JP2001301713A - Vacuum packaging method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] When vacuum packaging hot-packaged materials containing liquid,
While preventing the liquid from boiling, the container can be efficiently sealed at the boiling limit. [Structure] Two or more vacuum lines each having a throttle valve 1a-5a having a different opening degree, and throttle valves 1a-5a having an opening degree commensurate with a measurement value inputted to the controller 44 from the main thermometer 43.
Is first selected to start the vacuum action 46, and means for switching to the throttle valves 1a to 5a having a small opening degree stepwise while reading the changing vacuum value 60.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus developed for vacuum packaging an object containing a relatively high-temperature liquid.

[0002]

For example, when vacuum-packing viscous foodstuffs such as stew and curry in a container, if these foodstuffs are vacuum-packaged in a high-temperature state immediately after cooking and heating, the foodstuffs have heat. Since the bactericidal effect is utilized, it is not necessary to heat-sterilize the container again after vacuum packaging, and even if heat treatment is performed, the high-temperature foodstuffs inside the container immediately reach the disinfection temperature, so energy consumption is extremely low. Although economical, such high-temperature foodstuffs have a low boiling point and boil even with a slight vacuum value, so that there is a difficulty that the package often overflows from the mouth of the container during vacuum.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 61-273318 discloses a computer circuit for measuring the surface temperature of a package filled in a container in a vacuum chamber and calculating a vacuum value applied to the package. In addition, the control device can prevent the overflow of the packaged object from the container.

[0004] However, a sharp pressure drop causes a decrease in the surface temperature of the container in the vacuum chamber. Therefore, it is unavoidable to set the set value to a relatively low value and take the preventive measures against overflow. As a tendency, there is a problem that the inside of the container tends to lack vacuum.

[0005]

[MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] The present invention relates to a bag inside a bag moving on an endless orbit in order to accurately grasp the temperature of a packaged object filled in a container and to control the package near the line just before the package boils. The package temperature is measured with a main thermometer, and the boiling value of the package is determined based on the measurement value input to the controller from the main thermometer, and the working vacuum value in the pressure-resistant chamber into which the bag is carried. A vacuum packaging means for controlling based on the relationship with the boiling value, two or more vacuum lines each having a throttle valve with a different opening degree, and the measured value input to the controller from the main thermometer It comprises a means for first selecting a throttle valve with an opening to start a vacuum action and a means for switching to a throttle valve with a small opening step by step while reading a changing vacuum value.

When the temperature of the package inside the bag moving on the endless track is measured by a main thermometer, a throttle valve having an opening corresponding to the measurement value inputted from the main thermometer to a controller is first selected. Initiate the vacuum action to prevent the initial sudden boiling. The vacuum line is composed of two or more throttle valves having different degrees of opening, and while reading the changing vacuum value, switching to a throttle valve having a smaller degree of opening in a stepwise manner, and packing the article to be packaged immediately before boiling. When the main thermometer is configured by a radiation type structure that directly detects the temperature of the packaged object, the vacuum value control has an effect of making the vacuum value control more accurate than that of measuring the temperature of the packaged item from outside the bag. .

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, a transparent plastic bag 10 moves in the direction of arrow 11 while stopping at each position for a certain period of time. The stop time at each position is determined by the time required to fill the bag with the package, and is usually about 1 to 2 seconds.

More specifically, the back moves while being supported by a board 12 shown in FIG.
The clamp 16 provided at the upper end of the arm 15 clamps both side edges of the bag 10 by using the elasticity of a spring similarly to the clothespin. The board 1
When the support 2 moves in the direction of the arrow 11 while supporting the bag 10, the roller 18 at the tip of the lever 17 protruding from the pin 13
Moves along the cam rail 19, but when the roller 18 reaches the ascending slope of the cam rail 19, the left and right clamps 16 are moved.
Approach each other and push open the upper end opening 20 of the bag 10. The links 21 and 22 fixed to the two pins 13 and 14 are for linking the left and right arms 15 relatively.

