FILL PACKAGING METHOD AND FILL PACKAGING MACHINE FOR LIQUID PACKING MATERIAL

Abstract

In a method for forming a lateral sealed portion, a liquid packing material can be filled without biting bubbles, granulates and so on included in the liquid packing material into the lateral sealed portion. In a method for forming a lateral sealed portion with a pair of lateral sealing rolls after a packaging film fed and run is folded at its central portion and a vertical sealing is performed at their side edge parts to shape into a cylindrical form and a liquid packing material is filled into an inside of the cylindrically formed packaging film, at least a folded side part of the cylindrically formed packaging film is pushed with a pushing means arranged between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll and the lateral sealed portion is formed at a pushed position with the pair of lateral sealing bars.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a method for fill packaging a liquid packing material and a fill packaging machine utilizing such a method, and more particularly to a fill packaging method and fill packaging machine capable of blocking intrusion of a liquid packing material into a lateral seal portion.

RELATED ART

Recently, it is widely general to automatically fill and package a liquid packing material such as food and drink, seasonings, medicines, cosmetics or the like, a viscous material, powder, granulates or other material with a soft packaging film.

In an automatically fill packaging machine for such a packing material, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, a packaging film having a laminated structure comprised of a uniaxially or biaxially oriented base film layer and a non-oriented sealant layer or a packaging film having a single layer structure of partly coating a heat-sensitive adhesive layer onto a base film layer is folded at a central part thereof so as to face the sealant layer or the heat-sensitive adhesive layer inward, and side edge portions of the folded films are overlapped with each other and fused by heating and pressing with a pair of vertical sealing rolls to form a longitudinally extended vertical seal portion while feeding downward, whereby the packaging film is shaped into a cylindrical form.

Then, the cylindrically formed film is fed downward while being fused by heating and pressing with a plurality of heat sealing bars positioned at equal intervals in a circumferential direction on each periphery of a pair of lateral sealing rolls in a lateral sealing apparatus to intermittently form lateral sealed portions each extending a widthwise direction of the cylindrically formed packaging film at given intervals in the longitudinal direction of the packaging film, whereby package bags are manufactured. In this case, a packing material is filled into each of the package bags by continuously feeding the packing material to the packaging film or intermittently feeding from the formation of one lateral sealed portion in the cylindrically formed packaging film to the formation of next lateral sealed portion, and thereafter the continuously manufactured package bags are cut at a middle part of the lateral sealed portion by a cutting mechanism and taken out in the form of a single bag or at a continuous state of plural bags.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

Patent Document

Patent Document 1: JP-A-1104-114841

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Task to be Solved by the Invention

In such a conventional fill packaging machine, when the lateral sealed portion is formed by the pair of lateral sealing rolls as mentioned above, the folded portion of the packaging film becomes at a bulging state due to spring back from the formation of one lateral sealed portion to the formation of next lateral sealed portion, and hence there is a fear that the filled liquid packing material is sucked upward along the folded side through a capillary action and intruded into the next lateral sealed portion to cause poor sealing.

In the formation of the lateral sealed portion, lateral sealing is performed by the heat sealing bars on the lateral sealing rolls while pushing out the packing material in the cylindrically formed packaging film, whereby the intrusion of the packing material into the lateral sealed portion is suppressed but is not sufficient. Especially, when the packing material contains granulates as used in dressing for example, there is a fear that the granulates cannot be pushed out by the heat sealing bars and may be intruded into the lateral sealed portion. If the granulates are intruded into the lateral sealed portion, not only the appearance is damaged but also bubbling is generated to cause poor sealing, and there is a fear of leaking the packing material.

In case of filling and packaging the packing material particularly containing the granulates or the like, therefore, the intrusion of the granulates into the lateral sealed portion is prevented by intermittently filling the packing material from the formation of one lateral sealed portion to the formation of the next lateral sealed portion in the cylindrical packaging film as previously mentioned. In this method, however, there is a problem that the productivity is extremely lowered as compared to the case that the packing material is continuously filled.

Therefore, the invention is to provide a method for fill packaging a liquid packing material capable of filling the liquid packing material without intruding bubbles, granulates or the like into a lateral sealed portion and improving the productivity, and a fill packaging machine utilizing such a method.

