PACKAGING MACHINE FOR A PACKAGE, AND PACKAGING METHOD THEREFOR

Abstract

A packaging machine includes: a conveying machine that conveys a package blank for a package; a lid-side magnetizing roller that is supported so as to be able to come into contact with the lid-side magnetic region of the package blank, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact, and has a permanent magnet which magnetizes a magnetic material of the lid-side magnetic region; and a body-side magnetizing roller that is supported so as to be able to come into contact with the body-side magnetic region of the package blank, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact, and has a permanent magnet for magnetizing a magnetic material of the body-side magnetic region so as to form a predetermined magnetic distribution corresponding to a magnetic distribution in the lid-side magnetic region formed by the lid-side magnetizing roller.

Claims

1. A packaging machine for a package, the package having a package body having a housing space for housing an object to be housed, and a lid part formed so as to cover an opening of the housing space of the package body, wherein the lid part is provided with a lid-side magnetic region that is coated with an unmagnetized magnetic material, and the package body is provided with a body-side magnetic region that is coated with an unmagnetized magnetic material, at such a predetermined position on the package body as to face the lid-side magnetic region in a complete state of the package where the lid part covers the opening of the housing space, the packaging machine comprising: a conveying machine that conveys a package blank for the package, while in the package blank, at least a first blank portion related to the lid-side magnetic region, and a second blank portion related to the body-side magnetic region are in a predetermined unfolded state; a lid-side magnetizing roller that is supported so as to be able to come into contact with the lid-side magnetic region of the package blank being conveyed in the predetermined unfolded state by the conveying machine, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact, and has a permanent magnet which magnetizes the magnetic material of the lid-side magnetic region; and a body-side magnetizing roller that is supported so as to be able to come into contact with the body-side magnetic region of the package blank being conveyed in the predetermined unfolded state by the conveying machine, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact, and has a permanent magnet for magnetizing the magnetic material of the body-side magnetic region so as to form a predetermined magnetic distribution corresponding to a magnetic distribution in the lid-side magnetic region formed by the lid-side magnetizing roller.

2. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 1, wherein contact with the lid-side magnetic region by the lid-side magnetizing roller, and contact with the body-side magnetic region by the body-side magnetizing roller are performed in at least a partially overlapped period.

3. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 1, wherein contact with the lid-side magnetic region by the lid-side magnetizing roller, and contact with the body-side magnetic region by the body-side magnetizing roller are performed in different periods which are not overlapped.

4. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 1, wherein the lid-side magnetizing roller is formed by alternately supporting a plurality of lid-side magnet disks each formed of the permanent magnet, and a plurality of lid-side magnetic substance disks each foamed of a magnetic substance on a support shaft rotatably, the body-side magnetizing roller is formed by alternately supporting a plurality of body-side magnet disks each having the same width as each of the lid-side magnet disks and each formed of the permanent magnet, and a plurality of body-side magnetic substance disks each having the same width as each of the lid-side magnetic substance disks and each formed of a magnetic substance on a support shaft rotatably, and a belt-shaped magnetic distribution is formed in the lid-side magnetic region by the lid-side magnetizing roller, and the predetermined magnetic distribution is foiled in a belt shape in the body-side magnetic region by the body-side magnetizing roller.

5. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 4, wherein a diameter of each of the lid-side magnetic substance disks is not less than a diameter of each of the lid-side magnet disks, and a diameter of each of the body-side magnetic substance disks is not less than a diameter of each of the body-side magnet disks.

6. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 1, further comprising: a lid-side counter roller that is formed of a nonmagnetic substance, is located on a side opposite to the lid-side magnetizing roller with the package blank sandwiched between the lid-side counter roller and the lid-side magnetizing roller when the lid-side magnetizing roller comes into contact with the package blank, and is similarly supported so as to be able to come into contact with the package blank, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact; and a body-side counter roller that is foamed of a nonmagnetic substance, is located on a side opposite to the body-side magnetizing roller with the package blank sandwiched between the body-side counter roller and the body-side magnetizing roller when the body-side magnetizing roller comes into contact with the package blank, and is similarly supported so as to be able to come into contact with the package blank, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact.

7. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 6, wherein the lid-side counter roller and the body-side counter roller each are formed of a resin material.

8. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined unfolded state is a state where the first blank portion and the second blank portion are located on opposite sides in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the package blank with a central portion of the package blank therebetween, the conveying machine has a regulating member of a predetermined height, the regulating member being a member which forms a placement space for disposing the package blank in the predetermined unfolded state and regulates movement of the package blank at front and rear in the conveying direction of the package blank, and the regulating member is disposed so as to come into contact with the package blank from the front and the rear in the conveying direction, and a chamfer is formed on an upper edge of the regulating member on a side close to the placement space.

9. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined unfolded state is a state where the first blank portion and the second blank portion are located on opposite sides in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the package blank with a central portion of the package blank therebetween, the conveying machine has a regulating member of a predetermined height, the regulating member being a member which forms a placement space for disposing the package blank in the predetermined unfolded state and regulates movement of the package blank at front and rear in the conveying direction of the package blank, and a pressing device that presses the package blank disposed in the placement space against a conveying surface from above.

10. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined unfolded state is a state where the first blank portion and the second blank portion are located along a conveying direction of the package blank, the lid-side counter roller and the body-side counter roller are disposed such that one of the lid-side counter roller and the body-side counter roller is located on an upstream side with respect to the other counter roller along a conveying direction of the package, the lid-side counter roller has, on a roller periphery, a first protrusion enabling the first blank portion to be sandwiched between the lid-side magnetizing roller and the first protrusion in a period in which the lid-side magnetizing roller is in contact with the lid-side magnetic region, and the lid-side counter roller is formed such that the lid-side magnetizing roller is in non-contact with the package blank in a case where the lid-side counter roller is in contact with the package blank at a portion on the periphery other than the first protrusion, the body-side counter roller has, on a roller periphery, a second protrusion enabling the second blank portion to be sandwiched between the body-side magnetizing roller and the second protrusion in a period in which the body-side magnetizing roller is in contact with the body-side magnetic region, and the body-side counter roller is formed such that the body-side magnetizing roller is in non-contact with the package blank in a case where the body-side counter roller is in contact with the package blank at a portion on the periphery other than the second protrusion, the first protrusion and the second protrusion are disposed in the lid-side counter roller and the body-side counter roller respectively such that the lid-side magnetic region comes into contact with the lid-side magnetizing roller, and does not come into contact with the body-side magnetizing roller, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion are further disposed in the lid-side counter roller and the body-side counter roller respectively such that the body-side magnetic region comes into contact with the body-side magnetizing roller, and does not come into contact with the lid-side magnetizing roller.

11. A packaging method for a package, the package having a package body having a housing space for housing an object to be housed, and a lid part formed so as to cover an opening of the housing space of the package body, wherein the lid part is provided with a lid-side magnetic region that is coated with an unmagnetized magnetic material, the package body is provided with a body-side magnetic region that is coated with an unmagnetized magnetic material, at such a predetermined position on the package body as to face the lid-side magnetic region in a complete state of the package where the lid part covers the opening of the housing space, the packaging method comprising: a conveying step of conveying a package blank for the package, while in the package blank, at least a first blank portion related to the lid-side magnetic region, and a second blank portion related to the body-side magnetic region are in a predetermined unfolded state, a lid-side magnetizing step of bringing a lid-side magnetizing roller having a permanent magnet and rotatably supported into contact with the lid-side magnetic region of the package blank being conveyed in the predetermined unfolded state, and magnetizing the magnetic material of the lid-side magnetic region; and a body-side magnetizing step of bringing a body-side magnetizing roller having a permanent magnet and rotatably supported into contact with the body-side magnetic region of the package blank being conveyed in the predetermined unfolded state, and magnetizing the magnetic material of the body-side magnetic region so as to form a predetermined magnetic distribution corresponding to a magnetic distribution in the lid-side magnetic region formed by the lid-side magnetizing roller.

12. The packaging method for a package according to claim 11, wherein contact with the lid-side magnetic region by the lid-side magnetizing roller in the lid-side magnetizing step, and contact with the body-side magnetic region by the body-side magnetizing roller in the body-side magnetizing step are performed in at least a partially overlapped period.

13. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 11, wherein contact with the lid-side magnetic region by the lid-side magnetizing roller in the lid-side magnetizing step, and contact with the body-side magnetic region by the body-side magnetizing roller in the body-side magnetizing step are performed in different periods which are not overlapped.

14. The packaging machine for a package according to claim 11, wherein in the conveying step, the package blank is conveyed such that the first blank portion and the second blank portion are located along a conveying direction of the package blank, and the magnetization of the magnetic material of the lid-side magnetic region in the lid-side magnetizing step, and the magnetization of the magnetic material of the body-side magnetic region in the body-side magnetizing step are sequentially performed in accordance with conveyance of the package blank such that in a state where the lid-side magnetic region and the body-side magnetic region face each other at a time of formation of the package, magnetic fields formed in one portion of the lid-side magnetic region and one portion of the body-side magnetic region that face each other are different from each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a tongue-lid package manufactured by a packaging machine of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a package blank obtained by unfolding the tongue-lid package illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration for magnetizing magnetic regions formed in the package blank, included in the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a magnetizing roller included in the magnetizing configuration illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0043] FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating a placement state of the package blank in a case where the package blank is laterally conveyed by a conveying machine, in the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating a placement state of the package blank in a case where the package blank is laterally conveyed by a conveying machine, in the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating a placement state of the package blank in a case where the package blank is laterally conveyed by a conveying machine, in the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 6D is a diagram illustrating a placement state of the package blank in a case where the package blank is laterally conveyed by a conveying machine, in the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 7A is a diagram for illustrating a state where the magnetic regions are magnetized in an overlapped state in a case where the package blank is longitudinally conveyed by the conveying machine.

[0048] FIG. 7B is a diagram for illustrating a state where the magnetic regions are magnetized in an overlapped state in a case where the package blank is longitudinally conveyed by the conveying machine.

[0049] FIG. 8A is a diagram for illustrating a state where the magnetic regions are magnetized, in a case where the package blank is longitudinally conveyed by the conveying machine, in the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0050] FIG. 8B is a diagram for illustrating a state where the magnetic regions are magnetized, in a case where the package blank is longitudinally conveyed by the conveying machine, in the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically illustrating a hinge-lid package manufactured by the packaging machine of the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a package blank obtained by unfolding the hinge-lid package illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0053] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment (reference example) for magnetizing the lid package.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

[0054] Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The size, materials, shapes, and relative placement and the like of components described in the embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, unless otherwise stated.

