Vertical pillow type packaging machine

Abstract

An article-supplying assembly for a vertical pillow type packaging machine has a substantially cylindrical member extending vertically downward, a guiding member for guiding an elongated sheet of bag-making material from a front side to move downward along this cylindrical member, and a funnel member for receiving articles from above and allowing the received articles to fall through the cylindrical member downward. The junction line along which the funnel member and the cylindrical member are connected is above the ridgeline along which the guiding member surrounds the cylindrical member, and their height difference is greater on the front side than on the back side, increasing gradually from the back side to the front side.

1 . An article-supplying assembly for a vertical pillow type packaging machine, said assembly comprising: 
 a first substantially cylindrical member extending vertically downward;    a guiding member connected to said first substantially cylindrical member along a ridgeline and guiding an elongated sheet of bag-making material from a front side to move downward along said first cylindrical member;    a second substantially cylindrical member inserted into the interior of the first substantially cylindrical member; and    a funnel member for receiving articles falling from above, said funnel member being connected to said second substantially cylindrical member along a junction line and extending upward from said second substantially cylindrical member;    wherein said junction line is above said ridgeline, and the height difference between said junction line and said ridgeline is greater on said front side than on a back side opposite said front side.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said height difference increases gradually from said back side to said front side.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said height difference is equal to or greater than 30 mm.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein said height difference is equal to or greater than 30 mm.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said height difference is equal to or less than 170 mm.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein said height difference is equal to or less than 170 mm.  
   
   
       7 . A packaging machine incorporating the article-supplying assembly of  claim 1 , said packaging machine comprising: 
 a former which includes said guiding member and said first substantially cylindrical member;    a longitudinal sealer for longitudinally sealing mutually overlapping side edges of said bag-making material into a tubular form; and    a transverse sealer for transversely sealing said tubularly formed bag-making material and cutting said bag-making material transversely to separate an individual packaged product.    
   
   
       8 . An article-supplying assembly for a vertical pillow type packaging machine, said assembly comprising: 
 a first substantially cylindrical member extending vertically downward;    a guiding member connected to said first substantially cylindrical member for guiding an elongated sheet of bag-making material from a front side to move downward along said first substantially cylindrical member;    a second substantially cylindrical member inserted into the interior of said first substantially cylindrical member; and    a funnel member for receiving articles falling from above, said funnel member being connected to said second substantially cylindrical member along a junction line, extending upward from said second substantially cylindrical member and allowing said received articles to fall through said first substantially cylindrical member downward;    wherein said junction line is at a highest point on said front side and at a lowest point on a back side opposite said front side, the ratio of the height difference between said highest and lowest points of said junction line with respect to the diameter of said cylindrical member being equal to or greater than 1.4.    
   
   
       9 . A packaging machine incorporating the article-supplying assembly of  claim 8 , said packaging machine comprising: 
 a former which includes said guiding member and said first substantially cylindrical member;    a longitudinal sealer for longitudinally sealing mutually overlapping side edges of said bag-making material into a tubular form; and    a transverse sealer for transversely sealing said tubularly formed bag-making material and cutting said bag-making material transversely to separate an individual packaged product.    
   
   
       10 . An article-supplying assembly for a vertical pillow type packaging machine, said assembly comprising: 
 a first substantially cylindrical member extending vertically downward;    a guiding member connected to said first substantially cylindrical member for guiding an elongated sheet of bag-making material from a front side to move downward along said first substantially cylindrical member;    a second substantially cylindrical member inserted into the interior of said first substantially cylindrical member; and    a funnel member for receiving articles falling from above and allowing said received articles to fall through said first substantially cylindrical member downward;    wherein said funnel member is conically shaped with a symmetry axis that is tilted from the vertical direction by 2.5-12°.    
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein said symmetry axis is tilted from the vertical direction by 6-12° to said front side.  
   
   
       12 . A packaging machine incorporating the article-supplying assembly of  claim 10 , said packaging machine comprising: 
 a former which includes said guiding member and said firsts substantially cylindrical member;    a longitudinal sealer for longitudinally sealing mutually overlapping side edges of said bag-making material into a tubular form; and    a transverse sealer for transversely sealing said tubularly formed bag-making material and cutting said bag-making material transversely to separate an individual packaged product.    
   
   
       13 . An article-supplying assembly for a vertical pillow type packaging machine, said assembly comprising: 
 a first substantially cylindrical member extending vertically downward;    a guiding member connected to said first substantially cylindrical member for guiding an elongated sheet of bag-making material from a front side to move downward along said first substantially cylindrical member;    a second substantially cylindrical member inserted into the interior of said first substantially cylindrical member; and    a funnel member for receiving articles falling from above and allowing said received articles to fall through said first substantially cylindrical member downward, said funnel member having an inner surface configured so as to have a gently sloped portion on one side and a steeply sloped portion on an opposite side, said gently sloped portion making a smaller angle with the horizontal direction than said steeply sloped portion by 5-24°.    
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 13  wherein said gently sloped portion makes a smaller angle with the horizontal direction than said steeply sloped portion by 12-24°.  
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein said gently sloped portion is on said front side.  
   
   
       16 . A packaging machine incorporating the article-supplying assembly of  claim 13 , said packaging machine comprising: 
 a former which includes said guiding member and said first substantially cylindrical member;    a longitudinal sealer for longitudinally sealing mutually overlapping side edges of said bag-making material into a tubular form; and    a transverse sealer for transversely sealing said tubularly formed bag-making material and cutting said bag-making material transversely to separate an individual packaged product.