Solution for Task

Under studies for realizing the above object, the inventors have found out that the invention is effective to be a method for fill packaging a liquid packing material by folding a packaging film fed and run in a longitudinal direction at its central portion so as to face adhesive layers or sealant layers to each other, forming a vertical sealed portion at side edge parts of the folded packaging film in the longitudinal direction to shape into a cylindrical form, filling the liquid packing material into an inside of the cylindrically formed packaging film, tucking the packaging film in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction with a pair of lateral sealing rolls to form a lateral sealed portion extending over a full width of the packaging film to thereby fill package the liquid packing material into the packaging film, characterized in that at least a folded side part of the cylindrically formed packaging film is pushed with a pushing means arranged between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll and the lateral sealed portion is formed at a pushed position with the pair of lateral sealing rolls, and the invention has been accomplished.

Also, the invention proposes a method for fill packaging a liquid packing material by folding a packaging film fed and run in a longitudinal direction at its central portion so as to face adhesive layers or sealant layers to each other, forming a vertical sealed portion at side edge parts of the folded packaging film in the longitudinal direction to shape into a cylindrical form, filling the liquid packing material into an inside of the cylindrically formed packaging film, tucking the packaging film in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction with a pair of lateral sealing rolls to form a lateral sealed portion extending over a full width of the packaging film to thereby fill package the liquid packing material into the packaging film, characterized in that at least a folded side part of the cylindrically formed packaging film is pushed with a pushing means arranged between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll, while both side faces of the cylindrically formed packaging film are tucked with a squeezing means in the running direction of the packaging film and in front of the lateral sealing rolls to intermittently squeeze out the liquid packing material, and the lateral sealed portion is formed with the pair of lateral sealing rolls at the position worked by the pushing means and the squeezing means.

In the fill packaging method for the liquid packing material according to the invention, the following further constructions are more preferable means.

(1) the pushing means is a push bar pushing the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full width;

(2) the pushing means is a push plate pushing the folded portion of the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full length;

(3) the squeezing means is a pair of squeeze plates;

(4) the pair of squeeze plates are moved at a displacement position of coming close to or free from each other based on a nature of the packaging film and filling conditions; and

(5) at least one of the pair of squeeze plates is provided at its tip section with a gas blowing port and the liquid packing material interposed in the cylindrically formed packaging film is squeezed out by a pressure of a gas blown from the gas blowing port.

Further, the invention proposes a fill packaging machine comprising a vertical sealing means for folding a packaging film fed and run in a longitudinal direction at its central part so as to face adhesive layers or sealant layers to each other and forming a vertical sealed portion at side edge parts of the folded packaging film in the longitudinal direction to shape into a cylindrical form, and a lateral sealing means comprised of a pair of lateral sealing rolls for subjecting the packaging film to lateral sealing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction over the full width of the packaging film and at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the packaging film to form package bodies, characterized in that a pushing means for pushing at least a portion corresponding to a folded side of the packaging film is provided between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll.

Moreover, the invention proposes a fill packaging machine comprising a vertical sealing means for folding a packaging film fed and run in a longitudinal direction at its central part so as to face adhesive layers or sealant layers to each other and forming a vertical sealed portion at side edge parts of the folded packaging film in the longitudinal direction to shape into a cylindrical form, and a lateral sealing means comprised of a pair of lateral sealing rolls for subjecting the packaging film to lateral sealing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction over the full width of the packaging film and at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the packaging film to form package bodies, characterized in that a squeezing means located so as to tuck both side faces of the cylindrically formed packaging film and capable of moving in a direction of coming close to or free from each other is provided in the running direction of the packaging film and in front of the lateral sealing rolls, and a pushing means for pushing at least a portion corresponding to a folded side of the packaging film is provided between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll.

In the fill packaging machine according to the invention, the following further constructions are more preferable means.

