EP2197749B1 - Apparatus by means of which valve bags can be fitted on - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus by means of which valve bags can be fitted onto a filling nozzle (27) of a packing machine (1), having a fit-on head (20) on which are provided a pivotable gripper device (4) and a fit-on device (5), wherein the gripper device is provided and suitable for gripping and accommodating in a first pivoting position a valve bag of a bundle of bags arranged on an accommodating surface of a set-down table (7) and for transferring this valve bag, in a second pivoting position, to a fit-on device, the fit-on device being provided and suitable for opening the valve of the valve bag and accelerating the valve bag in order for it to be fitted on. The fit-on device here comprises two fit-on parts (11, 12), of which one fit-on part (11) is arranged in a pivotable manner. The fit-on device is arranged such that it can be adjusted longitudinally in relation to the gripper device, in order for it to be possible to compensate for different bag dimensions. Also provided is a common drive for the pivoting of the gripper device and of the pivotable fit-on part, the gripper device and the pivotable fit-on part being coupled mechanically via a coupling mechanism.

Description

The invention relates to a device for attaching valve bags and more particularly to a device for attaching valve bags to a filler neck of a packing machine.

Such devices or slip-on machines have become known in the art. For example, is from the DE 35 25 348 C2 a device for attachment to the filler neck or the filler neck of a packing machine has become known in which two suction bars are provided which engage on both sides of the bag valve a scattered bag and open the bag valve. Subsequently, the bag is accelerated with open bag valve via drive means and shot in the direction of the filling tube. In the known device, the gripper bars are arranged to open the bag valve in the longitudinal direction stationary, as well as it is the drive means.

Also with the WO 97/22522 A1 a device for attaching valve bags has become known on a filler neck of a packaging machine. In this case, the bag valve of the uppermost valve bag is gripped by a suction stack and the valve bag by a slider or by means of a pressed-drive roller inserted laterally into a receiving element of a supply or conveyor belt, wherein the movement of the suction strip and the pressing of the drive roller for lateral transfer in the supply or conveyor belt is positively coupled.

A disadvantage of these known devices is that the distance of the slip-on device to the packaging machine is usually immutable. Since different bag sizes can be driven on a packaging machine, it has been found that it comes at smaller sack widths increasingly errors when plugging or when shooting up the bags. It has been found that this is due to the greater distance between the end of the drive means of the slip-on machine and the beginning of the filler neck.

Consequently, a device is desirable in which the distance between the end of the drive means and the filler neck is adjustable. Since the displacement of the whole slip-on is too complex, a device was constructed in which the gripper bar is arranged to open the bag valve in the transport direction of the bag stationary, while the drive means is provided adjustable in the longitudinal direction. Thus, in a stationary provision of the valve bags, the gripper bar always take in the same place the bags, while the drive means is adjusted in the longitudinal direction depending on the width of the bags to always maintain an optimal distance from the filler neck of the packing machine, so each one substantially optimum clipping result is achieved.

In this prior art, the gripper device for gripping the bags is now stationary, while the drive means is arranged displaceable in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the gripper is provided pivotable about a longitudinal axis, while the drive means comprises two pivotable components which can accelerate the bag in the closed state and can shoot up on the filler neck.

This known state of the art works reliably. However, it has proved to be disadvantageous that the different movements of the drive means and the gripper device must be precisely coordinated with each other in terms of time. For this purpose, safety times must be provided so that a considerable period of time must be made available for carrying out the various movements. This limits a possible increase in capacity.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a device for attaching valve bags available, which allows a high Aufsteckrate.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Preferred developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. Further features of the present invention will be defined in the following description.

