AU574191B2

AU574191B2 - Film drive unit

Info

Publication number: AU574191B2
Application number: AU43752/85A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Paul North; Alfred Alexander Taylor
Original assignee: A A TAYLOR
Current assignee: A A TAYLOR
Priority date: 1984-06-20
Filing date: 1985-06-17
Publication date: 1988-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 2005-06-17
Also published as: AU4375285A

Description

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SPRUSON FERGUSON COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952

DECLARATION IN SUPPORT OF AN APPLICATION FOR PATENT

In support of the application made by ALFRED ALEXANDER TAYLOR and

S JOHN PAUL NORTH for a patent for an invention entitled

FILM DRIVE UNIT

S We, ALFRED ALEXANDER TAYLOR and JOHN PAUL NORTH, both of 34 Lee Street,

Condell Park, New South Wales 2200, Australia, do sclemnly and sincerely

S declare as follows:-

1 We are the applicant for the patent. t F 2. 2. We are the actual inventor of the invention.

DECLARED at BNT ~SJthis 2( day of 1f9-C.A 19 6 V.,

Signature of Declar t(s)

A. Taylor J. No rth TO: THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS

p. Ni RJE/676b

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(12) PATENT ABRIDGMENT (11) Document No. AU-B-43752/85 (19) AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE 10) Acceptance No. 574191

(54) Title FILM DRIVE UNIT (51)4 International Patent Classification 009/20 B65B 061/00 (21) Application No. 43752/85 (22) Application Date 20.06.84 (23) Filing Date of Complete Specification 17.06.85 (43) Publication Date 02.01.86 (44) Publication Date of Accepted Application 30.06.88 Related to Provisional(s) PG5595 (71) Applicant TAYLOR, NORTH, J.P.; (72) Inventor ALFRED ALEXANDER TAYLOR JOHN PAUL NORTH (74) Attorney o Agent SPRUSON FERGUSON (56) Prior Art Documents GB 2056940 GB 20906091 US 4136505 (57) Claim

1. A film drive unit of a packaging machine using film sheet to form tubular bag material into which a product is delivered, said machine further having transverse sealing means which intermittently engage the tubular bag material to form discrete bans; said film drive unit comprising, a pair of endless belts h,'i generally parallel co-extensive portions engaging said bag material to move sani through said machine, first motor means drivingly attached to said endless belts to drive same so that sald belt portions have the same velocities and are moving in the same direction, heating means adapted to co-operate with said belt portions to

raj define longitudinal sealing means capable of sealing overlap portions of ii

-i said film sieet to form said tubular bag material whilst said bag material continuously moves relative thereto, control means to control said first motor means to determine the speed of said endless belts so that said sealing means is engaged with said bag material for a predetermined fixed period of time, and wherein said control means maintains continuous movement of said bag material and predeterminably accelerates or de-accelerates same to effect a desired production rate of said machine.

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(11) AU-B-43752/85 574191

7. A method of driving a film material through a packaging machine, said machine having means to supply sheet film material, means to form the film material into a tubular bag mater;al, longitudinal sealing means capable of sealing overlap portions of said sheet film material to form sail tubular bag material whilst said bag material continuously moves relative thereto, and transverse sealing means to intermittently engage said bag material to sealingly close predetermined lengths of said bag material to form discrete bags containing product delivered to the interior of said bag material; said method being operable on a continuous basis and comprising the steps of driving said bag'material at a predetermined velocity while said transverse sealing means engages said bag material, and then accelerating or de-accelerating said bag material to determine the production rate of said machine.

I

.1 r COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Form PATENTS ACT 1952 rM! OOMPLETE SPEOI F&TfON (ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE

Class Int. Class

Application Number PG5595 Lodged 20 June 1984

4L 7.5,9 A-, Complete Specification Lodged Accepted Published LODGED AT SUB-OFFICE r Priority t I r

1 7 JUN 1985 I t elated Art Sydney #0 e1 t

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FEESTAIMP'TO VA0....

