Abstract: A method of sealing an opening portion of a packaging container by utilizing fusion bonding of the base material, together with an apparatus and method for inspecting the sealed portion. The container material has a welding layer as the innermost layer. The welding layer is melted at a seal portion defined along the edge of the opening portion of the container. A part of the melt from the welding layer is allowed to flow out from the edge of the opening portion, thereby sealing the seal portion and also forming an efflux layer outside the opening portion by the melt flowing out and solidified. An image of at least a part of the sealed portion and its vicinities is taken. At least a part of the image is defined as an inspection region. The image of the inspection region is subjected to predetermined image processing to calculate data concerning the efflux layer formed outside the sealed portion.

Abstract: A bag supplying device including a conveying arm that has a fixed clamping element and a movable clamping element, a reciprocating-rotating assembly that causes the conveying arm to make a back-and-forth rotational movement between a downwardly-facing clamping position and a substantially horizontal intermediate position, a slide frame on which the rotational shaft is rotatably supported, a reciprocating movement assembly that reciprocates the slide frame horizontally so that the conveying arm advances toward and retracts from a transfer position (where bags are transferred) to a gripper, and an opening-and-closing assembly that opens and closes the movable clamping element. With the bag mouth of an empty bag clamped by the clamping element, the conveying arm rotates upward and then advances to the transfer position, then the movable clamping element opens so as to transfer the empty bag, which is in a vertical attitude, to the gripper.

Abstract: A rotary type transfer apparatus used in a continuous manufacturing apparatus for spout-equipped bags. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer rotor and a driving device and installed next to an extraction apparatus. The transfer rotor has spout holding members on its circumference, and the driving device causes the transfer rotor to rotate intermittently in a cycle of stopping, acceleration, constant-speed rotation, deceleration and stopping and causes the speed of the spout holding members of the transfer apparatus to coincide with the speed of the spout holding members of the extraction apparatus during the period of constant rotation and causes the spout holding members to run side by side. During the constant-speed rotation, spouts are transferred from the spout holding members of the continuously rotating extraction apparatus to the spout holding members of the rotary type transfer apparatus via a guide member.

Abstract: A chain conveying apparatus for spouts or bags having spouts, including a pair of annular chains. The attachment plates are provided on the respective oppositely-rotating annular chains so that the attachment plates have play in a vertical direction. Centering guide members are disposed so as to be close to the axial portions of the spouts so as to regulate the movements of the spouts in the direction perpendicular to the attachment plates' moving direction; upper-side guide members and lower-side guide members are disposed above and below the attachment plates so as to regulate the height position of the attachment plates; and flange regulating members are disposed so as to be above the flanges of the spouts, which is being conveyed, with a narrow gap between the flange regulating members and the flanges so as to regulate an upward movement of the spouts.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus for spouts or bags with spouts thereon, including: a circular rotating body which is driven rotationally, a guide rail disposed around the circumference of the rotating body with a predetermined spacing in between, and a plurality of grippers disposed on the rotating body and rotated with the rotating body. The rotating body has an outer circumferential edge that supports the flanges of the spouts, and the guide rail has on its inner edge an arc-shaped guide portion that also supports the flanges of the spouts. During the rotation of the rotating body, the grippers close to hold the spouts at the flanges and then opens to release the spouts. A rotational force is imparted by the rotating body to the spouts while spouts are held at the flanges by the grippers.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying spouts (or bags attached with spouts) to spout holding members provided on the edge of a circular rotor, including a pair of guide rails that engage with the groove portions of spouts, a timing screw that conveys spouts along the guide rails, and a pushing pawl that pushes out at a high speed a leading spout among the spouts, which are being conveyed along the guide rails, from the guide rails into the holding section of each spout holding member. The pushing pawl is disposed beneath the guide rails, and it is retracted so as not to interfere with the leading spout and then rotated inward so as to be behind the leading spout, advances and overtakes the leading spout, and then contacts the leading spout from behind, thus pushing the spout out in the forward direction and to the spout holding member.

Abstract: A spout-equipped bag feed apparatus allows an increased number of spout-equipped bags to be stored. A plurality of conveyor rails are attached to a conveying device at a predetermined space and carried along an endless track. Each conveyor rail is capable of being loaded with and unloaded of a plurality of spout-equipped bags from one end thereof and capable of supporting the spout portions of the bags in such a manner that the bags are movable in the axial direction. Loading of bags into the conveyor rail is effected with a bag loading tool capable of being loaded with and unloaded of bags from one end thereof and capable of supporting the spout portions of the bags in such a manner that the bags are movable in the axial direction. The one end of the bag loading tool is butted against the one end of the conveyor rail, and the bags are pushed into the conveyor rail.