(1) the pushing means is a push bar pushing the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full width;

(2) the pushing means is a push plate pushing the folded portion of the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full length;

(3) the squeezing means is a pair of squeeze plates;

(4) at least one of the pair of squeeze plates is provided at its tip section with a gas blowing port;

(5) the push plate is constituted so that the position can be adjusted in accordance with the width of the cylindrically formed packaging film;

(6) a pushing width of the push plate in an axial direction of the lateral sealing roll is 1-50% of the width of the cylindrically formed packaging film; and

(7) the push bar is disposed adjacent to the heat sealing bar at a front side of the lateral sealing roll in the rotation direction of the heat sealing bar.

Effect of the Invention

In the fill packaging method for the liquid packing material and the fill packaging machine utilizing such a method according to the invention, the pushing means pushing at least a portion corresponding to a folded side of the packaging film is provided between the heat sealing bars located in the circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll, so that bulging of the folded side part of the packaging film due to spring back can be prevented by the pushing means between the formations of one lateral sealed portion and next lateral sealed portion and hence the liquid packing material filled can be effectively prevented from sucking along the folded side part toward the next lateral sealed portion.

In the invention, when the packaging film is shaped into a cylinder by folding into two parts and forming the vertical sealed portion at their side edge parts and the liquid packing material is filled and packed into the cylindrically formed packaging film (hereinafter referred to as “cylindrical film”), moving of the liquid packing material fed from a filling nozzle inside the cylindrical film can be temporarily blocked by intermittently tucking (squeezing) the cylindrical film from both side faces thereof with the squeezing means. Thus, a portion not including the liquid packing material is intermittently formed on the lower side of the squeezing means, and a lateral sealed portion is formed in such a portion by the pair of lateral sealing rolls, whereby biting of the liquid packing material, particularly granulates and so on interposed in the liquid packing material into the lateral sealed portion can be blocked effectively. Therefore, even if the granulates and so on are interposed in the liquid packing material, biting of the granulates and so on is not caused in the lateral sealed portion and hence the liquid packing material can be filled and packed continuously through liquid-in seal filling and the productivity can be improved.

Also, the squeezing means is preferable to be comprised of a pair of squeeze plates. The biting of the liquid packing material into the lateral sealed portion can be suppressed more effectively by disposing a gas blowing port in a tip section of at least one of the pair of squeeze plates and oscillating the cylindrical film by a pressure of a gas blown from the gas blowing port to squeeze out the liquid packing material, granulates and so on included in the cylindrical film. Further, the action of directly tucking the cylindrical film with the squeeze plates can be assisted by the pressure of the gas, and there is no fear that the cylindrical film is damaged because the slippage is increased.

When the pushing means is a push plate pushing the folded side parts of the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full length, the penetration of the liquid packing material into the folded side parts is blocked completely, so that there is no possibility that the liquid packing material is sucked up into the lateral sealed portion along the folded side part. While when the pushing means is a push bar pushing the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full width, the sucking up of the liquid packing material filled not only in the folded side part but also over the full width of the packaging film is suppressed along the inner wall face of the packaging film, so that the biting of the liquid packing material into the lateral sealed portion can be blocked effectively. Furthermore, when both of the push plate and push bar are disposed as the pushing means, the effect of suppressing the biting into the lateral sealed portion can be developed more effectively.

In the invention, the pair of squeeze plates can be moved at a displacement position of coming close to or free from each other based on a nature of the packaging film and filling conditions, and the position of the push plate can be adjusted in accordance with the width of the cylindrical film, whereby the invention can be utilized effectively in the manufacture of various package bodies irrespectively of the thickness of the packaging film, kind of the liquid packing material, volume of the package body and so on.

Moreover, the pushing width of the push plate in the axial direction of the lateral sealing roll is made to 1-50% of the width of the cylindrical film, and the push bar is disposed adjacent to the heat sealing bar in the lateral sealing roll, whereby the filling of the liquid packing material into the packaging film is not interrupted and the internal volume of the package bag is not decreased excessively and the sucking up of the liquid packing material filled through capillary action is suppressed, and hence the biting of the liquid packing material into the lateral sealed portion can be blocked surely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a construction of a vertical type fill packaging machine as an example of the fill packaging machine according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a lateral sealed portion forming section in the fill packaging machine.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a lateral sealed portion forming section in the full packaging machine, wherein (a) is an enlarged perspective view and (b) is an end view taken along A-A line.

