Furukawa Mfg. Co., Ltd.

Wataru Kudo

Hiroshi Kondo

Eitaro Kujubu

The present invention provides a packaging system that includes a beak-shaped hopper, a pair of opening and closing bars, and a sensor for sensing a limitless opening and closing movement of the opening and closing bars. The beak-shaped hopper and the pair of opening and closing bars are operable to move in unison back and forth along a main travel path. The main travel path leads to a rotary vacuum packaging device having a pressure resistant chamber. The beak-shaped hopper is dimensioned to convey packaging bags into the pressure resistant chamber. The opening and closing bars are dimensioned to detect a bag on the hopper by opening towards both sides immediately after a bag has been conveyed into the pressure resistant chamber. A pushing bar is dimensioned to convey an item to be packaged into the bag when the bag is detected on the hopper by the opening and closing bars. The opening and closing bars contact a sensor for detecting movement of the opening and closing bars when a bag is not on the hopper.

Packaging system

An article to be packaged and a packaging bag for covering the article are supplied to heat sealing mechanisms which arrive at uniform time intervals, in synchronism with cycle timing of the respective heat sealing mechanisms. A vertically openable beak-shaped hopper and a sliding plate perform reciprocal movement at a uniform time interval along guides on both sides, and arrive at circulating sealing platforms. The hopper is inserted into an opening of the packaging bag hanging down from above, and conveys the packaging bag to the sealing platform whilst extending the same. In response to a relevant signal, a forward-and-reverse motor coupled to a ball screw causes the article to advance following the hopper by an insertion rod moving along the guides. If there is no resistance of the packaging bag on the opening-and-closing bars which open to opposite sides, a packaging bag absence signal is issued, and according to this signal, the insertion rod is withdrawn together with the hopper, leaving the article on the sliding plate, and subsequent advance timing of the hopper is controlled.

Growing community of inventors

Mihara, Japan

Wataru Kudo