Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a bag equipped with at least one spout, including the steps of holding a spout(s) inserted in a bag mouth(s) by spout gripping members or inserting a spout(s) held by spout gripping members in a bag mouth(s), and sandwiching lightly the surface for sealing of the spout(s) with the bag mouth(s) interposed by heating plates for an extremely brief time so that sealing does not occur, and then retreating the heating plates once, and then again sandwiching the surface for sealing of the spout(s) with the heating plates, thus thermally attaching the spout(s) to the bag mouth(s). If the axial rotational orientation of the spout drifts from the bag width direction, the spout is rotated in the spout gripping members against friction force, so that the axial rotational orientation of the spout is corrected.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a bag equipped with a spout(s) by inserting a spout(s) in the mouth(s) of a bag and sealing the spout(s) and bag mouth(s) (including sealing of the opening part of the bag mouth(s)).  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     The outline (or the outer shape) of the periphery of the part to be gripped of a spout is usually quadrilateral in a cross-section perpendicular to its axial direction as disclosed in, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Nos. H11-77860 and 2002-355904. On the other hand, the outline (or the outer shape) of the part for sealing (the part where the sealing is made or where the spout is attached to a bag) of the spout is usually a ship shape (or substantially rhombus) in a cross-section perpendicular to its axial direction; and its longitudinal (or the larger diagonal line) direction is oriented perpendicular or parallel to two parallel sides of the above-described part to be gripped of the spout.  
         [0005]     In view of the above, for a typical spout, the axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing always has a fixed relationship with the orientation of the above-described two parallel sides of the part to be gripped. Therefore, if the spout holding members hold the two parallel sides of the part to be gripped of the spout or hold the spout guided by the two parallel sides, when the spout is held by the spout holding members, the axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing is always fixed. As a result, it is easy to align the axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing of the spout and the bag width direction when sealing is made between the spout(s) and the bag, particularly its bag mouth, and it is possible to obtain a good seal without wrinkles, etc.  
         [0006]     However, in some spouts, the outline of the periphery of the part to be gripped is circular (plane of rotation) and not quadrilateral in a cross-section perpendicular to its axial direction; and for such spouts, the axial rotational orientation of the spout cannot be accurately determined just by holding it with the spout holding members. If the spout(s) and bag mouth are sealed when the spout&#39;s axial rotational orientation (i.e. the axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing) and the bag&#39;s width direction have drifted (see dashed lines in  FIG. 4 ), even though the axial rotational orientation of the spout(s) is corrected slightly when it is held by the heating plates, sealing occurs while it is being corrected in its axial rotational orientation, and wrinkles occur at the seal part, etc., and a good seal (or the attachment of the spout(s) to the bag) cannot be achieved. Even if the seal (attachment) is made, the axial rotational orientation of the spout(s) in relation to the bag may not be appropriate.  
         [0007]     On the other hand, even when the outline of the periphery of the part to be gripped of a spout is quadrilateral, sometimes the position of the spout is not appropriate.  
         [0008]     More specifically, in the spout  1  shown in  FIG. 15 , its part to be gripped is located between upper and lower flanges ( FIG. 15  shows upper flange  1   a ); and this part to be gripped fits into a groove (or the empty space)  3   a  of a spout holding member  3 , and the fork-like portions  3   b  on both sides of the spout holding member  3  sandwich the two parallel sides of the part to be gripped of the spout  1  from both its sides. In  FIG. 15 , the reference numeral  4  refers to a bag. The longitudinal direction of the part for sealing  1   b  of the spout  1  is formed perpendicular to the two parallel sides of the quadrilateral spout, so the axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing part  1   b  of the spout  1  held in the spout holding member  3  is always fixed, but the position of the perpendicular direction (see the arrows in  FIG. 15 ) relative to the bag&#39;s width direction cannot be accurately determined. If the spout and bag mouth are sealed while the part for sealing  1   b  of the spout  1  is displaced in the perpendicular direction relative to the bag&#39;s width direction, when the heating plates press the part for sealing, the timing of when the two heating plates touch the part for sealing will be different on one side than on the other side, and a sealing (attachment) failure would occur.  
         [0009]     In the example shown in  FIG. 15 , displacement of the spout  1  can occur in the direction perpendicular to the bag width direction of the bag  4 ; however, if the orientation of the part for sealing  1   b  is set parallel to the two parallel sides fitting into the groove  3   a , then displacement in the bag&#39;s width direction occurs.  
         [0010]     Also, if there is play between the above-described two parallel sides of the part to be gripped of the spout  1  and the fork-like portions  3   b  of the spout holding member  3 , there is a possibility that drift would occur in the axial rotational orientation of the spout as well.  
         [0011]     As seen from the above, when a spout is held by a spout holding member, drift of the axial rotational orientation of the spout may occur relative to a bag positioned at a predetermined position, and displacement also may occur in the direction perpendicular to the bag width direction or in the bag width direction in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the spout.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The present invention is to overcome these problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to accomplish appropriate sealing even if drift of the axial rotational orientation and/or positional displacement occurs in a spout(s) held by a spout holding member.  
