Packaging system with improved flow of articles

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6460312
  • Patent Number
    6,460,312
  • Date Filed
    Friday, April 7, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 8, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
A packaging system for causing articles M to fall downward along a predetermined falling route A and filling the articles M into a tubular film F. The packaging system is provided with an auxiliary device 205 operating on the falling route A at predetermined timing and facilitating or improving the flow of the articles M, determination unit 21a determining whether a state of the flow of the articles M on the falling route A is normal or abnormal, and a change unit 21b changing the operating timing of the auxiliary device 205 according to the state of the flow of the articles M determined by the determination unit 21a. With this configuration, the state of the flow of the articles M is improved and the high productivity (yield) and/or operativity of the packaging system can be maintained.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a so-called vertical pillow type packaging system with an improved flow of articles to be packaged.




2. Description of the Prior Art




A conventional packaging system will be described with reference to

FIG. 1

showing one embodiment of the present invention.




In

FIG. 1

, after articles M discharged from a combination weighing apparatus


1


fall downward intermittently to a chute


203


, they are packaged continuously by a bagging and packaging machine


200


. While the articles M falling from above are filled into a tubular film F, the bagging and packaging machine


200


fuses (seals) and then cuts an upper end F


1


of a film F positioned above the articles M by means of sealing jaws


202




a


provided on a tip end of an end sealer (sealing means)


202


, to thereby continuously package products M


1


.




In the afore-mentioned packaging system, if the articles M are bulky such as potato chips, then they may interfere with one another at a passage-tapered portion A


1


of a funnel-like hopper


203


, the flow of the articles M become slower or they sometimes form a bridge and completely clog.




To solve such clogging, an auxiliary device


205


referred to as “poker” is provided to force the articles M within a chute


203


to fall downward (see, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-236408). Namely, the poker


205


is provided with a clapper H. The clapper H projects from an initial position indicated by a solid line into a position indicated by a double-dotted line, thereby forcing the articles M almost clogging within the chute


203


into the chute to cause them to fall downward.




In some cases, however, good operating timing at which the clapper H projects into the chute


203


is not taken and the clogging of the articles M cannot be completely removed. As a result, weight-defective products M


1


are packaged and thus system productivity deteriorates. In addition, since the system operates at high speed, large amounts of articles M accumulate in a short period of time if the articles M begin clogging. It takes a lot of time and labor to remove the large amounts of accumulated articles M and restart the system, so that system operativity greatly decreases.




Meanwhile, if the articles M interfere with one another and the flow thereof becomes slower, the distance between a former group of articles M which are now falling and a later group of articles M becomes shorter and accordingly, the sealing means cannot operate at good timing. As a result, part of the later articles M are mixed into the former articles M or part of the former articles M are captured into the later articles M and packaged. As a result, weight-defective products M


1


are produced and thus system productivity deteriorates.




It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to maintain the high productivity (production yield) and operativity of a packaging system by improving the operating timing of an auxiliary device and that of sealing means.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




As mentioned above, the abnormal flow of articles is considered to be caused by the defective timing of an auxiliary device and that of seal means.




Taking this into consideration, a packaging system according to the one aspect of the present invention is intended to improve the defective timing of auxiliary device, and comprises an auxiliary device operating on the falling route at predetermined timing and facilitating or improving a flow of the articles; determination means for determining whether a state of the flow of the articles on the falling route is normal or abnormal; and change means for changing the predetermined timing of the auxiliary device according to the state of the flow of the articles determined by the determination means.




According to one aspect of the present invention, the predetermined operating timing of the auxiliary device is automatically changed, so that the state of flow is improved. It is thereby possible to suppress the occurrence of weight-defective products and to maintain the high productivity of the packaging system.




