Longitudinal bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus

Abstract

The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus is an apparatus for packaging batches of articles being dropped. The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus includes a bag manufacturing and packaging unit, a film supply unit, photoelectric sensors and a controller. The photoelectric sensors detect a bottom end and a top end of batches of articles being dropped. The controller obtains a gap distance based on detected results detected by the photoelectric sensors. The gap distance is a distance between the top end of a preceding batch and the bottom end of a subsequent batch. Then, the controller compares the obtained gap distance with a predetermined value to automatically adjust the cycle time or to reduce the processing speed of the weighing unit. The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus of the present invention provides a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus that automatically avoids situations in which articles are caught in the sealing portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus for packaging batches of articles that are dropped from an article supplier, said bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus comprising: 
 a bag manufacturing and packaging unit that manufactures bags from a film;    a film supply unit that supplies the film to said bag manufacturing and packaging unit;    detection means for detecting a bottom end and a top end of batches of articles being dropped from the article supplier; and    comparison means for obtaining a signal that indicates a gap distance, storing a predetermined value, and comparing the gap distance with the predetermined value, the gap distance being a distance between the top end of a preceding batch and the bottom end of a subsequent batch obtained based on results detected by said detection means.    
     
     
         2 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 signal issuing means that is operatively coupled to said comparison means and the article supplier for issuing a control signal to the article supplier based on the result of comparison by said comparison means.    
     
     
         3 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein 
 said signal issuing means issues a control signal to the article supplier in order to reduce a processing speed of the article supplier when said comparison means determines that the gap distance is smaller than a predetermined minimum value stored in said comparison means.    
     
     
         4 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein 
 said signal issuing means issues a control signal to the article supplier in order to increase the processing speed of the article supplier and a processing speed of said bag manufacturing and packaging unit when said comparison means determines that the gap distance is greater than a predetermined maximum value stored in said comparison means.    
     
     
         5 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein 
 said signal issuing means issues a control signal to the article supplier in order to reduce a processing speed of the article supplier when said comparison means determines that the gap distance is smaller than a predetermined minimum value for at least two consecutive times, said predetermined minimum value being stored in said comparison means.    
     
     
         6 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein 
 said signal issuing means issues a control signal to the article supplier in order to reduce a processing speed of the article supplier when said comparison means determines that an average of at least two gap distances is smaller than a predetermined minimum stored in said comparison means.    
     
     
         7 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said detection means is a photoelectric sensor.    
     
     
         8 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said signal indicates a separating time, which is a length of time between the time when the top end of a preceding batch passes and the time when the bottom end of a subsequent batch passes.    
     
     
         9 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 alert means that is operatively coupled to said comparison means for issuing an alert signal based on the result of comparison by said comparison means, and    a display that is operatively coupled to said comparison means and said alert means, and displays the alert signal.    
     
     
         10 . A longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus that is adapted to package articles by sealing top and bottom ends of a manufactured tubular bag while batches of the articles are dropped in the bag from an article supplier, said longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus comprising: 
 a bag manufacturing and packaging unit that seals a portion of a film to manufacture bags from the film and stuffs the articles in the bags;    a film supply unit that supplies the film to said bag manufacturing and packaging unit;    detection means for detecting a discharge of the articles from the article supplier; and    adjusting means operatively coupled to said detection means and said bag manufacturing and packaging unit for automatically adjusting a cycle time based on the detected result detected by said detection means such that the articles are not caught in the sealed portion of the bags, the cycle time being a period of time necessary for said bag manufacturing and packaging unit to manufacture and package one bag of articles.    
     
     
         11 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising 
 comparison means for obtaining a signal that indicates a gap distance, storing a predetermined value, and comparing the gap distance with the predetermined value,    said detection means detecting top and bottom ends of batches of articles being dropped, the gap distance being a distance between the top end of a preceding batch and the bottom end of a subsequent batch obtained based on detected results detected by said detection means,    said adjusting means obtaining a gap distance from the detected results detected by said detection means and lengthening the cycle time of said bag manufacturing and packaging unit while issuing a control signal to the article supplier in order to reduce a processing speed of the article supplier when said comparison means determines that the gap distance is smaller than a predetermined minimum value stored in said comparison means.    
     
     
         12 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein 
 said adjusting means shortens the cycle time of said bag manufacturing and packaging unit and issues a control signal to the article supplier in order to increase the processing speed of the article supplier when the gap distance is determined to be greater than a predetermined maximum value stored in said comparison means.    
     
     
         13 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein 
 said adjusting means adjusts the cycle time of said bag manufacturing and packaging unit when said comparison means determines that the gap distance is smaller than the predetermined minimum value for at least two consecutive times.    
     
     
         14 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein 
 said adjusting means adjusts the cycle time of said bag manufacturing and packaging unit when said comparison means determines that the gap distance is greater than the predetermined maximum value for at least two consecutive times.    
     
     
         15 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein 
 said adjusting means adjusts the cycle time of said bag manufacturing and packaging unit when said comparison means determines that an average of at least two gap distances is smaller than the predetermined minimum stored in said comparison means.    
     
     
         16 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein 
 said detection means is a photoelectric sensor.    
     
     
         17 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein 
 said signal indicates a separating time, which is a length of time between the time when the top end of a preceding batch passes and the time when the bottom end of a subsequent batch passes.    
     
     
         18 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 11 , further comprising 
 alert means that is operatively coupled to said comparison means for issuing an alert signal based on the result of comparison by said comparison means, and    a display that is operatively coupled to said comparison means and said alert means and displays said alert signal.    
     
     
         19 . A longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus for packaging batches of articles that are dropped from an article supplier, said bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus comprising: 
 a bag manufacturing and packaging unit that manufactures bags from a film;    a film supply unit that supplies the film to said bag manufacturing and packaging unit;    a sensor disposed between the article supplier and said bag manufacturing and packaging unit, for detecting a bottom end and a top end of batches of articles being dropped from the article supplier; and    a controller operatively coupled to the article supplier, said bag manufacturing and packaging unit, and said sensor, said controller being for obtaining a signal that indicates a gap distance, storing a predetermined value, and comparing the gap distance with the predetermined value, the gap distance being a distance between the top end of a preceding batch and the bottom end of a subsequent batch obtained based on detected results detected by said sensor.    
     
     
         20 . The longitudinal-type bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein 
 said controller issues a control signal to the article supplier in order to reduce a processing speed of the article supplier when said controller determines that the gap distance is smaller than a predetermined minimum value stored in said controller.