         [0013]     The above object is accomplished by unique steps of the present invention for a method of manufacturing a bag equipped with at least one spout in which a spout(s) inserted in a bag mouth(s) of a bag is held by spout gripping members, and then the spout(s) is weld-sealing or attached to the bag mouth(s) with the bag mouth(s) being pressed from both surfaces thereof by sealing members; and in the present invention, 
        before sealing the spout(s) to the bag mouth(s) by the sealing members,     the surface for sealing of the spout(s) is pressed for a brief moment from both sides thereof (or sandwiched) by pressing members,     thus correcting the axial rotational orientation of the spout(s) held by the spout gripping members and/or the position of the spout(s) in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the spout(s).        
 
         [0017]     In the above method of the present invention, correction of the orientation and/or position of the spout(s) is done by pressing the spout with the bag (bag mouth(s)) interposed (or with the bag mouth(s) in between) by the pressing members.  
         [0018]     The present invention is applicable also to a case in which a spout(s) is held by spout gripping members and then the spout(s) is inserted into a bag mouth(s). In this case, correction of the orientation and/or position of the spout(s) is performed by pressing the surface for sealing of the spout(s) with the pressing members with the bag (bag mouth(s)) interposed after inserting the spout(s) in the bag mouth(s) or by directly pressing the surface for sealing of the spout(s) before inserting the spout(s) in the bag mouth(s).  
         [0019]     The spout gripping members used in the present invention must be those that allow correction of the orientation and/or position of the spout(s) while the spout(s) is being held by the spout gripping members and that can hold the post-correction orientation and/or position of the spout(s) after the correction of the orientation and/or position of the spout(s) is made.  
         [0020]     Furthermore, in the present invention, insertion of the spout(s) into the bag mouth(s) is accomplished not just by moving the spout(s) and inserting it into the bag mouth(s), it also includes moving the bag so that the bag mouth(s) covers the spout(s).  
         [0021]     In addition, in the present invention, the “part for sealing” of the spout(s) means the location where the bag mouth is actually sealed and the location next to that location and formed in the same shape as that location.  
         [0022]     In the method of the present invention, the outline of the surface for sealing of the spout is substantially a ship shape (or in a substantially rhombus shape with one pair of opposing corners rounded), and the pressing surfaces of the pair of pressing members are respectively formed in a shape that corresponds to the surface for sealing of the spout.  
         [0023]     In the present invention, more specifically, the pair of sealing members also function as the pressing members; and the pair of sealing members briefly press the surface for sealing of the spout(s) inserted in the bag mouth(s) for a time so short that sealing does not occur, and the pair of sealing members temporarily separate from the surface for sealing, and then the pair of sealing members press the bag mouth(s) from both surfaces thereof and weld-seal or thermally attach the spout(s) to the bag mouth(s). This method sequentially performs correction and sealing using a two-stage motion of the sealing members, and the first pressing is completed in a brief time so short that the sealing operation does not occur. With this method, it is not necessary to provide separate pressing members.  
         [0024]     In addition, in the present invention, the pressing members are disposed on support members on which said pair of sealing members are provided, so that the pressing members are located near the sealing members, are capable of advancing and retreating freely in the forward/backward direction thereof, and are constantly urged in the forward direction; and when sealing is performed by the sealing members, the pressing members press the surface for sealing of the spout(s) first and then the sealing members press the surface for sealing and weld-seal or thermally attach the spout(s) to the bag mouth(s). In this case, correction and sealing are performed by a one-stage motion of the sealing members.  
         [0025]     In methods described above, pressing of the surface for sealing of the spout(s) with the pressing members is accomplished with the bag (bag mouth(s)) interposed.  
         [0026]     The method of the present invention can be used preferably when the outer shape of the part to be gripped of a spout(s) forms a plane of rotation (or is a cylindrical shape), and the spout gripping members are openable and closeable, so that when the spout gripping members are closed the spout gripping members grip the part to be gripped of the spout(s) from both sides thereof at a predetermined pressure. If the outer shape of the part to be gripped of the spout(s) is a plane of rotation (or cylindrical), the part to be gripped works differently from the case of a quadrilateral shape because there is no surface that can be used as a guide when the part to be gripped is conveyed or passed or held, and it is difficult to constantly align the axial rotational orientation of the spout at a fixed orientation, and the axial rotational orientation of a spout held by spout gripping members often drifts from the set orientation. However, such spout(s) having cylindrical part to be gripped can be sealed or attached to a bag without any problem in the present invention.  
         [0027]     In the present invention, at least one of the spout gripping members preferably has a gripping surface that is indented in a circular arc shape so as to comply with or match the outer shape of the part to be gripped of the spout(s) in order to prevent the spout(s) from drifting, for instance, to the side.  
