Bag Filling and Packaging Method and Bag Filling and Packaging Apparatus

Abstract

In a bag filling and packaging method and apparatus, first and second bag pressing members being provided a specific distance apart in the lengthwise direction of a bag and respectively having pressing components that extend in the width direction of the bag. The bag pressing members are moved toward a rear plate which is provided on the rear side of the bag, so that the pressing component of the first bag pressing member and an end face of the rear plates hold the bag, and the pressing component of the second pressing member pushes a position of the bag above a receiving face of the rear plate, allowing the bag face including the print part to be taut along the receiving face of the rear plate, and printing or print inspection is performed in this configuration.

1 . A bag filling and packaging method in which an open end of a bag is held while the bag is carried along a conveyance path, and packaging steps including filling the bag with its contents and closing up an opening thereof are sequentially carried out while the bag is being conveyed, wherein
 a printing step is performed before the content-filling step as one of the packaging steps, and   in the printing step a bag face that includes a print part is pulled taut in at least one of a length direction and a width direction of the bag, and then printing is performed with the print part of the bag being flat.   
     
     
         2 . A bag filling and packaging method in which an open end of a bag is held'while the bag is carried along a conveyance path, and packaging steps including filling the bag with its contents and closing up an opening thereof are sequentially carried out while the bag is being conveyed, wherein
 a print-inspection step of a bag face of the bag is performed before the content-filling step as one of the packaging steps, and   in the print-inspection step a bag face that includes a print part is pulled taut in at least one of a length direction and a width direction of the bag, so that print inspection is performed with the print part of the bag being flat.   
     
     
         3 . The bag filling and packaging method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein
 an upper edge of the bag is open, and 
 both sides of the upper edge of the bag are gripped by a pair of left and right grippers so that the bag is held in a state in which the bag hangs down when carried along the conveyance path. 
 
     
     
         4 . A bag filling and packaging apparatus wherein an open end of a bag is held while the bag is carried along a conveyance path, and packaging steps including filling the bag with its contents and closing up an opening thereof are sequentially carried out while the bag is being conveyed, and wherein
 a printing step is performed before the content-filling step as part of the packaging steps, and   at a position where the printing step is performed, a printing device and a print assisting device are provided, said print assisting device pulling taut a bag face that includes a print part in one of a length direction and a width direction of the bag, and then printing is performed with the print part of the bag being flat.   
     
     
         5 . A bag filling and packaging apparatus wherein an open end of a bag is held while the bag is carried along a conveyance path, and packaging steps including filling the bag with its contents and closing up an opening thereof are sequentially carried out while the bag is being conveyed, and wherein
 a print-inspection step is performed before the content-filling step as one of the packaging steps, and   at a position where the print-inspection step is performed, a print injection device and a print-inspection assisting device are provided, said print-inspection assisting device pulling taut a bag face that includes a print part of the bag in at least one of a length direction and a width direction of the bag, and then printing is performed with the print part of the bag being flat.   
     
     
         6 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the print assisting device comprises a pair of pressing members and a rear plate which are provided to face each other and moved toward and away from each other;   the rear plate is provided on a rear face side of the bag and has a flat receiving face that corresponds to the print part of the bag;   the pair of pressing members comprise a bag bottom-side pressing member and a bag opening-side pressing member provided a specific distance apart in the lengthwise direction of the bag on a front side of the bag where the print part is located;   each one of the pressing members has a pressing component that extends in the width direction of the bag;   the rear plate and the pressing component of the bag bottom-side pressing member sandwich a position on a bag bottom side, in the width direction of the bag, from the print part of the bag so as to hold the bag;   the pressing component of the bag opening-side pressing member presses a position that is on the opening side of the bag from the receiving face of the rear plate in the rear face-side direction; and   the pressing component of the bag opening-side pressing member is pushed in beyond the receiving face of the rear plate in the rear face-side direction of the bag with the bag being held by the rear plate and the pressing component of the bag bottom-side pressing member.   
     
