PACKING APPARATUS FOR INSTANT NOODLE AND PACKING METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

An apparatus for packaging instant noodles includes a transferring device configured to transfer instant noodle packaging containers in which instant noodles are inserted through a supply device; an alignment device configured to position images including a product name displayed on external surfaces of the respective instant noodle packaging containers in the same direction and align the instant noodle packaging containers when the instant noodle packaging containers in which the instant noodles are received are transferred by the transferring device; and a cover closing and sealing device configured to receive a cover, in which another image including the product name is displayed, from a cover supply part, make the image formed in the cover correspond to the image formed in the instant noodle packaging container in the same direction, and seal an opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0071961 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jul. 2, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] (a) Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus for instant noodles and a packaging method thereof, and more particularly, to a packaging apparatus for instant noodles and a packaging method thereof, which packages instant noodles by making an image including a product name, and the like, displayed on a container correspond to an image including the product name, and the like, displayed on a cover in the same direction.

[0004] (b) Description of the Related Art

[0005] In general, many types of instant noodles for a simple meal or a snack have been manufactured and sold in view of convenience and times.

[0006] The instant noodles are manufactured so that the instant noodles are packaged in a container in a semi-cooked state so as for a person to instantly eat after performing a simple cooking process or opening the instant noodles, and the type of instant noodles becomes various according to the development of a food processing technology.

[0007] For example, in terms of the most widely sold instant cup ramen, which is the representative instant noodles, a person may eat the instant cup ramen by simply adding a ramen soup base, and the like packaged on a container inside the container containing noodles and pouring hot water over the noodles, so that the instant cup noodle is one of the foods indispensable for a person with a busy schedule and cannot eat a normal meal.

[0008] A container of the instant noodles including the instant cup noodle has a configuration in that an upper portion of the instant noodle has an opened portion so that contents, such as noodles and a noodle soup base, may be put into the container through the opened portion, and a cover is separably attached to the opened portion by an attachment method, and the like.

[0009] In general, an image, such as a cooking method, is displayed on an external surface of the container in which the instant noodle is put together with a product name as a printed surface, and an image, such as the cooking method, is also displayed on a cover covering the container together with the product name as a printed surface, so that customers may identify a type of food contained in the container from the outside.

[0010] Further, a predetermined number of manufactured instant noodles is packaged in a box to be distributed, and the box is released and each of the instant noodles packaged in the box is displayed on a display stand, and the like, to be sold in a store.

[0011] In this case, a customer identifies an image including a product name, and the like, displayed on a container or a cover and selects a product. However, a direction of the image including a product name, and the like, displayed on an external surface of a container of the instant noodle in the related art does not correspond to a direction of an image including the product name, and the like, displayed on the cover, so that the images are arbitrarily positioned.

[0012] When the images displayed on the container and the cover are separately positioned in different directions, there is no consistency when the instant noodles are displayed on a display stand, so that a visual display of products deteriorates, and visual marketability is degraded in that customers may not be attracted to the product. This directly exerts influence on the sales of the product.

[0013] The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a packaging apparatus for instant noodles and a packaging method thereof, which make an image including a product name, and the like, displayed on a container correspond to an image including the product name, and the like, displayed on a cover in the same direction, thereby improving a visual display of a product and enabling customers to visually recognize the product better.

[0015] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for packaging instant noodles, including: a transferring device configured to transfer instant noodle packaging containers in which instant noodles are inserted through a supply device; an alignment means configured to position images including a product name displayed on external surfaces of the respective instant noodle packaging containers in the same direction and align the instant noodle packaging containers when the instant noodle packaging containers in which the instant noodles are received are transferred by the transferring device; and a cover closing and sealing device configured to receive a cover, in which another image including the product name is displayed, from a cover supply part, make the image formed in the cover correspond to the image formed in the instant noodle packaging container in the same direction, and close and seal an opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container.

[0016] The transferring device may include a motor, and a plurality of movement support plates formed so that the instant noodle packaging containers are fitted to and seated on the plurality of movement support plates at a predetermined interval, and formed to be movable while circulating in a caterpillar form by receiving driving force of the motor.

[0017] The alignment means may include a fixing and supporting part configured to fix and support the respective instant noodle packaging containers when the instant noodle packaging containers are transferred to predetermined positions through the transferring device, a position changing part configured to temporarily move and change the positions of the fixed and supported instant noodle packaging containers in the transferring device, a detecting sensor configured to detect an indication portion that is a reference point of an image displayed on each of the external surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers when the positions of the instant noodle packaging containers are changed according to driving of the position changing part, and a controller configured to stop operations of the position changing part and the fixing and supporting part while returning the position changing part and the fixing and supporting part to initial positions when each of the positions of the indication portions is detected by the detecting sensor.