         [0028]     As seen from the above, according to the present invention, the surface for sealing of a spout(s) is pressed for a brief moment from both sides (sandwiched) by a pair of pressing members before sealing is made by the sealing members, thus correcting the axial rotational orientation of the spout(s) held by the spout gripping members and/or the position of the spout(s) in a plane perpendicular to the spout&#39;s axial direction. Accordingly, the spout(s) held by the spout gripping members is able to have the appropriate orientation and/or position during sealing, and it is possible to obtain an appropriate seal without sealing defects such as wrinkles, etc. when the spout(s) is sealed (attached) to the bag mouth(s). 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]      FIG. 1  is an overall perspective view of an apparatus for manufacturing a bag equipped with a spout(s) according to the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a top view of a bag to be supplied to the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the essential portion of the apparatus for manufacturing a bag equipped with a spout(s) at halting position IV (the sealing step position);  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a side view seen in the direction of arrow A in  FIG. 3  (before correction);  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side taken in the direction of arrows  5 - 5  in  FIG. 3  (during correction);  
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a side view seen in the direction of arrow C in  FIG. 5  (during correction);  
         [0035]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view corresponding to  FIG. 5  showing the heating plates temporarily opened;  
         [0036]      FIG. 8  is a side view seen in the direction of arrow D in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0037]      FIG. 9  is a diagram for explaining another sealing device in accordance with the present invention,  FIG. 9  being a cross-sectional view corresponding to  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0038]      FIG. 10  is a side view seen in the direction of arrow E in  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0039]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view corresponding to  FIG. 9  when correction is performed by the spout gripping members;  
         [0040]      FIG. 12  is a side view seen in the direction of arrow F in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0041]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view corresponding to  FIG. 11  when sealing is performed by the heating plates;  
         [0042]      FIG. 14  is a view seen in the direction of arrow G in  FIG. 13 ; and  
         [0043]      FIG. 15  is a diagram explaining sealing of a bag and a spout with an ordinary shape. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0044]     Below, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 14 .  
         [0045]     The apparatus for manufacturing a bag equipped with at least one spout is, as seen from  FIG. 1 , comprised of an intermittently rotating table-type spout inserting and sealing apparatus  5  and various devices that are provided at locations corresponding to the halting positions of the intermittently rotating table-type spout inserting and sealing apparatus  5 .  
         [0046]     The spout inserting and sealing apparatus  5  includes a table  6  that rotates intermittently and a bag-gripping device (only an upper bag-gripping member  7  thereof is shown) that is disposed at each of the twelve (12) locations on the periphery of the table  6 . A bag positioning device  8  (only bag positioning members  9  thereof are shown) and spout gripping members  11 - 14  that correspond to each bag-gripping member  7  are provided on the table  6 .  
         [0047]     The table  6  halts or makes stops twelve (12) times in the course of one rotation. The steps for manufacturing a bag equipped with spout(s) are sequentially performed at the halting positions.  
         [0048]     In the structure of  FIG. 1 , a conveyor magazine-type bag supply device  15  is disposed at halting position I, and a bag positioning device (only a pusher  16  thereof is shown) is disposed at halting position II.  
         [0049]     Disposed the halting position III are spout supply devices  17  and  18 , a bag mouth opening device (only suction cups  19 - 22  thereof are shown as bag mouth opening means), and a bag body expanding device (only its suction cup  23 , which is one of the bag body expanding means, and a suction cup arm  24  are shown).  
         [0050]     Sealing devices (only heating plates  25 - 30  thereof are shown as sealing means) are disposed at halting positions IV-VI  
         [0051]     At the next halting position VII, cooling devices (only cooling plates  31  and  32  thereof are shown as cooling means) are disposed.  
         [0052]     Disposed at halting positions VIII-X are detecting devices (not shown in the drawings).  
         [0053]     A product extraction device (only a suction cup  33  thereof is shown), a vibrating-type product extraction chute  34 , and a product transport conveyor  35  are disposed at halting position XI.  
         [0054]     Halting position XII is an idle position.  
         [0055]     Though not shown in  FIG. 1 , pushers for operating the spout gripping members  11 - 14  are provided at halting positions III and XI, and a pusher that makes the bag gripping member  7  slant greatly outward is provided at halting position XI.  
         [0056]      FIG. 2  shows a bag  38  as raw material. Overall, the bag  38  is polygonal in shape and is made of plastic or thermoplastic films. The top edge  38   a  is horizontal (or straight), and shoulders  38   b  and  38   c  are cut at a slant on both sides thereof. The two parallel side edges  38   d  and  38   e  are vertical, and a bottom edge  38   f  is horizontal (or straight). Holes  38   g  are formed along the bottom edge  38   f  so that the bag can be suspended via the holes  38   g  upside down when, for example, in use. The sealed portions are shown by slanted lines. The portions near both shoulders  38   b  and  38   c  and the top edge  38   a  are unsealed, and these areas will be the bag mouth(s) where various differently shaped spout(s), typically made of rigid plastic, is sealed or attached.  