[0055] FIG. 1 discloses a so-called tongue-lid package (hereinafter referred to simply as a “package”) 30 for housing a cigarette bundle, the package 30 illustrated in FIG. 1 is in a closed state where a housing space (space where the cigarette bundle is housed) inside the package is closed. FIG. 2 illustrates a package blank BL obtained by unfolding the package 30. In the package 30, a tongue-lid part 32 is hinged to a package body 31, so that opening of the housing space inside the package body 31 can be opened and closed. In the package body 31, a front wall 31a located at a front surface of the package, side walls 31b located at side surfaces, a bottom wall 31c located at a bottom surface, and the like form the housing space. The tongue-lid part 32 has a lid 35 which is hinged to the package body 31, and a tongue 38 which is hinged to the lid 35. In the closed state illustrated in FIG. 1, the lid 35 is located so as to face the bottom wall 31c of the package body 31, and the tongue 38 is located on the front wall 31a of the package body 31.

[0056] The package 30 is provided with magnetic regions 33, 37 as a locking mechanism of the tongue-lid part 32 (particularly, the tongue 38) to the package body 31. The magnetic regions 33, 37 are each formed by being coated with a magnetic material containing a ferrite-based magnetic material. In the closed state of the package 30 illustrated in FIG. 1, the magnetic regions 33, 37 are magnetized, and the tongue 38 and the package body 31 are locked by magnetic attraction that acts between the both regions. For the magnetic regions 33, 37, neodymium-based magnetic materials may be utilized.

[0057] More specifically, the magnetic region 33 is formed below a cutout (not illustrated) of the front wall 31a included in the package body 31, as an oblong region extending to the sides of the package. On the other hand, the magnetic region 37 is formed near a leading end of the tongue 38 as an oblong region extending to the sides of the package, similarly to the magnetic region 33. The relative relation between the position of the magnetic region 33 in the package body 31, and the position of the magnetic region 37 in the tongue 38 is determined such that the above positions face each other in the above closed state.

[0058] In the package 30 thus formed, when the tongue-lid part 32 is closed from the state illustrated in FIG. 1 by a user, and the magnetic region 37 comes close to the magnetic region 33 to some extent, the tongue 38 connected by a flange is attracted toward the package body 31 by magnetic attraction that acts between both the magnetic regions, and the magnetic region 37 comes into contact with the magnetic region 33, so that contact sound which indicates the contact is generated. Then, the contact state is maintained by the magnetic attraction between both the magnetic regions.

[0059] When the tongue-lid part 32 is opened from the state where the tongue-lid part 32 closes the opening of the housing space by the contact of the both the magnetic regions, the user needs to make force larger than the magnetic attraction between both the magnetic regions to act on the tongue-lid part 32, and to rotate the tongue-lid part 32. Accordingly, as long as force smaller than the magnetic attraction acts on the tongue-lid part 32 which is in the closed state, the closed state is maintained, and therefore it can be said that the magnetic attraction is resistance force for preventing the tongue-lid part 32 from opening accidentally. Accordingly, the magnetic attraction is requested to be force that is larger than necessary resistance force, and is smaller than predetermined force such that force for intentionally opening the tongue-lid part 32 by a user does not become excessive unnecessarily.

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the package blank BL is composed of a blank portion corresponding to the package body 31, and a blank portion corresponding to the tongue-lid part 32. The blank portions each are a component forming a part of the package blank BL. Furthermore, the magnetic region 37 formed on the tongue-lid part 32 side is disposed on the blank portion corresponding to the tongue 38, and the magnetic region 33 formed on the package body 31 side is disposed on the blank portion corresponding to the front wall 31a. The former blank portion is equivalent to a first blank portion of the present invention, and the latter blank portion is equivalent to a second blank portion of the present invention. In this specification, as to the direction of the package blank BL, the up-and-down direction of FIG. 2, namely, the direction from one of the magnetic regions to the other magnetic region is defined as the longitudinal direction, and the right-and-left direction of FIG. 2, namely, the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction on a surface where the package blank BL is unfolded is defined as the lateral direction.

[0061] As can be seen from FIG. 2, any specific blank portion is not disposed on the lateral sides of the blank portion corresponding to the tongue 38 in the package blank BL. On the other hand, blank portions corresponding to the side walls 31b of the package body 31 are disposed on the lateral sides of the blank portion corresponding to the front wall 31a. Formation of a folding line itself in the package blank BL for assembling the package 30 is publicly known, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0062] Now, a packaging machine that manufactures the package 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The packaging machine illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a hopper 2 for cigarettes, and is provided with a cigarette filling mechanism 6 that stacks twenty cigarettes from the hopper 2 in three stages in a vertically zigzag manner to fill the stacked cigarettes into each pocket 4 is provided on the lower side of the hopper 2. A cigarette bundle is transferred on a transfer line to a vertical first wheel 8 illustrated by a dashed line. The first wheel 8 receives a bundle of the twenty cigarettes from each pocket 4 while rotating, and each cigarette bundle is pressed into a bucket 12 of a vertical second wheel 10 illustrated by a dashed line from the first wheel 8, along with an aluminum foil sheet S as an inner capsule material. At this time, the aluminum foil sheet S is longitudinally folded along the periphery of the cigarette bundle.