     
         7 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the print-inspection assisting device comprises a pair of pressing members and a rear plate which are provided to face each other and moved toward and away from each other;   the rear plate is provided on a rear face side of the bag and has a flat receiving face that corresponds to the print part of the bag;   the pair of pressing members comprise a bag bottom-side pressing member and a bag opening-side pressing member provided a specific distance apart in the lengthwise direction of the bag on the front side of the bag where the print part of the bag is located;   each one the pressing members has a pressing component that extends in the width direction of the bag;   the rear plate and the pressing component of the bag bottom-side pressing member sandwich a position on the bag bottom side, in the width direction of the bag, from the print part of the bag so as to hold the bag;   the pressing component of the bag opening-side pressing member presses a position that is on the opening side from the receiving face of the bag in the rear face-side direction; and   the pressing component of the bag opening-side pressing member is pushed in beyond the receiving face of the rear plate in the rear face-side direction of the bag with the bag being held by the rear plate and the pressing component of the bag bottom-side pressing member.   
     
     
         8 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the rear plate and bag bottom-side pressing member of the print assisting device are set up in one of the manners consisting of:
 the rear plate is provided at a receiving position that is a fixed position and the bag bottom-side pressing member is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a holding position at which the bag is held between the rear plate and the bag bottom-side pressing member, 
 the bag bottom-side pressing member is provided at a holding position that is a fixed position and the rear plate is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a receiving position at which the bag is held between the bag bottom-side pressing member and this rear plate, and 
 the bag bottom-side pressing member is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a holding position at which the bag is held between the rear plate and the bag bottom-side pressing member and the rear plate is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a receiving position at which the bag is held between the bag bottom-side pressing member and this rear plate; and wherein 
   furthermore, the bag opening-side pressing member is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a pressing position at which the bag is pressed in the rear face-side direction.   
     
     
         9 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the rear plate and bag bottom-side pressing member of the print-inspection assisting device are set up in one of the manners consisting of
 the rear plate is provided at a receiving position that is a fixed position and the bag bottom-side pressing member is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a holding position at which the bag is held between the rear plate and the bag bottom-side pressing member, 
 the bag bottom-side pressing member is provided at a holding position that is a fixed position and the rear plate is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a receiving position at which the bag is held between the bag bottom-side pressing member and the rear plate, and 
 the bag bottom-side pressing member is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a holding position at which the bag is held between the rear plate and the bag bottom-side pressing member and the rear plate is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a receiving position at which the bag is held between the bag bottom-side pressing member and the rear plate; and 
 the bag opening-side pressing member is movable between a standby position away from the bag and a pressing position at which the bag is pressed in the rear face-side direction. 
   
     
     
         10 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 6  or  8 , wherein the bag is held between the receiving, face of the rear plate and the pressing component of the bag bottom-side pressing member. 
     
     
         11 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 7  or  9 , wherein the bag is held between the receiving face of the rear plate and the pressing component of the bag bottom-side pressing member. 
     
     
         12 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 6  or  8 , wherein
 the rear plate has a bag bottom-side end face on the bag bottom side of the receiving face, and 
 the bag is held between the bag bottom-side end face and the pressing component of the bag bottom-side pressing member. 
 
     
     
         13 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 7  or  9 , wherein
 the rear plate has a bag bottom-side end face on the bag bottom side of the receiving face, and 
 the bag is held between the bag bottom-side end face and the pressing component of the bag bottom-side pressing member. 
 
     
     
         14 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the print assisting device comprises a pair of pressing members and a rear plate which are provided to face each other and moved toward and away from each other,   the rear plate is provided on a rear face side of the bag, has a flat receiving face that corresponds to the print part of the bag, and has an opening-side end face and bag bottom-side end face along the width direction of the bag on the opening side and bag bottom side of the receiving face, respectively, and   the pair of pressing members are provided a specific distance apart in the lengthwise direction of the bag on the front side of the bag where the print part is located, each one of the pressing members having a pressing component that extends in the width direction of the bag; and wherein   when the rear plate and the pair of pressing members approach each other,
 the pressing components of the pair of pressing members are pushed in beyond the receiving face of the rear plate at positions near the opening-side end face and the bag bottom-side end face of the rear plate, 
 the bag is sandwiched between one of the pressing components and the opening-side end face and between the other one of the pressing components and the bag bottom-side end face in the width direction of the bag, and 
 the bag is pushed in along with the pressing components in the rear face-side direction of the bag. 
   
