Package making – Progressively seamed cover web or web folds – With closing of web between package units
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-16
2001-04-10
Sipos, John (Department: 3721)
Package making
Progressively seamed cover web or web folds
With closing of web between package units
C053S552000, C053S374600, C053S375300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212861
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a forming, filling and sealing machine for concurrently forming a standing pouch with a sheet film and filling the pouch with a filling material while carrying the sheet film downward.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a filling and sealing machine for forming a bag with a sheet film and concurrently filling a liquefied or paste filling material with the bag, a vertical type forming, filling and sealing machine has hitherto been known. A vertical type forming, filling and sealing machine comprises a film forming guide for forming the sheet film into a tubular shape, a vertical sealing mechanism for heat sealing an edge of the film into a tubular shape to produce a tubular film, a pair of squeezing rollers for dividing the filling material introduced into the tubular film and downwardly carrying the tubular film with the divided product, and a end sealing mechanism for horizontally heat sealing the unfilled part produced in the tubular film by the rotation of the squeezing rollers and cutting off the sealed part.
As a machine capable of performing high speed heat sealing and obtaining increased seal strength, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 172403/95 discloses a vertical type forming, filling and sealing machine having a end sealing mechanism which includes a heater bar for heat sealing the unfilled part and a cooling bar for cooling the heat sealed portion. The heater bar and the cooling bar have the ability to successively press the same portion when the film feed is in a stopped state.
On the other hand, there is a package type of standing pouch. As this standing pouch can be displayed in a shop in a self-supported state, it has been widely used recently as a package form replacing plastic cases, bottles or cans.
Making of standing pouches and filling of filling materials are generally performed in separate processes. Specifically, bags are prepared in advance wherein a bottom folded into a W-form and both sides are heat sealed to keep only the top open. Next in the filling process, the prepared bags are taken out one by one, and filled while being conveyed in a horizontal direction. After the filling product has been introduced into the bags from the opening, the top portion is hermetically closed thorough heat sealing.
However, bag making and filling in separate processes fails to increase productivity. A forming, filling and sealing machine for standing pouches has been developed for bag making and filling successively, the machine folding a sheet film in half, conveying the folded film in the horizontal direction, heat sealing the bottom and both sides, introducing the filling material from the top opening of the bag, after cutting the bags one by one, and heat sealing the top of the bag.
The above forming, filling and sealing machine can increase the productivity for standing pouches. However, a new problem is encountered that a large area is required for installation of the machine because the film is carried horizontally in the machine.
Further, there is a risk that dust may enter the bag because the filling material is introduced into the bag from the top opening while the bag is being carried horizontally. Moreover, since the top opening of the bag is heat sealed, it is very difficult to heat seal the bag without air being introduced into the bag. Therefore, in the case of filler products which easily oxidize or rot, such as foods, it is impossible to maintain product quality. Further, if the filling material, such as detergent, produces bubbles when it is introduced into the bag, bubbles may flow out of the opening of the bag during the filling process, thereby making the surface of the bag dirty or bubbles may stick to the portion to be heat sealed, resulting in faulty sealing of the bag.
The vertical type forming, filling and sealing machine is effective in solving these problems. However, since the standing pouch has a thick bottom, how to fabricate this thick bottom is critical in producing a standing pouch by means of the vertical type forming, filling and sealing machine.
Further, although a conventional vertical type forming, filling and sealing machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 172403/95 is advantageous in the heat sealing rate as well as in the seal strength in the case of producing a pillow type package, it still has plenty of improvement in the production of a standing pouch. Specifically, the bottoms of standing pouches require at a maximum the heat sealing of four layers of film. Reliable heat sealing of the four-layer portion requires a prolonged sealing time, resulting is a decrease in productivity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a forming, filling and sealing machine for efficiently producing a standing pouch by making use of the merits of the conventional vertical type forming, filling and sealing machine by carrying out the bag making and filling operation as the film passes downwardly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a forming, filling and sealing machine which can manufacture standing pouches at a high speed while assuring sufficient the time for heat sealing of the film without the decrease in productivity.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the forming, filling and sealing machine comprises a first sealing mechanism for heat sealing both side ends of a long sheet film carried downward with both side ends thereof overlapped with each other; a folding mechanism for forming two ridge portions in the film by inwardly folding the width direction center part of the film passes downward; and a second sealing mechanism for heat sealing at least the top of the ridge portions formed in the film by the folding mechanism.
The film is formed into a tubular shape by heat sealing the film by means of the first sealing mechanism. On the opposite side of the heat sealed portion prepared by the first sealing mechanism, two ridge portions are produced by the folding mechanism. Thereafter, at least the top of the ridge portions are heat sealed by the second sealing mechanism.
Filling materials are introduced inside the tubular film heat sealed by the first and second sealing mechanisms thorough an injection pipe. Then the film is heat sealed in the horizontal direction and cut off by a third sealing mechanism. In this manner, a standing pouch is produced, the bottom of which is formed at the position sealed by the second sealing mechanism.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the third sealing mechanism comprises a heater bar for heat sealing the film arranged reciprocally movable opposite to each other with the film between them and a cutter holding member for holding the cutter which cuts the film. The cutter holding member is provided with a heater bar receiving member which shifts to a position opposite the heater bar from the movement of the cutter holding member away from the film, and for cooling the position heated by the heater bar, the heater bar is provided with a cooling member which shifts to a position facing the cutter holding member from the movement of heater bar away from the film.
In addition, bumps may be provided in the second sealing mechanism for applying a spot heat seal to the ridge portions of the film in the vicinity of the portion which is heat sealed by the third sealing mechanism. According to the above process, a spot heat sealed portion is formed in the lower corner of the standing pouch, thereby reinforcing by the spot seales the side seal portion of the standing pouch at the part liable to be split off.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the forming, filling and sealing machine comprises a top sealing mechanism for heat sealing both side ends of the sheet film folded so that both side ends are coincident with each other, a folding mechanism for forming two ridge portions in the film by inwardly folding the width center part of the film, and a bottom sealing mechanism for heat sealing at least the t
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Orihiro Engineering Co., Ltd.
Sipos John
LandOfFree
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