The device according to the invention is provided for attaching valve bags to one or more filling nozzles of a packaging machine. The device according to the invention comprises at least one plug-on head, on which a pivotable gripper device and a slip-on device are provided. In this case, the gripper device is provided and suitable for achieving and receiving a valve bag of a bag bundle arranged on a receiving surface of a delivery table in a first pivoting position and transferring it to a plug-in device in a second pivoting position. The Aufsteckeinrichtung is in turn provided and suitable to open the valve of a valve bag and to accelerate the valve bag for plugging. The Aufsteckeinrichtung according to the invention consists of at least two Aufsteckteilen, of which at least one Aufsteckteil example, is pivotally mounted, while the other Aufsteckteil can not be provided pivotably or pivotally. According to the invention a common drive for the pivoting of the gripper device and for the pivoting of the pivotable Aufsteckteils is provided. This is the gripper device mechanically coupled to the pivotable plug-on part via a coupling mechanism.

The invention has many advantages. It is particularly advantageous that only a common drive for pivoting with the gripper device and for pivoting the individual parts or components of the slip-on is needed because the individual components are connected via a coupling mechanism. The positively controlled mechanical coupling of the gripper device and the pivotable parts of the slip-on always leads to a precisely defined spatial position of the different parts to each other, so that a collision of the individual parts with each other is not possible in principle. This eliminates a significant amount of time, which must be considered in conventional solutions, since no safety times between the individual movements must be observed. Rather, different movements can be started simultaneously in a coordinated manner.

Preferably, the slip-on device is arranged to be adjustable in the longitudinal direction relative to the gripper device in order to be able to compensate for different bag dimensions when plugged on.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the coupling mechanism comprises a toggle lever. This is advantageous because a toggle allows transmission of one-end fast motion to slow-to-slow motion at the other end and vice versa.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the toggle lever engages on a slide bar and is slidably mounted thereto in a longitudinal direction.

Preferably, the coupling mechanism for the motion-coupled pivoting of the gripper device and the pivotable Aufsteckteils two interconnected toggle on to reinforce the effect.

As a result, precisely coordinated motion sequences are made possible, so that a very high operating speed can be achieved. At the same time, the use of only one drive saves considerable technical and financial effort.

In preferred developments, the slip-on device is displaceably arranged along the slide bar, so that a spatially displaceable slip-on device is made possible with stationary gripper device in order to be able to compensate for different bag dimensions during processing.

In particular, the Aufsteckeinrichtung has two pivotable Aufsteckteile and is composed of the total of the two pivotable Aufsteckteilen together. In this case, a Aufsteckteil in particular an opening element of an opening device in order to open the bag valve of a aufzusteckenden bag. Furthermore, the slip-on device or each slip-on part has an element of the acceleration device, so that upon pivoting of the two pivotable slip-on parts in each case an opening element and an acceleration element is pivoted.

In further developments, one and in particular exactly one plug-on part is provided so as to be pivotable about the slide bar or a rotationally connected rotary bar. Furthermore, it is possible that the gripper device is provided pivotably about the rotatably connected to the slide bar rotating rod.

In all embodiments, the gripper device preferably comprises a suction strip with a plurality of suckers, wherein preferably individual, depending on the bag dimensions Suction cups can be switched off, so that the number of vacuum actuated vacuum cleaner is variable.

As a drive, for example, a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder or a vacuum cylinder may be provided to periodically seize a bag and set up.

Also preferred is a motor and in particular an electric motor as a common drive. Preferably, a control device is used to control the motor. Particularly preferably, the control device controls the rotational speed of the motor or a motor device such that the drive shaft of the motor device rotates substantially continuously. The rotational speed of the motor device is periodically increased and decreased again to allow a gentle operation, in spite of the largest possible Aufsteckgeschwindigkeit the respective rotational speed is minimal or almost minimal.

Preferably, the slip-on device comprises a bag-opening device, wherein the opening device preferably in each case has an angled sheet metal on the two plug-on parts. The two angled plates result in the mutually pivoted position overall an approximately rectangular and in particular even almost square cross-section, with a diagonal from corner to corner horizontally and the other diagonal from corner to corner is oriented approximately vertically. The length of the horizontal diagonal is smaller than the width of the bag valve, so that a top-held in the middle of the bag valve opens automatically when pivoting the angled metal sheets.

