Packaging system with improved flow of articles

Abstract

The present invention relates to 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 21 a determining whether a state of the flow of the articles M on the falling route A is normal or abnormal, and a change unit 21 b 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 21 a . 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.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A packaging system for causing articles to fall downward along a predetermined falling route and filling said articles into a tubular film, comprising: 
 an auxiliary device operating on said 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 said falling route is normal or abnormal; and    change means for changing the predetermined timing of said auxiliary device according to the state of the flow of the articles determined by said determination means.    
     
     
         2 . A packaging system for causing articles to fall downward along a predetermined falling route and filling said articles into a tubular film, comprising: 
 sealing means operating on said falling route at predetermined timing, for sealing the end of said film in a direction orthogonal to a transfer direction of said film;    determination means for determining whether a state of a flow of the articles on said falling route is normal or abnormal; and    change means for changing the predetermined timing of said sealing means according to the state of the flow of the articles determined by said determination means.    
     
     
         3 . A packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein said determination means determines whether the state of the flow of said articles is normal or abnormal, based on weight of a packaged product.  
     
     
         4 . A packaging system according to  claim 2 , wherein said determination means determines whether the state of the flow of said articles is normal or abnormal, based on weight of a packaged product.  
     
     
         5 . A packaging system according to  claim 3 , wherein the system feedback-controls the predetermined timing of said auxiliary device based on a receiving signal indicating the state of the flow from said determination means.  
     
     
         6 . A packaging system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a timing storage for storing the predetermined timing of said auxiliary device according to a type of either said articles or a product, the predetermined timing may be updated.    
     
     
         7 . A packaging system according to  claim 4 , wherein the system feedback-controls the predetermined timing of said sealing means based on a receiving signal indicating the state of the flow from said determination means.  
     
     
         8 . A packaging system according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a timing storage for storing the predetermined timing of said sealing means according to a type of either said articles or a product, the predetermined timing may be updated.