CN1284923A

CN1284923A - Method and apparatus for positioning article in pouch

Info

Publication number: CN1284923A
Application number: CN 98813694
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·T·贝斯肯; 小R·L·赫顿; T·J·洛特; S·J·莫里斯三世; A·D·斯特罗伊特克; D·W·弗哈伦
Original assignee: Procter and Gamble Ltd
Current assignee: Procter and Gamble Ltd; Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date: 1997-12-19
Filing date: 1998-12-17
Publication date: 2001-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-17
Also published as: WO1999032360A1; CA2314876A1; JP2001526156A; CN1110431C; BR9814307A

Abstract

An apparatus and method for positioning and orienting an article (14) near the center of a pouch (16) containing granules. Apparatus has a granules chute (20), article guide assembly (30), and a gate mechanism (40). The granules chute is substantially upright. A baffle plate is placed inside of the granules chute to provide a vent for air to escape from the pouch during filling of granules. The article guide assembly (30) is substantially upright and located inside of the granules chute (20), and it is substantially coaxial with the granules chute. Article guide assembly forms a chute for dropping an article (14) into the pouch (16). The article guide assembly has slotted openings (52) to allow granules to enter it and surround the article prior to the exiting of the article from the article guide assembly. Surrounding the article with granules stabilizes its orientation and position within the pouch which will reduce the risk of the pouch being torn or punctured by rough edges of the article. The gate mechanism (40) controls the release of the article using a pre-determined time sequence in relation to delivery of the granules to the granules chute such that the article is positioned vertically near the center of the pouch as granules fill around the article.

Description

Be used for method and apparatus that article are located at bag

Invention field

The present invention relates to be used for apparatus and method that article are located near the center of the bag that comprises particle, make direction and the position of article in bag can reduce the danger that bag is poked or pierced through by the burr of article.

Background of invention

The delivery system of the product of deadweight feed is commonly called shaping-charging-sealing system, and it is used for packaging coffee beans, detergent particles and other flowable materials.Often these systems adopt a single chute, wherein particle by a hopper by this chute and send in one bag.Some this system forms sack with a volume plastic sheeting around this chute.After filling particle, the plastic bag that forms seals.Some other delivery system adopts the chute of a plurality of adjacency so that fill by sending material from a specific chute, and other chutes are equipped with in the follow-up raising that transports packs capacity rating.The other delivery system is arranged on a bigger external chute inside so that particle and additive are sent main particle chute and flavouring additive pipeline in the single bag.The delivery system of this pattern has additional external chute, thereby has improved infrastructure cost and enlarged the skin area that needs cleaning and safeguard.Some other delivery system utilizes two concentric pipelines to carry emulsion and air and it is mixed.

What generally also know in ability is that a spoon is sent into method in the packaging part that is suitable for splendid attire particle and spoon.This method begins spoon is put into the bottom of inverted packaging part and then packaging part is filled particle.Another known method of spoon being sent into packaging part is at first packaging part to be filled the top that particle then is placed on spoon particle.Carry the method for spoon to cause the inwall of the position of spoon for these two kinds near packaging part.When spoon during near the inwall of formation plastic bag, sack has the bigger danger of being poked or piercing through by spoon.Sack is only filled half particle, spoon is placed on the inside of bag.Charging can not guarantee reliably that spoon is placed on the correct position near the vertical and horizontal center of sack on spoon again, but in order to reduce the danger that sack is poked and pierced through, this is essential.In addition, the method for the conveying particle of this order and spoon has reduced the packing capacity rating.

What do not see is to be used to make article location and directed apparatus and method near the center of the bag that comprises particle, near the danger that this method makes article locate the sack center and be poked and pierce through with the minimizing sack away from the inwall of sack.

Summary of the invention

In one aspect of the invention, be provided for making article location and directed apparatus and method near the center of the bag that comprises particle, it comprises a particle chute, article guide piece and a guillotine mechanism.The particle chute is erect basically.One deflecting plate is arranged on the inside of particle chute and drains air so that provide an exhausr port to make in the process of particle loaded in bag.The article guide piece be basically erect and be positioned at particle chute inside, and it is coaxial with the particle chute basically.The article guide piece has a bottom and a top, and it forms the chute that article are used.The top of article guide piece is suitable for admitting article.The bottom of article guide piece is suitable for article are sent in the bag.The article guide piece has slot aperture and surrounded article in the past so that particle can enter the article guide piece and leave the article guide piece at article.With particle surround article make article in bag direction and position stability to reduce the danger that bag is poked or pierced through by the burr of article.Guillotine mechanism makes and article can be erect near bag center that be positioned at when particle loads around article with the release with respect to the scheduled timing control article that particle are delivered to the particle chute.

