Packaging machine

Abstract: A packaging machine for use with a paper-base laminate serving as a packaging material and having a thermoplastic synthetic resin layer on each surface of a paper layer comprises a container forming unit (14) for forming a content-filled tube (T) into baglike containers (C1) after the web (W) is made into a tube (T) and contents are filled thereinto. The unit (14) has jaws (17) for clamping the content-­ filled tube (T) at regular lengthwise intervals each corre­ sponding to one container to heat-seal the tube over a required width and cut the tube at the midportion of the seal width, and the jaws (17) are provided with a high-­ frequency coil (18) for heat sealing. The machine further has a unit (21) for affixing a tape (S) of alunimum foil (F) for high-­ frquency induction heating to the web (W) at the portion thereof to be heat-sealed before the web is made into the tube.

Description: The invention relates to a packaging machine for preparing content-filled containers from a web of laminate made primarily of paper and having a thermoplastic synthetic resin layer formed on each surface of a paper layer, the packaging machine comprising : a transport device for transporting the web along a specified path, a tube forming unit for forming the web into a vertical tube, a filling unit for filling contents into the tube, a container forming unit for forming the content-filled tube into baglike containers, the container forming unit having jaws for clamping the content-filled tube at regular lengthwise intervals each corresponding to one container to heat-seal the tube over a required width and cut the tube at the midportion of the seal width, the jaws being provided with a high-frequency coil for heat sealing, and a tape affixing unit disposed above the path of transport of the web upstream from the tube forming unit for affixing a tape of aluminum foil for high-frequency induction heating to the web at the portion thereof to be heat-sealed as known from FR-A-1486569. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a packaging machine wherein in a simple way a tape affixing unit has been integrated so that during displacement of the web towards the tube forming unit there can be provided tape parts on the web in spaced apart positions. So according to the invention the transport device has web feed means for intermittently transporting the web by a lenght corresponding to one container at a time so that the web passes in a horizontal position through the location of the tape affixing unit by the length at a time, and the tape affixing unit has unwinding means for intermittently unwinding the aluminum foil as wound up in the form of a roll by a length at a time which length is equal to the width of the tape to be affixed to the web, a cutter for cutting the aluminum foil fed by the unwinding means into lengths equal to the length of intermittent unwinding and allowing each length of foil to fall as the tape onto the web, and means for affixing the fallen tape to the web by the application of heat and pressure. The invention will be explained in more detail hereafter with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the construction of a packaging machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing tapes as attached to a web; and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the web as formed into a tube and immediately before sealing. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The web W to be used for the illustrated packaging machine is a laminate made primarily of paper and having a thermoplastic synthetic resin layer formed on each surface of a paper layer although not shown. The laminate includes no aluminum foil. With reference to Fig. 1, the packaging machine includes a web unwinding unit 11. The web W paid off from the unwinding unit 11 is guided upward, then rightward and finally downward as passed over guide rollers arranged suitably. Arranged downward along the path of transport of the web W are a tube forming unit 12 for forming the web W into a tube T, a filling unit 13 for filling contents into the tube T, and a first container forming unit 14 for forming the content-filled tube T into baglike containers C1. Disposed below the first container forming unit 14 is a container conveyor 15 to provide a path of transport extending rightward from a position below the unit 14. A second container forming unit 16 is provided along the path of transport for finally forming each baglike container C1 into a rectangular parallelepipedal container C2. These units 11 to 16 are well known and will not be described in detail. Briefly described, the first container forming unit 14 has jaws 17 for clamping the content-filled tube T at regular lengthwise intervals each corresponding to one container to heat-seal the tube over as required width and cut the tube at the midportion of the seal width. Although not illustrated in detail, the jaw 17 has a high-frequency coil serving as a heater 18 for heat sealing. A tape affixing unit 21 is disposed along, and closer to the left end of, the rightward path of transport of the web W extending from the unwinding unit 11 to the tube forming unit 12. The transport path is provided with intermittent drive pinch rollers 22 and 23 positioned upstream and downstream from the affixing unit 21, respectively. Marks on the web W are each detected by a mark sensor 24 disposed adjacent to and upstream from the downstream pinch rollers 23, whereupon the intermittent drive pinch rollers 22, 23 are driven in response to the resulting output signal from the mark sensor 24, whereby the web W is passed in a horizontal position through the location of the tape affixing unit 21 by a length at a time which length corresponds to one container. Continuous drive pinch rollers 25 are arranged downstream from the downstream pinch rollers 23. A dancer roller 26 is provided on a U-shaped web portion positioned between and hanging down from the downstream pinch rollers 23 and the continuous drive pinch rollers 25. A dancer roller 27 is also provided on another U-shaped web portion positioned between and hanging down from two guide rollers downstream from the continuous drive pinch rollers 25. A dancer roller 28 is further provided on another U-shaped web portion positioned between the hanging down from the intermittent drive upstream pinch rollers 22 and a guide roller disposed upstream therefrom. The tape affixing unit 21 comprises a rewinder 31 supporting a roll of aluminum foil F, feed rollers 32 for intermittently feeding the aluminum foil F as unwound from the rewinder 31 by a length at a time which length is equal to the width of the tape S to be affixed to the web W, a cutter 33 for cutting the aluminum foil F fed by the feed rollers 32 into lengths equal to the length of intermittent feeding and allowing each length of foil to fall as the tape S onto the web W, and a support frame 34 and a liftable heating-pressing member 35 for pressing the fallen tape S into contact with the web W with heating. The aluminum foil F is 10 micrometers in thickness and is covered over the both surfaces thereof with a polyethylene film having a thickness of 30 micrometers. Fig. 2 shows tapes S as affixed to the web W. The spacing P between the two adjacent tapes S corresponds to the length of one container. The tape S is positioned in the middle of the width of the web W and has a length M which is equal to one-half of the length obtained by subtracting from the width L of the web W the lap ℓ of the web W over itself in the tube T formed from the web W (see Fig. 3). Thus, M = (L - ℓ)/2 . The width N of the tape S is about 10% of the length M. For example, the web W and the tape S have the following dimensions. L: 204 mm, ℓ: 8 mm, M: 103 mm and N: 12 mm. When the web W as shaped to the tube T is to be sealed off, the tape S is positioned as a single layer inside the portion of the web W to be sealed as shown in Fig. 3.