Abstract: A filling amount adjustment device for a liquid-form substance filling machine, the device including first sliding units disposed on a swing arm and connecting links pivotally attached at one ends to connecting pins of first sliding members (of the first sliding units) that slide along the length of the arm. Second sliding units are disposed on both sides of the swing arm, and the other ends of the connecting links are pivotally connected to the connecting pins of second sliding members (of the second sliding units). Connecting rods connected to piston rods are pivotally connected to the connecting pins. When fine adjustment shafts in which male screws are cut are rotated, the second sliding members are moved and positioned; as a result, the first sliding members slide via the connecting links, thus changing the positions of the connecting pins in the direction of length of the arm.

Abstract: An apparatus for extracting product-filled bags from retainers that are conveyed along a rectilinear path. The extracting apparatus includes a base member disposed along a base guide path parallel to the rectilinear path of the retainers so that the base member is free to make a reciprocating motion, a frame member supported on a supporting shaft on the base member so as to swing upward and downward, a sliding shaft member supported on the frame member so as to advance and retract, and a holding means disposed on the front end portion of the sliding shaft member. A cylindrical cam roller is attached to a cam roller attachment link which is pin-connected to the lower portion of the frame member, and the cam roller rolls through the cam groove of a raising-and-lowering cam, thus allowing the frame member to swing upward and downward about the supporting shaft.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for inserting empty bags into retainers, guide members are caused to approach both side edges of each supplied bag so that the vertically oriented guide grooves of the guide members contacted the side edges of the bag, thus positioning the bag in a position that is vertically aligned with a retainer. The bag mouth is opened by suction disks, and a plug is brought into the opened bag mouth. Then, the plug is lowered toward the retainer, so that both side edges of the bag is inserted into the insertion grooves of the retainer. After this insertion, a compressed gas is jetted out of a discharge opening at the tip end of the plug into the bag, so that the bag is spread open to the bottom thereof.

Abstract: A spout sealing method and apparatus using a spout insertion and temporary-sealing apparatus, a primary sealing apparatus, a secondary sealing apparatus and a cold-sealing apparatus that are installed in a row; and transfer apparatuses being installed between these sealing apparatuses. Each apparatus has a continuously rotating rotor. A plurality of spout holding members which hold and convey spouts are disposed at equal intervals on the circumferences of the rotors, and spouts are continuously transferred between the spout holding members of adjacent rotors. In the spout insertion and temporary-sealing apparatus, bags and spouts are supplied from different sources; and the bags are fitted over the spouts held by the spout holding members, and the bags and spouts are temporarily sealed by a temporary-sealing apparatus. Then, main sealing is performed by the primary sealing apparatus and secondary sealing apparatus, and the main sealing area is cooled by the cold-sealing apparatus.

Abstract: A bag opening apparatus and method for use in a bag filling and packaging machine using flat bags allow a bag to move to a subsequent step while being surely maintained in the state of having been opened. At a mouth opening step, the mouth portion of a bag is opened by using suction cups serving as a mouth opening device. Next, an abutting member of a bag bottom deforming device is moved upward to abut on the bottom of the bag, thereby deforming at least a part of the bottom inward of the bag, while restraining movement of a lower portion of the bag with retaining plates of a bag movement restraining device.

Abstract: A bag supplying device including a conveying arm that has a fixed clamping element and a movable clamping element, a reciprocating-rotating assembly that causes the conveying arm to make a back-and-forth rotational movement between a downwardly-facing clamping position and a substantially horizontal intermediate position, a slide frame on which the rotational shaft is rotatably supported, a reciprocating movement assembly that reciprocates the slide frame horizontally so that the conveying arm advances toward and retracts from a transfer position (where bags are transferred) to a gripper, and an opening-and-closing assembly that opens and closes the movable clamping element. With the bag mouth of an empty bag clamped by the clamping element, the conveying arm rotates upward and then advances to the transfer position, then the movable clamping element opens so as to transfer the empty bag, which is in a vertical attitude, to the gripper.

