings to hold the lower half of the article to be packaged (C).

Next, the wrapping mechanism (4) will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the wrapping mechanism (4) includes first to fourth wrapping tools (18), (19), (20), which are radially arranged.
It is composed of (21). The first wrapping tool (18) first operates when the holding arm (2A) holds the article to be packaged (C). This first wrapping tool (18) is a part (5
A first wrapping plate (22) for folding back a) and covering the packaging sheet (5) on the article to be packaged (C) and fixing the packaging sheet (5) at the upper center position of the article to be packaged (C). And a rocking drive arm (24) fixed to the output shaft of the rocking motor (23) while pivotally supporting the first wrapping plate (22) at its tip end so as to be relatively rockable. The oscillating drive arm (2) is attached to the first wrapping plate (22) by a biasing spring (8).
The first wrapping plate (22) is formed of an elastically deformable thin plate material while being urged to close to the tip of 4), and this elastic deformation force makes it easy to conform to the peripheral surface of the object to be packaged (C), and Further, the first wrapping plate (22) is bent and formed into a substantially arc shape, and the first wrapping plate (22) is brought into contact with the article to be packaged (C) in a posture along the peripheral surface of the article to be packaged (C). The urging spring (8) urges the object (C) to be pressed in the pressing direction. The tip that performs the pressing action is formed in a fork shape. A plate cam (25) is fixed to the rear end of the first wrapping plate (22), and a roller type guide mechanism (26) is provided outside the movement locus of the first wrapping plate (22). When the wrapping plate (22) is operated, the roller type guide mechanism (26) acts on the curved portion of the first wrapping plate (22) to force the tip of the first wrapping plate (22) to the packaged object (C). The plate cam (25) is brought into contact with the roller guide mechanism (26) when the tip is brought close to the article to be packaged (C) while facing it, and the tip of the first wrapping plate (22) is placed on the article to be packaged. When the plate cam (25) is dislocated from the roller type guide mechanism (26) near the moving end while being moved substantially along the outer peripheral surface of (C) and in a state of being substantially separated from each other, the first package The tip of the plate (22) is moved so that it enters the inside of the outer peripheral surface of the article to be packaged (C). Therefore, the tip of the first wrapping plate (22) slides on the outer peripheral surface of the article to be packaged (C) due to its elastic force, and moves a part (5a) of the packaging sheet (5) to the article to be packaged (C).
Can be adhered to. Then, the first wrapping tool (1
8) has a working posture in which a part (5a) of the packaging sheet (5) is pressed and held on the outer peripheral surface of the article (C) to be packaged.

When the first wrapping tool (18) has finished covering the part (5a) of the packaging sheet (5), the second wrapping tool (19) diagonally located at 180 ° starts to operate. The second wrapping tool (19) has substantially the same configuration as the first wrapping tool (18), except that the tip of the second wrapping plate (27) is not a fork-shaped one but a strip shape. The point is that it is formed on a single plate.
That is, when a part (5b) of the packaging sheet (5) is covered on the first wrapping tool (18), the tip is inserted into the fork-shaped tip of the first wrapping tool (18). .
Then, when the second wrapper (19) finishes overlapping the next portion (5b) on the portion (5a) of the packaging sheet (5) first covered by the first wrapper (18), The wrapping tool (18) returns to the original standby position and assumes the non-acting posture. First wrapping tool (1
Since the tip of the second wrapping plate (27) of the second wrapping tool (18) is inserted into the fork-shaped tip of the first wrapping plate (22) in 8), the corresponding portions (5a), (5b). Folds with a sufficient weight allowance.

The third wrapping tool (20) which operates continuously is constructed as follows. As shown in FIG. 6, a rocking drive arm (24) driven by the rocking motor (23) and a roller support pivotally supported by the tip of the rocking drive arm (24) so as to be relatively rockable. The arm (34) and a part of the packaging sheet (5) (5c) are folded back to the tip of the roller support arm (34) and brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the article to be packaged (C) to cover the packaging roller (28). And constitute a third wrapping tool (20). The roller support arm (34) is urged by the urging spring (29) for urging the article (C) to be pressed and the elastic deformation force of the urging spring (29).
It is configured to easily follow the change in shape of the article to be packaged (C). A fixed plate cam (30) is provided outside the movement locus of the roller support arm (34), and a guide roller (31) is attached to the rear end of the roller support arm (34) so that the guide roller (31) The cam surface (30) of the fixed plate cam (30)
By abutting against a), the wrapping roller (28) is restricted from entering a certain amount or more in the abutting and pressing direction with respect to the article (C) to be packaged. From the above, the third wrapping tool (20)
When the part (5c) is overlaid on the predetermined position, the second wrapping tool (19) returns to the standby position, and subsequently, the fourth wrapping tool (21) operates as follows.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the fourth wrapping tool (21) includes a swing drive arm (24) driven by a swing motor (23), and the swing drive arm (24). A roller support arm (35) pivotally supported at the tip of the roller support arm and a packaging roller (28) pivotally supported at the tip of the roller support arm (35). It has the same configuration as the fitting (20), except that the roller support arm (35) is further divided into a base end (35A) and a tip end (35B) so as to be capable of bending and swinging. . Then, the packaging roller (2
Similarly to the wrapping roller (28) of the third wrapping tool (20), 8) moves while being pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the article (C) by an urging spring. That is, a cam plate (32) having a long hole-shaped cam hole (32a) is provided, and a guide roller (33) that moves by engaging with the cam hole (32a) is provided behind the roller support arm (35). The packaging roller (28) is pivotally supported at the end and is configured to move the packaging roller (28) along a predetermined locus. An adhesive tape (6) as an adhesive fixing means is attached to a part (5d) of the packaging sheet (5), and the fourth wrapping tool (21) is attached.
When the part (5d) is folded back and polymerized at a predetermined position,
The wrapping roller (28) moves on the adhesive tape (6), and the parts (5a), (5b), which are folded into four layers,
Stick (5c) and (5d) together. Here, since the tip end of the roller support arm (35) is capable of bending and swinging, even when the adhesive tape (6) is wrapped around the lower half of the article to be packaged (C), the packaging roller ( It is possible to fully exert the holding action of 28).