[0063] The aluminum foil sheet S is obtained by being cut an aluminum foil web AW fed from an aluminum foil roller AR every predetermined length, and is sequentially supplied between the first wheel 8 and the second wheel 10. A similar aluminum foil roller (not illustrated) is disposed in the vicinity of the aluminum foil roller AR, and this aluminum foil roller is a standby roller. Thereafter, with the rotation of the second wheel 10, corners and side flaps of the aluminum foil sheet S that is longitudinally folded along the cigarette bundle in the bucket are sequentially folded, so that an inner wrapping body of the cigarette bundle is foamed.

[0064] A horizontal third wheel 16 is adjacent to the second wheel 10 on the opposite side of the first wheel 8. The third wheel 16 sequentially receives the inner wrapping body of the cigarette bundle in the bucket from the second wheel 10, and transfers the inner wrapping body with the rotation. Furthermore, a horizontal fourth wheel 18 is similarly disposed adjacent to the third wheel 16 on the opposite side of the second wheel 10. The fourth wheel 18 is located on the lower side of the third wheel 16, and receives the inner wrapping body IB from the third wheel 16.

[0065] Then, the fourth wheel 18 receives supply of the package blank BL illustrated in FIG. 2 from a blank supply system 22, and this package blank BL is bonded to an upper surface of the inner wrapping body IB. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the blank supply system 22 has two supply lines, namely, a supply line 22a and a supply line 22b that connect a hopper 24 and the fourth wheel 18. In the supply line 22a, lateral conveyance in which the package blank BL is conveyed in the lateral direction is performed. On the other hand, in the supply line 22b, longitudinal conveyance in which the package blank BL is conveyed in the longitudinal direction is performed. The package blank BL taken out one by one from the hopper 24 is sequentially conveyed on the supply lines 22a, 22b to be transferred to the fourth wheel 18. Herein, each package blank BL is already coated with the magnetic materials, is dried, and is provided with the magnetic regions 33, 37. In a state where the package blank BL is stored in the hopper 24, each magnetic region is not yet magnetized.

[0066] Then, a vertical fifth wheel 20 is disposed directly above a supply position of the package blank BL as viewed in the periphery direction of the fourth wheel 18, and the fifth wheel 20 receives the inner wrapping body IB with the package blank BL bonded thereto in the bucket. Thereafter, with the rotation of the fifth wheel 20, the package blank BL is sequentially folded, so that the package 30 is manufactured. Thereafter, the package 30 is transferred onto a similarly horizontal seventh wheel 28 through a horizontal sixth wheel 26 adjacent to the fifth wheel 20. In the process of the transfer of the package 30 with the rotation of the seventh wheel 28, a gluing portion of the package 30 is dried, and thereafter is fed to a feed line through a vertical eighth wheel 29. The feed line sequentially supplies the package 30 to an external packaging machine (not illustrated), and the package 30 is further packaged by a film sheet by this external packaging machine.

Magnetization Process

[0067] Herein, in the packaging machine illustrated in FIG. 3, in a conveyance process of the package blank BL, magnetization processing of the magnetic regions 33, 37 formed therein is performed. At a stage where the package blank is thus stored in the hopper 24, the magnetic regions 33, 37 each are in an unmagnetized state. The reason why the magnetization processing of the magnetic regions 33, 37 is performed in the conveyance process is because when magnetized package blanks BL are stacked in the hopper 24, the package blanks BL adjacent to each other are attracted by magnetic attraction of magnetic materials, and handling of the package blanks BL becomes difficult. More specifically, in either the supply line 22a or the supply line 22b forming the blank supply system 22, the magnetization processing of the magnetic regions 33, 37 is performed.

Magnetization Processing in Lateral Conveyance Process

[0068] First, magnetization processing in the supply line 22a will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 illustrates a configuration regarding magnetization processing in a state where the package blank BL is laterally conveyed in the supply line 22a. As described above, lateral conveyance of the package blank BL in the supply line 22a is performed in the lateral direction illustrated by a void arrow of FIG. 4 by a conveying machine 50. Therefore, in the lateral conveyance, the magnetic region 37 and the magnetic region 33 are located on respective both sides with a central portion of each package blank BL therebetween in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

[0069] Herein, in the conveying machine 50, a plurality of pushers 52 are arranged on a conveyor 51 that forms a conveying surface such that a plurality of package blanks BL can be laterally conveyed. The pushers 52 each are a rectangular parallelepiped member having a predetermined height, the longitudinal direction is along the width direction of the conveyor 51. A placement space where laterally conveyed each package blank BL can be disposed in a predetermined unfolded state is formed between the adjacent pushers 52. This predetermined unfolded state means a state where the blank portion corresponding to the front wall 31a provided with the magnetic region 33, and the blank portion corresponding to the tongue 38 provided with the magnetic region 37 are unfolded on the conveying surface so as to be capable of being magnetized by magnetizing rollers 55, 59 described below. In this embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the whole of the package blank BL including both the blank portions is unfolded.

[0070] In placement of the package blank BL into a placement section 52a (also refer to FIGS. 6A to 6D) on the conveyor 51, each package blank BL is thrown down to the placement space 52a from the hopper 24. An interval between the adjacent pushers 52 is set to be slightly larger than the lateral width of the package blank BL such that the package blank BL is smoothly housed in the placement space 52a. The pushers 52 each function as a regulating member that regulates movement of the package blank BL so as to house the package blank BL in the placement space 52a.