         [0057]     The bag gripping member  7  is a moveable member that has a downward-oriented gripping part. The bag gripping member  7  grips the bag  38  by working together with a lower bag gripping member  39  (shown by dotted lines in  FIG. 3 ) that is fixed to the lower side of the table  6  and that has an upward-oriented gripping part at the same height as the bag carrying surface of the table  6 . The upper bag gripping member  7  is movable vertically by a drive source such as a cam that is not shown in the drawing (when the upper bag gripping member  7  moves downward, it grips the bag; and it release the bag when it moves upward). Also, at halting position XI, the upper bag gripping member  7  slants greatly outward by the operation of a pusher that is not shown in the drawing so that the bag can be removed in the radial direction of the table  6 .  
         [0058]     The bag positioning device  8  centrally positions the bag  38  in the lateral direction. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the bag positioning device  8  comprises a pair of bag positioning members  9  and  9  that operate symmetrically. More specifically, the bag positioning members  9  and  9  are integrally formed at the tip-ends of levers  42  and  43 , which are supported on swing lever shafts  41  (fixed to the table  6 ), so that the bag positioning members  9  and  9  can swing freely about the swing lever shafts  41 . The bag positioning device  8  further includes a linking mechanism (not shown in the drawing) that links and symmetrically operates the bag positioning members  9  and  9 , a drive source such as a cam, etc., and a stopper  44  that regulates the oscillation end  43 ′ of the bag positioning members  9  and  9 . The bag positioning members  9  and  9  are installed so that when they are driven by the drive source and oscillate in the direction shown by solid-line and the rear end  43 ′ of the one levers  43  makes contact with the stopper  44  and halts, then they precisely touch with the side edges  38   d  and  38   e  of the bag  38 . The position of the stopper  44  can be regulated by, for example, a spring with respect to an attachment member  45  fixed to the table  6 .  
         [0059]     The spout gripping members  11 - 14  grip spouts  46  and  47  (see  FIG. 1 ) from above and below. As to the one set of the spout gripping members  11  and  12 , as seen from  FIG. 4 , the lower spout gripping member  12  is integrally formed at the tip-end of an spout gripping arm  48  fixed to a recessed surface on the top of the table  6 . The upper spout gripping member  11  is integrally formed at the tip-end of an spout gripping arm  49 , and the spout gripping arm  49  is fixed to a swing lever shaft  51  swigably supported by a bearing  50  fixed to the spout gripping arm  48 . The spout gripping arm  49  can oscillate freely and vertically about the swing lever shaft  51 , and it is urged in the closed direction (a direction in which the spout gripping member  11  is moved downward) by a compression spring  52  interposed between the rear ends of the spout gripping arms  49  and  48 . To open the spout gripping members  11  and  12 , the rear end of the spout gripping arm  49  is pressed from above by the previously described pusher and pushed it down (only the spout gripping member  11  is moved). Conversely, the spout gripping arm  49  on front of the swing lever shaft  51  side can be pushed upward from below by the pusher.  
         [0060]     The other spout gripping members  13  and  14  have basically the same structure as described above for the spout gripping members  11  and  12 , except that they are used for spouts of different diameters from the spouts which the spout gripping members  11  and  12  grip.  
         [0061]     The spout gripping members  11  and  12  are disposed so that they are parallel to the shoulder  38   b  of the bag  38  when the bag  38  is positioned on the table  6 , and the center axis of the spout  46  is set to be perpendicular to the shoulder  38   b . On the other hand, the spout gripping members  13  and  14  are disposed so that they are parallel to the shoulder  38   c  of the bag, and the center axis of the spout  47  is set to be perpendicular to the shoulder  38   c.    
         [0062]     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the spout  46  has a circular flange  54  formed on the periphery of a circular axis part  53 , a ring-shaped cap lock part  55 , and a circular small flange  56  for bag locking. A part for sealing  57  (its surface is the surface for sealing  57   a  that is sealed or attached to the bag mouth) that has a ship shape outline (or has a substantially rhombus shape with one pair of opposing corners rounded as best seen from  FIG. 4 ) is formed in the lower portion (the bag side) of the circular small flange  56 . In the shown example, the circular flange  54  and the axis part  53  near it and the cap lock part  55  are what is called a “part to be gripped” of a spout in the present invention, where the spout is gripped by the spout gripping members  11 - 14 .  
         [0063]     As seen from  FIG. 5 , a groove  58  is formed in the inner surface of the spout gripping member  11 . The groove  58  is triangular in cross-section and curved inward in a circular arc shape so as to match the outer shape of the circular flange  54  of the spout  46 . The circular flange  54  of the spout fits into the groove  58  of the spout gripping member  11 . The groove  58  thus makes the gripping surface that grips the part to be gripped of the spout  46  (particularly the circular flange  54 ) from above. On the other hand, the inner surface of the spout gripping member  12  is flat and has an indented groove  59  formed in its center, and the upper surfaces of both sides of the indented groove  59  and the bottom of the indented groove  59  form the gripping surface that grips the part to be gripped of the spout  46  (circular flange  54 , axis part  53 , cap lock part  55 ) from below. Thus, the spout gripping member  12  has a structure that supports the part to be gripped of the spout at three points.  
         [0064]     The spout  47  and the spout gripping members  13  and  14  respectively have the same structures as the spout  46  and the spout gripping members  11  and  12 .  