[0018] The fixing and supporting part may include a motor configured to generate vacuum pressure, and an adsorption pad configured to generate adsorption force by driving of the motor to be adsorbed onto a lower surface of the instant noodle packaging container.

[0019] The position changing part may include an elevation driving part configured to elevate the instant noodle packaging container fixed and supported by the fixing and supporting part, and a rotation driving part configured to rotate the instant noodle packaging container in a circumferential direction when the instant noodle packaging container is elevated by the elevation driving part, and the fixing and supporting part and the position changing part may be interworked together to be driven and stopped.

[0020] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method of packaging instant noodles, including: inserting instant noodles inside an instant noodle packaging container having one side formed in an opened portion; when the instant noodle packaging containers in which the instant noodles are received are transferred by a transferring device to reach predetermined positions, when the instant noodle packaging containers in which the instant noodles are received are transferred by a transferring device to reach predetermined positions, performing alignment of positioning all images formed on external surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers including a product name in the same direction by detecting indication portions displayed on the external surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers by a sensor to position the instant noodle packaging containers; and performing cover closing and sealing of sealing the opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container while making another image including the product name displayed on a cover correspond to the image formed in the instant noodle packaging container in the same direction.

[0021] The performing of the alignment may include detecting an indication portion displayed on the external surface of the instant noodle packaging container by each sensor while elevating and rotating the instant noodle packaging containers in a state where the respective instant noodle packaging containers are fixed and supported, and seating the detected instant noodle packaging container in the transferring device by moving down the detected instant noodle packaging container while stopping the rotation of the detected instant noodle packaging container when the indication portion of the instant noodle packaging containers is detected.

[0022] Yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an instant noodle packaging container including an instant noodle packaging container main body having an upper surface formed in an opened portion so that instant noodles may be received therein, and a cover configured to seal and close the opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container main body, in which images including a product are displayed on the instant noodle packaging container main body and the cover, and the instant noodle packaging container is sealed and closed by the cover in a state where the image of the instant noodle packaging container main body and the image of the cover are positioned in the same direction.

[0023] The instant noodle packaging container main body may include an indication portion which maintains a distance from the image including the product name and serves as a reference point of the image.

[0024] In the packaging apparatus for instant noodles and the packaging method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention, instant noodles are packaged in a state where an image including a product name, and the like, displayed on a container corresponds to another image including the product name and the like displayed on a cover in the same direction, so that it is possible to improve an advertising effect by attracting customers' attention on the product.

[0025] Because of this, it is possible to improve a visual display of a product, compared to other products, and thus it is possible to make the product be visually recognized better to customers, thereby promoting sales of the product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a view of a packaging apparatus for instant noodles according to the present invention viewed from a front side.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a view of the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention viewed from a top side.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a view of the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention viewed from a side.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a view for describing a container alignment device provided in the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 6 is an operational state view of the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention, and illustrates transference of packing containers for the instant noodles in a state where the containers are not aligned.

[0032] FIG. 7 is an operational state view of the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention, and illustrates a state where the packaging containers for the instant noodles are aligned.

[0033] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view illustrating the operation state of FIG. 7.

[0034] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of instant noodles of which a package is completed by using the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0035] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] FIGS. 1 to 3 are views of a packaging apparatus for instant noodles according to the present invention viewed from a front side, a top side, and a side, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of line A-A of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a view for describing a container alignment device provided in the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention, FIGS. 6 to 8 are views for describing an operational state of the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of instant noodles of which a package is completed by using the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention.

[0037] As illustrated in the drawings, the packaging apparatus for the instant noodles according to the present invention includes a transferring device 2 for transferring instant noodle packaging container main bodies 100 (hereinafter, referred to as an "instant noodle packaging container") in which noodles are inserted through a supply device (not illustrated), an alignment means for positioning images 110 including a product name, and the like, displayed on external surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 in the same direction and aligning the instant noodle packaging containers 100 when the instant noodle packaging containers 100 in which the instant noodles are received are transferred by the transferring device 2, and a cover closing and sealing device (not illustrated) for receiving a cover 200 on which another image 210 including the product name, and the like, is displayed from a cover supply part (not illustrated), and sealing an opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container 100 while making the image 210 of the cover 200 correspond to the image 110 of the instant noodle packaging container 100 in the same direction.

