CA2354912A1 - Bag-forming machine for making bags with curved bottom walls - Google Patents

Bag-forming machine for making bags with curved bottom walls Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2354912A1
CA2354912A1 CA002354912A CA2354912A CA2354912A1 CA 2354912 A1 CA2354912 A1 CA 2354912A1 CA 002354912 A CA002354912 A CA 002354912A CA 2354912 A CA2354912 A CA 2354912A CA 2354912 A1 CA2354912 A1 CA 2354912A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
die
bag
film sheet
folded
forming
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002354912A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Arnold Lipes
Bruno Wetter
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Glopak Inc
Original Assignee
Glopak Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Glopak Inc filed Critical Glopak Inc
Priority to CA002354912A priority Critical patent/CA2354912A1/en
Publication of CA2354912A1 publication Critical patent/CA2354912A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31BMAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B70/00Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31BMAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B70/00Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
    • B31B70/14Cutting, e.g. perforating, punching, slitting or trimming
    • B31B70/142Cutting, e.g. perforating, punching, slitting or trimming using presses or dies
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31BMAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B2160/00Shape of flexible containers
    • B31B2160/10Shape of flexible containers rectangular and flat, i.e. without structural provision for thickness of contents
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31BMAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B70/00Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
    • B31B70/14Cutting, e.g. perforating, punching, slitting or trimming
    • B31B70/148Cutting-out portions from the sides of webs or sheets
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31BMAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31B70/00Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags
    • B31B70/14Cutting, e.g. perforating, punching, slitting or trimming
    • B31B70/16Cutting webs

Landscapes

  • Making Paper Articles (AREA)

Abstract

A machine and method for making plastic bags each having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end is described. The machine has a bottom wall forming die having opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges converging to a common apex. The die is heated and reciprocated over a folded film sheet which is oriented such that the die will simultaneously slit heat-fuse opposed film sheets of the folded film sheet when stroked on the film sheet. The die forms opposed concavely curved seals extending from a longitudinal folded side edge of the folded film sheet and converging to an apex at a location spaced on a transverse axis from the longitudinal folded side edge.
An evacuation port is located under the folded film sheet in the die-cut area of the folded film sheet and is exposed between slitting and heat-fusing strokes of the die whereby to evacuate the cut-out film portion.

Description

BAG-FORMING MACHINE FOR MAKING
BAGS WITH CURVED BOTTOM WALLS
TECHNICAL FIELD
(0001 The present invention relates to a bag-forming machine and method for making plastic bags having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end.
BACKGROUND ART
(0002 Bag-forming machines are well known in the art for making plastic bags from a folded film sheet and wherein the bags are packaged for future handling. Bag-forming machines are also known wherein the bags are formed and then filled with a product, closed and the filled bags are conveyed to a packaging location.- Such bag-forming machines usually form rectangular shaped bags which are heat-fused along opposed parallel side edges thereof and with the bottom edge being constituted by the folded film sheet. A
flap may also be formed adjacent to the open end to handle the bags on wicket pins for filling such bags, and this is also well known in the art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
(0003 It is a feature of the present invention to provide a bag-forming machine for making plastic bags having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end.
(0004 Another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of forming plastic bags having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end.
(0005 According to the above features, and from a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bag-forming machine for making plastic bags having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end. The machine comprises a bottom wall forming die having opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges converging to a common apex. Means is provided to heat the die. A film support assembly is disposed under the die. Means is provided to reciprocate the die over the film support assembly. The folded film sheet is adapted to be displaced over a film support surface of the film support assembly under the die.
The folded film sheet is oriented such that the die will simultaneously slit and heat-fuse opposed film sheets of the folded film sheet when stroked on the film sheet to form opposed concavely curved seals extending from a longitudinal folded edge of the folded film sheet and converging to an apex at a location spaced on a transverse axis from the longitudinal folded side edge. Means is provided to evacuate a cut-out film portion of the folded film sheet between the slit and heat-fused strokes of the die. The folded film sheet with the opposed curved seals and cut-out end portion is then fed to bag-forming means.
67 According to a further broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming plastic bags each having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end. The method comprises the steps of providing a bottom wall forming die having opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges converging to a common apex. The die is heated by heating means. A folded film sheet is fed on a film support surface under the die. The die is reciprocated over the folded film sheet in synchronism with film feeding means whereby to simultaneously slit and heat-fuse opposed film sheets of the folded film sheet when the die is stroked on the folded film sheet to form opposed concavely curved seals extending from a longitudinal folded side edge of the folded film sheet and converging to an apex at a location spaced on a transverse axis from the longitudinal folded side edge. A cut-out film portion of the folded film sheet is evacuated between the slit and heat-fuse stroke of the die. The folded sheet with the opposed curved seals and cut-out end portion is then fed to bag-forming means.

a BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
(000~~ A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
(0008 Figure 1 is a top view of the bag-forming machine of the present invention for making curved or roundish-like bottom walls in a folded film sheet;
(0009 Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1, partly in schematic;
(0010 Figure 3 is a rear view of Figure 2, partly in schematic;
(ooll~ Figure 4 is an exploded view showing the construction of the die and the film support assembly;
(0012 Figure 5 is a schematic top plan view showing a folded film sheet in which curved bottom walls have been formed and further illustrating associated devices to form a bag with such roundish-like bottom wall; and (0013 Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a bag formed in accordance with the machine and method of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(0014 Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown generally at the bottom wall forming section of a bag-forming machine, which is more completely and schematically illustrated in Figure 5. This bottom wall forming section 10 comprises a bottom wall forming die 11, which is better illustrated in Figure 4. As can be seen, the bottom wall forming die 11 is a heat-conducting die plate 12, having opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges 13 and 13'. These concavely curved seal-forming edges converge to a common apex 14.
(ool5~ The die plate 12 has a flat rear wall 15 over which is disposed a heat-producing resistive wire 16, which is oriented in a serpentine fashion (not shown) whereby to provide sufficient heat to the die plate 12. A heat-sensing thermocouple 17 is conveniently secured to the die plate 12 and generate signals indicative of the temperature of the die plate 12 whereby to control the temperature to provide proper slitting and fusing of a folded film sheet 18 disposed thereunder on a film support assembly 19. A heat-insulating material such as an insulating fabric 20 is disposed over the resistive heating wire 16 and is sandwiched between a connecting plate 21 and the die plate 12 by means of fastening bolts 22. The fastening bolts are secured to a piston-actuated connecting plate 23 which is spaced therefrom by the bolts 22. The insulating material 20 and connecting plate maintain the die plate 12 at a hot temperature and isolated from the piston-actuated plate 23.
(0016 As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the piston-actuated plate is connected to two in-line cylinders 24 and 25.
These cylinders have their piston rods 24' and 25' respectively connected in line with the connecting plate 23.
Cylinder 24 is provided for the retracting or standby position of the die assembly 11, while piston 25 provides the reciprocating seal-slit stroke.
(001~~ With reference now to Figures 1, 2 and 4, there will be described the construction and operation of the film support assembly 19. That assembly comprises a film support plate 26 having a Teflon (Registered Trademark) coating 27 thereover or TeflonTM sheet adhered to the upper surface thereof. This film support plate 26 is also resiliently mounted on resilient supports 28.
(0018 As can be seen from Figure 1, a vacuum port 29, herein a round hole, is cut out from the support plate and oriented spaced between the concavely curved seal-forming edges 13 and 13' of the die. A vacuum conduit 30 is secured to the port and connected to a suction device (not shown) at a far end wherein to evacuate and collect cut-out film portions 31 of the folded film sheet between the slit and heat-fused strokes of the die. The vacuum port 29 also extends to the top surface of the support plate 26 and a through the TeflonTM coating, whereby this port is situated under the folded film sheet 18.
~0019~ A reciprocating plate valve 32 is disposed under the film support plate 26 and connected to a reciprocating piston 33 whereby to obstruct the vacuum port during heat-fusing and slitting of the folded film sheet when the die is stroked thereon and to open the port immediately thereafter to evacuate the cut-out film portion. It is pointed out that the frame assembly 34 may also be mounted on lockable casters whereby the machine can be located in a bag-forming line close other bag-forming devices.
~0020~ As shown in Figure 1, the folded film sheet 18 is herein shown as a J-folded film sheet with one of the opposed film sheets, namely sheet 18', extending to form a flap 35. This film sheet is advanced under the die in an indexing fashion. The plate valve 32 is indexed in synchronism with the pistons which~reciprocate the die, and these operate at high speeds.
X00217 Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a bag-forming machine and method incorporating therein the bottom wall forming section 10. As herein shown, the folded film sheet is oriented with its longitudinally folded edge 40 disposed along the free ends 41 of the opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges 13 and 13'. V~7hen the hot die is stroked down onto the folded film sheet 18, it will simultaneously slit and heat-fuse opposed film sheets 18' and 18 " to form opposed concavely curved seals 42 and 42' extending from the longitudinal folded side edge 40 of the folded film sheet 18 and converging to an apex 43 at a location spaced on a transverse axis 44 from the longitudinal folded edge 40. Simultaneously as the seals 42 and 42' are formed, the cut-out film portion 31 is detached and evacuated as above-described.
~0022~ As shown in Figure 5, the indexing means may be comprised by feed rolls 45 or feed roll assemblies which contact the folded film sheet and move at a predetermined length during each stroke of the die. The bag-forming means also comprises an indexed vertical slit and seal die 46 disposed at an appropriate location spaced from the bottom wall forming section 10 whereby to form a vertical seal 46 from the apex 43 of the opposed concavely curved sealed edges 42 and 42' to a non-folded side edge 47 of the folded film sheet 18 and thereby form a bag 48 to be detached from the folded film sheet 18. The formed bag 48 has opposed concavely curved seals 42 and 42' as herein illustrated, which extend on opposed sides of a remaining central folded edge section 49 of the folded film sheet whereby to form the curved or roundish-like bottom wall 50, as better illustrated in Figure 6, wherein a produce, herein~a lettuce 51, is disposed in this type of a bag.
(0023 The bag-forming machine, as illustrated in Figure 5, is also provided with an indexed wicket pin hole punch 52 to form two spaced-apart holes 53 in the flap 35 between the cut-out end portions 31 of the folded film sheet 18.