The rotary valve 25 shown in FIG. 1 is fixed to a base 26 by a circular fixed plate 27 and a shaft 28.
And a movable plate 29 having an upper end supported thereon. The above-described board 12 is supported by the movable plate 29 via an arm 32. Therefore, when the movable plate 29 is intermittently rotated by a constant angle by the input from the shaft 28, the board 12 moves along a circular orbit, and as a result, the back 10 supported by this board moves on an endless orbit. In addition, the lid member 31 which is in close contact with the board 12 and forms an airtight space 30 therein approaches the board 12 only in a part of the circular orbit, and usually exists apart from the board.

In FIG. 1, when the bag 10 which moves 11 along the endless track stops at an intermediate position, the filling machine fills the bag with the packing object. Some of the items to be packaged are pre-mixed with flavoring liquid and ingredients, but most of them are weighed ingredients in order to always keep the distribution ratio of ingredients and liquid constant. And the liquid are filled using separate filling machines. That is, in the first position, a certain amount of the material 35 is put into the bag 10 from the measuring device 34 connected to the hopper 33, and then in the rear position, the measuring pump 37 transfers the liquid in the tank 36 through the nozzle 38. Fill inside.

When the bag 10 filled with the packaged object moves as described above and stops on the hitting device 40, the shelf 42 vibrating up and down by the power of the vibrator 41 hits the bottom of the bag 10 violently. To stir the items in the bag. This stirring reduces the temperature difference between the surface and the center of the packaged object. When the temperature is measured by the radiation-type main thermometer 43, the controller 44 calculates the allowable vacuum value by calculation based on the measured value. calculate. That is, S1 in FIG.
Or equivalent to step S3.

When the bag 10 whose temperature has been measured as described above moves to the next position and stops, the bowl-shaped lid member 31 comes into close contact with the front of the panel 12, and the bag 10 is placed inside the airtight space 30 in the pressure-resistant chamber 45. Confined to. As shown in FIG. 3, a lever 50 is provided at the end of the operation shaft 49 rotatably supported on both walls of the lid member 31 outside the lid member 31, and further supported on the lid member 31 by a support shaft 51. Cylinder 5
The second rod 53 and the lever 50 are connected. Since the rod is normally pulled in the direction of arrow 54 and the operation shaft 49 is rotated clockwise, the seal table 56 and the holding table 57 installed on the front operation shaft 49 via the support plate 55 are connected to the virtual line 5.
8, when the cover member 31 is displaced in the direction 59 of the board 12, contact between the support plate 55 and the back 10 can be avoided.

Thereafter, the pressure-resistant chamber 45 is moved to the movable plate 29.
When the rotation starts integrally with the space 30 through the internal passage of the arm 32 and the rotary valve 25.
And the vacuum pump 46 communicate with each other.

Five throttle valves provided in parallel with the vacuum line
In (1 to 5), the opening gradually decreases from one side to the other. That is, 2 is less than 1 and 3 is less than 2. Each of the parallel circuits provided with these throttle valves is provided with a normally closed type on-off valve (1a).
5a), the controller 44 stores the value of the measured temperature input from the main thermometer 43, and waits for the temperature-measured bag 10 to be carried into the pressure-resistant chamber 45. Vacuum value just before the liquid boils as shown in
That is, at the same time as calculating the allowable vacuum value S3, the valve opening degree selection S
Perform 4. That is, when a sudden vacuum shock is applied to a high-temperature packaged object, the packaged product causes an explosive boiling phenomenon. Therefore, the controller 44 controls a throttle valve suitable for the temperature of the packaged product, for example, a throttle valve 3. Select the valve and its on-off valve 3
Release a.

When the on-off valve 3a is opened as described above, a vacuum is created in the pressure-resistant chamber 45, and at the same time, a changing vacuum value provided by a pressure gauge 60 provided on a part of the arm 32 is input to the controller 44 (see FIG. 1). Step S5 in 4) is performed. In this case, the holding bar 62 facing the holding table 57 in FIG.
However, since the opening of the bag 10 is limited, the bag 10 expands due to the pressure difference and expands the head space in the bag, so that the ejection of the liquid is suppressed.