Claims: A packaging machine for preparing content-filled containers from a web (W) of laminate made primarily of paper and having a thermoplastic synthetic resin layer formed on each surface of a paper layer, the packaging machine comprising: a transport device (22-28) for transporting the web (W) along a specified path, a tube forming unit (12) for forming the web (W) into a vertical tube (T), a filling unit (13) for filling contents into the tube (T), a container forming unit (14) for forming the content-filled tube (T) into baglike containers, the container forming unit (14) having jaws (17) for clamping the content-filled tube (T) at regular lengthwise intervals each corresponding to one container to heat-seal the tube (T) over a required width and cut the tube (T) at the midportion of the seal width, the jaws (17) being provided with a high-frequency coil for heat sealing, and a tape affixing unit (21) disposed above the path of transport of the web upstream from the tube forming unit (12) for affixing a tape (S) of aluminum foil (F) for high-frequency induction heating to the web (W) at the portion thereof to be heat-sealed, characterized in that the transport device (22-28) has web feed means (22-23; 24) for intermittently transporting the web (W) by a length corresponding to one container at a time so that the web (W) passes in a horizontal position through the location of the tape affixing unit (21) by the length at a time, and the tape affixing unit (21) has unwinding means (32) for intermittently unwinding the aluminum foil (F) as wound up in the form of a roll (31) by a length (M) at a time which length (M) is equal to the width of the tape (S) to be affixed to the web (W), a cutter (33) for cutting the aluminum foil (F) fed by the unwinding means (32) into lengths (M) equal to the length of intermittent unwinding and allowing each length of foil (F) to fall as the tape (S) onto the web (W), and means (35) for affixing the fallen tape (S) to the web (W) by the application of heat and pressure. A packaging machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the web feed means (22-28) comprises intermittent drive pinch rollers (22, 23) arranged on the path of transport of the web (W) upstream and downstream from the tape affixing unit (21) respectively, and the unwinding means comprises a rewinder (31) disposed above the path for the horizontal passage of the web (W) and supporting the roll of aluminum foil (F), and intermittent drive feed rollers (32) arranged between the rewinder (31) and the cutter (33), the affixing means (35) comprising a fixed support frame (34) disposed under the path for the horizontal passage of the web (W), and a liftable heating-pressing member (35) disposed above the path for the horizontal passage.

Inventors: UEDA KAZUO, UEDA, KAZUO
Applicants: SHIKOKU KAKOKI CO LTD, SHIKOKU KAKOKI CO., LTD.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B65B51
IPC codes: B65B9, B65B51, B29C65