(0024 The bag-forming machine illustrated in Figure 5 is further provided with a bag transport turret 54 to position the formed bags 48 on a bag collector 55 in a manner well known in the art whereby to form stacks of formed bags.
(0025 As shown in Figure 6, the bag herein formed is for the specific purpose of bagging lettuce or other produce wherein it is important to aerate the produce when in the bag and, for this purpose, a bag-perforating indexed mechanism 56 is located at a convenient location along the bag-forming line illustrated in Figure 5. At this station, the folded film sheets are perforated by pins 57 in specific regions of the folded film sheets wherein the bag is to be formed.
(0026 Essentially, the method of forming plastic bags 48, having curved or roundish-like bottom walls 50 and an open top end 58, as shown in Figure 6, comprises the steps of providing a bottom wall forming die 11 having opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges 13 and 13' converging to a common apex 14. The die is heated by suitable heating means such as the resistive heating wire 16. A folded film sheet 18 is fed on a film support surface, herein a TeflonTM
coated surface 27, of a support plate 26 under the die 11.
The die is reciprocated on the folded film sheet in synchronism with film feeding means whereby to simultaneously slit and heat-fuse opposed film sheets of the folded film sheet. The die is stroked onto the folded film sheet to form opposed concavely curved seals 42 and 42' extending from a longitudinal folded side edge 40 of the folded film sheet 18 and converging to an apex 43 at a location spaced on a transverse axis 44 from the longitudinal folded side edge 40. The cut-out film portions 31 are evacuated between the slit and heat-fuse stroke of the die. The folded film sheets with the opposed curved seals and cut-out end portions are fed to a further bag-forming station, as above-described and illustrated in Figure 5.
(0027 It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiment described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. A bag-forming machine for making plastic bags having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end, said machine comprising a bottom wall form ing die having opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges converging to a common apex, means to heat said die, a film support assembly under said die, means to reciprocate said die over said film support assembly, a folded film sheet adapted to be displaced over a film support surface of said film support assembly under said die, said folded film sheet being oriented such that said die will simultaneously slit and heat-fuse opposed film sheets of said folded film sheet when stroked on said folded film sheet to form opposed concavely curved seals extending from a longitudinal folded side edge of said folded film sheet and converging to an apex at a location spaced on a transverse axis from said longitudinal folded side edge, means to evacuate a cut-out film portion of said folded film sheet between said slit and heat-fuse strokes of said die, said folded film sheet with said opposed curved seals and cut-out end portion being fed to bag-forming means.
2. A bag-forming machine as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said bottom wall forming die is comprised of a heat-conducting die plate with said concavely curved seal-forming edges formed integral therewith, said die plate having a rear wall on which is disposed heating elements constituting said means to heat said die, heat-sensing means associated with said die plate, a support plate secured to said die plate, a heat insulating material over said heating elements and between said die plate and said support plate, a piston-actuated connecting plate secured to said support plate and spaced therefrom.
3. A bag-forming machine as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said die is connected to two in-line mounted cylinders, one said cylinder being a die-retracting cylinder, and the other of said cylinder being a die-reciprocating cylinder, said cylinders having in-line piston rods secured to said connecting plate.
4. A bag-forming machine as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said film support assembly comprises a film support plate defining said support surface, a Teflon.TM. material coated on said support surface, said film support plate being resiliently mounted, a vacuum port in said film support plate and oriented between said concavely curved seal-forming edges of said die, a vacuum conduit secured to said port and constituting said means to evacuate, and a reciprocating plate valve under said film support plate to obstruct said vacuum port during heat-fusing and slitting of said folded film sheet when said die is stroked thereon.
5. A bag-forming machine as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said plate valve is a piston-operated plate valve synchronized with said means to reciprocate said die, said plate valve when retracted uncovering said port to suck out said cut-out film portion.
6. A bag-forming machine as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said bag-forming means comprise indexing means to displace said folded film sheet over said film support surface of said film support assembly, and an indexed vertical slit and seal die to form a seal from said apex of said opposed concavely curved seals to a non-folded side edge of said folded film sheet and cause a formed bag to be detached from said folded film sheet, said bag having opposed concavely curved seals extending on opposed sides of a remaining central folded edge section whereby to form said curved or roundish-like bottom wall.
7. A bag-forming machine as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said folded film sheet is a J-folded film sheet defining a flap at said open tap end, said bag forming means further comprising an indexed wicket pin hole punch to form two spaced-apart holes in said flap between said cut-out end portions of said folded film sheet.
8. A bag-forming machine as claimed in Claim 7 wherein said bag-forming means further comprises bag transport means to position a formed bag on a bag collector to form stacks of formed bags.
9. A bag-forming machine as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said bag-forming means further comprises an indexed bag perforator to perforate said folded film sheets in a predetermined area thereof.
10. A method of forming plastic bags each having a curved or roundish-like bottom wall and an open top end, said method comprising the steps of:

