Abstract
A device for transporting and filling bags, preferably open bags, comprising a filling device, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, having multiple filling openings distributed over the circumference of the filling device, and comprising a feeder, using which an empty bag can be fed to a filling opening, wherein the feeder comprises at least one holding unit for a bag, which is movable normally to the axis of rotation of the filling device, wherein the holding unit has two separate holders, wherein the holders are each movable forward and backward along the same open trajectory, wherein the first holder is mounted so it is movable on the filling device, while the second holder is mounted so it is movable on a spatially-fixed guide.
Claims
1. A device for transporting and filling bags, comprising: a filling device, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, having a circumference and multiple filling openings distributed over the circumference; and a feeder, which is configured to feed an empty bag to one of the multiple filling openings, comprising at least one holding unit, which is movable normal to the axis of rotation, wherein the holding unit has separate first and second holders, which are each movable forward and backward along a same open trajectory, wherein the first holder is mounted to be movable on the filling device and the second holder is mounted to be movable on a spatially-fixed guide, wherein the open trajectory of the first and the second holder is a section of a circular path, and wherein the empty bag is an unopened, folded bag and the first and second holders, which move relative to each other in a radial direction to the axis of rotation, are arranged to work together to grasp the empty folded bag from two sides and open the folded empty bag.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second holders are movable in parallel to one another.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first holder is mounted for movement radially inside the filling openings and the second holder is mounted for movement radially outside the filling openings.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second holder is located at least partially radially inside a largest diameter of the circumference.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a center point of the section of the circular path lies on the axis of rotation.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or the second holder comprises a suctioning device.
7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the suctioning device of the at least one of the first or the second holder is movable radially in relation to the axis of rotation with respect to the remaining holder.
8. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or the second holder comprises a bag lifter configured to lift a bag from a transfer position into a filling position.
9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the feeder comprises a pivot unit configured to pivot an empty bag from a storage position into a transfer position for transfer to the holding unit.
10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a bag remover for removing a filled bag from a filling opening; and grippers that are movable normal to the axis of rotation and movable forward and backward along a same open trajectory in a direction of the circumference.
11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the bags are filled with bulk material and the device further comprises a vibration plate, which is configured for compacting the bulk material in the bags and is arranged below each filling opening, wherein, when viewed from the filling opening, the vibration plate is inclined outward so that, as they are filled, the filled bags rest on the vibration plate.
12. The device according to claim 11, wherein a flap is provided in an end section of the vibration plate remote from the filling opening, to support a filled bag in the bottom region, and wherein the flap is pivotable toward the filling opening.
13. A method for transporting and filling bags using the device according to claim 1, comprising: rotating the filling device at constant velocity, feeding an empty bag to a filling opening, wherein the first and second separate holders jointly accept an empty bag at a transfer position, move forward synchronously along the open trajectory, while the bag is fastened on the filling device, release the bag, and subsequently move backwards along the same open trajectory into the transfer position, and wherein the open trajectory of the first and second holder is a section of a circular path.
14. The device according to claim 9, wherein the storage position is a horizontal position.
15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the transfer position is a vertical position.
16. The device according to claim 10, wherein the bag remover is arranged spatially-fixed.
17. The device according to claim 10, wherein the grippers are pivotably movable.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
(1) The invention will be explained in greater detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment. The drawings are by way of example and are to illustrate the concept of the invention, but are in no way to restrict it or even exhaustively reproduce it.