On the other hand, while reading the vacuum value at step S5 in FIG. 4, the controller switches from the valve of the on-off valve 3a to the valve of 4a in the transitional period of suction (step S6 in FIG. 4), and abrupt vacuum up immediately before boiling is performed. Avoid. When the vacuum value S5 in the pressure-resistant chamber reaches the previously calculated allowable vacuum value S3, the boiling value determination means S7 in the controller closes the on-off valve 4a by the vacuum cutting means S8, and the actuator 63 in FIG.
The seal bar 64 is extruded toward the seal base 56 to seal the opening of the bag.

The many throttle valves (1 to 5) shown in parallel in FIG. 1 are an example of a variable adjustment valve corresponding to the measured temperature, and the opening adjustment is multi-stage control. When the vacuum value is calculated in step S3 in FIG. 4, a pulse signal corresponding to the vacuum value is issued, the valve opening is selected (S4), and the number of pulses is changed in proportion to the vacuum change in S5. Adjustment of valve opening (S
Unauthorized control to perform 6) is also easy.

The preliminary beating device 65 shown in FIG. 1 preliminarily stirs the package before the temperature is set by the main thermometer 43, and is preliminarily stirred before the bag 10 reaches the position of the main thermometer. Since the temperature unevenness of the package is reduced, the measurement by the main thermometer is quick, and the transfer efficiency of the back is improved.

Although the temperature control of the liquid in the tank 36 is easy, the temperature control of the ingredients in the hopper 33 is difficult, and there is a temperature difference in the bag when the liquid and the ingredients are filled in the bag. Even if control is performed only with the information transmitted from the total 43, the liquid may overflow from the bag. For such a case, the liquid temperature is measured by a sub thermometer 66 provided in the nozzle 38 and input to the controller 44, where the main thermometer 43 and the sub thermometer 6 are measured.
6 and an allowable vacuum value is calculated based on the detected value (see steps S11 to S16 in FIG. 5).
can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory view showing an endless orbit.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the back transfer means.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of a pressure-resistant chamber.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a flowchart.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a different flowchart.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a-5a ... Throttle valve 10 ... Back 12 ... Panel 25 ... Rotary valve 30 ... Space 33 ... Hopper 34 ... Measuring equipment 35 ... Material 36 ... Tank 37 ... Measuring pump 38 ... Nozzle 40 ... Blowing equipment 43 ... Main thermometer 44 ... Controller 45 ... Pressure resistant chamber 46 ... Vacuum line 56 ... Seal table 65 ... Preliminary beating equipment 66 ... Sub thermometer

Claims (4)

[Claims] A main thermometer measures the temperature of the package inside the bag moving on an endless track, and determines a boiling value of the package based on a measurement value input from the main thermometer to a controller. And vacuum packaging means for controlling the working vacuum value in the pressure-resistant chamber for carrying the bag in accordance with the relationship with the boiling value, wherein the vacuum control is input from the main thermometer to a controller. A method of selecting a throttle valve with an opening corresponding to the value, starting vacuum action, and switching to a throttle valve with a smaller opening gradually while reading the changing vacuum value. 2. A main thermometer measures the temperature of the package inside the bag moving on an endless track, and determines a boiling value of the package based on a measurement value input from the main thermometer to a controller. And vacuum packaging means for controlling the working vacuum value in the pressure-resistant chamber for carrying the bag in accordance with the relationship with the boiling value, wherein the vacuum control is input from the main thermometer to a controller. A method in which the opening of the variable control valve is selected so as to match the value, the vacuum action is started, and the variable control valve opening is changed while reading the changing vacuum value. 3. A main thermometer for measuring the temperature of the package inside the bag moving on the endless track, and judging the boiling value of the package based on a measurement value inputted from the main thermometer to a controller. And vacuum packaging means for controlling the working vacuum value in the pressure-resistant chamber for carrying the bag based on the relationship with the boiling value, wherein two or more vacuum lines each having a throttle valve with a different opening degree, Means for first selecting a throttle valve having an opening corresponding to the measured value input from the main thermometer to the controller to start the vacuum action,
Means for switching to a throttle valve having a small opening degree while reading the changing vacuum value. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the main thermometer is constituted by a radiation type structure for directly detecting the temperature of the packaged object.