[0071] Herein, when the package blanks BL are disposed in the placement spaces 52a fixed by the pushers 52, the magnetic regions 33, 37 on the package blanks BL are located at such positions as to protrude to the outside of the placement spaces 52a from ends of the pushers 52. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the magnetic regions 33, 37 are each oblongly formed in the lateral direction of the package blank BL, and therefore the respective longitudinal directions (oblongly extending directions) of the magnetic regions 33, 37 that protrude to the outside of the placement space 52a substantially coincide with the conveying direction of each package blank BL.

[0072] On the both lateral sides in the conveying direction of the conveyor 51, the magnetizing rollers 55, 59 are disposed at such positions as to be able to come into contact with the protruding magnetic regions 33, 37. More specifically, a vertical wall 57 provided on the left side in the conveying direction of the conveyor 51, on which the magnetic region 33 protrudes, is mounted with a support shaft 58 so as to horizontally extend in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the magnetizing roller 59 is rotatably mounted on the support shaft 58. Furthermore, a vertical wall 53 provided on the right side in the conveying direction of the conveyor 51, on which the magnetic region 37 protrudes, is mounted with a support shaft 54 so as to horizontally extend in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the magnetizing roller 55 is rotatably mounted on the support shaft 54. The vertical walls 53, 57 are fixed to a base portion of the supply line 22a, and therefore stays at a constant position regardless of the conveyance of the conveyor 51. Therefore, the magnetizing roller 59, 55 are disposed above the magnetic regions 33, 37 of the package blank BL laterally conveyed by the conveyor 51, respectively.

[0073] A counter roller 56 is disposed so as to face the magnetizing roller 55 below the magnetizing roller 55, and a counter roller 60 is disposed so as to face the magnetizing roller 59 below the magnetizing roller 59. The counter rollers 56, 60 are rotatably supported by the support shafts (not illustrated) similarly to the magnetizing rollers 55, 59. The package blank BL is laterally conveyed in an interval between the magnetizing roller 55 and the counter roller 56, and an interval between the magnetizing roller 59 and the counter roller 60, so that while the magnetic region 37 and the magnetic region 33 on the package blank BL come into contact with the magnetizing rollers 55, 59, respectively, the package blank BL is conveyed to the downstream side of the magnetizing rollers 55, 59.

[0074] Herein, a specific constitution of the magnetizing roller 55 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. Magnet disks 55a formed of neodymium magnets, and iron disks 55b formed of iron which is a magnetic substance are alternately inserted into the support shaft 54, so that the magnetizing roller 55 is foamed. At this time, the adjacent magnet disks 55a between which each iron disk 55b is sandwiched is mounted such that magnet poles in end surfaces in the axis direction of the support shaft 54 are reverse to each other. The thickness of each magnet disk 55a is, for example, 1 mm, and the thickness of each iron disk 55b is 0.5 mm. Additionally, the diameter of each iron disk 55b is slightly larger than the diameter of each magnet disk 55a. In the magnetizing roller 55 thus formed, a magnetic distribution where N poles and S poles are alternately arrayed is formed on a surface of the magnetizing roller 55 (roller surface coming into contact with the magnetic material 45), and a magnetic distribution having relatively strong magnetic force is formed by correlation between the size of the magnet disks 55a and the size of the iron disks 55b, namely, correlation in the diameter and the thickness.

[0075] The counter roller 56 facing the magnetizing roller 55 is a resin roller which is a nonmagnetic substance as described above. Therefore, the magnetic distribution formed on the surface of the magnetizing roller 55 is never disturbed due to existence of the counter roller 56. When the package blank BL is sent into the interval between the magnetizing roller 55 and the counter roller 56 by lateral conveyance, the magnetic region 37 efficiently comes into contact with the above surface of the magnetizing roller 55 due to the existence with the counter roller 56, and therefore the magnetic region 37 is magnetized in accordance with the magnetic distribution on the surface of the magnetizing roller 55. More specifically, in the light of a state where the longitudinal direction of the magnetic region 37 and the conveying direction of the package blank BL substantially coincide with each other, a belt-shaped magnetic distribution of the N poles and the S poles is formed along the longitudinal direction of the magnetic region 37.

[0076] Similarly to the magnetizing roller 55, as illustrated in FIG. 5, magnet disks having the same shapes as the magnet disks 55a, and iron disks having the same shapes as the iron disks 55b are alternately inserted into the support shaft 58, so that the magnetizing roller 59 is formed. That is, also in the magnetizing roller 59, correlation between the size of the magnet disks and the size of the iron disks are equal to the correlation between the size of the magnet disks 55a and the size of the iron disks 55b in the magnetizing roller 55. Consequently, also in the magnetic region 33, a belt-shaped magnetic distribution of N poles and S poles is satisfactorily formed along the longitudinal direction of the magnetic region 33. In a state where the magnetic region 37 and the magnetic region 33 face each other, which is formed by closing the tongue-lid part 32, placement of the magnet disks and the iron disks in the magnetizing rollers 55, 59 is adjusted such that the belt-shaped magnetic distribution on the magnetic region 37, and the belt-shaped magnetic distribution on the magnetic region 33 correspond to each other, namely, for example, belt-shaped regions magnetized into the S poles on the magnetic region 33 face belt-shaped regions magnetized into the N poles on the magnetic region 37, and belt-shaped regions magnetized into the N poles on the magnetic region 33 face belt-shaped regions magnetized into the S poles on the magnetic region 37.