FIG. 4 is an illustration diagram showing a method of filling a liquid packing material with a lateral sealed portion forming section in the embodiment of the fill packaging machine shown in FIG. 2, wherein (a) shows a state of filling the liquid packed material into a cylindrical film, and (b) shows a state of squeezing the cylindrical film with a pair of squeeze plates, and (c) shows a state of forming a lateral sealed portion in the cylindrical film with a pair of lateral sealing rolls.

EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a construction of a vertical fill packaging machine as an example of the fill packaging machine according to the invention.

In the vertical fill packaging machine, an elongated packaging film made of a laminate film by laminating a base film layer made, for example, from a biaxially oriented ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin or the like and a sealant layer made, for example, from a non-oriented ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin or the like is folded in a widthwise direction so as to face the sealant layers to each other to overlap both side edge parts with each other while being run in its longitudinal direction, and many package bags are made from the packaging film and a packing material such as food and drink, seasonings, medicines, cosmetics and other liquidus, viscous or jelly fluidizing material is automatically filled in each of the package bags. The vertical fill packaging machine mainly comprises a film folding section 1, a vertical sealed portion forming section 2, a section 3 of feeding the packing material, a first lateral sealed portion forming section 4a, a second lateral sealed portion forming section 4b, and a cut section 5 cutting the package bags in the form of a single bag or at a continuous state of plural bags as shown in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, a case of using a liquid packing material inclusive of granulates and the like as a packing material will be described as an example.

In the film folding section 1 of FIG. 1, one elongated packaging film 6 continuously or intermittently fed from a film roll R is run from top to bottom, during which the packaging film 6 is folded in a widthwise direction so as to face sealant layers to each other while being guided with two U-shaped and inverted L-shaped guide rods 7, whereby both side edge parts of the packaging film 6 are overlapped at a left end thereof in the figure.

In the vertical sealed portion forming section 2, the both side edge parts overlapped after the folding of the packaging film 6 are heated and pressed by means of a pair of vertical sealing rolls 8 in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the packaging film 6 to form a vertical sealed portion 13, whereby the packaging film 6 is shaped into a cylindrical form to provide a cylindrical film 15.

The vertical sealed portion forming section 2 comprises a pair of vertical sealing rolls 8 horizontally extending in a direction perpendicular to a plane of paper in the figure and in parallel to each other, motors 9 rotationally driving the pair of vertical sealing rolls 8 in reverse directions each other at a constant velocity through gear sets (not shown), and a pair of air cylinders 10 disposed in bearing portions supporting both end parts of a support shaft of the vertical sealing roll 8 so as to energize the pair of vertical sealing rolls 8 in a direction coming close to each other.

Each of the pair of vertical sealing rolls 8 is provided on its outer periphery with an annular flange 8a and in an inside thereof with a heater (not shown) for heating the annular flange 8a. The both side edge parts overlapped in the cylindrical film 15 are pressed by a pushing force of the pair of air cylinders 10 while being sandwiched between the respective annular flanges 8a and heated by heat conducted from the heater to the annular flange 8a, whereby the sealant layers in the both side edge parts are fused to each other to form a vertical sealed portion 13, while the cylindrical film 15 is run downward under rotation.

In the section 3 of feeding the packing material, a liquid packing material M fed from a tank (not shown) through a pump and a feed path (not shown) is filled into an inside of the cylindrical film 15 by means of a filling nozzle 11 passing between the pair of vertical sealing rolls 8 from top toward bottom.

In the first lateral sealed portion forming section 4a, a lateral sealed portion 14 is intermittently formed by fusing the cylindrical film 15 at constant intervals in the longitudinal direction under heating and pressing over the full width with a pair of lateral sealing rolls 12. Thereafter, the lateral sealed portion 14 is re-pushed in the second lateral sealed portion forming section 4b to ensure sealing, whereby many package bags W are manufactured at a state of connecting them to each other in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical film 15. Next, individual package bags W are obtained by cutting an approximately middle part of the lateral sealed portion 14 in the cutting section 5.