(2) In the figures:
(3) FIG. 1 shows an overview of a device according to the invention in a perspective illustration from above,
(4) FIG. 2 shows the device during the receiving of a bag in a perspective illustration,
(5) FIG. 3 shows the device during the receiving of a bag in horizontal projection,
(6) FIG. 4 shows the device during the receiving of a bag in a side view,
(7) FIG. 5 shows the device after a bag is pivoted up in a perspective illustration,
(8) FIG. 6 shows the device after a bag is pivoted up in horizontal projection,
(9) FIG. 7 shows the device after a bag is pivoted up in a side view,
(10) FIG. 8 shows the device during the placement of a bag onto the filling opening in a perspective illustration,
(11) FIG. 9 shows the device during the placement of a bag onto the filling opening in horizontal projection,
(12) FIG. 10 shows the device during the placement of a bag on the filling opening in a side view,
(13) FIG. 11 shows the device during the filling of a bag in a perspective illustration,
(14) FIG. 12 shows the device during the filling of a bag in horizontal projection,
(15) FIG. 13 shows the device during the filling of a bag in a side view,
(16) FIG. 14 shows the device during the retraction of the bag removal unit in a perspective illustration,
(17) FIG. 15 shows the device during the retraction of the bag removal unit in horizontal projection,
(18) FIG. 16 shows the device during the retraction of the bag removal unit in a side view,
(19) FIG. 17 shows the device before the pulling off of the filled bag in a perspective illustration,
(20) FIG. 18 shows the device before the pulling off of the filled bag in horizontal projection,
(21) FIG. 19 shows the device before the pulling off of the filled bag in a side view,
(22) FIG. 20 shows the device after the pivoting back of the bag removal unit in a perspective illustration,
(23) FIG. 21 shows the device after the pivoting back of the bag removal unit in horizontal projection,
(24) FIG. 22 shows the device after the pivoting back of the bag removal unit in a side view,
(25) FIG. 23 shows the device having installed guide of the second holder in a perspective illustration,
(26) FIG. 24 shows the complete illustration of the holders according to FIG. 8,
(27) FIG. 25 shows the complete illustration of the holders according to FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(28) FIG. 1 shows an overview of a device according to the invention for transporting a bag 1. The device comprises a filling device 2, the filling openings of which are formed by filling nozzles 3. A filling funnel 4, to which bulk material is applied by a unit (not shown), is arranged above each filling nozzle 3. The device furthermore comprises a feeder, which is composed here of a holding unit 5 and a pivot unit 6. The device also comprises a bag removal unit (bag remover) 7 for removing a filled bag from the filling opening of the filling nozzle 3. A vibration plate 8 arranged inclined downward and outward, and on which the filled bags 1 rest, is provided below each filling opening or below each filling nozzle 3. The bulk material inside the bag 1 is compacted by the vibration of the vibration plate 8. In addition, a compaction can also be provided by a flap 24, which is arranged at the lower end of the vibration plate 8 and is pivotable toward the filling opening. In FIG. 1, the flap 24 is folded downward, it can be located, for example, in the same plane as the vibration plate 8. This flap 24 is used in the state folded upward, where it is approximately normal to the vibration plate 8, for example, in any case for relieving the bag material of the filled bag 1.
(29) The filling device 2 has a rotating column 9, which is arranged vertically in the operating state, and which is rotatable about an axis of rotation 10. The filling device 2 rotates counterclockwise at constant velocity here. Of course, the filling device 2 can also be moved clockwise with accordingly mirrored arrangement of the device according to the invention. The bags 1 can be fixed by clamping on the filling nozzle 3 using clamps 11, which are mounted so they are movable on the filling device 2 and are adapted to the shape of the filling nozzle 3. The carrier 16, which is in the form of a circular disk here, of the filling device 2 carries the filling funnels 4 located above the carrier 16, on the one hand, and the filling nozzles 3 arranged below the carrier 16. The diameter of the carrier 16 therefore forms the largest diameter of the filling device 2 in this example.
(30) The first holder 12, which is mounted so it is movable on the filling device 2, of the holding unit 5 is largely concealed by the filling nozzle 3 in FIG. 1. Only the second holder 13 is recognizable, which is mounted so it is movable on a spatially-fixed guide. The spatially-fixed guide 14 is designed here as a curved guide rail, and is spatially-fixed in the sense that it is not fastened on the filling device 2 and therefore does not co-rotate with the filling device 2. The guide 14 can be fastened on a housing, for example, which encloses the device according to the invention.
(31) FIGS. 2-4 show the device according to the invention from FIG. 1 during the receiving of a bag 1 by the pivot unit 6. This pivot unit is pivotable about a pivot axis, which extends horizontally and tangentially in relation to an imaginary circle about the axis of rotation 10 of the rotating column 9. Two pivot arms are rigidly connected to one another and support grippers at the ends thereof, using which an empty bag 1 can be grasped in a horizontal storage position here.
(32) The second holder 13 is located, viewed in the rotational direction of the filling device 2, at this time at the very beginning of the guide 14 and can already be aligned now in the radial direction with a filling opening 15. At the time of the pivot movement of the pivot unit 6, the holders 12, 13 do not necessarily have to be located at the beginning of the guide 14. The pivot unit 6 can, with vertical position of the bag 1 (see FIGS. 5-7) also wait for the returning holders 12, 13. An alignment with the filling opening also does not have to be provided, this is only required after the opening of the bag 1, namely during the placement of the bag 1.