Name of Applicant(s): ALFRED ALEXANDER TAYLOR and JOHN PAUL NORTH MAIL OFFICER

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I ddress of Applicant both of 34 Lee Street, Condell Park, New South'Wales 2200, Australia

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Actual Inverntor ALFRED ALEXANDER TAYLOR and JOHN PAUL NORTH

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Address for Service Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, St. Martins Tower 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia

Complete Specification for the invention entitled

"FILM DRIVE UNIT"

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me'/us

SFP17 10/82 j ~.1 i o

ABSTRACT

A film drive unit for a packaging machine, the film drive

unit has two endless belts which are driven by a stepping motor

so that the bag material is driven at a predetermined velocity

when the bag material is being sealed to form discrete bags.

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Ly 41: :(f r The present invention relates to packaging machinery and more particularly but not exclusively to a film drive for a packaging machine. In the packaging of product which comprises a plurality of discrete units, it is common for a tubular bag material to be formed from sheet material, and the tubular bag material delivered to a filling head whereat the product is delivered to the interior of the tube material. The tube material is subsequently sealed at spaced intervals and discrete bags 10 t~ severed from the tubular material. The sheet material generally r rr comprises a plastic film which is sealed by heat or, other means I fit S ft to form the tubular material. The tube material is also sealed f It;

St S St transverse of its longitudinal direction of extension, so as to S

leSt form the discrete bag. This sealed area is also severed by a C. 55

knife so that the discrete bags are separated from the tubular material. In conventional packaging machines, the speed of the Cf film through the machine determines the period of time to which C Ct 54 cc the plastic film is exposed to the sealing heads which form the

S C C. discrete bags. In order for correct sealing to take place, the CCC

temperature of the sealing heads must be adjusted to match the speed of the film material so that proper sealing does take place. More particularly, as the film speed increases the temperature of sealing must also increase since sealing must r4,j take place over a shorter interval of time, during which the sealing heads are in contact with the plastic film. It is a

disadvantage of these known packaging machines, that it is difficult to adjust the temperature to the duration of time during which the sealing heads are in contact with the plastic A film. If the adjustment is incorrect, incorrect sealing takes

4 30 place with the result that the end product is defective. ES/36 2t PG5595

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A still further disadvantage in these previous machines is that their operation is intermittent, and accordingly slow. It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages. There is disclosed herein a film drive unit of a packaging machine using film sheet to form tubular bag material into which a product is delivered, said machinie further having transverse sealing means which intermittently engage the tubular bag material to form discrete bags; said film drive unit comprising, a pair of endless belts having generally parallel co-extensive portions engaging said bag material to move same through said machine, first motor means drivingly attached to said endless belts to drive same so that said belt portions have the same velocities and are moving in the same direction, heating means adapted to co-operate with said belt portions to 0 00

S define longitudinal sealing means capable of sealing overlap portions of said film sheet to form said tubular bag material whilst said bag material 0 continuously moves relative thereto, control means to control said first o 0 motor means to determine the speed of said endless belts so that said sealing means is engaged with said bag material for a predetermined fixed period of time, and wherein said control means maintains continuous movement of said bag material and predeterminably accelerates or de-accelerates same to effect a desired production rate of said machine. There is further disclosed herein a method of driving a film material through a packaging machine, said machine having means to supply sheet film material, means to form the film material into a tubular bag material, S longitudinal sealing means capable of sealing overlap portions of said sheet film material to form said tubular bag material whilst said bag material continuously moves relative thereto, and transverse sealing means to intermittently engage said bag material to sealingly close predetermined c3Q lengths of said bag material to form discrete bags containing product delivered to the interior of said bag material; said method being operable on a continuous basis and comprising the steps of driving said bag material at a predetermined velocity while said transverse sealing means engages said bag material, and then accelerating or de-accelerating said bag material to determine the production rate of said machine.