     
     
         15 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the print-inspection assisting device comprises a pair of pressing members and a rear plate which are provided to face each other and moved toward and away from leach other,   the rear plate is provided on a rear face side of the bag, has a flat receiving face that corresponds to the print part of the bag, and has an opening-side end face and a bag bottom-side end face along the width direction of the bag on the opening side and bag bottom side of the receiving face, respectively, and   the pair of pressing members are provided a specific distance apart in the lengthwise direction of the bag on the front side of the bag where the print part is located, each one of the pressing members having a pressing component that extends in the width direction of the bag; and wherein   when the rear plate and the pair of pressing members approach each other,
 the pressing components of the pair of pressing members are pushed in beyond the receiving face of the rear plate at positions near the opening-side end face and the bag bottom-side end face of the rear plate, 
 the bag is sandwiched between one of the pressing components and the opening-side end face and between the other one of the pressing components and the bag bottom-side end face in the width direction of the bag, and 
 the bag is pushed in along with the pressing components in the rear face-side direction of the bag. 
   
     
     
         16 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the print assisting device comprises a pair of pressing members and a rear plate which are provided to face each other and moved toward and away from each other,   the rear plate is provided on a rear face side of the bag, has a flat receiving face that corresponds to the print part of the bag, and has left and right end faces along the lengthwise direction of the bag on both sides of the receiving face of the rear plate, and   the pair of pressing members are provided a specific distance apart in the width direction of the bag on the front side of the bag where the print part is located, each one of the pressing members having a pressing component that extends in the lengthwise direction of the bag; and wherein   when the rear plate and the pair of pressing members approach each other,
 the pressing components of the pair of pressing members are pushed in beyond the receiving face of the rear plate at positions near the left and right end fates, 
 the bag is sandwiched between the pressing components and the left and right end faces in the lengthwise direction of the bag, and 
 the bag is pushed in along with the pressing components in the rear face-side direction of the bag. 
   
     
     
         17 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the print-inspection assisting device comprises a pair of pressing members and a rear plate which are provided to face each other and moved toward and away from each other,   the rear plate is provided on a rear face side of the bag, has a flat receiving face that corresponds to the print part of the bag, and has left and right end faces along the lengthwise direction of the hag on both sides of the receiving face,   the pair of pressing members are provided a specific distance apart in the width direction of the bag on the front side of the bag where the print part is located, eachione of the pressing members having a pressing component that extends in the lengthwise direction of the bag; and wherein   when the rear plate and the pair of pressing members approach each other,
 the pressing components of the pair of pressing members are pushed in beyond the receiving face of the rear plate at positions near the left and right end faces, 
 the bag is sandwiched between the pressing components and the left and right end faces in the lengthwise direction of the bag, and 
 the bag is pushed in along with the pressing components in the rear face-side direction of the bag. 
   
     
     
         18 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to any one of  claims 6 ,  8 ,  14 , and  16 , wherein the pressing components of the pressing members are formed from a rubber material. 
     
     
         19 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to any one of  claims 7 ,  9 ,  15 , and  17 , wherein the pressing components of the pressing members are formed from a rubber material. 
     
     
         20 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to any one of  claims 4 ,  6 ,  8 ,  14 , and  16 , wherein
 an upper edge of the bag is open,   the bag filling and packaging apparatus grips both sides of the upper edge of the bag with a pair of left and right grippers so that the bag is held to hang down when carried along the conveyance path, and   the bag filling and packaging apparatus is an intermittently rotating type bag filling and packaging apparatus in which a plurality of pairs of grippers are equidistantly provided around an intermittently rotating table, the grippers are moved along a circular conveyance path as the table intermittently rotates, and the printing device and the print assisting device are provided at a stopping position where the printing step is carried out.   
     
     
         21 . The bag filling and packaging apparatus according to any one of  claims 5 ,  7 ,  9 ,  15 , and  17 , wherein
 an upper edge of the bag is open,   the bag filling and packaging apparatus grips both sides of the upper edge of the bag with a pair: of left and right grippers so that the bag is held to hang down when Carried along the conveyance path, and   the bag filling and packaging apparatus is an intermittently rotating type bag filling and packaging apparatus in which a plurality of pairs of grippers are equidistantly provided around an intermittently rotating table, the grippers are moved along a circular conveyance path as the table intermittently rotates, and the print inspection device and the print-inspection assisting device are provided at a stopping position where the print-inspection step is carried out.