Bag manufacturing apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatus and method of manufacturing open-mouth bags, comprising a storage device with a supply of bag film, a control device for controlling, a conveying device for conveying the bag film and/or the bag body along a conveying path, a welding device with welding means for making a bottom seam in the bag film and a cutting device with a cutting means for separating a predetermined film length of the bag film to form the bag body of an open-mouth bag. The control device controls the conveying device so as to cause a relative motion of the bag body and the bag film and a distance between the bag body and the bag film is generated prior to making the bottom seam. The control device controls the conveying device and the welding means so that while welding the bottom seam the welding means extend at least up to the bottom end of the bag body.

Claims

1. Method of manufacturing open-mouth bags (2) from a supply (4) of bag film (5) wherein the bag film (5) is transported along a conveying path (7) and wherein a cutting means (13, 14) of a cutting device (12) separates a predetermined film length (15) from the bag film (5) to form the bag body (16) of an open-mouth bag (2) and wherein the bag film (5) is moved relative to the bag body (16) and a bottom seam (11) is made by welding up to the bottom end (23) of the bag body (16) to form an open-mouth bag (2), wherein the bag film (5) is retracted from the separated bag body (16) prior to welding the bottom end (23).

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein prior to separating the bag body (16) from the bag film (5) the bag film (5) is fixed in front of the bag body (16) and/or the bag film (5) is fixed in the region of the bag body (16).

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the fixing of the bag film (5) in front of the bag body (16) is removed prior to retracting the bag film (5).

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein during the welding the welding means (9, 10) reach at least up to, and in particular protrude beyond, the bottom end (23) of the bag body (16).

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the bottom seam (11) of the bag body (16) is welded with a product-proof margin up to the bottom end (23).

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein first the bag body is separated and thereafter the bottom seam (11) is made.

7. Open-mouth bag (2) manufactured by a method according to claim 1 with a bag body (16) consisting at least partially of a bag film (5) wherein the bag body (16) is closed by a bottom seam (11).

8. The open-mouth bag (2) according to claim 7 wherein the bottom seam (11) comprises a weld seam with a product-proof margin extending up to the bottom end (23).

9. The open-mouth bag (2) according to claim 7 wherein the bag body (16) comprises gussets (27) and/or corner welds (28).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The figures show in:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic perspective view of a filling system of the bag manufacturing apparatus according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic perspective view of the bag manufacturing apparatus according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 a schematic cross-section of the bag manufacturing apparatus according to FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 a schematic plan view of the bag film;

(6) FIG. 5 a longitudinal section of the bag manufacturing apparatus according to FIG. 2 in the region of the cutting device;

(7) FIG. 6 a perspective view of the welding device and the cutting device of the bag manufacturing apparatus according to FIG. 2; and

(8) FIG. 7 a rear view of the cutting device and the welding device according to FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a filling system 100 comprising a dispensing silo 104 and a high speed flow 101 and a low speed flow 102 for filling bulk goods and in particular powdery foodstuffs into open-mouth bags.

(10) The filling system 100 comprises a bag manufacturing apparatus 1. The bag manufacturing apparatus 1 is installed upstream of the filling proper and manufactures, from a film roll or presently a roll of tubing 21 with a rolled-up bag film 5, single open-mouth bags 2 (see FIG. 4) which, after appending by means of the appending device 26, are filled with the intended filled bulk material via the filling spout 110 of the filling system 100.

(11) The filling system comprises rotary filling spouts 110 which rotate indexed to each of the stations. After appending to a first filling spout the next station performs high speed flow filling followed by indexing further for low speed flow filling. Both the high speed flow filling station and the low speed flow filling station are provided with at least one compacting device each for compacting the bulk material in the open-mouth bag already during the filling process. In the fourth station the bag is conveyed off at the bag removal 105.

(12) The bag manufacturing apparatus 1 comprises a frame 30 where a storage device 3 with the supply 4 is disposed as well. This supply 4 consists of the roll of tubing 21 on which the bag film 5, presently a tubular sheet, is kept rolled up. The tubular sheet 5 is transported along the conveying path 7 by means of at least one conveying device 6. In simple cases the conveying device consists of one or two driven transport rollers for controlled transporting of the tubular sheet along the conveying path 7.

(13) A corner seam welding device 22 may be provided to insert corner welds 28 in the tubular sheet which provide a block-shaped filled bag in the filled bag in conjunction with the gussets 27 (see FIG. 4).

(14) Deflection rollers 31 serve to deflect the bag film 5. A film supply 24 which presently comprises a pivoting tensioning roll 25 serves for longitudinal compensation of different bag lengths manufactured by the bag manufacturing apparatus 1. Optionally the film supply 24 may comprise a number of tensioning rolls 25 so as to enable a continuous rotation of the roll of tubing 21 while the open-mouth bag 2 is manufactured in the bag manufacturing apparatus 1. At any rate the film length retracted prior to welding may be temporarily stored in the film supply.

