PURPOSE: To confirm the amount of the gas filled in a packaged article with a high degree of accuracy and effect a proper automatic detection of an improperly packaged article, by detecting the swelling amount of the article packaged with a film bag together with gas, while it is supportably conveyed by a packaging conveyor through a pressure-reduced chamber.
CONSTITUTION: A packaged article 1, after a gradual reduction in the pressure below the external atmospheric pressure at a wheel 5a, becomes swollen in a predetermined pressure reduced atmosphere in a pressure reduced chamber 10 without suffering any particular constraint and supportably carried by a conveyor 2b in said chamber 10. On the other hand, the swelling amount H of a packaged article 1' in said chamber 10 is detected by a swelling amount detector 11 (CCD camera) provided outside said chamber 10 through a window 7 and a signal 11a thus generated therefor is inputted into a controller 23. The packaged article 1' is then sent from the conveyor 2b to between the blades of a wheel 5b, gradually returned, by its rotational conveyance, to the external atmospheric pressure and transferred onto a conveyor 2c for conveyance. The amount of the gas filled in the packaged article is accurately detected by detecting the swelling amount, resulting in the identification of the presence of pinholes or seal leakage.
IIFUSHI JUNICHI
ONIZUKA YUKIO
WADA KOICHI
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