Method and Machine for Producing Bags

Abstract

A method for producing a bag from a tube including transverse lines of perforations delimiting tabs of the future bag, a rear tab of a first bag being opposite a front tab of the second bag following the first. A first step involves separating the first and second bags; a second step involves separating a piece of waste remaining on one of the bags between the two tabs. The first and second steps are carried out between a first pair of separation cylinders and a second pair of cylinders, the piece of waste being clamped between the cylinders of the first pair during the first step in order to be held on the second bag, then clamped and torn off by the second pair during the second step.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A method for producing a bag according to which, starting from a tubular body including lines of transverse perforations delimiting a rear end of a first bag and at least one front tab of a second bag following the first between a central line in the transverse direction and a bottom line from which the front tab projects forward, the method comprising: a first step including separating the first and the second bag; and, a second step including separating a waste piece remaining on one of the bags between the rear end and the front tab; wherein the first and the second step are accomplished between, on one hand, a first pair of separation cylinders and, on another hand, a second pair of separation cylinders downstream of the first pair of separation cylinders with respect to the scrolling direction of the tubular body, the waste piece being clamped between a central line and a bottom line between the cylinders of the first pair during the first step to be retained on the second bag, then clamped and torn off by the second pair during the second step, the first pair of cylinders being driven with a lower peripheral speed than that of the second pair at least during the first and the second step.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the tubular body is driven upstream of the first pair of cylinders using a pair of drive rollers turning at a constant peripheral reference speed, and wherein a peripheral speed of the first pair of cylinders is less than the peripheral reference speed during the first and the second step.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral speed of at least one of the cylinders of the first pair of cylinders is adjusted between the second and the first step so that the gripping of the waste piece between the cylinders of the first pair is synchronized with the gripping and the tearing off of the first bag by the second pair of cylinders.

17. The method according to claim 1, according to which a peripheral speed of at least one of the cylinders of the second pair of cylinders is adjusted between the second and the first step so that the gripping of the first bag between the cylinders of the second pair is synchronized with the clamping of the waste piece by the first pair of cylinders.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lines of perforations also delimit a rear tab at the rear end of the first bag facing the front tab of the second bag.

19. A machine for producing bags comprising: means for forming a tubular body including lines of transverse perforations delimiting a rear end of a first bag and at least one front tab of a second bag following the first between a central line in the transverse direction and a bottom line from which the front tab projects forward, a first pair of driven separation cylinders for, in a first step, separating the first and the second bag; downstream of the first pair of cylinders, a second pair of driven separation cylinders, for, in a second step, separating a waste piece remaining on one of the bags between the rear end and the front tab, wherein the first pair of cylinders and the second pair of cylinders are configured to clamp the waste piece between the central line and the bottom line between the cylinders of the first pair during the first step and to retain the waste piece on the second bag while the first bag is clamped between the second pair of separation cylinders, and to clamp the waste piece and tear it off with the cylinders of the second pair during the second step while the second bag is clamped between the first pair of separation cylinders, and wherein a peripheral speed of the first pair of cylinders is less than that of the second pair at least during the first and the second step.

20. The machine according to claim 19, wherein a principal cylinder of the second pair of separation cylinders includes a grasping means for spiking the waste piece during the second step.

21. The machine according to claim 20, wherein a principal cylinder of the second pair of separation cylinders includes a tear-off clip for clamping the tubular body, the grasping means being retractable so as to be retracted during the first step.

22. The machine according to claim 20, wherein the principal cylinder of the second pair of separation cylinders includes a first tear-off clip for clamping the tubular body during the first step and a second tear-off clip for clamping the tubular body during the second step, the grasping means being positioned in proximity to the second tear-off clip.

23. The machine according to claim 20, wherein the principal cylinder of the second pair of cylinders includes at least two tear-off clips, the grasping means being positioned in the environment of all the tear-off clips or of one of two tear-off clip to clamp the tubular body during the first step with a clip not provided with a grasping device or the grasping device whereof is retracted, and a second tear-off clip with an operational grasping device for clamping the tubular body during the second step and grasping the waste piece.

24. The machine according claim 19, wherein a principal cylinder of the first pair of separation cylinders includes a holding clip for clamping the tubular body during the first and the second step.

25. The machine according to claim 19, wherein a principal cylinder of the first pair of separation cylinders includes a first holding clip for clamping the tubular body during the first step and a second holding clip for clamping the tubular body during the second step.

