EP0844180A1 - Dispositif et procédé pour la manutention d'objets sur une ligne d'emballage - Google Patents

Dispositif et procédé pour la manutention d'objets sur une ligne d'emballage Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0844180A1
EP0844180A1 EP96308529A EP96308529A EP0844180A1 EP 0844180 A1 EP0844180 A1 EP 0844180A1 EP 96308529 A EP96308529 A EP 96308529A EP 96308529 A EP96308529 A EP 96308529A EP 0844180 A1 EP0844180 A1 EP 0844180A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
separable
along
bag
flattened bag
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP96308529A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
David Robert Seaward
Peter Whitlock
Simon Martin
Thomas William Bailey
Julian Gregory Messing
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.)
Mpac Group PLC
Mondelez International Inc
Original Assignee
Molins Ltd
Kraft Foods 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 Molins Ltd, Kraft Foods Inc filed Critical Molins Ltd
Priority to EP96308529A priority Critical patent/EP0844180A1/fr
Priority to PCT/GB1997/003242 priority patent/WO1998023487A1/fr
Priority to EP97913344A priority patent/EP0942871A1/fr
Priority to AU50640/98A priority patent/AU5064098A/en
Priority to GB9912352A priority patent/GB2335407B/en
Priority to CA002272694A priority patent/CA2272694A1/fr
Publication of EP0844180A1 publication Critical patent/EP0844180A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
    • B65B43/42—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
    • B65B43/46—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation using grippers
    • B65B43/465—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation using grippers for bags
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
    • B65B43/26—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks
    • B65B43/30—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks by grippers engaging opposed walls, e.g. suction-operated
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
    • B65B43/42—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
    • B65B43/52—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation using roller-ways or endless conveyors