         [0065]     The conveyor magazine-type bag supply device  15  disposed at halting position I transports stacked and staggered bags in such a manner that the bag mouths are aimed forward or toward the table  6  and the underlying bags are to the rear, and further, the leading bag is separated, one by one, and is transported forward. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a reversing-type supply device  61  (only its grip part is shown) is provided at the front of the conveyor magazine-type bag supply device  15 , so that it grips near the top edge  38   a  of the bag  38  lifted by a suction cup  62 , reverses the bag 180°, and then supplies the bag  38  to the table  6 .  
         [0066]     The bottom edge  38   f  side of the bag  38  supplied to the table  6  is carried on the upper surface of the table  6 , and the top edge  38   a  side of the bag  38  is carried on the upper surface of the grip part of the lower bag gripping member  39 .  
         [0067]     The pusher  16  of the bag positioning device is provided at halting position II. The pusher  16  is located on the top of the table  6 ; and it pushes the edge  38   f  of the bag  38 , which has been laterally positioned by the bag positioning member  9  of the bag positioning device  8 , causes the bag  38  to rise and touch the inside surface of the bag gripping member  7 , and further positions it vertically (in the radial direction of the table  6 ).  
         [0068]     The bag mouth opening device is disposed at halting position III, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and it has suction cups  19 - 22  which are the bag mouth opening means. The suction cups  19  and  20  open the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   b  side of the bag  38 , and the suction cups  21  and  22  open the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   c  side.  
         [0069]     The bag body expanding device disposed near halting position III is comprised of an upper bag body expanding means and a lower bag body expanding means.  
         [0070]     The upper bag body expanding means is the suction cup  23  previously described, which communicates, via changeover valves and filters (not shown in the drawing), with a vacuum pump through a pipe installed inside the suction cup arm  24 . The suction cup arm  24  can be raised and lowered by a drive source such as a cam (not shown in the drawing), and it also swings in sync with the intermittent rotation of the table  6 . The suction cup arm  24  is moved to follow the intermittent rotation of the table  6  as shown by dotted lines in  FIG. 1 , and then it swings back to its original position as shown by solid lines in  FIG. 1 . The suction cup  23  is raised and lowered upon the rising and lowering motions of the suction cup arm  24 , and it makes reciprocating (swinging) movement between the halting position III and the next halting position IV according to the forward and return swing motions of the suction cup arm  24 .  
         [0071]     The lower bag body expanding means of the bag body expanding device is a suction cup  63  as shown in  FIG. 4 . A suction cup arm  64  is oriented in the radial direction of the table  6  beneath it and is supported on the lower surface of the table  6  so that the suction cup arm  64  can oscillate vertically (the oscillation direction of the suction cup arm  64  is shown by the arrow in  FIG. 4 ). The suction cup  63  is disposed at the tip end of the suction cup suction cup arm  64 . A vacuum pipe is provided inside the suction cup arm  64 , and the suction cup  63  communicates, via changeover valves and filters (not shown in the drawing), with the shared vacuum pump by this pipe installed in the suction cup arm  64 . It goes without saying that sets comprising the suction cup  63  and suction cup arm  64  are provided to correspond to each one of the bag gripping members  7  and  39  (in other words, twelve (12) sets of the suction cup  63  and suction cup arm  64  are provided).  
         [0072]     When the suction cup arm  24  descends and the suction cup arm  64  is driven by a drive source such as a cam (not shown in the drawing) and is moved upward, the suction cups  23  and  63  suction the body of the bag  38  from above and below. When the suction cup arm  24  rises and the suction cup arm  64  is moved downward, the body of the bag  38  is expanded as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0073]     The spout supply devices  17  and  18  insert spouts  46  and  47 , one by one, into the relevant bag mouths (the shoulder  38   b  side and the shoulder  38   c  side) of the bag  38 , which is halted at halting position III and whose bag mouths have been opened; they respectively comprise a so-called parts feeder and a spout inserting means that receives the spouts  46  and  47  one by one from the parts feeder, holds them, transports them to the predetermined position, and inserts them in the opened bag mouths. The spout  46 , transported by the spout inserting means to the above-described predetermined position, is gripped by the spout gripping members  11  and  12 , and the spout  47  is gripped by the spout gripping members  13  and  14 . The lower portion of the spout  46  is held at three points by the gripping surface of the spout gripping member  12 , and at its upper part the circular flange  54  enters the groove  58  of the spout gripping member  11 , and is gripped at a predetermined pressure by the urging force of the compression spring  52 .  
         [0074]     When the spouts  46  and  47  are gripped by the spout gripping members  11 - 14 , the spout inserting means releases the spouts  46  and  47  and returns to its original position.  
         [0075]     The sealing devices provided at halting position IV have, as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , heating plates  25  and  25  (referred to as “sealing members”) fixed to their respective support members  65  and  65 .  