A packaging system according to another aspect of the present invention is intended to improve the defective timing of sealing means, and comprises sealing means operating on the falling route at predetermined timing, for sealing the end of the film in a direction vertical to a transfer direction of the film; determination means for determining whether a state of a flow of the articles on the falling route is normal or abnormal; and change means for changing the predetermined timing of the sealing means according to the state of the flow of the articles determined by the determination means.




According to another aspect of the present invention, the predetermined operating timing of the sealing means is automatically changed, so that the flow state of the articles is improved. It is thereby possible to suppress the occurrence of weight-defective products and to maintain the high productivity of the packaging system.




The term “articles” referred to hereinabove and hereinafter is intended to mean a group of matters weighed and bagged, and the term “product” referred to hereinabove and hereinafter is intended to mean the bagged group.




The term “falling route” referred to hereinabove and hereinafter is intended to mean the route of the articles in the packaging machine or upstream of packaging machine, which route is taken by the articles discharged from a weighing apparatus or the like until they are filled into a bag by a packaging machine.




The term “a state of the flow of articles” referred to hereinabove and hereinafter is intended to mean a state of the articles on the falling route and to encompass the clogging of the articles on the falling route.




As “determination means”, may be used means for determining whether the state of the flow of the articles is normal or abnormal based on the weight of a product packaged, or on the weight difference between before packaging and after packaging.




“Change means” preferably feedback-controls the operating timing of an auxiliary device and/or that of the sealing means while using a signal from the determination means as an input.




The term “feedback control” means detecting a control result, determining whether or not the result is appropriate, transmitting an appropriate correction signal and controlling a target as originally commanded. This control can be carried out based on, for example, surplus or shortage of the weight of a packaged product, the frequency of surplus or shortage thereof and/or the surplus or shortage amount thereof.




Further, according to the present invention, if there is provided a timing storage for updating and storing the operating timing of the auxiliary device or that of the sealing means according to the type of the articles or products, it is possible to minutely change the operating timing according to the type of the articles or products and to thereby maintain the high productivity of the packaging system.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




In any event, the present invention will become more clearly understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments and the drawings are given only for the purpose of illustration and explanation, and are not to be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention in any way whatsoever, which scope is to be determined by the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to denote like parts throughout the several views, and:





FIG. 1

is a schematic side view of a packaging system in one embodiment according to the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a cross-sectional view of a poker;





FIGS. 3A

to


3


C are timing charts showing the operating timings of the poker;





FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional view of an end sealer;





FIG. 5A

is a schematic block diagram showing the important portion of the system.





FIG. 5B

is a diagram showing the stored contents of a timing storage;





FIG. 6

is a flow chart showing the operation of the system;





FIG. 7

is a flow chart showing the operation of the system; and





FIG. 8

is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a modification.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS




One embodiment according to the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to

FIGS. 1

to


7


.




First, a bagging, filling and packaging system according to the present invention will be outlined.




In

FIG. 1

, reference numeral


100


represents a delivery conveyer, reference numeral


1


represents a combination weighing apparatus, reference numeral


200


represents a bagging and packaging machine (a packaging machine), reference numeral


300


represents a weight checker (weighing conveyer), reference numeral


400


represents a seal checker, and reference numeral


700


represents a boxing machine.




The delivery conveyer


100


causes articles M to fall onto the central portion of a dispensing feeder


2


of the combination weighing apparatus


1


. The combination weighing apparatus


1


combines some of the weights of the articles M supplied into a number of weighing hoppers (not shown), combines the articles M, whereby the total weight of the articles M thus combined can attain a combination calculated value Wc equal or approximate to a target weight to allow the articles M to fall into the bagging and packaging machine


200


disposed downward.




The bagging and packaging machine


200


is a so-called vertical pillow type bagging machine. In the machine


200


, a vertical sealer


201


fuses a sheet-like web of film F drawn from a film roll Fr and forms the film F into a tubular shape. While the articles M falling downward from above are being filled into the tubular film F, sealing jaws


202




a


provided on tip end of an end sealer (sealing means)


202


fuse (seal) and then cut an upper end (film end) F


1


of the film F above the articles M to thereby continuously package products M


1


in a certain cycle time (see, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-128105).