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus and method for handling objects on a packaging line.
  • the packaging industry is continually seeking for faster machines. In such machines it may be desired to support an object in a container as the container moves along the packaging line. Insertion of the object in the container from above at a loading station may be problematic because the object may be being conveyed prior to insertion at a different speed from the container into which it is to be inserted or because the object is in a different orientation from that required for insertion into the container or both. Sometimes the object may be approaching the loading station faster than the container; in other cases the speed of movement of the container through the loading station may be faster than that of the object to be inserted. In order to overcome this difficulty it may be necessary in conventional packaging machines to slow the container so that the correct synchronisation and orientation can be achieved at the loading station. This has the effect of slowing down operation of the whole machine. Thus achieving the correct synchronisation of the object and container at the loading station whilst simultaneously getting the object in the correct orientation may be difficult without unduly slowing down the speed of the packaging machine.
  • GB-A-1003768 describes an apparatus for the packing of solid or liquid materials in sealable bags or sachets.
  • This is a hand operated machine with a carriage movable along a pathway and supporting a jig adapted to receive a bag.
  • the jig has double walls, the inner one of which is permeable and the space between the double walls is connected to a vacuum for opening the bag under the influence of the vacuum.
  • a suction cup attached to a tubular arm is used to transfer a bag from a magazine to the jig.
  • After filling with biscuits or solid, granular or liquid material the operator operates a lever which folds over flaps at the upper end of the jig to fold over the top of the bag, whereupon the top of the bag is sealed.
  • the sealed bag can then be removed from the jig, one way of achieving this being by providing a retractable bottom to the jig.
  • the present invention accordingly seeks to provide a method of and an apparatus for reliably inserting an object into a moving container at a loading station with the correct orientation of the object and without having to reduce the speed of movement of the container and hence of the whole packaging machine. It further seeks to provide an apparatus and a method which enable the insertion into a container moving along a first path of an object which is moving along a second path that converges with the first path and is possibly travelling at a different speed from the container.
  • apparatus for inserting an object into a moving container at a loading station comprising:
  • the invention further provides a method for inserting an object into a moving container at a loading station comprising:
  • the first and second separable parts may each include a bottom wall means and side wall means, the bottom wall means of the first and second separable parts cooperating in the closed condition of the support container to form a bottom wall for the support container and the side wall means of the first and second separable parts cooperating in the closed condition of the support container to form side walls for the support container.
  • the support container has a substantially parallelepipedal interior shape in its closed condition.
  • the second separable part may be pivotally linked to the first separable part by means of a parallelogram linkage so that lateral separation of the separable parts occurs by virtue of the second separable part swinging laterally outwardly and downwardly away from the first separable part.
  • the first and second separable parts may include bottom wall means which are arranged to separate along a first substantially vertical longitudinal plane and a side wall means of the second separable part can similarly be arranged to separate from a corresponding side wall means of the first separable part at at least one longitudinal end of the support container along a vertical longitudinal plane that is laterally offset from the first substantially vertical longitudinal plane.
  • the bottom wall means are arranged to separate along a first substantially vertical longitudinal plane and the side wall means of the second separable part is arranged to separate from the side wall means of the first separable part at one longitudinal end of the support container along a second vertical longitudinal plane that is laterally offset from the first substantially vertical longitudinal plane and at the other longitudinal end of the support container along a third longitudinal plane that is laterally offset to the other side of the first substantially vertical plane from the second substantially vertical plane.
  • an object inserted into the container along the first substantially vertical plane cannot emerge from the forward end of the container because it will first strike the side wall means of one of the separable parts at the forward end of the container.
  • the apparatus prefferably include also means for locking the support container in its closed condition.
  • the object may have a portion which is relatively flat and flexible, in which case the container can include opposed portions which grip said portion to locate the object in the container in its closed condition.
  • the object may be a flattened bag having a front, a back, and a bottom seal and the flattened bag may be delivered into the container so that, when the container closes, the bottom seal of the flattened bag is trapped between the opposed portions of the separable parts of the support container.
  • said opposed portions comprise a fixed portion on one of the separable parts and a pivotable member on said one of the separable parts so as to be pivotable between a closed condition in which said fixed and pivotable portions cooperate to grip said portion of said object and the open position in which fixed portion and said pivotable portion are spaced one from another to allow the object to enter the container.
  • the pivotable portion is biased towards its open position.
  • said pivotable portion can be arranged so as to engage a bottom wall portion of the other separable part and move towards its closed position as the two separable parts close to support said object.