         [0076]     More specifically, each one of the heating plates  25  and  25  (sealing members) has a central sealing surface  25   a  for pressing and sealing the spout  46  and the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   b  side of the bag  38 , and side sealing surfaces  25   b  and  25   c  for pressing and sealing the unsealed part of the bag mouth on both sides (the two sides of the bag). The side sealing surface  25   c , which seals the unsealed part from shoulder  38   b  near edge  38   a  to edge  38   a  near shoulder  38   b , is curved when viewed from above (see  FIG. 3 ). The central sealing surface  25   a  is, as best seen from  FIG. 4 , indented in a half ship shape (or curved inwardly) that corresponds to the outer shape of the surface for sealing  57   a  of the spout  46 , which is substantially a ship shape (or is substantially rhombus with one pair of opposing corners rounded). Side pressing surfaces  25   b  and  25   c  are flat.  
         [0077]     Support members  65  and  65  and heating plates  25  and  25  open and close in a two-stage motion by a drive means that is not shown in the drawing. The heating plates  25  and  25  very briefly press (the first stage) the surface for sealing  57   a  of the spout  46  inserted in the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   b  side of the bag  38 , with the bag (bag mouth) interposed, and then temporarily separate from the surface for sealing  57 , and then press again (the second stage) the bag mouth from both surfaces and weld-seal (or thermally attach) the surface for sealing  57  of the spout to the bag mouth, and simultaneously weld-seal (or thermally attach) the unsealed part of the bag mouth. In other words, the above-described heating plates  25  and  25  also function as what is referred to as the pressing members in the present invention.  
         [0078]     The heating plates  26  and  26  have the same structure as the heating plates  25  and  25 , and they open and close in the same two-stage motion as the heating plates  25  and  25 .  
         [0079]     The movement of the heating plates  25  and  25  (same for the heating plates  26  and  26 ) will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 4-8 . 
        (a)  FIG. 4  shows the state at halting position IV before starting the first pressing (correction) using the heating plates  25  and  25 . The body of the bag  38  is expanded by the suction cups  23  and  63 , the spout  46  is inserted into the bag mouth of the shoulder  38   b , and the spout  46  is gripped at a predetermined pressure by the spout gripping members  11  and  12 . At this time, the axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing  57  of the spout  46  (the orientation of the longitudinal direction of the ship shape (or the orientation in the direction of the larger diagonal line of the substantially rhombus-shaped part for sealing) drifts from the bag width direction (horizontal state).     (b)  FIGS. 5 and 6  show the state at the moment the heating plates  25  and  25  close and the first pressing (correction) is performed. The axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing  57  of the spout  46  is corrected by the brief light pressing by the heating plates  25  and  25 . More specifically, the spout  46  is being gripped by the spout gripping members  11  and  12  in a manner that it can rotate in the axial direction, and when the spout  46  is pressed from above and below by the heating plates  25  and  25  thus being sandwiched, it rotates inside the spout gripping members  11  and  12  against the frictional force that is caused by gripping.     (c) After momentary pressing described above that does not last long enough to cause sealing, the heating plates  25  and  25  open slightly, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The post-correction orientation of the spout  46  is maintained as-is by the spout gripping members  11  and  12 .     (d) The heating plates  25  and  25  immediately close and the second pressing (sealing) is performed. Through this, the spout and bag mouth and the bag surfaces near the bag mouth (the unsealed part) are weld-sealed and thermally attached. Then the heating plates  25  and  25  retreat and return to their original open state and the sealing step ends.        
 
         [0084]     Next, the entire operation of this apparatus for manufacturing a bag equipped with a spout(s) will be described.  
         [0085]     (1) At halting position I, the leading (first) bag  38  on the conveyor magazine-type bag supply device  15  is gripped by the reversing-type supply device  61 , reversed 180°, and supplied to a predetermined position on the table  6 . At this time, the upper bag-gripping member  7  has descended, and the positioning members  9  and  9  of the bag positioning device  8  are in their open state. The bag  38  is carried on the table  6  and gripping part of the lower bag-gripping member  39 .  
         [0086]     (2) The table  6  rotates; and while the bag  38  is moved from halting position I to halting position II, the positioning members  9  and  9  oscillate toward the inner side and position the bag  38  so that the bag  38  is laterally centered. The positioning members  9  and  9  subsequently maintain this bag centering state until they pass halting position X.  
         [0087]     (3) At halting position II, the upper bag-gripping member  7  is raised, and then the pusher  16  provided at halting position II pushes the bag  38  outward in the radial direction of the table  6 , so that the bag touches the inner surface of the upper bag-gripping member  7 , thus performing positioning of the bag in vertical direction (in the vertical direction of the bag  38 ). 
        Next, the upper bag-gripping member  7  is lowered and grips the part for sealing of the edge  38   a  of the bag  38  between the upper bag-gripping member  7  and the lower bag-gripping member  39 . The upper bag-gripping member  7  subsequently remains at this descended position until it passes halting position X.        
 
         [0089]     (4) At halting position III, the spout gripping members  11  and  12  and  13  and  14  are opened by pushers disposed at halting position III, and the suction cups  19  and  20  of the bag mouth opening device provided at halting position III open the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   b  side of the bag  38 , and at the same time the suction cups  21  and  22  open the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   c  side. 