(15) The welding device 8 shown makes the bottom seam 11 in the bag body 16 shown in FIG. 4.

(16) FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective illustration of the bag manufacturing apparatus 1 of FIG. 1. One can readily recognize the printed elements 33 illustrated exemplarily on the roll of tubing 21 which are printed on the tubular sheet 5 of the roll of tubing 21 distanced one bag length each.

(17) The bag film 5 is transported by means of the conveying device 6 on the conveying path 7 and deflected at the deflection roller 31. Thereafter the bag film 5 arrives at the corner seam welding device 22 which makes the corner seams or the corner welds 28 (see FIG. 4) in the bag film. Whenever it is desired. Absent corner seam welds, so-called cushion-shaped bags form after filling. Corner seam welds rather provide for box-shaped bags. In combination with readily peeling double-layer films for bag walls, bags are generated that fulfill high hygienic requirements.

(18) The conveying device 6 comprises a driven roller with which to transport the bag film 5 along the conveying path 7. Another conveying device 45 in the shape of a drive unit 45 is shown in FIG. 3.

(19) The tensioning roll 25 of the film supply 24 is recognizable in the lower region of the bag manufacturing apparatus 1.

(20) Following the second deflection roller 31 the bag film 5 is transported horizontally in the conveying direction of the conveying path 7 so as to transport the bag film 5 horizontally through the welding device 8. The welding device 8 makes a bottom seam 11 in the bag body 16 (see FIG. 4).

(21) The front end of the bag manufacturing apparatus 1 shows the appending device 26 which serves to receive the open-mouth bag 2 lying at the front end and to bring it from the shown horizontal position to an appended position by pivoting about the illustrated horizontal axis. At the same time the suction devices open up the open leading edge 40 of the open-mouth bag 2 so that the open-mouth bag 2 is appended to the filling spout 110 of a filling system.

(22) FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of the bag manufacturing apparatus 1 of FIG. 2. The bag film 5 unwound from the roller 21 is deflected by the deflection roller 31 and guided through the corner seam welding device 22 where corner welds 28 (FIG. 4) are made in the bag film 5 as required. After passing through the film supply 24 the conveying device 6 with the drive unit 42 follows to provide for transporting the bag film 5.

(23) The bag film is then transported through the welding device 8, specifically far enough for the bag film to extend exactly one bag length in front of the cutting level 50 (FIG. 4) of a cutting device 12 not shown in detail. The cutting device 12 will be discussed in more detail with reference to the FIGS. 4 to 7.

(24) Fixing means 18 and 19 serve to fix the bag film in front of and behind the welding device 8. The welding device 8 comprises welding means 9 and 10 which move toward one another and away from one another by means of cylinders 35 and 36.

(25) FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the bag film and the cutting device 12. First the bag film is advanced up to the leading edge at the illustrated head end 39. Then the bag film 5 is fixed by the fixing means 18 and 19 illustrated in FIG. 3. Thereafter the cutting device 12 is activated and presently travels transverse to the bag film 5 so that the cutting means 14 separates the bag body 16 from the bag film 5. After the cutting process the cutting device 12 is located on the other longitudinal face of the bag film 5 in the position shown in dashed lines. In the next cutting step the cutting device then travels in the opposite direction and cuts the bag film 5 by means of the cutting means 13 in the cutting level 50.

(26) After separating the bag body 16 from the bag film 5 the bag film 5 is retracted by way of the conveying device so as to generate a distance 37 from the bottom end of the bag body 16 up to the leading edge 41 of the bag film 5. This distance 37 is dimensioned such that what is now the leading edge 41 of the bag film 5 is located outside of the longitudinal section 17. The longitudinal section 17 is defined in particular by the longitudinal overlapping of the welding means of the welding device 8 which is preferably configured as welding jaws. The interacting welding means approach one another for welding and act in the longitudinal section 17. This is where they weld together the layers of the bag film 5 lying on top of one another. Then the longitudinal section 17 is dimensioned and the bottom end 23 of the bag body 16 is disposed such that the bag film layers are completely welded together at the bottom end 23. A product-proof margin weld is produced so that there will be no non-welded excess film length whatever at the weld seam. This enables a high degree of hygiene. No particles or dirt can deposit and accumulate between an excess film length of several layers since all the layers are welded to one another product-proof up to the extreme edges.

(27) After welding the bottom end 23 or making the bottom seam 11 the bag body 16 of the open-mouth bag 2 can be conveyed further in the direction of the filling system or alternately for example to a supply.

