Detection device for the use in a bag filling plant

Abstract

A bag filling plant includes a detection device for detecting a thickened section of a film web associated with an end of a first film and a start of a second film. The detection device includes a first film roll and a second film roll, which contact the film web on side areas aligned opposite each other and which form a conveyer gap for the film web, with the first film roll being movably supported relative to the second film roll in order to alter the conveyer gap. The detection device includes a sensor device that detects a motion of the first conveyer roll.

Claims

1. A bag filling plant for the production and filling of bags with bulk goods, said bag filling plant comprising: a detection device that detects a thickened section in a form of an overlapping section of a film web associated with an end of a first film and a start of a second film, the detection device including a first film roll and a second film roll, which contact the film web on side areas aligned opposite each other and which form a conveyer gap for the film web, with the first film roll being movably supported relative to the second film roll in order to alter the conveyer gap, and a sensor device for detecting a motion of the first film roll, with the detection device being configured as a transport device for the film web; a sealing device that seals the film web to create a bag bottom, and cutting device that cuts the sealed film web to create a separated ban section, with the sealing device and the cutting device being located after the detection device in a transport direction of the film web; a claw device that conveys the separated bag section to a bag filling station, the claw device being configurable to an open position and to a closed position, with the claw device first being in the open position and then in the closed position so as to grasp the separated bag section to be conveyed; and an ejection opening arranged in a transport path of the separated bag section such that a separated bag section which has been detected by the detection device to include the overlapping section is ejectable from the transport path via the ejection opening, such that, to effect the ejection of the detected overlapping section separated bag section, the claw device contacts the overlapping section separated bag section in the closed position so as to divert the overlapping section separated bag section into the ejection opening and out of the transport path.

2. The bag filling plant according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first film roll and the second film roll includes a drive device for a rotational drive thereof and an active advance of the film web.

3. The bag filling plant according to claim 1, wherein the first film roll includes a spring device, which impinges a lever connected to the first film roll with a force in a direction that reduces the conveyer gap.

4. The bag filling plant according to claim 1, wherein the first film roll includes a stop device with at least one stop for limiting at least one of an enlargement and a reduction of the conveyer gap.

5. The bag filling plant according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device includes at least one of an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a pressure switch, a photosensor, a proximity sensor, a force sensor, and an ultrasound sensor.

6. The bag filling plant according to claim 1, wherein the first film roll includes a pivotal bearing device for a pivotal support.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional advantages, features, and details of the invention are discernible from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail with reference to the drawings. Here, the features mentioned in the claims and the description may be essential for the invention individually or in an arbitrary combination with each other. It shows schematically:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic cross-section through an overlapping section,

(3) FIG. 2 a first embodiment of a detection device according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 the embodiment of FIG. 2 during the detection of an overlapping section,

(5) FIG. 4 an embodiment of a bag filling plant according to the invention, and

(6) FIG. 5 another embodiment of a detection device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

(8) FIG. 1 shows schematically how commonly an overlap section 230 of a film web 200 is structured. Here, towards the left a film in use 210 is discernible, which comprises two side areas 202. The end of the film web 212 of the film in use 210 is already arranged inside a subsequent film 220. In other words, the end of the film web 212 of the film in use 210 overlaps the start of the film web 222 of the subsequent film 220. This overlapping forms the overlap section 230 with a considerably enlarged, namely here doubled thickness of the film web 200.

(9) FIGS. 2 and 3 show a potential embodiment of a detection device 10 according to the invention. Here, two conveyer rolls 20 and 30 are arranged, which form a conveyer gap 40 between each other. The film web 200 is guided through this conveyer gap 40 from the top towards the bottom. Preferably at least one or even both conveyer rolls 20 and 30 are driven in order to transfer the advance and thus the advance force upon the film web 200.

(10) As also discernible from FIGS. 2 and 3, the first film roll 20 comprises a pivotal bearing device 28. In other words, the first film roll 20 can be moved away from the second film roll 30 by way of a pivotal motion about the pivotal axis of the pivotal bearing device 28.

(11) A spring device 22 is also well discernible, which is supported for example on the frame of a bag filling plant 100. It applies the spring force upon the first film roll 20, here the pivotal bearing device 28, in order to allow the resetting to a reduced conveyer gap 40. In order to ensure that the conveyer gap 40 is never completely closed and the full spring force of the spring device 22 is never transferred to the film web here a stop device 24 is provided with a stop 26.

(12) Additionally, a sensor device 50 is provided with a sensor means 52 in the form of an inductive sensor.

(13) During normal operation, the film web 200 passes between the two film rolls 20 and 30, as shown in FIG. 2. During the exchange of rolls an overlapping section 230 travels through the entire bag filling plant 100, as schematically shown in FIG. 1. When the overlapping section 230 of the film web 200 reaches the detection device 10, here a motion occurs as shown in FIG. 3. The previous conveyer gap 40 is now insufficient with regards to its width in order to accept the overlapping section 230. When this overlapping section 230 enters the conveyer gap 40 it pushes the first film roll 20 via the pivotal bearing device 28 outwardly towards the right according to FIG. 3. Here, the spring device 22 is compressed and the sensor device 50 detects this motion. This detection of the motion can lead to a subsequent manual or automatic ejection of the bag section 240 of the film web 200. After the overlapping section 230 has passed, the first film roll 20 can be returned by the spring device 22 into its position according to FIG. 2.

(14) FIG. 4 shows schematically a bag filling plant 100 according to the invention. Here the film web 200 is supplied from a supply roll 120 to a buffer device 130 in the form of a compensation roll. During the continuous unrolling from the supply roll 120, then a clocked advance is possible by the buffer device 130. The detection device 10 is located at the end of the deflection rolls, simultaneously embodied as an advance drive for the film web 200. This includes a first station 170 with a sealing device 140 for sealing the bottom seam. A cutting device 150 is also provided at this first station 170, operated simultaneously with the sealing device 140.

(15) The film web 200 is therefore pushed through by the length of a bag section 240 and simultaneously the bottom seam of the subsequent bag section 240 is formed and the lower bag section 240 is cut off. The further transportation of the bag sections 240 occurs via schematically shown claw arms 180, with an ejection of the bag section 240 through an ejection opening 110 can occur when an overlapping section 230 has been detected. Supported as subsequent stations via a conveyer belt 160 are a station 171 as a filling device, another station 122 for sealing a head seam of the filled bag section 240, as well as ultimately another station 173 for cooling the sealed head seam.

(16) FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a detection device according to the invention. It operates essentially in the same fashion as the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3. However, here it is clearly discernible that the first conveyer roll 20 comprises a drive device 60, which provides the drive for generating an advance force for the film web 200. The sensor device 50 comprises here a pressure switch as a sensor device 52. Further, it is here clearly discernible that the stop device 24 shows two stops 26 in this embodiment.

(17) The above explanation of the embodiment describes the present invention exclusively within the scope of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments, to the extent technically beneficial, may be freely combined with each other without leaving the scope of the present invention.

(18) The invention being thus described, it will be apparent that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be recognized by one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(19) 10 Detection device 20 First film roll/conveyer roll 22 Spring device 24 Stop device 26 Stop 28 Pivotal bearing device 30 Second film roll/conveyer roll 40 Conveyer gap 50 Sensor device 52 Sensor means 60 Drive device 100 Bag filling plant 110 Ejection opening 120 Supply roll 130 Buffer device 140 Sealing device 150 Cutting device 160 Conveyer heft 170 Station 200 Film web 202 Side area 210 Film in use 212 End of the film web 220 Subsequent film 222 Start of the film web 230 Overlapping section 240 Bag section