PTP packaging machine

1. A PTP packaging machine, comprising:

a filler that fills a predetermined content into pocket portions formed in a strip-shaped container film;

a sealer that is provided on a downstream side of the filler and mounts a strip-shaped cover film to the container film to close the pocket portions and obtain a strip-shaped PTP film including the cover film mounted to the container film; and

a puncher that is provided on a downstream side of the sealer and punches out an expected sheet portion of the PTP film that is a region of eventually forming a predetermined PTP sheet and thereby obtain the PTP sheet, wherein

the filler comprises:

a first rotating drum having a plurality of first sucking portions that are formed in an outer circumference of the first rotating drum and suck the content, wherein each of the first sucking portions moves from a predetermined supply position through a predetermined filling position and returns to the supply position, along with rotation of the first rotating drum;

a supplier comprising:

a supply chute that has an opening and supplies the content through the opening; and

a shutter that changes over between a first state and a second state, wherein the shutter in the first state opens the opening and allows the supply chute to supply the content to each of the first sucking portions located at the supply position, and the shutter in the second state closes the opening and prevents the supply chute from supplying the content;

a changeover valve that individually changes over each of the first sucking portions to a sucking state or a non-sucking state, and sets each of the first sucking portions in the non-sucking state at the filling position to fill the content from each of the first sucking portions into each of the pocket portions or keeps each of the first sucking portions in the sucking state at the filling position not to fill the content into each of the pocket portions;

an imager that takes an image of the content sucked or to be sucked by each of the first sucking portions at a stage before each of the first sucking portions reaches the filling position;

a first controller that determines quality of appearance of the content, based on image data obtained by the imager; and

a second controller that controls the changeover valve based on a determination result by the first controller, and that controls the shutter based on the determination result by the first controller, wherein

upon identifying, as a defective sheet portion, the expected sheet portion including, among the pocket portions, a pocket portion in which the content determined as a defective by the first controller is to be filled,

the second controller:

controls the changeover valve to maintain each of the first sucking portions holding the content determined as a non-defective product by the first controller, among the contents to be filled into the pocket portions of the defective sheet portion, in the sucking state at least at the filling position, and

controls the shutter to close the opening to prevent the supply chute from supplying the content to each of the first sucking portions holding the content determined as the non-defective product when the each of the first sucking portions holding the content determined as the non-defective product returns to the supply position.

2. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the second controller controls the changeover valve to set each of the first sucking portions holding the content determined as the defective by the first controller, among the contents to be filled into the pocket portions of the defective sheet portion, in the non-sucking state at least at the filling position.

3. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 2 , wherein

the supplier comprises a second rotating drum having a plurality of second sucking portions that are formed in an outer circumference of the second rotating drum and suck the content, the second rotating drum transferring the content sucked by each of the second sucking portions, to each of the first sucking portions at the supply position, and

the imager comprises:

a first imager that takes an image of at least an opposite face that is opposite to a sucked face of the content sucked by each of the first sucking portions; and

a second imager that takes an image of at least an opposite face that is opposite to a sucked face of the content sucked by each of the second sucking portions, wherein

the sucked face of the content is reversed in a process of transferring the content from each of the second sucking portions to each of the first sucking portions.

4. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 3 , wherein

the shutter in the first state opens the opening and allows the supply chute to supply the content to each of the second sucking portions so as to supply the content to each of the first sucking portions located at the supply position,

the first imager takes an image of the content when each of the first sucking portions reaches a predetermined imaging position, and

a time period required from a time when all the first sucking portions corresponding to each of the expected sheet portion reach the imaging position to a time when at least one of the first sucking portions corresponding to each of the expected sheet portion reaches the supply position is set to be longer than a time period required when each of the second sucking portions moves from the supply chute corresponding position to reach the supply position.

5. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 4 , wherein

the first imager and the second imager take an image of a side face of the content, wherein the side face is located between the sucked face by each of the first sucking portions and the sucked face by each of the second sucking portions.

6. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 3 , wherein

the first imager and the second imager take an image of a side face of the content, wherein the side face is located between the sucked face by each of the first sucking portions and the sucked face by each of the second sucking portions.

7. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the supplier comprises a second rotating drum having a plurality of second sucking portions that are formed in an outer circumference of the second rotating drum to suck the content, the second rotating drum transferring the content sucked by the second sucking portions, to the first sucking portions at the supply position, and

the imager comprises:

a first imager that takes an image of at least an opposite face that is opposite to a sucked face of the content sucked by the first sucking portions; and

a second imager that takes an image of at least an opposite face that is opposite to a sucked face of the content sucked by the second sucking portions, wherein

the sucked face of the content is reversed in a process of transferring the content from the second sucking portions to the first sucking portions.

8. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 7 , wherein

the shutter in the first state opens the opening and allows the supply chute to supply the content to each of the second sucking portions so as to supply the content to each of the first sucking portions located at the supply position,

the first imager takes an image of the content when each of the first sucking portions reaches a predetermined imaging position, and

a time period required from a time when all the first sucking portions corresponding to each of the expected sheet portion reach the imaging position to a time when at least one of the first sucking portions corresponding to each of the expected sheet portion reaches the supply position is set to be longer than a time period required when each of the second sucking portions moves from the supply chute corresponding position to reach the supply position.

9. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 8 , wherein

the first imager and the second imager take an image of a side face of the content, wherein the side face is located between the sucked face by each of the first sucking portions and the sucked face by each of the second sucking portions.

10. The PTP packaging machine according to claim 7 , wherein

the first imager and the second imager take an image of a side face of the content, wherein the side face is located between the sucked face by each of the first sucking portions and the sucked face by each of the second sucking portions.