Moreover, the pair of lateral sealing rolls 12 in the first and second lateral sealed portion forming sections 4a and 4b are rotationally driven in reverse directions and at a constant velocity by motors through gear sets. As the first lateral sealed portion forming section 4a is typically shown in FIG. 2 in closeup, the each roll is provided on its outer periphery with a plurality of heat sealing bars 12a (4 bars in the figure) located at equal intervals in the peripheral direction and extended in the axial direction. The lateral sealed portion 14 is formed or strengthened by tucking the cylindrical film 15 with the heat sealing bars 12a. Moreover, a heater heating the heat sealing bars 12a is included in each of the lateral sealing rolls 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, this fill packaging machine is characterized in a point that a pushing means 17 for pushing at least a portion corresponding to the folded side 6a of the cylindrical film 15 is disposed between the plural heat sealing bars 12a (4 bars in the figure) in the pair of lateral sealing rolls 12. Moreover, FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the pushing means 17 comprising push plates 18a, 18b of a partially cylindrical face for pushing the portion corresponding to the folded side 6a of the cylindrical film 15 over its full length.

Since the portion including at least the folded side 6a of the cylindrical film 15 after one lateral sealing by the pair of heat sealing bars 12 is partially pushed with the push plates 18a, 18b, the folded side 6a located between the lateral sealed portions 14 is never returned (bulged) to an original form over the full length due to spring back. Therefore, there is no fear that the liquid packing material filled in the cylindrical film 15 after one lateral sealing is sucked up along the folded side 6a and also the liquid packing material is bitten into next lateral sealed portion 14. Although FIG. 2 shows that the package bag W is a three-way sealed bag, the push plates 18a, 18b can be preferably used on a bag having fold portions at both sides such as back lining sealed bag or the like.

Moreover, the push plates 18a, 18b are preferable to have a partially cylindrical face as shown in FIG. 2 as far as at least the folded side 6a of the cylindrical film 15 can be pushed. In the push plates 18a, 18b, a pushing width in the axial direction of the lateral sealing roll 12 is preferable to be 1-50% of the width of the cylindrical film 15, more preferably 1-20%. This is due to the fact that a proper and adequate filling volume is ensured. According to this width, the push plates 18a, 18b can push the folded side 6a of the cylindrical film 15 surely without blocking the filling of the liquid packing material and extremely decreasing the internal volume of the package bag. The width of the push plate 18a, 18b in the axial direction of the lateral sealing roll 12 is preferable to be 1-80% of the width of the heat sealing bar 12a.

Since the push plate 18a, 18b can be fitted simply between the heat sealing bars 12a with screws, bolts and the like, they are easy in the maintenance. Also, the push plates 18a, 18b can be utilized in the manufacture of various types of package bodies by adjusting the setting position in accordance with the width of the cylindrical film 15. Furthermore, the height can be properly adjusted by putting a shim between the push plate 18a, 18b and the roll surface of the lateral sealing roll 12.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the lateral sealed portion forming section, wherein the pushing means 17 is comprised of push bars 19a, 19b. FIG. 3(a) is a perspective view, and FIG. 3(b) is an end view taken along A-A line in FIG. 3(a). Each of the push bars 19a, 19b is disposed in front of the heat sealing bar 12a in the rotation direction thereof and adjacent to the heat sealing bar 12a. Preferably, it is disposed in a position of 0.1-30 mm, more preferably 0.1-15 mm separated from the heat sealing bar 12a. In this figure, the push bars 19a, 19b are disposed in parallel to the heat sealing bar 12a, but are not limited thereto. They may be disposed obliquely with respect to the heat sealing bar 12a in accordance with the viscosity and filling amount of the liquid packing material to push the cylindrical film 15 properly. Also, when the width of the push bar 19a, 19b in the axial direction of the lateral sealing roll 12 is made to be approximately equal to the width of the heat sealing bar 12a, the cylindrical film 15 can be pushed over the full width, so that the liquid packing material filled in the cylindrical film 15 after the formation of one lateral sealed portion 14 can be prevented from sucking up along not only the folded side 6a but also the inner wall face of the cylindrical film 15 and the biting of the liquid packing material into next lateral sealed portion can be suppressed effectively. Moreover, the push bars 19a, 19b can develop similar effects in not only bags having fold portion(s) such as three-way sealed bags and back lining sealed bags but also four-way sealed bags and so on.