  • the means for moving the object along a path in the same direction through the loading station may comprise a holder member carried by an endless belt that is arranged to run about rollers at the corners of a parallelogram linkage, the upper pair of rollers being arranged for rotation about fixed axes and the lower pair of rollers being arranged for rotation about axes which can be swung at the end of respective arms through an arc under the influence of a driving member driven by a cam surface of a cam so that the holder member, as it passes around the lower run of the parallelogram linkage, in the direction of movement of the container is accelerated, by swinging of the parallelogram linkage, in one direction to a predetermined speed which is greater than the speed of movement of the container to cause the object to be carried between the two separable parts of the support container and then, as the parallelogram linkage swings in the other direction, to be slowed as it enters the open support container to the same speed as the container.
  • the object can be arranged to be engaged with the holder member as the holder member passes along the upper run of the endless belt passing around the rollers.
  • the orientation of the holder member relative to the endless belt on the upper run of the endless belt can be different from the corresponding orientation of the holder member relative to the endless belt on the bottom run of the endless belt.
  • the holder member can be pivotally mounted on a carrier with respect to the endless belt and in the orientation of the holder member with respect to the endless belt is changed by engagement of a cam follower member provided on a crank arm operatively attached to the holder member and arranged to engage with cam tracks mounted adjacent the parallelogram linkage.
  • the container in one preferred form of the invention, is adapted to receive a flattened bag having a front, a back, and a bottom seal and in which the means for moving the flattened bag is arranged to deliver the flattened bag into the container so that, when the container closes, the bottom seal of the flattened bag is trapped between the bottom wall means of the separable parts of the support container.
  • the bottom wall means may each be associated with a plenum chamber connected to respective vacuum connection means and communicating with the chamber around the flattened bag by means of passageways adjacent the side wall means of the separable parts whereby, upon evacuating the plenum chambers through the vacuum connection means, the chamber around the flattened bag can be evacuated and the flattened bag opened.
  • one of the separable parts includes a plenum chamber beneath the bottom of the chamber which is in communication with the chamber around the flattened bag and is connected to a vacuum connection pipe carrying a bellows connector
  • the other separable part includes a plenum chamber beneath the bottom of the chamber which is in communication with the chamber and is connected to a vacuum connection pipe carrying a bellows connector
  • a vacuum box can be mounted adjacent the path of travel of the container, the vacuum box having a operating face with one or more orifices which is disposed substantially parallel to the path of travel of the container, and a flexible belt having apertures spaced along its length can be arranged to pass across the operating face of the vacuum box, the spacing of the apertures and the timing of the belt being arranged so that, as the container with a bag therein passes the vacuum box, the bellows connectors can communicate with the vacuum box thereby to evacuate the plenum chambers and the chamber around the flattened bag so as to open the flattened bag.
  • First and second top closure members in such a case can be juxtaposed above the support container along the path of the container after the container has closed, one top closure member being positioned to be adjacent the front of the flattened bag and the other top closure member being positioned adjacent the back of the flattened bag and laterally spaced one from another by a distance of from about 2 mm to about 7 mm, preferably from about 4 mm to about 6 mm.
  • the flattened bag will have a longitudinal seal formed by sealing together opposite side edges of a web of a sealable material and a gusseted bottom.
  • Such gussets in the flattened bag may be defined in part by diagonal seals.
  • first and second top closure members may be positioned above the support container so that one closure member lies adjacent the front of the flattened bag and the other closure member lies adjacent the back of the flattened bag so as to form together with the bottom wall and the side walls of the support container a substantially enclosed chamber around a lower portion of the flattened bag.
  • first and second top closure members may comprise stationary members.
  • they can comprise endless belts preferably arranged to move in synchronism with the container as this is caused to move along its predetermined path.
  • FIG. 1 part of a packaging machine 1 for making evacuated packages, for example evacuated sealed bags containing roasted and ground coffee is depicted.
  • This has an endless chain 2 (only part of which is shown) which passes between and around two carousels (not shown) arranged one at each end of the machine 1.
  • the direction of travel of endless chain 2 is shown in each of Figures 1 to 3 by arrows A.
  • Endless chain 2 is used to convey containers 3 for bags 4 around the machine 1 to and from the portion of the machine 1 which is shown in Figure 1 and which is the portion of machine 1 in which flat preformed bags 4' are inserted into the containers 3 and opened out.
  • Figure 1 shows at its right hand side a flat bag 4' about to be inserted into a container 3 and at its left hand side a fully opened bag 4.
  • the opened bags 4 are conveyed in the direction of the arrow A to a first carousel at the left hand end of the machine (as illustrated) where the containers 3 and bags 4 are individually tared, then part filled with a first dose of roasted and ground coffee, re-weighed, and topped up to a desired weight with a second dose of the roasted and ground coffee.
  • the containers 3 with their filled bags 4 then travel back to the right hand end of the machine 1 along a reverse path behind the illustrated part of the machine 1 in the opposite direction to arrow A and pass around the second carousel which is at the right hand end of the machine 1, that is to say the right hand end as illustrated.
