Bagging apparatus

Abstract

A support has a loading surface that is formed for placement of a merchandise. A guide is disposed around the support and along an outer circumference of the loading surface. A drive unit changes a disposition of a main mechanical unit from a first disposition to a second disposition. A level of the support relative to the guide in the second disposition is lower than the level of the support relative to the guide in the first disposition. The main mechanical unit in the first disposition supports a bottom of a bag with the loading surface, while the bag with a bag mouth facing downward is put on the support and the guide from above. The main mechanical unit puts the merchandise into the bag by allowing a side periphery of the bag contiguous to the bottom of the bag to stand upward from the bottom of the bag via the guide by changing the disposition of the main mechanical unit from the first disposition to the second disposition.

1 . A bagging apparatus comprising:
 a main mechanical unit including:
 a support having a loading surface formed for placement of a merchandise; and 
 a guide disposed around the support and along an outer circumference of the loading surface; and 
   a drive unit to move at least one of the support and the guide so as to change a disposition of the main mechanical unit from a first disposition to a second disposition, a level of the support relative to the guide in the second disposition being lower than the level of the support relative to the guide in the first disposition,   wherein   the main mechanical unit in the first disposition supports a bottom of a bag with the loading surface, while the bag with a bag mouth facing downward is put on the support and the guide from above, and   the main mechanical unit puts the merchandise into the bag by allowing a side periphery of the bag contiguous to the bottom of the bag to stand upward from the bottom of the bag via the guide by changing the disposition of the main mechanical unit from the first disposition to the second disposition.   
     
     
         2 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is configured to move only the support downward in the main mechanical unit so as to change the disposition of the main mechanical unit from the first disposition to the second disposition. 
     
     
         3 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the main mechanical unit further includes a holding mechanism to hold the bottom of the bag in place on the loading surface. 
     
     
         4 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the main mechanical unit in the second disposition is configured such that a level difference between the loading surface and an upper end face of the guide is greater than or equal to a total length of the bag in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         5 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the loading surface is quadrangular. 
     
     
         6 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the guide is shaped like a tube in which at least a top face forms an opening, and   the support is configured to move relative to the guide in a space enclosed with the guide.   
     
     
         7 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein an inner circumference of an upper end face of the guide is similar in shape to the outer circumference of the loading surface. 
     
     
         8 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper end face of the guide forms a bend projecting upward. 
     
     
         9 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper end face of the guide has a lower coefficient of friction than a coefficient of friction of the loading surface. 
     
     
         10 . The bagging apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bag supply mechanism to put the bag with the bag mouth facing downward on the main mechanical unit in the first disposition.