In the push bar 19a, 19b, the surface form is not only arc-like as shown in FIG. 3 but also flat, chevron or the like. In any case, a maximum height from the roll shaft surface of the lateral sealing roll 12 is preferably −2 to +5 mm, more preferably 0 to +2 mm with respect to the height of the heat sealing bar 12a. Thus, the packaging film can be pushed surely, so that the liquid packing material filled inside the cylindrical film 15 can be suppressed from sucking up to the position of next lateral sealed portion 14 effectively.

The push bar 19a, 19b may be made from Teflon®, silicon, plastics, elastic metal or the like, but is preferable to be a material having an heat insulating property because it is disposed adjacent to the heat sealing bar 12a.

Further, the width of the push bar 19a, 19b in the running direction of the cylindrical film 15 is preferably 0.5-50 mm, more preferably 2-10 mm. In this case, the cylindrical film 15 can be pushed surely over the full width without excessively decreasing the internal volume of the package bag.

As the pushing means 17 may be disposed the push plates 18a, 18b and the push bars 19a, 19b together. In this case, the liquid packing material filled inside the cylindrical film 15 can be prevented from sucking up along the folded side 6a and the inner wall face of the cylindrical film 15 more effectively, and the biting of the liquid packing material into next lateral sealed portion 14 can be suppressed effectively.

In the fill packaging machine, it is preferable that a squeezing means 16 is arranged in front of a position forming the lateral sealed portion 14 with the pair of lateral sealing rolls 12 in the first lateral sealed portion forming section 4a in the running direction of the cylindrical film 15 as shown in FIG. 2. As the squeezing means 16, it is preferable to use a pair of squeeze plates 16a, 16b as shown in FIG. 2, but any mechanisms such as a pair of squeeze rolls and the like may be used as far as the running cylindrical film 15 can be squeezed from both side faces thereof.

The pair of squeeze plates 16a, 16b as the squeezing means 16 are arranged so as to tuck the side faces of the cylindrical film 15. Both the side faces of the cylindrical film 15 are tucked (squeezed) intermittently by the squeeze plates 16a, 16b at a predetermined timing, whereby descending of the liquid packing material filled inside the cylindrical film 15 is prevented temporarily.

Moreover, the squeezing means 16 has a function of squeezing out air included in the liquid packing material and an action of stabilizing the form of the package bag and the amount of the liquid packing material filled.

The descending of the liquid material and granulates toward the lower side of the squeezing means 16 in the cylindrical film 15 is blocked by the above function of the squeezing means 16 to form a portion not interposing them intermittently, and a lateral sealed portion 14 is formed in this portion with the next lateral sealing rolls 12, whereby biting of the liquid material and granulates into the latter lateral sealed portion 14 can be blocked effectively. Therefore, continuous fill packaging can be attained while blocking the biting of the liquid packing material into the lateral sealed portion 14 by the squeezing means 16.

Moreover, the pair of squeeze plates 16a, 16b are constituted in such a manner that they can be displaced into a direction coming close to and free from each other, for example, by oscillation or the like while tucking the cylindrical film 15 therebetween.

The timing of displacing the squeezing means 16, closing time (time of coming close to each other), opening time (time of coming free from each other) and so on are controlled by a control means such as microcomputer or the like, and calculated by a given arithmetic processing based on a nature of the packaging film 6 such as packaging form, film material and so on input by a production condition setting means mentioned later, input values of filling conditions such as filling amount of the packing material, feeding speed of the packaging film 6 and so on. Moreover, the control means may be combined with a control means acting as a main computer for the fill packaging machine.

The production condition setting means is constituted with an input means such as a numeric keypad or the like, or a touch panel integrally united with a monitor displaying values set by the input means and can set and change the nature of the packaging film 6 in the fill packing machine such as packaging form (length of package bag W (seal pitch)), film material and so on and the filling conditions such as running speed of the film and so on.

Further, the production condition setting means is provided with an active monitor displaying the displacing action of the squeezing means 16, lateral sealing speed and the like with time as a graph, whereby the displacing state of the squeezing means 16 can be confirmed visually, while the displacement timing, closing and opening times, closing distance of the squeezing means 16 and so on can be adjusted (input) properly.

