Continuous packing apparatus

Abstract: A continuous packing apparatus providing a cylindrical net supply source for supplying a cylindrical long packing net (1), an inner sliding member to be inserted in the cylindrical net so as to be vertically moved, a support member (3) for externally supporting the inner sliding member through the cylindrical net with the inner sliding member inserted in the cylindrical net, a moving member (18) for lifting up the support member, an upper support member for supporting the upper end of the cylindrical net moved upward with being opened, a stator (11) for removably fixing the middle portion of the cylindrical net moved upward, a cutter (12) for vertically cutting a portion just under a fixing position, a heater (13) for heating and melting an upper cut portion so as to form a net bag, and a hopper for putting goods to be packed into the net bag through the opening of its upper end.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous packing apparatus. 2. Description of the Prior Art In the case where confectionery, fruit and the like are put into a net bag for sale, it is difficult to expand the aperture of the net bag so as to put them thereinto. Consequently, there have been invented various means. However, there has not been proposed a method of performing packing continuously, automatically and efficiently. Conventionally, there has been adopted a step of expanding the inlet of a cylindrical long packing net 1 such that goods 16 to be packed can easily be put thereinto. In addition, there has been adopted a step of cutting the cylindrical long packing net 1 to have a constant length and closing its bottom by means of an adhesive or the like before the goods 16 to be packed are put into the cylindrical long packing net 1. Consequently, efficiency is decreased most. A continuous packing apparatus including the features of the first portion of claim 1 is known form DE-A-2 517 214. It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous packing apparatus in which the above-mentioned steps can be carried out automatically, surely and continuously. This object and further objects which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a continuous packing apparatus as defined in the accompanying claims. According to the present invention, the inner sliding member inserted in the cylindrical net is combined and interlocked with the outer support member, so that the cylindrical net can easily be supported and moved. Consequently, a series of packing operations can be performed. No particular restrictions are imposed on the shape of the inner sliding member. It is sufficient that the inner sliding member may be formed so as to be vertically moved through the cylindrical net while expanding the same. Preferred examples of the shape of the inner sliding member include a cylinder integrated with a cone, the combinations of a cylinder and a hemisphere, a square pole and a square cone (of which corners are rounded off, for example, a square or rectangle), an elliptic cylinder and an elliptic cone, an elliptic cylinder and a semiellipse, a polygonal cylinder and a polygonal cone (of which corners are rounded off, for example, a regular or irregular polygonal cylinder), and the like. The inner sliding member is inserted in the cylindrical net and is vertically moved in the cylindrical net correspondingly to each step of the packing operations. In this case, the inner sliding member is directly or indirectly supported by the support member through the cylindrical net externally. By way of example, the inner sliding member may directly be supported and lifted up through the cylindrical net by the support member (with which the inner sliding member comes in contact), and may then fall down by self-respect. Furthermore, the inner sliding member may indirectly be moved vertically by a magnetic force to be applied to the support member (with which the inner sliding member does not come in contact). In addition, the inner sliding member may directly be moved vertically through the cylindrical net by a roller as the support member (with which the inner sliding member comes in contact). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a view for explaining the winding of a cylindrical long packing net; Figure 2 is a front view of an inner sliding member; Figure 3 is a plan view of the inner sliding member; Figure 4 is a section view of the inner sliding member taken along the line A - A shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a view for explaining the entire structure of an operating device; and Figures 6 to 15 are views showing the operation sequence of 1st to 10th steps. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT There are used an inner sliding member 2 having a smooth outer face shown in Figs. 2 to 4 and an operating device 17 shown in Fig. 5 as a continuous packing apparatus 15 for performing continuous packing by means of a cylindrical long packing net 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the cylindrical long packing net 1 is supplied in the form of a thick string wound onto a roll 20. It is necessary to extend the string so as to have the shape of the cylindrical long packing net 1. It is required that the cylindrical long packing net 1 like a string is supplied from the lower roll 20 and is continuously pulled up to expand its aperture such that goods (confectionery) 16 to be packed can easily be put thereinto. The operating device 17 shown in Fig. 5 mainly comprises a ring-shaped support fitting 3, an elevator (with a built-in servomotor or air cylinder) 18 for causing the support fitting 3 to go up and down, a rail 19, a ring-shaped upper fitting 10, a holder 4 for pressing and supporting the cylindrical long packing net 1 together with the upper fitting 10 with the aperture of the cylindrical long packing net 1 expanded, a hopper 15 coaxially provided on the top of the holder 4, a stopper 5, a stator 11, a cutter 12, a heat source 13, and a saucer 14. The reference numeral 9 denotes a force pin erected on the support fitting 3. The reference numeral 4a denotes a flange of the holder 4 for pressing the aperture of the cylindrical long packing net 1 together with the upper fitting 10. The reference numeral 21 denotes a coil spring. The reference numeral 22 denotes a support shaft of the coil spring 21. The reference numeral 23 denotes a cylinder. The reference numeral 24 denotes a basic wall. The reference numeral 25 denotes an upper plate. The reference numeral 26 denotes a lower plate. The continuous packing apparatus 15 having the above-mentioned structure is operated by the operating device 17 as shown in Figs. 6 to 15. As shown in Fig. 6, the cylindrical long packing net 1 supplied from the roll 20 has its aperture slightly expanded by inserting the inner sliding member 2 therein. As shown in Fig. 7, the inner sliding member 2 is supported by the support fitting 3 through the cylindrical long packing net 1 externally. The support fitting 3 is pushed up to a constant height h together with the cylindrical long packing net 1 along the rail 19 by means of the elevator 18. In this case, the cylindrical long packing net 1 is fixed by the stopper 5. Sliding is caused between the cylindrical long packing net 1 and the inner sliding member 2, so that the aperture of the cylindrical long packing net 1 is greatly expanded in order to be easily fixed to the holder 4. As shown in Fig. 8, the stopper 5 is opened and the cylindrical long packing net 1 having the aperture expanded is pulled up to a height H at which the upper fitting 10 is pushed up. Then, the elevator 18 falls down so that the cylindrical long packing net 1 is interposed between the upper fitting 10 and the holder 4 through which the goods (confectionery) 16 to be packed pass. Thereafter, the inner sliding member 2 slides down through the cylindrical long packing net 1 as shown in Fig. 9, and returns to a position in Fig. 6 as shown in Fig. 10. The middle portion of the cylindrical long packing net 1 having no inner sliding member 2 is held by the stator 11 (Fig. 11), and is then cut by the cutter 12 (Fig. 12). A cut portion is melted and sealed by the heat source 13. Consequently, the cylindrical long packing net 1 is transformed into a constant slender bag (see Fig. 13). When a given quantity of goods (confectionery) 16 to be packed are put into the cylindrical long packing net 1 through the holder 4 as shown in Fig. 14, the cylindrical long packing net 1 is supported by the saucer 14 transferred in a transverse direction as shown in Fig. 15. In addition, the upper fitting 10 is lifted up by the cylinder 23 through the support shaft 22, so that the cylindrical long packing net 1 is removed from the upper fitting 10. Consequently, the state shown in Fig. 6 is returned. In order to repeat the steps shown in Figs. 6 to 15, the goods 16 can also be packed by continuous operations with each means provided on the circumference differently from the operating device shown in Fig. 5. According to the present invention, the goods 16 can be packed by the cylindrical long packing net 1 with the use of the inner sliding member 2 automatically, continuously and very quickly. For reference, specific examples of the dimensions and materials of the packing apparatus, the packing net and the like are as follows. It is necessary to change the following dimensions according to the sizes of the net and goods to be packed. i) Inner sliding member 2 (see Fig. 4) Same diameter portion a 6.5 cm Slanting portion b 8.0 cm Diameter D 13.0 cm Material Aℓ (NiP treatment) ii) Packing net 1 (see Fig. 1) Strand size 6 mm Mesh 5 mm x 5 mm Overall size in a natural state about 20 cm ⊘ Material Polyethylene resin iii) Goods 16 to be packed Diameter of confectionery (drops) about 3 cm iv) Others h 10 cm (Fig. 7) H 35 cm (Fig. 8) c 15 cm (Fig. 12) m 15.5 cm (Fig. 12)