26. The machine according to claim 19, wherein a counter-cylinder of the first or of the second pair of cylinders includes an eroded zone, and a corresponding drive means being configurable so that the first tear-off clip or the second tear-off clip faces the eroded zone intermittently during the rotation of the principal cylinder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will appear upon reading the detailed description which follows, the description referring to the appended drawings wherein:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a machine implementing the method according to the invention;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tubular body on which are shown the limits of the bags to be produced;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a side view of the tubular body in FIG. 2;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the separation means in a position at the beginning of the first separation step;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the tubular body in the position of FIG. 4;

[0033] FIGS. 6 and 7 are similar views to FIGS. 4 and 5 in a final position of step 1;

[0034] FIGS. 8 and 9 are similar views to FIGS. 4 and 5 in a position between the first and the second step;

[0035] FIGS. 10 and 11 are similar views to FIGS. 4 and 5 in a position at the beginning of the second step;

[0036] FIGS. 12 and 13 are similar views to FIGS. 4 and 5 in a position at the end of the seconds step:

[0037] FIG. 14 shows a time diagram of the rotation speeds of a first and a second pair of cylinders.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] A machine conforming to an embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in FIG. 1. It includes successively in the unwinding direction an unwinding device 1 receiving a strip of paper 2 in a spool, to unwind it, a perforation station 3 for creating transverse perforations on the paper strip 2 which unwinds, a station for forming a tubular body 4, separation means 5 for separating the tubular body 20 into successive bag blanks, a folding device 6 for forming the bottom of each bag and a reception table 7 for piling the bags produced. The station for forming a tubular body 4 is terminated by a pair of drive rollers 40 rotating at a constant peripheral speed called the reference speed. The machine also includes transport means, not shown, positioned between the different stations for guiding and transporting the tubular body 20 or the blanks between stations. Only the separation means 5 are modified within the scope of this invention; the other equipment will therefore not be described in detail.

[0039] In FIGS. 2 and 3, the tubular body 20 shown includes gussets 21, but it should be understood that the invention also applies to a simple tubular body 20, for bags not provided with gussets. Thus the tubular body 20 has an upper face 22 facing a lower face 23, the faces 22, 23 being interconnected by lateral gussets 21. The tubular body 20 is made by bonding together the edges of the original paper strip 2, the superimposed edges meeting substantially in the middle 24 of the upper face 22. The tubular body 20 is designed to be separated into a first bag 27, a waste piece 26 and a second bag 28 following the first bag 27, knowing that in the following cycle, the first bag 27 will be replaced by the second bag 28 and so on. On the rear side, the first bag 27 includes a rear tab 232 coming from the lower face 23 of the tubular body 20, and delimited by a central line 233 in the transverse direction and two diagonal lines 234 reaching the gussets 21. The gussets 21 and the upper face 22 are cut at the same transverse level as an opening line 235 of which the rear tab 232 projects rearward.

[0040] The second bag 28 includes a front tab 231 coming from the lower face 23 of the tubular body 20, and delimited by a central line 233 in the transverse direction and two diagonal lines 234 reaching the gussets 21. The gussets 21 and the upper face 22 are cut at the same transverse level as a bottom line 236 of which the front tab 231 projects forward. The portion of the tubular body 20 delimited between the diagonal lines 234 and between the bottom 236 and opening 235 lines on the upper face 22 forms the waste piece 26 which will be extracted. The rear tab 232 of the first bag 27 thus faces the front tab 231 of the second bag 28.

[0041] The perforation station 3 creates perforations on the entire width of the paper strip 2, at regular intervals. The perforations extend along the central line 233, diagonal lines 234, the opening line 235 and the bottom line 236 delimiting the bags on the upper face 22 and the gussets 21.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, the separation means 5 of the production machine include a first pair of separation cylinders 51 driven by first drive means 53, and a second pair of separation cylinders 52, driven by second drive means 54. The cylinders of the same pair in the upper portion turn at the same peripheral speed as the cylinders in the lower portion but in the opposite direction, so as to accompany the scrolling of the tubular body 20 together. The first pair of separation cylinders 51 comprises a first holding clip 511 and a second holding clip 512. Likewise, the second pair of separation cylinders 52 includes a first tear-off clip 521 and a second tear-off clip 522. The holding 511, 512 and tear-off 521, 522 clips are attached to a principal cylinder of the corresponding pair, in the present case to the cylinder facing the upper face 22 of the tubular body 20, in the direction of the generators of the cylinder, and form a protruding portion with respect to the surface of the cylinder, so as to form a clamp which holds the tubular body during passage of the clip facing the other cylinder, called the counter-cylinder. The counter-cylinders are smooth. Grasping means 523 in the form of a line of spikes are positioned in proximity to the second tear-off clip 522.

[0043] The method implemented by the machine will now be described beginning with an arbitrary position, knowing that each position is found again in the following cycle. The method is a succession of cycles, one bag being produced for each cycle.