A packaged product M


1


falls downward, is laid onto a receiving conveyer


302


by a knock-down member


301


and transported by the conveyer


302


onto the weight checker


300


. The weight checker


300


weighs and inspects the product M


1


while the product M


1


is being transported diagonally upward. The product M


1


is transported from the weight checker


300


toward the seal checker


400


.




The seal checker


400


transports the product M


1


transferred from the weight checker


300


while the product M


1


is suppressed from above by a retainer member


401


and, during transport, inspects the presence or absence of a defective seal in a bag of the product M


1


and the length of the product M


1


. A sorting device


500


ejects the product M


1


out of the system if the product M


1


received from the seal checker


400


is deemed defective and transports the product M


1


downstream if it is deemed acceptable based on the inspection result. The product M


1


is transported toward the downward boxing machine


700


through a transport apparatus consisting of the sorting device


500


, a line-up transport device


600


and the like. The boxing machine


700


loads products M


1


into a cardboard box B.




Next, the detail of the bagging and packaging machine


200


will be described.




As shown in

FIG. 2

, the bagging and packaging machine


200


comprises a former G having a film guide G


1


. In the bagging and packaging machine


200


, while the sheet-like film F drawn from the film roll Fr (

FIG. 1

) is being guided by the guide G


1


, the former G folds the film F so as to overlap both sides of the film F to form a tubular body C. Thereafter, in the bagging and packaging machine


200


, the vertical sealer


201


shown in

FIG. 1

fuses the overlapped both sides of the tubular body C and the sealing jaws


202




a


fuse and cut the tubular body C in width direction, thereby forming a bag F


2


having a sealed lower end portion.




A discharge chute


101


of a combination weighing apparatus


1


is disposed above the former G (FIG.


2


). The articles M discharged from the discharge chute


101


fall downward into the bag F


2


having the sealed lower end portion, the end portion F


1


above the bag F


2


is fused and cut by the sealing jaws


202




a


and the products M


1


are continuously packaged in a predetermined cycle time.




A poker (an auxiliary device)


205


is provided at the bagging and packaging machine


200


to facilitate or improve the flow of the articles M. As shown in

FIG. 2

, the poker


205


has an L-shaped arm E. A clapper H is provided on the tip end of the arm E. A base Eo of the arm E is connected to an output shaft Mo of a motor through a reduction gear unit (which is not shown). By the rotation of the motor, the arm E moves angularly from an initial position indicated by a solid line to an operating position indicated by a double-dotted line, whereby the clapper H projects into an introduction chute


203


and claps the articles M within the introduction chute


203


to cause the articles M to fall downward, facilitating or improving the flow of the articles M (see, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-236408).




As shown in

FIG. 2

, a passage detector


207


is disposed between the introduction chute


203


and the discharge chute


101


. The passage detector


207


comprises, for example, an area sensor having a line-type photo-detector for detecting the articles M. As shown in

FIG. 3A

, after the passage detector


207


has detected the articles M, the poker


205


is activated after the passage of a predetermined poker set time Ts to be described later from the time the detector


207


has no longer detected the articles M.




As shown in

FIG. 4

, the end sealer


202


has a pair of arms


210


and sealing jaws


202




a


provided on the tip ends of the arms


210


, respectively. The sealing jaws


202




a


clamp the bag F


2


between them from lateral direction, thermally seal and cut the bag F


2


. The base of each arm


210


is connected to a servo motor which is not shown in FIG.


4


. The right and left sealing jaws


202




a


carry out packaging operation in a manner in which they rotate in directions opposite each other as indicated by arrows, pass the positions indicated by solid lines, go downward toward the positions indicated by double-dotted lines while clamping the bag F


2


therebetween, seal the upper end F


1


of the preceding bag F


2


(the lower end F


1


of the following bag F


2


) and cut the bag F


2


with cutter


208


(see, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-278729).