In particularly preferred developments, the slip-on device comprises an acceleration device, which comprises a roller bar on a plug-on part. Preferably, the Acceleration device further a belt drive on the other Aufsteckteil.

Further advantages and possible applications of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments, which are described below with reference to the accompanying figures.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Aufsicht auf eine Anlage mit einer Packmaschine und einer Vorrichtung zum Aufstecken von Ventilsäcken;

Fig. 2

eine Gesamtansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zum Aufstecken von Ventilsäcken;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Aufsteckkopfs der Vor- richtung nach Fig. 2 in einer ersten Position;

Fig. 4

den Aufsteckkopf der Vorrichtung in einer zweiten Posi- tion;

Fig. 5

den Aufsteckkopf der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 2 in einer dritten Position;

Fig. 6

den Aufsteckkopf der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 2 in einer vierten Position;

Fig. 7

ein weiterer Aufsteckkopf für eine Vorrichtung nach Fig. 2 in einer der Fig. 5 entsprechenden Position; und

Fig. 8

den Aufsteckkopf nach Fig. 7 in einer der Fig. 6 ent- sprechenden Position.

Show:

Fig. 1

a schematic plan view of a system with a packing machine and a device for attaching valve bags;

Fig. 2

an overall view of the device according to the invention for attaching valve bags;

Fig. 3

a perspective view of the plug-in head of the device according to Fig. 2 in a first position;

Fig. 4

the plug-on head of the device in a second position;

Fig. 5

after the plug-on head of the device Fig. 2 in a third position;

Fig. 6

after the plug-on head of the device Fig. 2 in a fourth position;

Fig. 7

another plug-on head for a device according to Fig. 2 in one of the Fig. 5 corresponding position; and

Fig. 8

after the plug-in head Fig. 7 in one of the Fig. 6 corresponding position.

With reference to the figures, an embodiment of the device 10 according to the invention will now be explained, which as a slip-on is formed and used for attaching valve bags 2 on the or the filler neck of a packaging machine 1 and may be part of a system 80.

In FIG. 1 a plant 80 is shown, which has a packing machine 1 for filling products in bags 2, a slip-on 10 and a discharge belt 70 for transporting the filled valve sacks 2. The packing machine 1 is designed here as a rotating filling system with a plurality of filling nozzles 27, onto which the valve sacks 2 to be filled are plugged with the slip-on machine 10.

The packing machine 1 rotates in the direction of rotation 48, while the plugged valve bags 2 are filled. The ready-packed valve bags 2 are deposited on the discharge belt 70 and thus transported away.

For example, such bags 2 are automatically filled with building materials such as cement or with other powdery or granular substances. For example, the in Fig. 1 shown rotating packing machine 1 used. It is also possible to use a row packer. In rotating packaging machines, the plurality of filling nozzles 27 are arranged distributed symmetrically over the circumference. In the Fig. 2 illustrated device 10 for attaching the valve bags 2 is arranged in a predetermined angular position of the packaging machine 1.

Now, if a filler neck 27 of the packing machine 1 is in the Aufsteckposition, an empty bag 2 is attached with the slip-on 10 with the help of the plug-20 on the filler neck 27.

Modern packaging machines 1 with a number of eight or twelve or even sixteen or even more filling nozzles 27 have enormous throughput capacities at which filling rates on the order of 1 sack per second or more are possible. That means pro Hour about 3000 to 5000 bags are filled, which represents an enormous logistical requirement.

To automate the Aufsteckens therefore slip-on machines 10 have become known in which a blank bag magazine 30, the bags 2 for the slip-10 is temporarily stored.

The operator then only has to insert bag bundles 3 in the compartments 31 of the empty bag magazine 3. The bag bundles 3 are automatically fed to the delivery table 7 and first transported to a waiting area 28 and then to a receiving area 6, where they are lifted off individually. Subsequently, the valve of the valve bag 2 is opened and the valve bag 2 is shot onto the filler neck 27 of the packing machine 1.