[0038] The packaging apparatus for the instant noodle including the transferring device 2, the alignment means, and the cover closing and sealing device is installed through a frame F installed in a bottom surface.

[0039] An upper portion of the instant noodle packaging container 100 is formed in an opened portion, and the remaining portions thereof are closed, to form an internal space with a predetermined volume, so that the instant noodle may be received inside the internal space.

[0040] The instant noodle packaging container 100 may be formed of paper or PE innocuous to a human body, and the cover 200 may be formed of thin film aluminum or paper innocuous to a human body.

[0041] Further, the images 110 and 210 displayed on the instant noodle packaging container 100 and the cover 200 may be formed, in such a way that a product name of the noodle put in the instant noodle packaging container 100, a cooking method of the product, content of the product, and the like, are displayed on the images 110 and 210 by printing and the like.

[0042] When the image 110 is formed in the instant noodle packaging container 100, an indication portion 120 serving as a reference point is printed together so that the alignment means may align the instant noodle packaging containers 100 while positioning all of the images 110 in the same direction.

[0043] That is, when the indication portion 120 spaced apart from the image 110 at a predetermined distance and detectable by an image sensor is formed, all of the images 110 displayed on the instant noodle packaging containers 100 may be positioned in the same direction by detecting the indication portion 120 by the sensor and adjusting the positions of the indication portions 120, which will be described in detail later.

[0044] Contents put in the instant noodle packaging container 100 may include the kind of instantly cooked noodle, such as ramen, Japanese-style noodle, and spaghetti, but in addition, may include the similar type of instant noodles to the aforementioned noodles.

[0045] The transferring device 2 includes a motor (not illustrated) driven by the control of a controller (not illustrated), and a plurality of movement support plates 4 formed so that the instant noodle packaging containers 100 are fitted to and seated on the plurality of movement support plates 4 at a predetermined interval, and assembled to be movable while circulating in a caterpillar form by receiving driving force of the motor.

[0046] The movement support plates 4 included in the transferring device 2 are shaped like a rectangular plate, one side thereof is connected with one side of another adjacent movement support plate, and the plurality of connected movement support plates are assembled in a caterpillar form to be installed.

[0047] Further, holes 6 pass through each movement support plate 4 while maintaining a predetermined interval, so that the instant noodle packaging containers 100 may be fitted to and seated on the holes 6.

[0048] A stepping motor rotating at a predetermined angle whenever a pulse signal is supplied may be used as the motor for transferring the movement support plate 4, and thus the movement support plate 4 moves while repeating a process of moving a predetermined distance and then stopping for a predetermined time.

[0049] An instant noodle supply part is provided at a tip end of the transferring device 2, so that predetermined noodles may be inserted inside the instant noodle packaging containers 100, respectively, and the instant noodle packaging containers 100 may be fitted to and seated on the holes 6 of the movement support plate 4 in a line unit in a state where the contents are inserted in the instant noodle packaging containers 100.

[0050] The images 110 displayed on circumferential surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 seated on the holes 6 of the movement support plates 4, respectively, are not unified and are positioned in different and arbitrary directions.

[0051] Further, when the instant noodle packaging containers 100 including the contents are seated on the respective holes 6 of the movement support plate 4 as described above, the instant noodle packaging containers 100 move at a predetermined speed by the transferring device 2, and when the instant noodle packaging containers 100 enter set positions, all of the images 110 of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 are aligned in a unified state in a predetermined direction by the alignment means.

[0052] The alignment means includes a fixing and supporting part 8 for fixing and supporting the respective instant noodle packaging containers 100 when the instant noodle packaging containers 100 reach the predetermined positions, a position changing part 10 for temporarily moving and changing the positions of the fixed and supported instant noodle packaging containers 100 in the transferring device 2, a detecting sensor 12 for detecting the reference points 120 displayed on the external surfaces of the respective instant noodle packaging containers 100 when the positions of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 are changed according to the driving of the position changing part 10, and a controller 14 for seating the instant noodle packaging containers 100 in the transferring device in an aligned state by returning the instant noodle packaging containers 100 to original positions while stopping the operation of the position changing part 10 and the fixing and supporting part 8 when the detecting sensor 12 detects the positions of the respective reference points 120.