i) providing a bottom wall forming die having opposed concavely curved seal-forming edges converging to a common apex;
ii) heating said die, by heating means;
iii) feeding a folded film sheet on a film support surface under said die;
iv) reciprocating said die on said folded film sheet in synchronism with film-feeding means whereby to simultaneously slit and heat-fuse opposed film sheets of said folded film sheet when said die is stroked on said folded film sheet to form opposed concavely curved seals extending from a longitudinal folded side edge of said folded film sheet and converging to an apex at a location on a transverse axis from said longitudinal folded side edge;

v) evacuating a cut-out film portion of said folded film sheet between said slit and heat-fuse stroke of said die; and vi) feeding said folded film sheet with said opposed curved seals and cut-out end portion to bag-forming means.
CA002354912A 2001-08-08 2001-08-08 Bag-forming machine for making bags with curved bottom walls Abandoned CA2354912A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002354912A CA2354912A1 (en) 2001-08-08 2001-08-08 Bag-forming machine for making bags with curved bottom walls

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002354912A CA2354912A1 (en) 2001-08-08 2001-08-08 Bag-forming machine for making bags with curved bottom walls

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2354912A1 true CA2354912A1 (en) 2003-02-08

Family

ID=4169701

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002354912A Abandoned CA2354912A1 (en) 2001-08-08 2001-08-08 Bag-forming machine for making bags with curved bottom walls

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2354912A1 (en)

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
FZDE Discontinued