Abstract: A filling amount adjustment device for a liquid-form substance filling machine, the device including first sliding units disposed on a swing arm and connecting links pivotally attached at one ends to connecting pins of first sliding members (of the first sliding units) that slide along the length of the arm. Second sliding units are disposed on both sides of the swing arm, and the other ends of the connecting links are pivotally connected to the connecting pins of second sliding members (of the second sliding units). Connecting rods connected to piston rods are pivotally connected to the connecting pins. When fine adjustment shafts in which male screws are cut are rotated, the second sliding members are moved and positioned; as a result, the first sliding members slide via the connecting links, thus changing the positions of the connecting pins in the direction of length of the arm.

Abstract: A spout-equipped bag feed apparatus allows an increased number of spout-equipped bags to be stored. A plurality of conveyor rails are attached to a conveying device at a predetermined space and carried along an endless track. Each conveyor rail is capable of being loaded with and unloaded of a plurality of spout-equipped bags from one end thereof and capable of supporting the spout portions of the bags in such a manner that the bags are movable in the axial direction. Loading of bags into the conveyor rail is effected with a bag loading tool capable of being loaded with and unloaded of bags from one end thereof and capable of supporting the spout portions of the bags in such a manner that the bags are movable in the axial direction. The one end of the bag loading tool is butted against the one end of the conveyor rail, and the bags are pushed into the conveyor rail.

Abstract: A bag opening apparatus and method for use in a bag filling and packaging machine using flat bags allow a bag to move to a subsequent step while being surely maintained in the state of having been opened. At a mouth opening step, the mouth portion of a bag is opened by using suction cups serving as a mouth opening device. Next, an abutting member of a bag bottom deforming device is moved upward to abut on the bottom of the bag, thereby deforming at least a part of the bottom inward of the bag, while restraining movement of a lower portion of the bag with retaining plates of a bag movement restraining device.

Abstract: A rotary type transfer apparatus used in a continuous manufacturing apparatus for spout-equipped bags. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer rotor and a driving device and installed next to an extraction apparatus. The transfer rotor has spout holding members on its circumference, and the driving device causes the transfer rotor to rotate intermittently in a cycle of stopping, acceleration, constant-speed rotation, deceleration and stopping and causes the speed of the spout holding members of the transfer apparatus to coincide with the speed of the spout holding members of the extraction apparatus during the period of constant rotation and causes the spout holding members to run side by side. During the constant-speed rotation, spouts are transferred from the spout holding members of the continuously rotating extraction apparatus to the spout holding members of the rotary type transfer apparatus via a guide member.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting spouts into bags comprising a plurality of spout holding member disposed at equal intervals on the circumference of a continuously-rotating rotating table; and a pair of holding members which position and hold both side edges of bags, bag bottom receiving stands that support the lower ends of the bags, and suction plates which open the mouths of the bags with suction. The holding members hold side edges of supplied bags, the bag bottom receiving stand is raised to move the mouths of the bags to the suction plates, and the mouths of the bags are opened by suction by the suction plates. Then, the holding members, bag bottom receiving stand and suction plates are raised, and bags are fitted over the spouts and raised to the upper end of the sealing portion of the spouts. Afterward, the bags and spouts are temporarily sealed.

Abstract: With a use of a transfer rotor that has gripping claws on its circumference, spouts are received by the gripping claws and conveyed and transferred to spout holding members of a continuously rotating rotor. The transfer rotor rotates intermittently 60° in a cycle consisting of stopping, acceleration, constant speed, deceleration and stopping. When the transfer rotor is stopped, spouts are received by gripping claws. During the constant rotation, the gripping claws are matched with the speed of the spout holding members, and the gripping claws and the spout holding members run side by side. During this side-by-side running, the spouts are transferred from the gripping claws to the spout holding members. At a transfer position, the gripping claws open, and the spouts move along a guide member as the spout holding members rotate, so that the spouts are pushed into the interiors of holding grooves of the spout holding members.

Abstract: An inspection method capable of performing an inspection for all items concerning the installation condition of a cap by a single imaging process. A mark is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a cap. A bag fitted with the cap is held with a holding device so as to face an imaging device in a predetermined positional relationship to take a vertical image of the whole cap. The mark and two portions of the cap at bilaterally symmetric positions near right and left side edge portions in the vicinity of the upper end edge of the cap, together with a ring, are defined as inspective object portions. First, second and third inspection gates are set in correspondence to the inspective object portions. Portions of the images of the inspective object portions present within the inspection gates are subjected to image processing to obtain data for judgment. The data for judgment is compared with preset reference values to judge whether the installation condition of the cap is good or not.