Next, description will be given to the principle of a manner in which the operating timing of the end sealer


202


(which timing will be referred to as “sealing timing” hereinafter) and the timing of the poker


205


(which timing will be referred to as “ramming timing” hereinafter) are changed in this embodiment.




If the weight defects of the products M


1


are repeated a predetermined number of times, there is a possibility that the sealing timing has deviated. In other words, it is suspected that before the last articles M of the preceding group of the articles M arrive at a predetermined level, the sealing operation is carried out and such last articles M mix into the next bag, with the result that the shortage or surplus of the weight of the product M


1


may possibly occur repeatedly. Accordingly, the system is operated while delaying the sealing time by a predetermined time. It is then determined whether or not weight defects occur repeatedly during a predetermined number of subsequent weighing operations, and control for further delaying the sealing timing until the weight defects are removed is repeatedly carried out (feedback-control is carried out). Consequently, it is possible to eliminate the weight defects of the products M


1


.




In the meantime, if weight defects occur repeatedly, there is a likelihood that, other than the deviation of sealing timing as mentioned above, the ramming timing has deviated. Accordingly, in a case where the weight defects cannot be removed even if the sealing timing is changed a predetermined number of times by the afore-mentioned method, the ramming timing is changed. That is, the system is operated while changing the ramming timing, and it is determined whether or not weight defects occur repeatedly during a predetermined number of subsequent weighing operations. Then, the ramming timing is changed repeatedly (feedback-control is carried out) until the weight defects do not occur any longer. Consequently, it is possible to eliminate the weight defects of the products M


1


.




Next, one example of controlling to carry out the afore-mentioned control will be described.




As show in

FIG. 5A

, a packaging controller


20


is connected to not only a combination controller


10


and a checker control unit


30


but also machine parts such as an actuator and a motor. The combination controller


10


and the packaging controller


20


are coupled to each other by an interlocking signal T, to allow a weighing apparatus side for discharging the articles and the packaging apparatus side for receiving the articles to operate in an associated manner.




Interfaces, which are not shown, are inserted between the respective control equipment and the like.




The combination controller


10


controls the combination weighing apparatus


1


and transmits the afore-mentioned combination calculated value Wc to the packaging controller


20


every time the combination weighing apparatus


1


performs a combination weighing operation. The checker control unit


30


controls the weight checker


300


and transmits a post-discharge measured value Ws obtained by subtracting a tare weight from the gross weight of the product M


1


to the packaging controller


20


.




The packaging controller


20


has a microcomputer


25


, an end sealer control circuit


201


, a poker control circuit


204


and a detector control circuit


206


. The detector control circuit


206


is connected to the passage detector


207


. The detector control circuit


206


outputs a detection signal to the microcomputer


25


from the time it detects the articles M (shields light) until the detector


207


does not detects the articles M any longer (transmits light). The poker


205


and the end sealer


202


are connected to the poker control circuit


204


and the end sealer control circuit


201


, respectively.




The microcomputer


25


has a central processing unit (CPU)


21


, a read-only memory (ROM)


22


and a random access memory (RAM)


23


. The packaging controller


20


makes the end sealer


202


wait at a predetermined origin and outputs a discharge request signal to the combination controller


10


. When receiving the discharge request signal, the combination controller


10


effect combination weighing apparatus


1


to discharge the articles M combination-weighed by the combination weighing apparatus


1


. The combination controller


10


outputs the combination measured value Wc and a discharge completion signal to the packaging controller


20


.




When the articles M are discharged from the discharge chute


101


(FIG.


1


), the CPU


21


as shown in

FIG. 3A

, starts counting poker delay time TS after the passage detector


207


detects the shielding due to the articles M and detects light transmission again, i.e., the CPU


21


does not receive the detection signal any longer after receiving the detection signal from the detector control circuit


206


. The CPU


21


activates the poker


205


when the poker delay time TS passes.




