Patent ID: 6834476
Filing Date: 2004-12-28
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
A device for sealing and packaging cover film onto a tray having open edge and accommodating an item in a mounded fashion, comprising:a pair of endless chains; a plurality of touch bars spanning between the endless chains at equidistant intervals; means for moving the endless chains and the touch bars in unison for pushing and advancing respective trays disposed in said equidistant intervals along an upper surface of a horizontal conveyance path; a general frame moving back and forth reciprocally in a parallel direction with said touch bars and in a defined region of said conveyance path; bridge plates fixed to said general frame for moving back and forth reciprocally in unison with said general frame in said defined region and at the same height as the upper surface of said conveyance path; a sealing base frame disposed surrounding said bridge plates for supporting the open edge of the tray; a lifting mechanism for moving said sealing base frame upwards and downwards about the periphery of said bridge plates in response to the reciprocal movement of said frame; sealers fixed to said general frame above said sealing base frame and having the same outline as the open edge of the tray supported on said sealing base frame; a film conveyance mechanism for moving a band-shaped film between said sealers and said bridge plates, in the same direction as said touch bars; a film pushing element disposed in an isolated fashion about a periphery of said sealers; and an endless blade having the same outline as the outline of the tray and disposed surrounding the periphery of said sealers; wherein, when said lifting mechanism performs an upward movement, said band-shaped film is pressed by said sealing base frame against film pushing elements, and with further upward movement of the lifting mechanism, said band-shaped film is pressed against and welded by said sealers to the open edge of the tray supported on said sealing base, while said band-shaped film is pushed upwards by a to-be-packaged item accommodated in said tray in said mounded fashion, and furthermore, said band-shaped film is pressed against said endless blade and is cut out in accordance with the outline of said tray.