  • the filled bags 4 are evacuated and sealed or are evacuated, gas flushed (with, for example, carbon dioxide or nitrogen) and sealed.
  • a small amount of a desirable coffee aroma fraction may be bled into the evacuated filled bags 4 before the sealing step in order to enhance the aroma when the sealed package is first opened.
  • the bags 4 and their contents may be tamped by, for example, a brief period of vertical vibration, in order to settle the contents of the bags 4 and facilitate formation of a neat parallelepipedal package.
  • endless chain 2 consists of links 5 joined one to another with carriages 6 attached to appropriate links 5 at regular intervals.
  • Carriages 6 are arranged to run on a pair of substantially parallel level tracks (not shown in Figures 1 to 3) on rollers 7.
  • a guide roller 8 arranged to rotate about a vertical axis is mounted on each carriage 6 and runs in a guide track (also not shown in Figures 1 to 3) mounted where necessary along the runs of the endless chain 2 and on each carousel above the carriages 6 so as to assist in preventing carriages 6 from tipping.
  • a pair of similar guide rollers (which again are not shown in Figures 1 to 3) which are also arranged to rotate about a vertical axis are provided on the underside of each carriage 6. These further rollers run in a corresponding guide track under the endless chain 2 located between the level tracks for rollers 7; this further guide track is not shown in Figures 1 to 3.
  • Each carriage 6 also carries a vertical flanged member 9 which is slidably received in a bracket 10 mounted on the rear of carriage 6.
  • Member 9 can be raised and lowered at appropriate moments in the operating cycle relative to its corresponding carriage 6 by means of a roller 11 which, at the appropriate moment or moments in the operating cycle of the machine 1, runs up a stationary ramp surface (not shown) as it is carried around the machine 1 by the endless chain 2 in order to raise member 9 and the container 3 that it carries and then runs down a corresponding ramp surface (also not shown) to lower it again.
  • member 9 carries at its upper end a mounting plate 12 for its associated container 3.
  • Mounting plate 12 is provided on its rear face with three studs 13 with enlarged heads (see Figure 5, which shows only one of the studs 13). Studs 13 engage in keyways 14 (see Figure 4) in a backing plate 15 on the front of container 3.
  • a crank arm 16 pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 17 carries an operating roller 18 and a locking roller 19 which engages in slots 20, 21 formed in mounting plate 12 and backing plate 15 respectively to lock container 3 in place on member 9.
  • a spring 22 is attached at one end to crank arm 16 and at its other end to a bolt 23 on mounting plate 12 and biases crank arm 16 towards its locked position, as shown in Figure 3.
  • Operating roller 18 is arranged to bear against a stationary cam track (not shown) which is shaped so as to move roller 18 to its unlocked position, shown in Figure 2, at the appropriate point in the operating cycle of machine 1, as the container 3 is carried along by chain 2, and then to move it back to its locked position again.
  • Each container 3 has interior surfaces which define a substantially parallelepipedal shape. It is split vertically into two halves 24, 25.
  • the rear half 24 of container 3 is connected to the front half 25 thereof by a parallelogram linkage formed by pivoted arms 26, 27 (see Figure 5) at its left side and by a single pivoted arm 28 at its right side.
  • pivoted arms 26, 27 at its left side
  • pivoted arm 28 at its right side.
  • rear half 24 swings downward and rearward away from front half 25.
  • Container 3 is held locked in its closed position by means of locking levers 29, 30 mounted one at each end of container 3 which engage respectively with pins 31, 32 on front half 25.
  • Levers 29, 30 are biased towards their locking positions by means of respective springs 33, 34.
  • Locking lever 29 pivots about pin 35 and carries a roller 36 which engages with a stationary cam track (not shown) when it is desired for container 3 to open.
  • Locking lever 30 pivots about pin 37 and carries a roller 38 which engages with a corresponding stationary cam track (not shown), which runs parallel to the corresponding cam track for roller 35, to open container 3 at the appropriate point along its path.
  • Roller 38' (see Figure 5) which is carried by rear half 24 is arranged to cooperate with a corresponding cam track (not shown) to urge rear half 24 back to its closed condition at a point further along the path of container 3 from that at which container 3 is caused to open.
  • Reference numerals 39, 40, 41, and 42 indicate pivot pins for arms 26, 27, while reference numerals 43 and 44 indicate pivot pins for arm 28.
  • the two halves 24, 25 of container 3 are somewhat asymmetrical so that the plane of separation 45 along which the two halves 24, 25 separate at the right hand end of container 3 is offset to one side of the centre line L-L while the plane 46 along which the two halves 24, 25 separate at the left hand end of the container 3 is offset to the other side of centre line L-L.
  • the two halves 24, 25 separate at the base of the container 3 along the centre line L-L.
  • the walls 24a, 24b, and 24c and base 24d together define approximately half of a parallelepiped, the remaining portion of which is defined by the walls 25a, 25b and 25c and the base 25d of half 25.
  • the base of the container 3 is provided with plenum chambers 47, 48 arranged one in each half 24 or 25. These plenum chambers 47, 48 are covered, except along the edges adjacent the internal walls of the respective half 24 or 25, with respective cover plates 49, 50; in Figure 6 the halves of these cover plates 49 and 50 towards the top of the Figure have been cut away to show the plenum chambers 47 and 48.
  • cover plates 49, 50 in Figure 6 the halves of these cover plates 49 and 50 towards the top of the Figure have been cut away to show the plenum chambers 47 and 48.
  • the corner of cover plate 50 can be cut away at 55.
  • the bottom of container 3 can be made of magnetic material so that it will sit firmly on a load cell (not shown) on the first carousel during taring and weighing, at which time container 3 will have been released from member 9 by moving crank arm 16 to its unlocked position and lowering member 9 to cause studs 13 to move into the larger area parts of keyways 14.