Meanwhile, the CPU


21


calculates delay time TJ from the time the discharge request signal is outputted to the combination controller


10


or from the time the discharge completion signal is received therefrom until the right and left sealing jaws


202




a


and


202




a


are engaged with each other, and outputs the resultant delay time TJ to the end sealer control circuit


201


. The end sealer control circuit


201


controls the speed of angle of rotation based on the delay time TJ. As a result, at the delay time TJ later, the right and left sealing jaws


202




a


and


202




a


arrive at a position at which they are engaged with each other.




The CPU


21


has the first, second and third counters K, L and N not shown as well as determination means


21




a


and change means


21




b.


The determination means


21




a


determines whether or not the weight of the product M


1


measured by the weight checker


300


(

FIG. 1

) is defective. For example, if the post-discharge measured value Ws of the product M


1


is not less than an upper limit value or not more than a lower limit value (if the value Ws does not satisfy the relationship of ((lower limit value)<(post-discharge measured value Ws)<(upper limit value)), then the determination means


21




a


determines that the weight of the product M


1


is defective. The change means


21




b


changes the sealing timing and/or the ramming timing according to the detected flow state of the articles M.




The RAM


23


has a timing storage


23




a.






The timing storage


23




a


as shown in

FIG. 5B

, stores end sealer set time Tj and poker set time Ts in association with Call No. and a product name. The end sealer set time Tj and the poker set time Ts are preset for each product M


1


, updated by the CPU


21


and stored in the storage


23




a.






A touch screen


26


and alarming means


27


are connected to the microcomputer


25


. The touch screen


26


is provided with, for example, a liquid crystal display unit, which unit makes displays in various manners according to the outputs of the CPU


21


. The alarming means


27


buzzes (alarms) in response to a signal from the CPU


21


and puts on an alarming light (alarms).




Next, the operation of the packaging system in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow charts of

FIGS. 6 and 7

.




When an operator selects a Call No. corresponding to a product M


1


to be packaged, the CPU


21


reads end sealer set time Tj and poker set time Ts corresponding to the selected Call No. from the timing storage


23




a.


The CPU


21


loads the set time Tj and Ts thus read as end sealer delay time TJ and poker delay time TS, respectively, whereby the system starts.




In a step S


1


, the microcomputer


25


clears the first counter K to zero, followed by a step S


2


. In the step S


2


, the determination means


21




a


determines whether or not the weight of the product M


1


measured by the weight checker


300


(

FIG. 1

) is defective. If the determination result indicates that weight defects occur three consecutive times, a step S


3


follows. In the step S


3


, it is determined whether or not the first counter K reaches predetermined number (e.g., four). If the first counter K does not reach the number, a step S


4


follows. In the step S


4


, the first counter K is incremented, followed by a step S


5


.




In the step S


5


, the change means


21




b


adds predetermined adjustment time Δt to the end sealer set time Tj, and stores the updated end sealer set time Tj (Tj=Tj+Δt) in the timing storage


23




a.


The CPU


21


. defines the end sealer set time Tj as the delay time TJ and operates the system. The processing then returns to the step S


2


.




As can be seen from the above, if the weight defects occur a predetermined consecutive times, the sealing timing is automatically delayed by predetermined time. As a result, even if the articles M fall downward one after another, good sealing timing is ensured, thereby making it difficult for weight-defective products M


1


to occur. Thus, it is possible to maintain high system productivity.




In the meantime, in the step S


3


, if the first counter K reaches the predetermined number, it is estimated that not the sealing timing but the poker operating timing causes the occurrence of weight defects and a step S


10


follows. In the step S


10


, the poker operating timing is controlled as described below. The step S


10


is followed by a step S


11


shown in FIG.