(33) The construction of first holder 12 and second holder 13 is recognizable in FIG. 4. To be able to recognize the details of the holders 12, 13 better, only a part of the carrier 16 to the left of the rotating column is shown. The first holder 12 has two pairs of pivot arms 17, between which a suctioning device, a suction nozzle 19 here, is held. The pivot arms 17 are linked on one side on the suction nozzle 19, and on the other side on a rotatable arm 26 (see FIGS. 24 and 25), which is mounted so it is rotatable on the rotating column 9. The first holder 12 therefore moves in space along a circular arc. The suction nozzle 19 can be raised or lowered in parallel to the axis of rotation 10 by the pivot arms 17, which are designed as a parallelogram guide. The suction nozzle 19 is additionally mounted so it is radially displaceable in relation to the pivot arms 17, by a piston 18 here. The second holder 13 also has two pairs of pivot arms 17, between which a suctioning device, a suction nozzle 19 here, is held. The pivot arms 17 are linked on one side on the suction nozzle 19, and on the other side on a guide part, which is displaceable in the guide rail of the guide 14. The pivot arms 17 also embody a parallelogram guide here. The guide rail has the form of a circular arc here, which is concentric to the axis of rotation 10. The suction nozzle 19 can be raised or lowered in parallel to the axis of rotation 10 by the pivot arms 17. The suction nozzle 19 is not mounted radially displaceable here.
(34) The holders 12, 13 and/or the suction nozzles 19 thereof are located in the transfer position in FIGS. 2-4, where an empty bag 1 can be accepted by the pivot unit 6.
(35) The trajectories of the holders 12, 13 are formed as circular arcs concentric to the axis of rotation 10 and therefore extend in parallel to one another. The trajectory of the first holder 12, more precisely the trajectory of the mounting of the pivot arms 17, extends inside the filling openings 15, the trajectory of the second holder 13, more precisely the trajectory defined by the guide 14, extends outside the filling openings 15. The guide 14 of the second holder 13 is arranged radially outside the carrier 16, the second holder 13 is always located partially radially inside and partially radially outside the carrier 16 and/or the largest diameter of the filling device 2.
(36) The holders 12, 13, as will be described hereafter, are moved cyclically about the axis of rotation 10, namely always rotated one portion about the axis of rotation 10 in one direction and subsequently one portion in the other direction and then again one portion in the first direction, and so on, while the filling device 2 rotates continuously at constant velocity about the axis of rotation 10, i.e., changes neither the rotational direction nor the rotational velocity.
(37) FIGS. 5-7 show the device according to the invention from FIG. 1 after the pivoting up of a bag 1 by the pivot unit 6. The two pivot arms of the pivot unit 6 have pivoted the empty bag 1 from the horizontal storage position into a transfer position, which is vertical here. In this case, the pivot arms of the pivot unit 6 extend radially up to the outer end of the filling nozzle 3 in the filling device 2. The bag 1 rests with its wall facing away from the rotating column 9 against the suction nozzle 19 of the second holder 13. The piston 18 of the first holder 12, which piston 18 carries the suction nozzle 19, is displaced radially outward until this suction nozzle 19 also presses against the bag 1, specifically on its wall facing toward the rotating column 9. The bag 1 can now be held by the suction nozzles 19 and the grippers of the pivot unit 6 can be detached. The pivot unit 6 is pivoted back again and can receive the next bag 1 using the grippers.
(38) FIGS. 8-10 show the device according to the invention from FIG. 1 during the placement of the bag 1 on the filling opening of the filling nozzle 3. For this purpose, firstly the bag 1 has to be opened by the holders 12, 13. This takes place here in that the piston 18 of the first holder 12 is moved radially inward again and the suctioned wall of the bag 1, which faces toward the rotating column 9, is drawn radially inward. The pivot arms 17 of the holders 12, 13 can then be raised, so that the bag is pushed from the outside onto the filling nozzle 3. The bag 1 is then pressed against the filling nozzle 3 by a pair of clamps, which only engages centrally on the filling nozzle 3, and therefore accepted from the holders 12, 13. After the pivot arms 17 have been lowered, the clamps 11 are applied to the filling nozzle 3, so that it is entirely enclosed by the clamps 11, and the bag 1 is thus fastened on the filling nozzle 3.
