Form-fill-seal machine

Abstract

A form-fill-seal machine has a forming structure, a vertical seal structure, and a clamp fixing mechanism. The forming structure has a support frame, a tube, a sailor collar-shaped unit, and an anvil. The tube is fixed to the support frame. The sailor collar-shaped unit is fixed to the support frame, and wraps a sheet-shaped film around the tube so that two ends thereof overlap. The anvil is fixed to the tube. The vertical seal structure has an oscillator. The oscillator generates ultrasonic waves in order to seal overlapping portions of two ends of the film, being conveyed through the intervening gap with the anvil, in a vertical direction. The clamp fixing mechanism fixes the forming structure and the vertical seal structure in fixed positions relative to one another.

1 . A form-fill-seal machine comprising:
 a support frame;   a cylindrical part fixed to the support frame;   a sailor collar-shaped unit for wrapping a sheet-shaped packaging material on the cylindrical part so that edges thereof overlap defining overlapping portions, the sailor collar-shaped unit being fixed to the support frame;   a first structure having a packaging-material-receiving unit fixed to the cylindrical part;   a second structure having an energy supply unit for imparting oscillatory, thermal, or light energy to the overlapping portions of the packaging material as the packaging material is conveyed through a space bounded on one side by the packaging-material-receiving unit in order to seal the overlapping portions in a vertical direction; and   a first fixing mechanism for releasably coupling the first structure to the second structure in fixed positions relative to one another.   
     
     
         2 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the packaging-material-receiving unit includes an anvil; and   the energy supply unit is an oscillator for generating ultrasonic waves.   
     
     
         3 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a body frame; and   a second fixing mechanism for fixing the second structure to the body frame.   
     
     
         4 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the oscillator is capable of moving in a direction toward the anvil in a state where the first structure and the second structure are coupled in the fixed positions by the first fixing mechanism.   
     
     
         5 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the oscillator is fixed with respect to a direction other than the direction from the oscillator substantially toward the anvil in a state where the first structure and the second structure are coupled in the fixed positions by the first fixing mechanism.   
     
     
         6 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first fixing mechanism has a fixing implement connected to at least one of the first structure and the second structure.   
     
     
         7 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the packaging-material-receiving unit is a heat resistant member; and   the energy supply unit is a heater for heating the overlapping portions of the packaging material.   
     
     
         8 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the packaging-material-receiving unit is a heat resistant member; and   the energy supply unit is a laser irradiator for irradiating the overlapping portions of the packaging material using a laser.   
     
     
         9 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the oscillator is capable of moving in a direction toward the anvil in a state where the first structure and the second structure are coupled in the fixed positions by the first fixing mechanism.   
     
     
         10 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the oscillator is fixed with respect to the anvil in a state where the first structure and the second structure are coupled in the fixed positions by the first fixing mechanism.   
     
     
         11 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first fixing mechanism has a fixing implement connected to at least one of the first structure and the second structure.   
     
     
         12 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first structure and the second structure are movably coupled to one for pivotal movement about a vertically oriented axis, and   the first fixing mechanism includes a clamping mechanism that clamps the first structure to the second structure.   
     
     
         13 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the packaging-material-receiving unit includes an anvil; and   the energy supply unit is an oscillator for generating ultrasonic waves.   
     
     
         14 . The form-fill-seal machine according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first structure and the second structure are configured and arranged to maintain at least a portion of the energy supply unit at horizontal level that is aligned with the anvil with the first fixing mechanism clamping the first structure to the second structure.