In the Fig. 3 to 6 is shown in enlarged perspective view of the plug-20 of the attaching machine 10 according to the invention in four different positions, wherein in the illustrations according to 3 and 4 the plug-on head 20 is shown in the position for processing wide bags 2, while in the illustrations according to FIGS. 5 and 6 the plug-on head 20 is set to process narrower bags 2.

The in the perspective view Fig. 3 enlarged plug-on head 20 of the slip-on 10 includes a housing 32 for storage and arrangement of the various components.

On the housing 32, the gripper device 4 is pivotally provided, which comprises a suction bar 19, which is in a first pivot position 8 in the bag receiving position and the uppermost valve bag 2 of a stacked flat stacked valve bags 2 sack bundle 3 takes. For this purpose, the suction strip 19 a plurality of spaced apart in the longitudinal direction 13 suction cups 33, which are preferably individually switched on and off to adjust the active length of the suction bar to the current bag width 34.

Furthermore, a Aufsteckeinrichtung 5 is arranged on the housing 32, which consists of two Aufsteckteilen 11 and 12, of which the Aufsteckteil 11 is pivoted respectively when opening or closing.

The Aufsteckeinrichtung 5 includes the Aufsteckteile 11 and 12, wherein at each Aufsteckteil an angled plate 22 and 23 a Sackventilöffnungseinrichtung 21 is provided. Furthermore, a roller bar 25 is provided on the attachment part 11 and a belt drive 26 on the attachment part 12. The roller rail 25 and the belt drive 26 form an acceleration device 24. The belt drive 26 serves to drive and accelerate one between the roller rail 25 and the belt drive 26 Sacks 2.

The roller bar 29 serves to guide the bag 2 when plugging in and is opened only in case of failure. The pressure cylinder 49 presses the roller bar 29 uniformly against the belt drive 26th

In Fig. 3 the plug-on head 20 is shown in a position in which the suction bar 19 is pivoted to the first pivot position to lift a new bag 2 from the bag bundle 3. The suction cups 33 of the suction bar 19 engage the bag in the blind valve area. At the same time are in the position after Fig. 3 the Aufsteckeinrichtung 5 or its Aufsteckteil 11 shown in a pivoted, that is moved apart position. The movement of the Aufsteckteils 11 and the gripper device 4 with the suction bar 19 are mechanically positively coupled via the coupling mechanism 15, so that automatically moves the Aufsteckeinrichtung 5 in a movement of the gripper device 4. The movement is controlled by a drive 14, which is here designed as a piston-cylinder unit, whereby a fast and precise movement even in dusty environments over long periods of time is possible.

The drive 14 engages here directly on the pivot arm 37 of the slip-5 on which the torque on the pivot axis 41 transmits to the lever 36, which in turn transmits via the pivot point 42, the torque to the lever 39 and finally to the lever 40. The thus formed two toggle levers 16 and 17 control the movement of the gripper device 4 and 5 Aufsteckeinrichtung such that collisions are avoided, while at the same time a substantially maximum operating speed and reliability is achieved. This means here that in the transfer of the in Fig. 3 position shown in the in Fig. 4 shown second pivot position 9, first the suction bar 19 is pivoted at high speed up, while the closing speed of the pivotal movement of the Aufsteckteils 11 remains almost constant over the entire pivoting operation, so that the risk of collision is reliably avoided. The suction bar 19 and the gripper device 4 are located in Fig. 4 in the bag transfer position for transferring the valve bag 2 to the slip-on. 5

At the same time only a drive 14 is required by the positively controlled mechanical coupling of the two pivotable components, namely the gripper device 4 and 5 Aufsteckeinrichtung, whereby a significant additional effort is saved.