Next, the adhesive fixing means holding and mounting (40) will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a holding case (42) for holding the adhesive fixing means (6), and the fourth wrapping device cantileveredly extended from the holding case (42). (twenty one)
A support arm (43) pivotally connected to the base end part (35A) of the roller support arm and a suction device (4b) connected to the holding case (42) constitute an adhesive fixing means holding device (40). To do. The holding case (42) includes a flat adhesive-fixing-means holding plate (42A), and a suction case part (42B) that covers a surface of the adhesive-fixing-means holding plate (42) opposite to the adhesive-fixing-means holding surface. Is equipped with. The adhesive fixing means holding plate (42A) is formed with a mesh-shaped air supply port (42a) that communicates the inside space of the suction case portion (42B) with the outside,
The suction case portion (42B) is attached to the suction case portion (42B).
A suction device (46) for making a vacuum is connected, and when the suction fixing device (46) is operated by mounting the adhesive fixing means (6) so as to cover the mesh-like air supply port (42a), the adhesive fixing is performed. Means (6) can be retained. An urging spring (44) is interposed between the support arm (43) and the roller support arm base end (35A) to urge the support arm (43) away from the packaging roller (28). At the same time, a stopper member (45) is provided on the support arm (43) so as to prevent the support arm (43) from approaching the packaging roller (28) for a certain amount or more.
The operation of the adhesive fixing means holding device (40) having the above configuration will be described. Part (5d) of the packaging sheet (5)
The holding case (42) is installed below the mounting case,
The adhesive fixing means (6) and the part (5d) are sucked and held by the adhesive fixing means holding plate (42A). Then, the adhesive fixing means holding device (40) is synchronized with the operation of the fourth wrapping tool (21) so that the part (5d) is folded back, and as shown in FIG. At the final stage when (5d) is folded over the other part (5a) to (5c), the packaging sheet (5) of the packaging roller (28) is pressed and pulled close to the packaging roller (28) side, and the stopper ( When 45) comes into contact with the tip portion (35B), the close swing to the packaging roller (28) is stopped. When the fourth wrapping tool (21) further moves from this state, the holding case (42) does not swing close to the wrapping roller (28) by the action of the stopper material (45). The fixing means (6) moves with said part (5d). Since the tip of the packaging roller (28) is located rearward by the distance (L) between the tip of the packaging roller (28) and the adhesive fixing means holding plate (42A) in the state where the stopper material (45) acts. The part (5d) pulled by the wrapping roller (28) is peeled off while moving along the surface of the adhesive fixing means holding plate (42A). That is, the part (5d) and the adhesive fixing means (6) can be released from the adhesive fixing means holding device (40) in the most effective state against the suction force. Then, when the fourth wrapping tool (21) is further moved, the wrapping roller (28) presses the part (5d) and the adhesive fixing means (6), and another part (5d) preceding the other part (5d). Fold it over to 5c) and fix it.

Next, the supply device (36) for feeding the packaging sheet (5) to a predetermined position on the packaging work table (1) will be described. 10th
As shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 11, the transport chains (41) and (41) for transporting the packaging sheets (5) from the storage box (37) in which the packaging sheets (5) are stacked and stored to the packaging work position are arranged left and right. Along with the arrangement, the carrier gate (39) is connected to the chain link of the carrier chain (41). The suction nozzle (38) is attached to the transfer gate frame (39) so that the suction nozzles (38) and (38) for the packaging sheet (5) can be moved up and down, as shown in FIG. ), (38)
And the packaging sheet (5) is adsorbed, and as it is lifted as shown in FIG. 11 (b), the packaging sheet (5) is moved to the packaging work position along with the movement of the transfer gate type frame (39). It is configured to pay out.

The work mode will be described with reference to FIG. 12 with the above configuration.

 The adhesive tape (6) is delivered to a predetermined position.

Next, the packaging sheet (5) is taken out from the storage box (37), conveyed, and placed at a predetermined position. Then, the adhesive tape (6) is automatically attached to the part (5d) of the packaging sheet (5) that is folded back at the end.