[0053] The fixing and supporting part 8 and the position changing part 10 are configured to be driven or to stop through interworking according to the control of the controller 14. Further, the detecting sensor 12 and the controller 14 are electrically connected, so that when the position of the indication portion 120 of each instant noodle packaging container 100 is detected by the detecting sensor 12, a signal of the detection is transmitted to the controller 14.

[0054] The fixing and supporting part 8 includes a motor 16 for generating vacuum pressure, and an adsorption pad 18 for generating adsorption force through driving of the motor 16 and fixing a lower surface of the instant noodle packaging container 100 through adsorption. Air-tightness is maintained between the motor 6 and the adsorption pad 18, and the motor 6 and the adsorption pad 18 are connected through a pipeline 20, so that adsorption force may be generated or adsorption force may be released in the adsorption pad 18.

[0055] Substantially, an end portion of the pipeline 20 is connected to each of the adsorption pads 18 through a branch pipe, and each branch pipe is provided with a solenoid valve 22, thereby maintaining or releasing adsorption force of each adsorption pad 18.

[0056] The adsorption pad 18 may be formed of rubber or silicon having flexibility.

[0057] When the instant noodle packaging container 100 enters the predetermined position by the transferring device 2, a proximity sensor 24 senses the entrance and transmits a signal to the controller 14, and the fixing and supporting part 8 is driven according to the control of the controller 14 receiving the signal.

[0058] The position changing part 10 includes an elevation driving part 26 for elevating the instant noodle packaging container 100 fixed and supported by the fixing and supporting part 8, and a rotation driving part 28 for rotating the instant noodle packaging container 100 in a circumferential direction when the instant noodle packaging container 100 moves up by the elevation driving part 26.

[0059] The elevation driving part 26 includes a motor 30, a driving shaft 32 rotating by rotation force of the motor 30, an arm 34 having one end connected to the driving shaft 32, a rotary joint 36 hinge-fixed to the other end of the arm 34, and an operation shaft 38 connected to the rotary joint 36 to perform an elevation movement. For example, a servo motor may be used as the motor 30.

[0060] Further, a holder 40 is connected to a tip end of the operation shaft 38, and the other side of the holder 40 is fixed to a lower surface of the adsorption pad 18, so that when the operation shaft 38 is elevated, the adsorption pad 18 is also elevated. Further, the operation shaft 38 is rotatably installed to be rotatable in a circumferential direction by driving of the rotation driving part 38.

[0061] Center portions of the operation shaft 38 and the holder 40 are penetrated to be formed as a space, and the pipeline connected with the motor 6 so as for the adsorption pad 18 to generate adsorption force is installed through the space.

[0062] The motor 30 is formed to repeat rotation and reverse rotation at a predetermined rotation angle, so that the operation shaft 38 is formed so as to be elevated at a predetermined height.

[0063] In the meantime, the rotation driving part 28 driven together with this includes a motor 42 for rotating the operation shaft 38 in a circumferential direction, and for example, a stepping motor may be used as the motor 42.

[0064] The motor 42 is installed in a form of surrounding the operation shaft 38, so that the operation shaft 38 may be rotated at a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction by driving of the motor 42.

[0065] As described above, in the operation of the position changing part 10 including the elevation driving part 26 and the rotation driving part 28, when the instant noodle packaging container 100 enters the predetermined position while moving in a state where the instant noodle packaging container 100 is seated in the transferring device 2, the proximity sensor 24 senses the entrance of the instant noodle packaging container 100 and transmits the signal to the controller 14, and each of the motors 16, 30, and 42 is driven by the control of the controller 14.

[0066] Accordingly, the adsorption pad 18 generates adsorption force and the operation shaft 38 is elevated, so that the instant noodle packaging container 100 is elevated in a state where the instant noodle packaging container 100 is fixed to the adsorption pad 18, and the operation shaft 38 simultaneously rotates in the circumferential direction to rotate the instant noodle packaging container 100.

[0067] When each sensing sensor 12 detects the position of the reference point 120 printed in each of the instant noodle packaging container main bodies 100 during the operation, the motor 40 further rotates by a predetermined angle from a detected position and stops its driving under the control of the controller 14, and thus all of the directions of the product names 110 displayed on the respective instant noodle packaging container main bodies 100 are aligned in the same position.

[0068] Simultaneously, the driving of the motor 30 is changed in a reverse direction under the control of the controller 14 and the driving shaft 32 reversely rotates, so that the aligned containers are seated on the holes 6 of the movement support plate 4 while the operation shaft 38 moves down to an original position that is an opposite direction according to an action of the reverse rotation. Simultaneously, the driving of the vacuum motor 16 is stopped under the control of the controller 14, so that adsorption force of the adsorption pad 18 is released and thus fixing force of the instant noodle packaging container 100 is released.