The transmission of the pivoting movement to the gripper device 4 is effected by the lever 40, which is pivoted about the pivot point 46 and thereby causes a movement of the pivotable about the pivot point 43 first coupling rod 44 and the second coupling rod 45, and the lever 47. The first coupling rod 44 is formed here by a spring means 38 in the form of a pneumatic cylinder to compensate for different bag bundle strengths. By parallel to the lever 47 arranged second coupling rod 45 a parallelogram is formed, which causes a constant alignment of the suction bar, so that does not change in the movement, the position of the blind valve portion 35 for horizontal alignment.

After the transfer of the in Fig. 3 position shown in the in Fig. 4 shown position, the bag valve by the closing operation of the angled plates 22 and 23 of the bag opening device 21 is opened while the bag extends down between the roller bar and the belt drive 26. After opening the valve, the belt drive 26 is activated and the bag is shot in the longitudinal direction 13 on a filler neck 27 of a packing machine or filling 1. The suction pad 19 is located in the second pivot position. 9

The in the FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrated states of the plug-in head 20 basically correspond to those in the 3 and 4 illustrated states, but the plug-on head 20 is set to the processing of narrower bags 2.

In order to keep the distance to be bridged from the end of the slip-on device 5 to the beginning of the filler neck even with narrower sacks 2 to a constant and as small as possible, the slip-on device 5 is moved in the longitudinal direction 13. This results in a transfer of the in Fig. 3 shown state by longitudinal displacement in the Fig. 5 illustrated state.

At the same time, the gripper device 4 has kept its position stationary, since the receiving surface 6 of the tray table 7 remains stationary. The coupling mechanism 15 allows a very comfortable and reliable operation of Aufsteckautomates 10, since the slip-5 is mounted relative to the gripper device 4 on the slide bar 18 slidably. By the coupling mechanism 15, which acts on the slide bar 18, it is ensured that also in the in Fig. 5 shown position for narrower sacks 2 of the drive 14 reliably coordinated pivoting movements of the gripper device 4 and 5 Aufsteckaufrichtung causes.

In Fig. 6 the state is shown with closed plug-5, in which a blind valve of a non-illustrated Sacks would be opened by the opening device 21, so that the bag 2 could be shot onto a filler neck 27.

In the FIGS. 7 and 8 a further embodiment of a plug-on head 20 is shown, wherein the compressed air cylinder serving as a common drive 14 in the preceding embodiments was replaced by an electric motor 50 and an eccentric disk 51 designed as a crank disk.

The plug-on 20 after the FIGS. 7 and 8 is apart from the drive 14 substantially equal to the Aufsteckkopf 20 constructed from the previous embodiment, so that a replacement of the Aufsteckköpfe 20 is possible on existing machines usually. For simplicity, the plug-on 20 was in the FIGS. 7 and 8 presented in positions that correspond to the FIGS. 5 and 6 shown corresponds.

The plug-on head 20 is in Fig. 7 shown in a position that the third position of the plug 20 from Fig. 5 corresponds and in Fig. 8 the plug-on head 20 is shown in the fourth position, in which the plug-in head 20 in Fig. 6 is shown.

By rotation of the shaft of the motor 50, the crankshaft 51 arranged on the shaft is rotated, on which an articulated transmission arm 52 is mounted eccentrically. By rotation of the shaft of the motor 50, the transfer arm 52 is moved, which transmits the drive torque and ensures the movement described above.

In contrast to the previous embodiment, the motor 50 is rotated as continuously as possible. This means that the speed of the motor 50 is periodically increased and decreased again to ensure a continuous movement of the gripper device 4 and the plug-on device 5 with the Aufsteckteilen 11 and 12. This allows for strong accelerations and strong deceleration by start / stop operations during the movement are largely or even completely avoided. This reduces the load on the components used and can increase the life and reliability.