7


. In the step S


11


, the second counter L is cleared to zero and a step S


12


follows. In the step S


12


, it is determined whether or not the second counter L reaches a predetermined number (e.g., five). If the second counter L does not reach the predetermined number, a step S


13


follows. In the step S


13


, the second counter L is incremented, followed by a step S


14


. In the step S


14


, the change means


21




b


adds the predetermined adjustment time Δt to the poker set time Ts. As shown in

FIG. 3B

, the change means


21




b


defines the resultant poker set time Ts (Ts=Ts+Δt) as the poker delay time TS. The start timing of the poker


205


is controlled based on the poker delay time TS, followed by a step S


15


shown in FIG.


7


.




In the step S


15


, the determination means


21




a


determines whether or not there is a weight defect. If determination result indicates that weight defects occur three consecutive times, the step S


12


is executed again. In the step S


15


, if it is determined that the weight defect does not occur consecutively or there is no weight defect, a step S


16


follows. In the step S


16


, the change means


21




b


stores the updated poker set time Ts (Ts=Ts+nΔt) in the timing storage


23




a


and the step S


1


(

FIG. 6

) is executed again.




In the S


12


, if the second counter L reaches the predetermined number (five), i.e., the weight defects are not removed even by delaying the ramming timing by predetermined time (5×adjustment time Δt), then the delayed predetermined time 5Δt is subtracted from the poker set time Ts (Ts=Ts×5Δt) to return the poker set time Ts to the original value and a step S


21


follows. In the step S


21


, the third counter N is cleared to zero, followed by a step S


22


.




In the step S


22


, it is determined whether the third counter N reaches a predetermined number (e.g., five). If the third counter N does not reach the predetermined number, a step S


23


follows. In the step S


23


, the third counter N is incremented, followed by a step S


24


. In the step S


24


, the change means


21




b


subtracts the predetermined adjustment time Δt from the poker set time Ts. As shown in

FIG. 3C

, the change means


21




b


defines the resultant poker set time Ts (Ts=Ts−Δt) as the poker delay time TS, and the start timing of the poker


205


is controlled based on the poker delay time TS, followed by a step S


25


.




In the step S


25


, the determination means


21




a


determines whether or not there is a weight defect. If determination result indicates that weight defects occur three consecutive times, the step S


22


is executed again. If the determination result indicates that weight defects do not occur consecutively or no weight defect occurs, a step S


26


follows. In the step S


26


, the change means


21




b


stores the updated poker set time Ts in the timing storage


23




a.


The step S


1


(

FIG. 6

) is then executed again.




In the step S


22


, if the third counter N reaches the predetermined number, a step S


27


follows. In the step S


27


, it is determined that the abnormal flow of the articles M cannot be improved by adjusting the sealing timing or ramming timing and an alarm message such as “Weight defects occur consecutively. Is there any abnormality in the system?” is displayed on the touch screen


26


.




In this way, if the weight defects occur consecutively even by delaying the sealing timing, the poker ramming timing is automatically changed. Consequently, the state of flow of the articles M is improved, making it difficult for weight-defective products M


1


to occur.




In the aforementioned embodiment, the determination means


21




a


determines the deviation of the sealing timing based on the determination as to whether or not the weight of the articles M is defective. The determination is not necessarily carried out based on the weight of the articles M. For example, if the sealing timing has deviated, the articles M are bit into the sealed portion of the bag F


2


(FIG.


4


). To avoid this, another arrangement may be made in that a bite detecting means is provided at the end sealer (see, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-187153) and, when the detecting means detects bite, the sealing timing is automatically changed.




Furthermore, in the afore-mentioned embodiment, the determination means


21




a


determines a state of flow based on whether or not weight defects occur a predetermined consecutive times. It is also possible to determine a state of flow based on, for example, the frequency with which weight defects occur in a predetermined number of production cycles. In the latter case, the rate of improving the changed frequency may be fed back, thereby changing the value of the adjustment time Δt according to the improvement rate and conducting feedback-control.




