Measuring and testing – Gas analysis – Moisture content or vapor pressure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-04
2001-12-04
Kwok, Helen (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Gas analysis
Moisture content or vapor pressure
C073S029040, C073S031010, C422S088000, C340S602000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324896
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a desiccant pack with a humidity sensor, and the method of manufacturing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Heretofore, it was common to enclose a pack having gas permeability filled with a desiccant to a package enwrapping food and the like, so as to reduce the humidity inside the package, and to prevent the quality of the packed goods such as food from deteriorating.
Recently, it has become common to enclose a desiccant pack to a plastic package having high sealability for conveying members such as electronic parts and electronic appliances, which are adversely affected by humidity.
It is necessary to control the humidity inside the package enwrapping electronic parts and the like, and therefore, it is required that the current humidity inside the package be detected.
In recent years, chemical substances are developed which change their color according to the humidity in the air. By applying the chemical substance onto a card and visually observing the change of its color, one is able to know the humidity of the air. A variety of chemical substances which react to different levels of humidity may be prepared. If the variety of chemical substances are applied in spots on one card, one is able to know the percentage of humidity in the air according to the color of the spots.
Such card is known as a humidity indicator card. The humidity indicator card may be enclosed together with the desiccant pack to a package enwrapping electronic parts and the like, so as to check the humidity of the air inside the package body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the conventional method of enclosing the desiccant pack and the humidity indicator card to a package body, the pack and the card must be handled as a set, and it caused the rising of cost.
Therefore, the present invention aims at providing a desiccant pack with a humidity sensor integrated thereon and the corresponding manufacturing device of the integrated desiccant pack humidity sensor which solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.
The desiccant pack with a humidity sensor according to the present invention comprises, as a basic means, a pack body with one side portion being folded in upon itself along a lateral edge and other three sides being heat sealed along their lateral edges, a desiccant filled inside said pack body, and a humidity sensor substance being applied directly onto the surface of said pack body, which changes its color according to a varying ambient level of relative humidity. Further, the humidity sensor substance is applied in the shape of a band parallel to said side portion of the pack body being folded. Moreover, the humidity sensor substance includes a plurality of substances which react to different humidity levels respectively and change their color accordingly, said plurality of substances being applied in plural bands.
Next, the manufacturing device of the desiccant pack with a humidity sensor according to the invention comprises a package film manufacturing device including a supply roll for sending out a band-shaped package film base, and a humidity sensor application device for applying a liquid-state humidity sensor substance to the surface of a package film, and a pack manufacturing device connected to said package film manufacturing device, said pack manufacturing device including a center seal device for folding the supplied package film at the center portion in the width direction of said film and heat-sealing both side ends thereof, a hopper for measuring a desiccant and filling the same in said package film being center-sealed, an end seal device for heat-sealing the front and back ends of said package film, and a cutter for separating said heat-sealed package film to individual packs. Further, the humidity sensor application device comprises a plurality of humidity sensor units, each unit comprising a container storing said liquid-phase humidity sensor substance, an application roller to which said humidity sensor substance is adhered, and a backup roller opposing to said application roller, wherein said humidity sensor substance is applied onto the surface of said package film being conveyed between said application roller and said backup roller.
Moreover, the manufacturing device includes an air cylinder for driving said application roller to contact to or separate from said backup roller.
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Aoyagi Yasutoshi
Watanabe Kazuo
Fildes & Outland, P.C.
Fuji-Kagaku Kenkyujo Co., Ltd.
Kwok Helen
Wiggins David J.
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