Ideally, the engine 50 does not stop during operation, but rotates faster and slower, depending on the time. In order to bridge waiting time, the rotational speed is reduced, for example, proportionally to the angle of rotation still to be covered. It is not only a continuous adjustment of the rotational speed, but also a stepwise change possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

packing machine

2

valve bag

3

sack bundle

4

Gripper device

5

Aufsteckeinrichtung

6

receiving surface

7

tray table

8th

1. swivel position

9

2. Swivel position

10

Device, clip-on machine

11

An attachment

12

An attachment

13

longitudinal direction

14

drive

15

coupling mechanism

16

toggle

17

toggle

18

sliding bar

19

sucker bar

20

Aufsteckkopf

21

Sack opener

22

Angled sheet metal

23

Angled sheet metal

24

accelerator

25

roller strip

26

belt drive

27

filling

28

waiting area

29

roller strip

30

Empty bag magazine

31

subject

32

casing

33

sucker

34

sack width

35

Bag valve area

36

lever

37

swivel arm

38

spring means

39

lever

40

lever

41

pivot point

42

pivot point

43

pivot point

44

1. coupling rod

45

2. coupling rod

46

pivot point

47

lever

48

direction of rotation

49

pressure cylinder

50

engine

51

crank

52

transmission arm

70

Austrageband

80

investment

Claims (15)

1. An apparatus (10) for placing valve bags (2), in particular for placing valve bags (2) on a filling port (27) of a packing machine (1), having at least one placement head (20) provided with a pivotable gripper device (4) and a placement device (5) wherein the gripper device (4) is provided and suitable to grip and take up in a first pivot position (8) a valve bag (2) from a batch of bags (3) arranged on a take-up surface (6) of a delivery table (7) and in a second pivot position (9) to transfer it to a placement device (5), wherein the placement device (5) is provided and suitable to open the valve of a valve bag (2) and to accelerate the valve bag (2) for placement, wherein the placement device (5) consists of at least two placement elements (11, 12) at least one placement element (11) being arranged pivotable,
   characterized in
   that the placement device (5) is positioned displaceable relative to the gripper device (4) in the longitudinal direction (13) to compensate for different bag dimensions, and that one shared drive (14) is provided for pivoting the gripper device (4) and the pivotable placement element (11) in that the gripper device (4) and the pivotable placement element (11) are mechanically coupled via a linkage mechanism (15).
2. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1 wherein the placement element (11, 12) is pivotable about a slide bar (18).
3. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the linkage mechanism (15) comprises a toggle (16, 17) which toggle (16) engages the slide bar (18) to which it is fixed displaceable in the longitudinal direction (13).
4. The apparatus (10) according to the preceding claim wherein a drive cylinder is provided as a shared drive (14).
5. The apparatus (10) according to any of the two preceding claims wherein the linkage mechanism (15) comprises two interconnected toggles (16, 17) for a movement-coupled pivoting of the gripper device (4) and the pivotable placement element (11).
6. The apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims 2 to 5 wherein the placement device (5) is displaceable along the slide bar (18).
7. The apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the placement device (5) comprises two pivotable placement elements (11, 12).
8. The apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the gripper device (4) is provided pivotable about the slide bar.
9. The apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the shared drive comprises a motor device having an eccentric device (51).
10. The apparatus (10) according to the preceding claim wherein a control device is provided for controlling the speed of the motor device (50) to allow the eccentric device (51) to rotate substantially continuously.
11. The apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the placement device (5) comprises a bag opening device (21) having one angled metal sheet (22, 23) at each of the two placement elements (11, 12).
12. The apparatus (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the placement device (5) comprises an accelerating device (24) which comprises a bank of rollers (25) at one placement element (11).
13. The apparatus (10) according to the preceding claim wherein the accelerating device (24) comprises a belt drive (26) at the other placement element (12).
14. The apparatus (10) according to the preceding claim wherein the take-up device (6) is preceded by a holding surface (28) to which a new bag batch can be transported while the current bag batch arranged on the take-up surface is being processed.
15. A filling system (1) having at least one filling port (34) for filling valve bags (2), comprising at least one apparatus for placing the valve bags on the filling port (34) according to any of the preceding claims.

Images