[0077] As described above, in the packaging machine illustrated in FIG. 3, in the process of each lateral conveyance of the package blank BL, the magnetic regions 33, 37 are magnetized by the magnetizing rollers 55, 59 formed as described above. In this magnetizing process, the contact state of each magnetic region and each magnetizing roller is kept, and therefore a desired magnetic distribution can be reliably foamed in each of the magnetic regions. Furthermore, in the magnetization by the magnetizing rollers 55, 59, each package blank BL is laterally conveyed by the conveying machine 50, and therefore the magnetizing timing of the magnetic region 33 and the magnetizing timing of the magnetic region 37 are substantially the same, and the magnetizing periods are partially overlapped, magnetization of the magnetic regions can be performed as quickly as possible.

Modification of Magnetization Processing in Lateral Conveyance Process

[0078] Herein, in the supply line 22a where the lateral conveyance is performed, as described above, the interval between the adjacent pushers 52 is set to be larger than the width in the lateral direction of each package blank BL such that the package blank BL is smoothly disposed from the hopper 24 in the placement space 52a on the conveyor 51. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, when the package blank BL is disposed in the placement space 52a, a predetermined clearance LO exists between the package blank BL and each pusher 52. Thus, the clearance between each pusher 52 and the package blank BL is useful for smooth placement. On the other hand, the clearance is a surplus space where the package blank BL can move in the placement space 52a.

[0079] Herein, as illustrated in FIG. 2, as described above, no specific blank portion is disposed on the lateral sides of the blank portion corresponding to the tongue 38 where the magnetic region 37 is formed. On the other hand, blank portions corresponding to the side walls 31b are disposed on the both lateral sides of the blank portion corresponding to the front wall 31a where the magnetic region 33 is formed. Accordingly, in a case where magnetization of the magnetic region 37 and magnetization of the magnetic region 33 are performed by the magnetizing roller 55 and the magnetizing roller 59, respectively, the magnetizing roller 59 comes into contact with the package blank BL solely, namely, without cooperation with the magnetizing roller 55. In this sole contact of the magnetizing roller 59, the package blank BL is sandwiched between the magnetizing roller 59 and the counter roller 60 corresponding to the magnetizing roller 59, and therefore frictional force acts only on one side (left side in the conveying direction) of the package blank BL. As a result, rotational deviation of the package blank BL in the placement space 52a is generated, and there is a fear that formation of a desired magnetic distribution in each of the magnetic regions 33, 37 becomes difficult. The frictional force is referred to as “rotational deviation frictional force”.

[0080] A method for suppressing of such the rotational deviation of the package blank BL in the placement space 52a will be described with reference to FIGS. 6B to 6D. FIGS. 6B to 6D each are a sectional view taken along the conveying direction of the package blank BL disposed in the placement space 52a, similarly to FIG. 6A. First, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, an interval between the pushers 52 forming each placement space 52a is made to be the same as the width in the lateral direction of the package blank BL as much as possible. Consequently, even if rotational deviation frictional force acts on the package blank BL, the rotational deviation is reliably regulated by the pushers 52, and therefore it is possible to avoid inhibition of the desired magnetic distribution formation. On the other hand, the interval between the pushers 52 become narrow, so that placement of the package blank BL in placement space 52a can become difficult. Therefore, chamfers 52b are foamed on upper edges of the pushers 52 on the sides close to the placement space 52a. The chamfers 52b are thus foamed, so that each package blank BL thrown from the hopper 24 is guided by slant faces of the chamfers 52b to be easily housed in the placement space 52a. A chamfer angle or size of each chamfer 52b may be suitably provided in consideration of ease of housing of the package blank BL in the placement space 52a.

[0081] As another method for suppressing rotational deviation of the package blank BL in the placement space 52a, as illustrated in FIG. 6C or FIG. 6D, in a case where an interval between the pushers 52 is the same as the interval between the pushers 52 illustrated in FIG. 6A, a pressing device 62, 64 that presses the package blank BL disposed in the placement space 52a toward the conveying surface may be provided in each placement space 52a. The pressing device 62 illustrated in FIG. 6C is a spring plate which is bent such that urging force acts on the package blank BL from a plate leading end 62a. The pressing device 64 illustrated in FIG. 6D is a brush which causes urging force to act on the package blank BL by contact with brush bristles 64d. These pressing devices 62, 64 operate so as to be brought into the states illustrated in FIGS. 6C and 6D after the package blank BL is disposed in the placement space 52a from the hopper 24.

Magnetization Processing in Longitudinal Conveyance Process

[0082] Now, magnetization processing in the supply line 22b will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B. As described above, in the supply line 22b, longitudinal conveyance of the package blank BL is performed in the longitudinal direction illustrated by the void arrow illustrated in FIG. 7A and FIG. 8A by the conveying machine 50. Accordingly, in the longitudinal conveyance, the magnetic region 37 and the magnetic region 33 are lined in the conveying direction.

[0083] Herein, before the magnetization processing in the packaging machine of the present invention is described, problems of the magnetization processing in the longitudinal conveyance process will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. In FIGS. 7A and 7B, a state where the magnetization processing is performed for the package blank BL being longitudinally conveyed by a magnetizing roller 550 and a counter roller 551 is schematically illustrated. A top view of the state of the magnetization processing is illustrated in FIG. 7A, and a side view of the state of the magnetization processing is illustrated in FIG. 7B. The magnetizing roller 550 has a configuration similar to the configuration of the magnetizing roller 55 illustrated in FIG. 5. In a form of the magnetization processing illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the magnetizing roller 550 and the counter roller 551 are mounted on the conveying machine such that the axial direction of the magnetizing roller 550 is orthogonal to the conveying direction. The package blank BL is conveyed in the longitudinal direction with respect to the magnetizing roller 550 and the counter roller 551 that are thus installed, the magnetic region 33 and the magnetic region 37 are sequentially magnetized by the magnetizing roller 550.