Then, the article to be packaged (C) is placed on the receiving table (3) of the article to be packaged holding mechanism (2). The state shown in FIG. 12 (a) is reached by the above steps.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12 (B), the package holding mechanism (2) is operated to hold the package (C). At this stage, the part (5d) and the adhesive fixing means (6) are held by the adhesive fixing means holding device (40).

As shown in FIG. 12 (c), the first wrapping tool (18) is actuated to fold back a part (5a) of the packaging sheet (5) to the upper surface of the article to be packaged (C), and the first wrapping plate. Keep the work clamp in (22).

As shown in FIG. 12 (d), the second wrapping tool (19) in a diagonal position is actuated to move a corresponding part (5b) of the packaging sheet (5) to the first wrapping plate (22). Stack from the top. When the part (5b) is overlaid, the first wrapping tool (18)
To the standby position. Next, as shown in FIG. 12 (e),
The four air-type stationary folding mechanisms (46) are activated to bend the four stationary portions (5e) and (5b).

Then, as shown in FIG. 12 (f), the third wrapping tool (20) is actuated to return the second wrapping tool (19) to the standby position when the remaining part (5c) has been overlaid.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 12 (H) and (L), the fourth wrapping tool (21) is operated integrally with the adhesive fixing means holding device (40) to attach the adhesive tape (6). The part (5a), (5) which is folded back into four layers with the adhesive tape (6) while (5d) is folded back to cover the article (C) to be wrapped.
b), (5c) and (5d) are attached to each other and the packaging work is completed.

[Other embodiment] The number of the wrapping tool (18) and the like is not limited to that shown in the figure, and the shape of the packaging sheet (5) may be polygonal or circular correspondingly, and is not limited to a quadrangle. .

The material of the packaging sheet (5) may be paper instead of paraffin and resin.

Each time the wrapping tools (18) to (21) are operated, each wrapping tool (18) to (2) is operated every time the switch is artificially operated.
It may take a semi-automatic form so that 1) works.

The material of the first and second wrapping plates (22) and (27) is elastically deformable so that the influence on the object to be packaged (C) can be suppressed in the action posture of pressing the object to be packaged (C). As long as it is a thin steel plate other than resin, or a thin steel plate having a surface coated with resin chrome plating or the like may be used.

As the wrapping tools (18) to (21), wrapping tools (20) and (21) provided with a wrapping roller (28) and wrapping tools (18) and (19) not provided with the wrapping roller (28). ), But all the wrapping tools (18) to (21) are equipped with the wrapping roller (28), or all the wrapping tools (18) to (21) are wrapping rollers. It may be formed to have no (28).

The object to be packaged may be a cylindrical shape other than a spherical shape.

The adhesive fixing means (6) may be a simple adhesive tape, a label having an adhesive layer, or the adhesive itself.

The adhesive fixing means holding device (40) is not limited to the suction type, but may be a device that releases the fixed state and the fixed state by a swing arm or the like, and is not limited to the illustrated one.
Further, the adhesive fixing means holding device (40) may have a driving force independent of the fourth wrapping tool (21) and operate in synchronization with the fourth wrapping tool (21). Good.

It should be noted that reference numerals are added to the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the structures of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the packaging device according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a side view showing the adhesive fixing means holding device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the adhesive fixing means holding device, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing an operating state of the tool, FIG. 4 is a side view showing an operation of the fourth wrapping tool and a retraction operation of the third wrapping tool, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the operation of the third wrapping tool, FIG. 7 is a side view showing the wrapping mechanism,
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the wrapping mechanism, FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the package holding mechanism, FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view, and FIG. 11 (a) is a side view showing a state in which a packaging sheet is adsorbed. Figure, No. 11
Figure (b) is a side view showing the state of feeding the packaging sheet, No. 12
Drawings (a) to (i) are operation diagrams showing the packaging work procedure, respectively. (5) …… Packaging sheet, (5a), (5b), (5c), (5
d) …… Part, (6) …… Adhesive fixing means, (18), (1
9), (20), (21) …… wrapping tool, (40) …… adhesive fixing means holding device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wrapping sheet (5) on which an article to be packaged (C) is placed is folded back over a portion of a plurality of portions in the peripheral portion of the wrapping sheet (5), and is previously folded over. A plurality of wrapping tools (18) that are switched to the working posture of the wrapping tool that is folded over the other part of the peripheral edge portion and maintains the folded state and the non-working posture of the wrapping tool that retracts to the standby position. , (19), (20), (21) are each part (5a), (5b), (5c) of the packaging sheet (5),
(5d) is provided corresponding to the plurality of wrapping tools (18),
One of (19), (20) and (21) wrapping device (21)
Then, the part (5d) provided with the adhesive fixing means (6) for fixing the folded state of each part (5a), (5b), (5c), (5d) is folded back and wrapped. In the final stage of the wrapping operation, the wrapping tool (21) is configured to act on the adhesive fixing means (6) to perform the adhesive fixing operation, and during the wrapping operation, the adhesive fixing means (6). ) For holding the adhesive fixing means (6) and releasing the holding state of the adhesive fixing means (6) in the adhesive fixing step by operating in synchronization with the wrapping tool (21).