The accompanying drawing summary

Though present disclosure finishes with claim.Claim of the present invention is at length pointed out and illustrated clearly to claim.But believe by following together with accompanying drawing the description of preferred embodiment to be will be better appreciated by the present invention, same label is represented same element in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is the schematic sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrates one at particle chute in-to-in article guide piece, spoon in the method wherein is shown is begun to enter a step in the particle chute by a flashboard support and particle;

Fig. 2 is its schematic sectional view, wherein illustrate spoon in the method by guillotine mechanism discharge, more particle is discharged into and bag in air another step of being drained by exhausr port;

Fig. 3 is its schematic sectional view, another step of the present invention shown in it: spoon rest in the top of particle but still be in article guide piece inside, more particle is discharged into and more air is drained by exhausr port;

Fig. 4 is its schematic sectional view, the another step of this method shown in it: spoon leave guide piece but by particle surround, more particle is discharged into and more air is drained by exhausr port; And

Fig. 5 is its schematic sectional view, illustrate one at particle chute in-to-in article guide piece, be similar to Fig. 1, wherein at bag sealed and after flexible material is separated spoon be positioned in formed bag intracardiac and come directed with the long axis that the handgrip of spoon is aimed at sack.

Detailed Description Of The Invention

Referring now to accompanying drawing 1-5, a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in it, near the apparatus and method the center that it is provided for making article location and being oriented in the bag that comprises particle.Device is represented with 10 on the whole.Main purpose of the present invention is by making article 14 directed and be positioned at and reduce by bags 16 danger of being poked or piercing through by the burr of article 14 near the center of bag 16.Another object of the present invention is it is led article 14 suitably to be positioned near the center of bag 16 and away from the inwall of bag 16 and make article 14 come suitably directed with the long axis that its long axis is parallel to bag 16 by fall into bag 16 process at article 14.A further object of the invention is to make direction and the position stability of article 14 in bag 16 by surround article 14 with particle 18 when article 14 still are directed to.

Device 10 comprises that a particle chute 20, an article guide piece 30 and are used to control the guillotine mechanism 40 of the release of article 14.Particle chute 20 is considered to be shaped-to feed usually-part of sealer.Particle chute 20 be rectangle and erect the location basically, its top and bottom have opening.In the another kind design, particle chute 20 is columnar or any other known form available in shaping-charging-sealer.Diversed plate 42 separated into two parts of the top end opening of particle chute 20.A part is to be used for pack into the inlet of particle chute 20 of particle 18, and another part is the exhausr port that is used to drain air 46.The air 46 of draining is owing to producing in the bag 16 that particle is packed into.Particle 18 is sent into the inlet of particle chute 20 top ends from a hopper (not shown).Article guide piece 30 is the inside of erectting and be positioned at particle chute 20 basically.Article guide piece 30 is concentric with particle chute 20 basically.Article guide piece 30 has a bottom and a top.Article guide piece 30 forms the chute of article 14 whereabouts usefulness.The top of article guide piece 30 is suitable for admitting article 14.The bottom of article guide piece 30 is suitable for article 14 are sent in the bag 16.

Particle 18 is being sent into before the particle chute 20, must formed sack 16 around the periphery and the bottom of particle chute 20 with a volume flexible material such as plastic sheeting 48, its flexible material is by winding up roller (not shown) supply.Flexible material also can be the paper and the plastic sheeting of paper and a lamination or combination.The shaping of plastic sheeting 48 utilizes folded sheet 49 to finish.Plastic sheeting 48 generally is known around the manufacturing process of particle chute 20 in the art.Plastic sheeting 48 is shaped once the bottom around particle chute 20, thereby just plastic sheeting 48 is sealed the bottom that forms bag 16 with sealer 50.Can adopt the sealer 50 of various types, for example hot bar sealer and ultrasonic sealing device.