[0084] As illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B, in a longitudinal conveyance step, when the magnetization processing is performed, in the magnetic regions 33, 37, regions of N poles and S poles are formed in belt-shapes along the width directions (direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction). However, both the magnetic regions are magnetized by the single magnetizing roller 550, and therefore in the state where the magnetic region 37 and the magnetic region 33 face each other, which is formed by closing the tongue-lid part 32, magnetic fields foamed in a portion of the magnetic region 37 and a portion of the magnetic region 33 that face each other are the same magnet pole (for example, N poles). As a result, in a state where the magnetic region 37 and the magnetic region 33 deviate from each other such that portions on which magnetic attraction acts face each other, the magnetic region 37 and the magnetic region 33 finally come into contact with each other by the magnetic attraction, the deviated state is maintained. In formation of such a magnetic distribution, the tongue-lid part 32 is closed in a state of slightly deviating from or slightly inclining with respect to the package body 31, and therefore this formation is not preferable.

[0085] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a placement configuration of the magnetizing rollers for magnetization processing in the longitudinal conveyance step adopted in the packaging machine of the present invention, in the light of this point. A top view of the placement configuration is illustrated in FIG. 8A, and a side view of this configuration is illustrated in FIG. 8B. In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 8, the magnetizing roller 59 and the counter roller 60 corresponding to the magnetic region 33, and the magnetizing roller 55 and the counter roller 56 corresponding to the magnetic region 37 are disposed along the conveying direction. In the state where the magnetic region 37 and the magnetic region 33 face each other, which is formed by closing the tongue-lid part 32, a magnetic distribution formed on each of surfaces of the magnetizing roller 55 and the magnetizing roller 59 is adjusted such that magnetic fields formed in a portion of the magnetic region 37 and a portion of the magnetic region 33 that face each other are different magnet poles (for example, an N pole is formed in a portion of the magnetic region 33, and an S pole is foamed in a portion of the magnetic region 37, as illustrated in FIG. 8A). The adjustment of the magnetic distribution is performed by adjustment of placement of magnet disks and iron disks included in each magnetizing roller.

[0086] However, in a case where the longitudinal conveyance is performed, when the magnetizing roller 59 and the magnetizing roller 55 are lined along the conveying direction as illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the one magnetic region is magnetized in an overlapped manner by the two magnetizing rollers. As a result, there is a fear that it becomes difficult to form a desired magnetic distribution in the magnetic region. Therefore, a protrusion 60b is provided on a peripheral surface of the counter roller 60, and a protrusion 56b is provided on a peripheral surface of the counter roller 56.

[0087] This protrusion 60b is provided on the peripheral surface of the counter roller 60 such that the magnetic region 33 can come into contact with the magnetizing roller 59 by contact of a package portion provided with the magnetic region 33 with the protrusion 60b, and a package portion provided with no magnetic region 33 (including a package portion provided with the magnetic region 37) comes into non-contact with the magnetizing roller 59 by contact of the package portion with a peripheral portion 60a provided with no protrusion 60b, when the package blank BL is fed between the magnetizing roller 59 and the counter roller 60. Additionally, the protrusion 56b is provided on the peripheral surface of the counter roller 56 such that the magnetic region 37 can come into contact with the magnetizing roller 55 by contact of the package portion provided with the magnetic region 37 with the protrusion 56b, and the package portion provided with no magnetic region 37 (including the package portion provided with the magnetic region 33) comes into non-contact with the magnetizing roller 55 by contact of the package portion provided with a peripheral portion 56a provided with no protrusion 56b, when the package blank BL is fed between the magnetizing roller 55 and the counter roller 56.

[0088] With such configurations of the magnetizing rollers 55, 59, and the counter rollers 56, 60, a desired magnetic distribution can be reliably formed in each magnetic region as quickly as possible even in the longitudinal conveyance process.

Other Magnetization Processing

[0089] The above magnetization processing is performed in the lateral conveyance process in the supply line 22a and the longitudinal conveyance process in the supply line 22b. Also in a place other than these places, the magnetization processing for the magnetic regions 33, 37 may be performed by use of the magnetizing rollers 55, 59. For example, the above magnetization processing can be performed on the fifth wheel 20 where the package blank BL in contact with the inner wrapping body IB is folded. On the fifth wheel 20, the package blank BL is rotationally moved on a periphery of the wheel, but the movement is substantially the same as the lateral conveyance. Accordingly, the magnetization processing on the fifth wheel 20 can be applied to the magnetization processing which is substantially the same as the magnetization processing in the above lateral conveyance process.

