Abstract: A conveyor has a rotary encoder for measuring the amount of rotation of a driven sprocket having an intermittently drivable chain reeved therearound, and a processor for processing the measurement obtained by the encoder as operation support operating data corresponding to the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket. The processor determines a reference position of the chain in time series when the chain is moved a distance at a time by intermitting driving, computes the actual position of the chain corresponding to the reference position based on the measurement obtained by the encoder, and computes the deviation of the actual position of the chain from the reference position.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sealing apparatus is provided with an excellent sealability. The apparatus is capable of supplying sufficient output energy delivered by an ultrasonic wave-generating device to a thermoplastic resin of a packing material. A tubular packing material is evenly pressed on an appropriate timing in transverse sealing so that the thermoplastic resin is sufficiently softened/melted for an excellent sealing.

Abstract: A container feeder for feeding pillowlike uncompleted containers C1 each having a container body M1 and upper and lower ears U1, L1 projecting laterally from upper and lower ends of the container body to a conveyor 21 of a container forming device 14 for forming the uncompleted container C1 into a rectangular parallelepipedal completed container C2 comprises a slanting chute 101 having a lower end positioned at a starting end of a conveyor transport path, a first receiving member 134 so disposed as to be movable upward or downward along a chute transport path, the first receiving member 134 being movable into the chute transport path when moving downward to receive the lower end of the container body M1 of the container C1 falling along the chute 101 under gravity, and a second receiving member 144 so disposed as to be movable upward or downward along the chute transport path, the second receiving member 144 being movable into the chute transport path when moving downward to receive the upper ears U1 of the c

Abstract: A packaging machine comprises a filling device (13) for filling a tube T of packaging material having an open upper end and a closed lower end with contents in a predetermined amount at a time, and a device (14) for forming containers C by sealing and cutting the filled tube T transversely thereof into a length corresponding to one container at a time. The amount of contents to be filled into the container and the capacity of the container are so determined that the capacity is greater than the amount of contents to be filled.

Abstract: A process for producing a sealed container from a tubular blank of square cross section by folding and sealing a container bottom forming portion of the blank to form a flat bottom includes the step of sealing the bottom by collapsing an opening edge part of the container bottom forming portion to a flat form and sealing opposed walls of the collapsed opening edge part as lapped over each other to form a straight bottom seal rib.

Abstract: A container plug attaching device for attaching to an edge portion of a container defining an outlet O thereof a tubular plug P having an opening at one end and a flange F around an edge portion defining the opening comprises an anvil 33 and a sealing member 36 for clamping therebetween the container edge portion and the flange F as pressed against the container edge portion for sealing, a rotary shaft 31 having the anvil 33 mounted thereon and projecting radially thereof, a projection 61 provided on an outer end portion of a clamping face 32 of the anvil 33, drive means for intermittently rotating the rotary shaft 31 so as to stop the anvil 33 only in a sealing posture with the projection 61 opposed to the sealing member 36, and supply means for supplying the plug P to the anvil 33 in rotation for the projection 61 to hold the plug P as fitted thereover.

Abstract: A filling nozzle cleaning device comprises an adaptor 74 having an upward socket 131 connectable to a downward discharge outlet 51 of a filling nozzle 41 disposed above a bed 11, a collecting pipe 73 having a vertical pipe portion 121 communicating with the socket 131 and extending through the bed 11 rotatably and upwardly and downwardly movably, and a drive mechanism for moving the adaptor 74 so as to advance the socket 131 to or retract the socket 131 from below the discharge outlet 51 and connect the socket 131 to the discharge outlet 51 when the socket is advanced. The drive mechanism has a rotary actuator 161 and a fluid pressure cylinder 165 which are connected to the vertical pipe portion 121 below the bed 11 for rotating and upwardly and downwardly moving the pipe portion 121.