Claims: A continuous packing apparatus comprising; a cylindrical net supply source (20) for supplying a cylindrical long packing net (1), cylindrical net moving means (2,3,5,18,19) for externally supporting the cylindrical net (1) supplied from the cylindrical net supply source (20) and for moving the same upward, an upper support member (4,4a,10) for supporting the upper end of the cylindrical net (1), when moved upward, with the aperture of the cylindrical net (1) in an open position, net bag forming means (11,12,13) for removably fixing the middle portion of the cylindrical net (1), when moved upward, the net bag forming means (11,12,13) being adapted for cutting a portion just under a fixing position and blocking an upper cut portion so as to form a net bag, and a hopper (15) for putting goods to be packed into the net bag (1) through the opening of its upper end, the cylindrical net moving means (2,3,5,18,19) including an inner sliding member (2) to be inserted in the cylindrical net (1) so as to be vertically moved, a support member (3) for externally supporting the inner sliding member (2) through the cylindrical net (1) with the inner sliding member (2) inserted in the cylindrical net (1), and a moving member (18,19) for lifting up the support member (3), characterized in that the upper support member (4,4a,10) includes a cylindrical holder (4), an outward flange (4a) formed on the lower end of the holder (4), and a ring-shaped fitting (10) mounted on the flange (4a) in a pressing and energizing state for pressing and supporting the opening of the upper end of the cylindrical net (1) together with the flange (4a). A continuous packing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the inner sliding member (2) has a vertical cylindrical portion (2a) and an inverted conical portion (2b) which integrally extends downward from the vertical cylindrical portion. A continuous packing apparatus according to Claims 1 or 2, wherein the cylindrical net moving means (2,3,5,18,19) further includes a stopper (5) for forcibly fixing the lower portion of the cylindrical net (1) in the initial stage in which the cylindrical net (1) is moved upward. A continuous packing apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the net bag forming means (11,12,13) includes a stator (11) for removably fixing the middle portion of the cylindrical net (1) moved upward, a cutter (12) for cutting a portion just under a fixing position, and blocking means (13) for blocking an upper cut portion. A continuous packing apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the blocking means (13) has a heater for heating and melting the upper cut portion of the cylindrical net (1) and for integrally solidifying the same. A continuous packing apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the moving member (18,19) has a vertical rail (19), and an elevator (18) for holding the support member (3) and vertically moving the same along the vertical rail (19) by virtue of self-movement.

Inventors: MIYAHARA TAKAKAZU, MIYAHARA, TAKAKAZU
Applicants: ELM CO LTD, ELM CO., LTD.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65B9
IPC codes: B65B9, B65B43