Particle 18 is being sent into before the particle chute 20, article 14 must placed the top of article guide piece 30.Shelving by beginning closed guillotine mechanism 40 of article 14 finished, thereby it stops article 14 to fall into the inside of article guide piece 30.Then, article 14 are utilized a delivery system (not shown) send into the open top of article guide piece 30.Article 14 fall in the article guide piece 30 and arrive guillotine mechanism 40 up to it, and it is prevented from further whereabouts at this, as shown in fig. 1.

Then particle 18 is sent into the inlet of particle chute 20 top ends from a hopper (not shown).In case the sealed sealing in bottom of bag 16, particle 18 just falls to bag 16 in particle chute 20.Some particles that fall 18 enter in the slot aperture 52 that forms on article guide piece 30.Each slot aperture 52 makes particle 18 can enter article guide piece 30 and surrounded article 14 before article 14 leaves article guide piece 30.Surround article 14 with particle 18 and make direction and the position stability of article 14 in bag 16, this will reduce the danger that bag 16 is poked or pierced through by the burr of article 14.At preset time, open guillotine mechanism 40 so that article 14 can fall in the article guide piece 30.Article 14 rest in the top of static particle 18.By discharging article 14 with preset time, article 14 are straightened near the center of being positioned at, as shown in Figure 2 when particle 18 loads around article.

More particle 18 is admitted to the top of particle chute 20 and surrounds article 14.Guillotine mechanism 40 turns back to closed device so that stop the next article 56 to be shelved that are used for next bag, as shown in Figure 3.

When excessive particle 18 surrounded article 14, article 14 left article guide piece 30, and article are stabilized near the center of bag 16 by particle 18 on every side there.The gravity of particle 18 and article 14 makes bag 16 leave particle chute 20 and article guide piece 30 and falls, as shown in Figure 4.

Sealer is dropped on below 50 in the top of bag 16 in a single day, and sealer 50 is just lived the end sealing of bag 16.Resulting packaging part 54 comprises particle 18 and is positioned near the article 14 in center of bag 16.Article 14 come orientation with the axis the longest that its longest axis is arranged essentially parallel to bag 16, so that reduce the danger that bag 16 is poked or pierced through by the burr of article 14.

In a concrete preferred embodiment, article 14 are a plastics spoon and particle 18 is detergent particles.Spoon has handgrip and cup part.The cup part about 5.5 centimetres dark, about 11.7 centimetres high and about 6.2 centimetres wide of spoon (comprising handgrip).The edge of spoon is sharp keen, is enough to cause perforation when bag 16 is in contact with it on bag 16.The particle size of washer solvent is about 5 microns to about 500 microns.The plastic sheeting of bag 16 is preferably made with a kind of linea low density/high density polyethylene (HDPE) lamination, and about 4.25 mils of its thickness (mil) are to 5.50 mils.Preferably, resulting packaging part contains the detergent particles of 4 liters, 8 liters or 12 liters.4 liters of packaging parts are about 14.5 centimetres high, and 18.5 centimetres wide and 14.5 centimetres are dark.8 liters of packaging parts are about 19.0 centimetres high, and 15.3 centimetres wide and 15.2 centimetres are dark.12 liters of packaging parts are about 34.0 centimetres high, and 21.5 centimetres wide and 14.5 centimetres are dark.

The preferred construction material that is used for particle chute 20 and article guide piece 30 is a corrosion-resistant steel.The particle chute is about 100 centimetres high, and 12 centimetres wide and 18 centimetres are dark.Article guide piece 30 is about 70.5 centimetres high, and 9.0 centimetres wide and 6.5 centimetres are dark.The length of article guide piece and width are important, because they define the chute of a specific dimensions, make and can suitably surround and guide spoon in the spoon dropping process, establish position and the direction of spoon in bag 16 whereby.The bottom of article guide piece 30 is about 4.2 centimeters more than the bottom of particle chute 20.This size has determined spoon no longer to be subjected to the position of article guide piece 30 supports and has required particle to surround spoon reliably so that keep the direction and the position of spoon.Slot aperture 52 is about 36.8 centimetres high, and 2.5 centimetres wide, and is positioned at about 3.2 centimeters from the bottom of article guide piece 30.The decision of these sizes can enter the quantity of particle 18 of article guide piece 30 so that fully surround and stable spoon.In the another kind design, the wall of slot aperture 52 is constructed rather than had to article guide piece 30 usefulness stainless steel strips.Guillotine mechanism 40 is positioned at about 28.7 centimeters from the bottom of article guide piece 30.For 4 liters of packaging parts, it is 0.15 second up to the schedule time of spoon when guillotine mechanism 40 falls from particle 18 being released into particle chute 20.For 8 liters of packaging parts, it is 0.45 second up to the schedule time of spoon when guillotine mechanism 40 falls from particle 18 being released into particle chute 20.For 12 liters of packaging parts, it is 0.85 second up to the schedule time of spoon when guillotine mechanism 40 falls from particle 18 being released into particle chute 20.The height of guillotine mechanism 40 is critical together with predetermined drop away time, because its decision spoon is in bag 16 in-to-in erection positions.

