High-Capacity, High-Speed Bag Loading and Sealing System
A bag loading and sealing system and method in which a continuous web of bags is continuously moved along a line. The web of bags is slit open to expose the interior of the bags and the bags of the web are separated from each other by a rod engaging perforated lines of separation between the bags. The open tops of the bags define a pair of flaps, each of which is gripped by a gripping chain, the paths of which diverge to form a mouth at the top of the bag. Material is deposited into the bag through the mouth and the gripper chains then converge to close the bag. The bags are transferred to gripper belts, with the top edge of the bag being slit off between the belts and the bags being transported through a hot air sealer where the remaining portions of the top of the bags are melted and fused together. A spool-type take-up winder is provided to retrieve the portion of the bags trimmed from the tops thereof.
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This application claims the benefit of pending provisional application Ser. No. 61/719,000, filed Oct. 26, 2012, by the same title, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention pertains generally to automated packaging and more specifically to automated machinery for opening, inserting product into and sealing a continuous series of bags such as polyethylene bags at a very high rate.
BACKGROUND ARTAutomated packaging devices and machines that package various items into polymer-based bags are limited in the number of bags that can be filled at one time or in a single cycle, the amount of weight that each bag can carry in the filling process, and the ability to adjust to accommodate bags of different sizes. Sealing of bags in a continuous operation is typically done as a separate operation which is a serious impediment to speed and total packaging production rate.
There is a need in the art for a bag loading and sealing system that can operate at high speeds with a continuous web of bags, opening the bags, accommodate filling of the bags, and sealing and separating the bags from each other and the web in a continuous fashion without a need for starting, stopping and indexing the movement of the web of bags along the processing line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn light of the foregoing, it is a first aspect of the invention to provide a bag loading and sealing system that runs a continuous web of interconnected bags.
Another aspect of the invention is the provision of a bag loading and sealing system that sequentially opens the bags and substantially separates them from each other prior to filling.
Yet a further aspect of the invention is the provision of a bag loading and sealing system that opens the bags with an adjustable gripper chain that is adapted for adjustment to accommodate bags of various sizes.
Still a further aspect of the invention is the provision of a bag loading and sealing system that opens the bags wide, with a substantially rectangular mouth for ease of filling.
An additional aspect of the invention is the provision of a bag loading and sealing system that seals the bags with blown hot air to accommodate continuous transport through the sealing mechanism.
Yet another aspect of the invention is the provision of a bag loading and sealing system that employs a take-up winder for uniformly winding onto a spool a portion of the web of bags trimmed during the transporting and sealing operation.
Still a further aspect of the invention is the provision of a bag loading and sealing system that is continuous in operation, reliable in performance, and conducive to implementation with state of the art components.
In one embodiment, the high speed high capacity bag loading and sealing system of the present disclosure utilizes a continuous roll of tubular form polyethylene material or the like, separable in pre-defined sections to define a continuous series of individual bags, opens each bag at one end and establishes registration of the location of each bag in the series, grips and spreads the opposing edges of the upper peripheral end of each opened bag for conveyance along a fill path by dual path gripper chains; the gripper chains transferring filled bags to a pair of opposing transfer belts to transfer each bag from the gripper chain to the transfer belts, the transfer belts interfaced with opposing sealer belts for transfer of each bag from the transfer belts to the sealer belts upon trimming of the opposing edges of the upper peripheral end of each bag with the opposing edges of the upper end of each bag in a closed state, the sealer belts operative to carry each bag to at least one sealing apparatus, the sealer belts and sealer operable continuously and independent of the operation of the gripper chains and transfer belts.
The system can accommodate bags of many different sizes, different material and material weight, and substantially higher bag content weight by the utilization of gripper chains. The amount of excess material which constitutes the continuous strip at the top of the series of bags is significantly reduced by trimming closely proximate to the gripping region of the gripper chains. Mechanical and/or optical sensing of the precise location of each bag assures registration of the bags with the system throughout the operation. The system can operate at high speeds relative to prior art bag filling equipment, such as at least 100 feet per minute or 200 bags per minute or greater. And the bags can be advanced through the filling station continuously or intermittently, or the filling operation stopped entirely without affecting operation of the sealer.
For a complete understanding of the various aspect of an embodiment of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:
Referring now to the drawings and more particularly
With reference now to
Also included as part and parcel of the web of bags 30 are a series of markers used in association with an optical sensor as will become apparent to allow for registration and control of the movement of bags through the system and particularly the separation of the bags 32 from each other by tearing of the perforation lines 38. The markers 46 are uniformly placed along the web 30, and are shown by way of example as being placed in association with the perforation lines 38, although any consistent spacing of the marker can be employed.
With reference now to
Also presented in association with the slitting blade 52 is a photodetector housing 56 mounted to the support block 58 for the guide roller 50. A photodetector 60 is maintained by the housing 56 and is exposed to monitor the top strips 36 of the web of bags 30. The photodetector detects the markers 46 uniformly spaced along the web of bags 30 and thereby provides a means for facilitating the timing of the opening and separating of the bags as they move along the processing line.
In
With reference now to
In operation, the controller of the control box 24 determines from the signal generated by the photodetector 60 sensing the marker 46 when the servomotor 82 is to be actuated such that a pin 76 can engage the next perforated line 38. The pins 76 travel in a path perpendicular to the path of movement of the web 30 and are of such length and positioning to engage the perforated line 38 at the top thereof at or near the slit 40 and to pass downwardly to completely separate the bags 32 from each other at the perforated line. This occurs sequentially for each perforated line 38 of the bag. Accordingly, the bags 32 are opened at the top and separated from each other but for the continuous top strips 36, which are engaged and transported by the opposed gripper chains.