  • Roller 56 (see Figures 2 and 3) is arranged to cooperate with an appropriately positioned ramp surface (not shown) to impart a vertical vibratory movement to container 3 to assist in tamping of the charge of coffee or other comminuted material after the necessary weighing action has taken place.
  • the half 24 is provided with a vacuum connection pipe 57 with a flexible bellows connector 58 at its end; this vacuum connection pipe 57 leads to plenum chamber 47.
  • a further vacuum connection pipe 59 with a further flexible bellows connector 60 is provided on half 25. This further vacuum connection pipe 59 is connected to plenum chamber 48.
  • FIG. 1 Above the path of travel of containers 3 there are mounted two guide members 61, 62 (see Figure 1); these are spaced very closely above the tops of containers 3 but are laterally spaced one from another by about 5 to 10 mm so that a near air tight enclosure is formed by each container 3 and the guide members 61, 62 as the container 3 passes under guide members 61, 62.
  • a vacuum box (not shown) across whose rear perforated operating face passes an endless belt (also not shown) which moves in synchronism with chain 2 and is provided with apertures arranged so as to marry up with bellows connectors 58, 60 as each container 3 comes past the vacuum box.
  • the rear operating face of this vacuum box is perforated so that a vacuum can be drawn through bellows connectors 58, 60 as each container 3 passes behind and in close proximity to the vacuum box in synchronism with the apertured endless belt.
  • a flattened bag 4' which has a bottom fin seal 63, is suspended vertically from a spring loaded clip 64 of clothes peg construction for movement in the direction of arrow A.
  • Each bag (see flattened bag 4'' in Figure 1) is formed with side gussets 65, 66. Also the bottom end of each bag (see flattened bag 4') has diagonal seals 67, 68.
  • the bag 4' has been horizontally pre-creased, as indicated at 63' and 63'', at positions corresponding to where the top and bottom edges will be in the evacuated filled package.
  • Figure 7 shows a detail of a carriage 6 and the track 69 on which this runs. Also visible is the roller 70 (to which reference has been made above) mounted underneath carriage 6. This runs in a groove 71 in track 69. Roller 8 runs in a corresponding groove 72 above the carriage 6; here it is illustrated as being in the underside of one of the carousels 73.
  • FIGs 8 to 11 illustrate a device 74 for feeding the flattened bag 4' to the container 3, which is in open condition, at the right hand end of the part of the machine 1 shown in Figure 1 so as to feed the flattened bag 4' along a path which converges with that of the container 3.
  • Device 74 is also designed so as to impart the desired variation in speed of movement of the clip 64.
  • Device 74 comprises an endless belt 75 which is driven in a clockwise direction around four rollers 76, 77, 78, and 79 which are located at the corners of a frame in the shape of a floppy parallelogram formed by members 80, 81, 82, and 83. These are pivoted one to another by means of fixed pivots 84, 85 and by swinging pivots 86, 87.
  • a cross member 88 is pivoted to the mid points of members 81, 83 on pivots 89, 90 and carries a pair of cam follower rollers 91, 92 which engage with the rim 93 of an elliptical cam wheel 94 which is mounted on axle 95. (For the sake of clarity cam wheel 94 is omitted from Figures 9 and 10). As cam wheel 94 is rotated so cam follower rollers 91, 92 follow its rim 93 and move cross member 88 from side to side which in turn causes the parallelogram linkage 80, 81, 82, 83 to swing from side to side. The extremes of this swinging movement are represented by Figures 9 and 10 respectively.
  • Belt 75 carries a number of clips 64 which are similar in construction to spring loaded clothes pegs.
  • Clips 64 are each pivotally mounted on a shaft that passes through a respective carrier 96.
  • a spring loaded push rod (not shown) extends through carrier 96.
  • One end of this push rod bears against one end of the rear movable arm of peg 64 and the other end projects from the rear of carrier 96. Pressure upon the rearward end of the push rod causes clip 64 to open.
  • Carrier 96 is also provided with rollers 97 which bear on the edge of the parallelogram linkage 80, 81, 82, 83 as the belt 75 moves around it.
  • the other end of the shaft on which clip 64 is mounted carries a crank arm 98 with a roller 99.
  • roller 99 engages with a cam track 100 as it passes around the bottom right hand corner of the parallelogram linkage. This causes the clip 64 to pivot through 90° until it extends horizontally. As it passes around the bottom left hand corner of the parallelogram linkage so roller 99 engages with a further cam surface 101 (see Figure 11) which serves to rotate clip 64 through 90° again so that when it comes round the top left hand corner of the parallelogram linkage the clip 64 is again vertical.
  • the endless chain 2 is driven at a constant speed in the direction of arrow A.
  • a flattened bag 4' which has a bottom fin seal 63, is suspended vertically from a clip 64 which is also moved in the direction of arrow A but somewhat faster than endless belt 2 so that it can overtake the containers 3.
  • the container 3 at the right hand end of the illustrated part of the machine 1 is open, the rollers 36 and 38 having been forced downwards by engagement with their respective associated ramp surfaces (not shown).
  • the speed of clip 64 is reduced to match the speed of endless chain 2.
  • the flattened bag 4' and the open container 3 are now moving in synchronism.
  • the open container 3 closes by allowing rollers 36, 38 to come off their ramp surface and roller 38' to engage with its corresponding ramp surface and by letting locking levers 29 and 30 return under the influence of springs 33 and 34 to their locked positions in which they engage pins 31 and 32 respectively.
  • the bag 4' is positioned at such a height in relation to the half 25 of the open container 3 that, as the container 3 closes, the bottom fin seal 63 is trapped between the bottom edges of the two halves 24 and 25. Because the container 3 splits into two asymmetric halves 24 and 25 it is impossible for flattened bag 4' to overshoot the open container 3 since its leading vertical edge will hit first the inner face of the left hand wall of the open container 3.
