Fuji Machinery Co., Ltd.

Masato Hatano

Kiyoshi Seko

Shigeki Suzuki

A packaging method, and an apparatus for carrying out the method, comprises the operation of a conveyor for conveying articles to be packaged, the supply of a packaging film to be formed into a tubular-shaped package for enclosing or packaging the articles to be packaged, and the provision of end sealing mechanisms for sealing the ends of the tubular packages. A central processing unit contains data concerning the cut pitch for cutting the film, the size of the packaged articles, and the like, and accordingly, in order to effect a tight packaging of the articles, whereby the length of the article packages is effectively reduced as compared with conventional packages, whereby less packaging film is utilized, or in other words, the economic usage of the packaging film is maximized, the rotational speed of the end sealing mechanism is varied in a non-uniform manner such that when the end sealer elements of the end sealing mechansim are disposed at predetermined angular positions away from their mutually opposed or engaged position, the rotary speed of the end sealer elements is greater than the film feeding speed, while when the end sealing elements are disposed at predetermined angular positions within the vicinity of their opposed or engaged sealing position, and including their substantially opposed or engaged sealing position, the rotational speed of the end sealing elements is substantially equal to that of the film feeding speed.

Packaging method and apparatus

A packaging article inclusion-proofing device for use with an end-sealing mechanism includes a motor for driving a conveyor for feeding packaging articles, with a predetermined space therebetween, into a packaging material which is disposed downstream and formed into a packaging tube, a motor for driving a series of rolls which deliver the packaging material, and a motor for driving an end-sealing mechanism for achieving end-sealing of the tubular packaging material. A deviation detecting sensor is provided for detecting any deviation of the packaging articles from a position at which they would normally be disposed during the end-sealing operation. A reference timing pulse generator generates predetermined reference timing pulses with respect to the feeding of the packaging articles. The motor drive for the end-sealing mechanism is stopped when a deviation timing signal, based upon a reference timing pulse, coincides with a deviation detection signal from the deviation detecting sensor, and the motor drive is restarted after a predetermined cycle time period elapses which would encompass all of the packaging articles disposed at the deviated positions, whereby proper synchronization of the articles, packaging material, and end-sealing is again achieved.

Packaging article inclusion-proofing device for end-sealing mechanism

A vacant package-proofing control device for use in conenction with a packaging machine includes a first motor for driving a conveyor for feeding articles to be packaged, with a predetermined spaced defined therebetween, and a second motor for driving a series of rolls which deliver packaging material, formed into a tube, into which the articles are to be inserted for packaging. A third motor is also provided for driving a pair of end-sealing mechanisms. An absence detecting sensor is disposed at a predetermined position upstream of the end-sealing mechanisms for detecting the absence of any packaging article from its predetermined position upon its conveyor. A reference timing pulse generator is also provided for generating predetermined reference timing pulses in connection with the timing of the feeding of the packaging articles. When an absence detection signal from the absence detecting sensor coincides with a timing signal from the reference timing pulse generator, the motor drives for the packaging material and the end sealing mechanisms are gradually decelerated and stopped so as to prevent the formation of an empty package, and after a predetermined duration of time corresponding to the number of absent packages detected, the motor drives are gradually accelerated so as to sychronize the same with the drive motor for the article conveyor.

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Nagoya, Japan

Masato Hatano