Also shown in
Work shelves 100 are positioned on either side of an opening 102 through which the opened bags may be accessed for the depositing of materials. This depositing may be done either manually or automatically as with a filler mechanism or the like. It will be appreciated that the gripper chain passes along tracks provided beneath each of the work shelves and the separation of the track may be adjusted as will become apparent below to accommodate various size bags and associated bag openings.
An emergency stop button 104 is provided at the beginning of the work shelf conveyor area, as shown in
With reference to
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
With reference now to
As shown in
Exiting the anvil nip rollers 148, the path of the white belts terminates at or about the pulley wheels 150 where the bags are released and dropped into an appropriate receiver. As further shown in
The trim winder 28 is shown in
In operation, the take-up spool 168 is caused to rotate, taking up the trimmed material from the trim blade 140 and passing through the ring 164. The carriage 160 translates across the threaded screw rod 156 until its presence is detected by an associated photocell 172, at which time the motor 158 reverses direction, causing the carriage 160 to move back across the spool 168 until sensed by the other photocell 172, at which time the motor direction 158 again reverses such that the carriage 160 translates back and forth across the face of the spool 168. This prevents the trimmed material from bulking up on the spool 168, but ensures that it is uniformly spaced thereon, maximizing the amount that can be taken up on any given spool.
Thus, it can be seen that the various aspects of the invention may be achieved by the embodiments of the invention presented and described in detail herein. While in accordance with the patent statutes, only the best known and preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented and described in detail, the invention is not limited thereto or thereby. Accordingly, for an appreciation of the true scope of the invention, reference should be made to the following claims.
Claims
1. A bag loading and sealing system, comprising:
- a continuous web of bags sharing a common tubular top strip;
- a first station having a slitting blade for slitting said tubular top strip into a pair of opposed linear strips, and a gripper associated with each of said pair of opposed linear strips for gripping, opening and transporting said bags by each associated linear strip;
- a transport and filling section in which an open mouth of each said bag is exposed for receiving material; and
- a sealing section, sealing said linear strips together and thereby sealing each of said bags with material therein.
2. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 1, wherein said bags of said continuous web of bags are separable from each other by lateral lines of perforation.
3. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 2, wherein said first station further comprises a perforation separator for sequentially engaging said lateral lines of perforation and separating said bags from each other.
4. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 3, wherein said perforation separator comprises an elongated member traversing said web at each said lateral line of perforation.
5. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 3 further comprising an optical sensor monitoring movement of said bags and signaling when a lateral line of perforation is aligned with said perforation separator.
6. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 3, wherein said grippers move in unison along paths that diverge, said diverging movement opening said bags and defining said mouth.
7. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 6, wherein said grippers comprise gripper chains of interconnected gripping links caused to open and close by associated cam sprockets.
8. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 7, wherein an extent of divergence of said paths of said gripper chains is adjustable.
9. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 8, wherein said transport and filling section comprises a pair of work shelves having an opening therebetween, each of said gripper chains following a track beneath an associated one of said work shelves, a separation between said work shelves being adjustable by a threaded rod interconnecting said work shelves.
10. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 9, wherein a pair of cam sprockets receiving said gripper chains are mounted to a slidable plate biased to maintain a constant tension on said gripper chains independent of said adjustable separation of said work shelves.
11. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 10, wherein said slidable plate is biased by an air cylinder.
12. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 6, wherein said lateral lines of perforation terminate at slits at an edge of said common tubular top strip, wherein said slits allow said mouth to form rectangularly.
13. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 8, further comprising a first pair of belt grippers receiving said web of bags from said gripper chains and transporting said web of bags by an upper portion of said pair of opposed linear strips.
14. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 13, further comprising a second pair of gripper belts engaging a lower portion of said pair of opposed linear strips.
15. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 14, further comprising a trimming blade interposed between said first and second pairs of gripper belts, said trimming blade severing off an upper portion of said opposed linear strips.
16. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 15, wherein said second pair of gripper belts transports said web of bags through a hot air sealer comprising said sealing section.
17. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 16, wherein said hot air sealer comprises spaced manifolds receiving said second pair of gripper belts therebetween, said manifolds blowing hot air onto a top remaining portion of said opposed linear strips, melting and fusing them together.
18. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 17, further comprising crimp rollers downstream of said manifolds for crimping said melted and fused portions of said linear strips.
19. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 15, further comprising a trim winder receiving said upper portion of said opposed linear strips onto a spool.
20. The bag loading and sealing system according to claim 19, wherein said trim winder comprises a carriage reciprocatingly driving back and forth across a rod, said carriage receiving said trimmed upper portion of said opposed linear strips and transferring them onto said spool.
21. A method for opening, filling, and sealing the bags of a tubular web of interconnected bags, comprising:
- slitting open a top edge of said web of bags to expose an interior of each bag;
- gripping opposed flaps of said slit top edge by a moving gripper chain;
- separating said bags of said web from each other;
- opening a mouth of said bags by diverging travel of said moving gripper chain;
- filling said bags with material;
- transferring said filled bags to gripper belts;
- slitting off top portions of said opposed flaps; and
- heat-sealing together remaining portions of said flaps.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 28, 2013
Publication Date: May 1, 2014
Applicant: Advanced Poly-Packaging, Inc. (Akron, OH)
Inventor: Tony D. Baker (Hudson, OH)
Application Number: 14/064,749
International Classification: B65B 43/12 (20060101);