  • clip 64 which is attached to an endless belt (not shown) opens so as to release flattened bag 4' and then travels on to pick up a new flattened bag 4'. Opening of clip 64 is effected by means of a fixed ramp surface (not shown) mounted behind the path of clip 64 against which the rear end of its spring loaded push rod bears so as to move the push rod forward against its spring to open clip 64.
  • a fixed ramp surface (not shown) mounted behind the path of clip 64 against which the rear end of its spring loaded push rod bears so as to move the push rod forward against its spring to open clip 64.
  • the flattened bag As can be seen best from the second flattened bag from the right hand end of Figure 1, i.e. the flattened bag 4'', is formed with side gussets 65, 66. Also the bottom end of each flattened bag 4' has diagonal seals 67, 68. These side gussets and diagonal seals assist in eventual formation of a neat parallelepipedal package.
  • the bag opens very quickly and is drawn to conform snugly to the inside shape of container 3.
  • the container 3 emerges from under the left hand end of the guide members 61, 62 so the material of the bag tends to open it further as shown at the left hand end of Figure 1.
  • the gap between guide members 61 and 62 should not be so wide, on the one hand, that an effective vacuum cannot be drawn quickly and without use of excessive power within container 3 and not so narrow, on the other hand, that the top of the bag cannot slide down somewhat into container 3 to allow full opening of the bag to occur.
  • a lateral gap of about 5 mm has been found suitable for bags made from a printed laminate 100 ⁇ m thick consisting of a layer of polyethylene terephthalate, a layer of low density polyethylene, and a layer of peelable polyethylene, with the peelable layer on the inside of the bag.
  • Such a bag can be used for packaging, for example, 500 g of roasted and ground coffee.
  • device 74 is positioned below the path of movement of flattened bags 4' as they emerge from a bag forming machine bottom end first.
  • the direction of movement of the bags 4' is indicated by arrow B in Figures 8 to 10; arrow A in Figures 8 to 10 corresponds to arrow A of Figures 1 to 3.
  • arrow B in Figures 8 to 10
  • arrow A in Figures 8 to 10
  • arrow A of Figures 8 to 10 corresponds to arrow A of Figures 1 to 3.
  • the speed of travel of belt 75 is matched to that of the flattened bags 4' as they emerge from the bag forming machine pass in the direction of arrow B, each with its transverse fin seal at its leading end.
  • each clip 64 attains a vertical attitude after passing around roller 76, it receives a flattened bag 4' (as shown in Figure 9).
  • Clip 64 then closes as the rear end of its push rod comes off its cooperating ramp surface and carries flattened bag 4' along with it as it continues to move towards roller 77.
  • the spacing between adjacent containers 3 along chain 2 is less than the height of a bag 4', for example approximately one half the height of a bag 4'. Since the speed of movement of the flattened bags 4' as they emerge lengthwise from the bag forming machine is greater than the speed of endless chain 2, it is necessary to slow the bag 4' as it is inserted into the appropriate container 3 to the speed of chain 2.
  • the design of machine 1 requires that a flattened bag 4' shall be inserted into the open container 3 in a vertical attitude, as shown in Figure 1, although it has been formed in a manner which results in it travelling bottom end first.
  • the parallelogram linkage of device 64 allows the flattened bag 4' to be presented in the correct attitude and at the correct speed for insertion into open container 3.
  • the swinging movement of the parallelogram linkage is coordinated with the movement of the clip 64 from right to left along the lower run of belt 75 so that, as the flattened bag 4' approaches the open container 3, the linkage is swinging leftward so that clip 64 is moving faster than the speed of endless chain 2.
  • the linkage reverses its direction of swing and commences to swing to the right, thus reducing the velocity of flattened bag 4' relative to that of the endless chain 2.
  • the right-to-left velocity of the flattened bag 4' equates to the corresponding velocity of the endless chain 2 so that the flattened bag 4' is moving at the same speed as the container 3 as this closes.
  • the flattened bag 4' is travelling endwise from left to right as it first captured by a clip 64.
  • its attitude changes from horizontal to vertical.
  • roller 99 engages with the cam track 100 and rotates clip 64 through 90°.
  • cam track 101 which serves to rotate clip 64 through 90° again in readiness for capturing a further flattened bag 4'.
  • Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a modified form of container which, while generally similar to the container of Figures 2 to 6, has a trap door arrangement in its base instead of having a fixed base.
  • Figures 12 and 13 the same reference numerals have been used to identify those parts which are essentially the same as those present in the embodiment of Figures 2 to 6.
  • plenum chamber 48 is closed on its upper side by a fixed part 201 which forms part of the floor to container 3.
  • the bottom wall means 25d of front half 25 extends somewhat rearward (i.e. to the right as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13) past the plane of separation 45 and carries a pivotable member 202 mounted on pivots 203.
  • Rubber pads 204 and 205 are provided on part 201 and member 202 respectively and grip the bottom end of bag 4' in the closed condition of the container.
  • Member 202 is spring biased by means of a spring (not shown) in a clockwise direction as depicted in Figures 12 and 13.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
EP96308529A 1996-11-26 1996-11-26 Dispositif et procédé pour la manutention d'objets sur une ligne d'emballage Withdrawn EP0844180A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP96308529A EP0844180A1 (fr) 1996-11-26 1996-11-26 Dispositif et procédé pour la manutention d'objets sur une ligne d'emballage
PCT/GB1997/003242 WO1998023487A1 (fr) 1996-11-26 1997-11-26 Dispositif et procede servant a manipuler des objets sur une chaine d'emballage
EP97913344A EP0942871A1 (fr) 1996-11-26 1997-11-26 Dispositif et procede servant a manipuler des objets sur une chaine d'emballage
AU50640/98A AU5064098A (en) 1996-11-26 1997-11-26 Apparatus and method for handling objects on a packaging line
GB9912352A GB2335407B (en) 1996-11-26 1997-11-26 Apparatus and method for handling objects on a packaging line
CA002272694A CA2272694A1 (fr) 1996-11-26 1997-11-26 Dispositif et procede servant a manipuler des objets sur une chaine d'emballage