RJE/675b 3

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1 A preferred form of the present invention will now be

described by way of example with reference to the accompanying

drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a film drive

unit for a packaging machine; and

Figure 2 comprises three graphs which schematically depict

film velocities for film being driven through a packaging

machine by the drive unit of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a modification

of the drive unit of Figure 1; and 0

Figure 4 is a schematic sectioned end view of the sealing .,e assembly of the units of Figures 1 and 3.

In Figure 1 there is schematically depicted a drive unit

of a packaging machine which unit 10 is operable on a

continuous basis. The packaging machine includes means to

deliver sheet film material 11 to a former 12 which forms the ar sheet material 11 into a tubular configuration. The tubular 494 r

material is moved through the packaging machine by a pair of

endless belts 13 which are provided with a plurality of holes 14

which face the tubular material. Located at the rear of the

belt 13 is a plennum chamber 15 to which there is delivered a If SCC vacuum by means of conduit 16. The chamber 15 is open to an t inside surface of the belt 13 so that the vacuum is applied to

the holes 14 so that the tubular material is held against the

belts 13. The belts 13 pass around rollers 17 of which two at

least are driven. For example, the rollers 17 could each be

driven by a shaft 18 coupled to a worm drive unit 19. The drive unit 19 would be connected to an electric motor which would be

controlled to vary the peripheral speed of the belt 13. The

motor could be a stepping, servo, computer controlled or any

ES/362 it PG5595 1 i--

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other motor having suitable control characteristics.

The speed of the belt 13 would be controlled so that the

tubular material delivered to the sealing heads would be

travelling at a predetermined velocity so that the sealing heads

are in contact with the tubular material for a set period of

time, Thereafter, the motors would increase the speed of the

endless belts 13 to increase the production rate of the

packaging machine or alternatively decrease the speed of the

tubular material, to achieve a decrease in the output of the

packaging machine. Accordingly, the speed of the endless belt rr

13 may be adjusted to accommodate different products and/or

sheet packaging material 11. r III In Figure 2 there is schematically depicted three graphs

S* which illustrate typical velocity profiles of the endless belts

13. For example, in graph A, the period of time D is the period

during which the sealing heads are in contact with the tubular

film material. Thereafter, the speed of the film is decreased

and subsequently increased. In the graph B, again the period of

time D is the same, and the speed of the film is only slightly PI 20 decreased. In the graph C, again the period of the interval D

is the same with the speed of the film increased after the

period D to increase the production rate of the machine. With

the period of time D constant, the velocity is also held

constant for that time.

Turning now to Figure 3 wherein the film drive unit 10 is

I, depicted irh a modification. In this particular embodiment, a

drive roller 21 is provided around which the film 11 passes.

The film 11 also passes around an idler roller 23 and is

sandwiched between the film drive roller 21 and a further idler roller 22. The roller 21 is attached to a servo motor 22 which

ES/362t PG5595 Vi i,

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determines the velocity of the film 11 as required. For example, the servo motor 22 could be driven so as to provide the velocity profile of any one of the velocity profiles depicted in Figure 2. However, it is necessary to drive the shafts 18 via constant torque motors which will thus accordingly adjust their speed in a slavish manner to the speed of the roller 21. Turning now to Figure 4, wherein the tubular material 24 is more fully depicted relative to a backing bar 20 as provided in Figures 1 and 3. The tubular material 24 overlaps at portions 25, which portions 25, are heat sealed via heat provided by the sealing head 26. The sealing head 26 is located within the chamber 15. This particular arrangement in respect of sealingly tubular material 24 is particularly different from the prior art in that the overlap portions 25 are engaged by the belt 13 as well as the opposite side of the tubular material 24. Conventionally, the other two sides of the tubular material are generally engaged. This provides S specific advantages in respect of the continuous sealing of the tubular tit i material 24, which is driven in a continuous manner past the heating head 26. t The drive unit 10 is preferably used in conjunction with discrete bag f tt t sealing apparatus adapted to transversely seal a tubular bag material into discrete bags whilst the bag material is driven at a predetermined velocity, that is,whilst continuously moving. Alternatively, the drive unit 10 could also be used with sealing apparatus requiring the bag material to be stationery whilst the transverse sealing operation is performed.