Abstract: A packaging machine comprises a movable body having mandrels and intermittently drivable so as to stop each of the mandrels at a process station while carrying containers as fitted around the respective mandrels with a bottom forming portion of each container projecting outward from the mandrel, and a bottom breaker for forming folds in a bottom forming end portion of the container fitted around the mandrel as halted at the process station so as to render the end portion foldable flat. The bottom breaker has first folding means for initially folding the second and fourth bottom panels in two into triangles, and second folding means for subsequently folding first and third bottom panels. The second folding means has an upstream arm movable into pressing contact with the first bottom panel, and a downstream arm movable into pressing contact with the third bottom panel. The downstream arm is provided with a pressure plate at a portion thereof to be contacted with the third bottom panel.

Abstract: A filling nozzle cleaning device comprises an adaptor 74 having an upward socket 131 connectable to a downward discharge outlet 51 of a filling nozzle 41 disposed above a bed 11, a collecting pipe 73 having a vertical pipe portion 121 communicating with the socket 131 and extending through the bed 11 rotatably and upwardly and downwardly movably, and a drive mechanism for moving the adaptor 74 so as to advance the socket 131 to or retract the socket 131 from below the discharge outlet 51 and connect the socket 131 to the discharge outlet 51 when the socket is advanced. The drive mechanism has a rotary actuator 161 and a fluid pressure cylinder 165 which are connected to the vertical pipe portion 121 below the bed 11 for rotating and upwardly and downwardly moving the pipe portion 121.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid metering and filling lifter for use with different kinds of containers C having different heights for moving the container C upward and downward with a stroke corresponding to the height of the container C in filling a liquid into the container, the lifter comprising a container pushing-up vertical lift rod 32 disposed below a filling nozzle 13 above a bed 11 and extending through the bed 11, the lift rod 32 having a container support 31 fixed to an upper end thereof, a container pushing-down vertical lift rod 34 extending through the bed 11 at one side of the lift rod 32 and having a container holder 33 fixed to an upper end thereof, and coupling means 35 disposed below the bed 11 for coupling the two lift rods 32, 34 to make the lift rods movable upward or downward together and uncoupling the lift rods 32, 34 to make the lift rods movable upward or downward individually.

Abstract: A container having a spout of thermoplastic synthetic resin fixed to an outlet edge portion defining a liquid outlet formed in a top portion of the container. The outlet edge portion of the container is covered with a thermoplastic synthetic resin layer at least over inner and outer surfaces thereof. The spout comprises a tubular body, and inner and outer two outward flanges formed at one end of the tubular body integrally therewith and holding the outlet edge portion of the container therebetween from inside and outside. The inner and outer flanges of the spout are fixed respectively to the inner and outer surfaces of the outlet edge portion of the container.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sterilizing liquid remover and a method of removing the sterilizing liquid which can easily remove/dry the sterilizing liquid which remains at the step portion formed by the sealing tape and the web which forms the container's interior side in the packing material web having the sealing tape adhered to its side end portion. Driblets on the surface of the web are squeezed by squeeze rollers 30 disposed such that they can open and close while sandwiching the transfer route of the web W having the sealing tape adhered to its side end portion therebetween, the heated air is blasted at the step portion formed by the sealing tape and the web by the second air knife 20, then the heated air is blasted at the whole width of both faces of the web by the first air knives 10, and the sterilizing liquid is removed.

Abstract: A packaging machine includes a bottom breaker which has first to third prefolding members (41) to (43). The third prefolding member (43), serving to prefold a fold forming portion (27) by bending this portion (27) outward along a base part thereof, is pivotally movable from a nonoperative position P0 to a second operative position P2 via a first operative position P1. The fold forming portion (27) is moved with a first bottom panel (21) by the operation of the second prefolding member (42) so as to be brought into contact with the third prefolding member (43) and thereby bent outward while the third prefolding member (43) is pivotally moved from the nonoperative position P0 toward the first operative position P1. The third prefolding member (43) is pivotally moved from the first operative position P1 toward the second operative position P2 after the operation of the second prefolding member (42) to thereby bend the fold forming portion (27) through an increased angle.