[0069] Through the operation, all of the images 110 of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 seated on one movement support plate 4 may be aligned in the same direction, and an alignment process is performed within approximately one second, and the transference by the transferring device 2 may be temporarily stopped at this time.

[0070] When the alignment of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 is completed as describe above, one cycle of operation is completed, and the instant noodle packaging containers 100 which are seated on the next movement support plate but not aligned are transferred by the driving of the transferring device 2, the alignment of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 is continuously performed while repeating the same process.

[0071] A method of packaging instant noodles by using the packaging apparatus for the instant noodle of the present invention will be described below.

[0072] First, instant noodles are inserted inside the instant noodle packaging containers 100 through the supply device, respectively, and then, the instant noodle packaging containers 100 are seated on the holes 6 of the movement support plate 4, respectively, and the instant noodle packaging containers 100 are transferred by the transferring device 2.

[0073] While the instant noodle packaging containers 100 in which the instant noodles are inserted are transferred by the transferring device 2, and simultaneously the instant noodles are continuously inserted in a new instant noodle packaging container, then the new instant noodle packaging container is seated on the hole 6 of the movement support plate 4.

[0074] The images 110 of the circumferential surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 seated in the holes 6 of the movement support plate 4 in a state where the contents are inserted in the instant noodle packaging containers 100 are not uniformed and are positioned in different directions.

[0075] Further, the instant noodle packaging containers 100 move in one direction by the transferring device 2, and when the instant noodle packaging container 100 enters the predetermined position, the proximity sensor 24 senses the entrance of the instant noodle packaging container 100 and transmits a signal to the controller 14, and the motor 18 included in the fixing and supporting part 8 is operated under the control of the controller 14 receiving the signal to generate adsorption force to the adsorption pad 18.

[0076] Simultaneously, the motor 30 of the elevation driving part 26 is driven under the control of the controller 14 so that the driving shaft 32 rotates, and thus one side of the arm 34 is elevated and the rotary joint 36 is simultaneously elevated, thereby elevating the operation shaft 38.

[0077] During the elevation and rotation movement of the instant noodle packaging container 100, each detecting sensor 12 detects the position of the indication portion 120 that is the reference point printed in each of the instant noodle packaging containers 100, and when the indication portion 120 of the instant noodle packaging container 100 is detected, the driving of the motor 40 is stopped and the rotation of the driving shaft 32 is stopped, so that the rotation of the instant noodle packaging container 100 is stopped.

[0078] Accordingly, all of the images 110 of the external surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers 100 are aligned in the same direction.

[0079] When the images 110 including the product name and the like displayed on the instant noodle packaging containers 100 are aligned in the same direction, the driving of the motor 30 is changed in a reverse direction under the control of the controller 14 and the driving shaft 32 is reversely rotated, and thus the operation shaft 38 moves down according to the action of the reverse rotation, so that the aligned containers are seated on the holes 6 of the movement support plate 4. Simultaneously, the driving of the vacuum motor 16 is stopped under the control of the controller 14 and adsorption force of the adsorption pad 18 is released.

[0080] Noodle bases may be further inserted in the aligned instant noodle packaging containers 100 while the aligned instant noodle packaging containers 100s continuously move according to the driving of the transferring device 2, and the cover 200, on which the product name 210 is displayed, is continuously received from a non-illustrated cover supply part, so that the cover 200 may be attached to an opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container 100 through the cover closing and sealing device. The cover 200 may be attached by a general method, so that a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0081] In this case, a position of the image 210 displayed on the cover 200 is determined and set in advance so that the image 210 displayed on the cover 200 is positioned and attached in the same direction as that of the image 110 displayed on the instant noodle packaging container 100.

[0082] The cover of the instant noodles packaged as described above is sealed and closed in a state where the images 110 and 210 including the product name and the like formed in the instant noodle packaging container 100 and the cover 200, respectively, are positioned in the same direction.

[0083] When the cover 200 is attached as described above, transparent plastic packaging may be further performed on the outside of the instant noodle packaging container 100.

[0084] Further, a plurality of manufactured instant noodles is packaged in a packaging box and the like to be distributed, and the packaging box is released and the instant noodles are displayed on a display stand and the like for sale in general. In this case, the image 110 displayed on the instant noodle packaging container 100 and the image 210 displayed on the cover 200 are positioned in the same direction, so that customers may visually recognize the product better. Accordingly, it is possible to facilitate product sale while improving an advertising effect of the product.