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Claims

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bar mounted The claims defining the invention are as follows: portions of 1. A film drive unit of a packaging machine using film sheet to sandwiched form tubular bag material into which a product is delivered, said machine further inc further having transverse sealing means which intermittently engage the portions wh tubular bag material to form discrete bags; said film drive unit 7. comprising, a pair of endless belts having generally parallel co-extensive said machir portions engaging said bag material to move same through said machine, film materi first motor means drivingly attached to said endless belts to drive same so capable of that said belt portions have the same velocities and are moving in the same said tubule direction, heating means adapted to co-operate with said belt portions to relative t define longitudinal sealing means capable of sealing overlap portions of said bag m; said film sheet to form said tubular bag material whilst said bag material material t( continuously moves relative thereto, control means to control said first of said ba( motor means to determine the speed of said endless bel:. so that said comprising o o sealing means is engaged with said bag material for a predetermined fixed 0 0 1 r tC velocity wl period of time, and wherein said control means maintains continuous S,000 t t~ then acceli oa movement of said bag material and predeterminably accelerates or vooe production de-accelerates same to effect a desired production rate of said machine. e 8. 0000 a e* 2. The film drive unit of claim 1, wherein each of said belts material b passes around a pair of rollers, with one roller from each pair of rollers determine being driven by said first motor means. material b 3. The film drive unit of claim 2, wherein said motor means is a 00 S speed of s single first motor coupled to the two driven rollers by a worm gear drive 9. 0@ 0 unit. material a 4. The film drive unit of claim 3, wherein each belt is provided with a plurality of holes spaced longitudinally of the belt, and said film reference drive unit further includes chamber means located adjacent each belt and to 11. which a vacuum is delivered so that the tubular material is held against hereinbefo said belts. SC l e rC. 5. The film drive unit of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a film drive roller about which said film sheet passes prior to ~C being delivered to said endless belts, further motor means drivingly connected to said film drive roller so as to determine the speed thereof, and said first motor means are constant torque motors which will drive said film sheet at a speed dictated by said further motor means so that said bag material Is engaged with said sealing means for a predetermined fixed .ar/nj period of time. ai/ u6. The film drive unit of claim 4 or 5 further including a backing

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bar mounted in a fixed parallel coextensive relationship with overlap portions of said bag material to be joined, and overlap portions are sandwiched between said backing bar and a one of said belt portions, and further including a heating head to heat seal said bag material overlap portions while sandwiched between said backing bar and said belt portion. 7. A method of driving a film material through a packaging machine, said machine having means to supply sheet film material, means to form the film material into a tubular bag material, longitudinal sealing means capable of sealing overlap portions of said sheet film material to form said tubular bag material whilst said bag material continuously moves relative thereto, and transverse sealing means to intermittently engage said bag material to sealingly close predetermined lengths of said bag material to form discrete bags containing product delivered to the interior of said bag material; said method being operable on a continuous basis and comprising the steps of driving said bag material at a predetermined velocity while said transverse sealing means engages said bag material, and then accelerating or de-accelerating said bag material to determine the t r, r S production rate of said machine.

i 8. The method of claim7 further including driving said sheet film material by a first roller, which roller is driven by motor means to determine the speed of said film materia.l, and further driving said bag material by constant torque motors the speed of which is governed by the <C t speed of said roller. 9. The method of claim 7 wherein overlap portions of said bag material are joined while sandwiched between a backing bar and drive belt. A film drive unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 11. A method of driving a film material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. (c

4I DATED this TWENTIETH day of JANUARY 1988 ALFRED ALEXANDER TAYLOR JOHN PAUL NORTH

K> Patent Attorneys for the Applicants SPRUSON FERGUSON

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