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP96308529A EP0844180A1 (fr) 1996-11-26 1996-11-26 Dispositif et procédé pour la manutention d'objets sur une ligne d'emballage

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0844180A1 true EP0844180A1 (fr) 1998-05-27

Family

ID=8225159

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96308529A Withdrawn EP0844180A1 (fr) 1996-11-26 1996-11-26 Dispositif et procédé pour la manutention d'objets sur une ligne d'emballage
EP97913344A Withdrawn EP0942871A1 (fr) 1996-11-26 1997-11-26 Dispositif et procede servant a manipuler des objets sur une chaine d'emballage

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97913344A Withdrawn EP0942871A1 (fr) 1996-11-26 1997-11-26 Dispositif et procede servant a manipuler des objets sur une chaine d'emballage

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (2) EP0844180A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU5064098A (fr)
CA (1) CA2272694A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2335407B (fr)
WO (1) WO1998023487A1 (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19812248A1 (de) * 1998-01-16 1999-07-22 Rovema Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Einbringen von Gegenständen in eine bewegte, umlaufende Transporteinrichtung
EP0989064A1 (fr) * 1998-09-08 2000-03-29 Chronos Holding Ltd Sac
EP1279601A2 (fr) * 2001-07-26 2003-01-29 Weitek Industrial Controls S.r.l. Procédé et appareil pour le remplissage de sacs
EP1686063A1 (fr) * 2003-11-12 2006-08-02 Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd. Dispositif sans chaine transportant des recipients
DE102014113859A1 (de) * 2014-09-24 2016-03-24 Haver & Boecker Ohg Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Füllen von Offensäcken

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1003768A (en) 1960-11-24 1965-09-08 Marius Berghgracht An apparatus for the packing of solid or liquid materials in sealable bags or sachets
US4580393A (en) * 1984-04-11 1986-04-08 Furukawa Mfg. Co., Ltd. Packing apparatus
US4845927A (en) * 1987-01-21 1989-07-11 I.C.A. S.P.A. Packaging machine having individual controlled atmosphere chamber means for each package
US5386678A (en) * 1993-07-12 1995-02-07 Furukawa Mfg. Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for vacuum packaging

