Bag-manufacturing and packaging apparatus

Abstract

When replacing film rolls, a film holding mechanism fixedly holds a film of a pre-replacement film roll. At the same time, a film suction mechanism holds a film by suction. A film storing mechanism pulls the end of the film up to the film suction mechanism. Furthermore, the end of the film that is held by the film suction mechanism by suction and the head of the film of the post-replacement film roll are joined using an adhesive tape. Also, once it is detected based on the output from the load cell that the film has been entirely unrolled, the control device stops the operations of an items supply portion and motor. Accordingly, the items that have been supplied to a bag-manufacturing and packaging portion from the items supply portion at the time the items supply portion is stopped are packaged using film stored in a film storing mechanism. Then, the control device stops the operation of the bag-manufacturing and packaging portion.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . A method of packaging items while manufacturing bags from a film roll in which an elongated film is wound in a roll shape, said bag-manufacturing and packaging apparatus comprising: 
 conveying a film from the film roll;    supplying items to a bag-manufacturing and packaging portion with an item supply portion while counting the number of times the items are supplied;    the bag-manufacturing and packaging portion packaging the items supplied while counting the number of times the items are packaged;    detecting that the film from the film roll is exhausted;    stopping the supply of items to the bag-manufacturing and packaging portion after it is detected that the film from the film roll is exhausted;    joining an end of the exhausted film roll with an end of a new film roll with a film joining device;    before the end of the exhausted film roll is joined with the end of the new film roll with the film joining device, a film storing mechanism that defines a conveyance path lengthening the conveyance path and then a film holding mechanism holding the film of the exhausted film roll; and    stopping the bag-manufacturing and packaging portion when all the items supplied to the bag-manufacturing and packaging portion have been packaged, which is determined according to the counted number of times the items are supplied and the counted number of times the items are packaged,    wherein    in the holding of the film of the exhausted film roll by the film holding mechanism, the film holding mechanism holds the film of the exhausted film roll on an upstream side of the film storing mechanism, such that bag-manufacturing and packaging portion packages the items with the film stored in the film storing mechanism after the film holding mechanism holds the film of the exhausted film roll, and    the joining of the end of the exhausted film roll with the end of the new film roll is performed after the stopping of the bag-manufacturing and packaging portion.    
     
     
         23 . The method of packaging items according to  claim 22 , wherein the film storing mechanism includes 
 a fixed roller that guides the film,    a movable roller that is movable relative to the fixed roller, and    a moving mechanism that moves the movable roller toward and away from the fixed roller, and    the film storing mechanism lengthens the conveyance path by moving the movable roller relative to the fixed roller with the moving mechanism.    
     
     
         24 . The method of packaging items according to  claim 23 , wherein 
 the film storing mechanism has a plurality of pairs of fixed and movable rollers that are disposed alternately.    
     
     
         25 . The method of packaging items according to  claim 23 , wherein the moving mechanism includes 
 a fixed frame for supporting both ends of the fixed roller,    a movable frame for supporting both ends of the movable roller, and    a rotational axis supported in parallel with the fixed roller for supporting an end of the movable roller such that the movable roller is rotatable about the fixed frame, and    the movable roller moves relative to the fixed roller by allowing the movable frame to rotate about the rotational axis relative to the fixed frame.    
     
     
         26 . The method of packaging items according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 the film joining device further includes a film suction retaining mechanism that is disposed on an upstream side from the film storing mechanism, and    in the joining of the films, the film suction retaining mechanism retains by suction the film that is severed from the exhausted film roll.    
     
     
         27 . The method of packaging items according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 the film joining device further includes a film fixedly holding mechanism disposed on a downstream side from the film storing mechanism, and    in the joining of the films, the film fixedly holding mechanism fixedly holds the film of the exhausted film roll.    
     
     
         28 . The method of packaging items according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 it is detected that that the film from the film roll is exhausted with a tension detecting device that detects a tensile force of the film, and    the supply of items is stopped when an output from the tension detecting device exceeds a predetermined value.    
     
     
         29 . The method of packaging items according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 the number of time the items are supplied is determined based on an operational speed of the item supply portion and a distance between the item supply portion and the bag-manufacturing and packaging portion.