[0085] In the above description, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described for illustrative purposes, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may also be variously modified and worked within the scope of the claims, the detailed description, and the accompanying drawings.

TABLE-US-00001 <Description of symbols> 2: Transferring device 4: Movement support plate 6: Hole 8: Fixing and supporting part 10: Position changing part 12: Detecting sensor 14: Controller 16, 30, 42: Motor 18: Adsorption pad 20: Pipeline 22: Solenoid valve 24: Proximity sensor 26: Elevation driving part 28: Rotation driving part 32: Driving shaft 34: Arm 36: Rotary joint 38: Operation shaft 40: Holder 100: Instant noodle packaging container 110, 210: Image 120: Indication portion 200: Cover

Claims

1. An apparatus for packaging instant noodles, comprising: a transferring device configured to transfer instant noodle packaging containers in which instant noodles are inserted through a supply device; an alignment means configured to position images including a product name displayed on external surfaces of the respective instant noodle packaging containers in the same direction and align the instant noodle packaging containers when the instant noodle packaging containers in which the instant noodles are received are transferred by the transferring device; and a cover closing and sealing device configured to receive a cover, in which another image including the product name is displayed, from a cover supply part, make the image formed in the cover correspond to the image formed in the instant noodle packaging container in the same direction, and close and seal an opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the transferring device includes a motor, and a plurality of movement support plates formed so that the instant noodle packaging containers are fitted to and seated on the plurality of movement support plates at a predetermined interval, and formed to be movable while circulating in a caterpillar form by receiving driving force of the motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the alignment means includes a fixing and supporting part configured to fix and support the respective instant noodle packaging containers when the instant noodle packaging containers are transferred to predetermined positions through the transferring device, a position changing part configured to temporarily move and change the positions of the fixed and supported instant noodle packaging containers in the transferring device, a detecting sensor configured to detect an indication portion that is a reference point of an image displayed on each of the external surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers when the positions of the instant noodle packaging containers are changed according to driving of the position changing part, and a controller configured to stop operations of the position changing part and the fixing and supporting part while returning the position changing part and the fixing and supporting part to initial positions when each of the positions of the indication portions is detected by the detecting sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: the fixing and supporting part includes a motor configured to generate vacuum pressure, and an adsorption pad configured to generate adsorption force by driving of the motor to be adsorbed onto a lower surface of the instant noodle packaging container.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: the position changing part includes an elevation driving part configured to elevate the instant noodle packaging container fixed and supported by the fixing and supporting part, and a rotation driving part configured to rotate the instant noodle packaging container in a circumferential direction when the instant noodle packaging container is elevated by the elevation driving part.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: the fixing and supporting part and the position changing part are interworked together to be driven and stopped.

7. A method of packaging instant noodles, comprising: inserting instant noodles inside an instant noodle packaging container having one side formed in an opened portion; when the instant noodle packaging containers in which the instant noodles are received are transferred by a transferring device to reach predetermined positions, performing alignment of positioning all images formed on external surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers including a product name in the same direction by detecting indication portions displayed on the external surfaces of the instant noodle packaging containers by a sensor to position the instant noodle packaging containers; and performing cover closing and sealing of sealing the opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container while making another image including the product name displayed on a cover correspond to the image formed in the instant noodle packaging container in the same direction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein: the performing of the alignment includes detecting an indication portion displayed on the external surface of the instant noodle packaging container by each sensor while elevating and rotating the instant noodle packaging containers in a state where the respective instant noodle packaging containers are fixed and supported, and seating the detected instant noodle packaging container in the transferring device by moving down the detected instant noodle packaging container while stopping the rotation of the detected instant noodle packaging container when the indication portion of the instant noodle packaging containers is detected.

9. An instant noodle packaging container comprising: an instant noodle packaging container main body having an upper surface formed in an opened portion so that instant noodles may be received therein; and a cover configured to seal and close the opened portion of the instant noodle packaging container main body, wherein images including a product are displayed on the instant noodle packaging container main body and the cover, and the instant noodle packaging container is sealed and closed by the cover in a state where the image of the instant noodle packaging container main body and the image of the cover are positioned in the same direction.

10. The instant noodle packaging container of claim 9, wherein: the instant noodle packaging container main body includes an indication portion which maintains a distance from the image including the product name and serves as a reference point of the image.

Images