Though illustrate and described specific embodiments of the present invention, but obviously can carry out various changes and modification to one skilled in the art and not break away from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and plan all these modification within the scope of the present invention and be included in the appended claims.

Claims

1. one kind is used to make article location and directed device near the center of the bag that comprises particle, it is characterized in that,

A) an outer particle chute of erectting basically;

B) an article guide piece of erectting basically, this article guide piece is positioned in particle chute inside, this article guide piece is coaxial with described particle chute basically, this article guide piece has a bottom and a top, this article guide piece forms the chute of article whereabouts usefulness, described top is suitable for admitting article, and described bottom is suitable for article are sent in the bag of particle chute formation;

C) guillotine mechanism is used for to control the release of article with respect to the scheduled timing that particle is delivered to the particle chute, makes article to be erect near bag center that be positioned at when particle loads around article.

2. one kind is used to make article location and directed method near the center of the bag that comprises particle, the method is characterized in that following each step:

A) a volume flexible material is formed a sack around the particle chute, this sack has a top and a bottom;

B) bottom of the described sack of sealing;

C) particle is entered the bottom of described bag and drains air in the bag by the part of this particle chute by described particle chute;

D) article are released in the article guide piece placed in the middle in described particle chute, wherein article are released with the scheduled timing that enters with respect to particle, make that article can be erect near the center that is positioned at bag when particle loads around article;

E) continue to enter particle by described particle chute, thus particle constantly the filling sack so that surround article and make it stable with particle; And

F) top of the described bag of sealing.

3. aforesaid right requires each device, it is characterized in that, described article guide piece is that 9.0 centimetres wide and 6.5 centimetres are dark and form the chute of specific dimensions, and this chute suitably surrounds and guide article in the process that article fall.

4. aforesaid right requires each device, it is characterized in that, the height of described guillotine mechanism is together with having determined the erection position of article in bag from particle being released into described particle chute from the predetermined drop away time that guillotine mechanism falls up to article.

5. aforesaid right requires each device, it is characterized in that the height of described guillotine mechanism is positioned at from the bottom of article guide piece 28.7 centimeters.

6. aforesaid right requires each device, it is characterized in that, described article guide piece has slot aperture so that particle can enter this article guide piece and leave the article guide piece at article and surrounded article in the past, wherein with particle surround article can make article at bag in-to-in direction and position stability to reduce the danger that bag is poked or pierced through by the burr of article.

7. aforesaid right requires each device, it is characterized in that, described slot aperture is 36.8 centimetres high, and 2.5 centimetres wide, and is positioned at position and the quantity that enters the article guide piece with the decision particle from the bottom of article guide piece 3.2 centimeters.

8. aforesaid right requires each device, it is characterized in that, the bottom of described article guide piece is 4.2 centimeters more than the bottom of described particle chute, the position that these size decision article are supported by the article guide piece no longer.

9. aforesaid right requires each device, it is characterized in that, a deflecting plate provides an exhausr port, and in order to drain air in bag in the process of particle loaded, this deflecting plate is arranged in the particle chute.

10. aforesaid right requires each device, it is characterized in that, article are the spoons by described article guide piece orientation, makes the long axis of this spoon be arranged essentially parallel to the long axis of bag.

11. aforesaid right requires each method, it is characterized in that, has the step that described bag is separated from described flexible material volume.

12. aforesaid right requires each method, it is characterized in that, article are the spoons by described article guide piece orientation, make the long axis of this spoon be arranged essentially parallel to the long axis of bag.