Abstract: A packaging machine has a folding rail 36 for guiding a prefolded bottom forming portion 14 of a container 11 fitted around a mandrel 31 from a first process station to a second process station during the movement of the mandrel 31 from the first to the second station while folding the bottom forming portion flat by contact therewith. The folding rail 36 comprises right and left two rail members 71, 72, with a clearance C formed therebetween for permitting an outer end of the prefolded bottom forming portion 14 of the container 11 fitted around the mandrel 31 to be inserted thereinto during the movement from the first to the second station. An unfolding preventing guide member 73 is disposed in the rail clearance C so as to come into contact with a required part of the bottom forming portion 14 during movement through the clearance.

Abstract: A liquid filling apparatus comprises an apparatus body having a liquid channel connected at one end thereof to a liquid tank and at the other end thereof to a filling nozzle, a metering cylinder provided in the liquid channel between opposite ends thereof in communication with the ends for causing the liquid to be filled to flow into and out of the liquid channel by strokes of a piston housed in the cylinder, a check valve disposed upstream from the metering cylinder of the liquid channel, and valve opening-closing means for mechanically operating the check valve so as to open the valve during the inflow stroke of the piston and to close the valve during the outflow stroke of the piston.

Abstract: A web position matching system for matching marks provided on a web of packaging material with a pitch corresponding to the length of one container, to a reference position comprises sensor means for detecting the displacement of the mark from the reference position, setting means for setting a usual amount of feed obtained by adding a predetermined amount of advance to a predetermined reference amount of feed corresponding to the length of one container when the displacement detected by the sensor means is smaller than a predetermined allowable displacement or setting a corrected amount of feed obtained by subtracting a predetermined amount of delay from the reference amount of feed when the detected displacement are not smaller than the allowable displacement, and means for correcting the usual amount of feed and the corrected amount of feed based on a pattern of frequencies with which the usual amount of feed and the corrected amount of feed are set by the setting means.

Abstract: A packaging machine comprises a filling device 13 for filling a tube T of packaging material having an open upper end and a closed lower end with contents in a predetermined amount at a time, and a device 14 for forming containers C by sealing and cutting the filled tube T transversely thereof into a length corresponding to one container at a time. The amount of contents to be filled into the container and the capacity of the container are so determined that the capacity is greater than the amount of contents to be filled.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for use with containers 11 each in the form of a rectangular or square tube and having an open upper end and an outlet 25 in a top forming portion 12 of the container, for bonding a pour spout 31 to the container edge portion defining the outlet. The apparatus comprises a conveyor 41 for transporting the containers 11 so as to halt the containers successively at a bonding station, and a support 44 movable into contact with the outlet-defining edge portion of the container 11 as halted at the bonding station from inside the container for receiving the pressure of bonding. The support 44 is so disposed as to be movable into and out of the container 11 along an arc path and has a contact face 83 facing outwardly of the arc path.

Abstract: A device for gasifying a sterilizing liquid comprises a hot air duct 12 having an inlet 36 at one end thereof and an outlet 33 at the other end thereof, a hot air generator 37 for supplying to the inlet 36 hot air having a temperature capable of gasifying the sterilizing liquid, a spray nozzle 13 for spraying the sterilizing liquid into the hot air duct 12, and a plate heater 23 disposed as opposed to the outlet 33.

Abstract: A container feeder for feeding pillowlike uncompleted containers C1 each having a container body M1 and upper and lower ears U1, L1 projecting laterally from upper and lower ends of the container body to a conveyor 21 of a container forming device 14 for forming the uncompleted container C1 into a rectangular parallelepipedal completed container C2 comprises a slanting chute 101 having a lower end positioned at a starting end of a conveyor transport path, a first receiving member 134 so disposed as to be movable upward or downward along a chute transport path, the first receiving member 134 being movable into the chute transport path when moving downward to receive the lower end of the container body M1 of the container C1 falling along the chute 101 under gravity, and a second receiving member 144 so disposed as to be movable upward or downward along the chute transport path, the second receiving member 144 being movable into the chute transport path when moving downward to receive the upper ears U1 of the c