Moreover, in the afore-mentioned embodiment, if the weight defects cannot be improved even by adjusting the sealing timing, the poker ramming timing is adjusted. If the ramming timing has deviated, there occurs a great shortage in the articles M. Considering this, either the adjustment of the sealing timing or that of the ramming timing may be selected depending on the degree of the shortage of weight.




Furthermore, only one of the sealing timing and the ramming timing may be adjusted.




In addition, the functions of the CPU


21


may be distributed to a plurality of CPU. As shown in

FIG. 8

, for example, a remote controller


15


having the function of the determination means and that of the change means mentioned in the above embodiment, may be provided and connected to the combination controller


10


and the checker control unit


30


.




Besides, the above embodiment has been described while using the end sealer


202


having the constantly rotating sealing jaws


202




a.


The present invention is also applicable to an end sealer having sealing jaws which undergo a reciprocating motion in horizontal direction (see, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-187153) or the like.




The preferred embodiment has been described so far with reference to the drawings. However, those skilled in the art will readily conceive various changes and modifications within the framework of obviousness upon the reading of the specification herein presented of the present invention. Accordingly, such changes and modifications are, unless they depart from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims annexed hereto, to be construed as included therein.



Claims
  • 1. A packaging system for causing articles to fall downward along a predetermined falling route and filling said articles into a tubular film thereby producing packaged products, comprising:an auxiliary device operating on said falling route after an interval from a time when the articles fall down, thereby facilitating or improving a flow of the articles; a weight checker for weighing the packaged product; and a controller having: determination means for determining whether a state of the flow of the articles on said falling route is normal or abnormal, based on a weight of the packaged product measured by the weight checker; and change means for changing the interval according to the state of the flow of the articles determined by said determination means, wherein a system feedback controls the change means based on the state of the flow determined by said determination means.
  • 2. A packaging system according to claim 1, whereinsaid determination means determines whether the weight of the product is within a predetermined value range or not, and further determines whether the state of the flow of said articles is normal or abnormal, based on a result produced by the weight checker.
  • 3. A packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises:a timing storage for storing the interval according to a type of said articles, the interval may be updated.
  • 4. A packaging system for causing articles to fall downward along a predetermined falling route and filling said articles into a tubular film thereby producing packaged products, comprising:sealing means operating on said falling route after an interval from a time when the articles fall down, for sealing an end of said film in a direction orthogonal to a transfer direction of said film, a weight checker for weighing the packaged product; and a controller comprising: determination means for determining whether a state of a flow of the articles on said falling route is normal or abnormal, based on a weight of the packaged product measured by the weight checker; and change means for changing the interval according to the state of the flow of the articles determined by said determination means, wherein a system feedback controls the change means based on the state of the flow determined by said determination means.
  • 5. A packaging system according to claim 2, whereinsaid determination means determines whether the weight of the product is within a predetermined value range or not, and further determines whether the state of the flow of said articles is normal or abnormal, based on a result produced by the weight checker.
  • 6. A packaging system according to claim 2, wherein the controller further comprises:a timing storage for storing the interval according to a type of said articles, the interval may be updated.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
11-099644 Apr 1999 JP
US Referenced Citations (12)
Number Name Date Kind
3916598 Adams et al. Nov 1975 A
4128985 Simmons Dec 1978 A
4546596 Cherney Oct 1985 A
4597240 Scully Jul 1986 A
4813205 Mikata et al. Mar 1989 A
5241800 Steinke et al. Sep 1993 A
5533322 Bacon et al. Jul 1996 A
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5924268 Fukuda et al. Jul 1999 A
6233902 Nakagawa May 2001 B1
6285918 Kono Sep 2001 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number Date Country
04-128105 Apr 1992 JP
05-278729 Oct 1993 JP
07-187153 Jul 1995 JP
10-236408 Aug 1998 JP
WO 9702179 Jan 1997 WO