Also, the production condition setting means is provided with a storing means such as backup RAM, EEPROM or the like for storing production conditions in accordance with the varieties of the packaging film 6 and the filling conditions.

Moreover, the squeeze plate 16a, 16b is made from a metal, a low-friction resin material such as Teflon® or the like, MC nylon, polyacetal, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene or the like. At leas one of the pair of squeeze plates 16 is provided on its tip portion with a gas blowing port. A non-flammable gas such as air, nitrogen or the like is blown out continuously or intermittently from the gas blowing port toward the cylindrical film 15 at a state of displacing the squeeze plates in a closing direction, and the liquid material and granulates interposed in the cylindrical film 15 are squeezed out effectively by oscillation based on the pressure of the gas. Moreover, the blowing direction of the gas from the gas blowing port may be upward, vertical or downward to the cylindrical film 15, which can expect the similar effect.

Moreover, the effect of squeezing out the liquid material and granulates by the gas pressure can be developed effectively by blowing the gas toward the cylindrical film 15 within a range from the folded side 6a to at least 30% of the film width. Also, the timing, time, pressure and the like in the blowing of the gas can be set in the production condition setting means.

Next, the fill packaging method of the liquid packing material utilizing the squeeze plates 16a, 16b will be described with FIG. 4. A left-side view, middle view and right-side view in FIGS. 4(a), (b) and (c) show left side view, front view (showing only a back side in the figure) and right side view of the pair of heat sealing rolls 12, squeeze plates 16a and 16b and push plates 18a and 18b as the pushing means 17, respectively.

FIG. 4(a) shows a state that the lateral sealed portion 14 is formed by the pair of heat sealing bars 12a and the liquid packing material is filled from the filling nozzle 11 into the cylindrical film 15. At this time, the pair of squeeze plates 16a, 16b are positioned at a state of coming free from each other. Also, the folded side 6a of the cylindrical film 15 is at a state of starting push with the push plates 18a, 18b.

FIG. 4(b) shows a state that the pair of squeeze plates 16a, 16b start displacement into a direction of coming close to each other in accordance with instructions from the control means to the squeeze plates 16a, 16b and tuck the cylindrical film 15 from both side faces thereof and block descending of the liquid packing material in the cylindrical film 15. At this time, the folded side 6a of the cylindrical film 15 is at a state of pushing a part in the longitudinal direction with the push plates 18a, 18b.

FIG. 4(c) shows a state that the pair of heat sealing bars 12a arrive at a place of the cylindrical film 15 blocking the descending of the packing material in FIG. 4(b) and heat sealing is performed in this place to form a lateral sealed portion 14. The displacement of the squeeze plates 16a, 16b into the opening direction is started by instruction from the control means in response to this timing to again cause the filling of the liquid packing material into the cylindrical film 15.

By repeating the actions of FIG. 4(a) to FIG. 4(c) can be fill packaged the liquid packing material without biting into the lateral sealed portion 14 even if the filling is continuous.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

R film roll W package bag

1 folded portion of film

2 vertical sealed portion forming section

3 feeding section of packing material

4a first lateral sealed portion forming section

4b second lateral sealed portion forming section

5 cutting section

6 packaging film

6a folded side

7 guide rod

8 vertical sealing roll

8a annular flange

9 motor

10 air cylinder

11 filling nozzle

12 lateral sealing roll

12a heat sealing bar

13 vertical sealed portion

14 lateral sealed portion

15 cylindrical film

16 squeezing means

16a, 16b squeeze plate

17 pushing means

18a, 18b push plate

19a, 19b push bar

Claims

1. A method for fill packaging a liquid packing material by folding a packaging film fed and run in a longitudinal direction at its central portion so as to face adhesive layers or sealant layers to each other, forming a vertical sealed portion at side edge parts of the folded packaging film in the longitudinal direction to shape into a cylindrical form, filling the liquid packing material into an inside of the cylindrically formed packaging film, tucking the packaging film in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction with a pair of lateral sealing rolls to form a lateral sealed portion extending over a full width of the packaging film to thereby fill package the liquid packing material into the packaging film, characterized in that at least a folded side part of the cylindrically formed packaging film is pushed with a pushing means arranged between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll and the lateral sealed portion is formed at a pushed position with the pair of lateral sealing rolls.