(28) What is now the leading edge 41 of the bag film 5 is then conveyed further by the distance 37 plus one bag length 15 in the direction of the conveying path 7 so that the leading edge of the bag film 5 is then located in the illustrated position of the head end 39. The leading free end 41 can be prevented from hitting against the transporting surface e.g. by stop bevels, not shown. Thereafter the fixing means 18 and 19 fix the bag film 5. Thereafter the cutting device 12 separates the next bag body 16. Thereafter the front fixing means continues to fix the bag body 16 while the rear fixing means is released and the bag film 5 is retracted by the distance 37 for the next bottom end 23 to be provided with a bottom seam 11 with a product-proof margin.

(29) At least during the cutting process the cutting device and in particular the cutting means 13 and 14 are located in the cutting level 50 which is located within the longitudinal section 17. The welding means of the welding device 8 act in the longitudinal section 17. At any rate the seam length 38 of the bottom seam 11 provides sufficient stability.

(30) The cut-off bag body 16 is transported over the transporting surface 46 to the appending device 26 by means of the drive unit 45 (as another conveying device) (see FIG. 3).

(31) FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-section of the welding device 8 and the cutting device 12 of the bag manufacturing apparatus 1 in FIG. 2. The cylinder 35 displaces the welding jaw 9 from the illustrated spaced-apart position to a welding position, not shown, in which the welding jaws 9 and 10 immediately rest against the bag film 5 lying in-between. The length 20 of the welding means 9 and 10 defines the longitudinal section 17. The cutting level 50 is located within the longitudinal section 17. This is where the cutting means 13 and 14 are located, at least while performing a cutting process. It is also conceivable for the cutting means 13 and 14 and also the welding means 9 and 10 to be located in different levels and positions while being inactive. At any rate it is significant that a longitudinal section 17 ensues in the welding position within which the cutting level of the cutting means 13 and 14 is located.

(32) The welding jaws 9 and 10 may for example have Teflon-coated surfaces and be applied on an insulator. Alternately it is possible to use coated welding strips or other suitable welding devices such as ultrasound, continuously heated welding jaws etc.

(33) Alternately it is also possible to dispose the welding means 9 and 10, shown in dashed lines, of a welding device offset a specific distance 37 forwardly in the conveying direction of the film. In such a configuration the welding means 9 and 10 shown in solid lines are not necessary. After cutting the film and making a bag body by means of the cutting means 13 and/or 14 the bag body 16 is moved forwardly a predetermined or defined distance 37 (in the conveying direction or along the conveying path 7) e.g. by means of the conveying device 45 (see FIG. 3) while the bag film preferably maintains its longitudinal position. Then the welding jaws 9 and 10 shown in dashed lines make the bottom seam 11 in the bottom end 23 wherein this variant again provides for the welding means to protrude beyond the bottom end 23 during the welding. Thus, a weld seam is made in the bottom end which welds the bag body in the region of the bottom seam over its entire surface and up to the absolute bottom end 23.

(34) FIG. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the welding device 8 and also of the fixing means 18 and 19 which are each displaceable by one of the cylinders 44 between the fixing and the released positions. One or more variable spacers or adjusting sleeves may be provided to allow pertaining settings and fine adjustment options. The fixing means 18 and 19 each comprise a linkage and a mechanism the ends of which are provided with a presently tubular fixing means for directly contacting the bag film or the bag body.

(35) FIG. 7 shows a view of FIG. 6 wherein the cutting device 12 is again recognizable on the side that is disposed laterally traversable transverse to the longitudinal extension of the bag film 5.

(36) On the whole the invention provides an advantageous bag manufacturing apparatus and an advantageous method for manufacturing open-mouth bags with which to achieve a high degree of hygiene. Manufacturing the bags is efficient and does not require extensive apparatus although the bags can be closed with a product-proof margin.

(37) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals: 1 bag manufacturing apparatus 2 open-mouth bag 3 storage device 4 supply 5 bag film, tubular sheet 6 conveying device 7 conveying path 8 welding device 9 welding means, welding jaw 10 welding means, welding jaw 11 bottom seam 12 cutting device 13 cutting means 14 cutting means 15 film length 16 bag body 17 longitudinal section 18 fixing means 19 fixing means 20 length of 9, 10 21 film roll 22 corner seam welding device 23 bottom end 24 film supply 25 tensioning roll 26 appending device 27 gusset 28 corner weld 30 framework 31 deflection roller 32 control cabinet 33 imprint 34 tube 35 cylinder 36 cylinder 37 distance 38 seam length 39 head end 40 open end 41 end 42 drive unit 43 insulation layer 44 cylinder 45 conveying device, drive unit 46 transporting surface 50 cutting level 60 control device 100 filling system 101 high speed flow 102 low speed flow 103 hub 104 dispensing silo 105 bag removal 110 filling spout