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2284794B (en) * 1993-12-20 1998-03-04 Pitney Bowes Plc Inserter machine for stuffing envelopes
GB2292937A (en) * 1994-09-12 1996-03-13 Pitney Bowes Ltd Sheet-handling apparatus e.g. for mailpieces

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1003768A (en) 1960-11-24 1965-09-08 Marius Berghgracht An apparatus for the packing of solid or liquid materials in sealable bags or sachets
US4580393A (en) * 1984-04-11 1986-04-08 Furukawa Mfg. Co., Ltd. Packing apparatus
US4845927A (en) * 1987-01-21 1989-07-11 I.C.A. S.P.A. Packaging machine having individual controlled atmosphere chamber means for each package
US5386678A (en) * 1993-07-12 1995-02-07 Furukawa Mfg. Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for vacuum packaging

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19812248A1 (de) * 1998-01-16 1999-07-22 Rovema Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Einbringen von Gegenständen in eine bewegte, umlaufende Transporteinrichtung
EP0989064A1 (fr) * 1998-09-08 2000-03-29 Chronos Holding Ltd Sac
EP1279601A2 (fr) * 2001-07-26 2003-01-29 Weitek Industrial Controls S.r.l. Procédé et appareil pour le remplissage de sacs
EP1279601A3 (fr) * 2001-07-26 2003-04-02 Weitek Industrial Controls S.r.l. Procédé et appareil pour le remplissage de sacs
EP1686063A1 (fr) * 2003-11-12 2006-08-02 Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd. Dispositif sans chaine transportant des recipients
EP1686063A4 (fr) * 2003-11-12 2008-01-16 Shikoku Kakoki Co Ltd Dispositif sans chaine transportant des recipients
US7731015B2 (en) 2003-11-12 2010-06-08 Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd. Chainless container-transporting device
DE102014113859A1 (de) * 2014-09-24 2016-03-24 Haver & Boecker Ohg Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Füllen von Offensäcken
US10625890B2 (en) 2014-09-24 2020-04-21 Haver & Boecker Ohg Device and method for filling open bags

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2335407A (en) 1999-09-22
AU5064098A (en) 1998-06-22
GB9912352D0 (en) 1999-07-28
CA2272694A1 (fr) 1998-06-04
GB2335407B (en) 2000-07-19
WO1998023487A1 (fr) 1998-06-04
EP0942871A1 (fr) 1999-09-22

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0485782B1 (fr) Machine d'emballage automatique, ainsi que le procédé et le sac flexible obtenu
US3983682A (en) Apparatus for forming, filling and inserting filled bags into cartons
US3906705A (en) Apparatus for filling cartons
CN113697185B (zh) 一种全自动料盘真空封袋包装设备
PL230552B1 (pl) Sposob pakowania z dozowaniem gazu i pakowarka
US5467578A (en) Method for encapsulating articles in wicketed bags
CN1063460A (zh) 自动供袋方法和挂袋装置
JP2002537187A (ja) バッグ充填装置及び方法
EP0413431B1 (fr) Machine d'emballage
US20200062429A1 (en) Apparatus and method for filling bulk materials into open bags
JPH02180121A (ja) 袋を１袋づつ置き台から袋詰め機に進める装置
CA2166439C (fr) Systeme et methode d'emballage de produits
JP4308428B2 (ja) カートンを充填する方法とデバイス
US7644561B2 (en) Apparatus for extracting air from packages
JP4165694B2 (ja) 飲料用被抽出材料の抽出バッグへの包装方法
US4524564A (en) Cartoning method
JPH0656101A (ja) 軟質袋体の充填装置
EP0844180A1 (fr) Dispositif et procédé pour la manutention d'objets sur une ligne d'emballage
US4872303A (en) Bag top forming method and apparatus
US3491514A (en) Bread loaf sacking equipment
EP0844179A1 (fr) Procédé pour l'ouverture de sachets repliés à plat
US20210188469A1 (en) Device and method for packaging bulk materials in open bags
JP3471921B2 (ja) 大型袋への充填装置
US2528680A (en) Mechanism for filling, vacuumizing, and sealing containers
CA1092565A (fr) Appareil de manutention de sacs

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): DE

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Free format text: AL;LT;LV;SI

AKX Designation fees paid
RBV Designated contracting states (corrected)
RBV Designated contracting states (corrected)

Designated state(s): AT

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8566

RBV Designated contracting states (corrected)

Designated state(s): DE

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19981128

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: MOLINS PLC

Owner name: KRAFT FOODS, INC.