2. A method for fill packaging a liquid packing material by folding a packaging film fed and run in a longitudinal direction at its central portion so as to face adhesive layers or sealant layers to each other, forming a vertical sealed portion at side edge parts of the folded packaging film in the longitudinal direction to shape into a cylindrical form, filling the liquid packing material into an inside of the cylindrically formed packaging film, tucking the packaging film in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction with a pair of lateral sealing rolls to form a lateral sealed portion extending over a full width of the packaging film to thereby fill package the liquid packing material into the packaging film, characterized in that at least a folded side part of the cylindrically formed packaging film is pushed with a pushing means arranged between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll, while both side faces of the cylindrically formed packaging film are tucked with a squeezing means in the running direction of the packaging film and in front of the lateral sealing rolls to intermittently squeeze out the liquid packing material, and the lateral sealed portion is formed with the pair of lateral sealing rolls at the position worked by the pushing means and the squeezing means.

3. The method for fill packaging a liquid packing material according to claim 1, wherein the pushing means is a push bar pushing the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full width.

4. The method for fill packaging a liquid packing material according to claim 1, wherein the pushing means is a push plate pushing the folded portion of the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full length.

5. The method for fill packaging a liquid packing material according to claim 2, wherein the squeezing means is a pair of squeeze plates.

6. The method for fill packaging a liquid packing material according to claim 5, wherein the pair of squeeze plates are moved at a displacement position of coming close to or free from each other based on a nature of the packaging film and filling conditions.

7. The method for fill packaging a liquid packing material according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the pair of squeeze plates is provided at its tip section with a gas blowing port and the liquid packing material interposed in the cylindrically formed packaging film is squeezed out by a pressure of a gas blown from the gas blowing port.

8. A fill packaging machine comprising a vertical sealing means for folding a packaging film fed and run in a longitudinal direction at its central part so as to face adhesive layers or sealant layers to each other and forming a vertical sealed portion at side edge parts of the folded packaging film in the longitudinal direction to shape into a cylindrical form, and a lateral sealing means comprised of a pair of lateral sealing rolls for subjecting the packaging film to lateral sealing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction over the full width of the packaging film and at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the packaging film to form package bodies, characterized in that a pushing means for pushing at least a portion corresponding to a folded side of the packaging film is provided between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll.

9. A fill packaging machine comprising a vertical sealing means for folding a packaging film fed and run in a longitudinal direction at its central part so as to face adhesive layers or sealant layers to each other and forming a vertical sealed portion at side edge parts of the folded packaging film in the longitudinal direction to shape into a cylindrical form, and a lateral sealing means comprised of a pair of lateral sealing rolls for subjecting the packaging film to lateral sealing in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction over the full width of the packaging film and at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the packaging film to form package bodies, characterized in that a squeezing means located so as to tuck both side faces of the cylindrically formed packaging film and capable of moving in a direction of coming close to or free from each other is provided in the running direction of the packaging film and in front of the lateral sealing rolls, and a pushing means for pushing at least a portion corresponding to a folded side of the packaging film is provided between heat sealing bars located at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the lateral sealing roll.

10. The fill packaging machine according to claim 8, wherein the pushing means is a push bar pushing the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full width.

11. The fill packaging machine according to claim 8, wherein the pushing means is a push plate pushing the folded portion of the cylindrically formed packaging film over its full length.

12. The fill packaging machine according to claim 9, wherein the squeezing means is a pair of squeeze plates.

13. The fill packaging machine according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the pair of squeeze plates is provided at its tip section with a gas blowing port.

14. The fill packaging machine according to claim 11, wherein the push plate is constituted so that the position can be adjusted in accordance with the width of the cylindrically formed packaging film.

15. The fill packaging machine according to claim 11, wherein a pushing width of the push plate in an axial direction of the lateral sealing roll is 1-50% of the width of the cylindrically formed packaging film.

16. The fill packaging machine according to claim 10, wherein the push bar is disposed adjacent to the heat sealing bar at a front side of the lateral sealing roll in the rotation direction of the heat sealing bar.