        Next, the suction cup  23  of the bag body expanding device that returned to halting position III and the suction cup  63  provided on the lower surface of the table  6  work together to expand the body of the bag  38  (bag body). Expanding of the body of the bag  38  is performed a little after the opening of the bag mouths. This is because it is difficult to allow the air to flow into the bag interior if the bag mouths are not opened, making the expanding of the bag body difficult. The delay of expanding of the body of the bag  38  is also for the purpose of waiting for the suction cup arm  24  and suction cup  23  to return to the halting position III.     The spout inserting means of the spout insertion device  17  next inserts the spout  46  in the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   b  side of the bag  38 , and the spout inserting means of the spout insertion device  18  inserts the spout  47  in the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   c  side.     Then, the above-described pushers retract and the spout gripping members  11 - 14  close and grip the spouts  46  and  47 .     Next, the spout inserting means release the spouts  46  and  47 . Also, air is introduced into the suction cups  19 - 22 , and the suction cups  19 - 22  are moved vertically and separated from the bag  38 .        
 
         [0094]     (5) The table  6  rotates; and when the bag  38  is moved from halting position III to halting position IV, the suction cup arm  24  and suction cup  23  of the bag body expanding device swing in sync with the table  6  to follow the rotation of the table  6 . The lower suction cup  63  is provided on the table  6  and thus moved together with the table  6 . Accordingly, the body of the bag  38  is suctioned by the suction cups  23  and  63  and arrives at halting position IV in an expanded state.  
         [0095]     (6) At halting position IV the heating plates  25  and  25  operate in a two-stage motion as described above and correct the axial rotational orientation of the spout  46 ; then they seal (attach) the spout  46  to the shoulder  38   b  of the bag  38  and also seal the unsealed part of the shoulder  38   b  and the edge  38   a . At the same time, the heating plates  26  and  26  also operate in a two-stage motion as described above and correct the axial rotational orientation of the spout  47 ; then they seal (attach) the spout  47  to the shoulder  38   c  of the bag  38  and also seal the unsealed part of the shoulder  38   c  and the edge  38   a.  
        The heating plates  25  and  25  and the heating plates  26  and  26  respectively open and return to their original positions. Air is introduced into the suction cups  23  and  63 , which release the bag  38 , and the arm  24  and the suction cup  23  ascend and swing back to halting position III.     At halting position IV, as shown in  FIG. 4 , etc., the body of the bag  38  is expanded by the suction cups  23  and  63  to a thickness that is about the same as the thickness of the part for sealing  57  of the spout  46 . Therefore, no displacement of the spout  46  and the bag mouth occurs, and the line of the shoulder  38   b  of the bag is sealed straightly.        
 
         [0098]     (7) Next, at halting position V, a second sealing is performed by heating plates  27  and  28 , a third sealing is performed by heating plates  29  and  30  at halting position VI, and a cooling sealing is further performed at halting position VII by cooling plates  31  and  32 . These operations are performed in one-stage motions. Additionally, various inspection processes are carried out at halting positions VIII-X.  
         [0099]     (8) While the bag  38  is transported by the rotating table  6  from halting position X to halting position XI, the positioning members  9  and  9  of the positioning device  8  are moved to open outward, the upper bag-gripping member  7  rises, and then the bag  38  is, as a result, released.  
         [0100]     (9) At halting position XI, the spout gripping members  11  and  12  and  13  and  14  are opened by pushers provided at this halting position XI, and the bag gripping member  7  slants greatly outward by the pusher. 
        Then, the suction cup  33  of the product extraction device descends and suctions the bag  38  (that is equipped with the spouts), transports it essentially horizontally to the product extraction chute  34 , and releases it there. The bag  38  (with spouts) falls from the product extraction chute  34  onto a product transport conveyor  35  and is transported to outside the apparatus. When the bag  38  (which is a bag equipped with spouts) is removed from the table  6 , the above-described pushers retract, closing the spout gripping members  11  and  12  and  13  and  14 , and the bag gripping member  7  returns to its original raised position.        
 
         [0102]     If a defect(s) is detected in the bag  38  (that is equipped with the spouts) in the above-described inspection process, the product extraction chute  34  is moved downward as shown by the arrow and by imaginary lines in  FIG. 1 , and the defective bag (indicated by  38   a ) falls into a separately disposed container (not shown in the drawing) and not onto the product transport conveyor  35 .  
         [0103]     (10) While the table  6  rotates from halting position XI to halting position XII, the upper bag-gripping member  7  descends. Halting position XII is an idle position; and the steps described above are subsequently repeated as the table  6  rotates.  
         [0104]     In the above-described operation, both correction of the axial rotational orientation of the spout  47  and sealing are performed at halting position IV. However, the halting positions for the correction step and the sealing step can be separated. It is possible to design, for example, so that the axial rotational orientation of the spout  46  (and spout  47 ) is corrected by a pair of pressing members at halting position IV, and then the first sealing is performed at halting position V. In this structure, as pressing members, those that have a pressing surface with the same shape as the heating plates  26  and  26  (heating plates  27  and  27 ) but do not have a heating function are used.  
