SEALING DEVICE AND MEDICINE PACKAGING APPARATUS

• US 20110126489A1
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Kodama, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,661,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/374.4
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/305 involving the use of cartridge heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7437 the tool being a perforating tool perforating as mechanical pre-treatment B29C66/02242
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3452 Making complete joints by combining partial joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4312 for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4322 by joining a single sheet to itself B29C66/4332 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8221 Scissor or lever mechanisms, i.e. involving a pivot point
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/82265 Eccentric mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8227 using springs
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8286 Hand placed clamps wrap-around tapes or bands B29C66/81471
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83413 cooperating rollers, cylinders or drums
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83513 cooperating jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders or drums and moving in a closed path
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/876 Maintenance or cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/16 by rotary members
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/306 Counter-rotating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/04 Machines constructed with readily-detachable units or assemblies, e.g. to facilitate maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/007 Perforating strips of completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/06 Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/067 : the web advancing continuously B65B9/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A sealing device and a medicine packaging apparatus that includes the sealing device, wherein an engaging mechanism for coupling frames has good operability and the frames can firmly engage each other. The sealing device (10) can couple roller frames (20a, 20b) by an engaging mechanism (40) to integrate the roller frames. The engaging mechanism (40) has an engager (45) and a receptor (46) formed of a recess or the like. The engager includes a manipulation lever (50) and an engaging lever (51). The engager (45) is provided in the roller frame (20a), while the receptor (46) is provided in the roller frame (20b). When the manipulation lever (50) is pushed and pivoted toward the roller frame (20b), the engaging mechanism (40) can integrate the roller frames (20a, 20b). When the manipulation lever (50) is pulled and pivoted toward a front portion, the engaging mechanism can release the engagement caused by the engaging mechanism (40) to allow the roller frames (20a, 20b) to be separable from each other.

Claims

1. A sealing device comprising:

a pair of frames A, B each including a heating part attached thereto such that each of the heating parts are rotatable around a predetermined rotating shaft, the heating part generating heat by energization; and

an engaging mechanism configured to couple the frames A, B such that the frames A, B are not separated in a direction that widens a gap between the heating parts,

wherein when the frames A, B are coupled by the engaging mechanism, a thermally bondable sheet is fusion-bonded while being passed through a clearance formed between the heating parts,

wherein the engaging mechanism includes an engager and a receptor,

wherein the engager is provided in the frame A and includes;

a first rotator rotatable around a first shaft; and

a second rotator rotatable around the first shaft in concomitance with a rotation of the first rotator, the second rotator eccentrically rotatable relative to the first shaft,

wherein the receptor is provided in the frame B and the second rotator is engageable to the receptor,

wherein the engaging mechanism is switchable to a first engagement state where the second rotator is engageable to the receptor in a position P1 by the rotation of the first rotator of the engager and to a second engagement state where the second rotator is pulled to a position P2 closer to the frame A than the position P1 engaging the receptor.

2. The sealing device of claim 1, wherein a manipulation lever constituting the first rotator and an engaging lever constituting the second rotator are rotatably supported around the first shaft in the frame A, and

wherein the engaging lever is rotatably supported around a second shaft located eccentrically relative to the first shaft.

3. The sealing device of claim 1, wherein the second rotator includes:

an eccentric rotator eccentrically rotatable relative to the first shaft;

an engaging piece engageable to the receptor; and

a connector configured to connect the eccentric rotator and the engaging piece such that the eccentric rotator and the engaging piece are integratedly rotatable,

wherein the second rotator is switchable to an integrated rotation state where the eccentric rotator and the engaging piece are connected and integrated via the connector to be eccentrically rotatable, and to an independent rotation state where the eccentric rotator and the engaging piece are disconnected and the eccentric rotator is eccentrically rotatable independently relative to the engaging piece,

wherein when the engaging piece engages the receptor, the engaging mechanism goes into the first engagement state and the second rotator goes into the independent rotation state, and

wherein when the eccentric rotator is eccentrically rotated independently relative to the engaging piece in the independent rotation state, the engaging piece is moved toward the frame A by the eccentric rotator and the engaging mechanism goes into the second engagement state.

4. The sealing device of claim 3, wherein the second rotator includes a rotary power transmitter integratedly rotatable with the eccentric rotator, the rotary power transmitter being configured to transmit rotary power exerted to the eccentric rotator to the engaging piece via the connector by engaging the connector,

wherein the connector is tiltably supported relative to the engaging piece by a tilting shaft attached to the engaging piece,

wherein when the engaging piece is brought into abutment with the receptor, the connector tilts around the tilting shaft and the rotary power transmitter disengages from the connector, thereby going into the independent rotation state, and

wherein when the engaging piece is separated from the receptor, the rotary power transmitter engages the connector, thereby going into the integrated rotation state.

5. A medicine packaging apparatus including the sealing device according to claim 1.

6. The medicine packaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein the medicine packaging apparatus includes a housing that houses the sealing device and is openable and closable for manipulation of the sealing device, and

wherein the frame A is arranged in a front portion with respect to the frame B in the opened housing.