[0044] In the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first and the second bag 27, 28 are contiguous in the continuation of the tubular body 20. The first bag 27 is located between the cylinders of the second pair of cylinders 52 while the second bag 28 is located upstream of the first pair of cylinders 51. The tubular body 20 is moving in the direction of the arrow F1, to with from the first pair of cylinders 51 toward the second pair of cylinders 52. In a first step, the pairs of cylinders 51, 52, driven by the first and the second drive means 53, 54, bring the first holding clip 511 into contact with the front tab 231 of the second bag 28 and the waste piece 26 by clamping them between the central line 233 and the bottom line 236 while the first tear-off clip 521 comes into contact with the upper and lower faces 22, 23 of the second bag 28 while clamping them. The differential peripheral speeds of each pair of cylinders 51, 52, to with a lower peripheral speed than the reference speed for the first pair of cylinders 51, bring about tension between the first and the second bag 27, 28 so as to obtain their separation along the perforations of the central line 233, the opening line 235 and the diagonal lines 236 connecting them, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The rear tab 232 of the first bag 27 is thus formed. The waste piece 26 remains attached to the second bag 28.

[0045] The scrolling of the tubular body 20 and of the first bag 27 continues in the direction of the arrow F1 to the position shown by FIGS. 8 and 9, wherein the waste piece 26 arrives in proximity to the second pair of cylinders 52 and the second bag 28 is between the cylinders of the first pair of cylinders 51. In a second step, the pairs of cylinders 51, 52 bring the second holding clip 512 into contact with the second bag 28 while clamping it, while the second tear-off clip 522 comes into contact while clamping it with the waste piece 26 projecting beyond what will be the front tab 231 of the second bag 28, that is between the central line 233 and the opening line 235, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

[0046] The differential peripheral speeds of each pair of cylinders bring about tension between the waste piece 26 and the second bag 28 so as to obtain their separation along diagonal 234 and bottom 236 perforation lines, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The front tab 231 of the second bag 28 is thus formed. The waste piece 26 is spurred toward the front by the grasping means 523 and removed with the rotation of the principal cylinder, in a manner known per se.

[0047] Once the first bag 27 is separated from the tubular body 20, it is transferred to the folding device 6 which bonds, then folds over the front tab 231 over the upper face 22 so as to close the end of the bag. This device is conventional and is not described here in more detail.

[0048] Other than in the first and the second phase, the clips do not carry out clamping on the other cylinder of the pair. Thus, these periods without position constraints are used for accelerating or slowing down the rotation speeds of the cylinders so that the following clamping occurs at the chosen time with respect to the position of the tubular body 20 and to the desired speed. These adjustments in speed are adapted to each bag length.

[0049] Consider a machine the pairs of cylinders 51, 52 whereof rotate synchronously, at one revolution per bag produced. The cylinders of the first pair have a developed perimeter of 320 mm while those of the second pair have a developed perimeter on the order of 430 mm. The counter-cylinders are smooth while the main cylinder of each pair carries two diametrically opposed clips. The developed perimeter ratio determines in principle the speed ratio during the first and the second phase, so as to obtain the separation of the tubular body or the waste piece. With reference to FIG. 14, a diagram shows on a first curve c1 the peripheral position of the first pair of cylinders as a function of the scrolling of the coil, on a second curve c2 the peripheral position of the second pair of cylinders and on a third curve the reference position cR for the coil. It is noted that the curves c1 and c2 are synchronous, the peripheral speed of the second pair of cylinders 52 being greater than that of the first 51. During the first step, the speeds, corresponding to the slope of the curves, are such that the speed of the first curve c1 is less than the speed of the second curve c2 and to that of the reference curve cR to accomplish the separation between the first and the second bag. There follows a first transition step wherein the peripheral speeds of the first and of the second pair of cylinders are held constant. During the second step P2, the slopes of the curves c1, c2 are always identical to those during the first step P1. There follows finally a second transition step wherein the peripheral speeds of the first and of the second pair of cylinders 51 are slowed down, then again accelerated so as to synchronize the end of the length of the bag with the end of a rotation of each pair of cylinders 51, 52 while still returning to the peripheral speeds for carrying out the first step. The cycle is then ended and the following cycle resumes at the first step P1.

[0050] If the tear-off clips did not have a relative angular position identical to that of the holding clips, it would be necessary to cause the rotation speeds of each pair of cylinders to change independently.

[0051] In one variant, not shown, the cylinders in the lower portion turn at a constant speed, and only the speed of the cylinders carrying the clips are adjusted. The result is lower inertia of the movable portion which undergoes accelerations. It is however necessary to provide at least one other motor for the counter-cylinders.

[0052] The invention is not limited to the embodiment that has just been described. The clips can positioned by pairs on one and the other cylinders of the same pair. It is also possible to provide only one clip per pair of cylinders, the cylinders carrying out two rotations per cycle to accomplish clamping both in the first and in the second step. This solution can apply to one of the pairs of cylinders or to both. When it applies to the second pair of cylinders, it is necessary that the grasping means be retractable so as to be active only during the second step.