Device for Sealing Three-Dimensional Objects in the Bag Opening of a Film Bag

Abstract

A device (10) for sealing three-dimensional objects (16) in the bag opening (14) of a film bag (12) comprises a clamp (36, 38) for the film bag (12), which has a pair of clamping shoes (42, 44) on each side, between which the edge of the film bag (12) is held. A heat sealer (26, 28) is provided for sealing the three-dimensional object (16) in the bag opening (14) of the film bag (12), wherein the heat sealer (26, 28) has a pair of sealing jaws (26, 28) between which the bag opening (14) of the film bag (12) can be sealed. The two clamping shoe pairs (42, 44) of the clamp (36, 38) are moved apart from one another during the sealing process.

Claims

1. A device (10) for sealing three-dimensional objects (16) in a bag opening (14) of a film bag (12), comprising: a clamp (36, 38) for the film bag (12) with two clamping shoe pairs (42, 44) between which an edge of the film bag (12) can be held, one pair of clamping shoes (42, 44) being arranged on each side of the bag opening (14); and a heat sealer (26, 28) for sealing a three-dimensional object (16) in the bag opening (14) of the film bag (12), wherein the heat sealer (26, 28) has a pair of sealing jaws (26, 28) between which the bag opening (14) of the film bag (12) can be sealed, wherein the two clamping shoe pairs (42, 44) of the clamp (36, 38) can be moved apart from one another.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the clamping shoes (42, 44) are each attached to a spring (40).

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the spring (40) is a bending spring (40).

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the clamping shoes (42, 44) are mounted on the spring (40) by a hinge joint (48).

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two clamping shoes (42, 44) of a pair has a profiled contact face.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein each contact face of the two clamping shoe pairs (42, 44) protrudes slightly beyond the sealing jaws (26, 28).

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the clamping shoes (42, 44) are each guided in a slotted opening.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two clamping shoe pairs (42, 44) are arranged directly above two sealing jaws (26, 28).

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the heat sealer (26, 28) together with the clamp (36, 38) is attached to a pair of guide elements (22, 24).

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein a pair of clamping jaws (30, 32) is provided which is arranged ahead of the sealing jaws (26, 28).

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the pair of clamping jaws (30, 32) is spring-mounted.

12. A method for sealing three-dimensional objects (16) in a bag opening (14) of a film bag (12), comprising: opening the bag opening (14) of the film bag (12) by a processing device, and placing a three-dimensional object (16) in a region of the bag opening (14); holding each of two edges (46) of the film bag (12) by a clamping shoe pair (42, 44) and pulling the two edges (46) apart from one another; and after pulling the edges (46) of the film bag (12) apart, sealing the bag opening (14) of the film bag (12) by a heat sealer (26, 28) so that the three-dimensional object (16) is sealed in the bag opening (14).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein sealing of the bag opening (14) is performed during pulling the two edges of the film bag (12) apart.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising partially collapsing the film bag (12) before sealing of the bag opening (14).

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein partially collapsing the film bag (12) is performed by a clamping jaw pair (30, 32).

16. The method according to claim 14, partially collapsing the film bag (12) is performed while pulling the edges (46) of the film bag (12) apart.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The invention is described and explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings. In the drawings:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a device for sealing three-dimensional objects in the bag opening of a film bag before closing of the sealing jaws, and

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through the device for sealing three-dimensional objects in the bag opening of a film bag according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The device 10 for sealing three-dimensional objects in the bag opening of a film bag is designed in the present example such that the pre-sealed film bags 12 are sealed lying down with a bag opening 14 on one side. In contrast, it would also be possible to transport and seal the film bags 20 in the standing or hanging position.

[0026] The pre-sealed film bag 12 is opened in an upstream processing device (not shown here). A three-dimensional object has been placed in the bag opening. The film bag 12 prepared in this way is supplied to the device 10 lying on a support plate 20. A respective guide element 22, 24 is present above and below the support plate 20. The guide elements 22, 24 may be moved towards one another in a vertical movement by a drive unit (not shown here). An upper sealing jaw 26 is attached to the upper guide element 22, while a lower sealing jaw 28 is attached to the lower guide element 24. On movement of the guide elements 22, 24 towards one another, the sealing jaws 26, 28 thus also move towards one another. The bag opening 14 of the film bag 12 may be sealed by the two sealing jaws 26, 28 in the region of the support plate 20. During this sealing of the bag opening 14, the three-dimensional object 16 is sealed into the bag opening 14.

[0027] A clamping jaw 30, 32 is spring-mounted on each guide element 22, 24. The clamping jaws 30, 32 are here arranged in the region of the film bag 12 just below the bag opening 14, so that the clamping jaws 30, 32 do not obstruct the sealing jaws 26, 28. The clamping jaws 30, 32 are also moved on a movement of the guide elements 22, 24. The clamping jaws 30, 32 are however offset slightly towards the rear relative to the sealing jaws 26, 28. When the guide elements 22, 24 are moved towards one another, the three-dimensional object 16 is initially compressed by the two clamping jaws 30, 32 in the region of the bag opening 14 of the film bag 12. Thus, in the case of a flexible three-dimensional object 16, a flat seal becomes possible. The two clamping jaws 30, 32 are each mounted on the guide elements 22, 24 via a spring 34. Because of the springs 34, the clamping jaws 30, 32 can move such that the two sealing jaws 26, 28 can lie against one another and the sealing process can be started. If the three-dimensional object 16 is a non-flexible object, the clamping jaws 30, 32 may also be omitted.

[0028] In the present example, a left clamp 36 and a right clamp 38 are attached to the guide elements 22, 24 directly next to the clamping jaws 30, 32. Each clamp 36, 38 has a bending spring 40 which is attached by its outer end to the guide element 22, 24. The clamps 36, 38 are thus also moved by the guide elements 22, 24 so no separate drive is required for the clamps 36, 38. A clamping shoe 42, 44 is attached at the inner end of each spring 40. Thus, in each case an upper clamping shoe 42 and a lower clamping shoe 44 form a clamping shoe pair of a clamp 36, 38. Before the sealing jaws 26, 28 meet one another, an upper clamping shoe 42 and a lower clamping shoe 44 grip the side edge region 46 of the film bag 12 and clamp this. On further inward movement of the two sealing jaws 26, 28, the bending springs 40 generate a superposed horizontal movement via which the two edge regions 46 of the film bag 12 are pulled outward. Thus, the bag opening 14 is pulled outward before the actual sealing process, and tensioned around the three-dimensional object 16. In this way, no folds or channels can occur in the sealing seam.

[0029] The clamping shoes 42, 44 each protrude slightly beyond the two sealing jaws 26, 28. In this way, it can be guaranteed that the clamping shoes 42, 44 pull the bag edges 46 outward before the sealing seam is applied.

[0030] So that the contact faces of the clamping shoes 42, 44 always lie parallel to one another—and hence also parallel to the film bag 12—irrespective of their position, in the present example the clamping shoes 42, 44 are each attached to the bending spring 40 via a hinge joint 48.