Modification of Package

[0090] In the above embodiment, the manufacturing process of the tongue-lid package, particularly, the magnetizing process of the magnetic regions 33, 37 is described. However, in place of this package, also in a manufacturing process of a so-called hinge-lid package, a technical idea related to the packaging machine of the present invention can be applied. FIG. 9 discloses a so-called hinge-lid package (hereinafter referred to simply as a “package”) 40 for housing a cigarette bundle. In the package 40, a lid part 42 is hinged to a package body 41 through a hinge part 46, so that an opening of a housing space (space where a cigarette bundle is housed) can be opened and closed in the package body 41. The package 40 is provided with magnetic regions 44, 45 as a locking mechanism of the lid part 42 to the package body 41. The magnetic regions 44, 45 each are formed by being coated with a magnetic material containing a ferrite-based magnetic material. Additionally, in the completion state of the package 40 illustrated in FIG. 9, the magnetic regions 44, 45 are magnetized, and the lid part 42 and the package body 41 are locked by magnetic attraction that acts between the both regions. For magnetic regions 44, 45, neodymium-based magnetic materials may be utilized.

[0091] More specifically, the magnetic region 45 is formed below a cutout 43b of an inner frame front surface 43a of an inner frame 43 included in the package body 41, as an oblong region extending to the sides of the package. On the other hand, the magnetic region 44 is famed on an inner flap 42a overlapped with an inner surface of a front panel of the lid part 42, as an oblong region extending to the sides of the package, similarly to the magnetic region 45. The relative relation between the position of the magnetic region 45 in the inner frame front surface 43a, and the position of the magnetic region 44 in the inner flap 42a is determined such that the above positions face each other in a state where the lid part 41 closes the opening of the housing space.

[0092] In the package 40 thus foamed, when the lid part 42 is closed from the state illustrated in FIG. 9 by a user, and the magnetic region 44 comes close to the magnetic region 45 to some extent, the lid part 42 connected by a flange is attracted toward the package body 41 (inner frame 43) by magnetic attraction that acts between both the magnetic regions, and the magnetic region 44 comes into contact with the magnetic region 45, so that contact sound which indicates the contact is generated. Then, the contact state is maintained by the magnetic attraction between both the magnetic regions. Accordingly, the magnetic attraction is requested to be larger than restoring force for attempting to separate the lid part 42 from the package body 41 by the hinge connection of the hinge part 46.

[0093] When the lid part 42 is opened by the contact of the both the magnetic regions from the state where the lid part 42 closes the opening of the housing space, the user needs to make force larger than the magnetic attraction between both the magnetic regions to act on the lid part 42, and to rotate the lid part 42. Accordingly, as long as force smaller than the magnetic attraction acts on the lid part that is in a closed state, the closed state is maintained, and therefore it can be said that the magnetic attraction is resistance force for preventing the lid part 42 from opening accidentally. Accordingly, the magnetic attraction is requested to be force that is larger than necessary resistance force, and is smaller than predetermined force such that force for intentionally opening the lid part 42 by a user does not become excessive unnecessarily.

[0094] FIG. 10 illustrates a package blank BL obtained by unfolding the package 40 illustrated in FIG. 9. The package blank BL is composed of a blank portion corresponding to the package body 41 including the inner frame 43, and a blank portion corresponding to the lid part 42. The blank portions each are a component forming a part of the package blank BL. Furthermore, the magnetic region 44 formed on the lid part 42 is disposed on the blank portion corresponding to the inner flap 42a, and the magnetic region 45 formed on the package body 41 is disposed on the blank portion corresponding to the inner frame front surface 43a. The former blank portion is equivalent to a first blank portion of the present invention, and the latter blank portion is equivalent to a second blank portion of the present invention.

[0095] In the package 40 thus formed, while the magnetic region 44 is disposed on the lid part 42, the magnetic region 45 is disposed on the inner frame 43. The lid part 42 is connected to the package body 41, and is a separated member from the inner frame 43. In magnetization of the magnetic regions 44, 45 in the package 40, in a case where the inner frame 43 is bonded to the package body 41 to form the package blank BL as illustrated in FIG. 10, the magnetic regions 44, 45 can be magnetized by the magnetizing rollers 55, 59 at substantially the same timing as described above with reference to FIG. 4. Additionally, before the inner frame 43 is bonded to the package body 41 to form the package blank BL, the magnetic region 45 on the inner frame 43 and the magnetic region 44 on the lid part 42 may be magnetized by the corresponding magnetizing rollers at different timing in the respective conveyance processes. In this case, after both the regions are magnetized, the both are bonded to each other.

Reference Example

[0096] FIG. 11 illustrates a reference example of magnetization processing of the magnetic regions 33, 37 (44, 45). In the reference example, each package 30 (40) that is a complete body as a package, namely that is fed out from a feed line 32 is sequentially conveyed to a magnetizing machine 70 by a conveying machine 50, and the magnetization processing is performed in the state of the package complete body. The magnetizing machine 70 is a machine that receives power supply from a power supply unit 71, and generates a powerful magnetic field between two electrodes. Then, each package 30 (40) conveyed by the conveying machine 50 is sent into a space between the electrodes to be stopped. The magnetic field is generated in this state, so that the unmagnetized magnetic regions 33, 37 (44, 45) included in the package 30 (40) are magnetized. As long as suitable magnetization is performed, a plurality of unmagnetized packages may be placed between the electrodes.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0097] 22 blank supply system [0098] 22a, 22b supply line [0099] 30, 40 package [0100] 31, 41 package body [0101] 32 tongue-lid part [0102] 42 lid part [0103] 33, 37, 44, 45 magnetic region [0104] 50 conveying machine [0105] 51 conveyor [0106] 52 pusher [0107] 52a placement space [0108] 52b chamfer [0109] 55, 59 magnetizing roller [0110] 55a magnet disk [0111] 55b iron disk [0112] 56, 60 counter roller [0113] 56b, 60b protrusion