         [0105]      FIGS. 9-14  show a different type of sealing device that can be used at halting position IV in the spout insertion and sealing device  5 . In  FIGS. 9-14 , elements other than the sealing device are the same as those in  FIGS. 3-5 , and they are assigned the same numbers as in  FIGS. 3-5 .  
         [0106]     As seen from  FIGS. 9 and 10 , in this sealing device, a heating plate  67  is fixed to each one of the support members  66 , and a pressing member  68  is provided between the support member  66  and the heating plate  67  so that the pressing member  68  can advance and retreat freely in the forward/backward direction. In other words, the pressing members  68  are provided so as to be able to advance and retreat freely in the forward/backward direction. More specifically, longitudinally long holes  69  are formed in the pressing member  68  so as to extend in the forward/backward direction, pins  70  fixed on each one of the heating plates  67  are fitted into the long holes  69 , thus guiding the pressing members  68  in the forward/backward direction and keeping them from falling off the installation site. Furthermore, springs  71  are provided between the support member  66  and the pressing member  68 , so that the pressing members  68  are constantly urged forward by the springs  71 . As a result, the upper pressing member  68  is constantly urged by the springs  71  downward in  FIG. 10  and the lower pressing member  68  is constantly urged by the springs  71  upward; and in a no-load state, the pressing surfaces of the pressing members  68  at their tip project farther forward than the heating plate  67 .  
         [0107]     The heating plate  67  has substantially the same (solid) shape as the heating plate  25  described earlier; however, the heating plate  67  is thinner by exactly the thickness of the pressing member  68 . The pressing member  68  is a flat plate; and it has a central pressing surface  68   a , whose shape corresponds to the ship shape (or curved inwardly) that corresponds to the outer shape of the surface for sealing  57   a  of the spout  46 , which (the surface for sealing  57   a ) is substantially a ship shape (or is substantially rhombus with one pair of opposing corners rounded), and narrow side pressing surfaces  68   b  and  68   c  at both sides thereof (to press the bag mouth near the surface for sealing  57   a  of the spout  46 ). As seen from  FIG. 10 , the shape formed by the continuous central and side pressing surfaces  68   a - 68   c  of each one of the pressing member  68  is the same as the shape of the sealing surface of each heating plate  67  (the sealing surface being located at the central portion of the heating plate  67  in its lateral or width direction in  FIG. 10 ), and the width of the continuous central and side pressing surfaces  68   a - 68   c  is slightly larger (wider) than the length of the part for sealing  57  of the spout  46 .  
         [0108]     The movements of the heating plates  67  and  67  and pressing members  68  and  68  shall be described with reference to  FIGS. 9-14 . 
        (a)  FIGS. 9 and 10  show the state at halting position IV before starting pressing using the heating plates  67  and  67 . The body of the bag  38  is expanded by the suction cups  23  and  63 , the spout  46  is inserted in the bag mouth on the shoulder  38   b  side, and the spout is gripped at a predetermined pressure by the respective spout gripping members  11  and  12 . At this point, the axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing  57  of the spout  46  (the orientation of the longitudinal direction of the ship shape (or the orientation in the direction of the larger diagonal line of the substantially rhombus-shaped part for sealing)) drifts from the bag width direction (horizontal state).     (b)  FIGS. 11 and 12  show the state at the moment when the heating plates  67  and  67  and pressing members  68  and  68  have advanced, and the pressing members  68  and  68  have closed and press the part for sealing  57  of the spout  46 , and the pressing pressure operates according to the urging force of the springs  71 , and the axial rotational orientation of the part for sealing  57  is corrected. Following this moment, movement of the pressing members  68  and  68  halts, and only the heating plates  67  and  67  continue to advance due to the motion of the support members  66  and  66 .     (c)  FIGS. 13 and 14  show the state when the heating plates  67  and  67  have closed and press the part for sealing  57  of the spout  46  and sealing is performed. As a result, the spout  46  and bag mouth of the bag  38  and the unsealed part near the bag mouth (the bag surfaces) are weld-sealed or thermally attached together. Then, the heating plates  67  and  67  and the pressing members  68  and  68  retreat and return to their original open state and the sealing step ends.        
 
         [0112]     As seen from the above, in this sealing device, correction and sealing are performed in a single motion of the support members  66 .  
         [0113]     In the above, the present invention is described with reference to a bag that is formed with two bag mouths at the shoulders. However, the present invention is applicable to a bag that has only one bag mouth so that a single spout is sealed or attached to this single mouth bag. When a single spout is attached to a bag having a single mouth, only the spout gripping members  11  and  12  and the one-side sealing device (the heating plates  25 ) are used with the bag mouth opening devices (the suction cups  19  and  20 ) and the spout supply device  17  or instead only the spout gripping members  13  and  14  and the other-side sealing device (the heating plates  26 ) are used with the bag mouth opening devices (the suction cups  21  and  22 ) and the spout supply device  18 .