(39) During these procedures—opening and placement of the bag 1—the second holder 13 moves along the guide 14 synchronously with the filling device 2, i.e., it has the same angular velocity in relation to the axis of rotation 10 of the rotating column 9 as the filling device 2. The first holder 12 is also moved synchronously with the filling device 2, i.e., it has the same angular velocity in relation to the axis of rotation 10 of the rotating column 9. Instead of the arm 26, which is rotatable about the axis of rotation 10 (see FIGS. 24 and 25), of the first holder 12, for example, by a gearwheel mounted on the rotating column 9, a rail or slotted guide could also be provided fixed on the filling device 2, for example, on the carrier 16. The first holder 12 could then remain fixed in relation to the filling device during the opening and placement of the bag 1 and only thereafter be moved back again opposite to the rotational direction along, for example, the rail or slotted guide, to receive the next bag 1.
(40) The first holder 12 is moved back again, after the fastening of the bag 1 by the clamps 1 on the filling nozzle 3, by a rotational movement of the arm 26 into the transfer position according to FIGS. 2-7. The second holder 13 is moved back again, after the fastening of the bag 1 by the clamps 1 on the filling nozzle 3, along the guide 14 into the transfer position according to FIGS. 2-7.
(41) FIGS. 11-13 show the device according to the invention from FIG. 1 during the filling of a bag 1. The holders 12, 13 were omitted in these illustrations. The clamps 11, which fix the bag 1 on the filling nozzle 3, can thus be recognized better. Bulk material is now poured into the filling funnel 4, in particular in a quantity predetermined by measurement, such as weighing, and moves through the filling nozzle 3 into the bag 1. The bag 1 now rests on the inclined vibration plate 8, whereby the bulk material is compacted in the bag 1. At the lower end of the vibration plate 8, a flap 24 is provided here, to support the filled bag 1 in the bottom region. The flap 24 is located in the state folded upward.
(42) FIGS. 14-16 show the device according to the invention from FIG. 1 during the retraction of the bag removal unit 7 in the direction toward the filling device 2. As soon the bags 1 are completely filled and the bulk material is compacted, the bag 1 can be removed from the filling device 2. For this purpose, the corresponding grippers 23 of the bag removal unit 7 should also move along with the filling device 2. For this purpose, a spatially-fixed guide 20 is provided, which is in the form of a circular arc and is concentric to the axis of rotation 10 in this embodiment variant, so that the grippers 23 can be moved along a circular arc with the filling device 2. To be able to remove the filled bag downward and outward from the filling nozzle 3, the grippers 23 are mounted on two pairs of arms 21, 22 which are pivotable—in relation to the guide 20 and the grippers 23—while embodying a parallelogram guide.
(43) In FIGS. 14-16, the grippers 23—viewed in the rotational direction of the filling device 2—are located at the beginning of the circular arc defined by the guide 20. The grippers 23 are now pivoted inward and upward into the filling device 2, so that the grippers 23 can grasp the bag 1. The grippers 23 are also moved in this case along the guide 20 at the same velocity with the filling device 2.
(44) FIGS. 17-19 show the device according to the invention from FIG. 1 before the withdrawal of the filled bag 1 from the filling device 2 by the bag removal unit 7. The flap 24 is already folded downward here. The grippers 23 have grasped the bag 1 until the grippers 23 have reached the end of the guide 20. After the grippers 23 have grasped the bag, the clamps 11 open and the bag 1 is deposited. The arms 21, 22 pivot outward and downward already simultaneously thereto or also only thereafter.
(45) FIGS. 20-22 show the device according to the invention from FIG. 1 after the pivoting back of the bag removal unit 7 away from the filling device 2. The bag 1 is still held by the grippers 23 and can be put down, for example, on a conveyor belt arranged below the bag removal unit 7 by detaching the grippers 23 and can be transported away. Before and while the bag 1 is put down, it is spread in the header of the bag 1 by the grippers 23 for an orderly transfer.
(46) FIG. 23 shows an example of how the spatially-fixed guide 14 of the second holder 13 can be embodied. In this case, the longitudinal ends of the guide rail of the guide 14 are mounted on spatially-fixed uprights 25. These uprights 25 do not have to be provided separately for the guide 14, existing uprights 25 can be used, which are part of a housing, for example, which encloses the device according to the invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
(47) 1 bag 2 filling device 3 filling nozzle 4 filling funnel 5 holding unit (holder) 6 pivot unit 7 bag removal unit (bag remover) 8 vibration plate 9 rotating column 10 axis of rotation 11 clamp 12 first holder 13 second holder 14 guide for the second holder 13 15 filling opening 16 carrier 17 pivot arms 18 piston 19 suction nozzle (suctioning device) 20 guide for the bag removal unit 7 21 arm 22 arm 23 gripper 24 flap 25 upright 26 rotatable arm
